MADRID, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi has rarely been accused of failing to deliver in big games, having scored in two European Cup finals, but after subdued performances against AC Milan and Real Madrid, questions are being asked. The four-times World Player of the Year and leading scorer in one of the greatest club teams of all time, was a shadow of his usual self at the San Siro in a Champions League last-16 first leg last week, when Barcelona slumped to a 2-0 defeat. ...
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Prince Harry Dances, Cooks with Kids In South Africa
Label: LifestyleBy Simon Perry
02/27/2013 at 08:30 AM EST
Prince Harry, at Lesotho's St. Bernadette's Centre for the Blind
Chris Jackson/Getty
From the slopes of the Alps to the southern African mountain kingdom of Lesotho, Prince Harry is now giving back.
Just returned from his skiing holiday with girlfriend Cressida Bonas, Harry is spending a couple of days in Africa, to work with the Sentebale charity he set up with Lesotho's Prince Seeiso.
Early Wednesday, the Prince, 28, visited the Kananelo Center for the Deaf just outside the capital Maseru, where he was welcomed with a huge "Hi Harry" sign on the chalkboard.
As he attempted to learn some sign language from the children, he quipped to his friend Seeiso, "I'm never going to get this right."
The two princes, who set up the charity (Sentebale means "Forget Me Not") in honor of their late mothers, were then taken to the school's kitchen, where Harry slipped on a purple apron decorated with teddy bears before they tried their hand at making Sotho sweet bread cooked in boiling oil – also known as "fat cakes."
They also got down on their knees to join the kids in a dance.
Following that visit, the pair headed to St. Bernadette's School for the Blind in the capital, Maseru. There, Harry was welcomed with a song sung in the Sesotho language.
The charity supports tens of thousands of children who are either suffering from HIV/Aids, have been orphaned, or have disabilities.
Later, he is to be guest of honor at a fundraising dinner in Johannesburg.
Advanced breast cancer edges up in younger women
Label: HealthCHICAGO (AP) — Advanced breast cancer has increased slightly among young women, a 34-year analysis suggests. The disease is still uncommon among women younger than 40, and the small change has experts scratching their heads about possible reasons.
The results are potentially worrisome because young women's tumors tend to be more aggressive than older women's, and they're much less likely to get routine screening for the disease.
Still, that doesn't explain why there'd be an increase in advanced cases and the researchers and other experts say more work is needed to find answers.
It's likely that the increase has more than one cause, said Dr. Rebecca Johnson, the study's lead author and medical director of a teen and young adult cancer program at Seattle Children's Hospital.
"The change might be due to some sort of modifiable risk factor, like a lifestyle change" or exposure to some sort of cancer-linked substance, she said.
Johnson said the results translate to about 250 advanced cases diagnosed in women younger than 40 in the mid-1970s versus more than 800 in 2009. During those years, the number of women nationwide in that age range went from about 22 million to closer to 30 million — an increase that explains part of the study trend "but definitely not all of it," Johnson said.
Other experts said women delaying pregnancy might be a factor, partly because getting pregnant at an older age might cause an already growing tumor to spread more quickly in response to pregnancy hormones.
Obesity and having at least a drink or two daily have both been linked with breast cancer but research is inconclusive on other possible risk factors, including tobacco and chemicals in the environment. Whether any of these explains the slight increase in advanced disease in young women is unknown.
There was no increase in cancer at other stages in young women. There also was no increase in advanced disease among women older than 40.
Overall U.S. breast cancer rates have mostly fallen in more recent years, although there are signs they may have plateaued.
Some 17 years ago, Johnson was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer at age 27, and that influenced her career choice to focus on the disease in younger women.
"Young women and their doctors need to understand that it can happen in young women," and get checked if symptoms appear, said Johnson, now 44. "People shouldn't just watch and wait."
The authors reviewed a U.S. government database of cancer cases from 1976 to 2009. They found that among women aged 25 to 39, breast cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body — advanced disease — increased from between 1 and 2 cases per 100,000 women to about 3 cases per 100,000 during that time span.
The study was published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
About one in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, but only 1 in 173 will develop it by age 40. Risks increase with age and certain gene variations can raise the odds.
Routine screening with mammograms is recommended for older women but not those younger than 40.
Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, the American Cancer Society's deputy chief medical officer, said the results support anecdotal reports but that there's no reason to start screening all younger women since breast cancer is still so uncommon for them.
