Scientists say that vaccinated monkeys have developed “long-term” immunity to the Ebola virus, raising a prospect of successful human trials.
The experiments by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed immunity could last at least 10 months.
Human trials of the Ebola vaccine started this week in the US and will extend to the UK and Africa.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says more than 2,000 people have now died in the outbreak in West Africa.
Several experimental treatments are now being considered to help contain the spread of Ebola.
Human trials of the Ebola vaccine started in the US and will extend to the UK and Africa
This includes a vaccine being developed by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
It uses a genetically modified chimp virus containing components of two species of Ebola – Zaire, which is currently circulating in West Africa, and the common Sudan species.
The viral vaccine does not replicate inside the body, but it is hoped the immune system will react to the Ebola component of the vaccine and develop immunity.
Animal research, on which the decision to begin human trials was based, has now been published in the journal Nature Medicine.
It shows four crab-eating macaques all survived what would have been a fatal dose of Ebola virus five weeks later.
However, only half survived an infection 10 months after immunization.
For now this is the best evidence available on how successful such a vaccine would be in people.
The first patient, a 39-year-old woman, was given the vaccine last week as human trials got under way.
There will also be separate trials of the vaccine against just the Zaire Ebola species.
These will take place in the US, the University of Oxford in the UK as well as in Mali and Gambia.
The WHO said safety data would be ready by November 2014 and, if the vaccine proved safe, it would be used in West Africa immediately.
Healthcare workers and other frontline staff would be prioritized for vaccination.
The number of doses currently available is between 400 – if a lot of vaccine is needed for immunity – and 4,000 if smaller amounts are sufficient.
As with all experimental therapies, the WHO has warned hopes of a vaccine must not detract from the proven methods of infection control which have defeated all previous outbreaks.
James Gandolfini’s final movie, The Drop, has premiered at this year’s Toronto Film Festival.
The Drop sees James Gandolfini playing a Brooklyn bar owner who facilitates the criminal underworld’s money-laundering.
James Gandolfini died in June 2013 after suffering a heart attack, shortly after shooting the film.
Co-star Tom Hardy paid tribute to James Gandolfini on the red carpet, saying he was “very grateful to have the privilege of working with him”.
“There’s very few people who have a very specific ability and talent and he’s a brilliant actor,” he told reporters.
The Drop sees James Gandolfini playing a Brooklyn bar owner who facilitates the criminal underworld’s money-laundering
The Drop is based on the short story Animal Rescue by author Dennis Lehane, who also wrote previous crime novels Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River.
Dennis Lehane, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, said that when James Gandolfini was cast he wanted to include more dialogue “because of how [he] can turn street speech into a symphony”.
James Gandolfini’s ex-wife Marcy attended the premiere along with their 14-year-old son Michael, who said he was “really proud” of his father.
“He loved acting. He loved being an actor. I know how hard he worked and I love how hard he worked,” Michael Gandolfini said.
“I want the world and everyone just to know that he was more than just an actor.
“He didn’t want to be Tony Soprano; he wanted to go on and push himself more, try to get harder, get different.”
Another James Gandolfini film released after his death, the romantic comedy Enough Said co-starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, also premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year.
Serena Williams has won her sixth US Open and 18th Grand Slam title after beating Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets, 6-3 6-3, at Flushing Meadows in New York.
After a poor start from both players, Serena Williams steadied herself to take the first set and found something approaching her best form to dominate the second.
The victory moves her to joint-fourth in the all-time list of major winners, alongside Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.
Serena Williams, 32, has now won three successive titles at the US Open, the scene of her first Grand Slam triumph 15 years ago.
Serena Williams has won her sixth US Open and 18th Grand Slam title (photo Getty Images)
“It was a really wonderful feeling,” said Serena Williams, who was joined by Navratilova and Evert for the trophy presentation, when she also collected $4 million in prize money.
“I couldn’t have finished things in a better way. It is a pleasure for me to win here, I am really emotional. I couldn’t ask to do it at a better place.”
Caroline Wozniacki, a close friend of Serena Williams, said: “Congratulations to Serena. She really deserved it today and played better than me.
“She is an inspiration to me on and off the court and an unbelievable friend – and you definitely owe drinks later!”
Serena Williams arrived in New York having failed to make it past the fourth round of a Grand Slam in 2014, but the American looked a class apart throughout the two weeks at Flushing Meadows.
Family, friends and stars, including radio host Howard Stern, actress Sarah Jessica Parker, mogul Donald Trump, comic Kathy Griffin and Whoopi Goldberg, have attended Joan Rivers’ funeral service in New York.
Crowds of fans and media also gathered outside Manhattan’s Temple Emanu-El.
Joan Rivers, who died on September 4, wrote in 2012 about how she wanted her funeral to be “a huge showbiz affair”.
The comedienne died a week after suffering a cardiac arrest while having a routine medical procedure. She was 81.
Howard Stern delivered the eulogy, describing Joan Rivers as “the best friend in the world… a big sister… a crazy aunt at a bar mitzvah”, according to People magazine.
