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Thursday, December 13, 2012

Politics

Most Of Congress In The Dark On 'Fiscal Cliff' Talks

December 13, 2012 Of the 535 members of Congress, not many are in the loop about negotiations to avoid automatic spending cuts and tax increases in the new year. Lawmakers are waiting to see what President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner come up with — and some are nervous about having to quickly vote on a bill despite misgivings.

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Africa

Egypt Heads For Showdown Over New Constitution

Egyptian clerics from Al-Azhar University hold a national flag as they shout support for President Mohammed Morsi and a new constitution at a rally in Cairo on Dec. 1. Secular and Islamist Egyptians disagree on the constitution, which critics say gives too much power to the clerics of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni Islam learning.

December 13, 2012 Critics say Egypt's draft constitution, which was drawn up and approved mostly by Islamists, doesn't represent all Egyptians. They say the draft gives key Islamic scholars too much power on a broad range of legislative issues.

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The Salt

Archaeologists Find Ancient Evidence Of Cheese-Making

Archaeologists believe that ancient farmers used pots made from these pottery shards to make cheese — a less perishable, low-lactose milk product.

December 13, 2012 Scientists have detected milk fat on 7,000-year-old pottery vessels from archaeological sites in Northern Europe. They think it's the earliest evidence of cheese-making, and they argue dairy products gave early farmers an evolutionary edge.

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Planet Money

Will A $1.9 Billion Settlement Change Banks' Behavior?

A picture shows the logo on an HSBC branch on Dec. 5, 2011. Britain's financial regulator said on Dec. 5 that it had fined HSBC 10.5 million British pounds after one of the banking giant's subsidiaries missold financial retail products to elderly clients.

December 13, 2012 For punishments to work, they need to be both swift and meaningful. The HSBC settlement may be neither.

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It's All Politics

Report On CIA Interrogation Tactics Revives Torture Debate

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., have opposing views about a report detailing CIA detention and interrogation practices.

December 13, 2012 In a closed-door meeting Thursday, lawmakers will consider whether to approve the report, which human rights groups are pushing to be made public. It's part of an ongoing fight over whether harsh interrogation methods, which critics compared to torture, were effective.

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Arts & Life

Letters From 'Peanuts' Creator Reveal Bittersweet Romance

The collection's estimated price is $250,000 to $350,000.

December 13, 2012 On Friday, Sotheby's is putting up for auction 44 letters and 35 drawings Charles Schulz gave to a young woman he was courting. Schulz, 48, wrote Tracey Claudius, 25, poignant, funny, even innocent notes in pictures and words, often using Charlie Brown to stand in for himself.

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