He said the study "is solid and interesting and certainly does raise questions as to why this is being observed." One of the most likely reasons is probably related to changes in childbearing practices, he said, adding that the trend "is clearly something to be followed."
Dr. Ann Partridge, chair of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory committee on breast cancer in young women, agreed but said it's also possible that doctors look harder for advanced disease in younger women than in older patients. More research is needed to make sure the phenomenon is real, said Partridge, director of a program for young women with breast cancer at the Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The study shouldn't cause alarm, she said. Still, Partridge said young women should be familiar with their breasts and see the doctor if they notice any lumps or other changes.
Software engineer Stephanie Carson discovered a large breast tumor that had already spread to her lungs; that diagnosis in 2003 was a huge shock.
"I was so clueless," she said. "I was just 29 and that was the last thing on my mind."
Carson, who lives near St. Louis, had a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation and other treatments and she frequently has to try new drugs to keep the cancer at bay.
Because most breast cancer is diagnosed in early stages, there's a misconception that women are treated, and then get on with their lives, Carson said. She and her husband had to abandon hopes of having children, and she's on medical leave from her job.
"It changed the complete course of my life," she said. "But it's still a good life."
____
Online:
JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org
CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/index.htm
Stock futures little changed as market awaits Bernanke, data
Label: BusinessNEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday as investors awaited a second round of testimony in Congress by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for signs of whether the Fed will continue its economic stimulus program.
Economic data was also in focus with U.S. durables goods and homes data due out at 8:30 a.m. ET (1330) GMT and 10:00 a.m. ET (1500 GMT), respectively.
Bernanke will make his second appearance before the Financial Services Committee at 10:00 a.m. ET (1500 GMT).
"Of course, Bernanke is in the spotlight again but I don't expect him to vary from his comments from yesterday," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York.
A day earlier, Bernanke strongly defended the Fed's monetary stimulus efforts before Congress, easing financial market worries over an early retreat from the Fed's bond buying program, which had been triggered by minutes of the Fed's January meeting released a week ago.
His remarks, along with data showing sales of new homes hit a 4 1/2-year high, helped U.S. stocks rebound Tuesday from their worst decline since November.
Despite the bounce, the S&P 500 was unable to move back above 1,500, a closely watched level that had been technical support until recently, but may now prove a resistance point.
The benchmark S&P 500, up 6 percent for the year, was within reach of record highs a week ago before the minutes from the Fed's January meeting were released. Since then, the index has shed 1 percent as the minutes raised questions about the longevity of the Fed's economy-stimulating measures.
S&P 500 futures rose 2.1 points and were in line with fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 1 points while Nasdaq 100 futures added 4 points.
In earnings news, Target Corp
Dollar Tree Inc
In Europe, shares rose, steadying after the previous session's sharp losses, though jitters over the euro zone kept a lid on gains.
Italy's 10-year debt costs rose more than half a percentage point at the first longer-term auction since an inconclusive parliamentary election, although they remained below the psychologically important level of 5 percent.
(Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Charlize Theron & Channing Tatum's Oscars Dance - No Practice Makes Perfect!
Label: LifestyleBy Oliver Jones and Tim Nudd
02/26/2013 at 08:35 AM EST
Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron
Getty
Who knew Charlize Theron could dance? Or that Channing Tatum could do so with his clothes on?
Together they wowed the Academy Awards on Sunday, performing a challenging ballroom dance in front of 40 million viewers – each counting on their background in dance to make up for a frightening lack of rehearsal time.
"They were going to cram and rehearse constantly over two days [right before the Oscars]. But then they both simultaneously got the flu," producer Neil Meron tells PEOPLE.
"We were going, 'Oh my God.' Literally at the last minute they got to rehearse and miraculously got up there and they killed."
It helped that both know a little something about dance.
Theron, 37, studied at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York before embarking on her Oscar-winning acting career. "We reached out to Charlize first, and there was no hesitation. She absolutely jumped on board," says Meron.
Tatum, 32, was less sure of himself, despite loads of dance experience in movies like Step Up and Magic Mike, the latter loosely based on his own experiences as a male stripper.
"Chan said to us, 'Look, I have danced in all these movies, but I have never really done honest-to-God choreography. I don't know that I can do that,' " Meron says. "We told him, 'We believe you are a great dancer, and that you will be able to do it.' He said he would give it a try."
In the end, they dazzled with a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers style number choreographed by Rob Ashford.
