#My2K: Obama urges public to pressure lawmakers

President Barack Obama sits in front of a screen displaying a question he tweeted during a "Twitter Town Hall" …President Barack Obama urged Americans Wednesday to help him pressure Congress to prevent a January 1 tax hike on the middle class, saying it was up to the public to make sure Washington doesn't "screw this up.""When the American people speak loudly enough, lo and behold Congress listens,"...

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China's party paper falls for Onion joke about Kim

BEIJING (AP) — The online version of China's Communist Party newspaper has hailed a report by The Onion naming North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un as the "Sexiest Man Alive" — not realizing it is satire.The People's Daily on Tuesday ran a 55-page photo spread on its website in a tribute to the round-faced leader, under the headline "North Korea's top leader named The Onion's Sexiest Man Alive for 2012."Quoting...

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Disney Channel to debut 'Sofia the First' Jan. 11

NEW YORK (AP) — Disney says its animated children's series "Sofia the First" will premiere Jan. 11 on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior networks.Created for kids ages 2 to 7, "Sofia the First" is about a young girl who becomes a princess and learns that honesty, loyalty and compassion are what makes a person royal.Sofia is voiced by "Modern Family" actress Ariel Winter, and her mother is played...

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CDC: HIV spread high in young gay males

NEW YORK (AP) — Health officials say 1 in 5 new HIV infections occur in a tiny segment of the population — young men who are gay or bisexual.The government on Tuesday released new numbers that spotlight how the spread of the AIDS virus is heavily concentrated in young males who have sex with other males. Only about a quarter of new infections in the 13-to-24 age group are from injecting drugs or heterosexual...

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Let the fiscal cliff road show begin

President Barack Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner meet at the White House on November 16 to discuss …President Barack Obama is ramping up efforts to win over Americans — and pressure Congress — on the fiscal cliff, with events at the White House and on the road to argue for the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts chiefly benefiting the rich.The response from his chief Republican foes?...

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16 die in Pakistan after drinking cough syrup

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Sixteen people have died in Pakistan after drinking cough syrup suspected of being toxic, police said Monday after three additional victims expired in hospital.All those affected by the syrup were drug addicts who apparently drank it to get high, said police officer Multan Khan.Khan said they died at various hospitals in the eastern city of Lahore over the past three days....

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Chris Brown deletes Twitter account after feud

R&B singer Chris Brown has taken down his Twitter account after a vulgar online exchange with comedian Jenny Johnson.Johnson says she's now receiving death threats on Twitter from Brown's supporters.The fight started when 23-year-old Brown posted a picture of himself, saying he looked old. Johnson replied: "I know! Being a worthless piece of (expletive) can really age a person."Brown fired back...

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Bounce houses a party hit but kids' injuries soar

CHICAGO (AP) — They may be a big hit at kids' birthday parties, but inflatable bounce houses can be dangerous, with the number of injuries soaring in recent years, a nationwide study found.Kids often crowd into bounce houses, and jumping up and down can send other children flying into the air, too.The numbers suggest 30 U.S. children a day are treated in emergency rooms for broken bones, sprains,...

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SEC chair Mary Schapiro leaving post

President Barack Obama announced Monday he had picked Securities and Exchange Commissioner Elisse Walter to replace outgoing chair Mary Schapiro, who plans to step down in mid-December. Schapiro has helmed the agency since January 2009, winning confirmation with the economy shaken to its core by the global financial meltdown.Walter is a former top official of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority,...

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Indian gay rights parade demands greater tolerance

NEW DELHI (AP) — Hundreds of gay rights activists marched through New Delhi on Sunday to demand that they be allowed to lead lives of dignity in India's deeply conservative society.Dozens of demonstrators carried a nearly 15-meter (50-foot) -long, rainbow-colored banner and waved placards demanding that the government extend the scope of anti-discrimination laws to schools, workplaces and public and...

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