Castro picks 'young' new heir to take regime into future






HAVANA: Cuban President Raul Castro on Sunday won re-election to what he pledged will be his last term, and finally unveiled a 52-year-old political heir he wants to bring the regime into the future.

"This will be my last term," Castro, 81, told lawmakers after the National Assembly reelected him and named a new regime number two -- Council of State Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel, 52.

Choosing the former military man and professor from Villa Clara, who has represented the president on foreign trips in recent months, "marks a final step in configuring the country's future leadership, through the slow and orderly transfer of the main leadership positions to new generations," Castro said.

This is not the transition Cuba's nemesis, the United States, has fruitlessly spent decades and millions of dollars seeking.

Washington has long prodded neighbor Cuba to open up to a multiparty system and market economics, much of the time during the more than 40-year rule of revolution icon Fidel Castro.

Through the Cold War and now for over two decades after it, the United States has kept trying to isolate Cuba to press for democratic change.

It has had a full trade embargo on Havana, the only one-party Communist regime in the Americas, since 1962 to pressure the communist island to open up democratically and economically.

Cuba finally appears poised to have new leadership lined up -- if only it can continue to prop up its dysfunctional economy while keeping the regime afloat.

In addition to depending on Venezuelan aid, Cuba has so far failed to discover oil in its waters that experts say lies beneath the seabed off its Gulf of Mexico coast.

The fate and future of the Cuban regime also depends on the health of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Cuba's main economic supporter and political ally, who is recovering from cancer surgery.

There is no guarantee a successor would feed Cuba's economy as much as Chavez.

Diaz-Canel, who turns 53 in April, is an electrical engineer by training, a former education minister and the president's de facto political heir seeking to project the Americas' only one-party Communist regime into the future.

Since March, Diaz-Canel has been one of the eight vice presidents on the Council of Ministers.

He took the number two spot from Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, 82, who relinquished the post but remains among Cuba's vice presidents.

Diaz-Canel, as political heir, cuts a starkly different profile from the revolutionary leadership, whose members are mostly in their 80s.

If he comes to lead Cuba, he would be the first leader of the regime whose entire life has been under the Castro regime that started in January 1959.

Barring any changes, Diaz-Canel would succeed Raul Castro, who will be 82 in June, if the president serves out his term through 2018.

A careful speaker, the lanky Diaz-Canel also has been a leader of the Communist Youth Union, and went on an international "mission" to Nicaragua during the first leftist Sandinista government.

He rose up the ranks, leading the party in Villa Clara in central Cuba, before being chosen to lead it in Holguin province in the east.

Diaz-Canel was then bumped up to the Politburo in 2003.

There was more new blood among the five vice presidents on the Council of State, in the person of Mercedes Lopez Acea, 48, the former leader of the Communist Party's Havana provincial assembly.

Raul Castro became Cuba's interim president when Fidel took ill in 2006. He formally became president in 2008.

The National Assembly, whose members ran for office in October unopposed, also chose Esteban Lazo, 68, as their new speaker.

Seen as an ideological hardliner, he is also the regime's most prominent Afro-Cuban leader.

"The choice of Lazo to lead the National Assembly confirms that the approach to any ideological change is a really cautious one.

Lazo has been all about ideological orthodoxy," said professor Arturo Lopez-Levy, at the University of Denver in the US state of Colorado.

On Friday, Raul Castro surprised some by joking publicly about resigning.

"I am going to resign. I am about to turn 82. I have the right to retire. Don't you believe me?" Castro said.

-AFP/sb



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Samsung, Tim Burton brighten Oscars with rainbow-colored unicorn blood



Movies take a lot of thinking.



(Credit:
Samsung Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)


"This is getting too weird for me."


These are words you never expected to hear coming from the mouth of Tim Burton.


Yet Samsung, which these days leaves no competitive joke unturned and no Hollywood star untapped, delivered precisely that during the Oscars broadcast.


The ad, released by Samsung a little while before the show, features Burton playing a director delighted to be turning the "Unicorn Apocalypse" game into a movie.


In this context, "delighted" takes on a very idiosyncratic form.


We begin by hearing that another Samsung endorser, LeBron James, is addicted to "Unicorn Apocalypse."



More Technically Incorrect



It's surely hard for anyone not to become addicted to zombie unicorns.


Who more appropriate, then, to direct the movie of the game than Tim Burton?


The man who sees blackness in darkness and deep gray in white saunters into the gaming company and plays, well, himself.


"Did you guys know that unicorns were basically goats?" Burton informs the rapt game creators.


He follows that fascinating information with the perhaps even less-well known fact that unicorn blood is rainbow-colored with little weird sparkles in it.


Which would sum up this ad.


Yes, there are Samsung products in it.


