Argentina is voting for legislative election – a key test for President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
The mid-term elections will determine how much control left-leaning Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will have during the final two years of her presidency.
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has been out of action during the campaign following emergency brain surgery earlier in October.
She is currently constitutionally barred from running for a third term in office.
Many see Sunday’s elections as the start of the race to replace her.
The mid-term elections will determine how much control left-leaning Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will have during the final two years of her presidency
Voters will choose 127 members of the 257-strong Chamber of Deputies and a third of the Senate’s 72 members.
Correspondents say that if her Front for Victory (FPV) party fares badly, it may signal an end to more than a decade of Kirchner family rule in Argentina.
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s late husband Nestor ran the country between 2003 and 2007, when he was succeeded as president by his wife. She was then elected for a second term in 2011.
Although her party is still strong on a nationwide level, high inflation, insecurity and currency controls have weakened its support among middle class families.
Former cabinet chief Sergio Massa is ahead of her candidate Martin Insaurralde in the key province of Buenos Aires.
Sergio Massa, currently mayor of the tourist town of Tigre, says he wants to put an end to Kirchner family rule when he runs for president in two years.
He was elected mayor as a member of the Front for Victory, but left the party in June 2013 to establish the Renewal Front.
Currently, the constitution limits the number of consecutive presidential terms to two, and a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament would be needed to amend it.
The August primaries indicated that Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner may struggle to keep control of Congress, let alone build up a two-thirds majority.
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was told by doctors earlier this month to stop her congressional election campaign after having surgery to remove a blood clot on her brain following a head injury in August.
The Simpsons character Edna Krabappel will be retired following Marcia Wallace’s death, the show’s producer announced.
Mrs. Edna Krabappel, the chain-smoking fourth grade teacher with a derisive laugh on The Simpsons will be retired after more than two decades on the show, Executive Producer Al Jean said in a statement on Saturday.
The move follows the news that Marcia Wallace, the comedienne who gave voice to the character, died Friday at the age of 70 from complications related to breast cancer.
The Simpsons character Edna Krabappel will be retired following Marcia Wallace’s death
“I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace,” Al Jean said in a statement.
“She was beloved by all at <<The Simpsons>> and we intend to retire her irreplaceable character.”
Edna Krabappel has been a fixture on the Fox sitcom since the second episode of the first season in 1990. Divorced and congenitally disaffected, she would endure a series of romantic and professional misadventures, including getting fired for being drunk on the job and having a relationship with the wholesome Ned Flanders.
In the lead-up to the show’s 25th season, Al Jean teased that an iconic character would be killed off, telling reporters that the actor playing the character won an Emmy for playing that character, which Marcia Wallace did in 1992. However, Al Jean said he was not referring to Mrs. Krabappel.
“Marcia’s passing is unrelated and again, a terrible loss for all who had the pleasure of knowing her,” Al Jean said.
Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom stepped out together looking smitten with each other, just one day after announcing their split after three years of marriage.
Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom were photographed arm in arm for a leisurely stroll with their son Flynn, 2, in New York City on Saturday. The two parents took Flynn to lunch at Amaranth.
The former Victoria’s Secret model, 30, held on to Orlando Bloom’s arm during the outing.
Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom married in July 2010 after three years of dating
One night earlier, both Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom were spotted heading into their shared NYC apartment separately. She entered the building just five minutes before Orlando Bloom, 36, arrived.
Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom married in July 2010 after three years of dating. They welcomed baby boy Flynn in January 2011.
“In a joint statement, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr have announced that they have been amicably separated for the past few months,” a rep for Orlando Bloom said of the couple to Us Weekly on October 25.
“Despite this being the end of their marriage they love, support, and respect each other as both parents of their son and as family.”
Jay-Z came under fire for his collaboration with Barneys New York as the store was accused of racially profiling two black customers.
Jay-Z, 43, said Saturday he’s being unfairly “demonized” for just waiting to hear all of the facts.
The rapper made his first statement about the controversy in a posting on his website. He has come under fire for remaining silent as news surfaced this week that two young black people said they were profiled by Barneys after they purchased expensive items from their Manhattan store.
Jay-Z came under fire for his collaboration with Barneys New York as the store was accused of racially profiling two black customers
An online petition and Twitter messages from fans have been circulating this week, calling on the star to bow out of his upcoming partnership with Barneys for the holiday season, which will have the store selling items by top designers, inspired by Jay-Z, with some of the proceeds going to his charity. He is also working with the store to create its artistic holiday window display.
