'Spare the lives of the remaining hostages.  Like Jim they are innocents': Brave mother of beheaded American journalist calls on ISIS to cease killing as she pays tribute to her ‘extraordinary son’  — A masked and robed member of ISIS speaking English in what is thought to be a British accent addresses the camera as well

Missouri cop was badly beaten before shooting Michael Brown, says source  —  Darren Wilson, the Ferguson, Mo., police officer whose fatal shooting of Michael Brown touched off more than a week of demonstrations, suffered severe facial injuries, including an orbital (eye socket) fracture …

‘SNL’ Political Secrets Revealed: Hillary's “Entitlement,” the Sketch Obama Killed and the Show's “Karl Rove”  —  In an exclusive book excerpt, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and even Sarah Palin recount the inner battle between the left and right … Lorne Michaels, executive producer …

McConnell's plan to shut down Obama  —  HENDERSON, Ky. — Mitch McConnell has a game plan to confront President Barack Obama with a stark choice next year: Accept bills reining in the administration's policies or veto them and risk a government shutdown.  —  In an extensive interview here …

Supreme Court blocks Virginia same-sex marriages  —  The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked same-sex marriage from taking place this week in Virginia.  (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)  —  The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to a stay Wednesday on a federal appeals court's ruling …

Missouri's Capt. Johnson Flashes Fraternity Sign, Gets Called A ‘Gang Member’  —  Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, the highway patrol captain placed in charge of security in Ferguson Missouri, was photographed making hand signs that some quickly thought were gang signs.

From a vulnerable red state Democrat, a strong pro-Obamacare ad  —  One of the key questions of this cycle has been: As the potency of anti-Obamacare attacks fading as enrollment mounts and roll-out problems are forgotten, will we reach a point where vulnerable Democrats in red state territory …

Is Alaska's Senate Race Slipping Away From the GOP?  —  Thanks to a tougher-than-expected primary and a politically smart incumbent, Republicans are playing catch up in a key Senate battleground.  But will the state's GOP lean ultimately lift them to victory?

Holder tells Ferguson students he was a victim of racial profiling  —  FERUGUSON, Mo. — Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday told a group of black college students here that he had been a victim of racial profiling.  —  Holder, who is in Ferguson as part of the Justice Department's investigation …

WATCH: Chris Christie spars with N.J. woman over Bruce Springsteen  —  LONG BRANCH — Gov. Chris Christie and Bruce Springsteen haven't always been on the same page.  —  But don't tell the governor he can't play his idol's music ahead of his town hall events.

Joe The Plumber: Hold A Job Fair In Ferguson, Protestors Will ‘Scatter Like Cockroaches’  —  Samuel Wurzelbacher, better known as “Joe the Plumber,” took to Facebook on Wednesday to post his thoughts about the ongoing conflict in Ferguson, Mo. and compared the protestors to “cockroaches.”

Who Will Stand Up for the Christians?  —  WHY is the world silent while Christians are being slaughtered in the Middle East and Africa?  In Europe and in the United States, we have witnessed demonstrations over the tragic deaths of Palestinians who have been used as human shields by Hamas, the terrorist organization that controls Gaza.

nSPIRED Natural Foods, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Certain Retail Lots Of Arrowhead Mills® Peanut Butters, Maranatha® Almond Butters And Peanut Butters And Specific Private Label Nut Butters Because Of Possible Health Risk  —  Consumer:  —  1-800-937-7008

In first, Hamas official takes credit for kidnap and murder of Israeli teens  —  Salah al-Aruri praises “heroic action” of Kassam Brigades; Hamas had previously denied kidnapping Fraenkel, Shaer and Yifrah.  —  A senior Hamas official admitted for the first time on Wednesday …

Perry booked, gets mug shot  —  Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) was booked at a courthouse in Austin on Tuesday, getting his fingerprints taken and a mug shot, following his indictment by a grand jury on abuse of power charges.  —  “I'm here today because I believe in the rule of law …