Jump to October 2011 archive page: 1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 ... 18
  • Halloween less scary for retailers

    Phiily.com reports:

    The National Retail Federation expects Halloween spending to reach $6.86 billion this year, equal to $72.31 a person — up from $66.28 a person last year. Seven in 10 Americans who were surveyed plan to celebrate the holiday, the most in the nine years the federation has been conducting its Halloween survey.

    Less than two weeks before Halloween, retailers are holding out hopes that this year will bring more treats than tricks.

    That doesn’t mean people aren’t trying to save on the festivities. Eighty-seven percent of survey respondents said they’d try to spend less overall. Some — about 19 percent — said they’d make a costume. More than 16 percent are recycling last year’s costume. And more than 40 percent will buy less candy.

    Related: Pregnant Bellas, Capt Jacks top Halloween costumes

    Joe Raedle / Getty Images

    Gina Labianca (L) tries on a super woman outfit as Charlie Lucas tries a snow white costume at the Halloween MegaStore Miami Beach on October 21 in Miami Beach, Florida. The megastore is a temporary location for the store which opened for the holiday to sell costumes, masks and other items to people needing to dress up for the evening of October 31 when costumed people around the world observe the day.



    Joe Raedle / Getty Images

    A mask is seen at the Halloween MegaStore Miami Beach on October 21, 2011 in Miami Beach, Florida.

    Joe Raedle / Getty Images

    Carlos Valentine (L) tries on a sailor's hat as costume designer, Ozzy Darmon, helps Madeleine Wenthzel try on a Wonder Woman costume at the Halloween MegaStore Miami Beach on October 21 in Miami Beach, Florida.

     

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  • Protests force London's St. Paul's Cathedral to close

    AP reports:

    LONDON — London's landmark St Paul's Cathedral closed its doors on Friday because of hazards posed by hundreds of protesters encamped in front of it in a demonstration inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement.

      Dean Graeme Knowles, a senior cleric, wrote an open letter to protesters asking them to leave the square peacefully, which they have occupied since last Saturday after initially targeting the nearby London Stock Exchange.

      "We have done this with a very heavy heart, but it is simply not possible to fulfill our day to day obligations to worshippers, visitors and pilgrims in current circumstances," Knowles said in a statement.

      Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

      A girl listens at the closed west door of St Paul's Cathedral on October 21 in London, England. The Dean of St Paul's has closed the cathedral and requested that the Occupy London protestors leave the area where they have set up camp in protest against the global financial system.



      Ben Stansall / AFP - Getty Images

      Protestors tents are seen in the church yard of St Paul's Cathedral in the city of London on October 21. St Paul's Cathedral said Friday it was closing its doors to the public for the first time in modern history because of anti-capitalist demonstrators camping outside the London landmark.

    1. Haitian orphanage closed due to 'horrific' conditions

      Dieu Nalio Chery / AP

      An orphan is carried away by a police officer during the closure of the Son of God orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Oct. 21, 2011. The orphanage, whose director was accused by U.S. missionaries of not feeding children and selling donated goods, was closed Friday in a rare crackdown by Haitian authorities.

      AP reported on Friday that an orphanage whose director has been accused by U.S. missionaries of not feeding children and selling donated goods was closed Friday in a rare crackdown by Haitian authorities.

      Marie Andree Hypolitte has been running the orphanage with her 30-year-old daughter, and she denies any wrongdoing. Hypolitte said that the poor conditions of the orphanage, including dirty mattresses on the floor, holes in the concrete walls and the smell of urine, were proof that the family was not involved in any criminal activity.

      "If I were selling kids, would this institution look like this?" she said, her voice choked with tears.

      As she spoke, half a dozen toddlers with sunken eyes and patchy hair, signs of apparent malnutrition, wandered around the home. Read more…

      Dieu Nalio Chery / AP

      An orphan reacts inside a UNICEF bus as he is taken away after the closure of the orphanage. Police officers and child welfare officials sealed off the unpaved street in front of the Son of God orphanage and the children who lived there were loaded into a UNICEF bus and taken to new homes.

      Dieu Nalio Chery / AP

      An orphan reacts inside a UNICEF bus as she is taken away.

