10 things you need to know today: September 28, 2015

1. Pope promises accountability in clergy sex abuse cases

Pope Francis met with victims in the Catholic church's clergy sexual abuse scandal on Sunday, telling them he was "deeply sorry" and that "God weeps" for what they have suffered. He also promised that those involved in the crimes and any cover-ups would be held responsible. "Clergy and bishops will be held accountable when they abuse or fail to protect children," the pope said in Philadelphia hours before returning to Rome after a six-day U.S. visit.

The Associated Press

2. Boehner says hardline conservatives are "false prophets" making unrealistic promises

Outgoing House Speaker John Boehner called Republican hardliners "false prophets," saying they "whip people into a frenzy believing they can accomplish things that they know — they know! — are never going to happen." Boehner made the comments Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation in his first one-on-one interview since announcing his resignation from Congress on Friday. Heritage Action for America chief Michael Needham said it was good Boehner was leaving because he has treated conservatives like "crazies."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The Washington Post

3. Iraq announces intelligence sharing with Russia, Syria, and Iran, surprising U.S.

The Iraqi military said Sunday that it would begin sharing intelligence about the Islamic State with Russia, Syria, and Iran. Iraq explained that one reason for the move, which took the U.S. by surprise, was that many ISIS new recruits were coming to the region from Russia. The intelligence-sharing was also seen as a way to boost Russia's support for the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which is fighting both ISIS and other rebels groups, including some supported by the U.S. The news comes ahead of a high-profile sit-down on Monday between President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, their first in two years.

The New York Times

4. Shell ends exploratory drilling off Alaska

Royal Dutch Shell announced Monday that it would halt offshore drilling off Alaska because exploratory drilling did not find enough oil and gas. Shell said it was disappointed with the outcome after spending about $7 billion to drill offshore in the Arctic, but that the Chukchi Sea basin would remain an important potential source of oil. The decision marked a victory for environmentalists, who had tried to block Shell vessels from making their way to the drilling area over the summer.

CNN

5. Separatists win test vote in Spain's Catalonia

Separatists won a majority of 72 seats in the 135-member regional parliament of Spain's northeastern autonomous Catalonia region on Sunday. Catalonia leader Artur Mas said the vote gave his pro-independence movement a mandate to push ahead with its efforts to create an independent state. Rival politicians and the Spanish government said that voters had actually rejected Mas' plans, because anti-independence parties took 52 percent of the popular vote.

Reuters The Associated Press

6. Obama to meet Raul Castro at U.N.

President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro will meet Tuesday during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, the White House announced Sunday. It will be their second meeting since the U.S. and Cuba, former Cold War adversaries, began restoring diplomatic ties in 2014. They also spoke by phone recently before Pope Francis traveled first to Cuba and then the U.S.

The Associated Press ABC News

7. Hillary Clinton acknowledges "drip, drip, drip" of email news hurts her campaign

Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton acknowledged Sunday that her campaign had taken a hit from the "drip, drip, drip" of revelations about her use of a private email account while she was secretary of State. Clinton has apologized, saying her use of her own account was a mistake. The FBI is investigating whether any classified information was improperly transmitted.

The New York Times The Washington Post

8. Duck boat in fatal crash had not had recommended axle repair

A duck boat that swerved into a charter bus head-on in Seattle last week had not had an axle repair recommended for some of the amphibious tour vehicles in 2013, the National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday. Investigators say the duck boat's left front axle sheared off, although it was unclear whether that happened before the crash, which killed five international college students on the bus. Ride the Ducks International had refurbished the duck boat in 2005, and issued the warning about the needed fix.

The Associated Press

9. Brady throws 400th career TD pass

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw his 400th touchdown pass on Sunday, leading his team, the defending Super Bowl champions, to a 51-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brady threw for two TDs in the game, giving him a career total of 401. He is only the fourth NFL quarterback to reach the milestone, joining an exclusive club that includes Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, and Dan Marino.

ESPN

10. Hotel Transylvania 2 breaks September box office record

Hotel Transylvania 2 dominated the weekend box office, earning an estimated $47.5 million in the biggest September opening for any film, ever. The movie beat the $42.5 million record set by Genndy Tartakovsky's first take on the animated Dracula adventure. Hotel Transylvania 2's opening haul was also the biggest ever for Sony Animation, and the biggest debut for any Sony film this year. The film stars Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, and Selena Gomez.

Entertainment Weekly