More important, however, are the little weird sparkles that are being sprayed upon the brand with stars, cheek and, most of all, wit.


Read More..

Oscars 2013: Stars dazzle on the red carpet

Stars dazzled on the Oscars red carpet Sunday night in Los Angeles, wearing shades of red and blue, along with neutral tones -- and practically everything in between.




67 Photos


Oscars 2013: Red carpet



"Silver Linings Playbook" actress Jennifer Lawrence opted to wear her hair pulled back as she walked the red carpet in a strapless white Dior Haute Couture gown, reminiscent of a bride's dress. While speaking with host Kristin Chenoweth on ABC's red carpet pre-show, Lawrence mentioned how she was excited to see Sally Field and her new buddy Laura Dern at the Oscars.

Nine-year-old actress Quvenzhane Wallis donned a blue Armani Junior gown, and of course, carried her pooch purse, which has become her staple on the red carpet.

Jessica Chastain, in a stunning Armani Prive gown and vintage Harry Winston jewelry, told the story behind her dress choice. "It came down to old Hollywood for me," she said, adding, "What I love so much about this dress is the pink beads and underneath it's copper."

Chastain wasn't the only actress wearing Armani; Naomi Watts also chose the designer for her beaded gown.

Kerry Washington walked the red carpet in a Miu Miu dress, Christian Louboutin shoes, a Prada bag, earrings by Chopard and a Fred Leighton ring. When asked about her dress' interesting hue, Washington described it as "Coral-ly, red, hot pink and copper...I can't really put a name on the color."

Amanda Seyfried, wearing a fitted Alexander McQueen dress, said on the red carpet, "I can't sit down and I feel like my organs are being pulled out of my body slowly."

"Lincoln" star Field stood out in a red gown, while Jennifer Aniston, also in red, said her Valentino gown felt "very princess." Reese Witherspoon opted for a strapless bright royal blue number with black across to the top, designed by Louis Vuitton. "I saw this dress and I just loved the color, " said Witherspoon, who also donned Louis Vuitton jewelry.

Amy Adams, meanwhile, sported a flowing Oscar de la Renta powder blue dress with tiered layers throughout the large ballskirt.

Prada was a last-minute decision for Anne Hathaway, who said she decided on her blush-colored dress only three hours before her red-carpet arrival. She paired her gown with a sparkly Tiffany necklace.

Jennifer Garner, in a strapless plum Gucci gown, did a bit more planning, telling, Chenoweth, "They made it for me...I loved this from the minute I saw the first sketch."

Halle Berry, in a black and silver-striped Versace dress, said she wanted to go "as a Bond girl to the Oscars."

Gold also made its way onto the red carpet. Rennee Zellweger chose a gold Carolina Herrera gown, one of her favorite designers and one she describes as "easy" to wear.

"Skyfall" songstress Adele, sporting a black gown, joked, "My dress weighs 50 kilos."

Tell us: Who was your favorite on the red carpet?

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Oscars 2013: Live Blog of the Academy Awards


Feb 24, 2013 1:13pm


10: 49 p.m.: “Lincoln” wins Best Production Design.


READ MORE: Full Wrap of the Oscars


10: 47 p.m.: Dubbed “boy wizard” and “girl vampire” by MacFarlane, Daniel Radcliffe and Kirsten Stewart present the award for Achievement in Production Design. Stewart is sans the crutches she was sporting on the red carpet earlier. Here’s the picture in case you missed it.


Watch Live Oscars Coverage Here


10: 44 p.m. ET: Nicole Kidman introduces the third batch of Best Picture nominees — “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Django Unchained” and ”Amour.”


10:35 p.m. ET: The unstoppable Adele performs her hit “Skyfall.” Our eyes are glued to the TV as our everyone’s backstage, including winner Anne Hathaway, Entertainment Weekly’s Jess Cagle tweeted.


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Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images


10: 33 p.m. ET: “Argo” wins Film Editing.

10: 32 p.m. ET: “Editors make so many of us look way better than we ever had a right to,” Sandra Bullock says before presenting the award for Best Film Editing.


10:23 p.m. ET: No surprise! Anne Hathaway takes home Best Supporting Actress. “It came true,” she says, clutching the statue.


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Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images


10:20 p.m. ET: Best Supporting Actress time … finally!It’s between Amy Adams, “The Master”; Sally Field, “Lincoln”; Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserables”; Jacki Weaver, “Silver Linings Playbook”; Helen Hunt, “The Sessions.”


10:15 p.m. ET: “We have a tie,” Mark Wahlberg said before announcing the award for Best Sound Editing. The first one goes to “Zero Dark Thirty.” The second one goes to “Skyfall.” Is a tie allowed, you ask? It’s not the first in Oscars history. The most famous was in 1986 when Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn tied for Best Actress, but there were five in total: Best Actor category in 1949, Best Documentary Short Subject in 1968, Best Actress in 1986, Documentary Feature in 1994, and Live Action Short Film, ABC News’ Alexis Shaw reports.