Jay-Z defended himself, saying that he hasn’t spoken about it because he’s still trying to figure out exactly what happened.
“I move and speak based on facts and not emotion,” the statement said.
“I haven’t made any comments because I am waiting on facts and the outcome of a meeting between community leaders and Barneys. Why am I being demonized, denounced and thrown on the cover of a newspaper for not speaking immediately?” Jay-Z said, referring to local newspaper headlines.
The two Barneys customers, Trayon Christian and Kayla Phillips, said this week they were detained by police after making expensive purchases.
Trayon Christian sued Barneys, saying he was accused of fraud after using his debit card to buy a $349 Ferragamo belt in April. Kayla Philips filed a notice of claim saying she would sue after she was stopped by detectives outside the store when she bought a $2,500 Celine handbag in February.
As the criticism grew, Barneys said Thursday it had retained a civil rights expert to help review its procedures. The CEO of Barneys, Mark Lee, offered his “sincere regret and deepest apologies.”
Jay-Z — who rose from a life of crime in Brooklyn to become one of the most heralded rappers and one of entertainment’s biggest superstars — has in the past called for a boycott of labels perceived to be racist, and has become more political in recent years, from speaking out about the killing of black teenager Trayvon Martin to campaigning for President Barack Obama.
Europe’s tallest and most active volcano Mount Etna has sent a tower of sparks and fire into the sky around it as it started to erupt on Saturday.
Europe’s tallest and most active volcano Mount Etna has sent a tower of sparks and fire into the sky around it as it started to erupt on Saturday
The plume of ash rising from Mount Etna can be seen across much of eastern Sicily. Its eruptions are not infrequent, but the last major one occurred in 1992. The latest eruption was preceded by a series of underground tremors on Friday.
The nearest airport and airspace in Italy were forced to close temporarily but none of the villages on the slopes of the mountain have been forced to evacuate so far.
Georgians are going to the polls to vote for a new president, ending a decade in power for pro-Western President Mikheil Saakashvili.
The frontrunner among the 23 candidates is Giorgi Margvelashvili – a close ally of PM Bidzina Ivanishvili, Mikheil Saakashvili’s bitter rival.
Following the polls, constitutional amendments will significantly reduce presidential powers.
Mikheil Saakashvili is barred from standing as he has already served two terms.
Bidzina Ivanishvili’s win in parliamentary elections last year ushered in the former Soviet republic’s first legal transfer of power.
The billionaire businessman also intends to resign within weeks of the vote, saying he has achieved his aims.
He has called Sunday’s vote Georgia’s “first European-style election”.
Polling stations are open from 08:00 local time until 20:00. Final results must be published no later than November 16.
Opinion polls suggest a win for philosopher and former Education Minister Giorgi Margvelashvili, a member of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition
If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, a run-off between the two top-placed candidates must be held two weeks after the results of the first round are published.
Opinion polls suggest a win for philosopher and former Education Minister Giorgi Margvelashvili, a member of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition.
But a second round with David Bakratze, who represents Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM) remains a possibility.
Nino Burjenadze, another top contender, is one the most well known female politicians in Georgia.
Georgia is moving closer to a parliamentary democracy although the president will formally remain the head of state and retain an important role in foreign policy, our correspondent adds.
Since coming to power in the bloodless 2003 “Rose Revolution” Mikheil Saakashvili has implemented reforms which helped root out corruption.
He pursued a pro-Western foreign policy and improved public services in the Caucasus republic, where poverty remains widespread.
But the country’s prime minister, who is also Georgia’s richest man, has dismissed these achievements, calling Mikheil Saakashvili a “liar” and a “dictator”.
Bidzina Ivanishvili has indicated that the outgoing president could face questioning or even prosecution over the alleged crimes of his government after his term ends. He has not yet named a successor as prime minister.
Marcia Wallace, best known as the voice of Bart Simpson’s teacher Edna Krabappel, has died at the age of 70.
The actress’ death was announced in a statement from executive producer Al Jean.
Marcia Wallace won an Emmy in 1992 for her work on The Simpsons, as a jaded, grumpy fourth-grade teacher, forced to put up with Bart’s antics.
Al Jean said her “irreplaceable character” would be retired from the show.
“I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace,” he said on Saturday.
Marcia Wallace won an Emmy in 1992 for her work on The Simpsons, as a jaded, grumpy fourth-grade teacher, forced to put up with Bart’s antics
“She was beloved by all at The Simpsons. It’s a terrible loss for all who had the pleasure of knowing her.”
