Senators OK After Emergency Afghan Landing

Nuclear nonproliferation among agenda items as Mass. Dem takes over from Biden

(NEWSER) - John Kerry will be the next chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Boston Globe reports, replacing Joe Biden when he assumes the vice presidency in January. Kerry plans to use his new post to ramp up anti-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, aides to the Massachusetts Democrat said. More»

Kerry falls behind with mere $193M

(NEWSER) - It’s been a tough year for most of us, but the richest in Congress, it seems, have only gotten richer: This year’s 50 wealthiest members are worth a collective $200 million more than last year’s, the Hill notes. Among them:

• With a minimum net worth of $287 million, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, knocked John Kerry out of the top spot this year, leading the rest of Congress by tens of millions. McCaul’s wealth comes largely from his family; his father-in-law founded Clear Channel Communications.

Chinook burst into flames, crashed in pieces

(NEWSER) - As soon as the Chinook helicopter carrying 30 American troops and eight Afghans was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired from a hillside, it burst into flames, a witness tells the AP . "After it started burning, it crashed. It came down in three pieces. We could see it burning from our homes." The victims' bodies were mangled and burned, he continues. Another witness says burning wreckage was scattered on both sides of the Tangi river. More»

President will meet with key lawmakers next week

(NEWSER) - Step aside, Joe. A day after congressional Republicans called off debt-reduction talks with Vice President Joe Biden, the White House announced President Obama will meet directly with key lawmakers next week, reports the Washington Post . Obama will meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday. More»

He joins Eric Cantor in bailing on Joe Biden's negotiations

(NEWSER) - And then there were none: Arizona Senator Jon Kyl is joining Eric Cantor in his decision to skip Joe Biden's deficit-reduction talks, which means no Republicans are left on the panel, reports ABC News . The departures come as Mitch McConnell blasted President Obama on the Senate floor, notes Politico , which sees a "concerted effort" by the GOP to force the president to get personally involved in the talks. They've hit an impasse over Democrats' push for tax increases. More»