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Oprah’s Most Favorite Things List 2013

Lisa.Felice
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Oprah’s Most Favorite Things List 2013

As the holiday season is coming, Oprah Winfrey reveals her “Most Favorite Things” list for 2013.

This year, Oprah Winfrey shares the amazing O, The Oprah Magazine December cover with one of her most favorite things – comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

Jimmy Kimmel, who is dressed like an elf, dutifully goes to work on the 15 ft. train of Oprah Winfrey’s stunning White by Vera Wang gown exclusively for David’s Bridal. The incredible red, rosette gown took 10 people to make for a total of 100 hours of work, and weighs a whopping 25 pounds.

Oprah Winfrey reveals her "Most Favorite Things" list for 2013
Oprah Winfrey reveals her “Most Favorite Things” list for 2013

As for the items on this year’s coveted list, Oprah Winfrey’s picks range from a $500 Truffle Risotto gift box curated by Per Se chef Thomas Keller – which she plans to give to Rita Wilson this year – to Modern House Red Wine bottles which retail for only $13 each and are available at Target. Notable tech gadgets on the list include the Kindle Paperwhite ($119), Beats Studio Headphones ($300) and a Qook Touch Kitchen Tablet that already comes pre-loaded with 1,000 recipes searchable by ingredient, with videos that show readers exactly how the food is supposed to look.

Other standout items that women will undoubtedly want their hands on this year include an $85 Butter London nail polish set, a $225 Nest Fragrances Holiday Candle which according to her BFF Gayle, “smells just like Christmas,” and a $136 set of Pickwick & Weller T-shirts co-designed by Ashton Kutcher.

Despite the pricey nature of some of the items on this list, Oprah Winfrey stresses that holiday gift-giving is never about the price.

This year, 12 readers will get to take home all of the items on Oprah’s Most Favorite Things list through her 12-Day Holiday Give-O-Way sweepstakes.

Click here to see all 60 of Oprah’s Most Favorite Things for 2013.

Top 20 Adobe most popular passwords

Nancy Clayson
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Top 20 Adobe most popular passwords

According to an Adobe data analysis, “123456” was the most popular password among its millions of users.

Recently, Adobe users’ details were stolen during an attack on the company.

About 1.9 million people used “123456” sequence, according to analysis of data lost in the leak.

Online copies of the data have let security researchers find out more about users’ password-creating habits.

The analysis suggests that many people are making it easy for attackers by using easy-to-guess passwords.

On October 4, Adobe reported that its systems had been penetrated by attackers who had stolen the online credentials for millions of its users.

Early reports suggested about 2.9 million records had been compromised.

On October 30, this figure was revised; with Adobe saying information about 38 million active users had gone astray.

In total, information about more than 150 million accounts was stolen – but many of the other accounts were disused, abandoned or duplicates.

Adobe has now shut down all the compromised accounts, saying it will only reopen them once passwords have been changed.

Adobe users’ details were stolen during an attack on the company
Adobe users’ details were stolen during an attack on the company

Copies of the data that was exposed by the breach have begun circulating online and inspired security researcher Jeremi Gosney to go through it working out which password was most popular.

Top of the list, with 1.9 million entries, was the “123456” string of numbers. Second was the slightly longer “123456789” sequence.

Other popular easy-to-guess passwords included “adobe123”, “qwerty” and “password”.

Jeremi Gosney said the results of the analysis should be treated with caution because, so far, no-one had access to the keys that Adobe used to encrypt the data.

However, he added, flaws in the way Adobe had stored and encrypted passwords along with clues in the giant file of data had made it possible to draw up a list that he was “fairly confident” was accurate.

Computer security researchers who study password-creating habits have also seized on the data dump as a way to refine the word lists they use to attack login systems in a bid to make them more secure.

Lists of passwords and email addresses are a boon to attackers not just because they can be used to get access to the systems they were supposed to secure. Many people re-use the same password for different services potentially giving attackers a way into other networks.

Top 20 passwords

  • 123456
  • 123456789
  • password
  • adobe123
  • 12345678
  • qwerty
  • 1234567
  • 111111
  • photoshop
  • 123123
  • 1234567890
  • 000000
  • abc123
  • 1234
  • adobe1
  • macromedia
  • azerty
  • iloveyou
  • aaaaaa
  • 654321

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2013: Route and lineups

Sonia Pantiss
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Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2013: Route and lineups

The 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returns to kick-off this year’s holidays with its giant balloons, floats of fancy, marching bands, celebrities and, of course, Santa Claus.

Duck Dynasty cast will join Goo Goo Dolls, Kristen Chenoweth, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Sharon Jones, The Dap Kings, and Gavin DeGraw for this year’s parade.  Jimmy Fallon will also make an appearance along with NFL Legend Joe Namath.  There will also be performances by the Radio City Rockettes and Broadway’s best musicals including “Matilda,” “Motown” and more.   The Big Apple Circus, Sesame Street and Cirque du Soleil will also get into the act.

On Thursday, November 28, the newest Snoopy balloon will take flight along with his pal Woodstock marking another record-setting stint in the holiday spectacle. The Charles M. Schulz classic comic character will soar in his 37th Macy’s Parade, cementing Snoopy’s long-standing record for most appearances and most balloon versions, seven in total since the 1960s.

A mythical dragon will also spotted over the skies of New York City.  Toothless, the star of Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon will be joining an incredible lineup of giant helium-filled balloons.

Also, this Thanksgiving the beauty and majesty of the sea will come to life on the streets of New York as SeaWorld’s A Sea of Surprises float debuts.

The 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returns to kick-off this year’s holidays
The 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returns to kick-off this year’s holidays

The Minions of Despicable Me 2 are also set to create mayhem aboard their new float this November that will surely delight parade fans from around the country.  The 33-foot long bake shop-themed float will feature 3-1/2 foot tall cupcakes.

The parade will also honor the 75th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz with a 47-foot hot air balloon featuring Dorothy and other characters from the classic film.

From new giant characters helium balloons including Paul Frank’s iconic monkey Julius and Sonic the Hedgehog, to out-of–this world floats including Zhu-niverse and Frozen Fall Fun, the magic begins at the sound of Let’s Have A Parade. This iconic phrase has catapulted gaggles of clowns, exciting performance groups, pulse-pounding marching bands, celebrities and the one-and-only Santa Claus down the streets of Manhattan for 87 years of unrivaled wonder.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will step-off at 77th Street and Central Park West. The procession will travel down to Columbus Circle, turn onto Central Park South and march down a new path via 6th Avenue/Avenue of the Americas to 34th Street. At 34th Street, the Parade will make its final turn west and end at 7th Avenue in front of Macy’s Herald Square. This incredible cavalcade will make its way down 6th Avenue, a broader, more accessible path that marks only the seventh time the Parade has changed its route.

The parade will begin at 9 a.m. and end at noon.

A Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere, the motto of the Macy’s parade has stood for 86 years and will continue to usher in the season of joy for years to come.

More information on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is available to the general public at www.macys.com/parade or via the Parade Hotline at (212) 494-4495.

To view the balloons being filled with helium click here.

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Duck Dynasty family joins Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty family joins Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Macy’s has revealed the lineup for its 87th Annual Thanksgiving Day which includes everything from circus acts to singers, Broadway to Duck Dynasty cast.

The bearded Robertson family from the wildly popular A&E show, which chronicles a business that makes products for duck hunters, will appear at the parade as well as Ariana Grande, Kristin Chenoweth, Jimmy Fallon, Fall Out Boy and numerous other acts.

The bearded Robertson family from Duck Dynasty will appear at the 87th Annual Thanksgiving Day
The bearded Robertson family from Duck Dynasty will appear at the 87th Annual Thanksgiving Day

Hosts Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie of Today show will introduce rock acts including Fall Out Boy, Goo Goo Dolls and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the network said. Both the Big Apple Circus and Cirque du Soleil will be on hand, as well as performers as disparate as the Cherokee National Youth Choir and Richard Simmons. Others include the Muppet family of Sesame Street.

The first hour of the 9 a.m.-to-noon telecast will feature Carrie Underwood and members of the cast of NBC’s The Sound of Music Live!. Following tradition, the Radio City Rockettes will perform, and cast members of Broadway musicals will sing selections from Matilda, Motown: The Musical and other shows.

US Election 2013: New Jersey and Virginia to pick governors

Diane A. Wade
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US Election 2013: New Jersey and Virginia to pick governors

US voters are heading to the polls in the first major round of elections since President Barack Obama won a second term one year ago.

In New Jersey and Virginia, voters will pick governors.

New York City is choosing a successor to three-term Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican-turned-independent.

Tuesday’s races are seen as an early test of the Republican and Democratic parties’ strengths ahead of next year’s critical congressional elections.

In New York City, Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has taken a commanding lead in opinion polls over Republican Joe Lhota, a former senior official in the mayoral administrations of Michael Bloomberg and his predecessor Rudolph Giuliani.

Bill de Blasio, the city’s public advocate, ran Hillary Clinton’s 2000 Senate campaign. He is seen as one of the most liberal mayoral candidates in decades.

Under Michael Bloomberg, Joe Lhota ran the city’s public transport authority. He was lauded for quickly getting the vast subway system running again after a huge storm Sandy flooded swathes of the city last year.

In New Jersey, incumbent Republican Governor Chris Christie is expected to win re-election handily.

US voters are heading to the polls in the first major round of elections since President Barack Obama won a second term one year ago
US voters are heading to the polls in the first major round of elections since President Barack Obama won a second term one year ago

His Democratic challenger, state Senator Barbara Buono, has struggled to gain traction.

Analysts say Chris Christie’s popularity with voters in Democratic-leaning New Jersey makes him a contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, because it could enable him to claim broad political appeal.

Chris Christie, 51, was already a popular figure when Sandy devastated the state’s coastline a year ago. His response to the storm attracted national attention.

He has been campaigning across the state since last week, even as polls suggested he had an advantage of at least 20 points on Barbara Buono.

While many in New Jersey support her positions, she has had difficulty raising money, even from Democrats, because of her relatively low profile.

The Virginia governor race pits Democrat Terry McAuliffe against Republican Ken Cuccinelli.

Terry McAuliffe is a businessman and veteran Democratic party fundraiser. He has close ties to former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, serving as chairman of her 2008 presidential campaign.