Marcia Wallace had played Edna Krabappel since The Simpsons began in 1990.
Her character was known for the catchphrase “Do what I mean, not what I say” and exclaiming “Ha!” in disgust.
It is unclear when the actress died or what the cause was.
Marcia Wallace had previously survived breast cancer, which she wrote about in her memoir Don’t Look Back, We’re Not Going that Way, published in 2004.
Before appearing in The Simpsons, Marcia Wallace played receptionist Carol Bondurant on The Bob Newhart Show and guest starred on popular shows in the 1970s and 1980s such as The Love Boat and Magnum PI.
Executive producer Al Jean stressed that previous hints that a regular character on The Simpsons could be killed off in the next series were unrelated.
According to a report in German newspaper Der Spiegel, the US has been spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone since 2002.
Der Spiegel claims to have seen secret documents from the National Security Agency (NSA) which show Angela Merkel’s number on a list dating from 2002 – before she became chancellor.
Angela Merkel’s number was still on a surveillance list in 2013.
Meanwhile Washington has seen a protest against the NSA’s spying programme.
Several thousand protesters marched to the US Capitol to demand a limit to the surveillance. Some of them held banners in support of the fugitive former contractor Edward Snowden, who revealed the extent of the NSA’s activities.
The nature of the monitoring of Angela Merkel’s mobile phone is not clear from the files, Der Spiegel says.
The US has been spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone since 2002
For example, it is possible that the chancellor’s conversations were recorded, or that her contacts were simply assessed.
Germany is sending its top intelligence chiefs to Washington in the coming week to “push forward” an investigation into the spying allegations, which have caused outrage in Germany.
On Friday, Germany and France said they want the US to sign a no-spy deal by the end of the year.
As well as the bugging of Angela Merkel’s phone, there are claims the NSA has monitored millions of telephone calls made by German and French citizens.
The documents seen by Der Spiegel give further details of the NSA’s targeting of European governments.
A unit called Special Collection Services, based in the US embassy in Pariser Platz in Berlin, was responsible for monitoring communications in the German capital’s government quarter.
If the existence of listening stations in US embassies were known, there would be “severe damage for the US’s relations with a foreign government,” the documents said.
Similar units were based in around 80 locations worldwide, according to the documents seen by Der Spiegel, 19 of them in European cities.
The US government had a second German spy base in Frankfurt am Main, the magazine reports.
Angela Merkel phoned President Barack Obama when she first heard of the spying allegations on Wednesday.
Barack Obama promised Angela Merkel he knew nothing of the alleged phone monitoring, the magazine reports. The president apologized to the German chancellor, it said.
Angela Merkel – an Americophile who was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 – is said to be shocked that Washington may have engaged in the sort of spying she had to endure growing up in Communist East Germany.
According to new reports, Angelina Jolie is unable to cope with Brad Pitt’s soap aversion.
The National Enquirer was claiming this week that there’s a “big stink” coming off an organically minded Brad Pitt, who’s allegedly using a “homemade concoction of lemons, water and apple cider vinegar instead of soap.”
Brad Pitt is allegedly using a homemade concoction of lemons, water and apple cider vinegar instead of soap
“Brad says he’s read up on the toxins of soap – especially the antibacterial ones – and feels that using them and antiperspirants is not only bad for the planet, but it also speeds up the aging process in humans,” alleges a source.
“But Angie was revolted, and their kids even started calling him <<Stinky Daddy>>. Angie agreed to humor him [about his soap aversion] only as long as they weren’t on the same continent.”
Brad Pitt, 49, is currently shooting Fury in the UK, while Angelina Jolie, 38, is in Australia working on Unbroken.
Paul McCartney has unveiled the video for his new song Queenie Eye.
The shoot features Paul McCartney performing on a piano, while stars including Johnny Depp, Kate Moss and Jude Law appear alongside him.
Queenie Eye is taken from Paul McCartney’s latest album New which is currently at number three in the UK charts.
The former Beatles star worked with music producers Mark Ronson and Giles Martin on the record.
The video was filmed at Abbey Road recording studios, a place made famous in the 1960s by Paul McCartney in his Beatles days.
Paul McCartney has unveiled the video for his new song Queenie Eye
The London studios were used by the band to record their work including their 11th studio album titled Abbey Road.
In Queenie Eye you see Paul McCartney recording the track in what he thinks is an empty studio (Studio 2).
As the song develops the room starts to fill up with people all reacting in different ways to the song.
In one scene Alice Eve (Men in Black 3), is seen writhing across the piano on which Paul McCartney performs, while comedienne Tracey Ullman and model Lily Cole are seen listening to the music.
