…And the World:

We begin today in Pakistan, where militants linked to a Taliban splinter group and Daesh, also known as ISIS/ISIL attacked a police training facility that left 61 dead. The attack was a blow to the country, which has made some progress in tamping down attacks in recent months.

Kenya also suffered a terrorist attack as 12 die in a hotel bombing.

French authorities dismantled a refugee camp at the port city of Calais. Call the jungle by some, the encampment consisted mostly of North African, Middle Eastern and Afghan refugees that had hoped to make it to Britain. As France and Britain do not exist within a free travel zone, their plans became impossible and France took the camp apart amid deteriorating conditons.

The British Prime Minister Theresa May is poised for turbulence after her government approved plans to build the long-considered third runway at Heathrow Airport. The international gateway has been running at near capacity with only two runways since the end of World War II. Indeed, no major runways have been built in southeastern England since the conflict, but many are concerned about the impact on noise and climate. However, community and environmental groups vigorous oppose the project and Zac Goldsmith, an MP from May’s party, resigned over the news.

Goldsmith’s resignation could create further heartburn for May. He is expected to run for his seat as an independent, but a resurgent Liberal Democratic party, Parliament’s third largest, could field a strong challenger and reclaim the seat it held before 2010.

Iran’s intelligence services have egg on their face after it is revealed an American pol visited the country. No that’s not the issue. The country’s spies didn’t know Utah State Senator Jim Dabakis was gay.

Polish women are not done opposing conservatives’ efforts tighten already some of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe.

The Feds:

As the 2016 presidential election enters its waning last two weeks, Democrats have shifted away from the presidential contest. After a third, solid debate performance former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton seems to be leading, and is now pushing for down ballot candidates. Even joint campaign appearances like Clinton and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren’s in New Hampshire have turned their focus to winning seats in the House and Senate.

Clinton’s campaign is hardly napping as the return of the Khan family in this ad show.

While doubts exists as to whether it will affect voters’ decisions much, real estate tycoon and provocateur Donald Trump, the GOP nominee, has been hitting the double-digit rate increases for health insurance available on Obamacare’s exchanges. However, both Clinton and her husband have a rejoinder to that. More importantly, most exchange policyholders get subsidies.

Politico reports that top Democrats are urging the party to get back into the game in Florida’s Senate race and help US Rep. Patrick Murphy take down Republican Senator Marco Rubio.

In New Hampshire, the GOP is attacking Democratic Senate candidate Maggie Hassan because a teacher Phillips Exeter accused of sexual misconduct—Hassan’s husband was principal there until recently—donated money to her campaign in years past and briefly was on her 2012 gubernatorial campaign steering committee.

Elsewhere, the Senate GOP are pressing the panic button.

In Connecticut Senator Richard Blumentahl, running for reelection, faced off with his Republican opponent Dan Carter in a debate. If you’re surprised to find there’s a US Senate race in the Constitution State, you’re not alone.

Former radical and Califrornia assembly Tom Hayden died Monday. The one-time member of the Chicago 7 and liberal activist who also unsuccessfully ran for governo and mayor of Los Angeles, was 76.

The State of Things:

Wow! The trend continues.

The Boston Globe discovers that Keolis, the firm that runs the commuter rail operations in Greater Boston shares a public relations consultant with—Gov. Charlie Baker’s 2014 campaign. Also notable, since becoming governor, Baker has cut Keolis a lot of slack for the railroad’s many delays, though not all the company’s fault.

In pot potpourri: Baker also faces a quandary about the prospect of raising taxes on cannabis should Question 4, which would legalize marijuana, to finance post-enactment issues. The Globe’s Josh Miller lights up, that is, illuminates readers about the initial gray areas Question 4’s passage would bring. Finally, were Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and City Council President Kevin Jourdain trading magic brownie recipes? No, they were debating the merits of Question 4.

Early voting has begun.

In the 1^st Hampden & Hampshire State Senate race, US Senator Elizabeth Warren and Salem Congressman Seth Moulton rallied for Eric Lesser Saturday. Yesterday Lesser and Republican challenger James “Chip” Harrington debated at Masslive.

Further west, Democrat Adam Hinds and Republican Christine Canning debate in the race for the senate seat based in the Berkshires and the western end of Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties.

All tolls on Massachusetts roads will become electronic on Friday. Paul Tuthill of Northeastern Public Radio reports.

It’s Working:

Cafeteria workers and Harvard have tentatively agreed to a newontact following a strike that began earlier this month. Workers are not expected to immediately go back to work.

Staff a Fusion, a news channel geared toward Millennials owned by Univision, have called on their CEO to recognize their union, following attempts by management to discourage the organization drive. Unionised journalists at other outlets have offered support.

The Fourth Estatements:

AT&T’s proposed purchase of Time Warner is raising a lot of concerns. The big focus of the last couple of days is the editorial independence of CNN. Execs at the one-time Baby Bell—the current AT&T is actually a group of Baby Bells that bought the remains of Ma Bell and took her name—has promised to let CNN operate without corporate interference. Then there are shows like Bill Maher’s Real Time on HBO, which also enjoy editorial freedom now.

But many remain wary of the deal with comparisons to Comcast’s takeover of NBC Universal.

Today’s Morning Media newsletter from Politico is filled with news of impending/likely cuts coming to newspapers. This comes amid a renewed effort on the City Council to put police disci

The White House Correspondents Association frets, not wholly without justification, that the next president may not allow a protective pool of reporters. Neither major party candidate has done that for their campaigns, itself a historical marker.

Sharman Sacchetti, Boston Fox 25’s political reporter, has left the station.

City Slickers:

Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri, under fire amid a wave of stories about his department, pushed back today against reporters’ suggestion that he does not discipline unruly cops. This comes amid renewed efforts on the City Council to put disciplinary powers in the hands of an independent board.

City Councilors approve anti-Islamophobia resolution.

Former Springfield mayor Robert Markel and community groups are encouraging residents to vote yes on Question 5, the Community Preservation Act.

Twitter Chatter:

In the midst of an election that seems to be taken a mental toll on the nation, moments of levity are in short supply. Rather than choose a profound or chilling tweet—although the humor here may inadvertently be both—we go for a bit of DC social commentary. Today we award the tweet prize Bloomberg reporter Sahil Kapur. At a time of prognostications and hot takes, so many in the capital of the Free World seem convinced they have it all figured out. When in fact they are quite irrelevant. Indeed, however important, in the eyes of American voters, they are in the background.