Obama invites congressional leaders to cliff talk; milk may spike $2 a gallon

College turtle project takes dark twist

Man gets DUI after driving on AA co-founder's lawn

DORSET, Vt. (AP) - Vermont State Police say a man faces a drunken driving charge after driving onto the lawn of a historic home once owned by the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Police say 55-year-old Donald Blood III of Marlborough, Mass., was ordered to appear in court in Bennington on Jan. 14. Police say Blood thought he was ...

Private picture of Mark Zuckerberg’s family leaked via Facebook page

SEATTLE (AP) - Even Mark Zuckerberg's family can get tripped up by Facebook's privacy settings.

Paper’s handgun permit map draws criticism

NEW YORK (AP) - A newspaper's publication of the names and addresses of handgun permit holders in two New York counties has sparked online discussions - and a healthy dose of outrage.

Starbucks cups to come with a political message today, Friday about ‘fiscal cliff’

NEW YORK (AP) - Starbucks is using its coffee cups to jump into the political fray in Washington. The world's biggest coffee chain is asking employees at cafes in the Washington, D.C., area to scribble the words "Come Together" on cups for drink orders on Thursday and Friday. CEO Howard Schultz says the words are intended as a message to lawmakers about ...

NEW YORK (AP) — Starbucks is using its coffee cups to jump into the political fray in Washington.

The world's biggest coffee chain is asking employees at cafes in the Washington, D.C., area to scribble the words "Come Together" on cups for drink orders on Thursday and Friday. CEO Howard Schultz says the words are intended as a message to lawmakers about the damage being caused by the divisive negotiations over the "fiscal cliff." It's ...

Odd News

MINN. SODA SHOP REBUKED FOR STOCKING CANDY SMOKES: ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Owners of an old-school soda shop in St. Paul, Minn., are being warned to kick the habit and stop stocking novelty candy cigarettes.

Cliff looms: Kicking the can, Washington-style

Nation news briefs

FILM FANS HAND HOLLYWOOD RECORD CASH: LOS ANGELES (AP) - The big deal for Hollywood is not the record $10.8 billion that studios took in domestically in 2012. It's the fact that the number of tickets sold went up for the first time in three years.

George H.W. Bush in intensive care

Colleges help students scrub online footprints

More meth labs showing up in cities, suburbs

Politics: Many 2012 fights to carry over

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. economy is slowly digging out of its deepest economic hole since the 1930s. And if nothing else, the next four years should be better than the last four.

2012 fashion styles that turned our heads

NEW YORK (AP) - Every year fashion offers up the good, the bad and the ugly. But what the industry is really built on - and consumers respond to - is buzz.

Illinois governor signs pension overhaul into law

CHICAGO (AP) - In a private ceremony attended by a handful of lawmakers, Gov. Pat Quinn signed landmark legislation Thursday to reform Illinois' massively-underfunded pension system, though labor unions immediately threatened a lawsuit challenging the new law.

COLD SNAP GLANCE

From California to Ohio, a big chunk of the U.S. is getting a blast of wintry weather. Frigid temperatures are following a storm that's bringing snow and ice to many areas. The conditions are making travel difficult, raising concerns about citrus crops and prompting the cancellation of fights, holiday festivities and football games. Even one outdoor ice rink in cold-accustomed South Dakota is shutting down.

Dreaming of a warm, happy place

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - With the wind chill falling to almost minus 40, Steve Hendershot's mind was elsewhere Thursday as he and his crew of roustabouts worked an oil rig in North Dakota's booming oil patch.

Fast-food workers across the country push for wage hikes

Fast-food NEW YORK (AP) - Fast-food workers and labor organizers marched, waved signs and chanted in cities across the country on Thursday in a push for higher wages.

Jobs report to show if US economy is for real

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. economy is growing faster, corporate profits are rising and companies are laying off the fewest workers in six years.

Temps reach dangerous level for citrus

VISALIA (AP) - Officials say temperatures in the citrus-rich San Joaquin Valley dropped to the low 20s overnight, but it was too early to tell whether there was any crop damage.

Bratton named NYPD commish again

NEW YORK (AP) - William Bratton, whose tenure as New York City police commissioner in the 1990s was marked by a steep decline in crime and clashes with then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, has been chosen to lead the nation's largest police force again.

Illinois pension fight likely shifting to court

Skydivers return to site where 2 died

ELOY, Ariz. (AP) - Skydivers from around the world returned to the air Wednesday at a popular Arizona skydiving location that was the site of a deadly mishap involving two parachutists a day earlier.

Face transplants thriving 2 years after operation

Train engineer in a 'daze' before crash

Detroit bankruptcy decision puts pensions at risk

No problems found in NYC train brake system

NEW YORK (AP) - Investigators looking into a deadly train derailment said Tuesday that no problems had been found with the train's brake system or track signals along its route and that its engineer was being questioned again.

Odd News

BIRD STEALS CAMERA IN AUSTRALIA, RECORDS JOURNEY: SYDNEY (AP) - A brazen bird snatched a video camera that was recording crocodiles in northwest Australia and captured fascinating footage of its 110-kilometer (70-mile) journey across the country's remote landscape. Wildlife rangers in Western Australia's Kimberly region released video on Monday that reveals the sea eagle's caper. The bird's flapping wings can be seen as it grabs the device and takes off, ...

Detroit can use bankruptcy to confront debt