The video also shows designer Tom Ford dancing while sat in an arm chair.
Meryl Streep, Chris Pine, James Corden, Gary Barlow, Jeremy Irons, Sean Penn and Tracey Ullman are also among the host of celebrities who take part in the shoot.
Paul McCartney recently promoted New‘s release with pop-up shows in New York City and London.
Tom Hardy will play Elton John in a biopic of the singer’s life called Rocketman, it has been revealed.
The 36-year-old Dark Knight Rises star has also starred in films such as Inception, Lawless and Bronson.
Rocketman is being made with the co-operation of Elton John, 66, who is an executive producer on the project.
It will begin shooting in late 2014, Focus Features said.
Tom Hardy will play Elton John in a biopic of the singer’s life called Rocketman
The screenplay has been penned by Lee Hall, who was Oscar-nominated for Billy Elliot, and recently worked on the film adaptation of War Horse.
It follows Reginald Dwight’s journey from childhood piano prodigy to global superstar, under his stage name Elton John.
Tom Hardy is respected for his wide-ranging talent, but his brawny, tattooed frame makes him an unconventional choice to star as the flamboyant musician.
He is not the first actor to play Elton John. In 2001, Justin Timberlake appeared as a “young Elton” in the video for the latter’s This Train Don’t Stop There Any More.
Last month, Elton John played live at the Emmy Awards ceremony for the first time.
Elton John performed a tribute to Liberace, the American pianist and vocalist whose life was told in the recent biopic, Behind the Candelabra.
The FBI is conducting an independent investigation of the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez by a sheriff’s deputy in Northern California.
Sheriff Steve Freitas said in a statement Friday afternoon that he will cooperate fully with federal investigators and welcomes their participation in the probe of Andy Lopez’s killing on Tuesday afternoon. The shooting has generated numerous protests and marches in the suburban town of Santa Rosa, with many residents questioning the deputy’s decision to fire on the youth.
Steve Freitas also expressed sympathy to the Lopez family and thanked the Santa Rosa community for keeping protests peaceful.
Police say Andy Lopez was carrying a pellet gun that looked like an AK-47 assault rifle.
A timeline released Thursday by the Santa Rosa police shows that only 10 seconds passed from the moment that the sheriff’s deputy and his partner called dispatch to report a suspicious person to the moment they called back to say shots had been fired.
FBI spokesman Paul Lee said he did not know why his agency decided to get involved or whether local authorities had requested its help.
The FBI is conducting an independent investigation of the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez by a sheriff’s deputy in Northern California
More than 100 angry middle and high school students walked to City Hall on Friday, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported. Hundreds of people protested earlier in the week.
City police and the Sonoma County district attorney’s office are also investigating.
The Santa Rosa Police Department said two deputies in a squad car encountered the hoodie-wearing Andy Lopez just after 3:14 p.m.
Witnesses say at least one of the deputies took cover behind an open front door of the cruiser, and one yelled twice “drop the gun.”
Ten seconds after their initial report to dispatch, one of the officers called in “shot have been fired.”
Sixteen seconds later, the deputies were calling for medical help. Cruz was later pronounced dead at the scene. The Sonoma County coroner said he found seven “apparent entry wounds,” two of them fatal.
The deputies, who have not been identified, have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard after a shooting, officials said.
Assistant Sheriff Lorenzo Duenas told the Press Democrat that the deputy who shot the teen is a 24-year veteran and his partner, who did not fire his weapon, is a new hire.
Santa Rosa police Lt. Paul Henry told the newspaper the deputy who opened fire later told investigators he believed his life as well his partner’s was in jeopardy. The deputy said the teen didn’t comply with commands to drop the gun and was turning toward the deputies while raising the barrel.
Hundreds of community members marched Wednesday night to remember Andy Lopez and protest the shooting.
Syrian Kurdish fighters have taken control of Yarubiya border crossing with Iraq from Islamist rebel groups.
The Yarubiya border post was captured after three days of clashes with groups linked to al-Qaeda, the fighters said.
Officials on the Iraqi side of the border said they could hear heavy gunfire and shelling.
Syrian Kurdish fighters have taken control of Yarubiya border crossing with Iraq from Islamist rebel groups
Kurdish groups in northern Syria have tried to stay out of the civil war between the government and rebels.
However, as Islamist rebel groups have moved into Kurdish-controlled areas in recent months, clashes between them and Kurdish militias have been increasing.