Other speakers included Joan Rivers’ daughter, Melissa, Deborah Norville, friend Margie Stern and New York Post columnist Cindy Adams.
Hugh Jackman delivered a rendition of the song Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage, from his musical The Boy From Oz, and Broadway actress Audra McDonald sang Smile.
The New York City Gay Men’s Chorus opened the ceremony with a series of Broadway hits, while bagpipers from the New York City Police Department performed New York, New York.
Joan Rivers wrote in 2012 about how she wanted her funeral to be a huge showbiz affair (photo Getty Images)
Other mourners included Joan Rivers’ former Fashion Police co-star Kelly Osbourne, actors Alan Cumming and Tommy Tune, music producer Clive Davis and fashion designers Carolina Herrera and Michael Kors.
TV personalities including Barbara Walters, Geraldo Rivera, Diane Sawyer, Kathie Lee, Hoda Kotb and Andy Cohen also paid their respects.
Joan Rivers wrote in 2012 about her funeral plans: “I want paparazzi and I want publicists making a scene!”
“I want it to be Hollywood all the way. I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents.”
Hundreds of fans gathered to observe proceedings outside the temple.
In what The Sunday Times billed as her final interview, Joan Rivers said she had given her daughter Melissa strict instructions on who should not be allowed to attend her funeral – but did not say who was on the list.
Joan Rivers also said she had been preparing Melissa for her death.
“It’s like, God, I’m in my 80s,” she said.
“Nobody, when I die, is going to say, <<How young?>> They’re going to say, <<She had a great ride>>. “
After her passing, tributes for Joan Rivers flooded in from figures including David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres and Prince Charles, who praised her “unstoppable sense of humour and… enormous zest for life”.
Senior Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson, who conducted the service, said beforehand in a statement: “We mourn with her family, friends and all those millions to whom she brought laughter and joy.”
Joan Rivers stopped breathing during a procedure on her vocal cords at an outpatient clinic on August 28. The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office said that after an initial examination, further tests would be carried out to determine the cause of death.
G.R.L. member Simone Battle was found dead in the bedroom of her apartment in a West Hollywood neighborhood.
She was only 25 years old.
Simone Battle’s father told TMZ the singer’s home was a guest house in a larger residence.
Her death appears to be a suicide, a law enforcement source told TMZ.
Simone Battle’s death appears to be a suicide (photo Getty Images)
According to new reports, Simone Battle was found hanging in a closet in her bedroom around 8:30 a.m. on September 5.
An autopsy is planned for Simone Battle but hasn’t been completed yet.
A close friend who declined to be named told E!: “It’s shocking. Simone was full of life. Accomplishing all of her goals and dreams.
“She was so talented, a star in every sense of the word. I’ve never encountered such fierce drive. You just knew she would be a star, and she was so gracious. It’s hard to grasp she’s gone. She will be incredibly missed.”
Simone Battle’s father told to the Daily Mail: “She will be greatly missed and loved. She was an exuberant person and a very loved person.”
G.R.L’s singer and former X Factor contestant Simone Battle has died at the age of 25.
Simone Battle’s death was confirmed in a joint statement from Reign Deer Entertainment, Robin Antin, Kemosabe Records, and RCA Records.
The statement read: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the loss of Simone Battle of G.R.L.
“Simone was an exceptional young talent and human being, and we are all devastated to learn of her passing.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones at this time.”
G.R.L’s singer and former X Factor contestant Simone Battle has died at the age of 25 (photo Getty Images)
The cause of Simone Battle’s death is not yet known and there’s so far been no word from her bandmates. She was found dead at her West Hollywood home.
Simone Battle was originally part of the line-up for the new version of the Pussycat Dolls, put together by the Dolls’ original creator Robin Antin.
However, after a few line-up changes, that group eventually became G.R.L.
G.R.L. is on course to enter the top five of the UK’s Official Chart with their single Ugly Heart.
In 2011, Simone Battle appeared on the first series of The X Factor USA, performing in front of judges including Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul.
She progressed to the live finals of the show.
Cheryl Cole’s among those who’ve paid tribute. She tweeted: “Such tragically sad news to hear of the passing of Simone Battle. My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones.”
Another tribute came from former member of the Pussycat Dolls Kimberley Wyatt who tweeted: “In disbelief… My heart hurts for her friends, family, and bandmates.”
One of Simone Battle’s friends, Derek Butler, posted a picture of her on Instagram with the comment: “I’m still in shock and in disbelief to have confirmed the death of my childhood friend Simone Battle.
“Her heart was pure gold and her star power limitless.”
President Barack Obama will delay taking executive action on immigration until after the midterm elections in November, White House officials said on September 6.
The president bows to pressure from fellow Democrats who feared that acting now could doom his party’s chances this fall.
In June 2014, Barack Obama promised to use executive orders that were expected to change visa rules, boost border security and give a path to citizenship for some 11 million US-based illegal immigrants.
Each year tens of thousands try to get into the US from Mexico.
President Barack Obama will delay taking executive action on immigration until after the midterm elections in November
Many are unaccompanied children, and Barack Obama has called the situation a “humanitarian crisis”.
