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Fitch cuts Italy, Spain, other euro zone ratings (Reuters)

Reuters - Fitch downgraded the sovereign credit ratings of Belgium, Cyprus, Italy, Slovenia and Spain on Friday, indicating there was a 1-in-2 chance of further cuts in the next two years.

Exclusive: Greek PM Papademos expects debt swap deal in days (Reuters)

Reuters - Greece expects to conclude difficult debt talks with private creditors within days and negotiations with the EU and the IMF on a new bailout deal by the middle of next week, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told Reuters on Friday.

Secret Service probes bullet-ridden Obama image on Facebook (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the origins of a photo on an Arizona police officer's Facebook page that shows a group of armed youths posing in the desert with what appears to be a bullet-ridden image of President Barack Obama on a T-shirt.

Obama urges Congress to act in election year (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama told House Democrats Friday to be ready to work with Republicans if they show a willingness to put politics aside even "for just a nanosecond," but to stay firm and push back if the GOP stands in the way.

Attention Investors: More Fruits and Veggies From ConAgra! (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - Packaged foods giant ConAgra Foods (NYSE: CAG - News) looks set to expand its presence outside U.S. borders, as it plans to acquire Del Monte Canada from an affiliate of private equity firm Sun Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount.

Facebook to file IPO documents soon as Wednesday: report (Reuters)

Reuters - Facebook plans to file documents as early as Wednesday for a highly anticipated IPO that will value the world's largest social network at between $75 billion and $100 billion, the Wall Street Journal cited unidentified sources as saying on Friday.

Weekly US oil, gas rig count unchanged at 2,008 (AP)

AP - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. held steady this week at 2,008.

Iran hits back at EU with own oil embargo threat (Reuters)

Reuters - Fighting sanctions with sanctions in a trial of strength with the West over its nuclear ambitions, Iran warned on Friday it may halt oil exports to Europe next week in a move calculated to hurt ailing European economies.

Justice unit to probe mortgage-backed securities (AP)

AP - Federal and state law enforcement officials announced Friday they have launched a fraud-fighting unit, starting with 55 prosecutors and investigators, to root out wrongdoing in the market for residential mortgage-backed securities.

AEP's 4Q profit jumps 75 percent thanks to ruling (AP)

AP - American Electric Power Co. said Friday that its fourth-quarter earnings surged 75 percent, largely due to a court decision in Texas that went in the company's favor.

Greece locked in parallel talks over debt (AP)

AP - Greece was locked in a twin effort Friday to placate its creditors, seeking to secure a crucial debt relief deal with private investors while also tackling pressing demands from its European partners and the IMF for deeper reforms.

Hispanics in focus as GOP race intensifies in Fla. (AP)

AP - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is suggesting that the news media is responsible for tarnishing his party's reputation among immigrants.

U.S. growth quickens, but speed bumps ahead (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. economy grew at its fastest pace in 1-1/2 years in the fourth quarter, but a rebuilding of stocks by businesses and slower business spending warned of weaker growth in early 2012.

US Embassy: US citizen kidnapped in Nigeria freed (AP)

AP - A U.S. citizen kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta has been freed after a week in captivity, the U.S. Embassy said Friday.

16 scientists declare: âno compelling scientific argumentâ for âdrastic actions on global warmingâ (Daily Caller)

Daily Caller - Sixteen scientists took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal Friday to argue that there is “no compelling scientific argument” for “drastic actions on global warming.”

Fitch downgrades credit ratings for 5 EU nations (AP)

AP - U.S. ratings agency Fitch says it is downgrading the credit ratings for five European nations including leading economic heavyweights Italy and Spain.

Summary Box: North America props up Ford in 4Q (AP)

AP - FORD EARNINGS: Ford Motor Co. earned $1.1 billion in the first quarter, excluding a big accounting gain. North American profits jumped 33 percent. They fell elsewhere because of the European debt crisis and slower sales in China.

GOP seeks limits on new Colo. child-care rules (AP)

AP - Republicans are introducing legislation to limit how Colorado regulates child care businesses after uproar last summer over proposed rules setting guidelines for crayons per box and the color of dolls made available to kids.

French Afghan troops to leave Kapisa in March (Reuters)

Reuters - French troops will start handing over security to the Afghan army in March and focus on training until pulling out of Afghanistan completely at the end of 2013, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Friday.

Texas voters pick up Perryâs campaign tab (Daily Caller)

Daily Caller - Texas Governor Rick Perry may never be president, but least he doesn’t have to pick up the full tab for his failed campaign.

