Morning Digest: Democrats seek victory in payroll tax cut fight

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	12/22/2011
Good Morning Bit LATEST NEWS Democrats seek victory in payroll tax cut fight (Reuters) - With House of Representatives Republicans under attack from friends and foes, Democrats held out for victory in a fight over extending a payroll tax cut for millions of workers that is set to expire at year's end. | Full Article Baghdad blasts kill 57 as Iraq tensions rise December 22, 2011 06:02 AM ET BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A rash of bombings hit Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 57 people in the first big attack on Iraq's capital since a crisis between its Shi'ite Muslim-led government and Sunni rivals erupted days after the U.S. troop withdrawal. | Full Article Stock index futures point higher December 22, 2011 04:56 AM ET (Reuters) Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 all up 0.5 percent at 0936 GMT. | Full Article China tightens rules for microblog publishers: Xinhua December 22, 2011 05:16 AM ET BEIJING (Reuters) - China further tightened rules on microblogs on Thursday, requiring new authors on seven websites in southern Guangdong province to register their real names, state-run Xinhua news agency reported, in a move users decried as ineffective. | Full Article Multinational crew blasts off for space station December 21, 2011 10:28 AM ET (Reuters) - A trio of astronauts blasted off aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket on Wednesday on a mission to bring the International Space Station back up to full manpower after an August cargo launch accident disrupted flights. | Full Article Mad scramble for NFL playoff spots coming to a head December 21, 2011 02:22 PM ET (Reuters) - Fifteen teams remain alive in a mad scramble for five remaining playoff spots, and the seven clubs already qualified for the postseason play fight for seeding in the penultimate week of National Football League (NFL) action. | Full Article "X Factor" finalists back to roots with audition songs December 21, 2011 10:36 PM ET LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The three finalists of TV contest "The X Factor" went back to their roots on Wednesday, each performing their first audition songs as they battled for votes and a $5 million recording contract. | Full Article Waiting for Congress, Obama takes dog Bo shopping December 21, 2011 04:50 PM ET ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (Reuters) - With his wife and daughters already in Hawaii for the holidays, President Barack Obama took his dog Bo shopping on Wednesday as he waited for congressional leaders to mop up a payroll tax mess that has kept him in Washington. | Full Article RELATED VIDEO The payroll tax standoff Jingle Cats brings a feline navidad for 2011 holidays Conjoined twins share a heart A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today. Your daily briefing on the latest tech developments from around the world from Reuters expert tech correspondents. Register Today. The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day.. Register Today. » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend