Top 10 Headline Makers For Today, October 12, 2013

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Is a deal close between lawmakers and the president? Republicans appear optimistic. A boat capsizes off an Italian Island, 34 die, and over 260 went into the water. These stories and more, today, October 12, 2013.

McCain and his fellow senators seemed pleased with their meeting. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

1. GOP senators optimistic after meeting at the White House
A number of Senate Republicans emerged from a meeting with President Barack Obama on Friday confident that a deal on the debt ceiling would be worked out before the U.S. government is expected to hit its borrowing limit on Oct. 17. Ideas floated by Republicans included a six-month stop-gap spending bill and the repeal of an ObamaCare tax on medical devices. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Obama described the talks as “constructive.” [New York Times]
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2. More than 200 survivors pulled from sea after boat capsizes
A ship carrying 250 migrants capsized in international waters near the Italian island of Lampedusa on Friday. Military forces from Italy and Malta used helicopters and boats to rescue 206 people from the water. At least 34 casualties have been reported as rescue workers continue to look for survivors. [CNN, Fox News]
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3. General in charge of U.S. nuclear missiles fired
Maj. Gen. Michael Carey, who was in charge of units that control 450 nuclear missiles, was removed from command by the Air Force on Friday “due to a loss of trust and confidence in his leadership and judgment.” The decision was made after reports of “personal misbehavior” during a business trip, which the Air Force claims does not involve criminal behavior or sexual misconduct. [ABC News]
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4. JP Morgan posts its first loss since 2004
Under the leadership of CEO Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan posted a quarterly loss of $380 million, a dramatic downturn from last year when it posted a profit of $5.71 billion. The bank has been plagued by legal problems recently, spending $23 billion on settlements and other legal expenses associated with derivatives trades made by the “London Whale” and the selling of mortgage-backed securities before the financial crisis. [Reuters]
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5. Report claims Syrian rebels killed nearly 200 civilians
Multiple rebel groups stormed into a Syrian coastal town and killed 190 civilians, including 59 women and children, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch. This is the biggest reported attack on civilians by opposition forces in Syria, who are still locked in a bloody civil war with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. [New York Times]
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6. Libyan prime minister calls for calm after being kidnapped
Ali Zeidan, the prime minister of Libya, called for “wisdom” not “escalation” after being freed by rebels who had kidnapped him from his hotel room in Tripoli on Thursday. The brief kidnapping came amid anger over the capture of an al Qaeda suspect by U.S. special forces, which Zeidan had been accused of being complicit with. [The Guardian]
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7. Missouri governor halts execution over concerns about the drug propofol
The first execution in the United States to use the drug propofol was stopped by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon over what he claimed were public health concerns. The European Union, which provides the United States with 90 percent of its propofol, threatened to cut off the country’s supply if the drug was used in executions. [Associated Press]
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8. Several bikers allegedly connected to SUV attack indicted
Three alleged members of a motorcycle gang believed to have been involved in a highly publicized road rage incident in Manhattan were indicted by a grand jury on Friday, although the charges were not released to the public. The attack went viral after video was released of several bikers confronting and beating Alexian Lien, who was driving an SUV containing his wife and 2-year-old daughter. Lien remains hospitalized with leg and back injuries. [Los Angeles Times]
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9. Rare free-floating planet discovered by scientists
For the first time ever, a planet that does not belong to a solar system was spotted by researchers, who named it PSOJ318.5-22. The free-floating planet is located around 80 light years from Earth and should provide scientists with insights on other young planets, which can be hard to study due to their proximity to their stars. [CBS News]
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10. Two-year-old son of Adrian Peterson dies in hospital
The 2-year-old son of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson died after being treated at a South Dakota hospital, where he was taken after being recovered from the home of his mother and her boyfriend, Joseph Patterson. Police say the boy’s injuries were consistent with abuse and are holding Patterson on two felony counts of aggravated battery of an infant. [ESPN]

Many thanks to our friends at The Week for story compilations.

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Professor Mike

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