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Annapurna Circuit: Nepal trekking death toll reaches 28

Nancy Clayson
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Annapurna Circuit: Nepal trekking death toll reaches 28

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
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.

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iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 unveiled

Nancy Clayson
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iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 unveiled

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
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.

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Shakira launches her latest perfume Rock!

Lisa.Felice
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Shakira launches her latest perfume Rock!

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
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.

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Micropia: World’s first interactive microbe zoo opened in Amsterdam

James J. Williams
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Micropia: World’s first interactive microbe zoo opened in Amsterdam

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
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.

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Europe stocks continue to drop amid fears of global economic slowdown and Ebola crisis

Clyde K. Valle
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Europe stocks continue to drop amid fears of global economic slowdown and Ebola crisis

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
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.

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Elizabeth Pena dies aged 55

Sonia Pantiss
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Elizabeth Pena dies aged 55

Actress Elizabeth Pena has died at the age of 55.

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
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.

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Barack Obama: Risk of Ebola in US is extremely low

Kathryn R. Bown
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Barack Obama: Risk of Ebola in US is extremely low

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a major outbreak of Ebola in the US and elsewhere in the West is unlikely given the strong health systems.

President Barack Obama also said the risk of Americans getting the virus was “extremely low”, although he ordered a “much more aggressive response”.

Meanwhile authorities are investigating how Nurse Amber Vinson, who was infected when treating Thomas Eric Duncan in Texas, was allowed to travel on a plane.

Officials are trying to trace the 132 people who flew with Amber Vinson.

The Ebola outbreak has killed about 4,500 people so far, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

President Barack Obama said the risk of Americans getting the virus was extremely low, although he ordered a much more aggressive response
President Barack Obama said the risk of Americans getting the virus was extremely low, although he ordered a much more aggressive response (photo Reuters)

EU health ministers will meet in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the crisis, including the possibility of sending more troops to West Africa to help contain the virus.

Christopher Dye, WHO director of strategy, said the introduction of Ebola into the US or other countries in Western Europe was a matter “for very serious concern”.

“The possibility that once an infection has been introduced that it spreads elsewhere, is something that everybody is going to be concerned about,” he said.

But he added: “We’re confident that in North America and Western Europe where health systems are very strong, that we’re unlikely to see a major outbreak in any of those places.”

Earlier, President Barack Obama said the likelihood of a widespread Ebola outbreak was “very, very low”.

However, he promised a “much more aggressive” monitoring of Ebola cases in the US and reaffirmed plans to send a “SWAT team” of experts to any hospital that reported an infection.

Barack Obama cancelled a political campaign trip to chair a crisis meeting on Ebola on Wednesday and has cleared his diary for Thursday.

The president said it would be more difficult to prevent an outbreak in the US if the epidemic “rages out of control in West Africa”.

US health officials are facing new questions about the response to Ebola infections in Texas.

Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan was treated at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital but died of the disease.

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HBO to launch standalone streaming service in 2015

Sonia Pantiss
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HBO to launch standalone streaming service in 2015

HBO will launch a streaming-only membership for its content, allowing it to compete with companies like Netflix or Amazon.

The new service will allow consumers to cut the cord on cable without being forced to “borrow” a password, as some do now, to watch the company’s programming.

HBO’s standalone streaming service will launch in the United States in 2015.

Its aim is to serve the 10 million, and growing, “broadband only” homes, HBO boss Richard Plepler announced.

“That is a large and growing opportunity that should no longer be left untapped. It is time to remove all barriers to those who want HBO,” Richard Plepler said.

The news was met with glee on social media, where “cord cutters” celebrated what some called the beginning of the end of bundled TV services. “Down with Cable!” and “Cord cutters, rejoice!” were the trending headlines greeting the news.

Traditionally, HBO, home to shows like Game of Thrones, Girls and True Detective, came as a premium option in a package of bundled cable TV channels, administered by a cable provider.

At a time when people are increasingly watching programs streamed over the internet – whether on their phones or their plasma screen monitors in their living rooms, many consumers have expressed frustration at paying for traditional cable, only to receive dozens of channels they don’t want along with premium brands like ESPN or HBO.