      More coverage of Haiti

    2. Investors berate Murdoch, new hacking claims arise

      Hey, this would make a great reality TV show.

      Reuters reports:

      LOS ANGELES — A defiant Rupert Murdoch stood his ground at News Corp's annual meeting on Friday, fending off angry shareholders who slammed the media company's poor corporate governance in the wake of a phone hacking scandal and called for him to give up the chairman role.

      British member of parliament Tom Watson led the charge against the media mogul, saying journalists at the defunct News of the World hacked computers as well as phone voice mails.

      Watson said News Corp could face new investigations in the UK by the country's Serious Organised Crime Agency, caused by the actions of at least three private investigators employed by News International, News Corp's UK newspaper publishing unit.

      Related: Bottom Line: Murdoch facing the wrath of shareholders at annual meeting

      Nick Ut / AP

      British lawmaker Tom Watson talks to reporters during a protest in front of Fox Studios in Los Angeles on Friday, Oct 21. A few dozen people showed up to demonstrate outside Fox Studios where News Corp. is holding its annual shareholders meeting.



      David McNew / Reuters

      Protesters demonstrate at Fox Studios during the annual News Corp. stockholder meeting in Los Angeles, California October 21.

      Eric Thayer / Getty Images

      Protesters demonstrate the annual shareholder meeting of News Corp at Fox Studios October 21 in Century City, California. Protesters are demonstrating against Fox and News Corp's for what they see as one-sided reporting practices.

       

    3. Bangkok residents evacuate their homes as flooding continues in Thailand

      Damir Sagolj / Reuters

      Soldiers help people evacuate from the isolated and flooded village of Kajee Nush in Pathum Thani province, on the outskirts of Bangkok Oct. 21, 2011.

      Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

      A Thai woman holds her dog while waiting for transportation on Oct. 21, 2011 in Pathumthani on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand.

      Flooding caused by a long season of monsoon rains, continues to threaten Bangkok. The floodwaters entered Bangkok suburbs, after floodgates were opened yesterday. People in the area continued efforts to protect and sandbag their homes, or are forced to evacuate them all together.

      NBC News' Ploy Bunluesilp writes on msnbc.com's WorldBlog about the her own experience and the uncertainty of not knowing if your neighborhood will survive increased flooding. Many pets are stranded, either trapped by flooding or abandoned by their owners. For the complete post: Flooded Thailand races to rescue pets - and loose crocs

      For more information: Floodwaters begin seeping into outer Bangkok

      See more images from flooding in Thailand

      Damir Sagolj / Reuters

      People wade through floodwaters and towards an army boat as they prepare to be evacuated from the isolated and flooded village of Kajee Nush in Pathum Thani province, in the outskirts of Bangkok, on Oct. 21, 2011.

      Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

      Food and water is handed out to flood victims Oct. 21, 2011 in Pathumthani on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand.

      Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

      A Thai man bathes in the street after becoming homeless when his home flooded on Oct. 21, 2011 in Pathumthani on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand.

       

       

    4. Barking through the burning ring of fire

      Ishara S.Kodikara / AFP - Getty Images

      A dog jumps through a ring of fire during a multi-nation National Cadet Corps passing out ceremony in the Sri Lankan central town of Kandy on Oct. 21.

      Quite a talented dog. While this dog jumps through flames in Sri Lanka, another one was rescued from flames in Wisconsin.

      The photo makes me think of the lab that was rescued from a house fire and revived by a Wisconsin firefighter using mouth-to-mouth respiration.

      Watch the video:

      Firefighters save Koda, a dog trapped in a house fire, by performing mouth-to-snout resuscitation. TODAY's Matt Lauer talks to the heroes.

    5. Mass funeral for police officers killed in recent fighting in Yemen

      Khaled Abdullah / Reuters

      Military policemen carry the coffins of police officers killed during recent clashes with armed followers of the tribal leader Sadiq al-Ahmar during a funeral ceremony in Sanaa October 21, 2011.

      Khaled Abdullah / Reuters

      Police carry the coffins of colleagues killed during recent clashes with armed followers of the tribal leader Sadiq al-Ahmar during their funeral in Sanaa October 21, 2011.

