After the first day of Winter TV Press Tour 2012, PBS released a behind-the-scenes video of the cast of “Downton Abbey,” which returns for its second season in the U.S. on Sunday: Read full article > >

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‘Downton Abbey’ cast talks U.S. reaction to the series (Video)

A morning mix of entertainment headlines… Aretha Franklin is planning a wedding. The Queen of Soul confirmed to the Associated Press on Monday that she and William “Willie” Wilkerson got engaged over the holidays and are planning a summer wedding, possibly in Miami Beach. It will be the music icon’s third marriage. In her statement, the 69-year-old mother of four jokingly confirmed that she is not pregnant. ( Associated Press ) Read full article > >

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Aretha Franklin engaged; Beyonce has not given birth yet

The Reporters Who Cover Television — settling in for the long winter’s nap that starts shortly after the November sweeps and generally lasts until the start of Winter TV Press Tour in January — were rudely jolted out of their slumber and into action Thursday when actual news erupted: NBC News suits had been seen dining with Ryan Seacrest. In Los Angeles. Read full article > >

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Spotted: Ryan Seacrest with NBC News execs: Is ‘Today’ in his future?

Carrier IQ, the company that has been accused of installing surveillance software on smartphones, clarified what its program does in an updated statement to the press late Thursday. “We measure and summarize performance of the device to assist Operators in delivering better service,” the statement read. “While a few individuals have identified that there is a great deal of information available to the Carrier IQ software inside the handset, our software does not record, store or transmit the contents of SMS messages, email, photographs, audio or video.” Read full article > >

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Carrier IQ clarifies its functions

In case you missed it, the Victoria’s Secret annual “Fashion” Show strutted into American homes last night. What qualified as a progressive element to this year’s CBS telecast was the number of featured models who are new mothers. Some tidbits from an unintentionally hilarious Associated Press story on mothers who joined the underwear extravaganza: Read full article > >

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Victoria’s Secret revealed: Mothers apparently wear bras better

I am pleased to present to our readers yet another book of translations of an Iranian poet, hot off the press. The Art of Stepping Through Time, by H.E. Sayeh, is the fruit of eight years collaboration between Mojdeh Marahsi, an Iranian poet and artist, and Chad Sweeney, an American poet.

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"The Art of Stepping Through Time"

A weird but wonderful feature of Israeli democracy is that even fateful decisions about national security — like whether to carry out a military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities — are publicly debated and covered in the press as if they were questions about road building or water rates, complete with vote counts in the cabinet and speculation about political motives. Read full article > >

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For Israel, a tough call on attacking Iran

Statutory regulation of the press would “pose a real danger,” BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten tells the Society of Editors conference.

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Press regulation ‘wrong-headed’

As the fourth quarter started Sunday at FedEx Field, with the Washington Redskins ’ offense and the third quarterback of the Mike Shanahan era struggling mightily, the burgundy and gold clad crowd started to boo, and one fan in earshot of the press box yelled: “We want Norv Turner back!” On the same day that the Redskins celebrated their annual “Homecoming Game,” and introduced stars of years past during the pre-game celebration, the announced crowd of 78,032 found itself left wanting again. There was nothing even close to the glory Joe Gibbs directed in his initial reign as head coach, or the mediocre results Turner oversaw. Sunday’s 19-11 loss to the San Francisco 49ers featured a performance much uglier than the score indicated. Read full article > >

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Redskins vs. 49ers: Offense struggles again as Washington loses, 19-11

THE WOODLANDS, Tex. — Herman Cain had survived 90 minutes of debating Newt Gingrich here , and seven minutes fielding softballs from the press afterwards, without anybody uttering the words “sexual harassment.” He might have concluded that his tumultuous week finally was over. But then he was asked at a post-debate news conference about the complaints of sexual harassment filed by two former subordinates at the National Restaurant Association. Before this Washington Post reporter could state his question, Cain cut him off. Read full article > >

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Herman Cain, asked about harassment charges: ‘Don’t even go there’

Anita Perry has had one of the most puzzling roll-outs of any of the campaign spouses this season. She has cried on the stump. She has talked about being brutalized by the press and her party . And she blamed President Obama for the loss of her son’s job . As her husband, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, struggled to look like a commander-in-chief, she struggled to get command of her emotions. Read full article > >

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Political wives: Rules of the road

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain acknowledged Sunday that some Americans would see a tax increase under his “9-9-9” plan, but insisted that “most people will pay less” under his proposal to overhaul of the country’s tax code. Surging in national polls, the pizza magnate who casts himself as an outsider found himself on the defensive over his tax plan during a 25-minute appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Read full article > >

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Cain defends ‘9-9-9’ tax overhaul plan

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain acknowledged Sunday that some Americans would see a tax increase under his “9-9-9” plan, but insisted that “most people will pay less” under his proposal to overhaul of the country’s tax code. Surging in national polls, the pizza magnate who casts himself as an outsider found himself on the defensive over his tax plan during a 25-minute appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Read full article > >

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Cain defends ‘9-9-9’ tax overhaul plan

Video of the Russian prime minister discovering ceramic jugs from the sixth century during a dive was a contrived, his press secretary said.

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Putin’s Diving Exploit Was a Setup, Aide Says

A new source of friction has emerged between the United States and one of its top Mideast allies, with Egyptian officials expressing alarm about a move by the U.S. Senate to link military aid to Egypt’s performance as a democracy. The Senate bill would withhold up to $1.3 billion in U.S. aid for 2012 until the secretary of state certifies that Egypt has held democratic elections and is protecting freedoms of the press, expression and association. Read full article > >

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Egypt warns U.S. on attaching conditions to military aid