"Today, three years after the worst economic storm in three generations, our economy is growing again."

 

The president speaking today in the Las Vegas area. The government says durable goods orders rose 3% last month, that plus strong earnings from US companies, push the Dow close to its highest close since the 2008 financial crisis. However, stocks have since lost traction on the latest housing data. December new home sales fell, making 2011 the worst on record for that category. At last check, the Dow was down one point at 12,756; NASDAQ off ten at 2,809 with the S&P 500 down six at 1,320.

 

The Republican presidential candidates continue to blast President Obama's economic policies. The leading contenders, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, are in Jacksonville, Florida, preparing for tonight's debate. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports it is the last confrontation between the two men before Tuesday's primary.

 

At an outdoor rally, Romney talked about tonight's debate in a light and breezy tone. He gave no sense that his debate performance could determine the outcome of the Florida race and perhaps the Republican presidential nomination.

 

"There's gonna be fun again, you know that, and we’re gonna have some choice times, talking about the president and his failures. We'll probably talk a good deal about the State of the Union address and how badly mischaracterized he has described our nation at a time when so many people are suffering in this state and across the country."

 

Newt Gringrich spoke to a group of veterans this afternoon. Ron Paul and Rick Santorum will participate tonight as well, but polls show the race for Florida is basically a dead heat between Romney and Gingrich. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Jacksonville.

 

The Greek debt crisis still weighs on world markets. Prime Minister Lucas Papademos is due to meet today with representatives of banks holding Greek bonds. More from John Psaropoulos in Athens.

 

This is the third time this month that negotiators have hoped for a deal by the weekend. It's a sign of how difficult these talks have become since Greece's eurozone creditors toughened their stance towards bankers, asking them to take losses of 70% or more. Papademos this week said he believed a deal would be reached before week's end. The government has said it will announce the final deal by February 13th. Should voluntary debt forgiveness fail, Greece could force of discount or postpone payment of some 17 billion dollars worth of bonds maturing this year. But markets would consider that a default, something the eurozone still wants to avoid. For NPR News, I'm John Psaropoulos in Athens.

 

This is NPR News.

 

An Iraqi government spokesman says the country plans to take legal action over US raids seven years ago that killed 24 unarmed civilians. But Ali al-Mussawi's comments today underscored why it spread anger among Iraqi civilians after the only Marine convicted in the killings was spared significant jail time. Staff Sgt.  Frank Wuterich defended the raid as a necessity in wartime and said his squad did not act dishonorably.

 

A former Marine from Virginia faces a 25-year sentence for firing shots at the Pentagon, the Marine Corps Museum, and Quantico and other targets. Yonathan Melaku pleaded guilty today. The 24-year-old was arrested in June.

 

Heavy rain and gusty winds blanketing parts of Alabama today. NPR's Russell Lewis says the conditions are making life miserable for thousands of people whose homes were heavily damaged in Monday's tornadoes.

 

A total of ten tornadoes touched down Monday before sunrise across north-central Alabama. In the hardest-hit areas, whole neighborhoods were decimated, roofs ripped off, windows blown out, cars crushed by debris. Now a steady pounding rain is complicating the relief efforts. Shelters are reporting an influx of people. Utility crews can't restore power, and insurance adjusters are slowed by the conditions. The ominous clouds and bolts of lightening are also a tough psychological reminder about how difficult this week has been for people. Russell Lewis, NPR News, Birmingham.

 

At last glance, US stocks were mixed with the Dow up two points at 12,759 in trading of about 2.8 billion shares; NASDAQ off ten points at 2,809.