AP – Tax laws are so complex many taxpayers don’t feel comfortable filing out their own returns, but getting professional help can be expensive.

The Motley Fool – In 1991, former MIT dean Lester Thurow wrote that “If one looks at the last 20 years, Japan would have to be considered the betting favorite to win the economy honors of owning the 21st century.”

Reuters – New orders for U.S. factory-made products posted a second straight monthly rise in December and business capital spending also picked up, a government report on Friday showed.

AP – U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the key to stopping Iran from getting a nuclear bomb is keeping global support for tough economic sanctions.

Reuters – Walgreen Co is being hit by its withdrawal from the Express Scripts Inc pharmacy network and by a much weaker-than-expected flu season, leading it to temper its expectations for the number of prescriptions it will fill this year.

AP – The European Union is bracing for another potential energy crisis in the dead of winter as Russian gas supplies to some of its member states suddenly have dwindled by up to 30 percent.

AP – NATO’s top official said Friday that the alliance expects regional powers to contribute to a multibillion dollar fund to finance the Afghan army and police after they assume full responsibility for the war in 2014.

AP – Ukraine’s government is blaming Russia for natural gas shortages in some European countries as a severe cold spell grips the region.

AP – President Barack Obama is to visit a state-of-the-art fire station in a Washington suburb on Friday.

Reuters – Investors are holding more cash than at any time since the Lehman Brothers collapse to protect themselves against volatile financial markets, presenting them with a dilemma – where to hold that money when banks are looking shaky.