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Capping more than a week of public mourning, North Korea staged a dramatic state funeral for its late leader Kim Jong Il. Leading the ceremonies was Kim's third son and apparent successor Kim Jong Un.

North Korea's state media on Monday called Kim Jong Il's heir the head of the ruling Workers' Party Central Committee.

For decades, musicians have used shock value to provoke their audiences. Elvis swung his hips, Madonna sang about her nonexistent virginity and Marilyn Manson named himself after a convicted killer. Now, there's a new crop of rabble-rousers on the scene. Lady Gaga, M.I.A. and Erykah Badu are among the artists continuing the tradition of shock value in music today.

The death of longtime leader Kim Jong Il puts his son and heir apparent in the spotlight, even as preparations for next week's state funeral are still under way. The younger Kim inherits a country in dire economic straits, and faces a tough fight to consolidate his political power and legitimacy.

Kim Jong Un is playing a prominent role in his father's funeral and is already the object of fulsome praise from North Korea's official media.

Yesterday's devastating earthquake in Haiti may have come as a shock to the millions of people who are now suffering through its aftermath. But the quake was not a surprise to geologists. Though large quakes are rare in Haiti, it's in the middle of an active seismic zone.

Not many new tech jobs are likely to emerge in 2010, but analysts expect to see a rebound in employment by the middle of the decade. Over the next five years, the economy may see the addition of 1 million new technology jobs — an increase of about 10 percent.

Critics have long derided the world's biggest cities as disorderly, overcrowded and polluted. But in recent years, as the planet's population continues to rise past seven billion and more and more people flock to urban areas, some now argue that cities may hold the key to sustainable growth.

One of the hallmarks of our vibrant, lively English language is that it is constantly growing. Not everyone is thrilled with all the directions of that growth, but it certainly is interesting to watch, and to listen to. Each year, lexicographer Grant Barrett, co-host of A Way With Words, heard here on KPBS, gathers up a group of the most intriguing words.

Facebook is the most popular social network, but that doesn't mean everyone is happy with how personal information gets shared on it. Experts are looking with interest at emerging startups that aim to solve some of the privacy issues raised by Facebook.