10:13 p.m. ET: Ted wouldn’t be Ted without a Jewish joke. The bear asks Mark Wahlberg if he’s Jewish because he has “a berg” at the end of his name.  ” Wrong answer. Try again. If you want to work in this town… ” he says. “I was born Theodore Shapiro…”


10:11 p.m. ET: Ted is in the house. The stars of MacFarlane’s box office hit, “Ted,” Mark Wahlberg and Ted, presented the award for Sound Mixing to “Les Miserables.”


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Image credit: Getty Images


10:01 p.m. ET: The cast of “Les Miserables” is singing “One Day More.” Anne Hathaway stole the show, as expected.


9:59 p.m. ET: No words. Jennifer Hudson is breaking it down with “Dreamgirls’” “And I’m Telling You.”


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Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images


9:53 p.m. ET: The movie musical tribute is off to a killer start with Catherine Zeta-Jones’ performance of “All That Jazz” from “Chicago.”


9:50 p.m. ET: Best Foreign Language Film is “Amour.”


9:44 p.m. ET: “Searching for Sugar Man” takes home Best Documentary Feature. Jaws music creeps in again (An aside: there’s an official Twitter handle for Jaws music already with one tweet:GET OFF THE STAGE!!!!!!!!”)


Full List of Winners


9:42 p.m. ET: MarFarlane gets some laughs at the expense of Ben Affleck and Jessica Chastain. On Affleck’s facial hair: “The first time I saw him with all that facial hair I thought finally the Kardashians have made the jump to film.” On Jessica Chastain’s character in “Zero Dark Thirty” — a movie about a “woman’s innate ability to never let anything go,” he jokes.


9:40 p.m. ET: Second batch of Best Picture nominees — “Argo,” “Lincoln,” “Zero Dark Thirty” – get their moment in the spotlight.


9: 36 p.m. ET: Best Documentary Short Subject goes to “Inocente.”


9: 33 p.m. ET: Shawn Christensen of “Curfew” wins for Live Action Short Film. Stars of “Django Unchained” Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx present.


9:27 p.m. ET: Standing ovation for Shirley Bassey singing “Goldfinger.” Thoughts on her performance?


9: 22 p.m. ET: Bond… James Bond! A ravishing Halle Berry takes to the stage in Marchesa for the Academy’s tribute to 50 years of James Bond films.


9:20 p.m. ET: “Les Miserables” picks up Best Makeup and Hairstyling.


9:18 p.m. ET: Jennifer Aniston and Channing Tatum Best Costume Designgoes to Jacqueline Durran for “Anna Karenina.” Click here to see her Oscar-winning costumes.


9:11 p.m. ET: And they’re playing people off with Jaws music. Hilarious and brilliant. Nicole Kidman mouths from her seat: “Poor thing.”


9:10 p.m. ET: That’s two for “Life of Pi.” The film picks up another win for Visual Effects.


9:07 p.m. ET:The Best Oscar for Cinematography goes to… Claudio Miranda for “Life of Pi.” The cast of “The Avengers” hands out the award.


Full List of Winners


9:05 p.m. ET: MacFarlane jokes about nine-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis’ age. “It’ll be 16 years till she’s too old for George Clooney.”


9:03 p.m. ET: Reese Witherspoon just gave us a briefing on the three of the Best Picture nominees: “Les Miserables,” “Life of Pi,” and “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” That song from “Les Mis” — “Do You Hear the People Sing?” — is now in my head.


9:00 p.m. ET: Best Animated Feature Oscar goes to….”Brave.”


8: 58 p.m. ET: “Paperman” wins Best Animated Short.


8: 58 p.m. ET: Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy lost us in their intro to animated short film.


8: 51 pm. ET: And the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor goes to Christoph Waltz in “Django Unchained.”


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Credit: Chris Pizzello/AP


8:49 p.m. ET: Every nominee for Best Supporting Actor already has an Oscar under his belt.


8: 42 p.m. ET: Another musical number with Daniel Radcliffe and Joseph-Gordon Levitt. And then we got a little Disney music too with “Be Our Guest,” which finally scored MacFarlane the “Best Oscars host ever” headline.



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Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images


8: 39 p.m. ET: Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron are dancing to MacFarlane singing “The Way You Look Tonight.” A shame not to see the “Magic Mike” star shirtless though.