      Khaled Abdullah / Reuters

      Military police sit by the coffins of police officers killed during recent clashes with armed followers of the tribal leader Sadiq al-Ahmar during their funeral in Sanaa October 21, 2011.

      The violence has been escalating in Yemen, and today they held funeral ceremonies for what appears to be at least 20 police officers. At least twelve protesters were killed on Tuesday, and eighteen died on Monday.

      Today the U.N. votes on a resolution condemning the crackdown on the protesters. The New York Times considers how Moammar Gadhafi's death will impact Yemen and other Arab nations currently experiencing unrest.

    6. Matt Dunham / AP

      A cyclist reacts after coming off his bike in an incident with a taxi on a street in London, England, on October 21.

      The cyclist, the taxi driver, the businessman and the photographer

      This kind of image always intrigues me: a minor drama, its characters thrown together for a few moments, and by chance a photographer there to capture the scene. And as someone who rides a bike in London every day, I have something of a personal interest in this one too.

    7. Bionic exoskeleton designed to help wheelchair users walk

      Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

      Engineer Thomas Dwyer, center, with the new Bionic Exoskeleton during its launch at the Excel centre on October 21, 2011 in London, England. The bionic device developed by Ekso Bionics is a wearable, battery-powered, robotic exoskeleton, designed to aid wheelchair users and those who have suffered from spinal chord injuries to stand and walk.

      Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

      Amanda Boxtel, left, who is paralyzed, is helped to walk with the aid of the new 'Bionic Exoskeleton' during its launch at the Excel centre on October 21, 2011 in London, England.

      Amanda Boxtel demonstrated the 45-pound suit in San Francisco earlier this year.  Full story from SF Appeal.com

    8. Andrea Bruce / AFP - Getty Images

      The United States Division North, Task Force Ironhorse, performs a Casing Ceremony for the closing of COB Speicher in Tikrit, Iraq, on October 20.

      US military shutters northern headquarters in Iraq

      The US military closed its north Iraq division Thursday, Agence France Presse reported, ahead of a year-end pullout from the country.

      The Washington Post reports:

      About 39,000 American troops remain in Iraq. At its peak engagement in 2008, the military staffed 505 bases with 165,000 forces. Eighteen bases remain under U.S. control; the rest have been decommissioned, ceded to Iraqi security forces or repurposed for civilian use. An average of 520 service members depart Iraq every day.

      Related content: Road out of Iraq brings speed bumps for US

    9. Nigel Marple / Reuters

      Wales' Jonathan Davies (top) and Australia's Digby Ioane fight for control of a high ball during their Rugby World Cup third place play-off match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, on October 21.

      Australia defeats Wales to take Rugby World Cup bronze

      Watch highlights of today's game, which Australia won 21-18, at rugbyworldcup.com. The final between France and New Zealand will take place on Sunday.

      See more great sporting images in The Week in Sports Pictures slideshow.

    10. Australian riot police break up 'Occupy Melbourne' protest

      Mark Dadswell / Getty Images

      Police clash with 'Occupy Melbourne" protestors on October 21 in Melbourne, Australia. Protesters and riot police clashed in Melbourne today after police, acting on a Melbourne City Council eviction order, attempted to break up the crowd of hundreds that had been positioned in City Square for a week.

      Mark Dadswell / Getty Images

      Police clash with 'Occupy Melbourne' protestors on October 21.

      The AP reports from MELBOURNE, Australia:

      Riot police in Australia's second-largest city broke up a demonstration linked to the "Occupy Wall Street" movement Friday, after a group of around 100 people protesting corporate greed defied an order to vacate a plaza.

      Several members of the "Occupy Melbourne" group screamed and cried as police dragged and carried them away from the city square, where protesters had been camped out for nearly a week.

      Victoria state police spokeswoman Belinda Nolan said she did not know whether anyone had been arrested or injured during the scuffle, though several handcuffed protesters were seen being loaded into police vans. Continue reading.

    11. Barbara Walton / EPA

      Thousands of flood evacuees are housed in tents on the floor of the former Don Mueang international airport check-in departure hall, in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 21. The airport is still being used for some domestic departures. The floods have swept from the north of the country to the outskirts of Bangkok over the past two months, leaving 320 people dead and three missing, and affecting 2.4 million people, Thailand's National Disaster Prevention Center said. Floodwaters would likely hit the north and east of greater Bangkok in the next 24 hours.

