Senate approves Obama request to arm, train Syrian rebels  —  The Senate on Thursday easily approved a $1 trillion government-funding bill that gives President Obama new authority to battle the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).  —  Lawmakers voted 78-22 in favor of the bill …

Scottish referendum: Scotland votes ‘No’ to independence  —  Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters decisively rejected independence.  —  With 31 out of the country's 32 council areas having declared after Thursday's vote, the ‘No’ side has an unassailable lead of 1,914,187 votes to 1,539,920.

Supreme Court Blocks Kobach's Power Move In Kansas Senate Race  —  The Kansas Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Democratic Senate nominee Chad Taylor's name should be removed from the ballot in November, overruling Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R).  —  The ruling shakes up one of the most-watched Senate races in 2014 once again.

Why I Hope to Die at 75  —  An argument that society and families—and you—will be better off if nature takes its course swiftly and promptly  —  Photos by Jake Chessum  —  Seventy-five.  —  That's how long I want to live: 75 years.  —  This preference drives my daughters crazy.

How gender mattered in the rise and fall of Debbie Wasserman Schultz  —  Devastating.  —  That's really the only way to describe Politico's piece on DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  —  Based on interviews with DNC staffers — both former and current — the piece described Wasserman Schultz …

Wisconsin Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Blames Campaign Consultant For Large Portions Of Copied Jobs Plan  —  From three previous Democratic campaigns.  —  Facebook- Burke for Wisconsin / Via Facebook: burkeforwisconsin  —  Large portions of Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate …

Could Fighting Global Warming Be Cheap and Free?  —  This just in: Saving the planet would be cheap; it might even be free.  But will anyone believe the good news?  —  I've just been reading two new reports on the economics of fighting climate change: a big study by a blue-ribbon international group …

Politician accused of dropping pants, hurling racist slurs dropping out of race  —  SOUTH PLAINFIELD — A borough council candidate is bowing out of his race after revelations that he allegedly shouted racist slurs while mooning patrons of a local diner.  —  Joe Sorrentino …

Congress's Inaction Could Be Legal Basis for Stronger Executive War Powers  —  WASHINGTON — As lawmakers grapple with President Obama's claim that he already has congressional authorization for airstrikes against the Islamic State, legal specialists are saying that even legislative inaction …

Write-In Candidate For U.S. Senate Unveils ‘With Jews We Lose’ Signs  —  A man with a history in the white supremacist movement has reportedly posted a series of anti-Semitic campaign signs throughout northern Kentucky as part of his write-in bid to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R).

YouGov referendum prediction: YES 46%, NO 54%  —  YouGov predicts that No has won Scotland's referendum with 54% of the vote  —  YouGov bases its prediction on the responses of 1,828 people after they voted today, together with those of 800 people who had already voted by post.

Thank God my country is still intact  —  Thank God.  Just thank God.  I don't much care at the moment whether God is Scottish, and is glowering approvingly at Great Britain from over His bands and Geneva gown, or whether He is English and is raising a glass of sherry with an absent-minded smile.

Exclusive: NSA Won't Say If Official's Spouse Does Business With The Agency  —  A powerful National Security Agency official involved in the controversial domestic surveillance program is married to an executive at a company that appears to be doing or seeking business with the agency.