As March Madness swings to the final 4, millions of people are grappling with their remaining brackets. The American Gaming Association estimates that more than 70 million Americans will wager $9.2 billion this year on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament through office pools, Nevada sports books, illicit offshore sites and bookies, compared with $9 billion last year. Naturally, Uncle Sam wants his cut with a number of rules to follow. To begin, all gambling winnings are taxable, whether or not the game was legal.
Weather patterns in the southern hemisphere are wreaking havoc on agriculture production. Rice, sugar and coffee farms in Southeast Asia and cattle ranches in Australia are feeling the impact of hot and dry conditions from the El Niño weather pattern.
After years of difficulty, TV is tuning in something it hasn’t had in a long time – pricing power.
Much more is highlighted in A Look Around the Nation and the World.