While HBO currently offers a streaming service, HBO Go, it is only available to customers who already pay for HBO as part of a cable bundle
While HBO currently offers a streaming service, HBO Go, it is only available to customers who already pay for HBO as part of a cable bundle

With the advent of Netflix and Amazon streaming services, more and more people are choosing to cut off cable altogether to save money, skip commercials and only watch what they want, when they want it.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has gone on record saying: “The goal is to become HBO faster than HBO can become us.”

While HBO currently offers a streaming service, HBO Go, it is only available to customers who already pay for HBO as part of a cable bundle.

It’s not uncommon for people to “borrow” a friend or family member’s HBO Go password to watch shows from home, and pressure has been on the subscription channel to provide the services as a stand-alone option.

Until today, analysts speculated that the company was unwilling to alienate cable companies who not only provided a large bulk of revenue, but dealt with HBO’s customer-facing issues like technical support and billing.

The company has tried a similar project in Scandinavia, he says, and earlier this year partnered with Amazon to provide HBO content as part of the online retailer’s streaming service.

Both moves allowed the company to evaluate the appetite for and effectiveness of a stand-alone service.

HBO did not provide details like how much the service would cost or how it would differ, if at all, from HBO Go.

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Asian markets open lower as Wall Street tumbles on US economic data

Clyde K. Valle
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Asian markets open lower as Wall Street tumbles on US economic data

Asian markets opened lower on October 16 after Wall Street tumbled on US economic data, fuelling growth concerns.

Data from the US showed retail sales and producer prices both fell in September, dimming expectations of an interest rate hike by the central bank.

The S&P 500 fell as much as 3%, briefly turning negative for the year before closing down 0.8%.

Japan’s shares fell more than 2% to a four-and-a-half-month low.

In early trading the Nikkei 225 was at 14,751.77. The dollar was at 105.92 yen, flat from New York trade.

Asian markets opened lower after Wall Street tumbled on US economic data
Asian markets opened lower after Wall Street tumbled on US economic data

Among the losers were shares of Toyota, down over 2% after the automaker issued a recall of 1.75 million vehicles on Wednesday.

Hong Kong shares opened down almost 1% as the Hang Seng Index fell 226.55 points to 22,913.50.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite fell 0.5% to 2,451.65 points after data showed that the rate of inflation in September fell, adding to evidence of a slowing economy.

In Australia, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was lower 1% at 5,194.80 points.

Shares of Woodside Petroleum, Australia’s largest independent oil and gas producer, were lower 0.1% despite its third quarter production results beating forecasts.

In South Korea, shares followed the global downtrend.

The benchmark Kospi was down 0.7% after the Bank of Korea cut its interest rate for the second time in three months on October 15, and also downgraded its growth forecasts for the economy for this year.

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What are the essential elements of a creative pitch?

Nancy Clayson
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What are the essential elements of a creative pitch?

If you’re working toward your Masters Degree in Communications, then you understand the incredible value of a well thought-out creative pitch. This “shootout” is your first (and often only) chance to convince a potential client of your ability to promote their product successfully and therefore win their business. There are certain elements of your pitch – setting the stage, formatting well – that, when used correctly, can increase your likelihood of success. In the below infographic, learn these essential elements for developing a convincing creative pitch:

Amber Vinson is the second Texas nurse infected with Ebola

Nancy Clayson
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Amber Vinson is the second Texas nurse infected with Ebola

Amber Vinson is the Texas nurse who flew on a plane with more than 130 people on board on the day before she came down with symptoms of Ebola.

Amber Vinson, 29, who is the second person infected in the US, fell ill on Tuesday, October 14.

Both she and nurse Nina Pham, 26, had treated Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan, who died a week ago in Dallas.

A nurses’ union has said those treating Thomas Eric Duncan were not given full protection and had parts of their skin exposed

More than 70 healthcare workers who may have come in contact with him at the hospital are being monitored for symptoms, the hospital’s director has said.

Meanwhile, the UN’s Ebola mission chief says the world is falling behind in the race to contain the virus, which has killed more than 4,000 in West Africa.

