The upper chamber of the Russian parliament approves a law allowing the use of the Russian Armed Forces outside its borders, following a request by Russian President Vladimir Putin. (The News Hub)
Russia begins airstrikes against anti-government targets in Syria following a request from PresidentBashar al-Assad. A U.S. official said the air attack struck near the Syrian city of Homs, where the official said ISIS currently does not have a major presence. (NPR), (ABC News), (Washington Post)
An Iranian fishing boat loaded with weapons, including rockets and anti-tank shells, is intercepted and seized in the Arabian Sea, 150 miles southeast of the Omani Port of Salalah, by Arab coalition forces. Saudi Arabia has previously accused Iran of supplying weapons to Houthi militants in Yemen. (BBC)
Hurricane Joaquin passes over ocean with temperatures near 86°F (30°C) - the warmest since record keeping began in 1880. (National Hurricane Center), (UPI), (Reuters)
Hurricane Joaquin reaches maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and becomes a Category 3 hurricane. The storm, with additional strengthening expected, should linger over the The Bahamas through October 2 before heading toward the U.S. (ABC News), (NHC)
The hurricane is expected to pass The Bahamas tomorrow, bringing tropical-storm-force winds, storm surges, coastal flooding, and 5-10 inches of rain. While the European forecast model suggests Joaquin will avoid the U.S. East Coast, the American model predicts it will ram into Virginia, Maryland, or North Carolina this weekend. (NBC News), (NHC)