Barack Obama has spent years promising immigration reform, but has been thwarted by Republicans in Congress.
White House officials said that the Republicans’ “extreme politicization of this issue” meant it would be harmful to the long-term prospects for reform to take action before the election.
Officials said immigration reform would still be forced through before the end of the year.
Analysts say the move is likely to benefit some Democrats up for re-election in November in closely fought seats.
Immigration advocacy group United We Dream called the delay a “slap to the face of the Latino and immigrant community”.
Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi is being charged with handing over national security documents to Qatar, the state prosecutor says.
Relations between Egypt and Qatar have been strained since the military ousted Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 after protests against his one-year rule.
Qatar supports the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group to which he belongs.
He faces several trials for charges including espionage. He has called the court illegitimate.
Several other Muslim Brotherhood leaders, as well as hundreds of ordinary members, have already been sentenced to death.
A crackdown by the authorities over the past year has seen more than 1,400 people killed and 16,000 others detained, rights activists say.
Mohamed Morsi is being charged with handing over Egypt’s security documents to Qatar
Mohamed Morsi will be tried for having “handed over to Qatari intelligence documents linked to national security… in exchange for $1 million”, the prosecutor said in a statement quoted by AFP news agency.
He was accused of passing on the files via Doha-based TV network Al Jazeera.
When the allegations emerged in August, Al Jazeera told Reuters: “Any information Al Jazeera receives is handled with the highest standard of journalistic ethics. We do not therefore comment on sources, or pass information to governments.”
Last June, a court in Egypt sentenced three Al Jazeera English journalists to between seven and 10 years in prison after convicting them charges including of spreading false news.
The three journalists have strenuously denied the charges and plan to appeal.
The court decision was criticized by journalists and human rights groups, who have campaigned for their release.
A private jet on a flight from New York to Florida crashed off Jamaica on September 5 after the two people on board apparently lost consciousness.
The Jamaican Defense Force said the plane went down about 14 miles north-east of Port Antonio.
Two F-15 fighter jets were launched from a US base to investigate the aircraft, after it veered from its flight path and was detected over the Caribbean.
The two people known to be on board have been named as Larry Glazer, a property developer from Rochester, New York, and his wife Jane. Larry Glazer was the CEO of Buckingham Properties.
Larry and Jane Glazer were both licensed pilots.
The plane’s pilot had indicated there was a problem and twice asked to descend to a lower altitude before permission was granted, according to a recording of the radio conversation with US traffic controllers.
Contact with the plane was lost a short time later.
Major Basil Jarrett of the Jamaican Defense Force told reporters that an oil slick had been spotted about 14 miles north-east of the coastal town of Port Antonio but there was no sign yet of any wreckage.
He said search and rescue teams were scouring the waters for possible survivors.
Larry and Jane Glazer were both licensed pilots
As darkness fell, Jamaica suspended the search until first light on September 6.
The plane, a Socata TBM-700 built in 2014, took off from Rochester at 08:26 en route to Naples, Florida.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) was alerted to the unresponsive plane about an hour into its flight and sent two fighter jets to monitor it.
A spokesman said it was not possible for the fighter pilots to see inside the plane as the windows were frosted or fogged over.
A tweet from NORAD suggested the pilot or pilots could have been be unresponsive due to “possible hypoxia” – oxygen deprivation.
On a recording made by LiveATC – a website that monitors air traffic control recordings – and quoted by the Associated Press, the pilot can be heard saying: “We need to descend to about (18,000 feet). We have an indication that’s not correct in the plane.”
A controller replies: “Stand by.”
After a pause, the controller tells the pilot to fly at 25,000ft.
“We need to get lower,” the pilot responded.
“Working on that,” the controller says.
Controllers then clear the plane to descend to 20,000ft and the pilot acknowledges the command.
Minutes later a controller asks the plane to identify itself. There is no response.
According to FlightAware, the plane never carried out the last descent to 20,000ft.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo paid tribute to the couple.
“The Glazers were innovative and generous people who were committed to revitalising downtown Rochester,” he said.
The couple’s three children said in a statement they were “devastated”.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said it co-operated with Cuba air traffic control in monitoring the plane, despite the countries not having full diplomatic relations for more than half a century.
Cuba said it had authorized the US military to fly a C-130 cargo plane and two fighter jets over its airspace to investigate the incident.
A number of long-forgotten deadly microbes have been uncovered in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) laboratories in recent weeks, including the deadly toxin ricin and the bacteria that cause plague.
The highly poisonous substances were found in a hunt triggered by the accidental discovery in July of vials of smallpox at a lab near Washington.
They included vials of ricin and pathogens that cause botulism, the plague and a rare tropical infection.
The substances, some dating from nearly a century ago, have now been destroyed.
Officials from the NIH said some of its laboratories were cleared to use poisonous substances and were checked regularly.
A number of long-forgotten deadly microbes have been uncovered in the NIH laboratories in recent weeks
However, the recent finds were from historical collections that were once allowed to be stored without regulation.
They included a bottle of ricin, a highly poisonous toxin, found in a box with microbes thought to be 85 to 100 years old.
