National / International News

It appears that the current batch of flu vaccine is only about 9 percent effective in protecting people 65 and older against the H3N2 flu strain that's causing the most illness. Even so, health officials still recommend vaccination.

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Traces of horse DNA are found in a frozen burger within a school kitchen as councils are advised to put the use of such products "on hold".

When it died last month at the hands of a sluggish economy and a Federal Reserve intent on maintaining interest rates at zero, inflation was thought to be several thousand years old -- although a specific age has not been released by the family.

The immediate cause of death was this morning's report on the consumer price index: 0.0 percent.

Paul Volcker, the former chairman of the Fed who had a troubled relationship with inflation while it was alive, had this to say about its passing: "There was a perception that inflation and growing inflation was a big problem, and I couldn't have gotten by with the policies we followed unless there was a feeling in the country that somebody ought to do something."

Volcker famously broke inflation's back in the early 1980s, an injury from which it never recovered.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman had harsh words for the departed: "It's very hard to get inflation in a depressed economy."

Inflation is survived by cousins, most of whom live overseas. Family in Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Argentina and Iran tell us they are not doing interviews.

Participant Media says it only makes a certain type of film. Only ones that “invoke social change,” as Participant Media CEO Jim Berk says.

Participant Media made its name creating thought-provoking films like "An Inconvenient Truth," "Fast Food Nation" and "Waiting for Superman." This weekend, Participant Media is part of the production team nominated for an Oscar for "Lincoln," the film starring high-profile actors like Daniel Day-Lewis. Which makes one think: Has the company changed its vision over the years? Jim Berk says no.

“It’s an evolving of the vision. It’s always been about a story well told,” says Berk.

With all this talk about invoking social change and making films with a purpose, it would be hard to deny the fact that winning an Oscar would be nice. Still, Berk says changing the world is much more important than standing on stage at the Academy Awards.

“It’s all about social impact. The wins for us with 'Lincoln' were when you have the Senate and Congress screening it. When you have the president screening. When you have thousands of teachers asking us can we use the film as part of the curriculum. We do like the recognition, but at the end of the day, the company’s existence isn’t for anything but social impact,” says Berk.

But Berk says he’s still excited about "Lincoln" potentially winning an Oscar this weekend, even though he won’t get to stand on stage.

Despite what they said was a healthy 2012, industry leaders worry that in 2013, upcoming spending cuts will hit already-battered airlines hard.

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As concerns grow over competition to Indian gambling, many tribal nations are putting casino profits into other business ventures. Native American tribes say diversifying their business is the only way to make sure they have a future.

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The $600,000 represents 20 percent of the senator's operating budget. Last year, he returned $500,000.

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Students at Glasgow University vote heavily in favour of staying within the UK in a mock referendum on Scottish independence.

The rumor mill has been churning out speculation about what's next from Apple. The latest fodder comes from the Apple Insider blog, which found an Apple patent filing pointing to a smart watch with a flexible touchscreen display.

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UPDATE: Nevada has approved interstate online gaming. The governor signed a bill yesterday afternoon that allows the Silver State to negoitate online gambling agreements directly with other states. 

Delaware has also declared itself the first state with a "broad spectrum" of legalized online gambling and USA Today reports that "online wagers would generate at least $3.75 million in revenue for fiscal 2013." And this week, New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie confirmed that he would sign a bill legalizing online gambling in his state.

Other states -- including Mississippi, Iowa and California -- could follow suit.

So if it is going to become that much easier to gamble, now may be the time to brush up on your awareness of what games provide the best return-on-investment. And stay tuned to this weekend's Marketplace Money, where we talk with a gambling expert about how to win online and what to watch out for when playing in an Internet casino.

Let us know if you score well in our quiz below and we'll invite you to come with us the next time we head to Las Vegas.

 

DATA FROM: Wizard of Odds

 

A fabulous late strike from Mousa Dembele secures Tottenham a last-16 Europa League tie against Inter Milan.

Baseball fans and collectors are bidding on baseball history: a bloodstained sock worn by Curt Schilling in the 2004 World Series. The sock had been on loan to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but Schilling was forced to put it up for auction after his video game company went bankrupt.

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The prime minister becomes involved in a row over his party's by-election candidate during a visit to Eastleigh.

A police force which forced officers out of their jobs after 30 years' service had "justification" to discriminate against them because of their age, an employment tribunal hears.

Fish fraud is often just a form of swindling when a cheap fish, like tilapia, is sold as pricy red snapper. But a conservation group says it also puts consumers at risk of health issues and makes it harder to avoid buying fish that are being overfished.

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A satellite image combining infrared, near infrared and green light produces a colorful combination. The volcano has been blowing off steam, and lava, this week.

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Britain's Heather Watson suffers a 6-1 6-2 loss to Stefanie Voegele in the quarter-finals of the US Indoor Championship.

Haiti's ex-ruler Jean-Claude Duvalier files a last-minute appeal to avoid attending a court hearing over allegations of crimes against humanity.

Frustration over a change in federal copyright policy making it illegal to unlock a new cellphone has resulted in more than 100,000 signatures on a petition at the White House's website, meaning the executive branch must now respond to the call to overturn the policy.

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The UN's nuclear watchdog says Iran has begun installing advanced centrifuges at one of its nuclear plants, drawing an angry US reaction.