Hurricane Gonzalo has hit Bermuda late Friday, October 17, as a powerful Category 2 storm, with winds of about 110mph.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned of high winds and a “life-threatening storm surge” the after the eye of the hurricane passed the British Atlantic territory.
Eighty per cent of the island chain has lost power because of the hurricane, Reuters quotes Bermuda Electric Light Company as saying.
Bermuda, an affluent insurance hub, frequently sees strong tropical storms.
“I wish everyone all the best for the next 24 hours. Good luck and look after each other,” Governor George Ferguson said in an emergency broadcast ahead of Hurricane Gonzalo’s arrival.
One person died in the Dutch territory of St Maarten after Hurricane Gonzalo passed over the Caribbean
The Miami-based NHC said that although the Category 2 storm had weakened from earlier wind speeds of 125mph, it was still expected to be a dangerous hurricane as it passed over Bermuda.
Hurricane Gonzalo was labeled as a Category 4 storm on Thursday, October 16, and was moved down to Category 3 and then 2 on October 17.
A webcam at the Royal Naval Dockyard at the port showed heavy rain, large waves and trees being shaken vigorously from the strong winds.
Hurricane-force winds were predicted to pound Bermuda for several hours.
One person died in the Dutch territory of St Maarten after Hurricane Gonzalo passed over the Caribbean.
The storm is being compared to the 2003 Hurricane Fabian which wreaked havoc on Bermuda, the most powerful storm to hit the territory in 50 years.
The winds then reached the same speed as Hurricane Gonzalo, and caused damage of about $300 million.
Duck Dynasty’s Rebecca Robertson celebrates her 25th birthday on Friday, October 17.
Rebecca came to the family as an exchange student from Taiwan and was eventually taken in as a foster child by Willie and Korie Robertson, becoming the eldest of their five children.
She spent a lot of her childhood in Taipei, but moved back to the US when she was 16 years old.
Rebecca Robertson was taken in as a foster child by Willie and Korie Robertson (photo Facebook)
Rebecca Robertson graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Apparel Design in 2012.
She worked as a wardrobe stylist in Los Angeles before opening up a clothing boutique called Duck & Dressing in Louisiana.
Her mother, Korie Robertson wrote on her Facebook page on October 17: “Let the Robertson family celebrations continue…happy, happy, happy birthday Rebecca!“
Rebecca Robertson joined the family on the fifth season of Duck Dynasty.
Michael Dunn, the Florida man who shot and killed teenager Jordan Davis in an argument over his loud music, has been sentenced to life in prison without eligibility for parole.
Michael Dunn, 47, was convicted of the first-degree murder of Jordan Davis, 17, on October 1, in his second trial.
He fired 10 times into Jordan Davis’ vehicle in Jacksonville, Florida, after a dispute in a store car park.
Michael Dunn has maintained he fired in self-defense, saying he believed Jordan Davis was reaching for a gun.
Police never found a firearm and witnesses say they did not see one.
The trial was Michael Dunn’s second. Earlier in the year he was found guilty of three charges of attempted murder in connection with Jordan Davis’ friends who were also in the car, and shooting into a vehicle, but the jury deadlocked on the murder charge.
Michael Dunn was convicted of the first-degree murder of Jordan Davis
In Jacksonville on October 17, Judge Russell Healey also sentenced Michael Dunn to 30 years for each attempted murder charge and 15 years for shooting into a vehicle.
“Mr. Dunn, your life is effectively over,” Judge Russell Healey said.
“What is sad… is that this case exemplifies that our society seems to have lost its way.”
Florida prosecutors declined to seek the death penalty and Jordan Davis’ family said they did not want Michael Dunn to be executed.
Jordan Davis’ mother Lucy McBath said in a statement that her son’s death had robbed her of the opportunity to see him grow up, according to the Jacksonville Times-Union.
“For years to come, I will be forced to celebrate his birthday without his presence,” she said.
“As I quietly watch my friends’ boys grow into young men, I will forever be reminded of what might’ve been for my Jordan.”
Lucy McBath said she forgave Michael Dunn because she taught her son to forgive.
In his own brief statement, Michael Dunn said: “I truly regret what happened.”
“If I could roll back time and do things differently I would. Still, I’m mortified I took a life, whether it was justified or not.”
On the evening of November 23, 2012, Michael Dunn and his fiancée parked at a convenience store in Jacksonville, Florida, after attending his son’s wedding.
Jordan Davis and three other teenage boys, all African American, had stopped at the same place after visiting a shopping mall.
Michael Dunn, a software developer, testified at his trial that the music blasting from the boys’ sport utility vehicle, next to his, was so loud it hurt his ears, and he asked them to turn it down.
But Jordan Davis, sitting in the back, ordered his friend in the front seat to turn the music back up, Michael Dunn testified.
Michael Dunn said Jordan Davis became verbally abusive and threatened his life.