“NIH takes this matter very seriously. The finding of these agents highlights the need for constant vigilance in monitoring laboratory materials in compliance with federal regulations on biosafety,” a memo from the agency said.
The authorities said the newly discovered toxins had been improperly stored but were in sealed containers and no employees were in danger of infection.
The search for unregulated toxic substances was initiated after the discovery of long-forgotten vials of smallpox in July.
The virus, believed dead, was located in six freeze-dried and sealed vials. It was said to be the first time unaccounted-for smallpox has been discovered in the US.
The smallpox disease was officially declared eradicated in the 1980s.
Former U.S. Secretary of State, Senator and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton has said she won’t make a decision about a 2016 presidential bid before the end of 2014.
On September 5, Hillary Clinton said she will decide whether to run for presidency around the beginning of 2015.
“I do have a unique vantage point and set of experiences about what makes the United States operate well and what doesn’t and what a president can do and should be doing,” she said.
“So I am going to be making a decision around, probably after the first of the year, about whether I’m going to run again or not.”
Hillary Clinton, 66, first ran for president in 2008, but she was defeated in the Democratic primary by then-Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill.
She was asked about her intentions for the next presidential cycle on September 5 at an event in Mexico City honoring thousands of scholarship students supported by the Telmex Foundation, one of several charitable organizations under the umbrella of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.
Hillary Clinton won’t make a decision about a 2016 presidential bid before the end of 2014
Hillary Clinton would only speak “hypothetically” about a possible presidential bid. She added she would have to have a clear vision of what she wants to achieve, and as well as how she would lead politically to realize that vision.
“I think the most important question anybody should ask who’s thinking about it is not whether you’re going to run or whether you’re going to win – it is what’s your vision for the country and can you lead us there?” she explained.
“And I will have to be convinced that I have a very clear vision with an agenda of what I think needs to be done, and that I have the experience and know-how to lead – not just those who agree with me, but those who disagree with me, to try to achieve those goals. It’s a very serious undertaking, so obviously I’m thinking about it, but I have not made a decision yet.”
Polls have shown Hillary Clinton all but running away with the Democratic nomination and performing strongly against most of her GOP challengers, though her lead in general election polls has recently diminished, according to some surveys.
Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress has been finally revealed after her secret nuptials to Brad Pitt on August 23 in France.
Angelina Jolie, 37, wore an ivory satin sleeveless gown adorned with various colored illustrations which were drawn by her children.
In the first photos, on the new cover of the UK’s HELLO! magazine, Angelina Jolie affectionately kisses her now-husband Brad Pitt.
“We are delighted and honored to be able to share these captivating photos of Brad and Angelina on their wedding day with their children and other close family members and friends in attendance,”HELLO!‘s editor-in-chief Eduardo Sanchez Perez said of the sought-after images.
“We wish them all the very best for the future.”
Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress featured artwork drawn by kids Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh and twins Vivienne and Knox (photo HELLO magazine)
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie told the publication: “It was important to us that the day was relaxed and full of laughter. It was such a special day to share with our children and a very happy time for our family.”Â
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt wed in a small intimate ceremony in a chapel in Chateau Miraval in France.
The actress’ dress featured artwork drawn by kids Maddox, 13, Pax, 10, Zahara, 9, Shiloh, 8, and 6-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
Angelina Jolie walked down the aisle with Maddox and Pax, while Zahara and Vivienne “threw petals, gathered from the garden”, Us Weekly reported.
“Shiloh and Knox were the ring bearers,” a spokesperson for the couple told the publication.
Angelina Jolie was previously married to Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton while Brad Pitt was previously married to Jennifer Aniston from 2000 to 2005.
The commemoration of late Hugo Chavez with a rewriting of the Christian Lord’s Prayer is causing controversy in Venezuela.
Venezuela’s Roman Catholic Church is denouncing the used of Hugo Chavez’s name in an “untouchable” prayer.
President Nicolas Maduro defends it, and calls critics “new inquisitors”.
The scandal forth started on September 1, when socialist party delegate Maria Estrella Uribe read the prayer at a party convention.
“Our Chavez who art in heaven, lead us not into the temptation of capitalism,” she read.
The commemoration of late Hugo Chavez with a rewriting of the Christian Lord’s Prayer is causing controversy in Venezuela
Hugo Chavez’s legacy has taken on a religious glow in Venezuela since the leader’s death last year. Rosaries adorned with Hugo Chavez’s face, shrines and images depicting him with a Christian cross have become commonplace. Followers often say they believe Hugo Chavez was on a divine mission.
On September 3, the Venezuela Catholic Church released a statement calling the Lord’s Prayer “untouchable, saying it “is the archetypal prayer for Christians around the world, and comes from the very lips of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
On September 4, Nicolas Maduro defended Maria Estrella Uribe’s modification, and said she was being targeted by new inquisitors who wanted to turn her humble prayer into a sin.
During his presidency, Hugo Chavez frequently crossed paths with Venezuela’s church, which sometimes accused the socialist leader of becoming increasingly authoritarian.
Hugo Chavez described Christ as a socialist and said local church authorities were misleading the Vatican with warnings that Venezuela was drifting toward dictatorship.
