Italians head to polls in crucial vote for Europe

Filippo Monteforte / AFP - Getty Images

Supporters cheer comedian-turned-political agitator, Beppe Grillo, as he arrives for his final rally in Rome's Piazza San Giovanni on Friday. Italians are fed up, and no one is tapping that emotional vein better than comic-turned-political agitator Grillo and his anti-establishment 5 Star Movement.

By Catherine Hornby, Reuters

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ROME - Italians began voting 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.?

Voters started casting their ballots at 7 a.m. (1 a.m. ET). Polling booths will remain open until 9 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) on Sunday and between?6 a.m. and 2 p.m.?(midnight and 10 a.m. ET) on Monday. Exit polls will come out soon after voting ends and official results are expected by early Tuesday.?

Filippo Monteforte / AFP - Getty Images

Comedian-turned-political agitator, Beppe Grillo, speaks during his final rally in Rome's Piazza San Giovanni on Friday.

The election is being 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.?

Economic austerity has fueled 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.?

Final polls published two weeks ago showed center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani with a 5-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.?

Berlusconi criticism?
Berlusconi hogged the headlines on Sunday after he broke the campaign silence the previous evening attack magistrates, saying they were "more dangerous than the Sicilian mafia" and had invented allegations he held sex parties to discredit him.?

The 76-year-old billionaire, who faces several trials on charges ranging from fraud to sex with an underage prostitute, was criticized by his election rivals for making the comments after the campaigning ban had come into force.?

Ciro De Luca / Reuters

Silvio Berlusconi, leader of People of Freedom party, appears on a screen during his political rally in Naples Friday.

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 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.?

Surveys have shown up to 5 million voters are expected to make up their minds at the last minute, adding to uncertainty.?

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

Related:?

Polls: Cigar-chomping former communist will be Italy's next leader

Pope's resignation could thwart Berlusconi comeback

Italy's comeback kid Berlusconi defends Mussolini

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/24/17073574-fed-up-italians-head-to-polls-in-crucial-vote-for-europe?lite

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Two injured in Ford City Mall melee following appearance by band Mindless Behavior

BY BRIAN SLODYSKO Staff Reporter/bslodysko February 23, 2013 6:43PM

Mindless Behavior appearing at the Ford City Mall. Photo courtesy of Mindless Behavior Facebook page.

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Updated: February 24, 2013 12:03AM

Two people were slightly injured and roughly 20 people arrested Saturday when a melee broke out at the Ford City Mall following a promotional appearance by the popular boy band Mindless Behavior, police said.

The band had recently concluded the event, catered to their primarily tween girl fan-base, when a ?group of youths? entered the mall intent on creating ?chaos and havoc,? said mall general manager, John Sarama, who claims the disturbance was not related to the event, which ended around 4 p.m.

Some of the teens ran through the mall. A planter box was broken. One boy threw a wad of about $100 in small bills into the air, causing those nearby to scramble for the cash.

?I don?t understand what the purpose of that was other than it caused a bit more commotion,? Sarama said when asked about the money.

The mall was evacuated and police closed South Cicero Avenue to traffic in the vicinity of the West Lawn neighborhood mall, police said. Chicago Transit Authority buses were rerouted to avoid the area.

By the time it was all over several people were arrested, two were injured and a sizable force of police and paramedics had descended on the mall, according to authorities and Sarama.

Even after the mall was evacuated and the doors were locked, the chaos continued outside.

Police late Saturday said those arrested were mostly juvenile and will be charged mostly with misdemeanors.

Mindless Behavior appeared at the mall, signing autographs to promote their upcoming release ?All Around the World,? according to social media websites run by the band?s management.

The band?s manager Keisha Gamble did not respond to a request for comment.

?There was some sort of a rap group either performing or signing autographs and a large group of teens caused a disturbance,? said police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.

Sarama said he was just glad it was all over.

?Everything is fine and we?re looking forward to opening back up at 11 a.m. (Sunday),? Sarama said.

