After Mitt Romney and fellow Republicans failed to garner the support of the nation's fastest growing minority group in November's election, Carlos Gutierrez, the man who led Romney's outreach to Hispanic voters, said he and Republicans advocating for immigration reform are creating super PAC in hopes of repairing the party's image among the pivotal voting block.
POL-RNC-Chairman-Priebus-Reelection
Despite a rough election for the GOP, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is seeking re-election and Friday reached out to state Republican officials across the country asking for their support, sources familiar with the conversations told CNN.
U.S.
U.S.-Oil-Platform-Fire
An explosion tore through an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, triggering a fire and injuring at least 11 people, authorities said.
US-Sleep-Tent-Recall
Small portable sleep tents for infants and small children may pose a safety hazard, prompting the Consumer Product Safety Commission and KidCo Inc. to issue a voluntary recall of more than 220,000 PeaPod and PeaPod Plus Travel Beds.
New-York-Terror-Sentencing
A Bosnian immigrant who authorities said came within days of carrying out a plot to bomb New York City's subway system was sentenced to life in prison on Friday.
Washington-Goodwill-Dali-Art
When an anonymous donor gave art to the Goodwill as an early holiday gift this month, the staff thought it was junk. "Across the board they thought it was ugly," said Shea Munroe, who sorts the art and collectibles donated at Goodwill Industries in Federal Way, Washington. Co-workers told her: "What is that? And why would anybody want that?" The art is actually a Salvador Dali original, by the master surrealist who in his day relished the role of public provocateur with his mind-bending imagery.
TRAVEL-California-TSA-Watch
Art is not always in the eye of the beholder. That may be the lesson one Southern California man learned Thursday night at Oakland International Airport after he tried to get through a TSA security checkpoint wearing a watch fashioned to look like a timing device. "The watch had a toggle switch, wires coming out of it and fuses," said Sgt. J. D. Nelson with the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, which is leading the investigation. The man was detained and then arrested for having the material to craft a bomb, the sheriff's department said.
SPORT-Motorsport-F1-USA-Vettel-Alonso-Practice
Sebastian Vettel made the perfect start in his bid for an historic world title triple by setting the fastest time in both practice sessions Friday for the United States Grand Prix. Formula One is returning to the U.S. for the first time in five years on the new Circuit of Americas in Austin, Texas and the Red Bull star wasted little time in setting the pace.
MONEY
MONEY-Hostess-Closing
Hostess Brands -- the maker of such iconic baked goods as Twinkies, Drake's Devil Dogs and Wonder Bread -- announced Friday that it is asking a federal bankruptcy court for permission to close its operations, blaming a strike by bakers protesting a new contract imposed on them.
MONEY-Hostess-Twinkies-Wonder-Bread
Twinkies may never die. Wonder Bread probably won't either. Even after Hostess Brands announced that it is shuttering its operations Friday, the company, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second time in January, is expected to find buyers for its iconic brands that include Twinkies, Ho Ho's, Sno Balls, and Wonder Bread, according to several bankers who spoke on the condition of anonymity since they are preparing potential bids for the company's assets.
MONEY-hostess-workers
For many of Hostess Brands' 18,500 workers and their families, the closing of their iconic company Friday is a devastating emotional and economic blow. But others say the jobs weren't worth saving because of pay and benefit cuts.
MONEY-twinkies-hoarding-hostess
Just hours after Twinkies maker Hostess declared it will shut down for good, grocery stores nationwide are already experiencing a run on Twinkies and the company's other iconic products like Wonder Bread, Hostess Cup Cakes and Ding Dongs.
MONEY-jpmorgan-credit-suisse
JPMorgan and Credit Suisse will together pay more than $400 million to resolve allegations that they misled investors in mortgage-backed securities, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced Friday.
MONEY-sandy-donations-red-cross
The American Red Cross continues to see an outpouring of donations in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. The relief agency had raised $145 million as of Friday morning, up from $131 million on Monday.
MONEY-stocks-markets
U.S. stocks ended with slight gains Friday afternoon, as investors welcomed positive comments from Washington lawmakers on the fiscal cliff negotiations but remained cautious ahead of an actual deal.
FEATURES, ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY
COMMENTARY-Mekelberg-Israel-Gaza-conflict
The Israel-Gaza conflict is nothing new, but the current violence is taking place in a very different Middle East. The Arab Spring changed the region's political and social landscape.