Ken Cuccinelli, the Virginia attorney general, has angled for the support of the hardcore conservative Tea Party movement of Republicans.

Terry McAuliffe, who has raised much more money, has sought to link Ken Cuccinelli to last month’s partial shutdown of the federal government, which was brought about by Republicans in Washington DC.

Virginia, long a Republican stronghold, has seen a demographic shift in recent years. Barack Obama, a Democrat, won the state in the last two presidential elections.

The results of Tuesday’s polls could prove an early measure of the parties’ support ahead of the midterm elections of 2014, which will decide the make-up of the House of Representatives, one-third of the Senate, and the governorships in more than half the states.

In Washington, Barack Obama’s Democratic party controls the Senate, while the Republicans hold sway in the House of Representatives.

Now in his second term, Barack Obama will vacate the presidency in 2017.

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New York City election 2013: Bill de Blasio takes commanding lead over Joe Lhota in opinion polls

Diane A. Wade
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New York City election 2013: Bill de Blasio takes commanding lead over Joe Lhota in opinion polls

New York City is choosing a successor to three-term Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican-turned-independent.

Tuesday’s races are seen as an early test of the Republican and Democratic parties’ strengths ahead of next year’s critical congressional elections.

In New York City, Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has taken a commanding lead in opinion polls over Republican Joe Lhota
In New York City, Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has taken a commanding lead in opinion polls over Republican Joe Lhota

In New York City, Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has taken a commanding lead in opinion polls over Republican Joe Lhota, a former senior official in the mayoral administrations of Michael Bloomberg and his predecessor Rudolph Giuliani.

Bill de Blasio, the city’s public advocate, ran Hillary Clinton’s 2000 Senate campaign. He is seen as one of the most liberal mayoral candidates in decades.

Under Michael Bloomberg, Joe Lhota ran the city’s public transport authority. He was lauded for quickly getting the vast subway system running again after a huge storm Sandy flooded swathes of the city last year.

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How Wisconsin skydivers and pilots escape as their planes crash in midair

Nancy Clayson
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How Wisconsin skydivers and pilots escape as their planes crash in midair

Nine skydivers and two pilots escaped as their planes crashed in midair, turning one of the aircraft into a “fireball”.

Four skydivers were preparing to jump when their plane collided with another, carrying five skydivers, at 12,000ft in the state of Wisconsin.

All the skydivers safely jumped. One pilot ejected with a parachute and the other safely landed the second plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating Saturday’s near tragedy.

All of the skydivers were either instructors or coaches who have completed hundreds of previous jumps.

Nine skydivers and two pilots escaped as their planes crashed in midair
Nine skydivers and two pilots escaped as their planes crashed in midair

Instructor Mike Robinson, 64, said that he and three other skydivers had climbed out on to the step of the Cessna 182 in preparation for their jump.

“We were just a few seconds away from having a normal skydive when the trail plane came over the top of the lead aircraft and came down on top of it,” he said.

“It turned into a big flash fireball, and the wing separated. All of us knew we had a crash. The wing over our head was gone, so we just left.”

Mike Robinson watched as the aircraft fell in pieces from the sky.

The pilot of the plane, who ejected with a parachute that could not be steered, suffered minor injuries.

The second pilot landed the plane safely at Richard I Bong Airport, Douglas County.

A witness on the ground told the Duluth News Tribune he heard a “boom and looked up and there’s a fireball and smoke”.

Braydon Kurtz said one plane “was circling down and one was going down straight”.

Mike Robinson said while everyone responded professionally and quickly, they were lucky to have been in place to jump when the collision happened.

“It might’ve been a lot worse,” he said.

“Everybody, to a person, responded just as they should, including the pilots.”

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Myriad Genetics prostate cancer test may avoid unnecessary operations

Kathryn R. Bown
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Myriad Genetics prostate cancer test may avoid unnecessary operations

A new prostate cancer test can predict how aggressive a tumor is and could spare men unnecessary operations, researchers suggest.

Early data, presented at the National Cancer Research Institute conference, suggests a genetic test can tell apart aggressive and slow-growing tumors.

A big challenge in treating the cancer is knowing whether surgery to remove the gland is needed.

Cancer charities said a successful test would be a “game-changer”.

A new prostate cancer test can predict how aggressive a tumor is and could spare men unnecessary operations
A new prostate cancer test can predict how aggressive a tumor is and could spare men unnecessary operations

The decision to remove the prostate is based on an examination of a tumor sample under the microscope.

However, the procedure has significant side-effects such as infertility, difficulty maintaining and keeping an erection and uncontrolled urinating.

The commercial test, developed by Myriad Genetics, but independently assessed by Queen Mary University of London, looks at the activity level of genes inside a sample of the tumor.

If 31 genes involved in controlling how cells divide are highly active, it indicates the cancer is aggressive.

Michelle Knight reveals her ordeal in Ariel Castro’s house on Dr Phil

Nancy Clayson
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Michelle Knight reveals her ordeal in Ariel Castro’s house on Dr Phil

Michelle Knight, who was held in Ariel Castro’s Cleveland home for about a decade, says an orange extension cord was used to tie her neck, hands and feet and hang her “like a fish”.

The revelation was made in some pre-released clips from a taped interview that will air Tuesday and Wednesday on the Dr. Phil TV talk show.