Venezuela is 90% Catholic, though many marry their Christianity with Santeria and other syncretic belief systems.
Sierra Leone has announced a four-day lockdown to try to tackle the Ebola disease.
According to a senior official, from 18 to 21 September people will not be allowed to leave their homes.
The aim of the move is to allow health workers to isolate new cases to prevent the disease from spreading further.
The Ebola outbreak has killed about 2,100 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria in recent months.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on September 5 that health workers could be given vaccines as from November, when safety tests are completed.
Sierra Leone has announced a four-day lockdown to try to tackle the Ebola disease
More than 20 health workers have lost their lives to the virus in Sierra Leone since the start of the outbreak in March.
Last month Liberia sealed off a large slum in the capital, Monrovia, for more than a week in an attempt to contain the virus.
The disease infects humans through close contact with infected animals, including chimpanzees, fruit bats and forest antelope.
It then spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments.
A presidential adviser described the measure as aggressive but argued that it was necessary to deal with the spread of Ebola.
Meanwhile, officials in Nigeria have decided to reopen schools in the country from September 22.
They were closed as a precaution to prevent the spread of the virus.
On September 5, the WHO announced that the blood of patients who recovered from Ebola should be used to treat others.
People produce antibodies in the blood in an attempt to fight off an Ebola infection. The antibodies may be able to help a sick patient’s immune system if they are transferred.
However, large scale data on the effectiveness of the therapy is lacking.
Joan Rivers will have a red carpet at her funeral in New York City on September 7, Us Weekly reported.
The red carpet, which Joan Rivers’ family and friends will walk upon outside Temple Emanu-El, will then be buried with the star.
An insider told the publication: “A lot of celebrities confirmed.”
In addition, only certain individuals will be allowed to roll it out.
Joan Rivers died on September 4 at the age of 81 after she stopped breathing during an outpatient procedure on her vocal cords and had been hospitalized at Mount Sinai Hospital since August 28.
Joan Rivers will have a red carpet at her funeral in New York City on September 7 (photo Getty Images)
The comedienne’ plans for her own funeral have resurfaced, proving that a red carpet is what she always wanted when she passed.
In her 2012 book I Hate Everyone…Starting with Me, Joan Rivers wrote: “When I die (and yes, Melissa, that day will come; and yes, Melissa, everything’s in your name,) I want my funeral to be a huge showbiz affair with lights, cameras, action.”
“I want Craft services, I want paparazzi and I want publicists making a scene! I want it to be Hollywood all the way. I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents,” she continued.
“I don’t want a eulogy; I want Bobby Vinton to pick up my head and sing <<Mr. Lonely>>. I want to look gorgeous, better dead than I do alive. I want to be buried in a Valentino gown and I want Harry Winston to make me a toe tag. And I want a wind machine so that even in the casket my hair is blowing just like Beyonce’s.”
Motorola has launched its highly anticipated circular smartwatch, the Moto 360.
The company said it believed the smartwatch model offered a stylish design after what it suggested had been a series of unappealing wearable tech launches by its rivals.
The release of the Moto 360 comes at a time of transition for the business.
Sales of Motorola’s smartphones are on the rebound and the business as a whole is about to switch ownership to Lenovo.
While analysts have been generally positive about the look of the new timepiece, they expressed doubts about its potential to become a bestseller.
Motorola also unveiled new smartphones and a small Bluetooth earbud designed to allow owners to interact with their handset by voice.
The Moto 360 features a 1.5in LCD touchscreen encircled by a thin metal band.
The waterproof device is powered by Google’s new Android Wear operating system – which is designed for small screens – and also features a built-in heart rate monitor and pedometer step counter, but no proprietary sleep monitoring software.
It only lasts about a day between charges. The version already on sale in the US has leather straps, and versions with metal bands will follow.
Motorola says Moto 360 offers a stylish design after a series of unappealing wearable tech launches by its rivals (photo Motorola)
Motorola’s president, Rick Osterloh, suggested it was a clear improvement on competitors’ earlier models.
“I think the first watches that shipped have been really bad,” he said.
“A number of manufacturers were willing to ship products that I felt were not appropriate for consumers.
“The biggest problem consumers said they had with them was that they really didn’t look appealing.
“The difference in our initial approach has been to focus on that problem and solve it.”
Rick Osterloh added that he welcomed the prospect of Apple entering the sector, potentially as soon as next week.
“I think Apple is going to help grow the category,” he said.
“Perhaps the most difficult thing in any new technology category is having people understand the benefits of it.
“It’s quite concerning to me that in the early days some of the first watches maybe gave the category a bad edge. We believe our product will be on the new wave of offerings.”
Although Motorola was the first of the major tech firms to show off a circular smartwatch design, LG has since announced its own model, the G Watch R, with a similarly shaped face.
Motorola may be at a disadvantage because part of its model’s screen remains dark to make room for other components, leading some critics to suggest it resembles a “flat tyre”.
The company avoided this by building a thicker bezel, placing the parts behind it and not including an ambient light sensor.
Rick Osterloh played down the issue noting that the Moto 360’s screen was larger than those of its competitors.
