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$11 A Pack? NYC Smokers Pay To Light Up

Prices in New York City for some brands of cigarettes are likely to reach $13 a pack with the new tax. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

$11 A Pack? NYC Smokers Pay To Light Up

New York is adding taxes to each pack in an effort to close its gaping budget deficit. The New York Department of Health estimates that 80,000 smokers in the state will quit in light of the tax. And while that will be good for their health, it's not great for New York businesses. Even New Yorkers avoid buying cigarettes in New York. They buy them online, or have friends pick up cartons duty-free at airports when they travel.

$11 A Pack? NYC Smokers Pay To Light Up

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Economy

TARP Puts Some Republicans On The Defensive

The Troubled Asset Relief Program, which was created under President George W. Bush, is about to end. And many Republicans who voted to pass the Wall Street bailout in the fall of 2008 are now accused of being big-government supporters.

TARP Puts Some Republicans On The Defensive

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Crisis In The Housing Market

Mad Dash As Homebuyer Tax Credit Deadline Arrives

Wednesday is the last day for homebuyers to close on purchases if they want to get the $8,000 federal tax credit. But a national Realtors group says as many as 180,000 people may not make it because of various delays. A bill working its way through Congress could provide a reprieve.

Mad Dash As Homebuyer Tax Credit Deadline Arrives

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Michael Klare: Grappling With The Age Of 'Tough Oil'

Children play on a Nigerian oil-flow station in 2007. Nigeria, a major oil source for the United States, is riddled with ancient pipes and constant spills. That, plus the geopolitical challenges involved, is why much of Nigeria's crude is the kind of "tough oil" that author Michael Klare describes. George Osodi/AP hide caption

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Gulf Oil Spill: Containment And Clean Up

Michael Klare: Grappling With The Age Of 'Tough Oil'

Fresh Air

Journalist Michael Klare says we've used up what he calls the "easy oil" on Earth. What's left is "tough oil" — deep underground, far offshore or in complex geological formations. Klare details the hazards of drilling in these environmentally hazardous areas in his book, Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet.

Michael Klare: Grappling With The Age Of 'Tough Oil'

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Look In The Sky: It's A Bird. It's A Plane. It's A Car?

A company based in Massachusetts has created what its calls a "street legal airplane." The Terrafugia is a flying car. It has received approval from the FAA to be classified as a "light sport aircraft." Pilots can choose to fly it as a plane — or drive it, if the weather is bad.

Look In The Sky: It's A Bird. It's A Plane. It's A Car?

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Colorado Town Divided Over Uranium Mine

KUNC

The White House is pushing nuclear energy, but is fighting a huge perception problem — especially when it comes to mining the uranium needed to fuel the power plants. Just getting the uranium out of the ground to fuel nuclear reactors is creating a battle in Colorado.

Colorado Town Divided Over Uranium Mine

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Democrats Make Final Push On Financial Overhaul

Democrats have been struggling to round up the 60 votes they'll need to push the financial regulations bill over the finish line. They agreed to some changes in the bill Tuesday in order to win some Republicans' votes.

Democrats Make Final Push On Financial Overhaul

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Asia

Google Tries To Save Internet License In China

Faced with the prospect of losing its Internet license in China, Google has announced it will no longer automatically redirect Chinese users to its unfiltered site in Hong Kong. Instead, Chinese users will have to click a tab on the Google site if they want access to the Hong Kong site. Will this plan be enough to satisfy China and win renewal of Google's license?

Google Tries To Save Internet License In China

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Hurricane Alex Hinders Gulf Cleanup Crews

Oil stains the rocks along a beach in Port Fourchon, La. Jeff Brady/NPR hide caption

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Jeff Brady/NPR

Environment

Hurricane Alex Hinders Gulf Cleanup Crews

Strong winds from Hurricane Alex are whipping up waves in the Gulf of Mexico and sending more oil toward the shoreline. In Port Fourchon, La., crews say they recently finished cleaning up a beach only to have it dirtied again by more oil.

Hurricane Alex Hinders Gulf Cleanup Crews

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