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Credit: Mark Davis/Getty Images


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Image credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images


8:38 p.m. ET: Captain Kirk from “Star Trek” has descended on the stage to warn MacFarlane that he’s about to ruin the Oscars and be branded the worst Oscar host ever. “The show is a disaster. I’ve come back in time … to stop you from ruining the Academy Awards,” William Shatner says. “You sing an incredibly offensive song that upsets a lot of women in the audience.” Cut to MacFarlane singing “We Saw Your Boobs,” a hilarious number referencing when we’ve seen actresses nude in movies.


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Image credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images


8:35 p.m. ET: MacFarlane pokes fun at Daniel Day Lewis’ method. “Your process fascinates me. You were totally 100% in character in Lincoln… So if you saw a cell phone, would you have to be like, ‘Oh god, what’s that?’ If you bumped into Don Cheadle on the studio lot, you’d try and free him on the studio lot.”


8: 32 p.m. ET:  Too much? MacFarlane compared “Django Unchained” to Rihanna and Chris Brown’s relationship.


8:30 p.m. ET: Seth MacFarlane is on stage and quips: “The quest to make Tommy Lee Jones laugh begins now.”


8:27 p.m. ET: The stars are seated and the show is about to start. A lot of anticipation about Seth MacFarlane’s opening monologue. Channing Tatum is tweeting that he’s getting ready to take to the stage: “Hope you like what we’ve been working on. Getting ready to hit the #Oscars stage! Wish me luck!” Will there be a musical number right off the bat?


8:20 p.m. ET: Strapless is definitely a trend of the night. We’ve also seen a lot of beauties in blue.


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Image credit: Getty Images



8: 15 p.m. ET:
We’ve confirmed that Best Supporting Actress nominee Helen Hunt is rocking … H&M! “The Session” actress is in a  custom made midnight-blue full length gown is silk satin gown (also strapless). 


8:14 p.m. ET: Anne Hathaway is talking about her dress. “My mom says it’s business in the front, party in the back.”


8:08 p.m. ET: Do Jacki Weaver and Olivia Munn share a stylist? ABC News’ Alexis Shaw spotted the Best Supporting Actress nominee and Munn in eerily similar crimson gowns with matching gold embellishment on the top. Click here for more.


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Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images



8:05 p.m. ET:
Kristen Stewart is sporting crutches on the red carpet. Might be because she took home the Worst Actress Razzie award last night for “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2.”


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Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images


8:00 p.m. ET: The show is now officially a half hour away. In honor of Oscar night, the President tweeted this picture from a White House movie night.


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Image credit: Twitter/BarackObama


7: 52 p.m. ET: “Les Mis” star and Best Actor nominee Hugh Jackman just picked up pre-show host Kristin Chenoweth on the red carpet and said she weighs less than an Oscar. Not really though…Each nearly 14-inch-high statue weighs 8.5 pounds and costs $500 to make. Get more Oscar trivia here.


7:40 p.m. ET: If there’s one star you can count on to look fabulous, it’s Jennifer Aniston.  She’s in a Valentino red strapless gown and has fiance Justin Theroux at her side. They’re in the running for Hollywood’s hottest couple on the red carpet.


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7:38 p.m. ET: Bradley Cooper brought his mom as his date. She’s rocking a shrug with serious feathers and what look like sneakers with her gown. Cooper is up for Best Actor in “Silver Linings Playbook.”


7:34 p.m. ET: Reese Witherspoon is in head to toe Louis Vuitton. The presenter’s black and royal blue gown with side-swept hairdo scream old Hollywood glamor. Click here.


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Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images


7: 28 p.m. ET: Fashion miss: Jane Fonda is slightly blinding in bright yellow.


7: 24 p.m. ET: Best actress nominee Naomi Watts is in a gunmetal Giorgio Armani gown in grey sequins. Does she make your best dressed list? See more arrivals here.


7:20 p.m. ET: Anne Hathaway’s dress may raise eyebrows tonight. The “Les Miserables” star is in a backless, halter dress that appears slightly sheer on the red carpet.


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Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images


7:18 p.m. ET: We can’t get enough of Quvenzhane Wallis. The “Beasts of the Southern Wild” star has her mom’s permission to stay out a little bit later tonight, she told Lara Spencer on the red carpet.


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Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images


7:15 p.m. ET: “I feel super tucked in,” Amanda Seyfried said of the corset in her Alexander McQueen gown. “I can’t sit down.” The “Les Miserables” star is performing tonight. Hope she can breathe on stage.


7:07 p.m. ET: Another star goes strapless. Jennifer Lawrence, who’s up for Best Actress in “Silver Linings Playbook,” is in a blush Dior Haute Couture gown with a full skirt.


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Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images



7:01 p.m. ET:
ABC’s pre-show is kicking off! “Red carpet is 500 feet long. That’s about 2,000 of me,” Chenoweth joked. Tune into ABC now and get a behind-the-scenes look via Backstage Pass on the Oscar App.


6:56 p.m. ET: The red carpet is packed, but not everyone is making it through the notorious L.A. traffic. Mark Ruffalo is running late. The actor, who’s presenting tonight, tweeted to the Academy: “Dear @TheAcademy. We are running a good deal behind would you mind starting a little later this year? Mark and Sunrise Ruffalo.”



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Credit: ABC News



6:49 p.m. ET: Presenter Kerry Washington is in Miu Miu. The “Django Unchained” and star “Scandal” star always keeps us guessing and never fails to impress.

The Best Apps for Hollywood’s Big Night


6:44 p.m. ET: Who are you most excited to see on the red carpet? What will be the meme of the night? Angelia Jolie’s right leg stole the show last year and Twitter is reminding us. “1 year ago today you met the glorious thing that is ME #neverforget,” @Angelina Jolie’sLeg posted.  


6:35 p.m. ET: The reigning “Sexiest Man Alive” Channing Tatum and a pregnant Jenna Dewan are both glowing on the red carpet. See them canoodling here.


6:25 p.m. ET: Amy Adams looks ethereal in a seafoam green Oscar de la Renta strapless dress. She’s up for Best Supporting Actress for “The Master.”


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Credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images


PHOTOS: Oscar Red Carpet Arrivals


6:22 p.m. ET: Cutest moment of the red carpet so far, as captured by the Academy. Nine-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis, nominated for “Beasts of the Southern Wild” shows off her puppy-shaped purse to fellow Best Actress nominee Jessica Chastain. It’s reportedly named Sammy after her dog at home.


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Credit: @TheAcademy/Twitter


6:10 p.m. ET: The winners have arrived, WABC’s Sandy Kenyon reports! In these briefcases are the top secret ballots from the Academy. Read more here.


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Credit: Twitter/SandyKenyon7



5:56 p.m. ET:
“GMA” anchors Robin Roberts and Lara Spencer smile backstage before the red carpet heats up.



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Credit: ABC


5:42 p.m. ET: ABC pre-show hosts Kristin Chenoweth and Kelly Rowland have arrived on the red carpet and are looking fabulous in black and white.


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Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images


5:30 p.m. ET: See what the stars see as they walk down the grand staircase to the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre. This cool 360 view is courtesy of the Academy.


5:15 p.m. ET: Get your Oscar party on. Impress your friends with these movie-themed recipes and cocktails. We could go for some Spinach “Argo-choke Dip” right about now…


Oscar 2013: Movie-Themed Recipes
9 Cocktails for Your Oscar Party


5:00 p.m. ET: “GMA” anchor Robin Roberts is back and looking better than ever! Roberts, who returned to the morning show Wednesday after undergoing a bone marrow transplant to treat MDS, will be on the red carpet tonight. “To my wonderful, beloved #TeamRobin … This one’s for you. XO,” she tweeted. She’s in a cobalt blue velvet halter gown from designer Marc Bouwer.


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Credit: Twitter/RobinRoberts


4:44 p.m. ET: We’re less than an hour away from red carpet arrivals. “Good Morning America” anchor Lara Spencer is getting red-carpet ready to host the Oscar pre-show.  “Hair + Make-up = Butterflies!” @LaraSpencer tweeted. Spencer, actress Kristin Chenoweth, Entertainment Weekly’s Jess Cagle and singer Kelly Rowland will have interviews with all of the stars, starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC.


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Credit: Twitter/LaraSpencer



1:15 p.m. ET: Hollywood’s biggest night of the year is officially here: the Oscars. Funnyman Seth MacFarlane is hosting the 85th Annual Academy Awards and we’ll be covering all of the big winners, best moments, surprises, and all-important red carpet arrivals. Refresh for the latest updates all night long.


We are just hours away from seeing the gorgeous gowns and finding out who’s going home with those coveted statuettes. It’s not too late to make your picks and predictions on our interactive Oscar ballot. To get up to speed before the festivities begin, check out our complete Oscars coverage.


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Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC


Full List of the Nominees


7 Things to Know About Seth MacFarlane


PHOTOS: The Best Oscar Dresses of All Time


TRIVIA: 15 Things You Don’t Know About the Oscars


PHOTOS: Top 30 Worst Oscar Looks Ever


Backstage Pass: Download the Oscars App for insider views from the red carpet and behind the scenes. Click here to learn how!

Read More..

Italians head to polls in crucial vote for euro zone


ROME (Reuters) - Italians vote on Sunday in one of the most closely watched elections in years with markets nervous about whether it will produce a strong government to pull Italy out of recession and help resolve the euro zone debt crisis.


A huge final rally by anti-establishment-comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo on Friday before a campaigning ban kicked in has highlighted public anger at traditional parties and added to uncertainty about the election outcome.


