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Shots - Health News
5:13 am
Tue January 1, 2013

Breast Cancer: What We Learned In 2012

Originally published on Wed January 2, 2013 10:08 am

The past year has seen more debate about the best way to find breast cancers.

A recent analysis concluded that regular mammograms haven't reduced the rate of advanced breast cancers — but they have led more than a million women to be diagnosed with tumors that didn't need to be treated.

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Law
3:00 am
Tue January 1, 2013

Justice Wants Banks To Be Quasi Cops

Credit Ramin Talaie / Getty Images
Assistant U.S. Attorney General Lanny Breuer announces a nearly $2 billion money laundering settlement with British bank HSBC on Dec. 11 in New York City.

Originally published on Tue January 1, 2013 9:44 am

Every year, banks handle tens of millions of transactions. Some of them involve drug money, or deals with companies doing secret business with countries like Iran and Syria, in defiance of trade sanctions.

But if the Justice Department has its way, banks will be forced to change — to spot illegal transactions and blow the whistle before any money changes hands.

Federal prosecutors have already collected more than $4.5 billion from some of the world's biggest financial institutions — banks charged with looking the other way when dirty money passed through their accounts.

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World
2:59 am
Tue January 1, 2013

Multiple Feuds Bring A Record Year Of Violence To Karachi

Originally published on Wed February 13, 2013 10:35 am

The sad truth about Karachi in 2012 was that whatever your religion, business affiliation, or political party, someone was willing to kill you for it.

The murder rate in Pakistan's largest city and commercial hub hit an all time high last year. Over 2,500 people died in violent crimes in Karachi in 2012, a 50 percent increase over the year before.

Most of the deaths were attributable to sectarian killings and score settling. Shia Muslims took on the brunt of the violence. But Sunni Muslims were killed in reprisal attacks that added to the tally.

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Business
2:57 am
Tue January 1, 2013

New Year Brings Minimum Wage Hikes In 10 States

Credit iStockphoto.com
Rhode Island's minimum wage will increase from $7.40 to $7.75.

Originally published on Tue January 8, 2013 2:23 pm

On Tuesday, the minimum wage in 10 states will increase by anywhere from a dime to 35 cents.

For all of the states but one, the pay hikes are part of automatic adjustments designed to keep up with the cost of living.

In Rhode Island, it took a state law to raise the minimum wage for the first time in five years.

Rising Wages Vs. Rising Prices

Cafe Zog in Providence is a cozy, quirky place where you can grab a coffee and bagel to go, or nab a booth then head to the counter to order a hot breakfast.

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Business
2:56 am
Tue January 1, 2013

Rift With China Clouds Solar Industry's Future

Credit Lauren Sommer for NPR
Solar panels come off the line at SunPower's solar manufacturing plant near San Jose, Calif.

Originally published on Tue January 1, 2013 9:44 am

It's been a banner year for solar energy. The United States is on track to install a record number of solar power systems — thanks in large part to low-cost solar panels from China. That's been challenging for American manufacturers, and federal officials have put trade tariffs on Chinese panels.

Things look busy at the SunPower solar manufacturing plant in Silicon Valley. Workers are screwing frames onto shiny, 6-foot solar panels as they come off the line.

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