Top Stories
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.
California passes new auto emission rules (AP)
AP - California air regulators passed sweeping auto emission standards Friday that include a mandate to have 1.4 million electric and hybrid vehicles on state roads by 2025.
Tubby tabby gets revolutionary new knee joint (AP)
AP - Because Cyrano weighs more than 20 pounds, amputating his cancer-weakened leg was out of the question. So the tubby tabby's owners turned to doctors and engineers at North Carolina State University to get him back into mice-catching trim.
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 convulsing and "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.
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.
More than 50 killed in 2 days of turmoil in Syria (AP)
AP - In two days of bloody turmoil in Syria, more than 50 people were killed as forces loyal to President Bashar Assad shelled residential buildings, fired on crowds and left bleeding corpses in the streets in a dramatic escalation of violence, activists said Friday.
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.
Romney puts Gingrich on defensive in Florida debate (Reuters)
Reuters - Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney took the fight to chief rival Newt Gingrich on Thursday in his most aggressive debate performance yet, five days ahead of Florida's primary vote.
U.S. detains Brazil, Canada orange juice for fungicide (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. health regulators detained three shipments of Brazilian orange juice and six from Canada that tested positive for the fungicide carbendazim, which is illegal in the United States.
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.
Activists and bloggers fear Twitter censorship (AP)
AP - Bloggers and activists from China, the Middle East and Latin America said Friday they were afraid that new Twitter policies could allow governments to censor messages, stifling free expression.
Djokovic edges Murray, sets up final vs Nadal (AP)
AP - Novak Djokovic overcame his breathing problems and fatigue to beat friend Andy Murray 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 7-5 Friday in a nearly five-hour Australian Open semifinal.
Economy grew 2.8 pct. in Q4, but outlook is hazy (AP)
AP - The economy grew late last year at a pace that in normal times would suggest it's healthy.
Ford hit by commodity costs, international woes (Reuters)
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.
Syria violence kills 37, U.N. Security Council to meet (Reuters)
Reuters - Security forces killed 37 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 revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.
A confident Romney zings Gingrich in Republican debate No. 19 (The Christian Science Monitor)
The Christian Science Monitor - Episode 19 in the Great Republican Debate-a-thon may be most remembered for its spirited discussion of moon colonies. But it was Mitt Romney’s sharp performance that won the night in the last debate before Florida’s crucial primary next Tuesday.
Analysis: Romney is fiery, focused in Fla. Debate (AP)
AP - Mitt Romney, forced to prove his resilience after a stinging loss in South Carolina, is showing why the so-called Republican establishment thinks he has the best discipline, organization and campaign smarts to challenge President Barack Obama this fall.
Drive-by jihadi pleads guilty to shooting at Pentagon (The Christian Science Monitor)
The Christian Science Monitor - An Alexandria, Va., man admitted in federal court Thursday that he fired live rounds into the Pentagon and three other government buildings and planned to desecrate graves at Arlington National Cemetery in support of Islamic militants overseas.Australia
Evacuations ordered as NSW deluge continues (prime7q1)
Emergency services are moving to evacuate some residents as floodwaters continue to rise along the north coast of New South Wales.Australian man dies on flying fox in Laos (Yahoo!7 with ABC)
A 26-year-old man from Sydney has died in a flying fox accident in Laos.Disaster zone as oil slick threatens wildlife (The West Australian)
Christmas Island is bracing for an environmental and economic crisis after a stricken container ship broke up and leaked tonnes of pollutants into its pristine waters.Girl 'sacrificed for a better harvest' (Yahoo!7)
Police in India say they have arrested two people who are suspected of sacrificing a child.Cold Christmas for much of Australia (Yahoo!7)
Get out your Santa suits and daggy Christmas jumpers - weather forecasters are predicting a cold, wet Christmas for much of the country.Western Australia hit by earthquake (Yahoo!7)
A 5.1 magnitude earthquake has struck off the north-west coast of Western Australia.Retail giant Rivers' boss in sexual harassment lawsuit (Yahoo!7)
Philip Harry Goodman, the director of Rivers, has been sued for allegedly sexually harassing a female employee by forcing her into modelling underwear for him.All Blacks win World Cup (Yahoo!7)
Twenty-four years of waiting for New Zealand ended as the All Blacks held France 8-7 to win their second World Cup at Eden Park.Shark attack feared (The West Australian)
A swimmer who vanished off Cottesloe beach yesterday morning is feared to have been taken by a great white shark.Shark attack feared (The West Australian)
A swimmer who vanished off Cottesloe beach yesterday morning is feared to have been taken by a great white shark.Entertainment
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 convulsing and "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.
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 convulsing and "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.
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 convulsing and "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.
HBO places a bet on horseracing drama "Luck" (Reuters)
Reuters - David Milch first visited a horse racing track when he was six years-old. Sixty years later he is bringing his passion for the behind-the-scenes world of jockeys, gamblers, horses and trainers to television with the HBO series "Luck".Lindsay Sloane Gives Birth to Daughter Maxwell Lue! (omg!)
omg! -This is the first child for the actress and husband Dar Rollins
SAG statuette has an interesting backstory (AP)
AP - The television academy's Emmy has her wings. The motion picture academy's Oscar has his sword. But the Screen Actors Guild's statuette, known as "The Actor," may have the hottest bod of the Hollywood award season.
'Downton' Star Gets Updated Look (omg!)
omg! -Downton Abbey fans were thrown for a loop when actress Siobhan Finneran, who plays the duplicitous O'Brien, showed up to London's National Television Awards looking like a red hot hottie. ...
Glam Slam: The Friday Five: Best Dressed Of The Week (omg!)
omg! -There's been no shortage of stylish stars hitting the town this week. ...
TV Ratings: "Idol" and "Bang" tie, Fox wins top rating (Reuters)
Reuters - CBS' "Big Bang Theory" pulled up to "American Idol" for a tie in the ratings Thursday night, while Fox was the highest rated and most-watched network as its new drama "The Finder" improved by 32 percent, according to preliminary numbers.APNewsBreak: Jackson enters fray over Grammy cuts (AP)
AP - The Rev. Jesse Jackson is entering the fray over The Recording Academy's cuts to its Grammy categories: He's asking to meet with the president of the organization and has raised the possibility of protests with the awards less than two weeks away.
APNewsBreak: Jackson enters fray over Grammy cuts (AP)
AP - The Rev. Jesse Jackson is entering the fray over The Recording Academy's cuts to its Grammy categories: He's asking to meet with the president of the organization and has raised the possibility of protests with the awards less than two weeks away.
Sundance question: How to spend a billion dollars (AP)
AP - The million-dollar question at the Sundance Film Festival, home of low-budget stories shot on begged and borrowed cash, is this: What would you do if you had $1 billion to make your movie?
Factbox: Main competition films at Berlin festival (Reuters)
Reuters - The 62nd Berlin film festival opens on Thursday February 9. and ends on February 19., with the awards ceremony taking place on February 18.HBO places its bets on horse racing drama `Luck' (AP)
AP - David Milch had the script for a horse racing drama kicking around in his head for 30 years. The screenwriter and producer was just too busy living it to put words to paper.
AP Interview: Chris Isaak makes Memphis album (AP)
AP - Chris Isaak is returning to the roots of rock 'n' roll and doing it old-school: All in one take.
