Friday,  December 07, 2012 • Vol. 13--No. 142 • 36 of 41 •  Other Editions

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wasn't belted in.
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Strong earthquake shakes northeastern Japan, causing small tsunami; no injuries reported

• TOKYO (AP) -- A strong earthquake struck Friday off the coast of northeastern Japan in the same region that was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami last year. A city in the region reported that a small tsunami had hit, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
• The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 and struck in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Miyagi prefecture at 5:18 p.m. (0818 GMT). The epicenter was 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) beneath the seabed.
• After the quake, which caused buildings in Tokyo to sway for at least several minutes, authorities issued a warning that a tsunami potentially as high as 2 meters (2.19 yards) could hit. Ishinomaki, a city in Miyagi, reported that a tsunami of
1 meter (1 yard) hit at 6:02 p.m. (0902 GMT).
• The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no risk of a widespread tsunami.
• Miyagi prefectural police said there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the quake or tsunami, although traffic was being stopped in some places to check on roads.
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Sandy, fiscal cliff fears likely slowed hiring in Nov., though job market may be strengthening

• WASHINGTON (AP) -- Superstorm Sandy is widely thought to have slowed U.S. job growth last month. The only question is how much -- an answer that's expected to emerge Friday in the government's jobs report for November.
• Yet once the storm's impact is cleared away, the report may reveal that the job market is strengthening.
• Many economists predict employers added fewer than 100,000 jobs last month, and some think it was fewer than 50,000. That would be far below the 171,000 created in October and normally a sign of a weak market. The unemployment rate is expected to remain 7.9 percent.
• Analysts caution, though, that Sandy likely reduced the November job gains significantly. And some employers might have delayed hiring because of concerns that

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