PEN writers condemn attacks on Mexico journalists (AP)

AP - Several Nobel prize laureates are joining the PEN International writers group in condemning attacks on journalists in Mexico.

NYPD boss won't talk about son's sex-assault case (AP)

AP - Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly faced the media Friday for the first time since reports surfaced that a woman had accused his son of rape, refusing to discuss the headline-grabbing case and referring questions to Manhattan prosecutors.

Connecticut killer sentenced to die for "unimaginable horror" (Reuters)

Reuters - A judge formally sentenced Joshua Komisarjevsky to death for the murders of a mother and her two daughters during a brutal home invasion in Connecticut, saying he committed a crime of "unimaginable horror."

The Newt I know (Politico)

Politico - Opinion: Gingrich embraces policies he once denounced and that's both fascinating and troubling.

AP Exclusive: Barrier proposed as Israel border (AP)

AP - Israel is proposing to essentially turn its West Bank separation barrier into the border with a future state of Palestine, two Palestinian officials said Friday, based on their interpretation of principles Israel presented in talks this week.

Friend says on 911 call Demi Moore was convulsing (AP)

AP - Demi Moore smoked something before she was rushed to the hospital on Monday night and was "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.

Syria: Are Captured Iranians Military Men or Engineers? (Time.com)

Time.com - The revolt against President Assad has long alleged that Iran has sent soldiers to prop up the regime. Their latest proof, however, may not quite satisfy doubts about the claim

An Introduction to Messi: An Outsider's Take (Time.com)

Time.com - The man everyone wants to know is someone who doesn't want to give out -- or doesn't have -- any real personal information. Is he just a sports machine?

Occupy protesters barred from camping in DC park (Reuters)

Reuters - Protesters from the Occupy movement will be barred from camping in Washington's McPherson Square starting at noon on Monday, the National Park Service said on Friday.

Obama pushes colleges to keep tuition under control (Reuters)

Reuters - President Barack Obama, appearing before thousands of cheering students at the University of Michigan, touted his plan on Friday to reward colleges that keep their tuition under control with more federal aid as he makes school affordability a top election-year priority.

Justice unit to probe mortgage-backed securities (AP)

AP - Federal and state law enforcement officials announced Friday that they have launched a fraud-fighting initiative to root out wrongdoing in the market for residential mortgage-backed securities.

St. Louis hosts 1st big parade on Iraq War's end (AP)

AP - Since the Iraq War ended there has been little fanfare for the veterans returning home. No ticker-tape parades. No massive, flag-waving public celebrations.

Conn. home invasion killer is sentenced to death (AP)

AP - A Connecticut man expressed regret but steadfastly blamed his accomplice as he was sentenced to die Friday for a deadly home invasion that unsettled suburbia and halted momentum to abolish the state's death penalty. The sole survivor of the attack called the loss of his wife and two daughters a "personal holocaust" as the final chapter closed on the case.

Coach honed debating skills of young Newt Gingrich (AP)

AP - As a young college professor running for Congress, Newt Gingrich wanted to sharpen his debating skills.

Wall St edges lower after GDP data (Reuters)

Reuters - Stocks slipped on Friday as data showed the U.S. economy grew less than expected in the fourth quarter, while some disappointing earnings added pressure to the market.

Costa Cruises offers compensation to rescued passengers (Reuters)

Reuters - Costa Cruises has offered 11,000 euros ($14,500) in compensation to each of the more than 3,000 passengers aboard its liner that ran aground and capsized two weeks ago, Italian consumer groups said on Friday.

Kidnapped Norwegian freed in Yemen (Reuters)

Reuters - A Norwegian working for the United Nations was freed on Friday, nearly two weeks after being kidnapped in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, the Interior Ministry said.

Army chief lays out Army cuts in Europe (AP)

AP - Gen. Raymond Odierno (oh-dee-EHR'-noh), the Army chief of staff, says the Pentagon will take two heavy armor brigades out of Europe in 2013 and 2014 and eliminate them.

Magnitude 5.4 quake shakes northern Italy (AP)

AP - A 5.4-magnitude earthquake shook northern Italy on Friday, the second such temblor this week, but there were no reports of injuries or significant damage.

Assets on tax forms missing on Romney financial disclosures (Reuters)

Reuters - A handful of financial holdings reported by U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on his tax returns was not declared in earlier government financial disclosures, his campaign acknowledged on Thursday.