And Chan even kept his tux on.
Futures rise in rebound after steep losses on Italy vote
Label: BusinessNEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday, indicating equities would partially rebound from a steep drop over Italian election results as investors saw opportunities to buy beaten-down shares.
Market participants speculated a coalition government would eventually emerge in Italy and ease worries about a new euro zone debt crisis.
Groups in Italy opposed to economic reforms posted a strong showing, resulting in a political deadlock with a comedian's protest party leading the poll and no group securing a clear majority in parliament.
"We've gone to an environment of political stability to instability, and until we get some type of clarity over who is in charge, which could take days, the market will have renewed concerns," said Art Hogan, managing director of Lazard Capital Markets in New York.
"Investors are taking advantage of the drop, and once some kind of coalition government is formed most of our concerns will be put to rest," Hogan said.
S&P 500 futures rose 3.9 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 38 points and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 5.75 points.
Major indexes fell more than 1 percent on Monday, with the S&P 500 having its biggest daily drop since November as investors fretted that if Italy does not undertake reforms, that could once again destabilize the euro zone. European equities <.fteu3>, which closed before the results on Monday, fell 1.1 percent.
Investors will pay close attention to the first of two days of congressional testimony by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for insight into the central bank's view of the economy, as well as the outlook for its bond buying program. Last week, equities fell on concerns the program might end sooner than had been anticipated.
Bernanke appears before the Senate Banking Committee at 10 a.m. (1500 GMT).
Economic data will include the CaseShiller report on December home prices at 9 a.m. (1400 GMT). Analysts expect a 0.5 percent rise. January consumer confidence is scheduled for 10 a.m. and is seen rising to 61.0 from 58.6 in the previous month. New-home sales for January also are due at 10 a.m.
The rise in U.S. futures suggests that a recent trend of investors buying on dips will continue. Last week, concerns the Fed might roll back its stimulus policy earlier than expected prompted a sharp two-day decline, though equities recovered most of the lost ground by the end of the week.
Financial shares may be among the most volatile, as the group is closely tied to the pace of global economic growth. Morgan Stanley
Dow component Home Depot Inc
For the benchmark S&P 500 index, 1,500 will be watched as a key level after the index closed below it on Monday for the first time since February 4, with selling accelerating after falling below it. An inability to break back above it could portend further losses.
The S&P remains 4.3 percent higher on the year. With 83 percent of the S&P 500 having reported so far, 69 percent beat profit expectations, compared with a 62 percent average since 1994 and 65 percent over the past four quarters, according to Thomson Reuters data. Fourth-quarter S&P earnings are seen having risen 6 percent, above a 1.9 percent forecast at the start of the earnings season.
(Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Kenneth Barry)
Powers to offer Iran sanctions relief at nuclear talks: U.S. official
Label: WorldALMATY (Reuters) - Major powers will offer Iran some sanctions relief during talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, this week if Tehran agrees to curb its nuclear program, a U.S. official said on Monday.
However, the Islamic Republic could face more economic pain if the standoff remains unresolved, the official said ahead of the February 26-27 meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"We think ... there will be some additional sanctions relief (in the powers' updated proposal to Iran)," the official said, without giving details.
Western diplomats have told Reuters that the United States, Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France will offer to ease sanctions on trade in gold and precious metals if Iran closes its Fordow underground uranium enrichment plant.
Iranian officials have indicated, however, that this will not be enough. Iran denies Western it is seeking to develop the capability to make nuclear bombs, saying its program is entirely peaceful.
The U.S. official said the powers hoped that the Almaty meeting would lead to follow-up talks soon. "We are ready to step up the pace of our meetings and our discussions," the official said, adding the United States would also be prepared to hold bilateral talks with Tehran if it was serious about it.
(Reporting by Fredrik Dahl and Justyna Pawlak; Editing by Jon Boyle)
Anne Hathaway's Oscar Dress Had You Talking
Label: LifestyleBy Maggie Coughlan
02/25/2013 at 08:30 AM EST
The Oscars may honor the best in film, but they'd be nothing without the fashion.
When Anne Hathaway stepped on to the red carpet in a light pink backless Prada gown at Sunday's 85th Annual Academy Awards, she made quite the fashion statement.
While the gown seemed simple from the front, at second glance, an open back and thigh-high slit gave it a sexy edge. Hathaway, 30, told Kristin Chenoweth on ABC's red carpet that her mom called the dress "business in front, party in the back."