On October 15, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it wanted to interview the passengers on Frontier Airlines flight 1143 from Cleveland, Ohio, to Dallas, Texas on October 13.

It said it was taking the measure “because of the proximity in time between the evening flight and first report of illness the following morning”.

Amber Vinson flew to Cleveland on October 10, even though she was being monitored for signs of Ebola
Amber Vinson flew to Cleveland on October 10, even though she was being monitored for signs of Ebola

Both Amber Vinson and Nina Pham treated Thomas Eric Duncan early in his stay at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas when he had “extensive production of body fluids”, said CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden.

A national nurse union told reporters on October 15 the health workers treating Thomas Eric Duncan had not been properly protected and called for all health workers treating Ebola patients to receive full protective suits and training from hospitals.

Union director RoseAnn DeMoro said staff treated Thomas Eric Duncan for days without the necessary protective gear, and hazardous waste was allowed to pile up to the ceiling.

The CDC has appointed a “site manager” in Dallas to standardize the protective equipment and supervise the method of putting it off and on.

Amber Vinson flew to Cleveland on October 10, even though she was being monitored for signs of Ebola and therefore should not have flown on a commercial plane, Dr. Tom Frieden said.

When Amber Vinson returned from Ohio, she was not showing symptoms of the disease, the crew has told CDC investigators.

Health experts say people who are not showing symptoms are not contagious.

On the morning of October 14, Amber Vinson came down with a fever and was isolated within 90 minutes. Her diagnosis was announced early on October 15.

One of the ill women is to be transferred to Emory University hospital in Atlanta, which oversaw the recovery of two US aid workers who had caught the disease in Africa.

Thomas Eric Duncan, who was the first person to be diagnosed in the US with Ebola, started showing symptoms of the disease just days after he arrived in Texas from Liberia, where he contracted it.

An initial set of 48 people who were in contact with Thomas Eric Duncan before he was admitted to hospital are nearing the end of the window in which they could develop an Ebola infection.

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Oscars 2016: Neil Patrick Harris to host 87th Academy Awards

Sonia Pantiss
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Oscars 2016: Neil Patrick Harris to host 87th Academy Awards

Neil Patrick Harris has announced he will host the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.

Neil Patrick Harris made the announcement by posting a cheeky video on Twitter.

The 41-year-old actor wrote: “I’m in!” as he gets off the phone, before circling the words “Host the Oscars” on a bucket list.

Neil Patrick Harris has announced he will host the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, 2015
Neil Patrick Harris has announced he will host the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, 2015

Neil Patrick Harris, known to many for Doogie Howser MD, has hosted the Tony Awards and the Emmys but he said this realized a lifelong ambition.

“To be asked to follow in the footsteps of Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres, and everyone else who had the great fortune of hosting is a bucket list dream come true,” Neil Patrick Harris said in a statement released by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs called Neil Patrick Harris “the consummate entertainer”.

The news caps a busy week for Neil Patrick Harris, who released his autobiography and features in the nation’s number one film, Gone Girl.

Duck Dynasty video game available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and Nintendo 3DS

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty video game available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and Nintendo 3DS

A&E Network and Activision have teamed up to expand the Duck Dynasty franchise into the gaming world, with a video game launching on PlayStation and Xbox.

The T (Teen) rated Duck Dynasty game is available now for $49.99 on the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. It’s available for $39.99 on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, and the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC. Users of the Nintendo 3DS hand-held system can buy a $29.99 version rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and Up), which features a more animated look at the show, along with a variety of mini-games.

A&E Network and Activision have teamed up to expand the Duck Dynasty franchise into the gaming world
A&E Network and Activision have teamed up to expand the Duck Dynasty franchise into the gaming world

Players take the role of John Luke, the oldest son of Willie and Korie Robertson, as he earns his feathers as the newest member of the family’s duck call business. While learning the ins and outs of duck hunting, John Luke will run into all of his eccentric relatives, including Si, Jase, Phil, Kay and more. Along the way, players will get to take part in comical quests, airboat racing, truck and ATV driving, shooting galleries, shotgun golf, fishing, frog catching, collectible hunts and more while exploring the famous Robertson backwoods homestead.