“I was tied up like a fish, an ornament on the wall,” Michelle Knight told the TV host in a clip released to media.

“That’s the only way I can describe it.”

“I was hanging like this,” she said, using her finger to draw a swooping U-shape curve in the air.

In another interview clip posted on the show’s YouTube channel, Knight said she was told she’d be punished after she tried to pick a lock and escape. She also said her mouth was taped at one point so she wouldn’t yell.

Michelle Knight, who was held in Ariel Castro’s Cleveland home for about a decade, says an orange extension cord was used to tie her neck, hands and feet and hang her “like a fish”
Michelle Knight, who was held in Ariel Castro’s Cleveland home for about a decade, says an orange extension cord was used to tie her neck, hands and feet and hang her “like a fish”

The show has said Michelle Knight discusses physical, mental and s**ual abuse and torture she endured during captivity, including spending weeks in chains, with the celebrity psychologist host, Phil McGraw.

Michelle Knight was kidnapped in August 2002, when she was 20.

Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus escaped from Ariel Castro’s house on May 6 when Berry pushed out a door and called for help. She has been the most public of the kidnap victims since then, including a visit to Ariel Castro’s neighborhood before his home was demolished.

Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus plan to collaborate with a Pulitzer Prize-winning team of Washington Post reporters for a book about their ordeal.

Ariel Castro, 53, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

Michelle Knight was the only victim to appear at Ariel Castro’s sentencing.

A month into his sentence, Ariel Castro was found dead in his cell.

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Black Friday 2013: Wal-Mart already offering deals on its website

Nancy Clayson
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Black Friday 2013: Wal-Mart already offering deals on its website

Shoppers who browse the digital aisles at Wal-Mart’s website can get a jump start on their holiday shopping.

Wal-Mart is already making a number of so-called “Black Friday” deals on electronics available through its website. Included in the early digital discounts are sharp savings on seven tablet computers and TVs, as well as holiday pricing for 300 other items, The Associated Press notes.

The early deals come as Wal-Mart looks to get a leg up on rivals in what is expected to be a highly competitive holiday shopping season. At least one big-screen TV will be marked down by 36% in one of the seven top deals. In another deal, a tablet will see a 51% discount.

Wal-Mart is already making a number of so-called "Black Friday" deals on electronics available through its website
Wal-Mart is already making a number of so-called “Black Friday” deals on electronics available through its website

This year’s early discounts follow 100 deals offered on the day after Halloween last year, though those offers were confined to home products.

A Wal-Mart executive indicated that the decision to offer the seven electronics deals was made last month. He noted that a challenging economy was pressuring consumers to start looking for deals as soon as possible.

Retailers are feeling uncertain about the upcoming shopping season, with some cutting back on the number of seasonal workers they hire.

Industry experts say that the pressure of a tight economy will force retailers to eventually abandon Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales in the rush to attract customers earlier in the season.

Irene Kane dies of pancreatic cancer at 74

Sonia Pantiss
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Irene Kane dies of pancreatic cancer at 74

Actress Irene Kane has died in New York of pancreatic cancer at the age of 74.

Irene Kane was best known for her female lead in Stanley Kubrick’s 1955 film Killer’s Kiss.

The actress, who later co-authored celebrity autobiographies under her married name Chris Chase, played a dancer who falls for a boxer in Stanley Kubrick’s crime drama.

Irene Kane would later say it was “a silly movie” that had been made “with no money [and] no names”.

Irene Kane, who died on October 31, went on to appear on Broadway and on television before moving into journalism.

Irene Kane was best known for her female lead in Stanley Kubrick's 1955 film Killer's Kiss
Irene Kane was best known for her female lead in Stanley Kubrick’s 1955 film Killer’s Kiss

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Irene Kane’s family declined to confirm her age at the time of her death. However, according to Wikipedia website, Irene Kane was born on January 12, 1939.

The former model was married in 1962 to television producer Michael Chase, the son of Pulitzer-winning playwright Mary.

Irene Kane went on to co-author the autobiographies of actress Rosalind Russell, comedian Alan King and one-time First Lady Betty Ford.

Stanley Kubrick, whose later films would include Dr. Strangelove, 2001: a Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange and The Shining, died in 1999.

Lou Reed will: Velvet Underground frontman leaves his estate to wife and family

Sonia Pantiss
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Lou Reed will: Velvet Underground frontman leaves his estate to wife and family

Lou Reed, who died after complications from a liver transplant on October 27, has left his estate to his wife and other relatives, his will has revealed.

The former Velvet Underground frontman left his Manhattan penthouse, his home in East Hampton, New York, and the bulk of his estate to his wife, musician Laurie Anderson.

Lou Reed’s sister inherited about a quarter of his estate and a $500,000 bequest to care for their mother.

Lou Reed was 71 and had no children.

Lou Reed has left his estate to his wife and other relatives
Lou Reed has left his estate to his wife and other relatives

The rocker married long-time partner Laurie Anderson in 2008.

The Velvet Underground became renowned for their fusion of art and music and for collaborating with Andy Warhol.

Although the band never achieved commercial success during the 1960s, their influence on music in later decades was widely recognized.

