Mark Memmott

Good morning.

Our early posts were:

-- Herman Cain Now Recalls 'Settlement' With Accuser.

-- Hundreds Of Millions Missing From MF Global, 'New York Times' Reports.

"Markets plunged Tuesday on fears that Europe's plan to save the euro was already unraveling after the shock decision by Greek Prime Minister to call a referendum on the country's latest rescue," The Associated Press writes.

Not only has MF Global had to file for bankruptcy protection, now there's this news about the securities firm run by former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D):

The New York Times reports that:

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain was consistent Monday in saying he has "never sexually harassed anyone." But some parts of his response to a Politico report about past allegations had shifted by day's end.

Set aside your doubts about zombies and ignore the signs of Photoshopping (like that reflection in the window of a guy with a baseball cap).

Here's a photo/illustration that begs for some creative caption suggestions (and ChicagoNow.com has just such a contest going).

Tony La Russa, who just managed the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series title, announced this morning that he's retiring after 33 seasons.

The major problems after the weekend's surprising snow storm in the Northeast relate to couple million customers who are without power.

But one of the other stories we can relate to is about the passengers who were stranded on the ground Saturday in jets that landed at Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Conn.

During the fighting last spring in Benghazi, Libya, between forces loyal to then-dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the opposition, there was a fire at one of the city's banks.

The blaze was blamed on the fighting.

Now, as the BBC and other news outlets are reporting, there's word that "more than 7,000 priceless coins and other precious artifacts were taken" in what's now thought to have been a robbery planned by thieves who took advantage of the chaos in the city to hit the bank.

As NPR and just about every other news outlet report about the milestone that United Nations experts estimate the world passed today — a population of 7 billion people — there's this from the BBC:

Good morning.

Our early headlines were:

-- Reporter: Herman Cain Story Based On Documentation, Dozens Of Sources

-- No Treat: About Two Million Still Without Power In Northeast

The morning's other major stories include: