Sunday

World’s tallest floating Christmas tree lit up in Rio de Janeiro


The world's largest floating Christmas tree was lit in Rio de Janeiro Saturday (November 29), officially kicking off the holiday season in the beachside city.

Close to 200,000 tourists and locals flocked to the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon to watch the 542 ton, 85-meter-tall (279 feet) tree illuminate in a burst of color and lights.

The crowd itself lit up as a spectacular fireworks display coincided with the 19th annual tree lighting ceremony.

This year's theme was a "Christmas of Light" full of "wishes for all."

The tree is lit with 3.1 million micro light bulbs, 2,150 strobe effects, 120,000 meters (393,700 feet) of light hoses and 100 LED reflectors.

The base of the massive structure rests on 11 floats that form a 30 meter-by-30 meter (98 foot-by-98 foot) base to support the metal tree.

The annual celebration has become a mainstay for tourists who came out in droves along with thousands of locals who came to be part of the celebration.

"I loved it. It was marvellous, the show. Everything was lit up. It was perfect," Gilberto Luiz said.

"It was very exciting. It's a wonderful time of year of peace and togetherness and it's truly a celebration worth coming out to see… every year if you can," another spectator, Sueli Salles said.

The Christmas tree was first erected in 1996 and its lighting has become Rio's third biggest tourist event after Carnival festivities and New Year's Eve on Copacabana beach.

The Guinness Book of Records lists the installation as the world's largest floating Christmas tree. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Saturday

Brazil's Pele improving, still in intensive care – hospital


SAO PAULO - Brazilian soccer great Pele "is in better condition" though he remains in an intensive care unit being treated for a urinary tract infection, the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo said on Friday.

Pele, 74, is receiving renal support treatment, which helps kidneys to filter waste products from the blood, after surgery to remove kidney stones earlier this month. He is not on vasoactive drugs or other supportive therapies, the hospital said.

Pele, often called the greatest soccer player in history, has suffered a long list of health problems in the past decade, including emergency eye surgery for a detached retina and a hip replacement.

His manager, Paul Kemsley, said on Thursday he was expected to make a full recovery and that reports of his condition are being "greatly exaggerated."

Known as "the King of soccer" in Brazil, Pele played in four World Cups and helped Brazil win the global tournament three times, the last in Mexico in 1970. — Reuters

Black Friday shopping crowds thin after Thanksgiving rush


WEST HARTFORD, Conn./CHICAGO - Mall crowds were relatively thin on Black Friday in a sign of what has become the new normal in US holiday shopping: the mad rush is happening the night of Thanksgiving and more consumers are picking up deals online.

Most major retailers now open Thursday evening and are extending holiday deals rather than limiting them to one day. The result is a quieter experience on what has traditionally been one of the busiest, and sometimes most chaotic, shopping days of the year.

"It just looks like any other weekend," said Angela Olivera, a 32-year-old housewife shopping for children's clothing at the Westfarms Mall near Hartford, Connecticut. "The kind of crowds we usually see are missing and this is one of the biggest malls here. I think people are just not spending a lot."

The crowds normally reserved for Black Friday morning appeared on Thursday night. For instance, more than 15,000 people lined up for the opening of the flagship store of Macy's Inc in New York on Thursday. Retailers also said they were capturing more of the holiday budget online.

Shares of Macy's, Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Target Corp were all up from 2.2 percent to 3 percent on Friday afternoon as investors saw encouraging signs in the long lines on Thursday night and with executives making bullish comments about demand. Lower gasoline prices were also giving the shares a boost, analysts said.

"It's off to a good start," said Charlie O'Shea, a retail analyst at Moody's Investors Service, about the shopping season after visiting nearly two dozen stores in northern New Jersey over the past two days.

Police arrested 11 people associated with the OUR Walmart group for blocking traffic in front of a downtown Chicago Wal-Mart store. The protest was one of 1,600 planned across the United States by the group, which is pushing for higher wages and benefits for the retailer's employees.

"Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart you're no good. Treat your workers like you should," a crowd of several dozen shouted outside the store.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said: "The crowds are mostly made up of paid union demonstrators, and they do not represent the views of the 1.3 million associates" who work for the company, the largest private employer in the United States.

Buchanan also said one of the demonstrators hit a customer at the Chicago store, prompting a complaint to the police.

Overall Black Friday online sales as of 1200 EST (1700 GMT) were up 6.4 percent from a year earlier, according to IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark. Online sales were up 14.3 percent on Thanksgiving Day.

Wal-Mart said Thursday was its second-highest online sales day ever after last year's Cyber Monday, which is the Monday after Thanksgiving, when online retailers promote bargains.

Target CEO Brian Cornell said his company rang up a record day of online sales on Thursday, and was seeing brisk demand in its stores. He said the company was selling 1,800 televisions a minute between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday night.

Heavy traffic caused the Best Buy Co Inc website to crash for a little over an hour earlier on Friday, but as of afternoon it was back up and running, a company spokesman said.

The National Retail Federation is projecting that sales for November and December will rise 4.1 percent to $616.9 billion, which would mark the most bountiful holiday season in three years. Holiday sales grew 3.1 percent in 2013.

Some shoppers said the price of gasoline - expected to go even lower after the price of crude oil fell to a multiyear low - could make them more inclined to spend.

"My budget is pretty tight this year and gas is a tremendous expense because I have to drive my daughter around a lot," Kristen Akeley, 46, who works at an elementary school, said while shopping for clothes at a Target in Connecticut.

"My gas expense has fallen from $150 a week to $80 a week and that is big savings at this time of the year." — Reuters

Friday

Skype's picture-in-picture video chat comes to Android phones

 
Users of Skype, Microsoft's videoconferencing software, can now enjoy that picture-in-picture feature on their Android phones.
 
The latest Skype app dated Nov. 25 ports the feature - available earlier on Android tablets - to Android smartphones.
 
"Picture in picture view lets you keep a video call going – for phones now too!" read the description on Google Play.
 
It also allows one to receive photos from Skype for iPhone and other new clients, and supports formatted text.
 
Chats also load faster, especially when opened from a notification.
 
A separate article on PC World said the new app will be appreciated greatly by heavy users.
 
 "It’s nice to see Microsoft finally apply what it’s already done on tablets to its phone version of the app. And with phones getting ever bigger, there’s plenty of opportunity to put this to use," it added.  — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News
 
source: gmanetwork.com

Thursday


HONG KONG - Hong Kong student leader Joshua Wong was banned from a large area in Mong Kok as a condition of bail on Thursday after he was arrested during scuffles with police as they cleared one of the largest protest sites that have choked the city for weeks.

Wong and activist lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung, who RTHK radio said was also banned from Mong Kok, were charged with obstructing court bailiffs and did not enter a plea.

They are due to appear again in court on Jan. 14.

Wong, Leung and Lester Shum were among more than 100 people arrested in Mong Kok over the past two days. Wong's student group Scholarism confirmed the court ban.

The protesters are demanding open nominations for the city's next chief executive nomination in 2017. Beijing said in August it would allow a vote, but only among pre-screened candidates.

Lined with banks, noodle shops and gritty tenements, the streets of Mong Kok have been a key battleground for protesters and mobs intent on disbanding them, and was viewed as the protest site most likely to resist clearance.

While the protesters re-grouped and tried to storm back onto the roads, they ultimately failed to penetrate the mass of police armed with pepper spray and batons deployed to defend the major traffic intersections. Some protesters were hospitalised with head injuries from police batons.

The Mong Kok clearance was the second time in as many weeks that police, court bailiffs and workers moved to enforce court-ordered injunctions to clear the streets. The removal of the protesters' barricades, tents and furniture is a major blow to the movement which has been trying to wrest greater political freedom from Beijing.

The main protest site in Admiralty next to the city's chief executive office and barracks for China's People's Liberation Army remains largely intact. There is also a small protest site in the Causeway Bay shopping district.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese Communist Party rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that gave it some autonomy from the mainland and an undated promise of universal suffrage. — Reuters

Wednesday

With fight talks ongoing, Mayweather takes another jab at Pacquiao on social media

 
Floyd Mayweather hasn't expressed whether he would finally fight Manny Pacquiao, but the unbeaten American took another jab at the Filipino ring icon on social media.
 
On Wednesday, Mayweather posted on his official Facebook page a video of Pacquiao getting knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez.
 
 
 It isn't the first time the brash fighter has taken this tack. Last September, Mayweather also posted photos of that same knockout.  


The latest stunt comes amid news that talks for a much-awaited fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao are back on.

After Pacquiao demolition of Chris Algieri this past weekend, the pressure is on Mayweather to finally say yes to a fight. Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum said American television bigwigs are taking the lead to make the fight happen. — JST, GMA News
 
source: gmanetwork.com

Tuesday

Pharrell and model Cara Delevingne sing and dance for Chanel


PARIS - Chanel unveiled a sneak peek Monday of a splashy music video featuring US pop star Pharrell Williams and British supermodel Cara Delevingne that retraces the birth of the fashion house's iconic jacket.

A sample of the clip has Williams in the role of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph waltzing in a dark and dreamy ballroom with wife Sisi, played by Delevingne, who's gone brunette for the occasion.



The full eight-minute video, directed by designer Karl Lagerfeld, is to premiere at Chanel's December 2 fashion show in Austria.
 

In the clip, titled "Reincarnation," the musician behind the global hit "Happy" sings his new song "CC The World" with the model, according to Chanel. 

It's a video drawn from the moment that inspired fashion house founder Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel to create her iconic jacket.

In that episode Chanel was staying at a hotel in the suburbs of Salzburg in 1954 when the outfit of a lift operator there gave her the idea for the piece of fashion history.

"It was the moment to show the origins of the Chanel jacket ... the jacket of a lift operator reincarnated as a timeless piece of women's clothing," said Lagerfeld.

After Mumbai, Edinburgh and Dallas, the fashion house has chosen the 18th century rococo Leopoldskron Palace in Salzburg for this year's "Metiers d'art" event, which showcases the work of skilled artisans. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Monday

Stars light up red carpet at American Music Awards


The red carpet at the American Music Awards was chock full of A-list stars Sunday (November 23), proving as always, skin is in, and One Direction is still on top.

One Direction got the party started with all five members, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson, walking the red carpet.

Heidi Klum donned a thigh-flaunting skirt and crop top set, and figure-conscious Jennifer Lopez wowed in a blush-colored Reem Acra number with a bare midriff.

Some stars decided to bare as much skin as possible, such as recording artist Bleona, who wore a black see-through dress that left little to the imagination.

Singer Selena Gomez went the opposite route, choosing a more conservative black Giorgio Aramani Prive gown.

Nicki Minaj held her short accordion skirt in place to prevent strong wind from blowing it up, Jessie J looked professional in a cream-colored suit, and Rita Ora went loud with a bright canary yellow gown.

The 42nd Annual American Music Awards aired on American broadcast network ABC on Sunday evening. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Peso gains on strength of Asian currencies as China, Europe make suprise moves


The peso strengthened against the dollar on Monday, tracking movements of other Asian currencies.

The local currency gained P0.07 to 44.91:$1 from 44.98 Friday.

Two events – European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi's statement last week and the decision of People's Bank of China on lending rates – helped Asian currencies to gain on Monday, Security Bank first vice president for treasury Andre Ibarra told GMA News Online.

These events imply Asian currencies, including the peso, are stronger than the dollar, he noted.

ECB head Draghi last week surprised financial markets by declaring his commitment to fighting deflation, Reuters reported.

On the other hand, People's Bank of China announced last week that it was cutting one-year benchmark lending rates for the first time in more than two years, according to a separate from Reuters. – VS, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Tiny Australian town rocks to AC/DC's new album


Sydney, Australia - Thousands of AC/DC fans Sunday flocked to a small, rural Australian town for the launch of the group's first new album in six years -- and also their first without founding member Malcolm Young, who is suffering from dementia.

Wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with images of the veteran band and the trademark caps with protruding red horns, fans gathered in the New South Wales town The Rock to be among the first in the world to listen to the new "Rock or Bust" album.

The band -- which has endured controversy in recent weeks after drummer Phil Rudd was accused of drug possession and threatening to kill -- did not attend the launch but the album tracks were played by record executives at an event at the town's market.

Councilor John Paterson said thousands endured sweltering temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) to attend the event.

"There were at least a couple of thousand (fans), it was very well supported," Paterson told AFP. The Rock is some 500 kilometers south-west of Sydney and has a population of less than 1000.

"It was probably one of the biggest crowds we've seen for a very long time.

"'Rock or Bust' obviously went over very well because of the association with the name of our town... I can assure you that the song will be a new anthem for our little town here at The Rock."

It is not the first time a world-famous musical group has opted to launch an album in a rural Australian town.

Recent setbacks
French group Daft Punk last year launched their "Random Access Memories" in remote Wee Waa, a far-flung town with a population of just 1,653 in the state's north.

AC/DC, which was founded by Malcolm and Angus Young in Australia in 1973, is one of the biggest-selling bands in history.

The group plans to back the new album with a global tour in 2015, although their line-up is unclear after recent setbacks.

The rockers were dealt a blow when it was revealed in September that dementia had forced one of its founding members, Malcolm Young, to retire and move into a Sydney care facility.

They were hit with a further setback when New Zealand prosecutors filed a murder-for-hire case against drummer Phil Rudd before quickly dropping it, citing insufficient evidence.

Rudd, 60, is still accused of drug possession and threatening to kill, which carries a jail term of up to seven years. He is expected to appear in court on November 27 on these charges.

Singer Brian Johnson and guitarist Angus Young hinted last week that the band may look to replace him ahead of the tour.

The Grammy award winners were inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 after a string of hits including "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", "Jailbreak" and "Highway to Hell".

The "Rock or Bust" album is their first since 2008's "Black Ice" and features 11 tracks. It will be officially released on December 2.8 passengers and crew, two-thirds of them from the Netherlands. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Sunday

Ferguson, Missouri on edge awaiting grand jury decision on police shooting


FERGUSON, Mo. - An uneasy quiet settled over Ferguson, Missouri, on Saturday evening after another day without a decision from a grand jury on whether to bring charges against a white police officer for fatally shooting a black teen.

With the St. Louis suburb and the rest of the country waiting for an announcement, activists and police have been taking steps to avert more street violence. The Aug. 9 shooting triggered months of protests and a national debate over police violence.

Officer Darren Wilson has said he fired on 18-year-old Michael Brown in self-defense, while Brown's companion has said the teen had his hands raised and was trying to surrender.

On Saturday, the dead teenager's father, Michael Brown, and some of the family's supporters handed out Thanksgiving turkeys to residents in the street where his son was gunned down. Many were surprised when he knocked on their doors.

"I had to come and just give back to the people," Brown told reporters. He wore a red T-shirt bearing a picture of his son's face and the messages "Gone Too Soon" and "I Will always Love You."

"Everyone is suffering over this," he added. "I just feel that this was needed, so I came back to make sure that people have a nice Thanksgiving."

Looking across the street, over the memorial of flowers and stuffed toys placed on the spot where his son fell in August, he held up a bird and called to a young woman: "You get one yet?"

She smiled and waved back, yes.

St. Louis prosecutors have said they will hold a news conference to announce the grand jury decision, although the date, time and location remained undetermined.

NBC News reported on Saturday that the 12-member panel will resume meeting behind closed doors on Monday, meaning a decision whether to bring charges in the emotive case could still be some way off. Reuters could not independently confirm that report.

Anthony Gray, an attorney for the Brown family, told reporters on Friday that the deliberations could last an hour, a day, a week, or a month. "No one can forecast when that decision will actually be reached," Gray said.

For three nights running, small groups of demonstrators have gathered outside the Ferguson police station to chant slogans and wave placards, sometimes outnumbered by members of the news media expecting a confrontation.

There have been a handful of arrests since Wednesday night. Almost all of them were for failure to disperse after officers told protesters not to block traffic, and were ignored.

The killing became a flashpoint for strained US race relations, triggering weeks of sometimes violent protests in Ferguson calling for the arrest of Wilson. He has instead been placed on administrative leave and gone into seclusion.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency and called in National Guard troops to back up police. Groups across the country have said they would take to the streets again in large numbers if charges are not brought. — Reuters

Manny Pacquiao to Floyd Mayweather: 'It's time to say yes'


"It's time to say yes."