The glam, punk and alternative rock movements of the 1970s, 80s and 90s were all indebted to Reed, whose songs were covered by the likes of REM, Bowie, Nirvana, Patti Smith and countless others.

After quitting The Velvet Underground in 1970, Lou Reed released his self-titled debut in 1972, but it wasn’t until the Bowie-produced LP Transformer later that year that he achieved chart success.

Perfect Day enjoyed a revival in 1996 when it was featured in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting..

As a solo artist, Lou Reed released 20 studio albums. His last, Hudson River Wind Meditations, was released in 2007.

Giant platypus fossil discovered in Queensland

James J. Williams
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Giant platypus fossil discovered in Queensland

Scientists have unearthed a part of a giant platypus fossil in Queensland, Australia.

They have dubbed the beast “platypus-zilla” and believe it would have measured more than 3ft-long.

Writing in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, the researchers say the creature lived between five and 15 million years ago.

The discovery suggests the evolutionary back-story of today’s platypus is more complicated than was thought.

Prof. Mike Archer, from the University of New South Wales, said: “Suddenly up pops <<playtpus-zilla>> – this gigantic monstrosity that you would have been afraid to swim with.

“It indicates there are branches in the platypus family tree that we hadn’t suspected before.”

Today, all that survives of this platypus is a single fossilized tooth, which was unearthed in the Riversleigh fossil beds in northwest Queensland.

Based on its size, the researchers have estimated that the new species (Obdurodon tharalkooschild) would have been at least twice as large as today’s platypus.

Scientists have unearthed a part of a giant platypus fossil in Queensland
Scientists have unearthed a part of a giant platypus fossil in Queensland

Bumps on its teeth and other fossil finds nearby suggest that the creature feasted on crustaceans, turtles, frogs and fish.

Although the area where the molar was found is a desert, millions of years ago it would have been covered in forest. The researchers think the beast would have spent its time in and around freshwater ponds.

Prof. Mike Archer said that with just one tooth, it was difficult to work out exactly what this species would have looked like.

However, other fossils suggest that it could have shared the same bizarre appearance as today’s platypuses, with their duck-like bills, large webbed feet and poisonous spurs. But this would have been on a much large scale.

“I guess it probably would have looked like a platypus on steroids,” he said.

Fossil platypus finds are in short supply, with just a few fragments found throughout the southern hemisphere.

As a result, there are many gaps in our understanding of the creature’s past.

Prof. Mike Archer said: “We have been naively led to suspect that maybe it was just one lineage of strange animals bumbling its way through time and space at least for the last 60 million years.

“The discovery of this new one was a bit of a shock to us. It was a wake-up call that the platypus’s story, the more we know about it, is increasingly more complicated than we thought.”

The researchers are now hoping to find more platypus fossils in the same area to try and shed more light these enigmatic Australian animals.

Democratic Republic of Congo claims victory over M23 rebels

Roy Siemens
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Democratic Republic of Congo claims victory over M23 rebels

The Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed victory over M23 rebels in the east of the country.

A government spokesman said the last remaining rebels had either fled across the border or surrendered and their weapons had been destroyed overnight.

The M23 have not publicly commented on the claim. Kinshasa earlier rejected rebel calls for a truce.

At least 800,000 people have fled their homes since the conflict began in 2012.

Last week, the UN special envoy to DR Congo, Martin Kobler, said the group was all but finished as a military threat in DR Congo.

The UN has regularly accused Rwanda and Uganda of supporting the M23 although both governments deny the allegation.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed victory over M23 rebels in the east of the country
The Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed victory over M23 rebels in the east of the country

Last week government forces captured Bunagana, the main base of the M23 on the DR Congo-Uganda border.

But clashes continued on Monday and rebels shelled the town, killing four people. The violence prompted thousands of people to flee into Uganda.

The fighting came a day after M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa called for a ceasefire to “allow the continuation of the political process”.

Bertrand Bisimwa urged rebel commanders to “ensure the strict observance of this order”.

But Kinshasa rejected the call.

Government forces backed by the UN captured the strategic hilltop of Mbuzi above Bunagana on Monday, then targeted the remaining hilltops where rebels were holed out.

African leaders meeting on Monday in the South African capital, Pretoria, called on the M23 rebels to declare publicly an end to their insurgency.

A statement released after the summit said if they did so a peace agreement could be signed in five days’ time.

Peace talks broke down last month in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, following two months of negotiations.

M23 rebel group, made up of army deserters who are mainly ethnic Tutsis, was named after a 23 March 2009 peace deal signed by the government and a former militia. The rebels accused the government of failing to live up to the terms of the agreement.

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North Korea admits submarine chaser No 233 sinking

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea admits submarine chaser No 233 sinking

In a rare admission of military failure, North Korea has revealed that one of its warships sank last month, killing a number of sailors.

North Korean state media reported a visit by leader Kim Jong-un to a naval cemetery for the crew of “submarine chaser No 233”.

Photographs showed Kim Jong-un surrounded by more than a dozen gravestones inscribed with the date October 13.

The report said the vessel had been performing combat duties but gave no more information about what happened.

Kim Jong-un visit to a naval cemetery for the crew of submarine chaser No 233
Kim Jong-un visit to a naval cemetery for the crew of submarine chaser No 233

“Submarine chaser No 233 fell while performing combat duties in mid-October,” state news agency KCNA said.

Images showed Kim Jong-un, accompanied by several officials, visiting a memorial which included multiple gravestones with images inscribed on them.

North Korea has a large military but much of its equipment is believed to be old and out of date.

Reports in South Korean media, citing unidentified sources, suggested age of submarine chaser could have been a factor in the sinking.

These reports said the incident was believed to have taken place off Wonsan, on the east coast of the Korean peninsula, during an exercise.

India launches its first mission to Mars

James J. Williams
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India launches its first mission to Mars

India is preparing to launch its first robotic spacecraft towards Mars.

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) will lift off at 09:08 GMT atop an Indian-built rocket from Sriharikota.

If launch goes well, the spacecraft is set to travel for 300 days and should reach Mars orbit in September 2014.

India is preparing to launch its first robotic spacecraft towards Mars
India is preparing to launch its first robotic spacecraft towards Mars

If all goes well and the satellite orbits the Red Planet, India’s space agency will become the fourth in the world after those of the US, Russia and Europe to undertake a successful Mars mission.

A 56-hour countdown to the launch began on Sunday.

Some observers are viewing the launch of the MOM, also known by the informal name of Mangalyaan (Mars-craft), as the latest salvo in a burgeoning space race between the Asian powers of India, China, Japan, South Korea and others.

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Michelle Knight singing for her son at Cleveland’s Boo-You-Bash

Nancy Clayson
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Michelle Knight singing for her son at Cleveland’s Boo-You-Bash

Cleveland kidnapping survivor Michelle Knight performed Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On in honor of her son Joe at Boo-You-Bash event.

Her son was taken away from her before she was kidnapped by Ariel Castro. It’s not known if Michelle Knight has been reunited with her son since her escape from captivity.

Michelle Knight performed Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On in honor of her son Joe at Boo-You-Bash event
Michelle Knight performed Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On in honor of her son Joe at Boo-You-Bash event

Michelle Knight, now 32, performed at Cleveland’s Boo-You-Bash on October 12. The video was recorded by Broco-El-Unico.

Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were held captive by Ariel Castro for over a decade. They escaped from his Seymour Avenue house on May 6.

Ariel Castro had been sentenced to life in prison, plus 1,000 years, but committed suicide in prison on September 3.

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Michelle Knight height is 4 ft 7 in

Nancy Clayson
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Michelle Knight height is 4 ft 7 in

Michelle Knight, one of three women who survived more than a decade of captivity in Ariel Castro’s Cleveland house, was so emaciated that the rescuing police officer initially thought she was a little girl.

She was also so scared that during her rescue she had trouble breathing.

Michelle Knight is physically the smallest of the three women held captive by Ariel Castro
Michelle Knight is physically the smallest of the three women held captive by Ariel Castro

She is physically the smallest of the three women held captive by Ariel Castro.

Michelle Knight is said to be about 4 feet and 7 inches tall.

According to their missing persons’ flyers, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus are said to to have a height of between 5 ft 1 in to 5 ft 3 in.

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Cher makes joke about Sonny Bono during Facebook Q&A session

Lisa.Felice
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Cher makes joke about Sonny Bono during Facebook Q&A session

During a Facebook Q&A session with Cher last week, fans asked all about the singer’s past, including her personal life and her marriage to the late Sonny Bono.

Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident in 1998 after the couple had divorced.

Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident in 1998 after he and Cher had divorced
Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident in 1998 after he and Cher had divorced

Cher was asked: “… if Sonny Bono were still alive today, but you only had a minute to talk to him, what would you say.”

The singer quipped: “How hot is it where you just came from?”

Cher has openly discussed Sonny Bono’s alleged affairs, once telling Parade magazine that having “even five” women on the side “was not enough for him,” and that when she announced she was leaving, he told her: “If you leave me, America will hate you and you won’t have a job.”

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Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus sign book deal with Washington Post

Nancy Clayson
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Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus sign book deal with Washington Post

Two of the Cleveland kidnapping victims – Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus – are collaborating with a Pulitzer Prize-winning team of Washington Post reporters for a planned book about their captivity in the house of horrors.

Amanda Berry was abducted in April 2003. A year before her abduction, on August 23, 2002, Michelle Knight was kidnapped. In 2004, Gina deJesus joined them.

Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus said they will work with Washington Post‘s Mary Jordan, a Cleveland native, and her husband and fellow reporter, Kevin Sullivan.

Up to now, no meetings with publishers have been scheduled, although interest would likely be based on the popularity of another kidnapping survivor’s memoir, Jaycee Dugard’s A Stolen Life.

Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro had been sentenced to life in prison, plus 1,000 years, but was found dead in his jail cell on September 3.

Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus are collaborating with a Pulitzer Prize-winning team of Washington Post reporters for a planned book about their captivity
Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus are collaborating with a Pulitzer Prize-winning team of Washington Post reporters for a planned book about their captivity

“Many have told, and continue to tell, this story in ways that are both inaccurate and beyond the control of these young women,” said James Wooley, the attorney for Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus.

“Our clients have a strong desire for privacy, but it is a reality that confronts them every day. Gina, Amanda and their families have decided to take control and are now interested in telling the story of what happened to them.”

James Wooley had known Mary Jordan for years and contacted her about the project.

