FDA approves novel Novartis seasonal flu vaccine

(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it approved a seasonal flu vaccine produced by Novartis using animal cell culture rather than the traditional manufacturing using chicken eggs – a speedier process that could help build stockpiles in the event of a pandemic.The vaccine, to be sold by the Swiss drugmaker under the brand name...

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Securing Gaza cease-fire proves elusive

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and the Hamas militant group edged closer to a cease-fire Tuesday to end a weeklong Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, but after a day of furious diplomatic efforts involving the U.S. secretary of state, U.N. chief and Egypt's president, a deal remained elusive and fighting raged on both sides of the border.Israeli tanks and gunboats pummeled targets in Gaza in what appeared...

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Turbulence on Cuba-Italy flight leaves 30 bruised

ROME (AP) — An airliner flying from Havana to Milan abruptly plunged some 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) when it hit unusually strong turbulence over the Atlantic on Monday, terrifying passengers and leaving some 30 people aboard with bruises and scrapes, airline officials said.The flight continued to Milan’s Malpensa airport after the plane’s captain determined...

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Intel CEO Paul Otellini to retire in surprise move

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Intel CEO Paul Otellini dropped a bombshell on the company’s board of directors last week, telling them in private that he plans to retire from the world’s largest maker of microprocessors in May. Otellini‘s move comes at a time when Intel faces a shaky economy and a mobile gadget craze that is eating away at demand for its PC chips...

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Mitt Romney a Twihard? Candidate and Wife Take in “Twilight” Finale

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – He may have missed out on becoming leader of the free world when he lost the election to President Obama, but Mitt Romney is keeping busy – with the romantic vampires and werewolves of “Twilight.”Saturday night, he was spotted with his wife Ann heading into a showing of “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2″ at a cineplex in...

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Court rejects Hobby Lobby’s challenge to contraceptive mandate

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday denied a legal challenge to President Barack Obama‘s signature health reforms, ruling that the owners of a $ 3 billion arts and crafts chain must provide emergency contraceptives in their group health care plan.The owners of Hobby Lobby asked to be exempted from providing the “morning after” and “week...

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Gaza offensive was years in the making

JERUSALEM (AP) — With little notice, Israel has launched a blistering air offensive against the Gaza Strip's ruling Hamas militant group. Here's a look at why the violence erupted, the goals of the warring sides and how it may end:LIGHTNING STRIKEIsrael opened its offensive with a surprise airstrike on Nov. 14 that killed the shadowy leader of Hamas' military wing. Since then, it has carried out hundreds...

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Soccer-Liverpool’s Sterling apologises to Watson over collision

Nov 18 (Reuters) – Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling has wished Wigan Athletic‘s Ben Watson a speedy recovery after a freak collision between the pair on Saturday left Watson with a suspected shin fracture.Sterling, who made his England debut midweek, used his Twitter account to offer an apology to Watson following the Reds’ 3-0 win at Anfield. Midfielder...

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Movie industry has shed 16,000-plus jobs in L.A. since 2004, study says

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – The motion-picture industry has lost more than 16,000 jobs in Los Angeles County since the peak year of 2004, according to a new study by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.And according to the study, “runaway productions” that have moved out of the county due to tax incentives in other areas could be to blame. The...

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Four year bans proposed under new WADA Code

(Reuters) – Athletes guilty of serious doping offenses will be suspended for four years from 2015 under proposals being considered by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but there are no plans for a specific rule to ban offenders from the Olympics.Currently, athletes found guilty of a first major doping offense are handed a two-year ban with any subsequent...

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