WASHINGTON (AP) — Two of every five senior citizens don’t follow their doctors’ orders, sometimes because of cost, sometimes because they just don’t want to. The data from a new survey indicate that a prescription drug benefit that takes effect Jan. 1 will solve part of the problem by making medicines more affordable, researchers said.…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Backed up at a traffic light? Frustrated when you hit a red light only a block after driving through a green? Odds are, those traffic signals may need some work. A new survey being released Wednesday says the nation’s traffic signal operations are largely inefficient, leading to frustration and unnecessary delays for…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans say they’re very concerned about the amount of sex and violence in entertainment and want something done about it, but many worry that government restrictions could go too far, a poll found. About six in 10 Americans say they are “very concerned” about what children see and hear on television,…

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday pledged to work to unify all Christians, reach out to other religions and continue implementing reforms from the Second Vatican Council as he outlined his goals and made clear his pontificate would closely follow the trajectory of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Benedict, the former…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Construction of new homes and apartments plunged by 17.6 percent in March, the biggest decline in 14 years and another possible indication that rising interest rates are beginning to take a toll on the economy. Meanwhile, wholesale inflation shot up 0.7 percent as energy prices soared. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government hopes a rainbow in a triangle and a stair-climbing stick figure will motivate people to eat a little better and exercise more. Pick more foods from orange, green, blue and red colors and less from yellow and purple, and you’re on your way to a healthier diet. But you have…

CHICAGO (AP) — Packing on the pounds is not nearly as deadly as the government thought, according to a new calculation from the CDC that found people who are modestly overweight actually have a lower risk of death than those of normal weight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that obesity accounts for…

By ANICK JESDANUN / AP Internet Writer Q. What are blogs and how will they change our lives? A. Short for “Web logs,” blogs are online journals meant for public consumption. Most of the millions out there are personal diaries that, rather than being kept under lock and key, are shared among a few friends…

ATLANTA (AP) — The government Tuesday warned that a few drinks a day may not protect against strokes and heart attacks after all. Some studies in recent years have touted the health benefits of moderate drinking. Some have even said that up to four drinks a day can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease…

NEW YORK (AP) — Television is accused of many things, from corrupting our morals and co-opting our republic to undermining our families and making pudges of our children. For all sorts of reasons, TV routinely gets kicked around plenty. And now’s a great time to kick it altogether — at least, for a week. That’s…