That's Manny Pacquiao's plea to Floyd Mayweather to finally make the much-awaited fight between the two top fighters in the world happen.

Pacquiao was coming off a rousing victory over Chris Algieri on Sunday in a one-sided fight that saw the American fighter hit the canvas six times.

Predictably, Pacquiao was asked about the possibility of finally fighting Mayweather just moments after his hand was raised. 


"It's a good thing that we talk about that fight. It's time to say 'yes,'" Pacquiao said in the post-fight press conference.

"It's been a long time since I wanted that fight."

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank said the Mayweather fight was the top priority for their camp.

"Enough is enough. Let's make the fight happen," said Arum.

After years of frustration in making a fight between the two top fighters in the world, there was some light earlier this week after news leaked out that Mayweather was finally open to a fight, according to his network Showtime. No less than CBS Corporation CEO and president Les Moonves is reportedly spearheading the negotiations to make the fight happen. — JST, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Pacquiao dominates Algieri to retain world title


Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao fashioned out a masterful unanimous decision, knocking down Chris Algieri six times on Sunday to retain the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title in Macau.

"Tonight, I did my best," Pacquiao said after the fight. "I'm satisfied with my performance tonight."

The win improved Pacquiao's record to 57 wins against five losses and two draws. Algieri suffered his first defeat in 20 fights.

Pacquiao dealt the American fighter the first defeat of his career, and the eight-division champion did it in style, snuffing out Algieri's hopes right from the start.


Talking about his improved power, Pacquiao said it was a priority during training camp with trainer Freddie Roach.

"We improved our strenghth, we did more heavy bag training," said Pacquiao, who admitted he was looking to stop Algieri.

"I'm looking for a knockout, but he's fast, he's moving."

Despite giving up four inches in height, Pacquiao stalked Algieri early on, putting the American on the backpedal.

The first knockdown, in the second round, was a combination of a Pacquiao punch and Algieri slipping on the canvas but in the sixth round Algieri tumbled head over heels after a Pacquiao barrage and went down again in the same round from a right hook.

A fierce left cross in the ninth sent Algieri to his back. He beat the count, but dropped to his knees from a follow-up flurry and seemed on the verge of being stopped as Pacquiao unleashed a fusillade of punches against the ropes.

Somehow the American survived that round and despite being knocked down by another left hand in the tenth, made it to the final bell.

After the fight, Pacquiao dedicated the win to his countrymen, especially those who filled the Cotai Arena with cheers.

"Lots of Filipinos came here tonight to watch the fight," said Pacquiao. "Thank you so much for the support of all the fans around."

Overmatched Algieri

Algieri had earned the shot against Pacquiao by overcoming a swollen right eye and two knockdowns against Russia's Ruslan Provodnikov in his previous outing but he was never remotely in this contest.

Although he circled constantly to his left and attempted to keep Pacquiao at a distance with his superior reach, he rarely landed any consequential punches.

Algieri holds a master's degree and an ambition to become a doctor once his boxing days are over. All week in the build-up, his trainer Tim Lane had been declaring that he would destroy Pacquiao by "master boxing".

They proved hollow words and Pacquiao's Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach mocked them afterwards.

"The master boxer was given a master class by Professor Pacquiao," said Roach.

Filipino pride

Pacquiao's victory will inevitably heighten calls for him to face the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather in what could be the first billion-dollar fight in history

"I really want the fight. The fans deserve it," said Pacquiao afterwards, throwing down a challenge by imitating a new TV commercial in which he mocks Mayweather.

It brought huge cheers from the sellout 13,202 crowd at the Venetian Macau venue, where the vast majority appeared to be Filipinos.

Many hundreds more of Pacquiao's compatriots were waiting patiently outside for just a glimpse of their national hero, having arrived at the venue in the early hours of Sunday to find all the tickets gone.

Back in the Philippines, the nation stopped to watch en masse.

"The Filipinos were united in celebrating the victory of our national fist, Congressman Manny Pacquiao in his fight against Chris Algieri in Macau," said President Benigno Aquino's spokesman Herminio Coloma in Manila.

"His strength, speed and skill were on display on the canvas. Every punch that scored caused the millions of Filipinos to cheer together in every corner of the world.".  — JST, GMA News with reports from Reuters and Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Saturday

Carbs more harmful than saturated fats – study


WASHINGTON - Long-derided saturated fats—associated with an array of health problems such as heart disease—caught a break Friday when research revealed their intake could be doubled or even nearly tripled without driving up their level in a person's blood.

Carbohydrates, meanwhile, are associated with heightened levels of a fatty acid linked to increased risk for diabetes and heart disease, the same study showed.

"The point is you don't necessarily save the saturated fat that you eat, and the primary regulator of what you save in terms of fat is the carbohydrate in your diet," senior author Jeff Volek of Ohio State University, said in the report.

To conduct the study, which appeared in the journal PLOS ONE, scientists put 16 participants on a strict dietary regime that lasted four and a half months.


Every three weeks their diets were changed to adjust carbohydrate and total fat and saturated fat levels.

The scientists found that when carbs were reduced and saturated fat was increased, total saturated fat in the blood did not increase, and even went down in most people.

The fatty acid called palmitoleic acid, which is associated with "unhealthy metabolism of carbohydrates that can promote disease," went down with low-carb diets and gradually increased as carbs were re-introduced, the study said.

An increase in this fatty acid indicates that a growing proportion of carbohydrates is being converted into fat instead of being burned by the body, the researchers said.

"When you consume a very low-carb diet your body preferentially burns saturated fat," Volek said.

"We had people eat two times more saturated fat than they had been eating before entering the study, yet when we measured saturated fat in their blood, it went down in the majority of people," he said.

The finding "challenges the conventional wisdom that has demonized saturated fat and extends our knowledge of why dietary saturated fat doesn't correlate with disease," Volek added.

By the end of the trial, participants saw "significant improvements" in blood glucose, insulin and blood pressure and lost an average of 22 pounds (10 kilograms).

"There is widespread misunderstanding about saturated fat. In population studies, there's clearly no association of dietary saturated fat and heart disease, yet dietary guidelines continue to advocate restriction of saturated fat. That's not scientific and not smart," Volek said. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Chris Algieri makes weight after two tries


MACAU — Flamboyant Chris Algieri beat the catchweight at 144 pounds, formally removing a major roadblock to his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title showdown with Manny Pacquiao at the Cotai Arena inside the Venetian Macao here on Sunday.

Beaming with confidence in a red college football jersey, aviator shades and jogging pants, the 30-year-old Algieri tipped the scales at 143.6 pounds, much to the delight of a small delegation which cheered for him all the way from his hometown in New York.

His opponent, Pacquiao, on the other hand, looked fresh and vibrant as he stepped on the scales, which read 143.8 pounds.

"I'm excited to share my speed and bring back the early days of my boxing career," said Pacquiao amid the thunderous chants of over a hundred flag-waving Filipino and American fans who trooped to the venue to see their ring hero for one last time before he embarks on one of the biggest battles of his professional boxing career.

"I still have the same hunger which I used to have when I was young."

But making the weight didn't come easy for Algieri.

Sources from the Algieri camp bared that he was over the weight limit by four pounds on the eve of the official weigh-in.

With that, he was instructed by his trainer, Tim Lane, to sleep early and have an early breakfast before breaking a sweat moments before he steps on the scales.

On his first try, Algieri weighed 144.2 pounds, prompting him to remove his trunks and give it another try.

Still, it yielded the same result.

WBO president Francisco 'Paco' Valcarcel, instead, gave him a grace period of two hours before returning to the weighing scale.

Algieri stepped out of the arena, put on his sauna suit, did stationary jogging for at least 30 minutes and reportedly took a quick pee before formally tipping the scales at 143.6.

"I'd rather be well-fed than show up dry and sucked up," said Algieri, a nutritionist by profession who claimed that he brought the same weighing scale up to his room and had easily beaten the weight limit.

"There's no reason for us not to make the weight. We tried it a hundred times with the same scale."
Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, earlier bared that Algieri is struggling to make the weight.