An Iraqi official told the Associated Press that the Baghdad government had brought Iraqi reinforcements to its side of the border to prevent the violence spilling over.
He described the fighting as “heavy battles in which all types of weapons were used”.
The border crossing was under the Syrian government’s control until March, when it was taken by Islamist rebels.
Syria’s Kurdish minority makes up around 10% of the population and is largely concentrated in the country’s far north-east, near the borders with Turkey and Iraq.
The fighting between jihadist rebels and armed Kurdish militia – both of whom are anti-government – adds another layer to Syria’s complex civil war.
In a recent interview, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe says other countries want Japan to adopt a more assertive leadership role in Asia to counter the growing power of China.
Shinzo Abe told the Wall Street Journal there were “concerns that China was trying to change the status quo by force, rather than by the rule of law”.
Relations between China and Japan have been strained over recent years.
China said on Saturday that if Japan shot down Chinese drones, this would be considered “an act of war” by Beijing.
The statement was referring to reports that PM Shinzo Abe had approved defense plans that envisaged using air force planes to shoot down unmanned Chinese aircraft in Japanese airspace.
Another contentious issue between the two countries is the dispute over a group of islands.
The islands, in the East China Sea, are controlled by Tokyo, but claimed by Beijing.
However, analysts say the nations’ rivalry reflects the power shift created by China’s meteoric economic and diplomatic rise while Japan has been mired in a two-decade economic slump.
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe says other countries want Japan to adopt a more assertive leadership role in Asia to counter the growing power of China
China has warned against Japanese nationalism in a region where Japan’s colonial expansionism is still bitterly remembered.
In the interview, Shinzo Abe said he had realized that “Japan is expected to exert leadership not just on the economic front, but also in the field of security in the Asia-Pacific”.
The prime minister promised policies to counter Japan’s waning influence.
Other countries wanted Japan to stand up to China, Shinzo Abe said without naming any.
“There are concerns that China is attempting to change the status quo by force, rather than by rule of law. But if China opts to take that path, then it won’t be able to emerge peacefully,” Shinzo Abe says.
“So it shouldn’t take that path, and many nations expect Japan to strongly express that view. And they hope that as a result, China will take responsible action in the international community.”
The interview comes days after Shinzo Abe was reported to approved defense plans to intercept and shoot down foreign unmanned aircraft that ignore warnings to leave Japanese airspace.
On Saturday, China’s defense ministry responded saying: “If Japan does resort to enforcement measures like shooting down aircraft, that is a serious provocation to us, an act of war.”
“We will undertake decisive action to strike back, with every consequence borne by the side that caused the trouble,” spokesman Geng Yansheng said on the ministry’s website.
Kadir Nurman, the Turkish immigrant credited with inventing the doner kebab, has died in Berlin at the age of 80.
Kadir Nurman set up a stall in West Berlin in 1972, selling grilled meat and salad inside a flat bread.
He had noticed the fast pace of city life and thought busy Berliners might like a meal they could carry with them.
While there are other possible “doner inventors,” Kadir Nurman’s contribution was recognized by the Association of Turkish Doner Manufacturers in 2011.
Kadir Nurman set up a stall in West Berlin in 1972, selling grilled meat and salad inside a flat bread
The combination of juicy meat, sliced from a rotating skewer, with all the trimmings and optional chilli sauce, has since become a firm fast-food favorite in Germany, and elsewhere.
According to the Berlin-based Association of Turkish Doner Manufacturers in Europe, there are now 16,000 doner outlets in Germany.
More than 1,000 exist in Berlin to tempt peckish late-night revellers on the German capital’s streets.
Kadir Nurman, who emigrated to Germany in 1960, did not patent his invention, and thus did not particularly profit from the doner’s subsequent success.
In a 2011 interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau, Kadir Nurman expressed little bitterness.
Kadir Nurman was happy that so many Turkish people were able to make a living from doners, he said, and that millions of people ate them.
Online costume retailers have scores for under-the-wire shoppers. Costume Express’s Pumpkin Busters start around $10. That’s where we found this undeniably adorable lady bug outfit for $20 for Baby. Buy Costumes also has Grave Busters lasting until this Friday; our favorite is this $17 red dragon get-up for toddlers. With attached wings and a one-piece body suit, it’s easy to put on and entertaining. Both sites feature clearance up to 60 percent off as well.
For more bargains, check out Wal-Mart’s Halloween store, where children’s costumes start at $6.97 and candy packs at $2. Beyond the savings, you’ll find guides for easy crafts and recipes, such as carving the perfect pumpkin.
