Top Stories - U.S. News & World Report

Sometimes, bad things happen to great cars. The exhilarating Pontiac G8, for example, came along just as parent company General Motors decided to kill the entire Pontiac division. The 2009 retirement of the Honda S2000 roadster caused remorse even at Honda. Full Story »

It might not have reached the heights of the Watergate and Lewinsky years, but the political scandals of 2009 had something juicy for everybody. Republicans went for sex, Democrats for money, and former Gov. Sarah Palin simply bailed out on Alaska. But for sheer bizarreness, the award has to be split between the state dinner gate-crashers and former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached for trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat--before quitting and winning his own seat on The Donald's 2010 Celebrity Apprentice. Full Story »

Here's the delusion of the century: Tiger Woods will retire from golf. Full Story »

If the '90s were the Internet era, maybe the '00s were the mobile decade. Technology packed ever more power into ever smaller devices, putting portable electronics at the leading edge of innovation this decade. Full Story »

With automakers finally starting to reel in their rebates, $4,000 off the price of any new Saturn sounds like a sweetheart deal. The hefty discount brings the starting price of the sexy Sky roadster down to the low 20s, making it one of the cheapest sporty convertibles on the market. And it drops the price of the seven-seat Outlook crossover to the mid-20s, a great price for a well-equipped family hauler. Full Story »

President Obama: Thanks for coming to the White House, everybody. I know how miserable it is to fly commercial, but thanks for doing it and for taking the subway over from the airport. The American people will appreciate that. Full Story »

It's time to retire the idea of retirement--or at least push it back by a few years. Although it's fun to dream about a permanent escape from a grueling commute or an overbearing boss, think about how much you gain from your friendship with coworkers and having a daily routine where you feel useful. The financial incentives to delay retirement are obvious and dramatic. And recent research even suggests that working part time in retirement can improve your health. Here are 10 reasons you shouldn't quit your day job. Full Story »

Youth has always been a double-edged sword for America's presidents. It tends to inject the White House with fresh ideas and energy, but it can also lead to impetuousness and a disregard for the tried and true. To fully examine the effect of youth on the presidency, U.S. News Chief White House Correspondent Kenneth T. Walsh takes an in-depth look at the five youngest presidents in U.S. history. This is the final installment of the series. See the full series here. Full Story »

The Federal Reserve is still transfusing money into a weak economy, and the patient shows signs of a very slow recovery at best. Despite huge budget deficits, interest rates could remain near zero, making 2010 a challenging year to find low-risk returns on your money. Here are factors to consider as you think about how to employ your investment funds next year. Full Story »

It is tempting for parents whose savings and earnings have been wiped out by the economic downturn to tell their teens: "We love you. We want you to go to college, but we can't afford to pay tuition right now. You're on your own." Full Story »