For a limited time, fans who purchase Duck Dynasty at release can play Uncle Si’s exclusive Redneck Logic™ trivia challenge, which tests players’ knowledge of the show for a chance to win a bonus in-game reward.

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Black Friday 2014: Macy’s stores will open at 6pm on Thanksgiving Day

Lisa.Felice
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Black Friday 2014: Macy’s stores will open at 6pm on Thanksgiving Day

Retailers have announced their hours for this year’s Thanksgiving weekend.

Black Friday marks the traditional kick-off to the holiday shopping season, and the shift toward opening earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving is continuing.

Macy’s will open most of its department stores on Thanksgiving night at 6 p.m., two hours earlier than last year’s 8 p.m. Thanksgiving opening.

The stores at Arundel Mills also will open at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 27, but will close at 1 a.m. before reopening on the actual Black Friday at 6 a.m., the Hanover mall said today. Retailers among more than 200 at the mall include Best Buy, Coach Factory Store, The Disney Store Outlet, H&M, Michael Kors Outlet, New York & Company Outlet, Nike Factory store and SaksFifth Avenue OFF 5th, among others. Last year, the mall opened at 8 p.m. but stayed open all night.

At The Mall in Columbia, White Marsh Mall and Towson Town Center, some stores are choosing to open from 6 p.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving, while others will be open from midnight to 6 a.m. on Black Friday. But the shopping centers won’t open mall-wide until 6 a.m. on Black Friday. Department stores at the malls will set their own hours.

Macy's will open most of its department stores on Thanksgiving night at 6PM, two hours earlier than last year
Macy’s will open most of its department stores on Thanksgiving night at 6PM, two hours earlier than last year (photo Getty Images)

Macy’s issued a statement today saying it’s opening earlier in response to the customer-driven trend toward early shopping for Black Friday.

“Macy’s aims to accommodate customers who count on us to be there when they are ready to shop,” the retailer’s statement said.

“In response to the significant, sustained customer interest in last year’s opening on Thanksgiving, both at Macy’s and at many other retailers, we will be opening our full-line department stores at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.”

Macy’s added that its employees volunteer to work that day. Some workers prefer to work Thanksgiving and have time off on Black Friday. Those who work an opening Thanksgiving shift will be given incentive pay.

“Our people are able to make their own decisions about how they contribute to our most important and busiest weekend of the year,” the retailer’s statement said.

“In just a few days, the large majority of the shifts have already been filled voluntarily.”

More shoppers will wait until Thanksgiving weekend to start their holiday shopping this year compared to last year, according to a survey released today by The NPD Group.

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Apprentice 2014: Businessman Chiles Cartwright becomes first candidate to be fired from show

Clyde K. Valle
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Apprentice 2014: Businessman Chiles Cartwright becomes first candidate to be fired from show

Shropshire businessman Chiles Cartwright has become the first candidate to be fired from this year’s The Apprentice after Lord Alan Sugar failed to buy into his sales tactics.

Chiles Cartwright, 35, fell foul of the show boss after contestants were split into male and female teams and asked to take on all of the sales challenges featured from the previous nine series in a bid to grab the largest profit.

He owns two companies, a consultancy business and a building materials supplier.

Chiles Cartwright took on the role of project manager for the first task but fell foul after failing to complete and losing the task.

Chiles Cartwright owns two companies, a consultancy business and a building materials supplier
Chiles Cartwright owns two companies, a consultancy business and a building materials supplier

The girls came out on top in the task which saw them selling an array of items from a choice of hot dogs, t-shirts and coffee, leaving the boys to face a grilling in the boardroom, and Chiles Cartwright under the cosh as the leader of the most poorly performing of two male sub-teams.

Chiles Cartwright said after he was fired from BBC’s The Apprentice: “I’m absolutely gutted about coming out first, I would have loved to have been in longer, but I don’t really look back on things. If I woke up in the morning and someone said to me, <<You can be on The Apprentice for one episode>>, I’d still take it.

