UNITED STATES

The latest episode of Modern Family features 2-year-old Lily saying what appears to be a bleeped out f-word, something McKay Hatch, an anti-profanity crusader, says is unacceptable.

U.S. factory output in December grew at the fastest pace in a year and homebuilder sentiment improved this month, further evidence the economy entered the new year on firmer footing.

Several prominent liberals have co-sponsored both SOPA and PIPA, while several conservative lawmakers -- including Michelle Bachmann, Paul Ryan and Rand Paul -- have opposed it.

While Wikipedia, Reddit and sites on the Cheezburger Network black themselves out in protest over the SOPA bill, Flickr, Wired and Google have joined in the protest without going completely black. As Congress debates whether or not to pass the Stop Online Piracy Act and its sister bill the Protect IP Act in the Senate, Web sites across the U.S. have taken to the virtual streets to voice their opposition.

A total of 14.8 million passengers went on cruises in 2010, an increase of 10.3 percent over the prior year,

The World Bank warned Wednesday that the global economy is on the cusp of a new financial crisis, one similar in magnitude to the chaos following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008.

Lavrov also criticized moves by the West to tighten the economic screws on Iran.

The Keystone Oil Pipeline may be dead in the water, as the Obama administration is poised to reject the controversial proposal, according to reports.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s admission that his income tax rate was “probably closer to 15 percent than anything” may re-ignite the debate on the lower tax rate for capital gains and carried interest than for ordinary income -- the income category for most typical Americans.

Industrial output rose in December as manufacturing rebounded at its strongest pace in a year, countering a weather-related decline in utilities, Federal Reserve data showed on Wednesday.

Perry released an acoustic version of the single on Tuesday.

Swiss police said on Wednesday they had arrested two men suspected of throwing red paint and scrawling SMASH WEF in black graffiti on the walls of the Swiss National Bank.

Bolstered by a record-setting year, the European aircraft manufacturer and seller is flying high over its competitor Boeing -- at least in terms of sales.

Producer prices fell in December as companies paid less for gasoline and vegetables, although higher prices for light motor trucks pushed a measure of underlying inflation higher.

Elpida Memory will seek an equity tie-up with U.S. rival Micron Technology, a newspaper said on Wednesday, as the Japanese firm confronts mounting pressure from approaching debt repayments and a deteriorating memory chip market.

Google Inc's strong holiday-quarter results may take a backseat to growing concerns about long-term margins after it dives into a fiercely competitive smartphone market through its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings.

Fujifilm Holdings President Shigetaka Komori wants a Swiss-style cap on the yen to help Japanese firms, he said in an interview on Wednesday, adding his voice to a growing chorus of executives including Nissan's Carlos Ghosn.

U.S. mortgage applications increased 23.1 percent in the week ending Jan. 13, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

European regulators will decide around the end of March whether to file a formal complaint against Google for misuse of its market position, potentially bringing the internet company's squabble with competitors to a head much sooner than expected.

The number of kids and adults in the United States who are obese has held steady over the last few years, two reports out Tuesday suggest.

U.S. health regulators gave the nod on Tuesday to a drug from British specialty drugmaker BTG Plc that helps cancer patients get rid of toxic levels of a chemotherapy treatment.