Seth Klarman's Baupost Group, one of the largest hedge funds in the world, reported in a new filing with the SEC increasing its exposure at Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:IDIX) to 36.9 million shares, from 26.8 million in its latest 13F. The upgraded stake amasses almost 27.6% of the company.

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Peter Kolchinsky's RA Capital Boosts Stake in Achillion to 21.2%

Paul Singer's Elliott Management Reports a 2.9% Stake in National Bank Holdings

Billionaire Ron Burkle Wants To Buy Morgans Hotel Group

Peter Kolchinsky and his hedge fund, RA Capital Management, boosted their position in Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACHN) to 21.2%, a filing with the SEC showed. RA now holds around 20.5 million shares of Achillion, up from 19.3 million disclosed in an earlier form 4 filing.

Disclosure: none

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Paul Singer's Elliott Management Reports a 2.9% Stake in National Bank Holdings

Fairfax Still Silent About BlackBerry With Deadline Approaching

Richard Perry's Perry Corp Decreases Stake in North American Energy Partners

In a new 13G filing, Paul Singer‘s Elliott Management reported a 2.9% position in National Bank Holdings Corp (NYSE:NBHC). Elliott owns now over 1.32 million shares of National Bank Holdings.

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Billionaire Ron Burkle Wants To Buy Morgans Hotel Group

Fairfax Still Silent About BlackBerry With Deadline Approaching

Richard Perry's Perry Corp Decreases Stake in North American Energy Partners

Billionaire Ron Burkle, after urging the board of Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ:MHGC) to sell the company earlier in October, decided to make a proposal to buy the company himself. According to a new filing with the SEC, Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Partners sent a letter to Morgans’ Board expressing its desire to purchase the company for $8.00 per share.

Here is the letter:

“Board of Directors:

We remain concerned about Morgans Hotel Group Co.'s lack of strategic direction and inability to unlock value for its shareholders. We agree with Kerrisdale Capital that it's in the best interest of shareholders to sell the company immediately. As you know, Kerrisdale has announced its intent to nominate a new slate of directors in 2014.

As permitted under Section 5.13(b) of the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated October 15, 2009, The Yucaipa Companies, LLC ("Yucaipa") would like to make a proposal to the Board to purchase the company. We would be willing to purchase the company for $8.00 per share subject to satisfactory due diligence assuming its current financial position, including all of its current debt obligations and cash balances with no material change as of the date of this letter. As a significant holder of preferred stock, warrants, and convertible notes, we know the company well and would be able to close a transaction expeditiously. We would encourage the company to seek other bids to see if it can get a higher price.

Yucaipa, including our investment in Morgans manages a substantial portfolio of hospitality-related assets with dedicated available resources to improve the operating performance of our companies. Our current portfolio includes Sydell Group, which operates the NoMad, Freehand and Saguaro brands, Soho House and Discovery Group. Through our investment platforms, Yucaipa's hospitality portfolio includes over 40 properties totaling approximately 4,300 rooms across the U.S. and Europe. We are confident that this platform could deliver synergistic value to Morgans under our ownership.

We look forward to further exploring this opportunity.”

Yucaipa Companies holds over 12.5 million shares of Morgans Hotel Group, with the stake representing 27.4% of the company.

Disclosure: none

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Fairfax Still Silent About BlackBerry With Deadline Approaching

Richard Perry's Perry Corp Decreases Stake in North American Energy Partners

George Soros Raises Position in Mercury Systems to 5%

In a context where America's spying devices are making President Obama's relationship with a wide range of governments around the world increasingly uncomfortable, the union representing German journalists advised its members to stop using Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ:YHOO).

It had been hardly more than a week since several sources published that Angela Merkel's phone was being tapped by the U.S. government, when a report denounced an intervention of both companies' web traffic by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and Britain's GCHQ. We can now be certain that the growing tension between Germany's chancellor and President Obama won't be disappearing soon. check out this fascinating video:

Who and Why?