He claimed the teenagers inside the vehicle wore “menacing expressions” and told the court he saw Jordan Davis reach down for something that looked like the barrel of a shotgun.
Michael Dunn reached into his glove box, withdrew a pistol and fired at the vehicle, killing Jordan Davis.
Prosecutors said Jordan Davis failed to call police or first responders after shooting 10 times, and instead returned to his hotel, ordered pizza, walked his dog and went to sleep.
President Barack Obama revealed his credit card was declined at a restaurant in New York City last month.
Barack Obama said: “It turned out I guess I don’t use it enough.”
“They thought there was some fraud going on.”
Fortunately, the president said, First Lady Michelle Obama had a credit card on hand and paid for the meal.
Barack Obama told the story at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as he announced new protections for debit cards used to deliver federal benefits.
Barack Obama revealed his credit card was declined at a restaurant in New York City
An estimated 100 million Americans have been affected by identity theft in the past year, including high-profile security breaches at retailers like Target and Home Depot.
“I was trying to explain to the waitress, you know, I really think that I’ve been paying my bills,” Barack Obama said.
“Even I’m affected by this.”
Barack Obama is paid $400,000 per year, as well as given a non-taxable $50,000 expense account.
A US research suggests that signs warning shoppers how much exercise they need to do to burn off calories in sugary drinks can encourage healthier choices.
A study of teenagers’ purchasing habits found they bought fewer sugary drinks and more water when the signs were up.
The most effective sign said it took five miles to walk off the 250 calories in a sugary drink.
Study leader Dr. Sara Bleich, associate professor at the Bloomberg School, John Hopkins University, said people do not understand calorie content on its own on a label.
“What our research found is that when you explain calories in an easily understandable way such as how many miles of walking is needed to burn them off, you can encourage behavior change.”
For six weeks, the brightly colored signs were displayed in corner shops in neighborhoods in Baltimore, in full view of young customers buying sugary drinks.
Four different signs were used in the shops. Two translated the calories in the drinks into the amount of exercise needed to burn off those calories.
One sign said it would take 50 minutes of running to work off the 250 calories – or 16 teaspoons of sugar – contained in a 590ml bottle of fizzy drink, sports drink or fruit juice.
The remaining signs listed the sugar content of the drink and the calories contained in the drink.
Signs warning shoppers how much exercise they need to do to burn off calories in sugary drinks can encourage healthier choices
To find out the impact of the signs, the researchers – writing in the American Journal of Public Health – interviewed children aged between 12 and 18 years old leaving the shop.
Out of the 35% of those interviewed who said they saw the signs, 59% said they believed the sign and 40% said their behavior had changed as a consequence.
Before the signs were put up, 98% of drinks bought in the shops were sugary ones. After six weeks, this was reduced to 89%.
During the time the signs were on view, sales of larger bottles of fizzy drinks went down from 54% to 37% of all purchases.
The percentage of teenagers who chose to buy no drink at all in the shops increased from 27% to 33%.
This change in behavior continued for several weeks after the “exercise” signs were taken down, the study adds.
In total, more than 3,000 drinks purchases were observed by the research team.
Dr. Sara Bleich said the findings could help in the fight against obesity: “This is a very low-cost way to get children old enough to make their own purchases to drink fewer sugar-sweetened beverages and they appear to be effective even after they are removed.
“Using these easy-to-understand and easy-to-install signs may help promote obesity-prevention or weight loss.”
Morgan Stanley has reported an 87% jump in profits to $1.65 billion in Q3 2014.
Trading of currencies, commodities and bonds was a big driver of profits, as was wealth management – advising high earners on their finances.
On October 16, rival bank Goldman Sachs reported a 50% rise in profits.
Banks’ bond trading activities have reportedly benefitted from problems at bond giant Pimco.
Morgan Stanley has reported an 87 percent jump in profits to $1.65 billion in Q3 2014
In September, trading superstar Bill Gross made a surprise exit from the world’s biggest bond company.
The departure of Bill Gross from Pimco reportedly prompted investors to withdraw billions of dollars from the company, money which has found its way to other trading businesses.
Morgan Stanley’s total revenue for the quarter rose 12% to $8.91 billion.
Bond trading revenues were up 19.4% to $997 million. Wealth management revenue rose 9% to $3.79 billion.
“We are well positioned to create superior returns for our shareholders, particularly as the US economy continues to strengthen,” Morgan Stanley’s chief executive and chairman James P. Gorman said in a statement.
World’s markets have staged a partial recovery after a week of precipitous falls and volatility.
London’s FTSE 100 index was up over 1% in mid-afternoon trading, while Germany’s DAX was up 1.76% and France’s Cac 40 was up more than 2%.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones index opened nearly 1% higher after better-than-expected US industrial production data helped steady the ship.
Fears over a weakening global economic outlook had unsettled investors.