      Thailand flood evacuees housed in airport departures hall

      msnbc.com news services report:

      Floodwaters have begun seeping into Bangkok's outer districts, one day after the government opened several key floodgates in a risky bid to let built-up water flow through the capital's canals toward the sea. Continue reading.

      See more images of the flooding on PhotoBlog.

    12. Philippe Desmazes / AFP - Getty Images

      A National Transitional Council (NTC) vehicle transports fighters loyal to Moammar Gadhafi after the Libyan strongman was captured in the coastal city of Sirte on October 20.

      The last of Gadhafi's loyalists face up to an uncertain future

      I wonder what is in store for men like these, who stuck with Moammar Gadhafi to the very end.

      In the wake of Gadhafi's death, Human Rights Watch issued a statement urging the National Transitional Council (NTC) to speak out against revenge attacks and "end an extraordinarily long era of human rights abuses":

      The NTC should ensure that its forces treat all suspects in custody humanely and bring them before a judge, in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law.

      The people of Libya need prompt reassurance that 42 years of abuses will not go unpunished, no matter how long the process may take, but that the process will be fair and open.

      View more images in our slideshow: Conflict in Libya.

    13. Jeff Haynes / Reuters

      St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Jason Motte reacts as manager Tony La Russa takes him from the game in the ninth inning of play against the Texas Rangers in Game 2 of MLB's World Series baseball championship in St. Louis, Missouri, Oct. 20, 2011.

      Rangers rally in 9th, beat Cards in World Series Game 2

      AP reports:

      ST. LOUIS - Down to their last three outs and facing another serious World Series deficit, the Texas Rangers did some rallying of their own.

      Lost at the plate, Josh Hamilton and the Texas hitters suddenly found their strokes. They scraped together two runs in the ninth inning against the vaunted St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen and escaped with a 2-1 win Thursday night that evened the Series at 1-all.

      See more images from the World Series here.

    14. Oswaldo Rivas / Reuters

      A man transports a coffin across a river using rope and pulley as he travels with others to collect the body of a relative at the flood affected remote community of San Nicolas 95.7 miles north of Managua October 20, 2011. Twelve people died in the floods after heavy rains in the area.

      105 dead in Central America after days of rain

      AP reports:

      SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — At least 105 people have died in flooding and landslides provoked by 10 days of heavy rains in Central America, authorities said Thursday.

      More than a million people have been affected in the region, prompting officials to ask for humanitarian aid and urge those unaffected to show solidarity.

      Almost 60 inches of rain have accumulated in the past 10 days. The cumulative record of Hurricane Mitch, which devastated the region in 1998, killing 11,000 people, was 34 inches, said Salvadoran Natural Resources Minister German Rosa Chavez.

    15. Census Bureau ranks Reading, Pa., as nation's poorest city

      The New York Times recently profiled life in Reading. Getty's Spencer Platt visited this week.

      Related: Tom Brokaw, Tough choices for 'financially distressed' city

      Spencer Platt / Getty Images

      A man walks down the street collecting cans on October 20 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Reading, a city that once boasted numerous industries and the nation's largest railroad company, has recently been named America's poorest city with residents over 65,000. According to new census data, 41.3 percent of people live below the poverty line in Reading. Reading has about 90,000 residents, many of whom are recent Hispanic arrivals who have moved from larger eastern cities over the past decade. While a manufacturing base offering well paying jobs still exists in Reading, many companies like Hershey, Stanley Tool and Dana Systems have either moved elsewhere in the United States or to Mexico in search of cheaper labor. The number of people living in poverty in America, 46.2 million, is now at its highest level for the 52 years the Census Bureau has been keeping records.



      Spencer Platt / Getty Images

      Women shop for clothes at a thrift store on October 20 in Reading, Pennsylvania.

      Spencer Platt / Getty Images

      An out of work couple eats lunch at the Central Park United Methodist Church which has a soup kitchen and food pantry on October 20, 2011 in Reading, Pennsylvania. The church feeds thousands of needy Reading residents monthly and relies on donations and volunteers to keep its increasingly popular programs operating.

