Billionaire kills himself over financial crisis

The family of Adolf Merckle says the German billionaire committed suicide after his business empire got into trouble because of the global financial crisis.

Fed sees long-lasting downturn

Federal Reserve officials feared the economy would be stuck in a painful rut for some time despite their decision to slash interest rates to a record low.

Feinstein supports Burris' bid for Senate seat

Roland Burris failed in his bid to take President-elect Barack Obama's Illinois Senate seat on Tuesday in a scripted piece of political theater staged just before the opening of the 111th Congress.

Apple cutting some iTunes prices

Apple is cutting the price of some songs in its market-leading iTunes online music store to 69 cents and plans to begin selling all tracks without copy protection.

Diet, not exercise, plays key role in weight loss
Though better nutrition coupled with exercise has long been the favored prescription for losing weight and avoiding obesity, a new study suggests diet actually plays the key role.

Boy, 6, misses bus, tries to drive to school
Having missed his bus, a 6-year-old Virginia boy tried to drive to school in his family's sedan — and crashed.

Phillies reliever suspended 50 games for drug

Phillies reliever J.C. Romero and Yankees minor league pitcher Sergio Mitre were suspended for the first 50 games of next season after testing positive for a banned substance.

Prayer for laid-off workers: 'Calm my soul'
The Church of England published a prayer Tuesday to help comfort Britons who lose their jobs in the financial crisis.

Mortgages: What you need to know in 2009
Mortgage rates are at historic lows and may be poised to go even lower next year. It's a great time to buy a home — if you can.