Source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/18433584-418/two-injured-in-ford-city-mall-melee-following-appearance-by-band-mindless-behavior.html

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NEWS: Sony: Pre-owned game blockage "up to publishers" on PS4

Yesterday, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida gave an odd response to the question of whether the PlayStation 4 would block used games from being played on the system, saying "So, used games can play on PS4. How is that?"

Now, Yoshida a more ominous statement when asked if used games would require an activation code, saying, ?It's a publisher decision. We are not talking about it. Sorry.?

Make what you will about that statement.

Source: http://www.strategyinformer.com/news/21975/sony-pre-owned-game-blockage-up-to-publishers-on-ps4

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What we know (and don't know) about the PlayStation 4

Winda Benedetti , NBC News ? ? ? 1 day

At long last, Sony has revealed its newest home video game machine ? the PlayStation 4. Well, sort of.

At a flashy, big-screen-filled event in New York City on Wednesday, the electronics giant told a crowd full of journalists that the PlayStation 4 will arrive in stores this holiday season. And while Sony revealed a number of details about the successor to the PlayStation 3, it also left us with plenty of questions.

For example, what does the PlayStation 4 look like?

But since the big announcement (which you can read more about here), some new details about the machine ? and some new questions ? have emerged. Here's a look at the PlayStation 4 intel so far.

What we know

Game prices: Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, told CNBC that PlayStation 4 game prices would range from 99 cents to $60. We expect that $60 applies to the standard AAA game titles ? which makes it in line with what gamers are currently paying and less than the $70 (or higher) that some rumors had pegged PS4 games at.

Not backwards compatible but ... The PlayStation 4 will not be backwards compatible with PlayStation 3 games, Shuhei Yoshida ? President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios ? told a group of game journalists after Wednesday's event. However, he said the machine may make older PS1, PS2 and PS3 games available on the PS4 via streaming. (Sony did purchase streaming game service Gaikai last year, after all.)

A new DualShock controller: There's a new controller in town. Sony gave us a good look at its motion-control enabled DualShock 4 controller on Wednesday and has since revealed some pretty pictures showing off the "share" button that will allow players to instantly broadcast their game live, as well as the touchpad.

The controller also features a built-in speaker and headset jack and a lightbar on the front that will be used for things like showing players when their character has taken damage during a game. The lightbar will also be used in conjunction with ...

A new PlayStation Eye camera: Sony's PlayStation Eye camera has been redesigned and, it must be said, it looks a bit like Microsoft's motion-and-voice-sensing Kinect peripheral. AmIright?

In a post on the official PlayStation blog, Yoshida says of the dual-camera peripheral, "it can sense the depth of the environment in front of it and also track the 3D location of the controller via its light bar. The new camera incorporates four microphones capable of accurate sound detection and source origination, and it will support the PlayStation Move motion controller with more precision than ever before."

The camera will also be able to track the 3D location of the DualShock 4 controller thanks to the controller's lightbar.

Some of the technical specs: Following Wednesday's reveal, Sony issued a press release outlining the PS4's technical specs ? or at least the specs they're willing to reveal at the moment. Here's the official geeky outline of the console's guts:

Main Processor
Single-chip custom processor
CPU : x86-64 AMD "Jaguar", 8 cores
GPU : 1.84 TFLOPS, AMD next-generation Radeon based graphics engine

Memory
GDDR5 8GB

Hard Disk Drive
Built-in

Optical Drive
(read only)
BD 6xCAV
DVD 8xCAV
I/O
Super-Speed USB (USB 3.0) ?AUX

Communication
Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)
IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 (EDR)

AV output
HDMI
Analog-AV out
Digital Output (optical)

Online won't be required: While rumors have been circulating claiming that Microsoft's forthcoming competing game machine ? the yet-to-be-announced successor to the Xbox 360 ? will require owners to have a connection to the internet to play games, Sony has gone on the record saying that will not be the case with the PlayStation 4.

In an interview with Eurogamer, Yoshida said, "Oh yes, yes, you can go offline totally. Social is big for us, but we understand there are some people who are anti-social! So if you don't want to connect to anyone else, you can do that."