      Spencer Platt / Getty Images

      Homes are seen next to a closed factory on October 20, 2011 in Reading, Pennsylvania.

      Spencer Platt / Getty Images

      Men wait for groceries at the Central Park United Methodist Church weekly food pantry on October 19, 2011 in Reading, Pennsylvania. The church feeds thousands of needy Reading residents monthly and relies on donations and volunteers to keep its increasingly popular programs operating.

      Spencer Platt / Getty Images

      A view of downtown Reading on October 19, 2011 in Reading, Pennsylvania.

      Reading, Pa., was once a destination city, buzzing with factories and overflowing with retail stores, but as NBC's Tom Brokaw reports, today, it is a far different place.

       

       

       

    16. Dental care in big demand at free LA health clinic

      I wonder why more hospital and medical schools don't do something like this.

      AP reports:

      LOS ANGELES — Avery Shapiro has had tooth pain for several years. Pat Morris' dental insurance wouldn't cover the tab for a filling. Chenell Bass had to stop driving because her eyesight got so weak.

      Such stories were typical among the first 1,200 people filing into a huge free medical clinic that opened Thursday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

      The four-day clinic, organized by Los Angeles-based nonprofit CareNow, is expected to draw 5,000 uninsured and underinsured patients who spent hours in line Monday to obtain wristbands to enter the event. Some even camped out overnight.

      PhotoBlog: People wait in long lines for free medical care in Los Angeles

      Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

      N-Jeri Johnson, 6, has his eyes examined during a free health clinic at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on October 20 in Los Angeles, California. The clinic operated by CareNow LA, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit group, will serve nearly 5,000 uninsured and underinsured people over next four days. The goal is to serve about 1,200 people each day, providing free medical, dental or vision care by more than 800 medical professionals. Services being offered at the clinic include medical screenings, women's health exams and chiropractors, acupuncturists and other specialists.



      Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

      People give their medical history to nurses during a free health clinic at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on October 20, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.

      Damian Dovarganes / AP

      Corey Bowers, 9, left, comforts his mother Deborah Dawson, 49, as she gets ready for a dental extraction at a free health clinic sponsored by CareNow at the Los Angeles Sports Arena Thursday, Oct. 20, in Los Angeles.

      Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

      Dental patients are treated during a free health clinic at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on October 20 in Los Angeles, California.

       

       

    17. Worst flooding in decades reaches Bangkok, Thailand

      Reuters

      An elderly disabled person is evacuated from the flooded area in Bangkok's suburbs on Oct. 20, 2011.

      AP

      An aerial view of a highway just outside of Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday, Oct. 20. Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra acknowledged Thursday that efforts to block floodwaters from entering the capital are failing and authorities will instead risk potential overflow with a controlled release of water through the city's canals.

      Damir Sagolj / Reuters

      Buddhist monks fill up sand bags to protect their temple from floods in Bangkok's suburbs on Oct. 20, 2011.

      Thailand is currently experiencing the worst flooding in decades. Floodwaters have reached Bangkok. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has announced that because they are not able to stop the water from entering the city, they will attempt to do controlled releases of the water. The flooding caused by monsoon rains, has already killed more than 300 people in the country and displaced millions. It is also affecting the U.S. computer industry, factories in Thailand produce a quarter of the world's hard drives.

      From AP:

      Western Digital has suspended its operations in Thailand. Floodwaters have affected two factories, which shut down last week. The company said its other hard drive manufacturing facilities, located in Malaysia, are fully operational. But it said flooding will have a significant impact on its ability to meet demand through the end of the year. Western Digital's Thailand operations account for more than half of the company's total hard drive output. Western Digital's stock has fallen 15 percent since the company announced its delays last week.

      For the complete story: Thailand flooding could affect PC supplies, prices

      For more information: Flooding fears loom large for Bangkok residents

      Joan Manuel Baliellas / AFP - Getty Images

      Thai people carry their belongings through floodwater in Bangkok, Thailand on Oct. 20, 2011. Thailand's premier warned Oct. 20 that it was impossible to stop the kingdom's worst floods in decades gushing into Bangkok, ordering the city's sluice gates to be opened to tackle the "national crisis."