World’s markets have staged a partial recovery after a week of precipitous falls and volatility
The FTSE 100 had fallen 10% since early September, wiping £175bn off the value of listed businesses.
Steven Saywell, head of foreign exchange strategy at BNP Paribas, said the real concern over the faltering eurozone economy was inflation, currently running at 0.3%.
“We believe the risk is it could fall even further,” he said.
BNP Paribas believes European Central Bank president Mario Draghi should take bold measures to buy sovereign bonds in an attempt to convince investors that the rate of inflation would increase.
President Vladimir Putin has paid a late-night visit to former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi during ASEM summit in Milan.
Vladimir Putin left the home of Silvio Berlusconi after two hours, at 03:45, the Kremlin confirmed.
The two enjoyed good personal relations while Silvio Berlusconi was in power.
Vladimir Putin, 62, had already raised eyebrows by missing a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on October 16, the first day of the summit.
He was in the Serbian capital Belgrade as guest of honor at a military parade to mark the city’s liberation from Nazi Germany 70 years ago.
The talks with Angela Merkel, which focused on the peace process in Ukraine, eventually started four hours late, Russian media report.
President Vladimir Putin has paid a late-night visit to former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi during ASEM summit in Milan
Correspondents say Vladimir Putin has a reputation for arriving late. He kept Pope Francis waiting 50 minutes when he visited the Vatican last year.
Vladimir Putin met Silvio Berlusconi “by special permission” of the judicial authorities, Italian journalist Gerardo Pelosi said in a tweet.
“After the completion of official events… Putin came to see his old friend Berlusconi,” Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed.
Despite his late night out, Vladimir Putin was back early on Friday for more talks with Angela Merkel.
Silvio Berlusconi, 78, is serving a sentence of one year of community service at a care home near Milan since being convicted of tax fraud last year and ejected from the Italian Senate.
Nigerian army has agreed a truce with Islamist militants Boko Haram – and that the schoolgirls the group has abducted will be released.
Nigeria’s chief of defense staff, Alex Badeh, announced the truce. Boko Haram has not made a public statement.
The military has struggled to defeat Boko Haram, which has been fighting an insurgency since 2009.
Boko Haram sparked global outrage six months ago by abducting more than 200 schoolgirls.
The girls were seized in the north-eastern town of Chibok in Borno state, and their continued captivity has led to criticism of the Nigerian government’s efforts to secure their release.
Boko Haram sparked global outrage six months ago by abducting more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria
The hostages are thought to have been taken to the vast Sambisa forest, along Nigeria’s border with Cameroon.
Members of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign tweeted on October 17: “We are monitoring the news with huge expectations.”
Air Chief Marshal Badeh revealed the truce at the close of a three-day security meeting between Nigeria and Cameroon. He said Nigerian soldiers would comply with the agreement.
The agreement was sealed after a month of negotiations, mediated by Chad.
As part of the talks, a government delegation twice met representatives of the Islamist group.
Boko Haram, which translates as “Western education is forbidden”, has stepped up attacks against civilian targets since the Nigerian military offensive began.
The group promotes a version of Islam which makes it “haram”, or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society.
It frequently attacks schools and colleges, which it sees as a symbol of Western culture.
According to media reports, at least 14 people are feared dead in an accident at a 4Minute outdoor concert in Seongnam, south of Seoul in South Korea.
A ventilation grate collapsed and a group of concert-goers fell 65ft into an underground parking area. Many were left badly injured.
Rescue workers are at the scene of the accident.
At least 14 people are feared dead in an accident at a 4Minute outdoor concert in Seongnam
Yonhap news agency reported that about 700 people had gathered to watch the concert, part of a local festival being held at Pangyo Techno Valley, a multi-purpose complex for technology firms.
In the dense crowd, 20-30 people climbed on a grill over the deep ventilation shaft to get a better view of the event. Under their weight the grill gave way and the group fell through.
The immediate task was to save the lives of the injured but that the accident may intensify a debate in South Korea about safety standards.
After the Sewol ferry sank six months ago, with the loss of more than 300 lives, many alleged that the country’s regulations had not kept pace with its rapid economic development.
Misty Upham was found dead in a ravine near Seattle, a family spokeswoman has confirmed.
Actress Misty Upham, 32, known for roles in August: Osage County and Django Unchained, had been missing since October 6.
Her body was found following a search of the area by friends and family. Her father, Charles Upham, confirmed her identity to the authorities.
Misty Upham was understood to have suffered from bipolar disorder.
Police Commander Steve Stocker said there was presently no evidence or information “to believe there is foul play.”
At the time of her disappearance, Misty Upham’s father expressed concern that the actress was off her medication and may have been suicidal.
However, film-maker Tracy Rector – a long-time friend and spokesperson for the family, said: “The family has stated that, after seeing the body, they still do not feel that Misty Upham committed suicide.”
Misty Upham was found dead in a ravine near Seattle
The body was found by a family member during a search of the area on October 16. A purse with identification belonging to Misty Upham was reportedly found at the scene.
