Midday Roundup: U.S. to accept more refugees from Syria

Refugee reshuffling. Thousands more Syrian refugees could soon be headed to the United States. The White House is looking to take in 10,000 refugees next year, up from about 2,000 this year. The increase is aimed at addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Europe as hundreds of thousands flee war and violence in the Middle East. So far, the Obama administration says it will maintain its quota of 75,000 refugee resettlements next year, reallocating numbers to allow more refugees from Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry is rumored to be considering raising the quota to 100,000, but Congress would have to weigh in on such a change.

Highway safety. There are still no suspects in a series of highway shootings in Arizona over the past two weeks. At least one shooter has been taking aim at cars speeding along a busy stretch of interstate in Phoenix, leaving bullet holes in car doors, shattering windshields, and terrorizing motorists. Police confirmed the 11th reported shooting Thursday after a driver found a bullet hole in the side of a tractor-trailer. So far, no one has been killed in the shootings. A group of citizens has decided to take action, as well. Calling themselves the “Bolt Force,” they’re armed with semi-automatic weapons, and dress in all black to patrol near Phoenix highways at night.

Making the cut. Carly Fiorina will join 10 other presidential candidates in next week’s primetime Republican debate on CNN. The network paved the way for her appearance by inviting any candidate who polled in the top 10 since the last debate on Aug. 6. CNN adjusted its debate criteria after Fiorina outperformed the competition in Fox News’ debate last month for candidates who didn’t break into the top 10. Beside Fiorina, the CNN main debate will feature the same candidates as the last one on Fox. Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Lindsey Graham, Bobby Jindal, and George Pataki did not qualify for the main event and will debate earlier in the day.

Foiled. The FBI arrested a Florida man on suspicion of plotting a terror attack at a 9/11 memorial event in Kansas City, Mo. Authorities have been tracking Joshua Ryne Goldberg online since May, when he made statements in support of two gunmen who tried to attack a Muhammad art contest in Garland, Texas. Goldberg claimed his online posts inspired the attack and he had a “network of mujahideen” ready to commit more acts of terror. He then directed an accomplice to build a bomb and attack the Kansas City Stair Climb, a Sept. 13 event in honor of fallen firefighters. The accomplice was actually an FBI informant, and now Goldberg faces 20 years in prison.

WORLD Radio’s Mary Reichard contributed to this report.