WASHINGTON (AP) ― Both sides in the heated U.S. debate over guns are urging voters to pressure lawmakers ahead of critical votes next month in Congress that will indicate whether gun rights groups have again fought off efforts to tighten firearms regulations, even after the Connecticut school massacre. Both New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an outspoken supporter of gun controls, and Wayne LaPierre, the CEO of the National Rifle Association gun rights lobbying group, say their opposing views on

A Virginia funeral parlor faces a lawsuit for allegedly putting the body of the wrong man in the casket for a funeral.The family of James "Jim" Wagner III is suing the Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home over the alleged mix up, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Sunday.The lawsuit alleges Wagner's widow, Candace, went to the funeral home April 12, 2012, the day after her husband died, and paid $6,592.25, to have her husband's body prepared for an open-casket funeral. Two days later, she dropped off

Syria's Western-backed opposition plunged into disarray on Sunday as its president resigned and its military leader refused to recognize a prime minister recently elected to lead an interim rebel government.The chaos inside the opposition Syrian National Coalition threatened to undermine its bid to unite the forces battling President Bashar Assad and better organize the fight to oust his regime. It also could hamper support from the U.S. and other powers, who have hoped the Coalition would emerg

  Central African Republic's President Francois Bozize fled the capital early Sunday, hours after hundreds of armed rebels threatening to overthrow him invaded the city, an adviser said.   The rebel alliance, known as Seleka, issued a statement referring to Bozize as the country's "former president."   "Central African Republic has just opened a new page in its history," said the communique, which was signed by Justin Kombo Moustapha, secretary-general of Seleka.   "The political committee of th

DUBAI (AP) ― Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf ended more than four years in self-exile Sunday with a flight to his homeland, seeking a possible political comeback in defiance of judicial probes and death threats from Taliban militants. The journey from exile in Dubai to the Pakistani port city of Karachi is intended as the first step in his goal of rebuilding his image after years on the political margins. Since the former general was forced from power, Pakistan’s civilian leadership

   China's new President Xi Jinping was due in Tanzania Sunday at the start of a three-nation Africa tour that underscores Beijing's growing presence in the resource-rich continent.   Xi will visit Tanzania's economic capital Dar es Salaam, where he is set to give a keynote speech on relations with Africa, before heading to Durban, South Africa on Monday to join a emerging economies summit.   He wraps up the African tour, part of his first overseas trip which started in Russia, with a visit to t

   Pope Francis celebrated his first Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, encouraging people to be humble and young at heart, as tens of thousands joyfully waved olive branches and palm fronds.   The square overflowed with some 250,000 pilgrims, tourists and Romans eager to join the new pope at the start of solemn Holy Week ceremonies, which lead up to Easter, Christianity's most important day.   Keeping with his spontaneous style, the first pope from Latin America broke away several times fr

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Iraq on an unannounced visit to urge Iraqi leaders to stop Iranian overflights of arms and fighters heading to Syria and to overcome sectarian differences that still threaten Iraqi stability 10 years after the American-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.   Kerry flew into Baghdad on Sunday from Amman after accompanying President Barack Obama to Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan.   Officials traveling with him said Kerry would pre