Tracy Rector suggested there was hostility between local police and the Native American community who live on the Muckleshoot reservation, where Misty Upham had been staying.
“The family wants everyone to know that the Auburn police did not help with this situation at all. They refused to help. When she disappeared on October 5, the family knew something was seriously wrong – it was out of character for her to be gone so long without being in touch – and they repeatedly went to the police, who insisted there was no cause for concern,” she told the Hollywood Reporter.
Actress Juliette Lewis tweeted that Misty Upham “spoke out a lot against injustices within the Native community. And had known enemies. Police must do an investigation”.
Juliette Lewis later tweeted: “I can’t sleep. Too much darkness. I feel so sad about Misty. I know she has more to say. And about how she died.”
Misty Upham, who played the housekeeper in the 2013 film August: Osage County with Meryl Streep, bemoaned the fact that, as a Native American, she was typically cast as “a maid, or a prisoner”.
Rolls-Royce Holdings has warned of falling revenues as trade sanctions against Russia begin to bite.
Customers of Rolls-Royce’s nuclear, energy and power systems businesses have delayed or cancelled orders, the company said in a trading update.
As a result, group underlying revenue for 2014 would be 3.5%-to-4% lower than expected, it said.
However, Rolls-Royce expected underlying profit to remain flat as cost savings counterbalanced the falling revenue.
“Since our interim results, the economic outlook for 2015 has become more challenging,” the company said, with many of its customers experiencing “worsening market conditions” affecting their investment decisions.
Rolls-Royce Holdings has warned of falling revenues as trade sanctions against Russia begin to bite
Guidance on revenues for its civil aerospace, defense aerospace, marine and power systems divisions, remained unchanged, the company said.
Nuclear and energy revenue guidance would fall from 0%-to-5%, down from 5%-to-10%.
However, Rolls-Royce expected underlying profit in its civil aerospace division to be higher than previously thought.
“While the short term is clearly challenging, reflecting the economic environment, the prospects for the group remain strong, driven by the growing global requirement for cleaner, better power,” said chief executive John Rishton.
Rolls-Royce’s share price fell 7.5% in early morning trading as the market reacted negatively to the revenue warning.
Imprisoned Indian politician Jayaram Jayalalitha has been granted bail by the country’s Supreme Court.
Former chief minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu Jayaram Jayalalitha was jailed last month for four years on corruption charges.
In a case that lasted 18 years, she was found guilty of amassing unaccounted-for wealth of more than $10 million.
Supporters wept on the streets when a court rejected an earlier bail plea.
Granting bail on October 17, India’s top court directed her to “complete all paperwork” relating to the appeal against her conviction within two months in the Karnataka high court.
Jayaram Jayalalitha was jailed last month for four years on corruption charges (photo AP)
Lawyers for Jayaram Jayalalitha, 66, had argued that she should be given bail because she is unwell and appealing against her conviction in a higher court.
However, the court warned Jayaram Jayalalitha it would not give her “a day more” if she failed to complete the procedures.
The Supreme Court also asked the former chief minister to ensure her party workers remained peaceful.
Her supporters’ protests against last month’s conviction meant they had to be forcibly dispersed by police.
The Karnataka court has sentenced Jayaram Jayalalitha and three other accused to four years in prison each, with Jayalalitha also facing a 1bn rupee fine ($16 million). The others have been ordered to pay a fine of about $1.6 million each.
As a business owner, there may come a time in your professional career that you want to sell the business. This is extremely common, but most business owners feel lost when it comes to the idea and implementation of selling their business.
Like any other sale, you have a variety of options when it comes to selling your business, and the following information will give you insight into some of the most popular selling options for business owners.
By Owner
Some homeowners opt to sell their homes themselves, and you can do the same with your business. Selling your business by yourself eliminates the fees you’ll spend on a real estate broker, which can often result in more money in your pocket after the sale is finalized. If you’re going to sell your business on your own, it’s a good idea to do some research on how to sell by owner. There are certain real estate laws and procedures you’ll want to familiarize yourself with to ensure you’re making a smart decision and not breaking any laws or making poor decisions.
Real Estate Agent
If selling your business on your own seems too difficult or stressful, you can always opt to use a commercial real estate agent. These individuals are experienced in selling businesses, and they’ll be able to advise you on the best possible moves to help sell your business. For example, if you want to sell a dental practice that needs some upgrades, your real estate agent will be able to explain why you should invest in the upgrades, or what you can expect to get if you don’t invest in the upgrades. Your real estate agent will also work tirelessly to advertise your business and make a quick sale. After all, they earn their money based on the sale of your business, so if it doesn’t sell, they don’t get paid.
Websites
The Internet is a powerful tool, and it can be just the thing to help you sell your business. Whether you’re selling the business on your own or using a real estate agent, you can advertise the sale of your business online. You can use general resale websites, such as Craigslist, to advertise the sale of your business, and you can even add it to the classifieds section of your local news outlet websites.