Polling booths will open between 02:00 am-04:00 pm EST on Sunday and 01:00 am-09:00 am EST on Monday. Exit polls will come out soon after voting ends and official results are expected by early Tuesday.


The election will be followed closely by financial markets with memories still fresh of the potentially catastrophic debt crisis that brought technocrat Prime Minister Mario Monti to power more than a year ago.


Italy, the euro zone's third-largest economy, is stuck in deep recession, struggling under a public debt burden second only to Greece's in the 17-member currency bloc and with a public weary of more than a year of harsh austerity policies.


Italy's Interior Ministry has urged some 47 million eligible voters to not let bad weather forecasts put them off, and said it was prepared to handle even snowy conditions in some northern regions to ensure everyone had a chance to vote.


Final polls published two weeks ago showed center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani with a five-point lead, but analysts disagree about whether he will be able to form a stable majority that can push though the economic reforms Italy needs.


Bersani is now thought to be just a few points ahead of center-right rival Silvio Berlusconi, the four-times prime minister who has promised tax refunds and staged a media blitz in an attempt to win back voters in recent weeks.


While the center left is still expected to gain control of the lower house thanks to rules that guarantee a strong majority to whichever party wins the most votes nationally, a much closer battle will be fought in the Senate, which any government also needs to control in order to be able to pass laws.


Seats in the upper house are awarded on a region-by-region basis, meaning that support in key regions can decisively influence the overall result.


Pollsters still believe the most likely outcome is a center-left government headed by Bersani and possibly backed by Monti, who is leading a centrist coalition.


But strong campaigning by Berlusconi and the fiery Grillo, who has drawn tens of thousands to his election rallies, have thrown the election wide open, causing concern that there may be no clear winner.


Whatever government emerges from the vote will have the task of pulling Italy out of its longest recession for 20 years and reviving an economy largely stagnant for two decades.


The main danger for Italy and the euro zone is a weak government incapable of taking firm action, which would rattle investors and could ignite a new debt crisis.


Monti replaced Berlusconi in November 2011 after the euro zone's third-largest economy came close to Greek-style financial meltdown while the center-right government was embroiled in scandals.


The former European Commissioner launched a tough program of spending cuts, tax hikes and pension reforms which won widespread international backing and helped restore Italy's credibility abroad after the scandals of the Berlusconi era.


Italy's borrowing costs have since fallen sharply after the European Central Bank pledged it was prepared to support countries undertaking reforms by buying unlimited quantities of their bonds on the markets.


But economic austerity has fuelled anger among Italians grappling with rising unemployment and shrinking disposable incomes, encouraging many to turn to Grillo, who has tapped into a national mood of disenchantment.


(Reporting by Catherine Hornby; Editing by Jason Webb)



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Michelle Obama's dance moves go viral on YouTube






WASHINGTON - A video clip of First Lady Michelle Obama grooving with a dressed-in-drag Jimmy Fallon on his late-night comedy talk show on Saturday has gone viral on YouTube.

In the video, the pair, each clad in conservative slacks and cardigans, and Fallon with a long brown-haired wig, perform a routine dubbed "Evolution of Mom Dancing," to promote Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" youth fitness and nutrition campaign.

The dance moves -- with names like "The 'Go Shopping, Get Groceries,'" and "The 'Out of Sync Electric Slide'" according to titles splashed on the bottom of the screen -- progress from a simple side-to-side step and ends with Fallon stalking off set as Michelle Obama rocks a smooth "Dougie."

The clip, which has already been viewed nearly a half million times since being posted Saturday and "liked" more than 10,000 times, has prompted effusive comments about the first lady and her first family.

"For the first time... we have a first lady with soul," wrote zestydude87.

And Rina Lubit wrote, "it may be just me but i really love the presidential family. they just really seem like sincerely good and chill people."

In an interview later on the show, Michelle Obama rates her husband's dance skills a "B," saying "he's got, like, three good moves."

Michelle Obama also touts her "Let's Move!" campaign, saying it has seen progress since she launched it three years ago, but there is still work to do.

"Over the past three years, we've seen a culture shift. Now people understand that this is an issue," she said.

"We've got better lunches in the schools, we've got companies putting grocery stores in under-served communities. We've got our athletes, our Olympians, working to get our kids more active. It's really heartening to see."

Obesity is a major health problem in the United States, where one in three adults and almost one in five children is overweight.

Among other initiatives for "Let's Move," the first lady, an attorney by training, has planted the White House's first garden since World War II and written a book with healthy recipes.

- AFP/ir



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The Facebook mistakes people make after a date



February can make people excitable.


A new year is barely old. Hope springs eternal. And then there's Valentine's Day to add a little piquancy to their emotional state.


