WASHINGTON – House Speaker John Boehner is resigning his position as the top House Republican and his seat in Congress at the end of October, a senior leadership aide said Friday. Boehner announced his decision to colleagues Friday morning, sharing the news with House Republicans during a closed-door conference meeting.

The abrupt decision comes after he faced heavy pressure from conservatives in his party to take a harder line on their causes, most recently over defunding Planned Parenthood. Boehner, who has served as House Speaker since 2011, explained during the closed-door meeting that he had only planned to serve two terms as speaker but decided to hold onto his post after then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost his seat during a primary last year, a Republican lawmaker in the room told CNN. Boehner also told the lawmakers that Pope Francis’ visit to Congress the day before was a crystallizing moment, according to the lawmaker. Boehner’s decision came as a shock to many, with his top deputy House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy finding out moments before. The House Speaker is third in line for the presidency after the vice president. (CNN/PHOTO: washingtontimes.com)…[+]

SEATTLE – At least four international college students were killed when a tour bus and a duck boat tourist vehicle collided Thursday morning in Seattle, officials said. The students attended North Seattle College, which said several students are in critical condition, while other students and a North employee had serious injuries. “Because the deceased were international students, government officials are working to contact next of kin,” the school said.   “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of these deceased students, as well as to the students and employee who sustained injuries.” In the hours after the accident, fire officials said 44 people were hospitalized, 12 of whom were in critical condition.(CNN/PHOTO: CNN.COM)…[+]

SAUDI ARABIA- stampede during one of the last rituals of the Hajj season — the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca — has killed more than 700 people and injured 800 others in Saudi Arabia. The stampede occurred Thursday morning during the ritual known as “stoning the devil” in the tent city of Mina, about 2 miles from Mecca, Islam’s holiest city. Footage taken just after the stampede — obtained by CNN Arabic — shows a disturbing scene. Bodies piled upon bodies, a few moving, but most appearing lifeless. Workers in hard hats and reflective vests can be seen working the edges of the pile of faithful, pulling dead bodies away to get to those who are still alive.(CNN NEWS/cnn.com)…[+]

GUYANA-Venezuela’s military aggression close to Guyana’s border has incensed Guyanese. Some have opted to take the ‘Not a blade of grass’ message to the Venezuelan Embassy at, Thomas Street, Georgetown. From about 8:00hrs Wednesday social activist Dennis Atwell began a one-man picketing exercise outside of the Venezuelan Embassy. As the day progressed passersby, including the aged, as well as uniformed school children joined in, albeit brief for some.Other Guyanese in vehicles drove by honking their horns in support of the action and shouting “not a blade of grass!” However, this is just one day of more than two months of protest action around Guyana by this one man who vows to continue daily until the issue is resolved.(KAIETEUR NEWS/ kaieteurnewsonline.com)…[+]

GUYANA-Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjatan has said that he would welcome the Australian Government’s offer to share information on how it dealt with issues related to border security.The issue was among several other security-related matters discussed yesterday when Minister Ramjattan hosted Australian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Ross Tysoe during a courtesy call. Based in Trinidad and Tobago, he also holds accreditation as Australian High Commissioner to CARICOM. At the meeting with Minister Ramjattan, the discussions focused on issues such as the treatment of refugees, border security, deportation, gun amnesties, territorial sovereignty and potential for economic development.(KAIETEUR NEWS/ kaieteurnewsonline.com)…[+]