“I was concerned about going out in the first week because it’s not enough time to get to know people, if I could have stayed for a couple of weeks my ability would have shone through. I still feel I would have been the most credible candidate in the process, had I survived after week one.”

Chiles Cartwright explained that he had been shocked by the chaos of the first week, which this year welcomed 20 candidates instead of 16.

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Amanda Bynes could be confined to hospital for a year

Lisa.Felice
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Amanda Bynes could be confined to hospital for a year

Amanda Bynes, who was recently arrested for DUI and accused of shoplifting, could be hospitalized for a year.

Amanda Bynes, 28, was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital in Pasadena, California, on October 10 and her doctors are reportedly going to court to obtain an LPS Hold, which would allow medics to confine her to hospital or another secure facility and administer medication against her will and lasts up to 12 months, TMZ reports.

A judge will grant the special type of conservatorship if they feel a patient is “gravely disabled as a result of a mental disorder or impairment by chronic alcoholism”.

Doctors were previously granted an LPS Hold on Amanda Bynes over a year ago following a series of erratic incidents, including setting fire to a stranger’s driveway and dousing her dog with gasoline, but the court order expired last month so it is likely a judge will be asked to grant another within a week.

Amanda Bynes was recently arrested for DUI and accused of shoplifting
Amanda Bynes was recently arrested for DUI and accused of shoplifting (photo Twitter)

It is believes an LPS Hold won’t be sought until Amanda Bynes has been given a diagnosis.

It has been claimed that the troubled star feels utterly betrayed by her parents Rick and Lynn Bynes after they secretly arranged for her to be taken to hospital in California.

A source claimed Amanda Bynes says her relationship with her mother and father has been “destroyed forever” and she is furious with them for tricking her into seeking treatment.

She spent five months in a treatment facility in July 2013 when she was placed under involuntary psychiatric hold.

Amanda Bynes was released in December and appeared to be getting her life back on track until a conservatorship giving her parents control of her affairs came to an end last month.

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Jet passenger alert over Ebola nurse

Kathryn R. Bown
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Jet passenger alert over Ebola nurse

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials are seeking 132 people who flew on a plane with a Texas nurse on the day before she came down with symptoms of Ebola.

The nurse, the second person to catch Ebola in the US, became ill on October 14.

Both she and nurse Nina Pham, 26, had treated Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan, who died on October 8, in Dallas.

Meanwhile, the UN’s Ebola mission chief says the world is falling behind in the race to contain the virus, which has killed more than 4,000 in West Africa.

On October 15, the CDC said it wanted to interview the passengers on Frontier Airlines flight 1143 from Cleveland, Ohio, to Dallas, Texas on October 13.

It said it was taking the measure “because of the proximity in time between the evening flight and first report of illness the following morning”.

The CDC officials are seeking 132 people who flew on a plane with a Texas nurse on the day before she came down with symptoms of Ebola
The CDC officials are seeking 132 people who flew on a plane with a Texas nurse on the day before she came down with symptoms of Ebola

Both the newly diagnosed nurse, who has yet to be identified, and Nina Pham treated Thomas Eric Duncan early in his stay at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas when he had “extensive production of body fluids”, CDC director Tom Frieden told reporters on Wednesday.

The second nurse flew to Cleveland on 10 October, even though she had had “extensive contact” with Thomas Eric Duncan and was being monitored for signs of Ebola and therefore should not have flown on a commercial aeroplane, Dr. Tom Frieden said.

Nina Pham subsequently became ill and was diagnosed with Ebola. When the second nurse returned from Ohio on Monday evening, she was not showing symptoms of the disease, the crew has told CDC investigators.

Health experts say people who are not showing symptoms are not contagious.

“We will from this moment forward ensure that no other individual who is being monitored for exposure undergoes travel in any way other than controlled movement,” Dr. Tom Frieden said, meaning, for example, in chartered flights or ambulances.

On the morning of October 14, the second nurse came down with a fever and was isolated within 90 minutes. Her diagnosis was announced early on October 15.

