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Top Political News

Fading Gingrich attacks Romney in ad
MIAMI (Reuters) - Newt Gingrich struggled to regain momentum in the Republican presidential race on Friday as two new polls showed him falling behind rival Mitt Romney, who was seen as the winner of the final debate before the Florida primary.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=RfoRs7t_DUs:3oYO8LT_dUw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=RfoRs7t_DUs:3oYO8LT_dUw:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=RfoRs7t_DUs:3oYO8LT_dUw:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=RfoRs7t_DUs:3oYO8LT_dUw:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=RfoRs7t_DUs:3oYO8LT_dUw:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/RfoRs7t_DUs" height="1" width="1"/>
Fitch cuts Italy, Spain, other euro zone ratings
NEW YORK (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.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=VptKiflCKLY:lRmyYi4-v7E:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=VptKiflCKLY:lRmyYi4-v7E:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=VptKiflCKLY:lRmyYi4-v7E:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=VptKiflCKLY:lRmyYi4-v7E:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=VptKiflCKLY:lRmyYi4-v7E:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/VptKiflCKLY" height="1" width="1"/>
Growth quickens, but speed bumps ahead
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The 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.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=yBjv9aRxMW8:kYJ1fL6yWtU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=yBjv9aRxMW8:kYJ1fL6yWtU:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=yBjv9aRxMW8:kYJ1fL6yWtU:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=yBjv9aRxMW8:kYJ1fL6yWtU:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=yBjv9aRxMW8:kYJ1fL6yWtU:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/yBjv9aRxMW8" height="1" width="1"/>
Syria violence kills over 40
AMMAN (Reuters) - Security forces killed over 40 people in Syria on Friday, activists and residents said, as people in Homs mourned 14 members of a family they said were slain by militiamen in one of the worst sectarian attacks in a 10-month revolt.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=xm_rYQQOT1U:b47Osesn31U:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=xm_rYQQOT1U:b47Osesn31U:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=xm_rYQQOT1U:b47Osesn31U:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=xm_rYQQOT1U:b47Osesn31U:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=xm_rYQQOT1U:b47Osesn31U:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/xm_rYQQOT1U" height="1" width="1"/>
Subpoenas issued to financial firms in expanded probe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Justice Department issued civil subpoenas to 11 financial institutions as part of a new effort to investigate misconduct in the packaging and sale of home loans to investors, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Friday.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=u_BI8Ump9_s:qKawM0hbhKE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=u_BI8Ump9_s:qKawM0hbhKE:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=u_BI8Ump9_s:qKawM0hbhKE:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=u_BI8Ump9_s:qKawM0hbhKE:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=u_BI8Ump9_s:qKawM0hbhKE:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/u_BI8Ump9_s" height="1" width="1"/>
Greece, creditors laboriously piece together debt deal
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece and its private creditors head back to the negotiating table on Saturday to put together the final pieces of a long-awaited debt swap agreement needed to avert an unruly default.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=Svj9QK58gQw:lBUzENN0hds:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=Svj9QK58gQw:lBUzENN0hds:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=Svj9QK58gQw:lBUzENN0hds:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=Svj9QK58gQw:lBUzENN0hds:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=Svj9QK58gQw:lBUzENN0hds:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/Svj9QK58gQw" height="1" width="1"/>
In Facebook IPO, bankers seek prestige over fees
(Reuters) - Facebook's initial public offering is likely to set a new standard for how low investment banks are willing to go on advisory fees to win big business.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=Dn3nrlnyjjc:TvHxK5udCRY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=Dn3nrlnyjjc:TvHxK5udCRY:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=Dn3nrlnyjjc:TvHxK5udCRY:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=Dn3nrlnyjjc:TvHxK5udCRY:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=Dn3nrlnyjjc:TvHxK5udCRY:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/Dn3nrlnyjjc" height="1" width="1"/>
Apple not turning "blind eye" to supply chain problems: CEO
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc has never turned "a blind eye" to the problems in its supply chain and any suggestion it does not care about the plight of workers is "patently false," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in an email to employees.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=aMB48OmLVtY:NsNMg71te3o:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=aMB48OmLVtY:NsNMg71te3o:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=aMB48OmLVtY:NsNMg71te3o:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=aMB48OmLVtY:NsNMg71te3o:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=aMB48OmLVtY:NsNMg71te3o:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/aMB48OmLVtY" height="1" width="1"/>
Obama seeks to rally Democrats to election-year fight
CAMBRIDGE, Maryland (Reuters) - President Barack Obama vowed on Friday to push back hard against Republicans who try to obstruct his election-year proposals on taxes and jobs, as he sought to rally congressional Democrats and move past a period of strained relations.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=lO119EFnPXM:0sFLTUrf5X0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=lO119EFnPXM:0sFLTUrf5X0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=lO119EFnPXM:0sFLTUrf5X0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=lO119EFnPXM:0sFLTUrf5X0:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=lO119EFnPXM:0sFLTUrf5X0:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/lO119EFnPXM" height="1" width="1"/>
Ford hit by commodity costs, international woes
(Reuters) - Ford Motor Co reported a lower-than-expected fourth-quarter profit on Friday as commodity costs shot up and results from operations outside North America fell short of expectations.<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=bgoI-bZi55w:8wW8wF95Gxs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=bgoI-bZi55w:8wW8wF95Gxs:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=bgoI-bZi55w:8wW8wF95Gxs:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.reuters.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?a=bgoI-bZi55w:8wW8wF95Gxs:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/reuters/topNews?i=bgoI-bZi55w:8wW8wF95Gxs:-BTjWOF_DHI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~4/bgoI-bZi55w" height="1" width="1"/>