NEW YORK – Wall Street had an auspicious start to December Thursday, with stocks soaring as investors welcomed inflation-friendly economic data and hoped the November rally would continue through year-end. The Dow Jones industrials rose 106.70, or 0.99 percent, to 10,912.57. The move higher nearly reversed the market’s previous three …

SPOKANE, Wash. – Mayor James E. West said Wednesday he regrets his actions that led voters to recall him in a special election sparked by allegations he used a city computer to woo gay men over the Internet. “I have no regrets as far as being mayor the last two …

BOSTON – To the millions of Americans who own IRAs, 2005 may seem like most other years. But to accountants, estate attorneys and others who live, breath, eat and sleep IRAs, 2005 will go down as yet another banner year filled with new laws, court rulings, IRS Revenue Rulings and …

Thanks to The L.A. Times today. The paper printed a retraction and correction Thursday after mistakenly reporting that I had called for a boycott against several retail chains for not saying “Merry Christmas.” I have pointed out who is saying what, but I have not called for a boycott. Nor …

SAN FRANCISCO – Yahoo Inc. (YHOO), the world’s largest Internet media site, had agreed to acquire Del.icio.us, a popular Web site that helps users share links to their favorite Web sites, the site’s founder said Friday. Joshua Schachter, the founder of Del.icio.us, confirmed a posting on the New York-based start-up’s …

Oh, how quickly randy can turn into angry. A drunk British couple making the 10-hour flight to Kingston, Jamaica, in business class decided to try to join the “mile-high club” in one of the bathrooms, according to The (London) Sun. Cries of ecstasy alerted British Airways employees to the lovemaking …

The news doesn’t stop on the weekends on neither does “FOX & Friends.” So start your weekend in the know with host Kiran Chetry, Page Hopkins and Julian Phillips. SaturdayStarts at 7 a.m. ET The president meets with 14 senators including Hillary Clinton to discuss the future of the war …

KENOSHA, Wis. – The mammoth that has served as the Kenosha Public Museum’s mascot for years may actually be a Jefferson’s mammoth rather than a woolly mammoth as has been believed for years, according to a new analysis. At least that is the tentative conclusion drawn by Dan Joyce, senior …

DES MOINES, Iowa – Wendy’s International Inc. (WEN), ending a traumatic year on the offensive, Friday accused a major shareholder of delivering “an ultimatum” to get its chief executive’s attention. The hamburger chain released a week-old letter sent by CEO Jack Schuessler to investor Nelson Peltz, saying he was “disappointed” …

CROSS PLAINS, Texas – Windy weather fueled deadly grass fires in Oklahoma Thursday, and forecasters predicted more dry, blustery weather in the region for days to come. The fires sent a large column of smoke through Oklahoma County, as hundreds of acres of land were consumed. Four people died Wednesday …