In fact, with merely three days before the fight, he still looked hefty, giving the impression that the good-looking American will be slow and sluggish come fight day as he scampered to beat the limit.

And he did.

Roach was right, after all. — JST/JDS, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Can Pacquiao finally get first KO in five years against Algieri?


On Sunday, Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Chris Algieri at Cotai Arena in Macau. Is Algieri an easy opponent for Pacquiao, as many observers believe? Will the unbeaten American fighter give "Pac-man" a run for his money? And could Pacquiao finally get the elusive knockout win after five long years?

Here are three expert takes and predictions for the bout this weekend.

JC Manangquil, boxing manager and promoter:

This fight is interesting as everybody knows that Algieri is so much taller and uses his jab very well, which happens to be his key weapon in the fight. The only way Algieri is going to win the contest is if he uses his distance, jab, and footwork.

Algieri's reach will be effective against a shorter man, but I don't think he has the footwork to keep Pacquiao off, which means he has very small chance of avoiding Pacquiao's barrage of punches.

You can't beat the best fighter in the world with just a single weapon. Algieri doesn't have the power to make Manny think before he attacks with combinations.

Manny will have some trouble closing the distance with Algieri in the early going, so the fight figures to be competitive for a few rounds. After that, as good as Manny is, he will get his proper offensive distance and attack Algieri on the ropes.

Manny will take over in the middle rounds, then completely dominate in the late rounds. Unless Algieri has a Plan B.

PREDICTION: Pacquiao by decision if not by KO/TKO

Mark Villanueva, boxing advocate and founder of Mark Villanueva Boxing Academy:

As the fight draws closer, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that Christopher Mark Algieri can't fight any other way even if he wanted to. At least not at this vital point in his career.

There won't be any surprises in Macau, or a need for Manny Pacquiao to install a Plan B once the fight progresses. Algieri will fight practically the same way he fought Ruslan Provodnikov, Emmanuel Taylor, Jose Peralta Alejo, and all the boxers he defeated before them. Most boxing fans think he doesn't deserve a shot at Pacquiao. Chris Algieri seems like a bright kid. As he transitions into the big leagues, taking the biggest challenge against the Filipino champion he will do what he does best, the best way he knows it — stick and move.

But there's a bigger reason behind his fighting style.

The American boxer lacks punching power. He needs to draw fighters in. He learned from fighting Provodnikov that he can get knocked down quite easily. Going toe-to-toe with Pacquiao will end up with him getting destroyed in one round. No master's degree needed to derive to that conclusion.

I see Algieri trying to dictate the pace early in the fight with more jabs. It worked against Provodnikov, but Manny does way more head movement. He can suspend Algieri's jabs with his right arm pawing (which Manny doesn't do) or go under it and pop over the top with a hook. He could slip it and go to the side, too.

One fault I see is how Chris Algieri halts dead on his track to defend against body shots. That is what I forecast Pacquiao doing early, to pin Algieri down and slow his movement. If Algieri pauses, as he usually does to cover up, Pacquiao could spin around him and overwhelm him with all sorts of shots from different angles.

In the end, Manny Pacquiao will be too much for him.

PREDICTION: Pacquiao by late round KO.

JM Siasat, sportswriter:

Contrary to general belief and misconception, Chris Algieri won't be an easy fight for Manny Pacquiao at all. Other than Algieri's age, height, and reach advantage, he has the style that could spell trouble for Pacquiao all night long.

I've heard chatter that Algieri's height won't be a factor since Pacquiao has experience fighting taller guys such as Oscar De la Hoya and Antonio Margarito. Personally, I think it would be still be a factor.

While Pacquiao definitely has experience fighting taller guys, he has yet to encounter a tall fighter who will actually jab, box, and move inside the ring. De la Hoya was too drained to make a fight out of the Pacquiao bout; his physical condition was at its poorest in his legendary career and would have been beaten by lesser fighters that night.

Margarito on the other hand, is a face-first brawler who has no defense and technique. Add to that the fact that two fights before Pacquiao, Margarito went through a career-changing beatdown at the hands of Shane Mosley. Then, in his very next fight, Margarito immediately looked mediocre against an unheralded journeyman in a 10-round contest.

I can't reiterate this enough, Algieri isn't anything like De la Hoya or Margarito. His height can trouble Pacquiao. Algieri will box circles and use his jab to frustrate Pacquiao. When profiling a contest, we always have to take into consideration that styles make fights.

Pacquiao has a history of getting frustrated against moving fighters, shorter ones if I may add. Just imagine the frustration that a young, tall, volume-punching and jabbing Algieri can give the Filipino icon.

Another factor is Algieri's right hand. As history has shown, Pacquiao's kryptonite has always been defending and avoiding the right hand. Not only does Algieri throw punches and combinations all night, he also knows how to unleash his right hand from different angles — a strength that most writers overlook.

As proven in the Provodnikov fight, Algieri is capable of taking a punch, recovering, and adjusting within a fight. While I honestly think that Provodnikov has heavier hands than Pacquiao at this point, Manny has more weapons in his offensive arsenal. If Pacquiao can somehow drop the challenger, I'm pretty confident that Algieri can rise up and continue the fight.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, will throw punches in bunches and create angles to hit Algieri. The Filipino phenom is known to have a tough chin, an overwhelming advantage given that Algieri don't pack power in his punches. It is almost certain that Pacquiao would have neither respect nor second thoughts when coming in to attack the challenger.

Algieri's lack of power he makes up for with volume punching and excellent conditioning, but it remains to be seen if it will be enough against an elite fighter like Pacquiao.

At 35 years old, Pacquiao proved in his last fight against Timothy Bradley that he still belongs among the boxing elite. But while he still seems to have plenty of gas left in the tank, it's also obvious that Pacquiao is not the same fighter he used to be four or five years ago.

Turning 36 next month, Pacquiao's dreaded speed and power — the tools that elevated him to pound-for-pound status — have declined. Even so, Pacquiao's experience level and dedication in training is still a notch above most fighters in boxing, to the point that it makes up for his whatever decline he has had over the years.

I see Pacquiao getting frustrated in this fight, because he is bound to get hit with jabs and right hands multiple times. Still, I believe, that Pacquiao's undying relentlessness and chin will carry him through in a fight that would be tougher than he and his fans expected.

We are not in 2010, Pacquiao is past his prime, and I'm not living in the past. Nevertheless, I pick Pacquiao to win this fight but not without Algieri finally earning his much deserved respect.

PREDICTION: Pacquiao by decision (115-113 or 116-112)

source: gmanetwork.com

7 Black Friday Credit Card Tips You Can’t Afford to Miss


Admit it: You can’t wait to get started on your holiday gift shopping. But if you’re planning to lean heavily on your credit card for Black Friday sales, the Nerds have a few important tips you can’t afford to miss.

Check out the details below for everything you need to know to swipe smart this holiday season (and beyond):

1. Shop with a rewards credit card to rack up serious points

 

The most important thing you can do to make the most of this holiday shopping season is select a card that provides a steady return on your spending in the form of points, miles, or cash back. Then, use it consistently. After all, you’re going to be shelling out big bucks anyway – you might as well get rewarded for it!

2. Use bonus malls to score even more rewards when you shop online

 

 A lot of people forget about the online shopping portals (often known as “bonus malls”) operated by their credit card issuers. If you choose to make your online purchases through these platforms, you stand to earn even more rewards on your credit card spending.

 

One of the best bonus malls out there is the one operated by Discover, known as Discover Deals. If you use your Discover it® and shop through Discover Deals, you could score extra cash back, a statement credit, or instant savings at checkout. This is a great way to help your dollars go the extra mile this holiday season.

3. Use your Chase Freedom® - $200 Bonus for department store shopping

 

If you’re planning to buy a lot of gifts at department stores this Black Friday, be sure to use your Chase Freedom® - $200 Bonus. With it, you’ll earn 5% cash back until December 31, 2014 at select department stores, aw well as Amazon.com and Zappos.com (up to $1,500 spent). Plus, you’ll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

 

And don’t forget: If you also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can transfer all the Ultimate Rewards points you’re racking up with the Chase Freedom® - $200 Bonus over to it and cash them in for travel. Talk about a win-win!

