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An 81-year-old climber trying to regain his title has turned back; a Russian extreme sports star has BASE jumped from nearly 24,000 feet; the BBC recounts how word reached the world in 1953 of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's historic feat; and more.

From a white-knuckle Wall Street chronicle to a modernized Shakespearean war story, the films on David Edelstein's best-of-the-year list tell solid stories new and old.

Also: Chicago teachers' strike continues; Buckingham Palace takes legal action over topless photos of Kate; Occupy movement marks one-year anniversary; new iPhone sets sales record.

Receipts left behind in Timbuktu show how the terrorist network tracks its expenses, The Associated Press reports. From minor amounts spent on food to much more spent on meetings, al-Qaida records expenses much like a multinational corporation would, the wire service says.

Sure, kids have been playing with tops forever. But Beyblades are battling tops, and they come with their own fighting arena. They're a hit, and if you haven't been nagged for one this year, there's still time.

Also notable was the unveiling of General Motors' all-electric Chevrolet Bolt concept car, which seems a clear rival to the Tesla.

Consumer Reports ranked the Toyota Prius the 2010 Green Car of the Year despite a recall from the world's No. 1 automaker. David Champion, senior director for Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center, discusses the process behind the rankings.

A series of twisters roared through North Texas on Wednesday night. In Granbury, about 35 miles from Fort Worth, neighborhoods were devastated. The search continues for victims.

Also: Democratic National Convention kicks off; power is still out for many after Hurricane Isaac; Lufthansa cancels hundreds of flights because of strikes.

Critic Alan Cheuse likes his books thoughtfully plotted — and 2011 has made him a happy reader. A tiger haunts, a teen flees, ballplayers dream and vampires reign in beautifully conceived stories from new and distinguished authors.