Republican House Speaker Boehner announces resignation

His departure comes as some members of his party plan to trigger a government shutdown over the funding of Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit that provides reproductive health services, largely for women, including abortions.

The announcement was described as "shocking" by USA Today, coming a day after Pope Francis's first address to the U.S. Congress.

CNBC writes that his departure will likely avert the shutdown threat, but quotes one commentator saying "Boehner critics are about to finally get what they want: Inmates running the asylum."