WASHINGTON -- The Senate has begun debate on what many feel could be the real Year 2000 computer crisis -- the economic meltdown caused by thousands of lawsuits.

... with accounts at big banks are paying on average 16 percent more than customers of smaller banks, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said in its latest annual survey of bank fees, covering 34 states. Arkansas pay an average of $184 ...

... hazard warnings that will help prevent future deaths," said Rachel Weintraub, a staff attorney for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "But parents must remember that just because a toy appears on the shelf ... doesn't mean that it ...

... environmental group said today after assembling preliminary air quality data from the states. The findings by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said that nationwide there were at least 7,672 incidents in which air at a monitoring site failed ...

WASHINGTON -- With high gasoline prices as the backdrop, Vice President Al Gore is joining the Big Three automakers to promote development of higher mileage vehicles.

... but hazardous toys still can be found on store shelves, according to an annual report issued by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. Among the toys that PIRG, a Washington-based group, said were dangerous were erasers, jigsaw puzzles ...

WASHINGTON -- Inhaling diesel exhausts from large trucks and other sources over time can cause cancer in humans, an Environmental Protection Agency report concludes after a decade of study.

Figuring out the right toys for your kid isn't child's play. To give parents a hand with the selection process, here's a list of resources:

... hearing damage from loud playthings, a watchdog group warned Tuesday in its annual toy safety survey. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group's 20th survey noted that the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported the deaths of 16 children in ...

... line and state motorists began burning more oil. The report released Tuesday by the Washington-based U.S. Public Interest Research Group calls for society to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Most scientists believe carbon dioxide helps trap ...