Other websites are specifically dedicated to selling businesses. For example, you should consider looking at websites like BusinessMart.com and BusinessBroker.com. These websites carry business listings from across the globe, and they’re aimed at providing valuable information to potential business buyers.
Closed Sale
Sometimes you can get lucky and already have an interested buyer in mind. If you’re in this situation, you’ll go through a closed sale. With this option, you don’t advertise your business as being for sale. Instead, you and the intended buyer create a contract and go through the process behind closed doors that eventually results in them receiving ownership of your business. Closed business sales are usually done when an investment company is interested in taking over, or if another member of the business (or even a member of your family) wants to buy it from you. If you are opting for a closed sale, be sure to have a good business lawyer on hand to ensure your needs are being met throughout the sale.
Being a business owner can be extremely rewarding, and it’s something that many people would like to accomplish at some point in their life. Some potential business owners want to do it for the freedom of being their own boss; others want to do it for the money; and some just want to do it to achieve a career goal.
No matter the reason you want to own a business, there are certain things you first need to know before buying a business.
Determine what type of business you want to own.
Some people want to desperately own a business that they jump right in and purchase the first one they see. This is not a good idea. In order to own a business and run it successfully, it’s important to consider buying a business that you have experience in. For example, if you have worked in the dental industry, then you’d be much more successful buying a dental practice than you would buying a restaurant, as you already know the ins and outs of what makes a dental practice successful. Do your research and determine the types of businesses that would make the most sense for you.
Find a business to buy.
Once you decide which type of business you want to buy, you then need to find a business that’s for sale. You can turn to newspaper advertisements, real estate agents, and even websites dedicated to selling businesses, such as BusinessBroker.com.
Another avenue to take would be to ask friends, family members and coworkers about businesses that they may know that are for sale. Sometimes business owners don’t want to hassle with the media or turn the selling of their business into a long process, so they try to sell the business quietly to avoid all the hassle.
Look into the business’s history and finances.
The last thing you want to do as a new business owner is to invest in a company that isn’t financially successful or stable. This is why it’s extremely important to look into the business’s history and finances. Hire a business auditor to valuate the business for you so that you know if the asking price is in line with the value of the company. Look into the finances of the company to see how the profits and losses have aligned throughout the years. Is the company constantly seeing a profit, or is it often struggling to make ends meet? If there are major financial issues, it may be best for you to walk away.
Make sure this is the right decision for you.
Before you sign any papers that make you the owner of a business, make sure this is the right decision for you. Being a business owner is not an easy task, and it will require you to put in lot of hard work. If you’re looking to just sit back and get paid for doing nothing, owning a business is not the best option.
Not only will you need to put in long hours to transition the company to the new ownership, but you’ll also have to keep putting money into the business to keep it updated and up to any codes. If you have any hesitation about owning a business, consider holding off on the purchase until you know for sure it’s exactly what you want to do.
Police searching for missing Misty Upham in Washington have found a body they believe to be hers, officials say.
Misty Upham, 32, known for roles in August: Osage County and Django Unchained, has been missing for 10 days.
The body of a woman was found in a ravine near the White River on Thursday afternoon.
A medical examiner has yet to positively identify the remains or determine a cause of death.
A purse with identification belonging to Misty Upham was reportedly found at the scene.
Police searching for missing Misty Upham in Washington have found a body they believe to be hers
Misty Upham, a 32-year-old Native American actress was said to be suicidal at the time of her disappearance.
Her father, Charles Upham, told a local radio affiliate his daughter had been upset and had stopped taking medication for bipolar disorder and anxiety.
Misty Upham’s family said she moved to the Seattle area to help care for her father, who had suffered a stroke.
She was reportedly staying on the Muckleshoot reservation, and was last seen walking from an apartment south of Seattle.
Misty Upham was earlier nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for supporting role in the 2008 film Frozen River.
The New York medical examiner’s office has ruled that Joan Rivers died of brain damage from low blood oxygen.
Joan Rivers died on September 4 at the age of 81 after being on life support for a week following a cardiac arrest during a medical procedure.
The comedian’s death was classified as a “therapeutic complication”, meaning it was a known risk of the procedure.
Negligence is not suspected and was not listed as a contributing cause.
Joan Rivers died of brain damage from low blood oxygen
The medical examiner listed the official cause of death as anoxic encephalopathy due to hypoxic arrest – a condition caused when brain tissue is deprived of oxygen leading to brain damage.
Joan Rivers had been sedated with the anaesthetic propofol during her outpatient procedure examining the back of her throat and vocal cords.
She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital after she stopped breathing, where she was put on life support.
Hypoxia and cardiac arrest are rare side effects of propofol, but patients usually sign a waiver before surgery to confirm they understand the risks.