Just remember, if you want your loot by the 31st, you’ll need to order online sooner rather than later.
Animal lovers in Manila, Philippines, got their pets into the spirit of Halloween by dressing them up in spooky costumes.
The crowd of mostly dogs and cats donned colorful outfits ranging from vampires and headless horsemen to corpse brides.
Some owners even came with their own matching set of outfits and did some basic stunts with their pets.
On October 26, 2013, animal lovers are expected to be at the Eastwood Open Park for the SCAREDY CATS & DOGS 2013, a fund-raising Halloween event for the benefit of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Animal Shelter.
PAWS Executive Director Anna Carbrera said: “We always tell people to spend more time with your pets – that includes the holidays like Halloween.
“So when people like to dress up, they also like to dress up their pets and you see that they’re closer.”
For Julie Imperio and her pet Chihuahua, Halloween is all about having fun.
Julie Imperio said: “Halloween, for me and my pet, means a time for enjoyment by dressing up and being a kid, doing some trick or treating and attending parties.”
Scaredy Cats and Dogs 2013
Now on its 10th year, kids & pet-lovers can once again dress up themselves and their pets and compete in the fun costume contest. Categories are as follows:
Crypt Keeper’s Choice – Most Original Costume
Casper’s Choice – Cutest Costume
Phantom’s Pick – Most Creative Costume
Scream of the Crop – Scariest Costume
Midnight Society – Best Group in Costume
Halim-Aw-Aw Award – Best Native Dog in Costume
Hali-Meow Award – Best Native Cat in Costume
Best Ghoulist Partners – Best Pet & Guardian Tandem
Here you can find some of the best tips, tricks and ghoulish tools for this year’s Halloween.
ZOMBIE-PALOOZA
According to Yahoo Search stats, Zombies are back at the top of the list of pop culture costumes. Look no further than your own smartphone for the start of a skin-puppet-palooza that puts you at the very center of this craze. Check out free apps Walking Dead (iTunes, Google Play), Zombiematic Camera (iTunes) and ZombieBooth (iTunes, Google Play). Each app uses chilling photo effects to transform you, your friends, even your pets, into a truly gruesome headshot that you can share with the (living) world.
If you want to bring even more undead action to life, take a look at Zombie apocalypse extravaganza World War Z. The newly released Blu-ray combo pack (around $20 on Amazon) includes an unrated version that was “too intense” for theaters — plus awesome behind-the-scenes footage that shows just how the blockbuster plague of corpse characters were made. You can leave it playing in the background of your Halloween happenings to create a “restless dead” effect, or use it to just get inspired.
Halloween 2013
Get all the Pin-spiration you need for everything else, from makeup tips, printable décor and even to braiinnnnn food on Pinterest. But if the edible eyeballs aren’t quite gory enough, just shuffle on back to your mobile device to add a pair of creepy peepers to just about anything via the Digital Dudz app (iTunes, Android). The animated 3-D gore this app brings to fright night is gut-rippingly great. You can make your costume to display the animation, or buy a Morphsuit (around $30) that comes with a special pouch to display the grisly scenes. There’s everything from an open-heart zipper wound exposing a still-beating heart to a scary clown face with moving eyes.
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT WITH LESS CREEP AND MORE CUTE
Moving on from the stuff of nightmares to the stuff that can give parents nightmares – kids costumes. Here’s how to make sure they’re both stellar and safe. Electronics retailer RadioShack is demonstrating just how simple it is to make costumes stand out from the crowd, and in the dark, with a few simple DIY designs. Just follow the directions on this Hacky-Halloween how-to using EL Wire to make simple fairy wings appear to take flight, or set your little wizard aglow with some LEDs and a Battery Powered Inverter.
TRACK OR TWEET
A brand new combination of a QR coded bracelet and smartphone app called Scan Me Kidz helps you track down kids in seconds. With GPS, you can keep kids in sight on the app, while the QR code contains information that when scanned can get youngsters back home or even alert people of allergies and medical conditions.
Even without a bracelet, there are a handful of free smartphone tracking apps such as Mamabear (iTunes, Google Play) and Trick or Tracker (Amazon, Google Play, typically $4.99 but free on Halloween) that help keep a watchful eye on kids. Both apps let you see where your kids are at any time, and they both let parents create a digital fence to get alerts if kids go out of a pre-set area.
Dean McDermott is firing back after a quote taken from his wife Tori Spelling sparked rumors that they might be struggling financially.
“Right now things are going well,” Dean McDermott, told Us Weekly.
