The world - Oct. 22, 2009

THURSDAY

Global warming will leave the Arctic Ocean ice-free during the summer within 20 years, according to a report released by Peter Wadhams, professor of ocean physics at the University of Cambridge. The changes will mean the top of the Earth will appear blue rather than white when photographed from space and ships will have a new sea route north of Russia.

Biologists have found a vegetarian spider in Central America who dodges ants to get to its favored, protein-packed plant. The small, jumping spider, was named Bagheera Kiplingi after the friendly panther in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book.”

Queen Elizabeth and husband Prince Philip stunned theater-goers in London when they apologetically squeezed past other theater-goers to see the West End production of World War I play “War Horse” at the New London Theater.

FRIDAY

Air Force Capt. Nicholas Giglio from the 20th Fighter Wing of Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina is missing after his aircraft collided with another F-16 off the South Carolina coast during a night training exercise. The other F-16 landed safely, an Air Force spokeswoman said.

Indonesia was hit by a strong quake off Java, causing buildings to sway in the capital, Jakarta, and sparking panic in some areas as people fled homes and offices. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 6.5 and was at a depth of 34.5 miles.

Drug hitmen beheaded 10 rivals, chopped up their bodies and left them in plastic bags on an isolated road in western Mexico, the latest gruesome attack in a raging drug war. The body parts filled 18 bags and were dumped in a delivery truck abandoned on a back road in the Pacific state of Guerrero along with a message from the “La Familia” (The Family) cartel that is fighting for smuggling routes in the area.

A Massachusetts man allegedly kidnapped a car salesman during a test drive and drove the vehicle more than 1,000 miles before being pulled over and arrested near Edgerton, Wis.

WEEKEND

The parents of 6-year-old Falcon Heene likely face four charges in a bizarre incident in which touched off a frantic rescue attempt for the young boy thought to be aboard a helium balloon was deemed to be a publicity-seeking hoax. After a mad search and rescue, the boy was found in a box in the family’s attic.

A pile of hair believed snipped from Elvis Presley when he joined the U.S. Army in 1958 sold for $18,300 at a Chicago auction house Sunday.

The Maldivian president and ministers held the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting on Saturday, in a symbolic cry for help over rising sea levels that threaten the tropical archipelago’s existence.

A UCLA study shows as little as one week of internet use changes the brain activity of adults. Researchers said the results suggest Internet training can stimulate neural activation patterns and could potentially enhance brain function and cognition in older adults.

MONDAY

The U.S. Supreme Court ordered signatures collected to get Referendum 71 on the November ballot should continue to be sealed until the court decides whether it will hear an appeal in the case – a process that could take up to a year.

European astronomers announced they had found 32 new planets orbiting stars outside our solar system, which brings the total of known exoplanets to about 400.

Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft has asked a federal appeals court to reconsider its ruling that he can be held personally responsible for misuse of the material witness statute after the Sept. 11 attacks.

British Columbia Health officials want the Canadian government’s permission to operate medically supervised sites to allow crack cocaine users to smoke.

TUESDAY

NASA carted a sleek rocket out to the launch pad to test the vehicle planned to replace the retiring space shuttles and return U.S. astronauts to the moon. A test flight is scheduled for next week.

A 92-year-old wheelchair-bound woman was arrested by Spanish police who found packages of cocaine attached to her body at Madrid’s main airport. A search uncovered a total of 4.3 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $39,000.

The U.S. government wants drug companies to make a vaccine to treat addictions to cocaine and cigarettes.

WEDNESDAY

The heads of more than half of Afghanistan’s district election offices will be replaced to prevent fraud in a second-round presidential election after a U.N.-led fraud inquiry tossed out enough votes to trigger a run-off.

Tasmanian police used blood from a leech to solve an eight-year-old armed robbery of a 71-year-old woman in September 2001.

A Florida man was arrested after falling asleep in the freezer of a shuttered tavern he was trying to rob. Investigators said the man allegedly broke in to the building, ate a can of tomatoes, entered the walk-in freezer and took a nap.