4. Look into your credit card issuer’s extended warranty policy, pronto

 

Lots of people buy electronics on Black Friday, and many retailers try to hock extended warranty coverage at unsuspecting consumers. But it’s highly likely that your credit card already has your back. Every major network (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover) offers some kind of extended warranty on most purchases made with the card.

However, exclusions apply and every card provides slightly different benefits. Consequently, placing a quick call to your card’s customer service line to see what it covers before you hit the mall is a smart idea.

5. Keep a watch on your balance

 

Holiday cheer can be a powerful force, but don’t let it cause you to overspend on your plastic. Using more than 30% of the available credit on any of your cards at any time during the month could do damage to your credit score. If you’re starting to get close to that threshold, make a payment as soon as you can.

6. Use a card that offers price protection to be sure you’re getting the best deal

 

According to a 2014 NerdWallet analysis, Black Friday “deals” aren’t always the absolute lowest prices of the season. To ensure that you’re getting the best price on every gift you buy, shop with a card that offers price protection. MasterCard, Discover, and Citi all provide the opportunity to get some a refund if an item you’ve bought with your card drops in price within a certain window of time.

Again, this functions slightly differently from card to card and there are restrictions to keep in mind. Be sure to read your plastic’s terms and conditions carefully for the ins and outs of its price protection program.

7. Be sure to pay your bills on time

 

If you’re juggling several credit cards to maximize rewards on your holiday shopping, take steps to stay organized. Missing a payment on one of them could cause your credit score to take a serious hit, so set calendar alerts for your billing due dates. This way, you’ll be getting the best deals with your cards and keeping your credit in good shape.

source: nerdwallet.com

College Tuition Increases Slow Down; Students Take On Less Debt


The past year’s published increase in tuition and fees across all kinds of U.S. colleges and universities rose at a slower rate than the average for the past five, 10 and 30 years. And today’s students are going into less debt to pursue their degrees.

Those are the key findings of a report released late last week by the College Board.

The College Board is a private association that includes more than 6,000 colleges, universities and schools. It creates and administers standardized tests, including the SATs, and provides services and support to students and their parents as they consider college.

The rate of tuition increase has declined in each of the past three years, according to the College Board.

Students also are borrowing less money for college, the report said, in part due to the federal government increasing Pell Grants, tuition help for veterans and other assistance.

The report says a rebound from the economic downturn of the past few years was a factor. In contrast to the private sector, higher education costs tend to increase during tough economic times, as out-of-work adults seek new degrees and students who could opt to enter the job market choose to stay in school instead.

But even if recent trends are promising, a longer look at college costs shows that paying for higher education remains daunting for many families. While increases are slowing, they continue to climb higher than the rate of inflation.

Over the past decade, the average published tuition and fees at public, four-year schools have risen a whopping 42%, adjusted for inflation, according to the College Board.

“It is encouraging that published prices are rising more slowly than in the past and that annual education borrowing has continued to decline,” Sandy Baum, the report’s co-author and a professor of education policy at George Washington University, said in a written release.

“However, the reports also document dramatic increases in published tuition and fees over time that outstrip growth in grant aid for many students, as well as rising levels of cumulative debt among graduates.”

And, as the Chronicle of Higher Education notes, those figures don’t take into account other costs, like rent and groceries, which continue to rise.

According to the Chronicle, average room and board charges for four-year students now amount to more than $9,800.

Between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years, tuition and fees for full-time, in-state students at public four-year colleges and universities increased 2.9%, from $8,885 to $9,139.

The cost for out-of-state students at those schools rose 3.3%, from $22,223 to $22,958 during the same period, and tuition and fees at private, nonprofit four-year institutions jumped 3.7%, from $30,131 to $31,231.

Tuition and fees at public two-year schools also went up 3.3% on average, from $3,241 to $3,347.

Actual net prices tend to be much lower than published prices, the Board said, because many students receive grants from state and federal governments, or from the colleges and universities themselves. Education tax credits and deductions also help chip away at those numbers.

source: nerdwallet.com

Friday

Odds show Pacquiao remains heavily-favored against unbeaten Algieri


MACAU — Manny Pacquiao remains heavily favored to dominate Chris Algieri when they slug it out for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown this Sunday at the Cotai Arena inside The Venetian here.

A quick check with Las Vegas sports books peg Pacquiao a 4-to-1 favorite over the 30-year old Algieri with still a couple of days left before the opening bell rings.

Pacquiao, who vowed to gun for an early stoppage, is a -750 favorite, which means that one has to come up with a wager of $750 to win $100 should Pacquiao emerge victorious. Bettors for the underdog Algieri, on the other hand, need only $475 to win $100.

The odds that Pacquiao would win by way of knockout, technical knockout or disqualification is 5-9, while odds of a decision win for Pacquiao is pegged at 17-10. For Algieri to win by way of knockout, technical knockout or disqualification, odds are 14-1, and for him to win by decision, 11-1.

The betting odds for the fight to end in a draw is 25-1.

Despite being a longshot, Algieri's trainer Tim Lane is unfazed.

"I don't thing we are at a disadvantage," Lane said. "Chris is a young lion. He is an upcoming boxer who envisions himself to become a world champion one day. We don't care about the odds. All we care about is the fight and how we're going to win it."

On the other hand, Roach also showed no concern about the latest odds.

"Odds don't dictate the outcome of the fight," he said. "As soon as the bell rings, Manny would come charging at him and beat the hell out of this Algieri kid. Manny is the hungrier fighter. He will go down hard whatever happens." — STR/JST, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Google, Rockstar agree to settle patent litigation – filing


Google Inc has agreed to settle litigation with patent consortium Rockstar, though terms of the deal were not disclosed in a court filing made public this week.

Rockstar, which counts Apple Inc as an investor, outbid Google and paid $4.5 billion in 2011 for thousands of former Nortel Network Corp patents as the networking products supplier went bankrupt.

In October last year, Rockstar sued Google and several handset manufacturers whose phones operate on Google's Android operating system. Rockstar accused Google of infringing seven Nortel patents, all related to search engine technology.

Google and Rockstar have agreed to settle "all matters in controversy between the parties," according to a filing in an Texas federal court on Monday. However, the document does not say whether Rockstar has also settled with handset makers including Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

A Google spokesman declined to comment on Thursday, and Rockstar representatives could not immediately be reached. Samsung and Apple spokespeople were also not immediately available.

Google and Rockstar have reached a term sheet, which will be "reduced to a definitive agreement" over the next few weeks, the court filing said.

On that same day, Rockstar sued several handset makers over a different batch of patents. Google then asked a California judge to rule that devices using the Android platform had not infringed the patents cited by Rockstar against the handset makers.

Google succeeded in halting the Texas proceedings against the handset makers while its California case plays out.

Earlier this month Cisco said it had signed a term sheet with Rockstar and would take a $188 million charge related to that agreement. — Reuters

Thursday

Bob Arum sees blockbuster hit in Pacquiao-Algieri


MACAU — The opening bell has yet to ring, but Bob Arum is already predicting the overwhelming success of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title clash between Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri this Sunday at the Cotai Arena inside The Venetian here.

Arum, the 82-year old Top Rank founder and CEO, said Thursday that the event will be way bigger than the previous year's card in terms of attendance, publicity, pay-per-view buys, production and all-out boxing action, especially with Pacquiao trying to essay an emphatic finish for the first time since knocking down Miguel Cotto in 2009. Last November, Pacquiao fought American banger Brandon Rios in his first outing in the Asian sin city.

In fact, the world's top sports journalists are in attendance, together with a handful of international icons led by action stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger with a Christian choir singing the Philippines' national anthem.

According to Arum, the pay-per-view buys have already moved to close to a million, more than doubling the 475,000 buys generated by last year's Rios fight.

"This is so much bigger than last year," Arum told a handful of Manila-based reporters.

"Every New York paper is here as well as the LA Times, the Associated Press, Yahoo, ESPN, Reuters. Everybody is here to witness this fantastic show. The publicity is tremendous. People are very interested in witnessing this fight. I'm looking forward to a great promotion, a great week and an even greater result."