It is the German Federation of Journalists, which has about 38,000 members, which decided to make a statement on the matter. It announced that it would stop using both Google and Yahoo! research tools and e-mail services.  According to the federation, these tools are easily replaceable by others, that don't affect the privacy of their users. "The searches made by journalists are just as confidential as the contact details of their sources and the contents of their communication with them," said Michael Konken, head of the union.

Respect for privacy seems to be a particularly sensitive issue in the country, where memories of Eastern Germany's secret police, the Stasi, are still pretty fresh. Don't know much about this? Check out the movie The Lives of Others.

After a very complicated year for BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) and its shareholders, the buyout proposed by a consortium led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd (OTCMKTS:FRFHF), the firm's biggest stockholder, seemed to be the best option for almost everyone involved -or this is what BlackBerry wanted investors to believe. However, since the bid, in late September shares have declined more than 10 percent and continued to fall today, after the news about Fairfax got out.

The holdings company had offered $4.7 billion to buy the shares of the device manufacturer and take it private. Nevertheless, according to the agreement, Fairfax can walk away from the deal and face no penalty, so uncertainty has been building up. Still, Barbara Stymiest, chair of the company's board of directors, gave assurance that "The special committee is seeking the best available outcome for the Company's constituents, including for shareholders."

Missed Opportunity at the Earning Call?

Friday, Fairfax held a conference call to discuss its third-quarter financial results, which came in pretty poor. Besides discussing its own financials, investors and analysts expected the company to provide an update on the BlackBerry takeover. However, this did not occur. Even further, when prompted, Prem Watsa – Fairfax's founder and CEO – just answered, "We cannot make any comments on Blackberry. We have a bid for the company so we really cannot make any more comments on it," and rapidly moved on to another subject.

On the bright side, the wait for news on the matter won't be much longer, as the due-diligence period established by the agreement expires Monday. But, since the offer made by Fairfax values shares at $9 each, and shares now trade under $8, backing out would seem more convenient (especially after Fairfax's last quarterly results).

Silver Linings

Despite sailing troubled waters, there has been one piece of good news for BlackBerry lately. A few days ago, its BBM messaging system was launched for the Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS platforms, and had great success during its first 24 hours, the app had more than 10 million downloads. Its popularity could be mostly attributed to its safety and efficiency levels, considerably better than most of its competitors'.

Despite all of its issues and the uncertainties that it faces, BlackBerry continues to innovate, having presented more than 35 patents during October. Check out this article – you´ll find three patents that prove that BlackBerry can keep innovating no matter who buys it.

Also, as of November, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), the largest carrier in the U.S., will sell the BlackBerry Z30 exclusively, for $200 –with a two-year contract. Check out the story here.

Google: Not everybody has the money to spend on the latest mobile phone in the market and consumers buying low-end phones often have to put up with a device that may not have features they would want in their gadget. The good news this Halloween is that buyers going for a less-expensive device will soon be able to enjoy Android 4.4 KitKat on their mobile phones, according to a report by Amir Efrati. Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has worked on its operating system to make it deliver even on mobile phones that are designed for the low-end market.

For more about Android 4.4 KitKat, take a look at this video before continuing with our story below:

Cheap and loaded
This would mean you can buy a cheap device and still enjoy those apps that were previously working on a more expensive phone. Apparently, Google recognized it had to address the fragmentation issue associated with Android 4.4 KitKat that stopped the latest version of apps to run on this operating system. Once this barrier was removed, it was easy for developers to use this not only for low-end phones but also on a range of wearable devices and next-generation television sets. The exact date of the launch of Android 4.4 KitKat has not been announced by Google yet but once launched it is expected to give tough competition to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) that is always ready with its next version of iOS.

Tough competition to Apple
It was only last month when Apple launched its latest iOS version, and already more than 75 percent of its devices are using this newly released operating system. It is also rumored that Android 4.4 KitKat will include three sensors that were not present in the older versions of this solution. These sensors are a step counter, step detector and geomagnetic rotation vector. These sensors are specifically designed for Gem or the much anticipated Android-based Smartwatch by Google. These sensors will also be used for other wearable devices, boosting this emerging niche market.