However, experts suggested consumers might still prove hard to convince.
Motorola’s other new wearable is the Moto Hint, a discreet Bluetooth earbud.
Offering three hours of talk time between charges, the idea is for owners to use the add-on to activate and control their handset from up to 150ft away as well as to make calls.
Motorola suggests it could be used by pedestrians to get directions without having to repeatedly check their phone’s display, and would be a convenient way to get quick answers to questions.
In addition, Motorola announced the Moto X+1, an updated version of its top-end phone whose case can be customized at point of order. A leather back is among the new options.
Four infra-red sensors have also been added to its front to allow users to wake it up by waving their hand six to 12in above it – something the firm suggested could be useful in meetings to surreptitiously check for notifications.
Motorola also updates its lower cost Moto G, which now features an improved processor and display.
The original model is the bestselling handset in Motorola’s history, and has played a large part in reviving its fortunes.
Gustavo Cerati, one of South America’s popular rock artists, has died, four years after falling into a coma.
Gustavo Cerati, 55, suffered a stroke at the end of a concert in May 2010 in Venezuela and never recovered.
The Argentine musician was the lead singer of the Soda Stereo band, which achieve huge success across the Spanish-speaking world in the 1980s.
Gustavo Cerati later pursued a successful solo career and worked with younger artists, including Colombian star Shakira.
In her Twitter account, Shakira paid a tribute to the late artist: “Gustavo, our most important song is yet to be written. I love you, my friend. And I know you love me.”
Gustavo Cerati died from a respiratory arrest on September 4 at a Buenos Aires clinic.
Gustavo Cerati suffered a stroke at the end of a concert in May 2010 in Venezuela and never recovered (photo Getty Images)
Soda, as the band was better known, was formed in 1982 by Gustavo Cerati – guitarist and vocalist – bass player Hector “Zeta” Bosio and drummer Charly Alberti.
It was a period that coincided with a deep economic crisis in South America with the beginning of the end of the military regimes that had thrived in the previous decade.
Argentina had just lost the Falklands War, which precipitated the end of the dictatorship.
The band’s biggest hits – Cuando Pase el Temblor, Musica Ligera and La Ciudad de la Furia – became anthems for a whole generation in Latin America and Spain in the 1980s and 1990s.
Soda split up in 1997 but reunited briefly in 2007 for a farewell tour.
In a 2006 interview with the Rolling Stone magazine, Gustavo Cerati talked about cocaine binges in his days with the band.
Gustavo Cerati also said that he had stopped smoking after a health scare.
“After you reach 40, these situations force you to change your way of life,” he said.
Ahmed Abdi Godane, the leader of the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab, was killed following a US attack earlier this week, the Pentagon has confirmed.
The US carried out air strikes on Monday night targeting a convoy in which he was travelling.
“Removing Godane from the battlefield is a major symbolic and operational loss to al-Shabab,” the Pentagon press secretary said in a statement.
Ahmed Abdi Godane was one of the US state department’s most wanted men.
Leader of the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab Ahmed Abdi Godane was killed following a US attack earlier this week
It had placed a bounty of $7 million on his head.
Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said the military action on September 1 had “led to his death”.
The US has supported the African Union (AU) force that has driven al-Shabab out of the capital, Mogadishu, and other towns since 2011.
The al-Qaeda-linked fighters want to overthrow the UN-backed Somali government and frequently attack government targets as well as neighboring countries that provide troops to the AU force.
According to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US economy added 142,000 jobs in August 2014, less than the lowest estimate.
The unemployment rate dipped to 6.1% from 6.2% in July 2014.
The world’s largest economy had been averaging a monthly jobs gain of 212,000 in the previous 12 months.
Part of the sluggish jobs growth was attributed to a loss of 17,000 food and beverage jobs as a result of a supermarket store strike.
Thousands of employees of the Market Basket chain of supermarkets in the northeastern US had gone on strike in July to protest the firing of their boss. The dispute was resolved late last week.
US markets did not react strongly to the news, with all three indexes dipping just slightly lower in early morning trading in New York.
The US economy added 142,000 jobs in August 2014, less than the lowest estimate
There were some bright spots in the August jobs report: wage growth, a crucial sign of the strength of the US economy, ticked up slightly.
Average hourly earnings are now growing at 2.1% year over year. US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen has previously indicated that wages are a crucial factor in the Fed’s analysis of the state of the health of the US jobs market.
Employment in the car industry also dipped less than expected, as fewer workers were laid off for factory retooling.
Jobs growth in the professional and business services also continued to lead the recovery, with an additional 47,000 jobs adding in August, bringing the yearly total to 639,000.
Most analysts believe that the sluggish August figure will give central bankers pause for thought as they consider when to end the Fed’s extraordinary support of the US economy.
The Fed is scheduled to meet on September 16-17.
Many have wondered whether or not so-called “hawks”, who favor increasing interest rates, would be able to persuade other members of the committee to move forward the bank’s plans to raise interest rates from their historically low levels of 0%.
Ukraine’s government and pro-Russian rebels have signed a cease-fire deal to end almost five months of fighting.