Sometimes, though, lovers suffer from a certain lack of self-control. This can manifest itself on society's everyday manifest: Facebook.


I was moved, therefore, that someone had taken the time to list the major faux pas that occur when social contact accelerates beyond decent norms.


I am lovingly grateful to Ranker, which has taken it upon itself to reduce the rancor that might be caused by Facebooked overenthusiasm -- the site has listed behavior to avoid.



Apparently the worst thing you can do after meeting someone in whose charm and personality you might be interested is to immediately send them a Facebook friend request.


This might seem obvious to some.


You don't necessarily have any idea what the other person might really think of you. You know, inside their heads.


And, as Ranker wisely offers: "Now you've just given yourself something else to obsess over: 'Why hasn't my friend request been accepted? Why is it taking so long? Did they even see it?!'


And from one small click, a whole new series of sessions with your shrink is created.


It seems, though, that the human imagination has found many more ways of ruining the course of true love on Facebook.


People apparently pore over their new date's Facebook page, seeking secrets to their true friends, thoughts, and, who knows, other objects of affection.


Some devolve into what seems utterly psychotic behavior, such as liking old photos of their new potential paramour. Who does that? Twisted humans, that's who.


But Facebook offers so many more opportunities for self-destruction.


There's revealing too much in your status update. Sample: "I just went on the best date ever with Marie Dupree and her sexy knees."



More Technically Incorrect



Some people, though, go even further and attempt to insert themselves into comments on their love-object's Facebook page, should they already be Facebook friends. Sample: "You look so WONDERFUL when you're saluting the sun, Shoshanna. Can't wait until we do some saluting together!!"


No, it doesn't end there.


The Facebook gauche end up stalking every second of their new friend's Timeline. ("She dated a clown in 2008? Why would she DO that?")


Worse, there are apparently instances of enthusiasts who get so carried away that they start friending the families of their new objects of affection. ("Hi, Mrs. Aziel, you don't know me, but your daughter and I...." Oh, you finish the sentence.)


Facebook offers so many avenues of potential despair that there is only one way that you can use it to avoid complication, pain, sorrow, heartbreak, sleepless nights, and that bottomless feeling of lost opportunity: Don't go anywhere near it.



Top 10 Facebook Mistakes to Avoid After 1st Dates
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Threat of sequestration looms as deadline approaches

(CBS News) WASHINGTON - We are now six days from the deadline for Congress and the White House to reach a deal to avoid across-the-board cuts that would total $85 billion and be divided equally between defense and domestic programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cuts would put 750,000 people out of work. Both Democrats and Republicans dug in and showing little sign of movement.

In one of the most detailed warnings on sequestration, the Federal Aviation Administration says that starting in April, air travelers should get ready for delays.

If budget cuts go into effect, 47,000 workers -- including air traffic controllers could be furloughed-one day every two weeks -- and 100 air traffic towers could close at small city airports.

Severe budget cuts to hit economy at delicate time
Sequester blame game continues days before deadline
Govs make plea to Washington on budget cuts

The reductions might mean longer lines, fewer flights, and fewer customers for Joe Mellace, who owns a deli across from Caldwell Airport in Essex County, New Jersey.

"I do get a lot of business here and taking this thing away -- I just feel like this land would be wasted," he said.

Furloughs are also coming for 800,000 civilian employees of the Defense Department. Across, the country towns with military bases are bracing for the loss of thousands of jobs and the tens of millions of dollars those jobs bring to the local economy.

The president is using the potential loss of jobs to push congressional Republicans into a deal that would lower the deficit by closing tax loopholes on higher-income Americans.

"Are they seriously prepared to inflict more pain on the middle class because they refuse to ask anything more of those at the very top?" asked President Obama.

Republicans say they will not deal on the sequester until the president proposes more spending cuts.

"So the question is: 'Why won't he work with us?'" said GOP Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota. "And the answer, quite simply, is because he wants higher taxes."

Both sides want to blame sequestration on each other and there is no apparent movement toward compromise. The president has asked to speak to congressional Republicans, but no serious talks or negotiations have been scheduled.

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Fiery Last-Lap Daytona Crash Injures Dozens











A fiery last-lap crash at the Daytona International Speedway today sent chunks of debris flying into the stands, injuring more than 30 spectators, who were seen being carried away from the stands on stretchers.


At least 14 of the injured were transported to hospitals and more than a dozen others were treated at the speedway, Dayton president Joie Chitwood III. All the drivers involved in the crash have been treated and released, Chitwood said.


ESPN reported that one of the spectators taken to the hospital was on the way to surgery with head trauma.


The 12-car crash happened moments before the end of the Nationwide race, and on the eve of the Daytona 500, one of NASCAR's biggest events.




