Another tax exempt group is jumping into the presidential race ad wars. Americans for Job Security is spending eight million dollars attacking President Obama's record on the economy in six key states. More on that from NPR's S.V. Date.

 

The 30-second ad features a young mother jogging behind a stroller who says she voted for Mr. Obama four years ago, but now has changed her mind.

 

"Obama promised to turn the economy around in three years, but spending and debt have exploded. Now we're facing another recession. The future is getting worse under Obama."

 

Americans for Job Security is a 501c6 business trade group that keeps its donors' names secret. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the group spent more than eight million dollars against Democratic candidates in 2010. So far this election, nearly half of the TV advertising attacking Mr. Obama has come from outside groups that do not disclose their donors. S.V. Date, NPR News.

 

Two major explosions have rocked the Syrian capital and state television is reporting the military command center in Damascus was the target. It says four military guards have been killed and fourteen people have been wounded. As Jews marked the Day of Atonement, Iran's president stood on the floor of the United Nations General Assembly today, calling Israel a fake country and complaining about Israeli threats against Iran. NPR's Michele Kelemen is at the UN.

 

President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad used what's likely to be his last speech at the UN to rail against what he calls an oppressive world order and the language of threats. The US boycotted the Iranian leader's speech, saying it's particularly unfortunate that it fell on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. A spokesperson at the US mission to the UN said that Ahmadi-Nejad had used his trip not to address the legitimate aspirations of the Iranian people, but to instead spout paranoid theories and repulsive slurs against Israel. Israel's response will come tomorrow when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the UN General Assembly. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, the United Nations.

 

Here are several media reports that the National Football League and unionized referees may be closer to ending a lockout that resulted in the NFL using replacement officials on the field and then led to a slew of complaints within the NFL and among fans. This coming two days after a disputed call cost the Green Bay Packers a victory in their game against the Seattle Seahawks.

 

At last check on Wall Street, Dow off 26 points at 13,429.

 

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Turkish authorities are blocking Internet access to an anti-Islamic video made in the US that has drawn condemnation from governments around the world, including the Obama administration. The Turkish Ministry for Communications has also asked Google and YouTube to remove the videos. The country is trying to prevent the kind of violent demonstrations that raged across the Muslim world in recent weeks including Libya, where four Americans were killed.

 

In Egypt, a court case against a young Coptic Egyptian man who is a self-proclaimed atheist began in Cairo today. He is charged with insulting religion. NPR's Leila Fadel reports the case underscores concerns about freedom of expression under Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

 

Alber Saber walked into the courtroom with a smile on his face as his mother wept. Saber's charged with insulting religion, both Christianity and Islam, for posting web videos of himself questioning religion. The case was adjourned until October 17th. Saber's mother accuses the police of beating her son in detention and worries that he's being treated so badly because he is from the Coptic Christian community. Human rights groups worry that with the heightened religious tensions due to the anti-Muslim film produced in the United States by a Coptic man that set off protests across the Muslim world, Saber may face prison time. An Islamic Shia has also been charged with blasphemy for burning a Bible during protest outside the US embassy. But unlike Saber, he is not in detention. Leila Fadel, NPR News, Cairo.

 

The median price of a new home increased more than 11% from July to August in the US. This marked the biggest one-month increase on record.

 

At last check, Dow was off more than 30 points.