One of the ill women is to be transferred to Emory University hospital in Atlanta, which oversaw the recovery of two US aid workers who had caught the disease in Africa.

Bank of America reports huge drop in profits in Q3 2014

Clyde K. Valle
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Bank of America reports huge drop in profits in Q3 2014

Bank of America has reported a net profit of $168 million in Q3 2014, down from $2.5 billion a year earlier.

Total revenue was $21.4 billion.

The huge drop in profits was due to a previously announced $5.3 billion mortgage-related settlement with the Department of Justice and other federal agencies.

Most areas of the business improved profitability compared with a year ago.

Bank of America has reported a net profit of $168 million in Q3 2014, down from $2.5 billion a year earlier
Bank of America has reported a net profit of $168 million in Q3 2014, down from $2.5 billion a year earlier

“We saw solid customer and client activity and improved profitability in most of our businesses relative to the year-ago quarter,” said Bank of America’s chief executive Brian Moynihan.

The bank’s property business posted a loss of $5.2 billion, compared with a loss of $990 million a year earlier.

Profits at the asset management arm rose slightly to $813 million, while those at the global banking division rose by a quarter to $1.4 billion.

The global markets business turned a loss of $875 million to a profit of $769 million.

On October 14, rival JP Morgan reported a profit of $5.6 billion for Q3 2014, while Citigroup posted a $3.4 billion profit.

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Ann Romney denies Mitt Romney will make new bid for White House in 2016

Diane A. Wade
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Ann Romney denies Mitt Romney will make new bid for White House in 2016

Ann Romney, the wife of former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, has denied he will make a third bid for the White House, amid reports his backers are pressing him to run in 2016.

Ann Romney told NBC News her family was “done done done”.

Mitt Romney, a businessman and ex-Massachusetts governor, lost to Barack Obama in 2012 and ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008.

The 2016 Republican field is expected to be wide open.

Ann Romney has denied Mitt Romney will make a new bid for the White House in 2016
Ann Romney has denied Mitt Romney will make a new bid for the White House in 2016

Democrat Barack Obama is barred by term limits from running again. With the future direction of the Republican Party being hotly debated, some Republican donors are pushing Mitt Romney to consider another presidential run.

A recent opinion poll suggested Mitt Romney led the field including Congressman Paul Ryan, Senator Rand Paul, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, among others.

On October 14, Ann Romney denied the family was even weighing a run, in an interview promoting the launch of a new neurological disease centre at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston bearing her name.

Ann Romney was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a degenerative neurological disease, in 1998.

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Nepal: At least 21 trekkers die in Himalaya blizzard

Nancy Clayson
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Nepal: At least 21 trekkers die in Himalaya blizzard

At least 21 people, 10 of them foreigners, have died in central Nepal after a severe snow hit the Himalayas.

The highest number of deaths – two Israelis, two Poles and eight Nepalese – happened when a blizzard hit a point on the Annapurna Circuit.

Scores of trekkers remain out of contact while returning from an Annapurna Circuit pass.

Meanwhile five more climbers are presumed dead after an avalanche in nearby Manang district.

Officials say four were from Canada and one from India.

Three Nepalese farmers have also been killed in a separate avalanche in the same area.

At least 21 people, 10 of them foreigners, have died in central Nepal after a severe snow hit the Himalayas
At least 21 people, 10 of them foreigners, have died in central Nepal after a severe snow hit the Himalayas

Severe rain and snowstorms in Nepal appear to have been triggered by Cyclone Hudhud in neighboring India.

Cyclone Hudhud hit south-east India earlier this week – satellite pictures now show it moving away from Nepal towards China.

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 trekkers who were killed or remain missing were on their way down.

An army official co-ordinating the search operation said two military helicopters had been sent from the capital Kathmandu to assist the rescue operation.

Thousands of trekkers visit the Annapurna Circuit every October, when weather conditions are usually favourable for hiking trips.

What appears to be a freak snowstorm a little under the highest pass caused mayhem, with many people still believed to be trapped in snow.

Only a little to the east, near Mount Manaslu, a French man died after being swept into a river.