Arum said with the tremendous result of their promotion in this Chinese gambling resort city, they are planning to come up with more boxing shows and other activities while developing potential Asian boxers aside from Pacquiao and Zou Shiming, who will battle Kwanpichit OnesongchaiGym of Thailand in a flyweight match in one of the undercards.

According to him, the market has the ability to match, or even surpass, the income generated by boxing promotions done in the United States.

"The plan is to develop good Chinese fighters," Arum said. "It is necessary to do that to further take advantage of the good Chinese market. We have to develop Chinese contenders because the market is so good and full of potential."

"I think Macau can afford anything they want. Money is so enormous here in Macau. It dwarfs anything that can be done in the United States. The numbers here are totally crazy compared to any place in the world."

He added that they have no plan of slowing down.

"We're still working on four more events here in Macau. Three will be shown in regular Asian time and one in the morning to accommodate viewers from the United States," said Arum, who once promoted the epic clash between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

"People here want to see a show, a complete show. And that's what we're giving. This is just the start." — STR/JST, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Wednesday

S&P 500, Dow end at record highs, boosted by healthcare


NEW YORK - The Dow and S&P 500 closed at record highs on Tuesday, lifted by further gains in healthcare shares and hopes for a stronger global economy.

The S&P 500 scored its fourth straight day of gains.

Actavis Plc, Gilead Sciences and other biotechs were among the biggest drivers, a day after Allergan agreed to be bought by Actavis. The Nasdaq biotech index rose 2.1 percent.

The S&P health care index added 1.6 percent. Shares of Actavis were up 8.7 percent at $269.60, helped by bullish analyst notes, while Gilead's stock rose 3.3 percent to $103.71 percent.

"A little bit of a risk trade is coming back on, and those are the areas for the M&A," said Uri Landesman, president of Platinum Partners in New York. "It's a very, very good environment to buy growth, so I don't quibble with the notion that there's going to be more M&A."

Among the biggest boosts to the Dow, shares of UnitedHealth were up 1.8 percent at $98.19.

Further supporting stocks, news of a snap election and a delayed tax increase in Japan strengthened hopes for new stimulus, a day after data showed Japan back in recession. In Europe, German analyst and investor sentiment advanced this month for the first time in almost a year.

Benign U.S. inflation data also helped.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 40.07 points, or 0.23 percent, to 17,687.82, a record high. The S&P 500 gained 10.48 points, or 0.51 percent, to 2,051.8, its biggest one-day move since Nov. 5.

The Nasdaq Composite added 31.44 points, or 0.67 percent, to 4,702.44.

Actavis was the S&P's biggest percentage gainer; the largest decliner was Urban Outfitters, down 6.6 percent at $28.79, following results.

On the Nasdaq 100, the largest gainer was Dish Network, up 3.9 percent to $67.85, while the largest decliner was Staples, down 1.6 percent at $12.76.

Among the most active NYSE stocks were Petrobras, up 0.96 percent at $9.42, and General Electric, up 1.50 percent at $27.01. On the Nasdaq, Apple, up 1.3 percent to $115.47, was among the most active.

About 6.1 billion shares traded on U.S. exchanges, below the 6.4 billion average this month, according to BATS Global Markets.

NYSE advancers outnumbered decliners 1,862 to 1,217, for a 1.53-to-1 ratio; on the Nasdaq, 1,645 issues rose and 1,079 fell for a 1.52-to-1 ratio.

The S&P 500 was posted 77 new 52-week highs and one new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 95 new highs and 56 new lows.  — Reuters

Tuesday

One Direction member Harry Styles' comments spark speculation about bisexuality


One Direction band member Harry Styles is no stranger to rumors about being bisexual.

But instead of denying is, Harry seems to just add fuel to the fire with comments in recent interviews.

Last week, Harry and fellow One Direction member Liam Payne sat down for an interview with On Demand Entertainment (ODE), an online entertainment news channel.

When asked what traits they look for in a potential mate, Liam responded first by saying "Female. That's an important trait." Harry then shook his head and said, “Not that important,” and continued listing neutral traits such as "sense of humor" and being "someone who's nice."

Last Sunday, Harry and Payne were also interviewed by United Kingdom tabloid The Sun, with fellow One Direction members Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik.

The boys were joking about setting up Niall for a date. Niall suggested popstar Rihanna while Harry suggested pop princess Ariana Grande. The reporter then suggested that Niall try it with a man, prompting Harry to comment to his bandmate, "Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it."

The comments have gotten people speculating about Harry's sexuality.

But in the past, Harry had addressed the issue, which sprung up from his friendship with DJ Nick Grimshaw.

"Bisexual? Me? I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I'm not," Harry told British GQ last September.

Harry said he didn't mind the rumors surrounding his sexuality.

"Some of them are funny. Some of them are ridiculous. Some of them are annoying. I don't want to be one of those people that complains about the rumours. I never like it when a celebrity goes on Twitter and says, 'This isn't true!' It is what it is; I tend not to do that. The only time it gets really annoying is that if you get into a relationship and you get into a place where you really like someone and then things are being written in the papers that affect them and how they see you. Then it can get annoying," he said in the same interview. — JST, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Monday

Treadmill studio classes put a spin on indoor running


NEW YORK - A New York City fitness studio is following fast on the heels of the indoor cycling, or spin, craze by beckoning outdoor runners to come in from the cold for group treadmill classes.

Equipped with 30 treadmills, lighting evocative of dusk or dawn, and group training designed to hone the skills of marathoners and newbies alike, fitness experts say the Mile High Run Club (MHRC) might do a bit to burnish the image of the most used, least glamorous, of gym cardio machines.

Billed as the first treadmill studio, MHRC is the brainchild of founder and program director Debora Warner, a running coach and group fitness instructor. She said the experience is similar to a group spinning class with many people on treadmills at the same time doing a structured class together.

“You can be very specific about incline, duration, number of reps,” said Warner, 43, “and that helps runners with their pacing outdoors. I don’t see treadmills as a substitute for running, but it’s a great training tool.”

The treadmill is the most popular cardio machine at the gym, used by 40 percent of the over 60 million Americans who utilized a health club in 2013, according to the 2014 Health Club Consumer Report of IHRSA, the trade association of the health club and fitness industry.

Nevertheless, it is viewed as drudgery, believes Connecticut-based exercise physiologist and running coach Tom Holland.

“Running on a treadmill is a pretty horrible experience for most people and they generally don’t maximize their time,” said Holland, author of “The Marathon Method.”

He points out that while there is great value to interval training, steady running has its virtues, too.

“Most running coaches say for every hard workout, you need one or two easier ones,” Holland said.

Although Warner's studio is dedicated to running, she noted that big gyms, such as Equinox, also offer treadmill classes. Crunch, another national chain, has also been integrating treadmill intervals into yoga and boot camp classes.

She offers group foundational and advanced classes. Both rely on repetitions of high-speed or intensity work followed by periods of rest or low activity, bookended by five-minute warm-ups and cool downs.

The classes also incorporate about 10 minutes of strength and power training, such as lunges, plyometrics (jumping), and stability training, which are all good for runners. — Reuters

Sunday

Leonids meteor shower to start peaking Monday evening


If the weather cooperates, skywatchers could get to see the Leonids meteor shower peak starting Monday evening, state astronomers from PAGASA said.

While PAGASA said this year's Leonids may not be as prolific as in past years, stargazers could still see about 10 meteors per hour during this time.

"One of the most prolific meteor showers is the Leonids. Its radiant is in the constellation of Leo and meteors from this shower can be seen over a period of about two days centered on approximately the early morning hours of November 18 in the eastern section of the sky," acting administrator Vicente Malano said.

He noted the Leonids meteor shower is created by debris left by the repeat passages through the inner solar system of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.

Relatively clear view

EarthSky.org said there could be a relatively clear view of the meteor shower as the "rather unobtrusive waning crescent moon won’t really dampen the view on the shower’s peak night."

It said that with no Leonid storm expected this year, there could be "about 10 to 15 meteors per hour at the peak, in the darkness before dawn."

"As with most meteor showers, the best time to watch the Leonids is usually between the hours of midnight and dawn. The expected peak night is November 17-18, and fortunately, the waning light of the lunar crescent moon won’t seriously jeopardize the view of this year’s production in the morning hours," it said.— Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Saturday

Skype launches browser-based app


Soon, people using Microsoft's Skype video conferencing platform need not download software for online chats, with the rollout of Skype for Web.

