Jacques Agency

US Senate Majority leader Harry Reid has warned that his Democratic-led chamber will reject a House Republican bill to avert a government shutdown. The Senate passed its own bill to fund government until 15 November - ahead of the 1 October shutdown deadline. Agencies are making contingency plans as the two parties remain deadlocked. In a statement, Senator Reid said that "after weeks of futile political games from Republicans, we are still at square one". He added that Republican efforts to pass the House bill - that would delay the healthcare law for a year and repeal a tax on medical devices - were pointless.

Senator Ted Cruz is deliberately casting himself as a conservative firebrand, a Texan Tea Party purist to whom "compromise" is a dirty word. Some Republicans despair of both his tactics and his ego. But he won't care - he has embraced John McCain's description of him as a "wacko bird". Reading Dr Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham from the floor of the Senate can only elevate him from Daffy Duck to Roadrunner in the esteem of his public admirers. The freshman senator, Ted Cruz, finally stopped talking Wednesday after 21 hours and 19 minutes, he was no closer to killing President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law. The Senate promptly advanced legislation required to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight Monday, and is expected to strip from that crucial bill the provision to defund Obamacare. Weary after a day and night on his feet, Cruz simply sat down at 12 noon EDT on Wednesday, the predetermined time for the Senate to adjourn, as several ...

BBC News - Nairobi attack: Kenya forces 'control all floors' of Westgate mall Kenyan security forces say they have taken control of all floors of the Nairobi shopping centre attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants. The interior ministry said troops were combing the Westgate complex and it is "unlikely" any hostages were left in the building. At least 62 people have been killed with more than 170 injured and there are fears the death toll will rise. The Kenyan Red Cross has told the BBC that 63 people remain unaccounted for. It is unclear how many militants are in the building but Kenyan officials said three "terrorists" had been killed.

BBC News - Somalia's al-Shabab claims Nairobi Westgate Kenya attack A senior figure in the Somali militant group al-Shabab has told the BBC it carried out a deadly attack on a shopping centre in neighbouring Kenya.

Al Qaeda-linked Islamists hold hostages at Kenya mall after killing 39 | Reuters Kenyan security forces were locked in a standoff on Sunday with gunmen who killed at least 39 people in an assault at an upmarket shopping mall in Nairobi, where the al Qaeda-linked militants were holding an unknown number of hostages.

No Place Like Home - Universal Church of the Living God

Jacques Agency - Universal Church of the Living God