Some of the games: We don't yet know exactly what the launch-day lineup of games is going to look like when the PS4 arrives in stores, but we did get a look at a number of games that are in the works. Ubisoft's open-world hacker game "Watch Dogs" will arrive on the day of launch, and Bungie's new project "Destiny" is coming to the machine as well.

For a full run-down of the PS4 games that were revealed and a look at them in action, check out this story.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW

What the PlayStation 4 looks like: The PlayStation 4 itself was conspicuously missing from its own coming-out party. We saw the new controller, we saw the new camera, we saw a bunch of games and tech demos. But we didn't get a single glimpse of the machine.

Apparently we didn't get to see the PS4's design because it hasn't been finalized yet.

"We don?t have a mass-production box that we can bring out and pull out," Tretton told AllThingsD. "That?s still in development in terms of final specs and design."

Furthermore, Yoshida told game site Kotaku.com, "we have to keep something new for later. Otherwise you'd get bored." (We predict that means Sony will show off the machine itself at the big Electronic Entertainment Expo this summer.)

But as InGame editor Todd Kenreck points out in his video below, the external shape of the machine is not what really matters.

How much it will cost:Sony has not yet put a price tag on its future game machine, though recently leaked information suggests it will come in two versions, priced at $429 and $529

Sony misfired in a big way when it introduced the PlayStation 3 at $500 and a whopping $600 for the top-end model. The good news is, it sounds like the company has perhaps learned its lesson.

"I think our goal with this is to debut at a more consumer-friendly price," Tretton told AllThingsD, when asked about the PS4 price. "But we haven?t made any final decisions about what the price will be at launch."

The state of used games? Rumors have been circulating for some time that Sony and Microsoft's new game machines will block the use of used games. Needless to say, that does not sit well with many gamers, who feel that if they buy a game disc that means they own that game and should be able to share and resell it as they please. Meanwhile, used games are a great way for people on tight budgets to pick up a title at a more affordable price.

Sony didn't reveal anything about the PS4 and used games during its main event. However, Eurogamer popped the question to Yoshida and got an answer ... of sorts. Here's how the conversation went:

Eurogamer: One of the questions my readers really want an answer to is whether you're going to block the use of second-hand or 'used' games, because it's a huge concern for them.

Shuhei Yoshida: Do you want us to do that?

Eurogamer: No. I think if you buy something on a disc you have a kind of moral contract with the person you've bought it from that you retain some of that value and you can pass it on. Do you agree?

Shuhei Yoshida: Yes. That's the general expectation by consumers. They purchase physical form, they want to use it everywhere, right? So that's my expectation.

Eurogamer: So if someone buys a PlayStation 4 game, you're not going to stop them reselling it?

Shuhei Yoshida Aaaah. [Asks PR adviser.] So what was our official answer to our internal question? [Consults adviser.] So, used games can play on PS4. How is that?

So take from that what you will. It looks good for used game fans, but there's certainly plenty of wiggle room in the way he phrased his answers.

Winda Benedetti writes about video games for NBC News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things on Twitter here @WindaBenedetti and you can follow her on Google+. Meanwhile, be sure to check out the IN-GAME FACEBOOK PAGE to discuss the day's gaming news and reviews.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ingame/what-we-know-dont-know-about-playstation-4-1C8496357

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U.S. air travelers will feel budget cut effects quickly: union

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. air travel system faces widespread disruptions if automatic government spending cuts go into effect next week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said on Friday in an effort to pressure congressional lawmakers to delay the cuts.

LaHood painted a dismal picture of delayed and canceled flights, shuttered control towers and airports, and irate air travelers from coast to coast if across-the-board spending cuts are allowed to take place under the process known as sequestration.

"Flights to major cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco and others could experience delays of up to 90 minutes during peak hours," he told reporters at the White House. "Delays in these major airports will ripple across the country."

Some $85 billion in cuts are due to be applied across government programs on March 1 unless lawmakers act. The cuts were designed to be so onerous they would force a compromise over a broader deficit reduction package, but this has proven elusive.

President Obama has urged Congress to postpone the cuts for several months to let the White House and congressional Republicans hammer out a deficit-cutting deal. The president has given a series of speeches, echoed by his staff, stressing the economic damage the cuts would cause.