“I always tell my clients when they come through here, every time you have surgery you’re playing Russian roulette,” medical malpractice lawyer Steven Harris told Associated Press.
“The more surgery, the more the numbers can catch up with you – and as we know, Ms Rivers had a lot of surgery.”
The medical examiner’s ruling, however, does not prevent Joan Rivers’ family from filing a legal claim against the clinic where the procedure took place.
Joan Rivers’ daughter, Melissa, said she had no comment on the ruling.
President Vladimir Putin and key EU leaders have met Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Milan to discuss the eastern Ukraine crisis.
The leaders of the UK, Germany, France and Italy were expected to press Vladimir Putin to do more to end the fighting.
Italian PM Matteo Renzi said after the talks he was “more positive” on prospects for a solution to the crisis.
The West accuses Russia of arming separatist rebels and sending regular troops to Ukraine. Moscow denies this.
Ukraine and the rebels agreed a truce in September, but each side accuses the other of repeated shelling.
The separatists control parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
More than 3,600 people have been killed since the fighting erupted in April, following the annexation by Russia of Ukraine’s southern Crimea peninsular a month earlier.
Vladimir Putin and key EU leaders have met Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Milan to discuss the eastern Ukraine crisis
Vladimir Putin, Petro Poroshenko and EU leaders met on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe (ASEM) summit in the northern Italian city.
The other participants in the meeting included UK Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Matteo Renzi.
Speaking briefly after the talks, the Italian prime minister said they were constructive but big differences remained.
“I’m more positive, I hope we can work together very strongly,” he told journalists.
Petro Poroshenko met Angela Merkel ahead of Friday’s talks, with both expressing regret that many points of a peace plan agreed last month in the Belarusian capital Minsk “had not yet been implemented”, German government sources were quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Angela Merkel also met Vladimir Putin for two-and-a-half hours late on Thursday, October 16.
Russian media quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that there were still “serious differences” between the two leaders over the origins of the crisis.
Angela Merkel said it was “first and foremost” Russia’s responsibility to make sure the peace plan was being followed.
Among other points, the plan envisages the withdrawal of heavy weaponry 10 miles by each side from the line of contact and the withdrawal of all foreign mercenaries from the conflict zone.
Earlier this week, Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of nearly 18,000 Russian troops stationed near the Ukrainian border.
However, NATO says it has seen no sign of any major Russian pullback.
Speaking ahead of the Milan talks, Vladimir Putin stressed that he would not be blackmailed by the EU and US over the Ukrainian crisis.
In what was seen as a direct reference to President Barack Obama, the Russian leader warned of “what discord between large nuclear powers can do to strategic stability”.
The two-day ASEM summit brings together more than 50 member states.
Goldman Sachs has reported a 50% jump in profit in Q3 2014 after a sudden jolt in bond market activity helped boost revenues.
The investment bank reported net income rose to $2.14 billion in the three months to the end of September.
That compared with $1.43 billion for the same period a year earlier.
Revenue from bond-trading leapt 74% to $2.17 billion, as Goldman benefited from the surprise exit of bond market supremo, Bill Gross, from Pimco.
The departure of Bill Gross from Pimco, the world’s largest bond fund, prompted investors to withdraw $23.5 billion from the company.
Goldman Sachs has reported a 50 percent jump in profit in Q3 2014 after a sudden jolt in bond market activity helped boost revenues
Strong US economic data in September and stimulus measures introduced by the European Central Bank (ECB), also helped jolt what had been a lacklustre bond market into life last month.
Total net revenue at the bank rose 25% to $8.39 billion.
“The combination of improving economic conditions in the US and a strong global franchise continued to drive client activity across our diverse set of businesses,” Goldman’s chairman and chief executive Lloyd Blankfein said in a statement.
Goldman Sachs has also been a big beneficiary of rising stock markets this year, helped by its advisory work on large deals including the $25 billion initial public offering of Chinese tech firm Alibaba on the US stock market.
Revenue from investment management, a business Goldman has been trying to build up, rose 20% to $1.46 billion.
The death toll of Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit has reached 28, officials say, after blizzards struck at the height of the Himalayan climbing season.
There are fears the final toll will be higher. Nine bodies were found on October 16 and about 220 people have been rescued, but many are still missing.
Nepalese, Israeli, Canadian, Indian, Slovak and Polish trekkers are among those killed.
Severe rain and snow in Nepal appear linked to a recent cyclone in India.
Tuesday’s exceptional weather was said to be part of the remnants of Cyclone Hudhud.
Most of the deaths happened when a blizzard hit a point on the Annapurna Circuit, a well-known trekking route in central Nepal.
The bad weather hit a resting place 14,800ft above sea level, not far below the circuit’s highest point, the Thorung La pass.
The death toll of Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit has reached 28, after blizzards struck at the height of the Himalayan climbing season
October is a popular trekking season and there were likely to have been many climbers on the passes.
