National / International News

This final note qualifies, I think, for the 'This Week's Sign the Apocalypse is Upon Us' tag.

Picture this: "Angry Birds: The Movie."

It's coming soon to a theater near you. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Rovio are gonna team up for a full-length animated 3-D version of the game.

Which does kinda make you think back to Mark Garrison's story, doesn't it? About getting Sony to concentrate more on consumer electronics and not so much on movies, hmmm?

Scotland centre Joe Ansbro is forced to retire from rugby following the neck break he suffered last summer.

Heavy rain leads to 13 flood alerts across Wales and fire crews being called to flooding in Carmarthenshire and Wrexham.

Unemployment in Scotland remains below 200,000 for the second time in a row after a further fall in the jobless total.

A former Liberal Democrat - who has defected to Labour - is now trying to sell his personalised number plate, L16 DEM.

Japan PM Shinzo Abe stays silent on the arrival of a top aide in North Korea, as local media speculate abductions or a visit are being discussed.

Katharine Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury's daughter, has spoken to the BBC about the depression she has suffered since her teens.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is taking a stab at the government inefficiency beast. The committee is set to hold a hearing on 380 ways to make Washington more efficient.

The number 380 comes from congressional reports outlining 380 areas of government waste and duplication. Yet despite the catchy title, governtment watchers aren't getting too excited.

“Oh, here we go again," says Paul Light, who teaches public service at New York University. “This is like watching Casa Blanca for the hundredth time.”

Light says there have been many efficiency efforts, but they usually die away because they require painful change. That hasn’t stopped just about every president from trying. Light says a Clinton administration initiative to reinvent government did have some success. It was spear headed by Vice President Al Gore, who smashed an expensive government-approved ash tray on the David Letterman show to promote it.

Gore’s initiative sprang from a reinventing government book co-authored by Ted Gaebler. It’s now printed in 22 languages. “Just last year into Mongolian," says Gaebler.  "The year before that in Farsi. So the Iranians are using it.”

Gaebler says he’s always getting international requests for cost-cutting advice. But he hasn’t gotten any calls from the U.S. government. 

Got ideas for the government that worked for you? Tell us in the comments.

The Congressional Budget Office has sharply revised down the outlook for the federal budget deficit. Some temporary factors are being cited for the projected improvement. Keeping the deficit on a downward path may depend on the economy, analysts say.

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England defender Rio Ferdinand announces his retirement from international football, after winning 81 caps.

A new charter school in Utah wants to equip students in kindergarten through ninth grade with a solid foundation in business. The principal insists it's not just a pint-sized business school. The goal is to give kids a well-rounded education that is also applicable in the real world.

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Activists are calling for a full investigation, and possibly lawsuits, following revelations that the IRS flagged so-called patriot groups for scrutiny in applications for federal tax-exempt status. Groups say they were asked about rallies, Facebook and Twitter activity.

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Activists are calling for a full investigation, and possibly lawsuits, following revelations the IRS flagged so-called Patriot groups for scrutiny in applications for federal tax-exempt status. Groups say they were asked about rallies, Facebook and Twitter activity.

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A low-sodium diet may cause more health problems than a medium-sodium diet, a new report found. But some health advocates say focusing on the potential risks of a low-sodium diet distracts from the more important conversation about how to get Americans to start consuming less salt.

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The NBA will soon crown another team as the best. And another MVP will be named. But commentator Frank Deford says such titles of greatness are fleeting.

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The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines must submit plans Wednesday for ending the policy that keeps women from serving in ground combat positions. The move will open up more than 200,000 positions in the military to them, but the change won't end questions about the role of women in the armed forces.

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The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines must submit plans Wednesday for ending the policy that keeps women from serving in ground combat positions. The move will open up more than 200,000 positions in the military to them, but the change won't end questions about the role of women in the armed forces.

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With budgets tight, the court in San Joaquin County, Calif., stopped hearing all small claims cases in September. More than 800 people have since filed claims with no hearing dates in sight. Many other counties nationwide are experiencing similar delays for civil cases as they grapple with spending cuts.

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With budgets tight, the court in San Joaquin County, Calif., stopped hearing all small claims cases in September. More than 800 people have since filed claims with no hearing dates in sight. Many other counties nationwide are experiencing similar delays for civil cases as they grapple with spending cuts.

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With budgets tight, the court in San Joaquin County, Calif., stopped hearing all small claims cases in September. More than 800 people have since filed claims with no hearing dates in sight. Many other counties nationwide are experiencing similar delays for civil cases as they grapple with spending cuts.

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