“I have several exciting projects in the works. Our show Dean and Tori’s Backyard Bash just re-aired to great ratings, I’ll be the new host of Chopped Canada and I have my first cookbook coming out – The Gourmet Dad, in the spring … Tori’s book [Spelling It Like It Is] just launched this week and things are good.”
Dean McDermott is firing back after a quote taken from his wife Tori Spelling sparked rumors that they might be struggling financially
Earlier this week, Tori Spelling, 40, was quoted in a People magazine article as saying that the couple couldn’t afford a vasectomy.
“We’re in the entertainment business, and things change year to year,” Tori Spelling told People magazine of their financial situation.
“We don’t have a series on the air right now, so we have to be more restrictive of what we can spend, just like anyone who doesn’t currently have a steady job.”
Dean McDermott directly refutes the vasectomy claim, telling Us Weekly: “Could we afford a vasectomy? Probably. … Was it a tougher time for us financially? Yeah. For sure. That’s just the truth of it – it’s the nature of this business.”
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, who wed in 2006, have four children together: Liam, 6, Stella, 5, Hattie, 2, and Finn, 13 months.
Giant George – the world’s tallest dog according to the Guinness World Records – died last week, one month before his 8th birthday.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce Giant George died on Thursday, October 17, 2013,” his owners, David and Christine Nasser, posted on GiantGeorge.com.
“George passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones … We appreciate the love and support you have given Giant George over the last several years.”
Giant George was the world’s tallest dog according to the Guinness World Records
Giant George, 3 feet, 7 inches from paw to his shoulder and almost seven feet long, was known for his appearance on shows like Live with Regis & Kelly and Good Morning America.
The Great Dane, owned by David and Christine Nasser, was actually the runt of the litter, according to the website.
“Eager to play … this big Great Dane was scared of water, scared of dogs a fraction of his size and, most of all, scared of being alone,” the site said.
David and Christine Nasser donated a percentage of Giant George merchandise to animal charities and in 2011. They donated more than $500 to a Japanese animal shelter after the country was hit hard by both an earthquake and tsunami.
Family, friends and fans have all posted to George’s Facebook page with their condolences.
The Olympic flame has arrived to the North Pole aboard a Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker, the Sochi Winter Games organizers say.
The Sochi organizing committee said in Friday’s statement that the torch relay reached the North Pole on October 19.
The Olympic flame has arrived to the North Pole aboard a Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker
Russian Polar explorer Artur Chilingarov, who led the mission, lit a special bowl at the North Pole sign. The ceremony involved 11 torch bearers from several countries.
The icebreaker, which departed from Russia’s Arctic port of Murmansk, made the journey in about 91 hours, the quickest such trip ever.
For most of the 39,000-mile torch relay, the longest in the history of the Olympics, the flame travels by plane, train, car and even reindeer sleigh, safely encased inside a lantern.
For the world premiere of her new album – ARTPOP – in Berlin, Lady Gaga has so far donned a furry chicken/moldy cheese mask, bared her unicorn-tattooed thigh, dressed like a sexy Salvador Dali (moustache included), and gone barefoot in a fluffy ghost-like sheath earlier Friday morning.
Lady Gagashowed off yet another unusual fashion accessory this week as she left her hotel in Berlin where she is promoting her upcoming album ARTPOP, donning a fake Salvador Dali-style moustache.
Lady Gaga, 27, felt her facial hair needed a dramatic outfit to match, which she teamed with a black bra, knickers, suspender, fur coat and her customary platform boots.
Lady Gaga donning a fake Salvador Dali-style moustache
The singer recently revealed that she would be releasing a new track from her latest LP for every country she visits during her three week promotional tour.
Announcing the exciting news, Lady Gaga tweeted this week: “I’ll be debuting a new song in every territory I travel to over the next 3 weeks! An exclusive for each country! Any guesses for Berlin?”
After deciding which track she will premiere, Lady Gaga later revealed: “2day at AMPYA ARTPOP listening party in Germany I’ll perform the world premiere of <<Gypsy>> at the piano! Stream it tonight around the world!”
Serbia is holding state funeral in Belgrade to honor the widow of former Yugoslav leader Marshal Tito, Jovanka Broz.
Jovanka Broz, who died of heart failure at the age of 88 last weekend, is due to be buried next to her husband Josip Broz Tito in the elaborate House of Flowers mausoleum.
She received full military honors in line with her status as a decorated member of the anti-Nazi partisans who fought in World War II, officials said.