Cashless payment
The good news does not end here as this latest offering by Google will also allow users to make cashless payment thanks to the embedded NFC functionality. This technology will allow developers to enable mobile-phone owners to use their phones as credit cards and pay for their purchases at selected outlets accepting such payments.

Typically, new versions encourage developers to create new applications and it will be no different this time. Developers are already on the case and we should see applications that allow users of mobile phones and wearable devices to leverage their devices to control their television sets and switches at home. We should not have to wait long for this launch as holiday season is almost here – it's pretty certain that Kit Kat will come very soon.

Richard Perry‘s Perry Corp disclosed, in a newly amended filing, that it has reduced its exposure at North American Energy Partners Inc.(USA) (NYSE:NOA) to some 3.5 million shares, from 4.6 million reported in its latest 13F. The new position represents 9.71% of the company.

Disclosure: none

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George Soros Raises Position in Mercury Systems to 5%

Oz Management Initiates Position in Nu Skin Enterprises

Polar Securities Initiates Exposure in Global Defense & National Security

George Soros‘ Soros Fund Management, a couple of minutes ago, reported edging up its stake in Mercury Systems Inc (NASDAQ:MRCY). According to a new filing with the SEC, Soros now holds a passive stake that amasses around 1.67 million shares of the company, up from 1.27 million disclosed in its latest 13F. The upgraded position represents 5.02% of the company.

Disclosure: none

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Oz Management Initiates Position in Nu Skin Enterprises

Polar Securities Initiates Exposure in Global Defense & National Security

President and Fellows of Harvard College Sell Out of Cullen Agricultural

A new filing with the SEC showed that Daniel S. Och‘s fund, Oz Management, initiated exposure at Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS). Oz Management holds around 2.1 million shares of Nu Skin, which represent 3.54% of the company’s common stock.

Disclosure: none

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Polar Securities Initiates Exposure in Global Defense & National Security

President and Fellows of Harvard College Sell Out of Cullen Agricultural

James Flynn Reports a 4% Position in Cancer Genetics

Polar Securities, in a new filing with the SEC, disclosed initiating an 11.74% position in Global Defense & National Scrty Sys Inc (NASDAQ:GDEF), which went public last week. Polar Securities reported holding 1.13 million shares of the company.

Disclosure: none

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President and Fellows of Harvard College Sell Out of Cullen Agricultural

James Flynn Reports a 4% Position in Cancer Genetics

Phil Frohlich & Prescott Continue to Buy China Marine Food Group

In a newly amended 13G filing, the President and Fellows of Harvard College, an affiliate of Harvard Management Co., run by Jane Mendillo, disclosed closing out its entire stake in development stage company Cullen Agricultural Holding Corp. With this move, the fund joined Brian Taylor‘s Pine River Capital, which reported selling out its position a couple of weeks ago.

Disclosure: none

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James Flynn Reports a 4% Position in Cancer Genetics

Phil Frohlich & Prescott Continue to Buy China Marine Food Group

Hedge Fund Guru Donald Smith Increases Position in Alliance One to 10.26%

A new filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission has revealed that James E. Flynn, and his hedge fund Deerfield Management now hold a 4.01% stake in Cancer Genetics Inc (NASDAQ:CGIX). The new position in the equity portfolio of Deerfield contains 354,180 shares.

Disclosure: none

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Phil Frohlich & Prescott Continue to Buy China Marine Food Group

Hedge Fund Guru Donald Smith Increases Position in Alliance One to 10.26%

This Under-The-Radar Stock Could Save A Buffett Favorite Millions

Phil Frohlich and Prescott Group Capital Management continue their bullish streak in China Marine Food Group Ltd (NYSEMKT:CMFO). In a new form 4, Prescott reported acquiring 440,500 shares of the company, increasing its position to a total of 6.22 million shares. Prescott has been loading up on China Marine Food Group for a while now, raising its exposure from 3 million shares disclosed in its last 13F.