Viewers had their own opinions on the dress – which seemed to emphasize Hathaway's bust – which later inspired its own parody Twitter account.
But the dress may have served as a lucky charm for Hathaway, who took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Les Misérables.
"It came true. Thank you so much to the Academy for this and for nominating me with Helen Hunt, Jacki Weaver, Amy Adams and Sally Field. I look up to you all so much and it's just been such an honor. Thank you," Hathaway said upon receiving her Oscar.
She continued, "There are so many people whose generosity and support is the reason I'm standing here right now. I must thank Hugh Jackman. Hugh, you're the best. The cast, the crew, especially Simon Hayes and the sound wizards. Congratulations on tonight, you guys."
Hathaway continued thanking the cast and the crew before giving a romantic shout out to her husband, Adam Shulman.
"By far and away, the greatest moment of my life is the one when you walked into it. I love you so much. And thank you for this. Here's hoping that someday in the not too distant future the misfortunes of Fantine will only be found in stories and never in real life. Thank you."
Stock futures rise, Barnes & Noble up on bid report
Label: BusinessNEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Monday, suggesting the equity rally was intact despite concerns that the Federal Reserve could curtail its stimulus for the economy sooner than many expected.
Stocks have been strong performers so far this year, with the S&P 500 jumping 6.2 percent in 2013 to hover around its highest levels since 2007. That has prompted many to predict a pullback, but so far declines have been neutralized as investors use any dip as a buying opportunity.
Barnes & Noble Inc
While the S&P fell last week, the decline was a slight 0.3 percent and was the first weekly drop after a seven-week string of gains, suggesting many may still be looking for a consolidation.
"People are cautious about investing near five-year highs, especially given the pace at which we got here, but there's still room to grow and any pullback should be shallow," said Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Banyan Partners LLC in New York.
S&P 500 futures rose 7 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 57 points and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 18.25 points.
The gains have come on strong corporate earnings. With 83 percent of the S&P 500 having reported results, 69 percent of beat profit expectations, compared with a 62 percent average since 1994 and 65 percent over the past four quarters, according to Thomson Reuters data.
In addition, the market has risen against a backdrop of stimulus from the Federal Reserve. Last week stocks faltered when some Fed officials seemed to suggest the stimulus may be curtailed earlier than many expected, though subsequent comments seemed to allay those concerns.
Another test for equities will come with the looming debate over massive U.S. government budget cuts that will take effect on Friday if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement over spending and taxes. The White House issued warnings about the harm the cuts. referred to as sequester are likely to inflict on the economy if enacted.
"Right now we're looking past the sequester, but as we go forward we may see more anxiety if it doesn't look like our leaders can get anything together," Pavlik said.
More government-related uncertainty came from Italy, where a close election left questions about how the country would handle its three-year debt crisis. Last year, inconclusive Greek elections sparked a protracted selloff and a period of uncertainty in U.S. equity markets as well.
Still, European shares <.fteu3> were higher on Monday, rising 0.4 percent after a smooth Italian debt auction.
Lowe's Cos Inc
Fourth-quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies are estimated to have risen 6 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data, above a 1.9 percent forecast at the start of the earnings season.
Dow component Johnson & Johnson
Dynavax Technologies Inc
U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, boosted by strong results from Hewlett-Packard Co
(Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Kenneth Barry)
You're Invited to PEOPLE.com's Oscars Party!
Label: Lifestyle
02/24/2013 at 08:40 AM EST
From left: Bradley Cooper, Oscar, Jessica Chastain
AFP/Getty; Wireimage; Splash News Online
Oscars host Seth MacFarlane isn't the only one gearing up for Hollywood's biggest night – we are too!
Be a part of the glamour and excitement Sunday at 6 p.m. ET when we roll out the red carpet for our PEOPLE.com VIPs.
Here's what you can expect:
• Tune in to our red carpet preshow for exclusive A-list interviews
• Be the first to see the gorgeous gowns – and make your own best-dressed list
• Download your own Oscars ballot – and make your own Academy Awards picks
• Tweet with our editors at #PeopleOscars
• Take our up-to-the-minute Oscars polls
And come back the next day for so much more ...
• See the night's best dresses from all angles with our 360º slideshow
• Come inside the most exclusive Oscars after-parties
• Relive the most memorable quotes of the show
• Get the scoop on the night's biggest shockers and funniest moments everyone is talking about
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