News

A policeman stands guard at the Parliament building in Islamabad, Pakistan, in June. The Lower House recently passed a bill similar to the United States' Patriot Act, touching off a debate about privacy in the country.

World News

Pakistan's 'Patriot Act' Could Target Politicians

11:16am January 02, 2013

by Dina Temple-Raston

A Pakistani bill would allow intelligence and law enforcement agencies to tap phones, monitor Internet traffic, and follow people they suspect are terrorists. Security agencies in Pakistan already do this, but the new bill will give them the legal cover to do so.

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Betty Daniel gets a routine yearly mammogram from mammography tech Stella Palmer at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago in 2012.

Health & Safety

Breast Cancer: What We Learned In 2012

10:08am January 02, 2013

by Richard Knox

The 2012 mammography debate was a continuation of a controversy touched off three years ago when a government task force said women under 50 don't need regular mammograms. And one recent analysis found that regular screenings haven't reduced the rate of advanced breast cancers.

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The expiration date on foods like orange juice and even milk aren't indicators of when those products will go bad.

Science
Arts

Don't Fear That Expired Food

8:57am January 02, 2013

by Dan Charles

When food passes its sell-by date, it's swept from the supermarket shelf. But that doesn't mean it's not safe to eat. Taste and smell are usually better indicators of a food's safety. And some items, like canned foods, can even last years or decades after their expiration date.

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A makeshift shrine to the victims of the school shooting in Newtown, Conn. Slate and a citizen journalist are trying to track gun deaths across the nation since that Dec. 14 mass shooting.

National

Tracking Gun-Related Deaths, One Tweet At A Time

8:36am January 02, 2013

by Mark Memmott

Slate and a citizen journalist are trying to report every gun-related death in the nation on a daily basis. There is no central clearinghouse for such information. The goal of the project, Slate says, is to provide key data for the post-Newtown debate over gun laws.

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Politics & Government

Rep. Cole Predicts 'Very Strong Majority' Will Approve Budget Deal In House

12:39pm January 01, 2013

A compromise deal to stop broad spending cuts and tax increases is headed to the House of Representatives, after receiving strong support in the Senate. "I really don't anticipate too much of a problem" passing the bill, Republican Rep. Tom Cole, the deputy majority whip, tells NPR's Steve Inskeep.

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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.

Justice Wants Banks To Be Quasi Cops

9:44am January 01, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The Bank Secrecy Act requires financial institutions to be on the lookout for sketchy transactions. The law is 40 years old, but federal prosecutors just recently put more energy into enforcing it. They want banks to spot illegal transactions and blow the whistle before money changes hands.

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On Nov. 20, an M23 rebel walks on the streets of Goma. The rebels initially claimed control of the town, but retreated 10 days later under international pressure. However, many people think M23 never really left — rather, they just changed into civilian

World News

Congo Fighting Leaves A Fragile City On Edge

8:16pm December 31, 2012

by Gregory Warner

In recent years, the Congolese city of Goma has been a bit of a haven for those fleeing war in surrounding areas. But now, the army and rebels are both in the city, raising fears that fighting could break out at any time.

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Rep.-elect Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., enters a room full of supporters on Election Day, Nov. 6, in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Politics & Government

Arizona Democrat Kirkpatrick Making Capitol Hill Comeback

7:55pm December 31, 2012

by Laurel Morales

Rep.-elect Ann Kirkpatrick is returning to Washington this week after sitting out a term following her 2010 defeat. This time around, Kirkpatrick hopes to strengthen her foothold in a swing district, but she's dealing with a tricky electorate.

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Could Post-Superstorm Sandy Rebuilding Energize The Economy?

7:55pm December 31, 2012

by Joel Rose

Some economists predict that the reconstruction from the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy will produce a stimulus effect for the U.S. economy in 2013 — especially in construction and related industries. Others say the losses associated with a storm will outweigh any positive effects from the rebuilding.

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Europe Fails To Stimulate Growth In 2012

12:52pm December 31, 2012

by Jim Zarroli

Europe spent much of this year trying to hold its common currency pact together. Greece, Spain, Italy and other countries flirted with disaster as interest rates spiked, forcing the debtor nations to accept austerity programs. The turmoil was bad enough to push much of the eurozone into recession.

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