Currently in beta, the web version of Skype on Skype.com promises to run on modern browsers, Skype's Jonathan Watson said in a blog post.

"It’s perfect if you prefer using the web rather than an app: perhaps you’re sitting at a computer that doesn’t already have Skype downloaded. Or maybe you’re on the go and using an internet café or hotel computer whilst on vacation where you can’t download Skype at all. Using Skype for Web makes it more convenient to get to your conversations," Watson said.

"You can use Skype for Web without having to download an app before you get started, which means anyone new to Skype can get chatting even faster. Simply sign in to Skype for Web on Skype.com and you’ll be able to connect and start instant messaging directly from your browser," he added.

He said Skype for Web may be accessed not just from Microsoft's Internet Explorer, but also from Chrome on Windows, Firefox or Safari.

Those who sign in at Skype.com can access their contacts and latest conversation history from there.

"Once you’ve signed in on Skype.com, you can start instant messaging friends straight away. Making great quality voice or video calls is just as easy; simply press the call button to connect," he said.

For now, he said Skype for Web will be available to a few existing and new users, then roll out worldwide in the coming months.

On the other hand, he said users may need to install a small plugin to start a conversation.

Watson noted Skype has expanded from computers to mobile phones, TVs and even game consoles, and had logged more than two billion daily minutes or over 33 million hours of voice and video calls.

Known issues

The beta has some known issues, including:

- it works on Internet Explorer 10 and above and the latest versions of Chrome and Firefox for Windows. For Mac OS X, it works on Safari 6 and above.
- there is an issue with battery consumption when running Skype for Web on a Mac.
- outgoing Skype calls can take longer than normal to ring.

An article on tech site The Verge said Skype for Web could further expand Skype's reach, with WebRTC allowing devices like Google's Chromebooks to access Skype.  — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Friday

Global Markets: Stocks struggle after euro zone growth reports


LONDON - European stocks fell back on Friday and US stocks looked set to open flat after a mixed bag of euro zone growth numbers that showed France and Germany growing marginally but others like Italy still firmly in recession.

Asian stocks had fallen earlier on the latest signs that growth in China is also slowing and the European data confirmed that the outlook for much of the world economy still looks much shakier than for the United States.

Energy stocks were depressed as crude oil edged up from a near four-year low hit in Asian time and the Russian ruble, hammered in recent weeks as world oil prices fell, was down almost 1 percent, testing record lows around 48 per dollar.

Germany's economy eked out growth of 0.1 percent on the quarter, while France - generally seen as in deeper trouble than its neighbor - grew by 0.3 percent, helping the euro zone as a whole to grow 0.2 percent.

"The German number is slightly positive - in line with expectations, but it's still soft," said Patrick Jacq, a rate strategist at BNP Paribas in Paris.

"The (French) growth in Q3 is only driven by inventories. It's just a one-off positive figure in a very weak environment and therefore this is not something which could lead the market to think that the economic situation is improving in France."

European shares fell 0.4 percent, with traders saying a dip below an important technical barrier had helped spur a slump in Frankfurt mid-morning.. France performed better but was still 0.1 percent lower.

Telecom gear maker Nokia was among the big losers, down 5.6 percent as traders cited disappointment with the group's updated profit margin targets.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.2 percent, countered by a half-point rise in Tokyo.

A Reuters poll showed Japanese companies overwhelmingly want Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to delay or scrap a planned tax increase, a move expected to come along with a decision, expected by many, to call a new election.

The yen, down more than 3 percent against a stronger dollar this month, fell another half percent to a seven-year low of 116.385 yen per dollar.

"The argument is that delaying the sales tax hike means the impulse to CPI inflation will start to drop," said Alvin Tan, a currency strategist at French bank Societe Generale in London.

"If there's no additional sales tax hike, the impulse to higher inflation starts to fade away quite rapidly. So in order to push inflation higher, which is what everybody wants, you need the currency to weaken a lot more."

New chapter
The perception that the US economy is faring better than either Europe's or Japan's, and expectations that monetary policy there will tighten next year as a result, has helped push the dollar higher against both the euro and yen.

The euro was down 0.2 percent at $1.2429, inching back towards a two-year low of $1.2358 struck last Friday.

Oil edged up from an early four-year low below $77 a barrel, still pressured by excess supply and skepticism that OPEC would cut output at a meeting in two weeks.

The International Energy Agency, which usually refrains from predicting oil prices, said in its monthly report that prices could fall further in 2015 and pressure was building on OPEC to cut supply.

"It is increasingly clear that we have begun a new chapter in the history of the oil markets," the IEA, which advises the United States and other industrialized countries, said.

"Barring any new supply disruption, downward price pressures could build further in the first half of 2015."

Brent hit an intra-day low of $76.76 in Asian time but had recovered to trade at $78.52 as of 1248 GMT.

Global benchmark Brent is down from $115 in June and has dropped for eight weeks in a row, its longest weekly losing streak since records began in 1988, based on Reuters data. — Reuters

Thursday

Google celebrates Philae probe's comet landing with doodle


Google on Thursday (PHL time) celebrated the historic soft landing of the Philae robotic lander on a comet with one of its patented doodles.

Visitors to Google's home page (www.google.com) were greeted with an animated doodle highlighting the feat.

As in past doodles, clicking on the image will take the visitor to a Google Search Results page for the historic soft-landing.

The doodle, which marked the "Philae robotic lander land(ing) on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko," can be viewed worldwide.

An article on WebProNews.com said it did not take long for Google to "whip up a Doodle" to celebrate Philae's historic feat.

“After more than 10 years travelling through space, we’re now making the best ever scientific analysis of one of the oldest remnants of our Solar System,” it quoted Alvaro Giménez, ESA’s Director of Science and Robotic Exploration, as saying.

Rosetta, launched on March 2, 2014, traveled 6.4 billion kilometers through the Solar System before arriving at the comet last August. — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

The Joker returns with a new look for Batman #37


You can never keep a good villain down… Especially a certain Clown Prince of Crime who’s back with a new look and a vengeance to terrorize Gotham City and its Dark Knight.

After a brief hiatus since his last appearance in the pages of the “Death of the Family” storyline that ran from 2012 to 2013, Batman’s eternal arch-enemy in The Joker will be making his triumphant comeback to the pages of his adversary’s flagship title, which will happen in this coming December’s “Batman #37”.
The dreadful prankster’s return also comes with significant changes - with the most prominent being he sports a brand new look and redesign that’s fresh and cleaner than his recent look which saw him wearing his own rotting face as a “mask”.

Revealed by DC Comics via Hitflix (http://www.hitfix.com/news/exclusive-joker-returns-from-the-shadows-in-batman-endgame-37) and sporting a slick short haircut and a newly reconstructed face, the newest redesign of The Joker by the creative team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo is a testament to The Clown Prince of Crime’s wacky charm and unpredictable nature. Usually portrayed wearing a purple suit and seen wearing a mechanic’s uniform during the “Death of the Family” storyline, the new “Mistah J” sports a black suit to compliment his new makeover, which will most likely be explained during the events of the latest Batman storyline “Endgame”, which takes place after the events of the currently ongoing weekly series “Batman: Eternal”. In that story, Batman finds himself going toe-to-toe with his teammates from the Justice League, who have all been “Jokerized” and brainwashed to take down The Dark Knight for good.

Created by the trio of Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger, and Bob Kane, The Joker is widely considered to be the “anti-thesis” and perfect foil to Batman – in that he compliments the Dark Knight’s heroism and dedication to fight crime with his murderous antics and psychotic nature that leaves his victims dead with a smile on their face. Batman’s steadfast refusal to never take a life and take down criminals by the book has always given the Clown Prince of Crime his life purpose of pushing the Caped Crusader to his limits, and is largely responsible for several tragedies that have befallen Batman and his closest allies. 

The Joker is responsible for killing Jason Todd, the second Robin, Paralyzing Barbara Gordon/ Batgirl and leaving her as the wheelchair-bound information expert known as Oracle, and killing Commissioner Gordon’s second wife Sarah Essen Gordon in cold blood during the events of No Man’s Land.  Throughout the character’s near 75 year history in comics, The Joker has proven to be equally memorable as Batman himself, and is literally the part of the “Yin Yang” equation that makes Batman’s life come full circle.