Mary Jordan said during a recent interview that she was drawn to the “resilience” of Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus and was eager to help them tell an “amazing story of overcoming adversity”.

In 2003, Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan won a Pulitzer for their series about the Mexican criminal justice system.

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Michelle Knight on Dr Phil: Cleveland kidnapping victim shares her story

Nancy Clayson
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Michelle Knight on Dr Phil: Cleveland kidnapping victim shares her story

Michelle Knight, one of the three Cleveland victims held captive for about a decade by kidnapper Ariel Castro, will speak on the Dr. Phil show this week about her experiences inside the house of horrors.

Michelle Knight, now 32, was kidnapped in 2002 and held there for 11 years.

She escaped along with Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry May 6 after Amanda kicked out a screen door and called to a neighbor for help.

In a statement released by the Dr. Phil show says that during the segments, which will air November 5 and 6, Michelle Knight  “describes the horrible conditions in the house” and reveals her physical, mental and s**ual abuse. Michelle Knight also discusses being “tied up like a fish” and spending weeks chained and tortured in the basement.

“Was he afraid you would yell out?” television host Phil McGraw asks the woman in the episode, shown in a preview on the Dr. Phil website.

“Yeah, that’s the reason why he taped my mouth shut,” Michelle Knight said.

Michelle Knight spoke on the Dr. Phil show about her experiences inside Cleveland house of horrors
Michelle Knight spoke on the Dr. Phil show about her experiences inside Cleveland house of horrors

When Phil McGraw asked what Ariel Castro used, Michelle Knight replied: “Duct tape.”

“I picked the lock and I tried to escape,” she said.

“And [Ariel Castro] says, <<Now you’re going to be punished>>.”

Ariel Castro pleaded guilty to more than 900 counts, including kidnapping, torture and rape, and was sentenced to life in prison in a plea deal that spared him the death penalty.

He was found hanging in his prison cell on September 3, just three weeks into his sentence.

At Ariel Castro’s sentencing, Michelle Knight said capital punishment would have been “so much easier” than a life sentence for the 53-year-old.

Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus, have signed a book deal, according to CBS News.

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Blackbird SR-72: US to build hypersonic spy plane

James J. Williams
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Blackbird SR-72: US to build hypersonic spy plane

Lockheed Martin has begun work on Blackbird SR-72, a successor to the supersonic SR-71 spy plane.

The unmanned SR-72 will use an engine that combines a turbine and a ramjet to reach its top speed of Mach 6 – about 3,600 mph.

Like its predecessor, the SR-72 will be designed for high-altitude surveillance but might also be fitted with weapons to strike targets.

Lockheed said the aircraft should be operational by 2030.

The SR-72 is being developed at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works R&D centre in California that designed and built the original Blackbird.

That aircraft first flew in 1964 and was a mainstay of US Air Force spying and surveillance work until 1998. It typically flew at altitudes of 80,000ft and could reach speeds of Mach 3.

The unmanned SR-72 will use an engine that combines a turbine and a ramjet to reach its top speed of Mach 6
The unmanned SR-72 will use an engine that combines a turbine and a ramjet to reach its top speed of Mach 6

In a blogpost about the SR-72, Lockheed Martin said the aircraft would operate at similar altitudes but would fly far faster. At Mach 6 the plane could travel the 3,500 miles from New York to London in less than an hour.

While spy satellites can photograph enemy territory, the relatively long time it takes for them to be moved to a new orbit so they pass over a target can limit their usefulness.

By contrast, wrote Lockheed Martin, the SR-72 “would be so fast, an adversary would have no time to react or hide”.

For the SR-72, Lockheed Martin is drawing on work done on the Falcon HTV-2 hypersonic technology vehicle. This is a test-bed for the futuristic technologies needed to support safe hypersonic flight and cope with the extreme conditions encountered by any object flying at such a speed.

For instance, on one test flight of the HTV-2, the aircraft hit a top speed of Mach 20 and its flight surfaces reached 3,500F.

To reach Mach 6, the SR-72 will use an engine that acts like a normal jet turbine until speeds of Mach 3 are reached but which then operates like a ramjet to accelerate beyond that.

“Speed is the next aviation advancement to counter emerging threats in the next several decades,” said Brad Leland, Lockheed Martin’s hypersonic programme manager on the blog.

“The technology would be a game-changer in theatre, similar to how stealth is changing the battlespace today.”

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Inaki Urdangarin’s properties impounded amid corruption scandal

Diane A. Wade
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Inaki Urdangarin’s properties impounded amid corruption scandal

A judge in Spain has ordered properties belonging to King Juan Carlos’ son-in-law Inaki Urdangarin to be impounded amid a corruption scandal that has embarrassed the royal family.

Inaki Urdangarin, the Duke of Palma, is suspected of misusing millions of euros in public funds that were given to a charitable foundation he ran.

The judge ordered the seizure to cover a 6.1 million euro ($8.2 million) bond for the duke’s liability in the case.

Inaki Urdangarin has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime.

The former Olympic handball player is married to King Juan Carlos’s second child, the Infanta Cristina.

Inaki Urdangarin is married to King Juan Carlos's second child, the Infanta Cristina
Inaki Urdangarin is married to King Juan Carlos’s second child, the Infanta Cristina

One of the properties targeted by the judge is a large luxury house on the outskirts of Barcelona belonging to the duke and Princess Cristina.

