From the Wire

Miss. Power Confirms Kemper Plant DelayMississippi Power Co. says its Kemper County power plant won't be finished by the original May 2014 deadline.
4 Head Start Providers Serving 3,200 Kids CloseFour Head Start providers that serve 3,200 low-income children in four states are closing due to the federal government shutdown.
Best-Selling Author Tom Clancy Has Died at Age 66Tom Clancy, whose high-tech, Cold War thrillers such as "The Hunt for Red October" and "Patriot Games" made him the most widely read and influential military novelist of his time, has died. He was 66.
New Sanctions Likely Despite Thaw in U.S.-Iran TiesA war-weary Congress generally backs President Barack Obama's outreach to Iran, but with tougher U.S. economic measures against Tehran on the way, the president's diplomatic task could get harder if he doesn't make quick progress.
Shutdown Leaves Thousands in DC Area in LimboThe usually bustling District of Columbia will be uniquely affected Wednesday by the first government shutdown in 17 years, with thousands of federal employees who make up the backbone of the metro area's workforce ordered not to report to work.
Weapons Experts Begin Syria Mission Amid ClashesAs deadly clashes raged on the edge of Damascus, international inspectors left their hotel on Wednesday to start work on the task of destroying Syria's chemical arsenal under the tightest of deadlines in the midst of a civil war.
Outside U.S., Ripple Effects of Budget Battle FearedTop European officials are keeping a worried eye on the U.S. government shutdown, saying it could pose a risk for the continent's fledgling recovery.
U.S. Judge Blocks Part of Miss. Campaign Finance LawA federal judge in north Mississippi has declared that part of the state's campaign finance law is unconstitutional because it creates burdens for people or groups that spend at least $200 to support or oppose a ballot initiative.
Netanyahu: Israel Won't Let Iran Get Nuclear ArmsIsrael's prime minister declared Tuesday that his country will never allow Iran to get nuclear weapons, even if it has to act alone, and dismissed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's "charm offensive" as a ruse to get relief from sanctions.
Chemical Weapons Inspectors Cross into SyriaAn advance group of international inspectors arrived in Syria on Tuesday to begin the ambitious task of overseeing the destruction of President Bashar Assad's chemical weapons program.
Americans Anxious, Irritated as Gov't Shuts DownThe partial government shutdown that began Tuesday left many federal workers uncertain of their financial future, with many facing unpaid furloughs or delays in paychecks.
Health Insurance Markets Open; Success to Be SeenThe online insurance marketplaces at the heart of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul are showing signs of trouble handling the volume of consumers on the first day of a six-month open enrollment period.
Government Shutdown Begins Over Health Care FeudCongress plunged the nation into a partial government shutdown Tuesday as a protracted dispute over President Barack Obama's signature health care law reached a boiling point, forcing some 800,000 federal workers off the job.
BP Accused of Lying to Gov't During Gulf Oil SpillBP lied to the U.S. government and withheld information about the amount of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico after its well blew out in 2010, attorneys told a judge Monday.
Kemper Delay Could Cost Shareholders $133 MillionMississippi Power Co. could announce in coming days that it won't meet a May deadline to start commercial operation at the $4.3 billion power plant it's building in Kemper County.