This week, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan travel to Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Florida. The United States' debt is announced on Thursday, and a judge is expected to rule on the voter identification law in Philadelphia.

With people distracted over health care, lots took their eye off the economy. This morning we will take a look at the job numbers and the economic outlook ahead of November's election. Massive storms wiped out power for around 770,000 people in and around Virginia. Also, Marcus Agius, the chairman of Barclays Bank is expected to resign and apologize for the banks' 290 million pound fine for its role in attempts to rig interest rates.

Exploring the news for the week ahead are Callie Crossley, host of The Callie Crossley Show on WGBH, and Marcus Mabry, editor at large at The International Herald Tribune, the international edition of our partner, The New York Times.

On the agenda this week: France's new president Francois Hollande travels to see German Chancellor Angela Merkel within hours of being sworn in. And both leaders travel to Camp David at the end of the week for a G8 meeting. Also, gas prices are down, and JP Morgan executives are leaving —will the campaigns continue to discuss gay marriage, or will the focus turn back to the economy?

Discussing the news for the week ahead are Marcus Mabry, editor-at-large at The International Herald Tribune and Charlie Herman, business and economics editor for The Takeaway and WNYC Radio, discuss the news for the week ahead, including the end of a ceasefire in Syria, Israeli-Palestine talks, rising Eurozone borrowing costs, and the Romneys' interview with Diane Sawyer.

Over the weekend, Romney won both the CPAC straw poll and Maine caucuses; he'll head to Arizona on Monday while Santorum heads to Washington. After rioting and looting in Athens, Greece's parliament approved an austerity and debt-relief bill early Monday. Back in the States, President Obama unveils a budget blueprint Monday. Later this week, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visits the White House. Fourth quarter earnings reports from more than 50 S&P 500 companies are expected this week. 

Every Monday, The Takeaway looks at the big news stories from the week ahead. Christmas retail numbers and post-Christmas sales are expected to be stronger this year than in 2011. Heading into a presidential election year, voters will be looking to see how much the economy has improved. And the U.S. is not the only country that might see a shakeup in elected officials. Both China and Russia are likely to makes changes in leadership in the new year, as are a number of European countries.

After an eventful weekend, GOP presidential candidates are gearing up for the influential Iowa caucuses. Democrats on Capital Hill hope to pass a payroll tax cut in the face of Republican opposition. Abroad, the euro debt crisis continue to loom over the world economy. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are meeting ahead of the Brussels summit on Friday to discuss greater fiscal coordination between European countries, and Italy's new government looks to pass austerity measures to ease their debt.

The markets responded positively to the news last week of a euro zone deal to try and turn around their two-year financial crisis. Marcus Mabry, editor-at-large of the International Herald Tribune, which is the international edition of The New York Times, tells us how he expects the markets to continue to go this week and to be on the lookout at Italy, which could be the next euro zone country to be in financial trouble. Charlie Herman, business and economics editor for WNYC and The Takeaway, looks at the upcoming G20 Summit in France this week, and if they can come up with a framework to deal with Europe's economic troubles.

It's Monday, so we're discussing news ahead for the week. Next Sunday will be ten years since the 9/11 attacks. This will be a week of reflection — not just for Americans but for everyone around the world. As we remember 9/11, many Americans are still without jobs and struggling to make ends meet. Charlie Herman, business and economics editor for WNYC and The Takeaway, says not to expect anything game-changing from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech this Thursday in Minnesota on the economic outlook. His speech will be followed by President Barack Obama's jobs speech. And across the Atlantic, Dominique Strauss-Kahn returned to France over the weekend, and the hunt for Col. Muammar Gadhafi continues in Libya.

The methodical killing of over 90 people by a gunman in Norway over the weekend has gripped the world with horror. The accused, Anders Behring Breivik, is currently in police custody, and has said he acted alone. Marcus Mabry, editor-at-large of The International Herald Tribune, the international edition of The New York Times, believes this tragic event has made Europe aware of a different kind of threat that they never knew was out there - extremist right-wing groups.

In discussing the troubled Greek economy's effect on U.S. markets, Standard & Poor's equity market strategist Alec Young told the AP that "There’s no easy answers or they would have found them by now. We’re recommending that clients continue to expect volatility in the U.S. market as a result of the news coming out of Greece." The length and depth of that volatility remains to be seen. In Brussels, European Union leaders scrambled to draft a second bailout on Thursday, coming up with a 12 billion euro plan they hope will avert international disaster. For more on just how big this news is for world financial markets we’re joined by our resident experts Louise Story and Marcus Mabry.  Louise Story is the Wall Street and finance reporter for our partner The New York Times and Marcus Mabry is editor-at-large of the International Herald Tribune.

The arrest of former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic has caught the attention of most Europeans, who are waiting to see if he will be extradited to the Hague to face charges of genocide. Marcus Mabry, editor-at-large of the International Herald Tribune, the international edition of The New York Times, believes this is a test for Serbia and their commitment to the International War Crimes Tribunal.

Despite promises of reform from both the Syrian and Yemeni governments, demonstrations — and serious bloodshed — rage in both countries. NATO continues to support the rebels in Libya while some U.S. Senators call for Gadhafi's ouster. Marcus Mabry, editor-at-large of the International Herald Tribune, looks at protests throughout the Middle East and NATO's role in Libya. Middle East turmoil has also led to rising oil and gas prices in the U.S. Oil companies are set to release their earnings this week and Charlie Herman, economics editor for The Takeaway and WNYC, looks at rising oil profits and potential price gouging investigations.

With support from coalition forces in the air, Libyan rebel forces have been able to recapture recent losses and are pushing towards Col. Moammar Gadhafi's strongholds. However, the U.S. is committed to passing responsibility on and Defense Secretary Robert Gates told NBC's "Meet the Press," "beginning this week or within the next week or so, we will begin to diminish the commitment of resources that we have committed to this." Marcus Mabry, editor-at-large of the International Herald Tribune, looks at how the impact of a U.S. drawdown could impact the situation in Libya.

China's President Hu Jintao is heading to the United States this week and will meet with President Obama at the White House on Wednesday. Marcus Mabry, associate national editor for The New York Times, and Charlie Herman, economics editor for The Takeaway and WNYC, discuss what they expect to come out of this meeting between the leaders of two of the most powerful countries in the world.

President Obama returns from his family holiday in Hawaii to the first major reorganization of his administration. When restructuring, does he choose a team for governing or a team for winning and campaigning for 2012? Marcus Mabry, associate editor for our partner, The New York Times, joins us to discuss. Also,major snow storms hit multiple parts of the country over the weekend; we'll find out how the weather affected post-Christmas sales, and what retailers made during the shopping craze before the big day from Charlie Herman, economics editor for The Takeaway.

Looking ahead to the week's agenda: Unemployment benefits for an estimated two million Americans is set to expire by tomorrow; Congress will decide whether or not to extend them. Time is running out to pass the new START agreement with Russia, as well.  Two days of debate have been scheduled for Thursday and Friday that will address the Pentagon's soldier survey on "Don't Ask Don't Tell," and whether or not the repeal, backed by the White House, will go through. Also, the highly debated Bush Tax Cuts are set to expire in January for both middle and upper-income brackets...both sides seem to be adamantly sticking to their guns with no compromise in sight.

We are just eight days away from election day, and Democrats and Republicans are campaigning at full throttle. First Lady Michelle Obama is on the West Coast, trying to win votes for Democrats in key Senate races in Washington and California.

Army Specialist Jeremy Morlock could potentially face a court-martial after becoming the first of 5 soldiers to face an Article 32 hearing – the equivalent of a grand jury – yesterday, on charges of murdering 3 unarmed Afghan civilians. 

Marcus Mabry, associate national editor for The New York Times, has been following this story and shares the developments with us.

Click after the jump to see a video of Morlock confessing to the murders.