story

Popularity may be hazardous to a preteen’s health, according to a new study that shows popular preteens are more likely to start smoking at an early age than their less popular peers. Researchers say preteens may believe that being the first in their class to experiment with smoking will keep …

The redesigned Acura RL squeaks out a victory as best midsize luxury sedan. Not long ago the BMW 5-series sedan seemed to live in a class by itself, defining the market for sporty, midsize luxury sedans priced above $40,000. It was hailed as a benchmark, the target rivals intended to …

WASHINGTON – Average U.S. home prices soared more than 13 percent over the past year and showed no sign of peaking as low mortgage interest rates and speculative buying boosted demand, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (search) said Thursday. In the year-long period through June 2005, home prices …

Bankruptcy is on the rise — and overspending usually isn’t the cause. While in the process of getting divorced three years ago, Sparkle Parks, a 38-year-old administrator at Ohio State University’s medical center, found herself five months behind on her mortgage payments and burdened with $8,000 in credit-card debt. “I …

We answer the 10 most frequently asked questions about bankruptcy. Anyone who has considered filing for bankruptcy will tell you it’s not easy to find someone to talk to about it. After all, the subject isn’t exactly something you’d bring up while standing around the office water cooler. Even if …

VALLETTA, Malta – Military helicopters buzzed overhead and sharpshooters kept watch from rooftops as Queen Elizabeth II of Britain on Wednesday began her first overseas trip since the July 7 bombings in London. Security in this tiny Mediterranean island nation was tight ahead of the three-day Commonwealth summit which begins …

WASHINGTON – At a time when he is under criminal investigation in the CIA leak case, Karl Rove stepped into the limelight Thursday night, praising failed Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers to an influential group of conservative lawyers. “If you like every one of the 200 judges that we have …

DETROIT – Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick overcame doubts about his leadership and judgment as voters gave him the second chance he asked for in a come-from-behind victory in Tuesday’s election. Kilpatrick’s win came after the charismatic 35-year-old mayor placed second behind challenger Freman Hendrix in the August primary and trailed in …

MEXICO CITY – As many as 200 million Monarch butterflies may migrate to Mexico this year — a nearly tenfold increase over 2004, when unfavorable weather, pollution and deforestation caused a drastic decline in the population, environmental officials said Tuesday. Last year, fewer than 23 million butterflies survived long enough …

NEW YORK – One in six U.S. Internet users have sold goods and services online and 2 percent do so on a given day, a new study found. Sales are typically done through such online classifed ads sites as Craigslist or through an auction like eBay, the Pew Internet and …