The two sides, meeting in Belarusian capital Minsk, agreed to stop firing by 15:00 GMT. However, the rebels said the cease-fire had not changed their policy of advocating separation from Ukraine.
Meanwhile, NATO has agreed to form a multi-national “spearhead” force capable of deploying within 48 hours.
More than 2,600 people have died since rebels stormed several eastern cities.
The takeover prompted a military operation by Ukrainian forces to retake the cities.
The rebels, who had largely been pushed back towards their strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, made new advances in recent days.
Fighting was continuing on Friday around Mariupol, a coastal city about 70 miles south of Donetsk.
Ukraine’s government and pro-Russian rebels have signed a cease-fire deal to end almost five months of fighting
Earlier in the day, rebels appeared to be hitting Ukrainian forces hard, and large plumes of smoke could be seen as Ukrainian forces fired back with artillery and jet fire.
The West accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to back the rebels in eastern Ukraine. But Russia denies the allegations.
The talks in Minsk were brokered by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and involved a former Ukrainian president, leaders of the pro-Russian rebels, and a Russian delegate.
Both sides agreed to stop fighting, and the OSCE said it would monitor the ceasefire.
President Petro Poroshenko said the ceasefire was based on a 12-point peace plan that included the release of “hostages”, which he said would probably happen on Saturday.
“It is very important that this ceasefire lasts long, and during this ceasefire we continue the political dialogue to bring peace and stability,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had been told of the plan during a phone call, he added.
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Russia’s actions in Ukraine had been a wake-up call for the alliance, and had spurred the formation of the rapid-reaction force.
He welcomed the cease-fire, saying he hoped it “could be the start of a constructive political process”.
Meanwhile, the EU and US are expected to announced enhanced sanctions on Russia, targeting banking, energy and defense sectors.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the sanctions would contain a proviso that they could be suspended if Russia co-operated.
A funeral ceremony for late comedienne Joan Rivers is set to be held in her hometown of New York City this weekend.
Joan Rivers, 81, died at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital after she was removed from life support following a cardiac and respiratory arrest on August 28.
Her daughter, Melissa Rivers, shared the sad news of her mother’s passing on September 4, and now it has been announced funeral services for Joan Rivers will be held at Temple Emanu-El, the synagogue where she was a member.
A statement from Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson to ABC News reads: “It is a terribly sad day for all of us. We mourn with her family, friends and all those millions to whom she brought laughter and joy.”
Joan Rivers died at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital after she was removed from life support following a cardiac and respiratory arrest (photo Getty Images)
Meanwhile, tributes continued to pour in throughout Thursday, and among them was Joan Rivers’ co-host of fashion commentary program Fashion Police, Kelly Osbourne.
Kelly Osbourne shared her grief in a statement that reads: “I’m completely heartbroken by the loss of my beloved Joan. Not only was she my boss, she was and will always be my teacher, therapist, closest friend, inspiration and the only grandmother I ever knew. She was family and I will never forget her. Laughter will be difficult for a while but when I’m sad, lonely or upset all I will have to do is think of Joan and a smile will cross my face. Laughter is what she gave us and laughter is what she would want us to do in remembrance of her.
“Melissa and [grandson] Cooper, my thoughts are with you and I love you both so much. Joan, thank you for taking me in and loving me as a daughter. I will miss you deeply and will always hear your voice in my head saying, <<My darling get out there and be you!>>”
Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen McDonnell, have been found guilty of corruption.
Bob McDonnell, who left office in January 2014, was once a rising star of the Republican Party.
A federal jury concluded that he and his wife – who say they are now estranged – used his office to endorse the dietary supplements of a businessman in return for lavish gifts and loans.
They will be sentenced on January 6.
Bob McDonnell, 60, was convicted on 11 charges, including wire fraud and receiving property based on his official duties.
Maureen McDonnell, 60, was found guilty on nine of the charges.
They were both found not guilty of falsifying financial statements.
Both bowed their heads and wept as the jury delivered their verdicts of guilty.
Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen McDonnell, have been found guilty of corruption (photo AP)
Although the McDonnells can appeal, they could face years in prison.
“This is a difficult and disappointing day for the commonwealth and its citizens,” said the US Attorney for Virginia’s Eastern District, Dana Boente, outside the courthouse in the state capital Richmond.
“Public service frequently requires sacrifice and almost always requires financial sacrifice.”
Bob McDonnell was once considered a possible running mate for presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012.
But earlier this year he and his wife were charged with doing favors for a wealthy vitamin executive, Jonnie Williams, in return for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans.
Prosecutors say Bob McDonnell was in financial need and traded on his position to win gifts of travel and cash from Jonnie Williams, for whom he arranged meetings with state officials.
His defense team argued Bob McDonnell’s marriage was frayed and he was hardly on speaking terms with his wife who had a “crush” on Jonnie Williams and had accepted gifts from him.
Bob McDonnell had apologized for his own “bad judgment” and said he regretted accepting the gifts and loans, but stressed he paid it all back with interest and broke no laws.
The governor left office in disgrace in January at the end of his term.