Republicans, who have argued that government overspending is a leading problem hurting the U.S. economy, have so far rebuffed the president's efforts. A number of Republican members of Congress have said that while the cuts may be painful, they could benefit the nation's finances in the long term.

LaHood, a former Republican U.S. congressional representative, acknowledged that the administration hoped his warnings might sway the views of his fellow party members.

"I would describe my presence here with one word: Republican," the former congressman from Peoria, Illinois said. "They're hoping that maybe I can influence some of the people in my own party."

LaHood said sequestration would lead to $1 billion in spending cuts at the Transportation Department, of which more than $600 million would be to the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees U.S. air travel.

The "vast majority" the FAA's approximately 47,000 employees face furloughs of at least a day per pay period until the end of September, he said.

The government would also close more than 100 air-traffic control towers in places with light traffic like Boca Raton, Florida, Joplin, Missouri, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, LaHood said.

(Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton, Jeff Mason; Editing by David Brunnstrom)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-air-travelers-feel-budget-cut-effects-quickly-182052933--business.html

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Select school principals confident football playoff split won't occur

Jerit Roser, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, February 21, 2013 3:29 p.m.

Officials from Jesuit and other local schools are concerned with how their football is affected by recent changes. - (Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

Select school principals feel confident as ever in their effort to stop the LHSAA's split select and nonselect football playoffs voted for last month.

The principals addressed the Association's Executive Committee with related concerns and ideas Thursday morning.

About 20 minutes into the meeting, Karr Principal John Hiser questioned whether the new by-law was constitutional, an assertion that quickly gained support and the bulk of the remaining focus.

"It was time extremely well-spent," Jesuit Principal Michael Giambelluca said. "The bottom line is there is a uniform belief after this meeting that this proposal is unconstitutional by the LHSAA's own constitution, so we're very confident that what happened back at the convention, while it was unfortunate, will be resolved, and this association will remain one association, which is what it needs to be."

Principals then met privately to further discuss their options "outside the association," including potential legal and legislative avenues.

"Oh, there are things that are definitely moving that I'm certainly just hearing about for the first time," Giambelluca added. "And on pretty much all fronts, many things are happening to pretty much bring it about that what happened at the convention will not stand."

The hope, all sides of the issue say, is that those fronts won't become necessary.

Shaw Principal Rev. Louis Konopelski asked select school be treated "equitably" to nonselect schools, including an equal number of state championships if placed in separate brackets.

Part of that rationale stemmed from concerns with the disparity in school sizes ? and thus talent pools and roster depths ? in the proposed two-division format.

For instance, Miller-McCoy (336 students) would compete against some of the state's largest schools, such as Byrd (2,237 students) and Jesuit (1,123 boys, doubled to 2,246 for classification determination).

Support for Konopelski's ideas led the meeting's early goings until Hiser's question clearly switched the group's focus.

"For me, I was thinking about should there be two (divisions), should there be three, and all those kind of specifics they wanted us thinking about," Newman Principal T.J. Locke said. "But I was convinced by the room, as soon as they pointed out (article 8.7.4) in the constitution, that oh my goodness, we were out of order at the convention, and they should have an attorney that counsels them that way. It seems obvious."

The association's constitution states "football schools shall be divided into five equal or nearly equal classes," which select school principals said Thursday would void the newly adopted postseason split as unconstitutional.

LHSAA attorney Brad Lewis responded that the by-law could be interpreted as constitutional based on the fact teams would continue to play their regular season in five classifications because the constitution does not specifically mention the postseason.

Select school principals laughed at that defense.

The question will require further investigation and deliberation, Executive Committee members said.

"I thought everybody made great points," Ecole Classique Principal David Federico said. "Was it constitutional? That's a good question, and it's something we have to look at as an Executive Committee. I think what most of the principals want is fairness and equality. It doesn't matter how we do it. If we're going to split the playoffs, that's OK as long as it's the same for everybody, so hopefully we can come to a consensus that does what would be the best for the kids."

Select school principals raised a variety of other similar questions regarding the fairness of a potential split.