      Rungroj Yongrit / EPA

      Thai residents use a boat to leave the area as cars are jammed on a bridge over a flooded highway junction outside of Bangkok, Thailand, on Oct. 20 2011.

    18. Covering the streets of Lima in purple and gold

      Enrique Castro-Mendivil / Reuters

      Women carry incense during the procession of Peru's most revered Catholic religious icon, the "Lord of the Miracles", in central Lima October 19, 2011. The procession, which draws the largest gathering of believers on the continent, can be traced to the colonial era in which an Angolan slave drew the image of a black Jesus Christ on the walls of a hut in the plantation of Pachacamila, near Lima.

      Enrique Castro-Mendivil / Reuters

      Believers dressed in purple carry a painting of the "Lord of Miracles," Peru's most revered Catholic religious icon, in a major procession through central Lima October 19, 2011. The procession, which draws the largest gathering of believers on the continent, can be traced to the colonial era in which an Angolan slave drew the image of a black Jesus Christ on the walls of a hut in the plantation of Pachacamila, near Lima.

      Every October thousands participate in the procession of the "Señor de los Milagros" in Lima, Peru. The two-day procession takes Catholic penitents dressed in purple and gold through the streets of Lima, following the mural of the "Lord of Miracles," as it is carried on the shoulders of over a dozen men. The mural, painted by a black slave in the 17th century, depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was one of the few things left standing after a powerful earthquake that struck the area in 1967.

      In Peru, the month of October is marked by the colors purple and gold. Many shops will decorate their stores with those colors as part of celebrations. There is even a traditional dessert, turrón de Doña Pepa, found in all the bakeries throughout the month.

      Enrique Castro-Mendivil / Reuters

      A believer cries while watching Peru's most revered Catholic religious icon, the "Lord of the Miracles", during a major procession through central Lima October 19, 2011. The procession, which draws the largest gathering of believers on the continent, can be traced to the colonial era in which an Angolan slave drew the image of a black Jesus Christ on the walls of a hut in the plantation of Pachacamila, near Lima.

      Enrique Castro-Mendivil / Reuters

      Believers carry the "Lord of Miracles" painting, Peru's most revered Catholic religious icon, in a major procession through central Lima October 19, 2011. The procession, which draws the largest gathering of believers on the continent, can be traced to the colonial era in which an Angolan slave drew the image of a black Jesus Christ on the walls of a hut in the plantation of Pachacamila, near Lima.

       

    19. Rescued animals from Ohio farm at Columbus zoo

      Grahm S. Jones / Columbus Zoo via AP

      This is a handout photo from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium of one of two macaques that were captured by authorities Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011, a day after their owned released dozens of wild animals and then killed himself near Zanesville, Ohio. Sheriff's deputies shot and killed 48 of the animals, including 18 rare Bengal tigers, 17 lions, six black bears, two grizzly bears, a baboon, a wolf and three mountain lions. Six of the released animals - three leopards, a grizzly bear and two monkeys - were captured and taken to the Columbus Zoo.

      Grahm Jones / Columbus Zoo via Reuters

      A rescued leopard is pictured at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in this photograph released to Reuters on October 20, 2011.

      Grahm Jones / Columbus Zoo via Reuters

      A rescued brown bear is pictured on October 19, 2011 in this Columbus Zoo and Aquarium photograph released to Reuters on October 20, 2011.

      Grahm Jones / Columbus Zoo via Reuters

      A rescued black leopard is pictured on October 19, 2011 in this Columbus Zoo and Aquarium photograph released to Reuters on October 20, 2011. The exotic animal collector who set free his lions, tigers, bears and other beasts was bitten in the head by a big cat shortly after committing suicide, authorities said on Thursday. Three leopards, a young grizzly bear and two macaque monkeys were recaptured and sent to the Columbus Zoo, and a zoo spokeswoman said they "were doing very well" in the zoo's animal hospital.

      Full story.

    20. Tension mounts between Kosovo Serbs and NATO troops

      Reuters

      A Kosovo Force soldier from Germany sprays tear gas towards Kosovo Serbs during clashes in the village of Jagnjenica near the town of Zubin Potok October 20, 2011. NATO troops in Kosovo fired teargas to disperse hundreds of Serbs blocking a contested border crossing with Serbia on Thursday, and used armored vehicles in a bid to remove makeshift barriers.