The deaths come just months after 16 Sherpa mountain guides died in Nepal’s worst ever accident on Mount Everest.

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.

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David Greenglass: Manhattan Project spy died aged 92

James J. Williams
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David Greenglass: Manhattan Project spy died aged 92

David Greenglass, an American spy who passed nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union in one of the most high-profile espionage scandals of the Cold War, has died at the age of 92.

David Greenglass stole atomic research data while working on the wartime Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

After being arrested he then lied on oath and gave evidence which sent his own sister to the electric chair.

David Greenglass’s death was in July but it has only now been reported.

A native New Yorker, David Greenglass secured a role on the Manhattan Project after being drafted into the army following the outbreak of World War Two.

Manhattan Project was America’s top secret attempt to develop the world’s first nuclear weapon.

David Greenglass was an American spy who passed nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union in one of the most high-profile espionage scandals of the Cold War
David Greenglass was an American spy who passed nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union in one of the most high-profile espionage scandals of the Cold War (phoot Wikipedia)

David Greenglass, a young convert to Communism, began passing highly classified information to his brother-in-law, Julius Rosenberg – a Soviet spy who was married to his sister Ethel.

After being arrested in 1950, David Greenglass testified that during one meeting with Julius Rosenberg he had seen Ethel typing up notes.

Speaking to a reporter years later, David Greenglass admitted that he had lied in order to save the life of his own wife Ruth, who had also been arrested after attending the same meeting.

Over the following years serious doubts began to emerge about Ethel Rosenberg’s execution.

“As a spy who turned his family in… I don’t care. I sleep well,” David Greenglass told the journalist in 2001.

The Rosenbergs were both executed for treason. David Greenglass, meanwhile, served 10 years of a 15-year sentence for espionage and was released in 1960.

David Greenglass died in New York City on July 1, according to the Rosenbergs’ sons, Michael and Robert Meeropol.

Michael and Robert Meeropol were aware of the death earlier but did not seek media attention.

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Amal Clooney meets Greek PM Antonis Samaras over Parthenon sculptures

Sonia Pantiss
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Amal Clooney meets Greek PM Antonis Samaras over Parthenon sculptures

Amal Clooney has had talks with Greek PM Antonis Samaras as part of a campaign to return the Parthenon sculptures from Britain.

Greece has hired Amal Clooney’s London law firm to ramp up its claim to the sculptures.

The 5th Century BC treasures, known as the Elgin Marbles in the UK, are kept in the British Museum in London.

Fellow lawyer Norman Palmer said he hoped a “conciliatory and amicable resolution” could be found.

“If it cannot, then other considerations will have to be examined,” he added.

The marbles – depicting gods, men and monsters – were removed from the Parthenon in Athens in 1811 by Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which controlled Greece at the time.

Amal Clooney has had talks with Greek PM Antonis Samaras as part of a campaign to return the Parthenon sculptures from Britain
Amal Clooney has had talks with Greek PM Antonis Samaras as part of a campaign to return the Parthenon sculptures from Britain (photo AFP)

George Clooney’s new wife and her colleagues from Doughty Street Chambers in London were visiting the Parthenon on October 15 after taking part in a news conference with Culture Minister Costas Tassoulas.

Costas Tassoulas told reporters his country was campaigning to have the marbles returned in the name of Greece but also “in the name of world heritage”.

Greece maintains the marbles were illegally removed and should be returned for display in a new Athens museum.

However, the British Museum and British government reject the argument.

A leading Oxford expert on classical archaeology, John Boardman, recently warned that such a move would set an “appalling precedent” for the British Museum and museums like it.

Correspondents say the hiring of Amal Clooney will raise the profile of the Greek campaign.

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Songs of Innocence: Bono says sorry for U2’s iTunes album release

Sonia Pantiss
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Songs of Innocence: Bono says sorry for U2’s iTunes album release

Bono has said sorry after U2’s latest album Songs of Innocence was automatically added to the libraries of all iTunes users around the world.

Speaking in a session on Facebook, Bono said the move was a “drop of megalomania, [a] touch of generosity”.

