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The former fourth grade teacher, principal and state education commissioner will take the reins at the U.S. Department of Education as the fight intensifies over school reopening.

Lloyd Austin, a retired Army general, would be the first African American in the job. But confirming Austin to the top civilian spot in the Defense Department would require a waiver.

About a third of the roughly 1 million without power in New York live on Long Island. With temperatures falling, residents are desperate to get back in their homes. Officials, however, say powering up homes is a challenge because of electrical fire risks that could make a bad situation worse.

An IBM computer that analyzes flavor molecules and develops recipes is on the way in five years, scientists say. They are hoping to find not only novel and tasty flavor combinations, but ones that will appeal to us without adding to our waistlines.

The fight over U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice's potential nomination for secretary of state has left Sen. John Kerry in an odd spot because he could be up for the Cabinet post, too. Once a vocal defender of Rice, Kerry has kept quiet lately.

Steven Soderbergh's latest film is a showbiz story about Vegas icon Liberace and his secret lover — played, respectively, by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, both terrific in their roles. It premieres Sunday on HBO.

In his first major policy speech, the defense secretary said the Pentagon is at war with itself: There are competing and spiraling costs within the military — for aging weapons, and for health and pension benefits for military personnel and retirees. He added that U.S. military power must be used judiciously, with a keen appreciation of its limits.

When Sandy hit the Eastern Seaboard, three men from Chicago raised money for food and then drove to NYC to feed storm victims. NPR's Richard Gonzales sent an audio postcard from Howard Beach, N.Y.

Former President Bill Clinton packed his speech with policy and numbers, folksy asides accentuated with an Arkansas drawl, and a full-on attempt to rebut messages out of the GOP convention. While it's too early to call the former president Obama's closer, he came about as close as it gets.

Fans complain as McDonald's delays this year's pork-a-licious McRib sandwich to boost an anticipated slump in winter sales. The sandwich is a food engineering marvel of pork trimmings pressed into a boneless rib shape, topped with pickles and barbecue sauce, sandwiched on a bun.