      Marko Djurica / Reuters

      Kosovo Serbs sit on the street in front of Kosovo Force (KFOR) soldiers from Germany in the village of Jagnjenica near the town of Zubin Potok October 20, 2011. NATO troops in Kosovo (KFOR) fired teargas to disperse hundreds of Serbs blocking a contested border crossing with Serbia on Thursday, and used armored vehicles in a bid to remove makeshift barriers.

      Hundreds of Kosovo Serbs took over a border crossing with Serbia early Thursday morning, leading to a confrontation with NATO troops who used teargas to disperse the crowds.

      AP Reports:

      Kosovo's NATO-led peacekeepers confronted crowds of angry Serbs on Thursday as they tried to remove Serb roadblocks in the volatile north of the country.

      For nearly three months, Kosovo Serbs have been blocking roads to stop the country's ethnic Albanian leadership from extending its control over the part of the country populated mostly by ethnic Serbs. The Serbs reject Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia and consider the region a part of the larger Serbian nation.

      After Kosovo Serb leaders refused NATO's demand to allow freedom of movement, the peacekeepers in riot gear moved in at dawn Thursday against hundreds of Serbs at roadblocks consisting of parked trucks, rocks, mud and logs.

      For complete story: NATO moves to remove Kosovo Serb roadblocks

      Darko Vojinovic / AP

      German army soldiers serving in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo move to remove a roadblock near the village of Jagnjenica, Kosovo, early Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo confronted angry Serb crowds manning their roadblocks as tensions escalated Thursday in the volatile north of the country. After Kosovo Serb leaders refused NATO's demand to allow freedom of movement, the peacekeepers in riot gear moved at dawn Thursday against hundreds of Serbs at roadblocks consisting of parked trucks, rocks, mud and logs.

      Darko Vojinovic / AP

      German army soldiers serving in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo clash with Kosovo Serbs on a roadblock near the village of Jagnjenica, Kosovo, early Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo confronted angry Serb crowds manning their roadblocks as tensions escalated Thursday in the volatile north of the country. After Kosovo Serb leaders refused NATO's demand to allow freedom of movement, the peacekeepers in riot gear moved at dawn Thursday against hundreds of Serbs at roadblocks consisting of parked trucks, rocks, mud and logs.

      Visar Kryeziu / AP

      Kosovo Serbs carrying Serb national flag protest against NATO's move to remove roadblocks in northern Kosovo, in the town of Gracanica on Thursday, Oct 20, 2011. Kosovo's NATO-led peacekeepers confronted crowds of angry Serbs on Thursday as they tried to remove Serb roadblocks in the volatile north of the country.

    21. Turkey mourns the loss of 24 soldiers killed in recent Kurdish conflict

      Umit Bektas / Reuters

      The Turkish honour guard carry the flag-draped coffin of Turkish soldier Yunus Yilmaz during a funeral ceremony at Kocatepe mosque in Ankara, Oct. 20. Turkish commandos have launched air-backed ground operations against Kurdish militants in five different areas in southeast Turkey and northern Iraq after guerrillas attacked Turkish forces on Wednesday in which 24 Turkish soldiers were killed.

      Evrim Aydin / Anadolu Agnecy via EPA

      Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, right, father of Turkish soldier Yunus Yilmaz, Hasan Yilmaz, second from right, and President Abdullah Gul, third from right, pray during the soldier's funeral ceremony at Kocatepe mosque in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 20.

      Adem Altan / AFP - Getty Images

      Hasan Yilmaz, second from left, father of Turkish soldier Yunus Yilmaz, and other relatives watch the Turkish honour guard carry the portrait of Yilmaz during a funeral ceremony at Kocatepe mosque in Ankara Oct. 20. Turkey paid its last respects to 24 soldiers killed by Kurdish rebels on the Iraq border as the Turkish air force pounded rebel camps in northern Iraq.

      Murad Sezer / Reuters

      High school students, wearing headbands that read "Martyrs never die, the homeland cannot be separated," shout nationalist slogans during a protest against recent attacks on Turkish military, in Istanbul Oct. 20.

       Full story.

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