Morning Must Reads: October 21

Behind the Fear Outbreak

The almost-zero probability of acquiring Ebola in the U.S. often doesn’t register at a time of mass fear, and the country is in the midst of a national panic attack that has seen schools emptied, businesses temporarily shuttered and travelers from West Africa shunned

Oscar Pistorius Gets 5 Years

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday for the February 2013 killing of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Apple Bears Fruit in Fourth Quarter

The tech giant reported a 12.7% bump in fourth-quarter profit, beating analyst expectations, with strong sales of iPhones and Mac computers

Fashion Designer Oscar de la Renta Dies at Age 82

The world-renowned fashion designer passed away on Monday at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer, with which he was diagnosed in 2006. De la Renta shot to fame in the 1960s after he dressed First Lady Jackie Kennedy

Turkey Says It Helps Kurdish Fighters Enter Syria

Turkey claimed to help Iraqi Kurdish fighters cross into Syria to support others battling ISIS in the border town of Kobani, but activists said no forces had arrived by Monday evening, raising questions about whether the mission was really underway

2014 Could Be the Hottest Year on Record

The earth could be heading for its warmest year since measurements began, meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced on Monday. Last month was the warmest September in 135 years of record keeping

Toyota Announces U.S. Recall Over Faulty Passenger-Side Airbags

Toyota is warning hundreds of thousands of Americans who own its cars not to use the passenger seat until faulty airbags are repaired. On Monday, the automaker announced a fresh recall of 247,000 vehicles produced from 2001 to 2004

Banksy Parodies Girl With a Pearl Earring in New Mural

The famous and elusive street artist has parodied Johannes Vermeer’s famous Girl With a Pearl Earring in a new mural in the English city of Bristol. Banksy posted a picture of the work, reportedly titled Girl With a Pierced Eardrum, to his website

Amazon and Simon & Schuster Reach Deal Over E-Books

Amazon and Simon & Schuster have reached a multiyear agreement over the sale of print and digital books following the online retail giant’s falling out with the Hachette Book Group. The publisher will set its own prices for e-books, while Amazon will promote titles

Toys “R” Us ‘Breaks Bad’ With New Crystal Meth Toys

Parents aren’t happy that the toy retailer is selling drug dealer dolls, complete with bags of crystal meth and sacks of cash, a la Walter White in Breaking Bad. A petition for the chain to pull the dolls had attracted nearly 6,000 signatures by early Tuesday

Hong Kong’s Minorities Join Democracy Protests

Tens of thousands of Hong Kongers have flooded the streets since the end of September, demanding free elections in the Special Administrative Region of China. Among the crowds are many ethnic minorities, who insist that they, too, belong to the Umbrella Revolution

Guardians of the Galaxy Tunes to Get Cassette Release

The Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack is getting a rerelease on cassette on Nov. 17, giving film fans their own version of the 1970s mixtape that the film’s star, played by Chris Pratt, is never without. The Marvel film’s soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 over the summer

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