Two military helicopters were sent from the capital Kathmandu to assist the rescue operation on Wednesday and nine people were rescued overnight.
Many more were rescued in Thursday’s search, with both private and military helicopters deployed.
Rescue operations were called off for the day when darkness fell on Thursday evening, but will resume again on Friday, October 17.
This has been a deadly year for Nepal’s trekking and mountaineering industry, which brings in huge revenues to Nepal, one of the world’s poorest countries.
An avalanche on Mount Everest in April killed 16 Sherpa guides and resulted in a massive reduction of expeditions to the world’s highest peak.
The latest disaster comes during the peak trekking period. Thousands of tourists head to Nepal in October, many to enjoy its high altitude mountain passes and pristine beauty. But this freak heavy snowfall caught the trekkers off guard.
Nepal’s high peaks attract some of the world’s best climbers – but trekking is generally safe and appeals to masses of ordinary outdoor enthusiasts.
Apple has unveiled its newest tablets, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3.
The iPad Air 2 is said to be the thinnest device of its kind on the market.
It is 6.1mm (0.24in) thick and also adds a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
The device also gains an anti-reflective coating and a new chip, the A8X – a faster version of the processor in the company’s latest iPhones.
However, some analysts have questioned whether the upgrade will be enough to turn around iPad sales.
The iPad Mini 3 gains Apple’s fingerprint recognition component.
Some of the details were published by Apple, reportedly by mistake, on October 15.
Apple’s last earnings release revealed that it had sold 13.3 million iPads in the April-to-June quarter. That marked a 9% fall on its tally for the same period in 2013, despite the fact the company saw sales of iPhones and Mac computers rise.
It also contrasted with an 11% rise in the number of tablet shipments across the market as a whole – with Lenovo and Asus making some of the biggest gains – according to data from IDC.
According to the market research company, the iPad remained the bestselling tablet brand, but that its market share had dropped over the year from 33% to 26.9%.
One expert suggested that the recent launch of the 5.5in-screened iPhone 6 Plus, which shares most of the new iPads’ features, could further temper demand.
The iPad Air 2 is said to be the thinnest device of its kind on the market
Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook has told investors he still believes that the tablet market will eventually surpass that of PCs, and has pointed to a recent deal with IBM – involving the two firms co-developing business-centric apps – as a way to get iPad sales on “a faster trajectory”.
Other new features of the iPad Air 2 include an eight megapixel rear camera that can capture timelapse and slow-mo videos. The front camera has also been upgraded to allow in more light and take a rapid succession of selfies.
In addition the machine includes a new type of Wi-Fi chip that supports faster data speeds, including downloads at up to 866 megabits per second (Mbps).
The new tablets will become available to buy next week.
Apple also introduced a new model of its all-in-one iMac computer featuring what it said was the highest resolution display on the market.
The computer has a 27in display that has a resolution of 5K – 5210 by 2880 pixels – offering about five times the detail of a 1080p “full HD” television.
The basic model will cost $2,499 and is now available for sale.
Lenovo already sells the N308 – an all-in-one Android-powered desktop PC with a 19.5in screen offering slightly lower 4K resolution, while Panasonic has the Toughpad MB5025 – a 20in 4K computer that runs Windows 8.
Intel and Samsung have also announced plans to manufacture 4K screens for other all-in-one PCs.
But for now, large ultra-high definition screens are still a rarity in the computing sector beyond the use of separate monitors, which may aid sales of the new iMac.
Apple said the extra detail made it a superior option for editing photos and other visual tasks.
Apple also announced an upgraded version of its screenless computer, the Mac Mini, but there was no mention of an update to its Apple TV set top box, which last received a hardware refresh in March 2012.
The company also said that the latest version of its operating system for Mac computers – OS X Yosemite – was being made available for download this Thursday. The software is designed to allow data to be swapped back and forth with iOS-powered iPhones and iPads more easily than before.
It added that Version 8.1 of iOS, which introduces support for its near field communication (NFC)-powered payment service Apple Pay, would be released on Monday, October 20.
Shakira launched her latest perfume Rock! in Barcelona last week.
The fragrance, which comes in a guitar-shaped bottle, is apparently an expression of Shakira’s most daring part and is a celebration the music that moves the world.
Shakira wanted to capture that intense, indescribable feeling and moment of anticipation and excitement while going up on stage.
Shakira launched her latest perfume Rock! in Barcelona
This is a scent of raw power and energy. The composition is fresh and sharp floral-fruity. It opens with fresh Italian bergamot and sparkling, citrus notes of lemon and green mandarin. Passion fruit gives the composition strength and makes it energetic and urban, while the heart includes feminine notes of jasmine and orange blossom. The base captures patchouli, cedar and amber.
Rock! by Shakira is available as 50 and 100 ml Eau de Toilette.
Micropia museum, the world’s first “interactive microbe zoo”, opened in Amsterdam last month.
