Aides knew of possible White House link to Cartagena, Colombia, prostitution scandal  —  As nearly two dozen Secret Service agents and members of the military were punished or fired following a 2012 prostitution scandal in Colombia, Obama administration officials repeatedly denied that anyone from the White House was involved.

Police officer fatally shoots teenager in south St. Louis  —  • By Margaret Gillerman mgillerman@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8126 and Valerie Schremp Hahn vhahn@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8246  —  Update, from 1 a.m. media briefing:  —  St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson said the officer …

GAO report: Voter ID laws stunted turnout  —  Voter ID laws helped contribute to lower voter turnout in Kansas and Tennessee in 2012, according a new study by the Government Accountability Office.  —  Congress's research arm blamed the two states' laws requiring that voters show identification …

Foxhall police encounter caught on video and the interaction is fascinating  —  If the police were on your front lawn, questioning someone you know about a call they received, what would you do?  If you're Jody Westby, you defend your people.  And you do it sternly, with an air of authority …

JW Confirms: 4 ISIS Terrorists Arrested in Texas in Last 36 Hours  —  Islamic terrorists have entered the United States through the Mexican border and Homeland Security sources tell Judicial Watch that four have been apprehended in the last 36 hours by federal authorities and the Texas Department of Public Safety in McAllen and Pharr.

Nephew of Ebola Patient Thomas Duncan Decries ‘Unfair’ Treatment  —  Ebola patient Thomas Duncan died in the hospital in Dallas Wednesday, after weeks of being treated for the virus, and just hours later his nephew, Joe Weeks, spoke out against the “unfair” way he believes his uncle was being treated by the hospital.

NBC Wanted to Hire Jon Stewart As Host of Meet the Press  —  “They were ready to back the Brink's truck up,” one source said  —  2.4k  —  This Sunday marks Chuck Todd's one-month anniversary in the anchor chair at Meet the Press.  Despite an opening-week ratings spike from his exclusive sit …

EPA tells court it may have lost text messages  —  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told a federal court that it may have lost the text messages at the center of a lawsuit by a libertarian think tank.  —  The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) sued the EPA last year in federal court …

Obama's Dismal Performance Is His Personal Failure  —  The Fiscal Times  —  Presidents in political trouble tend to resist change, mainly because they convince themselves of their wisdom.  Ronald Reagan once declared that he would “stay the course” on his economic policies when short-term pain caused …

Obama's 2008 Backers: We're Ready for Warren  —  The Massachusetts Senator says she'll sit out 2016.  But some Democratic diehards won't take no for an answer, and are already building a campaign for her.  —  She is, she insists, not interested, telling The Boston Globe, “There is no wiggle room.

More than a dozen states plan to cancel health care policies not in compliance with ObamaCare in the coming weeks, affecting thousands of people just before the midterm elections.  —  “It looks like several hundred thousand people across the country will receive notices in the coming days and weeks …

Virginia congressman defends funding Hamas-backed unity government  —  TYSONS CORNER, Va. — In the ongoing battle to deprive Mideast terrorists of financial support, one member of Congress vows he'll make sure at least one group of violent extremists gets cash from U.S. taxpayers.

Arkansas: How Bill Clinton will save the Senate  —  As I was having my morning coffee and chicory, I couldn't help but smile reading Jonathan Martin's piece on former President Clinton's recent appearance in Arkansas on behalf of incumbent Sen. Mark Pryor, who is facing a tough race for reelection.

Dems have new hope in Georgia  —  Senate Democrats are feeling increasingly upbeat about former charity executive Michelle Nunn's chances in Georgia after a rough week for businessman David Perdue (R).  —  The GOP nominee is facing heat over revelations that he said in a 2005 legal deposition he had …

Sen. Landrieu replaces campaign manager and brings in familiar faces to help re-election effort  —  U.S. Sen Mary Landrieu qualifies to run for re-election  —  Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu is shuffling up her campaign staff, bringing in some accustomed faces from previous campaigns.

Renewed assault on Kobani; 21 dead in Turkey as Kurds rise  —  (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters launched a renewed assault on the Syrian city of Kobani on Wednesday night, and at least 21 people were killed in riots in neighboring Turkey where Kurds rose up against the government for doing nothing to protect their kin.

Embattled House Democrats Turn Against Nancy Pelosi  —  She has long been among Republicans' top targets, but some of her own now see value in turning against their leader.  —  House Republicans have surprising new company in attacking Nancy Pelosi: her fellow House Democrats.

Obama slams billionaires at the home of a guy named Rich Richman  —  President Obama blasted Republicans as the party of “billionaires” on Tuesday while mingling with high-rollers at the $26 million estate of Rich Richman — yes, that's his real name — in Greenwich, Conn.