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Cuba Says Seas to Rise More Than 30 Inches by 2100

Cuban scientists calculate that median sea levels around the Caribbean nation will rise more than 30 inches by the end of the century due to global climate change, official media said Friday.

Models predict the sea will rise 10.6 inches (27 centimeters) by 2050, and 33.5 inches (85 centimeters) by 2100, Abel Centella, scientific director of the country's Meteorological Institute, was quoted by Communist Party daily Granma as saying.

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New Comic Book to Tell Martha Stewart's Life Story

Martha Stewart's media aspirations just got bigger: Meet Martha Stewart, comic-book heroine.

The woman who created her own media empire — television, magazines and more — is getting a biographical treatment in her own comic book next month.

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Lady Gaga's 'Meat Dress' Goes to Rock Hall of Fame

Lady Gaga made history at last year's MTV Video Music Awards when she turned butcher's cuts into high fashion.

On Thursday, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will unveil the singer's infamous raw-meat dress to the public. The dress — made of layers of Argentinian beef — was kept in a meat locker, placed in a vat of chemicals and then dried out by taxidermists in California before being transported to the museum.

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U.S. Man Who Quit College in 1932 Graduates at 99

A man who dropped out of college just short of graduation in 1932 has earned his degree at age 99.

KTVZ-TV in Bend reports that Leo Plass, of Redmond, received his diploma a few days ago from Eastern Oregon University in La Grande.

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For a Pioneer of Technology, 100 Years of "Think"

Google, Apple and Facebook get all the attention. But the forgettable everyday tasks of technology — saving a file on your laptop, swiping your ATM card to get 40 bucks, scanning a gallon of milk at the checkout line — that's all IBM.

International Business Machines turns 100 on Thursday without much fanfare. But its much younger competitors owe a lot to Big Blue.

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Playboy Mag Founder's Fiancée Calls Off Wedding

Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner says his fiancee has called off their wedding.

The 85-year-old Hefner says in a Tuesday message on Chicago-based Playboy's official Twitter feed that 24-year-old Crystal Harris has "had a change of heart."

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Emma Watson Looks To Grow Past Harry Potter

Emma Watson is preparing for the next chapter of her life.

The `Harry Potter' actress admits that she needs to find her way out of the bubble, which she describes in part as the safe world of life on the set of the successful film franchise.

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Could Prenatal DNA Testing Open Pandora's Box?

Imagine being pregnant and taking a simple blood test that lays bare the DNA of your fetus. And suppose that DNA could reveal not only medical conditions such as Down syndrome, but also things like eye color and height. And the risk for developing depression or Alzheimer's disease. And the chances of being homosexual.

So far that remains science fiction. But scientists have been taking some baby steps in that direction. And some ethics experts say it is time to start talking now about what that could mean for parents and society.

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The Dead Sea is Dying!

The Dead Sea is dying, goes the conventional wisdom: The water level of the fabled salty lake is dropping nearly 4 feet (1.2 meters) a year. Less well known: Part of the lake is actually overflowing, threatening one of Israel's key tourism destinations.

Israel is feverishly campaigning to have the Dead Sea — the lowest point on earth and repository of precious minerals — named one of the natural wonders of the world. At the same time, it's racing to stabilize what it calls "the world's largest natural spa" so hotels on its southern end aren't swamped and tourists can continue to soak in the lake's therapeutic waters.

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Salem, Steeped in Witch Tourism, Rebrands Beyond

Salem, the Massachusetts city of 41,000 souls is so closely identified with its witch history that flying witch logos adorn police cars and Salem High School's mascot is a witch.

But town leaders have rebranded the image to downplay witchy things and emphasize other aspects such as museums, dining, and its rich maritime history.

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