Virginia governors are barred from running for a second consecutive term, and Bob McDonnell was succeeded by Democrat Terry McAuliffe.
The Toronto International Film Festival is due to begin later in Canada.
Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall legal drama The Judge will officially kick off the 10-day event.
The 39th annual Toronto International Film Festival is currently being held from September 4 to 14.
Both stars are expected to grace the red carpet for the gala at Toronto’s Roy Thompson Hall.
Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall legal drama The Judge will officially kick off the Toronto International Film Festival
Some 300 films will be screened at the festival, including Alan Turing movie The Imitation Game and Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything.
Al Pacino film The Humbling – based on Philip Roth’s final novel – will also premiere on September 4.
The Oscar-winner was honored at the festival’s charity gala , with a Q&A looking back over his career.
King Street, on which the festival’s main headquarters is situated, has been closed to traffic and streetcars to enable the public to get closer to the red carpet action.
Other films set to premiere include a big screen version of the 1980s TV series The Equalizer starring Denzel Washington, Michael Douglas thriller The Reach and Ethan Hawke drone drama Good Kill.
Joan Rivers was one of the most successful female comedians of her generation.
Her stage act veered from vitriolic attacks on fellow celebrities to a fine line in self-deprecation.
Mentored by Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers became famous on a string of US TV chat shows.
She also overcame mountainous debts and the suicide of her second husband.
Joan Rivers was born Joan Alexandra Molinsky in Brooklyn, New York, on June 8, 1933, into a family of Jewish immigrants who had fled the Russian revolution.
She graduated in English Literature before taking a series of jobs including working as a tour guide, a proofreader and a fashion adviser in an upmarket men’s clothing store.
She began performing in local theatres and a theatrical agent, Tony Rivers, suggested she adopt a stage name so she decided to take his.
In the early 1960s, Joan Rivers was performing in a number of New York comedy clubs, leading to her appearance as a guest on NBC’s The Tonight Show, then hosted by Jack Parr.
Joan Rivers began working as a writer and performer on Candid Camera, where she lured unsuspecting members of the public into ludicrous situations that were captured on camera.
Her return to The Tonight Show in 1965 proved a pivotal point in her career.
The new host, Johnny Carson, became her mentor and over the following 20 years Joan Rivers became an ever-present fixture on the show, sometimes filling in when Carson was away.
This led to other work. She hosted her own TV shows and also found time to release a couple of comedy records.
Joan Rivers also became noticed as a scriptwriter, providing material for Bob Newhart and Phyllis Diller.
Her live performances included stints in Las Vegas, where she became a popular warm-up act for a variety of stars.
Joan Rivers also published a book, The Life and Hard Times of Heidi Abramowitz, based on the brassy stage persona she cultivated in her stand-up comedy acts.
The book was full of typical Joan Rivers one-liners.
Joan Rivers was one of the most successful female comedians of her generation (photo Getty Images)
“She’s been responsible for more Merry men than Robin Hood,” was a typical example.
Joan Rivers’ life and career were both about to take a turn for the worse. In 1986, she was approached by Fox TV, which was about to launch in the US.
Fox offered Joan Rivers her own late-night talk show, which would go out at the same time as Johnny Carson’s on NBC.
Johnny Carson, who found out about the move from Fox, rather than Joan Rivers herself, was furious. He never spoke to her again.
NBC also banned her from appearing on The Tonight Show, a ban that extended past Johnny Carson’s death in 2005.
Joan Rivers’ stint with Fox was to be short lived. Her husband Edgar Rosenberg, who had been producing her new show, was fired by Fox in 1987.
When she protested to Fox managers, she too was given her marching orders. Three months later, Edgar Rosenberg committed suicide.
Joan Rivers bounced back with her own TV show in 1989. The comedienne, who wrote most of the material, played herself, the sassy blonde delivering quick one-liners, and featured a roll-call of guests including Bob Hope, Dolly Parton and Liza Minnelli.
While following a familiar US TV daytime format, it was adjudged good enough to be nominated for a number of Daytime Emmy Awards.
Joan Rivers also made a name for herself in a series of red carpet interviews for an entertainment channel where she was able to indulge her sport of celebrity baiting.
She had signed up to do the show after discovering a failed business venture had left her millions of dollars in debt.
Joan Rivers also made a number of appearances in the TV drama Nip/Tuck, which was set in a centre performing cosmetic surgery.
It was an apt role for the comedienne, who made no secret of the numerous procedures she herself underwent. Indeed, they became part of her act.
“I wish I had a twin, so I could know what I’d look like without plastic surgery,” was one of her quips.
In February 2014, Joan Rivers finally got an invitation to come back on to The Tonight Show, her first appearance on the program for 30 years.
She told Variety magazine it was about time: “I’ve been sitting in a taxi outside NBC with the meter running since 1987.”
On August 28, 2014, Joan Rivers experienced serious complications, including stopping breathing, during throat surgery at a clinic in New York. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was put into a medically induced coma after reportedly entering cardiac arrest.
On August 30, it was reported that Joan Rivers had been put on life support.
Joan Rivers died at the age of 81 on September 4 at 1:17 PM.