Catch the new look of The Joker in the pages of Batman #37 when it is released on December 10 in comic book shops and participating retail stores worldwide. — TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Scientists scour the genomes of people who live past 110


WASHINGTON - How do some people live past 110 years old? Is it superior genes, clean living, good luck or some combination of those?

Scientists studying these "supercentenarians" said on Wednesday they sequenced the genomes of 17 people ages 110 to 116 to try to determine whether they possess genetic traits that may account for their membership in this exclusive club that worldwide includes only about 75 individuals, nearly all women.

"This marks the beginning of the search for key genes for extreme longevity," said Stuart Kim, a professor of developmental biology and genetics at Stanford University whose study was published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.

The answer was not so simple. The study did not identify a common genetic characteristic in them, and the findings underscored the idea that living to extreme old age may involve lots of factors, the researchers said.

"Our hope was that we would find a longevity gene," Kim said. "We were pretty disappointed."

The study was the first to look at the genomes of multiple supercentenarians. Three prior studies looked at the genomes of either one or two such people, Kim said.

The research involved 16 women and one man, all of whom lived in the United States. Fifteen were white, with one black and one Hispanic. All have died since the study began.

Kim said he believes there is a genetic underpinning to extreme longevity but it probably is not as simple as a single gene mutation that slows the aging process in certain people.

"These supercentenarians have a different clock where they are staying really highly functional for a long time. We wanted to know what they had. It's pretty clearly genetic," said Kim, who collaborated with Stephen Coles of the Gerontology Research Group and other researchers.

"The results indicate that the genetic effect must be complex. It must be many genes, or different genes in each supercentenarian, that gives them the edge to live an extremely long time," Kim added.

Kim said the 17 supercentenarians did not report obvious health habits that explain their longevity. As a group, he said, they did not have especially healthy eating or exercise habits.

"About half of them were smokers," Kim added.

Misao Okawa, a 116-year-old Japanese woman born in 1898, is recognized as the world's oldest person. At her birthday this year in Osaka, she credited sushi and sleep for her longevity.  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Wednesday

US urges IMF to cancel debt of Ebola-stricken countries


WASHINGTON - The United States on Tuesday proposed that the International Monetary Fund write off some $100 million in debt it is owed by Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to free up more resources for those countries, the hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak.

The debt relief should enable the three impoverished West African countries to spend more on government services and to support their economies as they cope with the devastating epidemic, U.S. Treasury officials told Reuters.

The countries now owe the IMF a combined $372 million, of which $55 million comes due over the next two years, officials said on condition of anonymity.

"The International Monetary Fund has already played a critical role as a first responder, providing economic support to countries hardest hit by Ebola," US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said in a statement issued to Reuters. "Today we are asking the IMF to expand that support by providing debt relief for Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea."

The US proposal must still be approved by the IMF's other 187 member countries. Lew will recommend the move to the Group of 20 leading economies at their meeting in Brisbane, Australia this week.

The United States proposed that the money for the $100 million in IMF debt relief should come from a special trust fund set up for poor countries coping with catastrophic natural disasters, which now contains about $150 million of the IMF's own resources.

The so-called Post-Catastrophe Debt Relief Trust was first used for Haiti in the aftermath of its 2010 earthquake.

In September, the IMF approved $130 million in aid to the three countries to help them deal with the economic impact from the Ebola virus, which has sapped their growth, cut into tax revenues and affected exports and other industries.

The IMF estimated last month that the three countries faced financing gaps of about $300 million this year and could also face large financing needs in 2015 as their economic situation deteriorates.

Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are among West Africa's poorest countries and the hardest hit by the worst Ebola epidemic since the disease was identified in 1976. The virus has killed at least 4,950 people out of about 13,240 cases this year, according to the World Health Organization.  — Reuters


Tuesday

Apple's new iMessage tool helps you get over your iPhone


Moving away from Apple's iPhone for one reason or another but worried you'll still get iMessages? Now, there's a tool for that.

Apple's new tool allows an iPhone owner to remove his or her phone number from Apple's proprietary iMessage system.

Users may log on to the deregister iMessage website and follow the on-screen instructions, and will have to enter a confirmation code to be sent to the phone.


Tech site The Verge said the site, first seen by a poster on Reddit, may help address a complaint by former iPhone users that they are not getting text messages from friends.

It turned out users who switched away from iOS but failed to disable iMessage first cannot see messages sent from Apple devices.

"If you don't switch devices often, the new tool may seem insignificant, but for those who often swap SIM cards into different devices for work, it should make the transition smoother," The Verge said. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Sunday

Microsoft’s 1st Nokia-free Lumia out Nov. 11 – report


Microsoft may unveil as early as November 11 its first Lumia phone minus the Nokia branding, a tech site reported this week.

Teaser shots hint no major design change for the Microsoft Lumia from past Nokia Lumia phones, The Next Web reported.

It said the only apparent changes include a Microsoft logo on the front "underneath the earpiece and in a stripe on the back."

Last month, Microsoft announced its new Lumia branding, following its acquisition of Nokia's mobile phone business.

On the other hand, The Next Web said details on the features of the first Microsoft-branded Lumia are still sketchy.

However, it cited a submission to Chinese regulators indicate specs such as a five-inch qHD display, a 1.2GHz processor, 1 GB RAM and 8 GB storage. — Joel Locsin/BM, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Saturday

Keira Knightley agrees to pose topless for magazine, on one condition


English actress Keira Knightley made a buzz after posing topless in a photo spread for Interview Magazine recently.

In an interview with the Times, the "Atonement" star explained her one condition for agreeing to the daring photo shoot: no Photoshop.

"I've had my body manipulated so many different times for so many different reasons, whether it's paparazzi photographers or for film posters," she said.

"That was one of the ones where I said: 'OK, I'm fine doing the topless shot so long as you don't make them any bigger or retouch.' Because it does feel important to say it really doesn't matter what shape you are.

"I think women's bodies are a battleground and photography is partly to blame."

While the toplesss photo have been online since August, her comments have drawn more attention to it this week. The spread was shot by photographer Patrick Demarchelier.

The actress has long been critical about how her photos have been manipulated in the past, telling Allure Magazine in 2012: "They always pencil in my boobs. I was only angry when they were really droopy... For King Arthur, for a poster, they gave me these really strange droopy tits. I thought, well if you're going to make me fantasy breasts, at least make perky breasts." — JST, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Friday

Oil prices down in Asian trade


Singapore – Oil prices fell in Asia Friday after the OPEC oil cartel slashed its longer-term global demand outlook, while a stronger dollar also weighed, analysts said. 

The benchmark US futures contract, West Texas Intermediate for December delivery, dropped 28 cents to $77.63 while Brent crude for December eased 40 cents to $82.46 in late-morning trade.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries  estimated in its annual world outlook Thursday that demand for its crude will fall from just above 30 million barrels per day in 2013 to 28.2 million in 2017, before starting to rise again.

The 12-nation group said the United States and Canada are the primary drivers of non-OPEC output
growth, in part due to shale-oil production.

Singapore's United Overseas Bank said "US and global crude prices resumed its decline" after the release of the report, adding to heavy losses earlier this week owing to price cuts by Saudi Arabia.

Prices were also under pressure from the stronger US dollar.

The US dollar bought ¥115.31 in late-morning Asian trade, from ¥115.16 in New York Thursday afternoon. The greenback has surged against the yen since last Friday, when the Bank of Japan ramped up its stimulus program.

A stronger greenback makes dollar-priced commodities like oil more expensive for buyers using weaker currencies, which in turn tends to hit demand and prices.

Investors are also keeping an eye on the release of October non-farm payrolls data Friday that is expected to paint an optimistic picture of the US economy.

Initial jobless claims fell 10,000 to 278,000 in the week ending November 1, the lowest level in 14 years, the US Labor Department said Thursday.

"The very positive weekly jobless claims data reinforced expectations for a potentially strong US October jobs report today which could bring forward rate hike expectations," UOB said. –  Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com