In response to a questioner who told him it was “rude” to impose their music upon everyone, Bono said: “Oops, I’m sorry about that.”

Apple later released a one-click tool enabling iTunes customers to remove it.

Some users complained that the 11-track Songs of Innocence had been added to their music library without permission and that it was not clear how to delete it.

The questioner on the Facebook session said: “Can you please never release an album on iTunes that automatically downloads to peoples playlists ever again? It’s really rude.”

U2’s latest album Songs of Innocence was automatically added to the libraries of all iTunes users around the world
U2’s latest album Songs of Innocence was automatically added to the libraries of all iTunes users around the world

Bono replied: “I had this beautiful idea and we got carried away with ourselves. Artists are prone to that kind of thing.

“Drop of megalomania, touch of generosity, dash of self-promotion, and deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years mightn’t be heard.

“There’s a lot of noise out there. I guess we got a little noisy ourselves to get through it,” he said.

The music was made available for free to more than 500 million iTunes customers in 119 countries last month. It has been reported that around 5% of those have downloaded U2’s latest opus.

At the time, Bono acknowledged that not everyone would appreciate the move.

“For the people out there who have no interest in checking us out, look at it this way… the blood, sweat and tears of some Irish guys are in your junk mail,” he wrote on the band’s website.

Bono’s apology comes after rock legend Iggy Pop criticized U2 for “giving away music before it can flop, in an effort to stay huge”.

The physical version of Songs of Innocence, including a six-track acoustic session, went on sale on October 13.

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North Korea and South Korea hold first high level talks in seven years

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea and South Korea hold first high level talks in seven years

North Korea and South Korea have held talks for the first time in seven years, South Korean Yonhap news agency reports.

The news agency, citing an unnamed source, said the talks began at 10:00 at the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone.

In recent weeks the two Koreas have exchange limited gun fire across both their land and sea borders.

South Korean ministry officials have not formally confirmed the talks.

Yonhap, citing its parliamentary source, said it was because North Korea did not want the talks made public.

An opposition lawmaker gave the same information to a party meeting, a statement from his party said.

North Korea and South Korea have held talks for the first time in seven years
North Korea and South Korea have held talks for the first time in seven years

The talks were widely expected to focus on reducing tensions after two small military incidents across the border that divides the two nations – which remain technically at war.

Last week, gun fire was exchanged after a North Korean patrol ship crossed the disputed western maritime border, South Korea said.

On October 10, there was also an exchange of fire across the land border, something that happens rarely.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing military officials, said North Korea fired towards balloons carrying propaganda leaflets that had been launched across the border by South Korean activists.

South Korea responded after some shots landed south of the border, its officials said.

The two sides last held working-level military talks in February 2011 and general-level talks in December 2007, Yonhap said.

In February, Pyongyang and Seoul also had two rounds of high-level meetings in Panmunjom, without providing any details on how the talks went.

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Ebola in Texas: Second health worker tests positive for virus after treating Thomas Eric Duncan

Kathryn R. Bown
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Ebola in Texas: Second health worker tests positive for virus after treating Thomas Eric Duncan

A second Texas health care worker has tested positive for Ebola, health officials say.

A 26-year-old female nurse is already receiving treatment after becoming infected by Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan who died from the deadly virus last week.

Health officials say they are monitoring 48 contacts of the Liberian national and the healthcare workers who treated him.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says 4,447 people have died from the Ebola outbreak, mainly in West Africa.

A second health care worker has tested positive for Ebola at Dallas hospital
A second health care worker has tested positive for Ebola at Dallas hospital

Nina Pham was exposed to Ebola at a Dallas hospital when she treated Liberian Thomas Duncan, the first person diagnosed with the virus on US soil.

Doctors at the Health Presbyterian hospital said she was in good condition on October 14.

The identity of the second health worker has not yet been revealed, however, the person also cared for Thomas Eric Duncan while he was in hospital.

The health worker was immediately isolated after reporting a fever on October 14, the Texas state department for health said in a statement.

“Health officials have interviewed the latest patient to quickly identify any contacts or potential exposures, and those people will be monitored,” the department said.

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