Cuba reports slowdown in economy

Hurricane Gustav and other huge storms caused havoc on the island Cuba says it has suffered one of the most difficult financial years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Economy minister Jose Luis Rodriguez said the Cuban economy had grown by 4.3% in the past year, falling short of the 8% forecast by the government. President Raul Castro called for austerity measures including cutbacks in official travel and bonuses. Cuba was hit by hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma this year, with estimated losses of nearly $10bn (£6.7bn). The cost of food imports has also risen by more than $8bn on the previous year. As Cubans prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the revolution, the authorities had hoped that the centrally-controlled state run economy would escape the worst of the global financial crisis, says the BBC's Michael Voss in Havana. Mr Rodriguez said the past year had been one of the most difficult since the so-called "special period" began - the term used for the economic crisis caused by the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, which heavily subsidised Cuba. The president of the Cuban parliament's economic commission, Osvaldo Martinez, blamed the lower growth rate on factors outside the country's control. "Economic growth of 4.3% is less than the 8% foreseen in the plan, and this is explicable, given the profound devastation caused by the hurricanes, the economic war waged against us and the noticeable increase in the price of food and fuel during most of the year," he said. Cuba calculates its Gross Domestic Product by including state spending on health care, education and food rationing, our correspondent says. This means the figure reflects public spending, not just economic activity, as it does elsewhere in the world. Trips curbed Mr Rodriguez predicted that the Cuban economy would grow by 6% in 2009. President Raul Castro, who took over from his brother Fidel in February, told the National Assembly "the accounts don't square up". "We have to be realistic and adjust our dreams to real possibilities," he said. "That means complying with the socialist principal each receives according to his work." Mr Castro said the government would cut government trips abroad by 50% and end programs that rewarded workers, business leaders and officials with free holidays at a cost to the government of $60m a year. Latin American leaders recently urged US President-elect Barack Obama to end the 46-year trade embargo on Cuba. Mr Obama has said that he would lift restrictions on family travel and remittances to Cuba, but maintain the US trade embargo to press for changes in the Communist-run country.

Bangladesh road crash 'kills 24'

At least 24 people have been killed in Bangladesh after the lorry in which they were travelling veered off the road in thick fog, police said. Thirteen others were injured when the vehicle's driver apparently lost control and crashed into a ditch. The accident occurred in Tangail, about 42 miles (72km) north of Dhaka. Road accidents are common in Bangladesh and are often blamed on faulty vehicles, poor driving or bad weather conditions. Among the injured, five are in a critical condition, a police official told Reuters. Police said the lorry was travelling to Bogra from the capital, and that most of the passengers were heading home to vote in Monday's national elections.

China begins anti-piracy mission

China begins anti-piracy mission

Three Chinese naval ships have set sail for waters off Somalia to protect Chinese vessels from pirate attacks.

Two destroyers and a supply ship left the port of Sanya on Hainan island to join warships from other nations already patrolling the area.

It will be the Chinese navy's first operation beyond the Pacific.

There have been more than 100 pirate attacks this year off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

On Thursday, the German navy said it had foiled an attempt by pirates to hijack an Egyptian cargo vessel off Somalia.

Six Somali pirates were captured by sailors of the frigate Karlsruhe in the Gulf of Aden. However, the pirates were immediately released on the orders of the German government, officials told the BBC.

Japan's prime minister also indicated that his country was considering sending ships to help combat piracy.

"Each nation is taking measures. So, Japan should also take its own steps," Taro Aso said.

'International scourge'

The commander of China's South Sea Fleet, Rear Adm Du Jingchen, said his personnel were prepared for a complicated and long-term mission.

"Acts of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and coastal waters off Somalia have been increasingly rampant since the beginning of this year, posing a severe danger to the safety of ships and members from many countries, including China," China's Defence Ministry spokesman Huang Xueping said.

"Apart from this, pirates have also been threatening ships delivering humanitarian relief items to Somalia by international organisations. Piracy has become an international scourge."