The crash was apparently triggered when driver Regan Smith's car, which was being tailed by Brad Keselowski on his back bumper, spun to the right and shot up the track. Smith had been in the lead and said after the crash he had been trying to throw a "block."


PHOTOS: Crash at Daytona Sends Wreckage Into Stands


Rookie Kyle Larson's car slammed into the wall that separates the track from the grandstands, causing his No. 32 car to go airborne and erupt in flames.


When a haze of smoke cleared and Larson's car came to a stop, he jumped out uninjured.


His engine and one of his wheels were sitting in a walkway of the grandstand.


"I was getting pushed from behind," Larson told ESPN. "Before I could react, it was too late."


Tony Stewart pulled out the win, but in victory lane, what would have been a celebratory mood was tempered by concern for the injured fans.


"We've always known this is a dangerous sport," Stewart said. "But it's hard when the fans get caught up in it."


Repairs are under way on the fence where the crash happened and are expected to be completed before the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Chitwood said.


He told reporters NASCAR does not anticipate having to move any of their fans for the Daytona 500 and expects all seats will be filled.



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Abe vows to revive Japanese economy, sees no escalation with China


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Americans on Friday "I am back and so is Japan" and vowed to get the world's third biggest economy growing again and to do more to bolster security and the rule of law in an Asia roiled by territorial disputes.


Abe had firm words for China in a policy speech to a top Washington think-tank, but also tempered his remarks by saying he had no desire to escalate a row over islets in the East China Sea that Tokyo controls and Beijing claims.


"No nation should make any miscalculation about firmness of our resolve. No one should ever doubt the robustness of the Japan-U.S. alliance," he told the Center for Strategic and International Studies.


"At the same time, I have absolutely no intention to climb up the escalation ladder," Abe said in a speech in English.


After meeting U.S. President Barack Obama on his first trip to Washington since taking office in December in a rare comeback to Japan's top job, he said he told Obama that Tokyo would handle the islands issue "in a calm manner."


"We will continue to do so and we have always done so," he said through a translator, while sitting next to Obama in the White House Oval Office.


Tension surged in 2012, raising fears of an unintended military incident near the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China. Washington says the islets fall under a U.S.-Japan security pact, but it is eager to avoid a clash in the region.


Abe said he and Obama "agreed that we have to work together to maintain the freedom of the seas and also that we would have to create a region which is governed based not on force but based on an international law."


Abe, whose troubled first term ended after just one year when he abruptly quit in 2007, has vowed to revive Japan's economy with a mix of hyper-easy monetary policy, big spending, and structural reform. The hawkish leader is also boosting Japan's defense spending for the first time in 11 years.


"Japan is not, and will never be, a tier-two country," Abe said in his speech. "So today ... I make a pledge. I will bring back a strong Japan, strong enough to do even more good for the betterment of the world."


'ABENOMICS' TO BOOST TRADE


The Japanese leader stressed that his "Abenomics" recipe would be good for the United States, China and other trading partners.


"Soon, Japan will export more, but it will import more as well," Abe said in the speech. "The U.S. will be the first to benefit, followed by China, India, Indonesia and so on."


Abe said Obama welcomed his economic policy, while Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said the two leaders did not discuss currencies, in a sign that the U.S. does not oppose "Abenomics" despite concern that Japan is weakening its currency to export its way out of recession.


The United States and Japan agreed language during Abe's visit that could set the stage for Tokyo to join negotiations soon on a U.S.-led regional free trade agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.


In a carefully worded statement following the meeting between Obama and Abe, the two countries reaffirmed that "all goods would be subject to negotiations if Japan joins the talks with the United States and 10 other countries.


At the same time, the statement envisions a possible outcome where the United States could maintain tariffs on Japanese automobiles and Japan could still protect its rice sector.


"Recognizing that both countries have bilateral trade sensitivities, such as certain agricultural products for Japan and certain manufactured products for the United States, the two governments confirm that, as the final outcome will be determined during the negotiations, it is not required to make a prior commitment to unilaterally eliminate all tariffs upon joining the TPP negotiations," the statement said.


Abe repeated that Japan would not provide any aid for North Korea unless it abandoned its nuclear and missile programs and released Japanese citizens abducted decades ago to help train spies.


Pyongyang admitted in 2002 that its agents had kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s. Five have been sent home, but Japan wants better information about eight who Pyongyang says are dead and others Tokyo believes were also kidnapped.


Abe also said he hoped to have a meeting with new Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who takes over as president next month, and would dispatch Finance Minister Taro Aso to attend the inauguration of incoming South Korean President Park Geun-hye next week.


(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason and Doug Palmer; Editing by David Brunnstrom and Paul Simao)



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