1. TURKEY DEPLOYS TANKS TO HILLS OVERLOOKING SYRIA
According to Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency, Ankara has deployed tanks and missile-defense systems to the hilltops overlooking Syria. Tension between the two neighboring countries has reached a fever pitch since the Oct. 3 Syrian shelling of a Turkish town that left five civilians dead. Turkey's ties with Syria had been eroding since it began supporting Syrian rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad. On Saturday Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the United Nations Security Council for failing to agree on decisive steps to end the crisis. More than 30,000 people have been killed in the 19-month uprising against Assad's regime. [Bloomberg]
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2. SHOT FIRED AT OBAMA CAMPAIGN OFFICE IN DENVER
Denver police say that a shot was fired at an Obama campaign office in Denver on Friday, and though people were in the building when the incident occurred, no injuries were reported. Denver police spokesperson Raquel Lopez said the department has a description of a "possible vehicle of interest." [Denver Post]
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3. THOUSANDS OF BRIT TROOPS TO LEAVE AFGHANISTAN
Britain plans to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan next year, Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said on Sunday. Pressure has been mounting in the U.K. to end British involvement in the war. "More than 430 British troops have been killed in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led intervention in 2001, yet stability remains elusive and violence high, while relations between Western troops and Afghan forces and civilians are increasingly frayed." [Reuters]
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4. BEVERAGE GROUP SUES TO BLOCK NYC BIG GULP BAN
The American Beverage Association has sued to block the enforcement of a New York City ban on oversized sugary drinks, which has been dubbed the Big Gulp ban. The association claims that the ban is an "unprecedented interference" with consumer choice. In September, New York City's Board of Health approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to restrict sales of sugary soft drinks to no more than 16 ounces a cup in restaurants, movie theaters, stadiums, and arenas. The ban is set to go into effect in March. A spokesman for the mayor said that the Board of Health "absolutely has the authority to regulate matters affecting health." [Bloomberg]
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5. NAVY NUCLEAR SUBMARINE COLLIDES WITH CRUISER
Two Navy vessels — a nuclear submarine and a cruiser — collided on Saturday off the coast of northeastern Florida. No injuries were reported, and the submarine's nuclear-powered reactor was unaffected. The two ships, along with a third, were participating in an anti-submarine exercise in preparation for an upcoming deployment as part of the strike group for the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. [ABC News]
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6. CRACKDOWN AT IPHONE FACTORY SLOWS OUTPUT
The shortfall in the supply of Apple's new iPhone 5 is being exacerbated by stricter quality control measures at the Foxconn Technology factory that produces the smartphone. The crackdown is designed to reduce the number of devices shipped with nicks and scratches, according to a person familiar with the matter. Scrapes that had been appearing on newly shipped phones were at the center of complaints with the phone's debut last month. Apple is using a type of aluminum that makes the iPhone 5 lighter and thinner, but also apparently more prone to wear and tear. [San Francisco Chronicle]
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7. SPRINGSTEEN TO PERFORM AT OBAMA EVENTS
Bruce Springsteen will perform at concerts in Ohio and Iowa on Thursday in support of President Obama's re-election effort. The Boss' appearances come as the president's team is ramping up efforts to turn out supporters before the Nov. 6 election. "Iowans understand hard work, fairness and integrity, the same values that Bruce Springsteen, the president and vice president stand for," Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in a statement. [Reuters]
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8. DEREK JETER IS OUT FOR REST OF POSTSEASON
During Game 1 of the American League Championship series, the New York Yankees lost to the Detroit Tigers, and also lost the captain of their team. Derek Jeter fractured his left ankle after attempting a diving stop on a grounder by Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta during the 12th inning of the game. Jeter will need at least three months to recover, so will be unable to play in the remainder of the Yankees' postseason. [Los Angeles Times]
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9. SNL REENACTS THE VP DEBATE
The sole vice-presidential debate between Joe Biden and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) got the Saturday Night Live treatment. Cast member Kate McKinnon portrayed the much-praised debate moderator Martha Raddatz, while Jason Sudeikis stepped in as Biden and Taran Killam as Ryan. "Both Sudeikis and Killam (when he wasn't drinking water) portrayed candidates who struggled on the issues." McKinnon's Raddatz reminded the candidates that "your performance tonight is extremely unlikely to affect the presidential campaign... So just have fun with it." [NBC News]
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10. TV HOST, ACTOR GARY COLLINS DIES
Gary Collins, who starred in shows like JAG, The Love Boat, and Charlie's Angels, died Saturday in Mississippi at the age of 74. Collins was perhaps best known for hosting the talk show Hour Magazine from 1980 to 1988. He also hosted the Miss America Pageant from 1985 to 1989. [Huffington Post]
'Make legal immigration a more plausible option'
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