Disclosure: none

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Hedge Fund Guru Donald Smith Increases Position in Alliance One to 10.26%

Clint Carlson Gets Out of Boise Inc.

Sabby Management Initiates a 6.2% Stake in Delcath Systems

Donald Smith’s fund, Donald Smith & Co., disclosed in a newly amended filing with the SEC ownership of almost 9 million shares of Alliance One International, Inc. (NYSE:AOI), which represents a boost from 8.08 million shares disclosed in its latest 13F. Following the increase in the position, Donald Smith holds 10.26% of the company.

Disclosure: none

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This Under-The-Radar Stock Could Save A Buffett Favorite Millions

5 Little-Known Companies George Soros is Backing

Hedge Fund News: Dan Loeb, David Einhorn & Steven Cohen

Although you probably recognize Insider Monkey for our hedge fund coverage, we also monitor insider trading activity. Multiple empirical studies suggest that if you know where to look when corporate executives are buying stock in their respective companies, it is possible to return more than the broader indices. The potential for outperformance is more robust in the hedge fund world, yes, but it's still worth following insiders.

Jacobs and MTR Gaming

With that being said, let's run through some of the most prominent insider moves of the past week, beginning with Jeffrey Jacobs and MTR Gaming Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MNTG). Jacobs, who is the Chairman and CEO of Jacobs Entertainment, sent an updated merger proposal to MTR late last month, offering $30 million to public shareholders. This amount is 22% larger than the $24.6 million offered by Eldorado Resorts, which MTR had announced a merger with in September. The differential corresponds to $5.69 per share versus $5.15 per share.

Jacobs holds a significant position in MTR Gaming, reporting a 5.1 million share-stake in his last SEC filing, worth 18.1% of the company. He first offered to sell Jacobs Entertainment to MTR at the beginning of October, issuing a slideshow supporting his case (see the slides here). In his latest letter to MTR, Jacobs lists tax benefits, revenue diversification, lower cost of debt, and faster regulatory closing as a few of the main reasons why his proposal is more generous, in addition to the higher offer price.

Helix Energy

Offshore oil services provider Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc. (NYSE:HLX), meanwhile, saw its President and CEO buy in recently. Owen E. Kratz bought 50,000 shares at an average price of $23.05 each, upping his total holdings in Helix to 5.2 million shares worth $123.9 million of common stock. The CEO has indirect ownership of an additional 1 million shares via a limited partnership, bringing his total stake to 5.9% of the company. Helix shares are up a little under a percentage point since Kratz's latest purchase.

Coach

In a similar light, Coach, Inc. (NYSE:COH)'s CEO has also been buying lately. Lew Frankfort acquired 21,000 shares of the handbag and luggage retailer late last month at a price of $48.38 each. The purchase was worth about $1 million, and Frankfort's total holdings in Coach now amount to a little over $100 million; it was his first transaction since 2009. Since the buy, Coach stock is up 4.5%.

American Capital Agency

On October 30th, three American Capital Agency Corp.(NASDAQ:AGNC) insiders—Christopher Kuehl, Gary Kain and Peter Federico—bought shares between $21.56 and $21.71 apiece. American Capital Agency stock now trades a bit higher than these prices, but over the longer run, shares are down 33% in the past six months. It's possible that this trio of insiders is buying on the dip, and the 14.7% dividend yield is still stellar. We'll be watching this situation very closely, as companies with multiple insider buyers in such a short period of time offer the best piggybacking opportunities.

Disclosure: none

Most expensive airline tickets: Airplanes have made it easier than ever to reach any corner of the world in a matter of hours. But sometimes the cost of a single fare can seriously rock your budget, even if you're flying economy.