Jovanka Broz lived as a recluse after the death of her husband in 1980.
She was accused of plotting a coup, was placed under house arrest for a time, and had her identity papers taken away.
Jovanka Broz lived in seclusion in the Belgrade suburb of Dedinje and rarely gave interviews.
After her marriage to Josip Broz, known as Tito, Jovanka Broz spent nearly three decades as first lady
However, in 2009 Jovanka Broz spoke to the Politika daily about the period after her husband’s death.
“They chased me out … in my nightgown, without anything, not allowing me even to take a photo of the two of us, or a letter, a book,” Jovanka Broz said.
“I was in isolation and treated like a criminal… I could not leave the house without armed guards.”
Serbian PM Ivica Dacic led the tributes at the funeral ceremony.
Jovanka Broz had been admitted to hospital in August in a serious condition, suffering from heart problems.
Her last wish was to be buried in the House of Flowers in Belgrade, next to Josip BrozTito.
Jovanka Budisavljevic, an ethnic Serb, was born into a farming family in what is now Croatia on December 7, 1924.
She joined the partisans when she was just 17, remaining with them until the end of the war in 1945.
After her marriage to Josip Broz, known as Tito, Jovanka Broz spent nearly three decades as first lady.
Germany is planning to send its top intelligence chiefs to Washington to “push forward” an investigation into allegations the US spied on Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The heads of German foreign and domestic intelligence would hold talks with the White House and the National Security Agency (NSA), a government spokesperson said.
Earlier, Germany and France said they want the US to sign a no-spy deal by the end of the year.
EU leaders at a Brussels summit have warned a lack of trust could harm the fight against terrorism.
As well as the bugging of Angela Merkel’s phone, there are claims the NSA has monitored millions of telephone calls by both German and French citizens.
Spain on Friday followed Germany and France in summoning the US ambassador to explain reports of spying on the country. Italy has also expressed anger at reports it too has been spied on.
US state department spokesperson Jen Psaki acknowledged that the revelations – most of them sourced to former NSA worker Edward Snowden – have “posed a moment of tension with some of our allies”.
“We are having discussions with those allies, those will continue, as is evidenced by the German delegation that will be coming here in the coming weeks,” she said.
Jen Psaki also said a review of US intelligence gathering, called for by President Barack Obama, would look at how it affects foreign policy.
The “high level group of outside experts… will consider as part of this how we can maintain the public’s trust, how the surveillance impacts our foreign policy, particularly in an age when more and more information is becoming public,” she said.
Germany will send its top intelligence chiefs to Washington to “push forward” an investigation into allegations the US spied on Angela Merkel
On Friday, the NSA website itself was inaccessible for several hours, with numerous hacking groups claiming credit for the service outage.
The issue was later put down to “an internal error that occurred during a scheduled update”, NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines said.
“Claims that the outage was caused by a distributed denial of service attack are not true.”
German government spokesman Georg Streiter did not give a date for the intelligence chiefs’ trip to Washington but said it was being arranged with “relatively short notice”.
“What exactly is going to be regulated, how and in what form it will be negotiated and by whom, I cannot tell you right now,” Georg Streier told reporters.
“But you will learn about it in the near future because we have created some pressure to do this speedily.”
Angela Merkel made clear her anger at the allegations, which emerged in the German media, when she arrived in Brussels on Thursday for the EU summit.
The German chancellor told reporters after the first day that “once the seeds of mistrust have been shown it doesn’t facilitate our co-operation… it makes it more difficult”.
Angela Merkel said they would be pressing for a “joint understanding by the end of the year for the co-operation of the (intelligence) agencies between Germany and the US, and France and the US, to create a framework for the co-operation”.
At a news conference on Friday Angela Merkel said both Berlin and Paris would, separately, be pressing Washington for a deal that is “clear-cut, in line with the spirit of an alliance”.
French President Francois Hollande said the aim of the initiative “is about knowing about the past and setting a framework for the future and putting an end to monitoring mechanisms that are not controlled”.
Observers say they may be seeking an arrangement similar to the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing agreement the US has had with Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada since just after World War II.
A statement from EU leaders on Friday said the recent intelligence issues had raised “deep concerns” among European citizens.
The leaders “underlined the close relationship between Europe and the USA and the value of that partnership,” and “stressed that intelligence-gathering is a vital element in the fight against terrorism.”
But, the statement went on: “A lack of trust could prejudice the necessary cooperation in the field of intelligence-gathering.”
There are reports that the NSA has monitored the phones of 35 world leaders.
