Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Officials in a Texas city said they determined a substance that turned a local creek and lake green does not pose a danger to the public.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- South Korea's unification ministry expressed "deep regret" over its decision to ban a North Korean defector.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- A vehicle broke through the security gate at the Wisconsin National Guard base in Milwaukee, putting the refueling base on lockdown for hours.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- An Indian chef broke a Guinness World Record by cooking up a 6,614-pound serving of rice and bean dish khichdi.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Police in Massachusetts said they seized an alligator, a python and two tarantulas being used for photo ops at a comics and pop culture convention.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- German police rescued a hostage after an hours-long standoff in a Cologne train station Monday morning.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Wildlife officials in Maryland said they were able to rescue a black bear from a plastic bucket covering its head after tracking the animal for three days.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- A high-profile test of affirmative action policy begins on Monday in a Boston courtroom as Harvard University defends its use of race in its admissions policy.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Japan and New Zealand agreed to jointly provide support for island nations in the South Pacific.

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Police in California said they used a bag of Doritos to capture a junk food-loving pig "the size of a mini horse."