We would like to present you with a list we have compiled of the top 9 most expensive airline tickets in the world, in a style similar to our coverage of the world’s most expensive mobile phones.

We don't really know if anyone has booked one of the following flights, but all figures were generated by searching various airlines and trying out different destinations around the world. Only commercial flights were taken into account for the purposes of this countdown. They are all one-way tickets and trips to and from airports are not included in the cost.

The flight time indicator refers to time actually spent on a plane, without considering the layovers. Let's take a look.

Note: we realize that the tickets presented below do not represent the fastest way of getting from point A to point B, but all options in our countdown were generated by online airline booking services.

Check out the most expensive airline tickets on the following pages:

Most expensive medical schools: It is pretty much common knowledge that medical school in the US is rather expensive and that people who attend have the largest amounts of student debt. The good news, on the other hand, is that medical practitioners are also amongst the best paid professionals in the country, earning enough to pay out their student loans quite quickly.

But which are the most expensive medical schools?

We would like to present you with a list we have compiled of the top 10 most expensive medical schools in the US, based on their tuition and fees for the 2012-2013 academic year. It is important to note that other expenses, such as accommodation, books, and so on, are not taken into account, meaning that the real cost of attending one of these top medical schools is even higher.

The schools were ranked according to the statistics released by US News, in a style similar to our recap of the best business schools. All of the figures used are accurate as of June 30, 2013.

Massachusetts is the leading state with three out of the ten most expensive medical schools in the country, including the most expensive one – Tufts University in Somerville, near Boston. It is the second year in a row when Tufts' School of Medicine ranks as the most expensive one in the US. However, the high costs do not seem to impede the future doctors of our nation, as Tufts, along with Temple University in Philadelphia are among the leading medical schools in terms of student applications.

Apart from Tufts and Temple, other highlights include The College of Physicians and Surgeons from Columbia University, Harvard Medical School, and Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine. Let's take a look at the countdown.

Note: This countdown takes into account only private medical schools in the US. In addition, other medical schools in the US that do not meet US News' ranking criteria were excluded from the countdown as well.

Check out the most expensive medical schools on the following pages:

Since the unprecedented crash of 2008, U.S. markets have struggled to make up lost ground. After five years, the economy has finally started to pick up steam – slowly, but surely. And as the economy continues to pick up its pace, many investors are returning to the corner of the market that was one of the primary sources of the 2008 financial crisis: housing. Across the board, housing stats have been on the rise in recent years, including home prices, housing starts, building permits, and construction. A closer look at the industry in recent months, however, reveals several red flags [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Land Prices Could Hinder Recovering Housing Market

In 2012, investors saw new home sales skyrocket, while residential construction spending also increased relatively quickly. Housing starts, however, have declined slightly in recent months; falling from roughly 43 thousand units in April to 35 thousand in August:

According to analysts, the recent slowdown in new home building goes hand-in-hand with the sudden increase in land prices, as land typically accounts for up to 40% of building costs. Lot prices began gaining traction in late 2011, fueled by increased demands for new homes and a shortage of lots across the country. Nationally, land prices rose roughly 7% in Q1 of 2013. But by the second and third quarter, prices gained approximately 6% and 4%, respectively [see Caterpillar's Earnings Highlight Mining Industry's Challenges].

As homebuyers began to balk at the unsustainable rise in new home prices, demand quickly retreated during the summer months of 2013. As a result, construction companies have started reevaluating how much they are willing to pay for land. Land prices, consequently, have lost some momentum over the past two quarters, but according to Larry Seay, CFO of Meritage Homes Corp (NYSE:MTH). "It is good for the industry to take a little breather, let the land market moderate and get to a more normal rate of growth and house-price appreciation."

What To Watch

Though the recent pullback in new home sales and land prices may not signal a turning point in the housing market, investors should keep a close eye on these metrics. In addition, there are several commodities and commodity producers that may be impacted by these headwinds [see Q&A With Peter Schiff: Silver Looking Golden].