Several other properties belonging to them in the Balearic Islands and in north-east Spain have also been seized.

Inaki Urdangarin and his former business partner Diego Torres are suspected of siphoning off money given by regional governments to the Noos Institute to organize sporting events.

It is alleged that some of the money ended up in companies controlled by the duke and in offshore bank accounts.

The events allegedly happened between 2004 and 2006, when the duke stepped down as head of the institute.

Diego Torres has also denied any wrongdoing.

Inaki Urdangarin was suspended from official royal engagements in December last year.

Infanta Cristina, who is seventh in line to the throne and also denies any wrongdoing, recently moved to Switzerland in the hope of shielding the couple’s children from unwanted media attention.

King Juan Carlos is credited with guiding Spain’s transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

Conrad Murray sues Texas for stripping his right to practice medicine

Lisa.Felice
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Conrad Murray sues Texas for stripping his right to practice medicine

Conrad Murray, who was convicted in the death of Michael Jackson, is suing the state of Texas for stripping his right to practice medicine.

Conrad Murray’s attorney said Thursday that the cardiologist has former patients eager for him to work again.

The doctor, who was released from a California jail this week after serving less than two years for involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson’s death, accuses the Texas Medical Board of prematurely revoking his license.

Conrad Murray claims in his lawsuit filed in Austin that his 2011 conviction isn’t final in California until his appeals are exhausted.

He states in an affidavit that he’s more than $400,000 in debt and can’t afford to pay court costs.

Conrad Murray, who was convicted in the death of Michael Jackson, is suing the state of Texas for stripping his right to practice medicine
Conrad Murray, who was convicted in the death of Michael Jackson, is suing the state of Texas for stripping his right to practice medicine

“Anybody who wants to work in this country ought to be able to have the right to do so. Dr. Murray is like everyone else, in that he needs to be able to do his line of work,” said Charles Peckham, Conrad Murray’s attorney.

Texas Medical Board spokesman Jarrett Schneider said the agency cannot comment on pending litigation.

Conrad Murray was convicted of causing Michael Jackson’s death in June 2009 by providing him with the powerful anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid. Michael Jackson was in the midst of preparations for a series of comeback concerts and Conrad Murray was serving as his physician.

The doctor filed the lawsuit Friday, three days before he was freed after serving half of a maximum four-year sentence.

Conrad Murray previously maintained clinics in Houston and Las Vegas. His medical license is currently suspended in California.

In court papers filed in Texas, Conrad Murray expresses concern that the revocation of his Texas license could give California reason to take the same action.

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Duck Dynasty Christmas album set for top 10 on Billboard 200

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty Christmas album set for top 10 on Billboard 200

Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas album, which was released this week, features the bearded Louisiana clan singing traditional Christmas carols and duck-themed songs in the latest addition to their stable of merchandise.

The album, in which the family showcase their work on the squawking duck calls that have made their Duck Commander company leaders in the hunting industry, will also be a test of how the unlikely TV stars can compete head-to-head against Christmas albums by country music’s perennial million-sellers Kelly Clarkson and Trace Adkins.

Willie Robertson, Duck Commander’s chief executive, is not counting on music being a full-time gig for the Duck Dynasty crew, who have also parlayed the A&E Network’s series into a merchandise lines sold at big-box retailers like Wal-Mart and Sears.

“We’re not aspiring to be country music stars,” Willie Robertson said in an interview about the album, which was produced by Nashville hitmaker Buddy Cannon.

“When we first went in the studio with Buddy we didn’t know what was going to happen, but we are very proud of the album,” he said.

Critics ascribe its success to fact that the Robertsons are seen as a regular family, and viewers can compare their quirks and eccentricities to their own family members.

Duck the Halls features the bearded Louisiana clan singing traditional Christmas carols and duck-themed songs in the latest addition to their stable of merchandise
Duck the Halls features the bearded Louisiana clan singing traditional Christmas carols and duck-themed songs in the latest addition to their stable of merchandise

Duck Dynasty reality show has also spawned diverse merchandise, from sporting goods and apparel to the unusual antibacterial bandages and camouflage reclining furniture. A&E’s online store has more than 300 Duck Dynasty products.

The Robertson family also got a little help on the album from country stars such as Luke Bryan, George Strait and Alison Krauss, who lent their voices to some tracks.

The album includes a few novelties from the long-bearded, camouflage-wearing hunting enthusiasts from West Monroe, Louisiana, along with traditionals, including I’ll Be Home for Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

“It is definitely from our perspective of a down-home middle-America Christmas,” Willie Robertson said.

“There is some funny stuff and then there is some serious stuff.”

Willie Robertson even had a hand in writing a few of the songs, including Ragin’ Cajun Redneck Christmas with top Nashville songwriter Dallas Davidson.

Led by Phil Robertson, his sons and daughters-in-law, grandchildren, wife Miss Kay and brother Si, sing and toot their duck calls on songs like Duck the Halls and Camouflage and Christmas Lights.

Although a strong starting position on the Billboard 200 album chart next week would cement the national appeal of the family’s personas, do not expect them to be quacking about the album after November 23.

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