The 10 million euros museum is next to Amsterdam’s Artis Royal Zoo, whose director came up with the idea of exposing an array of living microbes in a “micro-zoo” 12 years ago.
Micropia’s director, Haig Balian believes the importance of microbes in our daily lives has been underestimated ever since Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek observed the microscopic creatures in the 17th century.
Microbes are often associated with illness, through viruses, bacteria, fungi and algae, but they are also essential for our survival and will play an increasingly important role in humanity and the planet’s future, Haig Balian said.
Micropia museum is the world’s first interactive microbe zoo
“Microbes are everywhere. Therefore you need microbiologists who can work in every sector: in hospitals, food production, the oil industry and pharmaceuticals, for instance,” he told AFP news agency.
Microbes are already used to produce biofuels, develop new type of antibiotics and improve crop yields.
Experiments have shown their future potential for everything from generating electricity to strengthening building foundations and curing cancer.
Each adult human body carries around 1.5 kg of microbes, and we would die without them.
Much of the museum – which claims to be a world-first – looks like a laboratory, complete with rows of microscopes connected to giant television screens.
Visitors can look through a window at a real-life laboratory where different kinds of microbes are being reproduced in Petri dishes and test tubes.
Step into a lift and look up to see an animation of a camera zooming on someone’s eye, revealing the tiny mites that live on our eyelashes. The camera then zooms in on bacteria on the mite and finally on a virus on the bacteria.
Visitors can watch microbes reproduce under a 3D-microscope, especially designed and built for Micropia, or see a giant scale model of the Ebola virus that’s ravaging west Africa.
A microbe scanner will instantly tell how many microbes live on a visitor’s body and where.
Bolder visitors can try the “Kiss-o-Meter” and be told how many microbes are being transferred as a couple kisses.
“Did you know that for instance there are 700 species of microbes living in your mouth? Or 80 kinds of fungi on your heel?” Haig Balian asked.
“A visit to Micropia will forever change the way you see the world,” he said.
European markets continue to tumble on October 16 amid fears of a global economic slowdown and the impact of the Ebola crisis.
The main stock markets in Germany, the UK and France fell more than 2%, tracking a sell-off in Asia and on Wall Street.
On October 15, London’s FTSE 100 saw its heaviest one-day fall in 16 months.
Borrowing costs for Greece and Italy rose, and investors looking for a safe haven pushed the gold price higher.
Analysts said that a raft of disappointing economic and corporate news had unnerved investors.
Recent poor data from China, Germany and the US have heightened worries that global economic recovery could go into reverse.
European markets continue to tumble on amid fears of a global economic slowdown and the impact of the Ebola crisis
Meanwhile concerns about the spread of Ebola and its impact on emerging markets have added to the worries. Companies linked to travel and tourism have seen their share prices fall in the past couple of weeks, offsetting hopes that the recent fall in the oil price would lower their long-term fuel costs.
The price of US crude has gone below $80 a barrel for the first time since June 2012, pulling down oil-related shares such as BP and Tullow.
Financial shares were among some of the biggest fallers across Europe. Royal Bank of Scotland was down another 3.6% after falling heavily on October 15.
Meanwhile, in France, Societe Generale and BNP Paribas fell 5% and 4% respectively amid worries about their exposure to a slowdown in southern European economies.
Greece’s borrowing costs rose on Thursday on fears about the country’s exit from the bailout it received during the financial crisis.
The yield on Greek 10-year bonds rose 85.2 basis points to 8.72% – its highest since January. Investors are worried that the country could struggle to borrow money once it is weaned off bailout money.
In Spain, Madrid’s benchmark IBEX 35 index fell 4.28% after a bond issue failed to raise as much as the government hoped.
Meanwhile, gold traded at a one-month high, while the price of copper and some other metals fell to multi-month lows amid concern that demand would fall because of an economic slowdown.
Elizabeth Pena was known for her roles in Lone Star, Rush Hour and TV shows like sitcoms I Married Dora and Modern Family, in which she played the mother of Sofia Vergara’s character Gloria.
Other film credits included La Bamba, Jacob’s Ladder, Batteries Not Included and Down and Out in Beverly Hills.
Elizabeth Pena’s manager told the Associated Press news agency she died of natural causes after a brief illness. The actress died in Los Angeles on Tuesday, October 14.
Elizabeth Pena was known for her roles in Lone Star, Rush Hour
The Cuban-American actress was a familiar face from her dramatic and comedic roles on the big and small screens.
Elizabeth Pena caught the eye in 1986’s Down and Out in Beverly Hills, playing the maid Carmen alongside Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss and Nick Nolte.
She won the role, she said, by bribing a security guard at Disney Studios to let her in to see the casting director after an agent had told her she was not attractive enough for the role.
That led to parts in the Ritchie Valens biopic La Bamba and alien comedy Batteries Not Included.
On TV, Elizabeth Pena played a Hispanic housekeeper who married her employer in I Married Dora.