For instance, Hiser juxtaposed Rapides Parish nonselect schools' parish-wide attendance zone with that of some Orleans Parish select schools.

The LHSAA will continue soliciting feedback from member principals while examining whether the by-law contradicts its constitution.

The Executive Committee will also revisit the issue at its spring meeting March 20.

"I think it would behoove us, being as its something we heard so many times today, that we go back and make sure that everything that we've done is correct," Terrebonne Principal Graham Douglas said. "We're going to go into executive session, look at the constitution, look at the playoff seedings and look at the division of the schools. We'll look at everything ? and I think we'll do what's right for the association. I know we will."

Select school principals feel that decision should and will be one in favor of their cause.

"I think that's the theme right here is that, 'You passed a by-law that's unconstitutional,' because (the constitution) says specifically in football, it must be five (classifications), so the executive committee has to rule it unconstitutional," Locke said. "It seems that simple. It'll be interesting to see what they do, but if the story gains momentum that they passed a by-law that's unconstitutional, it's a no-brainer. The executive committee can just say, 'Sorry. We were out of order.'"

*************

Jerit Roser can be reached at Jroser@nola.com?or 504.826.3405.?

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Source: http://highschoolsports.nola.com/news/article/2703486972082849330/select-school-principals-confident-football-playoff-split-wont-occur/

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Venezuela's Chavez still suffers breathing trouble

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's cancer-stricken president, Hugo Chavez, is still suffering respiratory problems after surgery in Cuba two months ago, the government said on Thursday in a somber first communiqu? since his homecoming this week.

Struggling to talk and breathing through a tracheal tube, the 58-year-old socialist leader is being treated at a Caracas military hospital after returning unseen before dawn on Monday.

Long accustomed to the drama and speculation over Chavez's health since cancer was first detected in June 2011, Venezuelans are now debating if he can recover and return to active rule, or may resign and try to ensure his vice president wins a vote.

Some think he may have simply come home to die.

"The breathing insufficiency that emerged post-operation persists, and the tendency has not been favorable, so it is still being treated," read the communiqu?, in gloomy news for Chavez's millions of passionate supporters.

The short statement, read by Information Minister Ernesto Villegas, said, however, that treatment for Chavez's "base illness" - presumably the cancer first diagnosed in his pelvic area - continued without "significant adverse effects for now."

SPECULATION AND SECRECY

Little detailed medical information has been made public on Chavez's condition, meaning the government's occasional short statements are pored over by Venezuelans for clues about the future for him and the nation he has dominated since 1999.

Chavez is believed to be seeing only close family at the hospital and a few senior officials, including Vice President Nicolas Maduro and National Assembly head Diosdado Cabello.

"The patient remains in communication with relatives and the government political group in close collaboration with the medical team," the statement added.

"The president holds firm to Christ, with absolute will to live and maximum discipline in the treatment of his health."

Apart from a few photos of him lying in a Havana hospital bed that were released by the government last week, Chavez has not been seen or heard from in public since his December 11 operation, his fourth surgery for cancer in just 18 months.

He returned home at 2:30 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Monday without any of the fanfare or media attention that accompanied previous homecomings after treatment in Cuba.

A source at the military hospital said there was tight security surrounding Chavez's ninth-floor suite, and that the only doctors treating the president there were Cubans.

Staircases were sealed off with bars, the source said, and the area was covered by armed patrols and surveillance cameras.

Chavez originally chose to be treated in Cuba - where he has spent more than five months in total since mid-2011 - due to his friendship with leaders Fidel and Raul Castro, plus the discretion guaranteed on the tightly controlled island.

But in recent weeks, officials said, he had been pining to come home and listening to music from the his boyhood home in the "llanos" or plains in central Venezuela.

Vigils are being held across the nation, while politicians are quietly gearing up for a possible new presidential election.

Should Chavez leave power, a vote would have to be held within 30 days. His No. 2, Maduro, would likely run against opposition leader and state governor Henrique Capriles, who lost to Chavez in last year's presidential election.

(Editing by Daniel Wallis and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelas-chavez-still-suffers-breathing-problems-014131002.html

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