The Chinese military says there have been seven attacks this year on Chinese vessels in the area.

It says its forces will board and inspect suspected pirate ships, try to rescue those who are attacked and mount a vigorous defence if they themselves come under attack.

However, defence ministry officials insist that China's doctrine of non-interference in other nations' affairs has not changed, the BBC's Chris Hogg in Beijing says.

The Chinese will work with other members of the international task force in the area.

China has no bases in the region so keeping its forces well supplied during what is expected to be a lengthy deployment is a major challenge, our correspondent adds.

SONG BIRD AND LOVE BIRDS

R&B singers Chris Brown and Rihanna each have major followings, but their relationship catapulted their online popularity to another level. Although they've been photographed kissing and vacationing together, Brown continually downplayed their relationship—denials that only fueled more interest.

Taylor Swift owed her quick ascent to her girl-next-door looks and catchy country songs. The 18-year-old singer made her way into the New Brat Pack after she began dating Joe Jonas, and model Gaston starred in her "Love Story" music video as her romantic interest. Fame came at a cost, or at least heartache: Swift topped headlines and pulled searches in November after revealing she was unceremoniously dumped in a 27-second phone call.

CAMP ROCK

Camp Rocky

Disney stars are abundant in Search, and for good reason. When one of the wholesome brand's stars breaks the happy family façade, chaos ensues. A December Vanity Fair cover featuring 33-year-old actress Kate Winslet in nothing but an overcoat and heels barely raised an eyebrow, but an earlier photo shoot that showed a teenaged Miley Cyrus with an exposed back caused a national furor.

The "miley cyrus photo scandal," as people referred to the incident in Search, threatened the reign of the Teen Queen, a title she's earned for good reason. The 16-year-old is the face of the billion-dollar "Hannah Montana" Disney brand and a platinum-selling pop star. While kids may eat up Cyrus' sugary-sweet persona, her real-life actions had grown-ups talking, and not just the parents of her fans.

Following the photo shoot, Cyrus issued a public apology, saying she was embarrassed by photos she thought were supposed to be "artistic." Parent company Disney swooped in to protect its young star, claiming that the shoot was manipulated to sell more covers.

The backlash—online and off—forced renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz to defend her work. Vanity Fair posted a behind-the-scenes account that showed Cyrus' parents and handlers on the set. The furor didn't let up when shots of the bikini-clad star goofing off with friends surfaced online and news came out about her recent relationship with 20-year-old underwear model Justin Gaston. Taking flirty photos and hanging out with older guys may be typical adolescent girl behavior, but for the Teen Queen, they became royal scandals. Fans responded, and for the first time, searches on "miley cyrus" outpaced those of her alter-ego.

Cyrus wasn't the only Disney star with a photo scandal. When nude shots of actress/singer Vanessa Hudgens hit the Web in 2007, there was speculation that she would be dropped from the Mouse House's hit "High School Musical" franchise. What could have been a public relations nightmare for Disney became a boon: Hudgens became a household name and even got a pay raise to star in the feature-film version. Thanks to her and boyfriend Zac Efron, "High School Musical 3" became one of 2008's biggest box-office hits.

Like Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers—Kevin, Joe, and Nick—parlayed their Disney series into a successful recording career and the original movie "Camp Rock." Unlike Cyrus, the brothers remained relatively immune from scandal. The rockers still found themselves as tabloid fodder for, of all things, their insistence on . That inspired fans to search on terms like "purity rings."

Celebrity Brat Pack

By Lawrence Yee, OMG! senior producer
Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
1,058 Votes

If there are two things that Hollywood is constantly looking for, they are the next big thing and the latest celebrity scandal.

In 2008, tabloid staples cleaned up their acts due to court-ordered conservatorships (Britney Spears), pledges of sobriety (Lindsay Lohan), and motherhood (Nicole Richie). As a result, celebrity rags and bloggers shifted their focus to a new, younger set of headline makers: the New Brat Pack.