SHANGHAI — China's biggest city and financial hub is known for designer boutiques and fine dining. Yet wallet-draining Shanghai also offers activities that cost nothing, from walking on the riverfront Bund to sculpture parks and historic sites. Here are five of them.

Design magazines and home decorating catalogs tend to feature sprawling backyards with big wooden decks and room for everything from decorative fountains to artificial ponds.

PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia abortion doctor was found guilty Monday of first-degree murder and could face execution in the deaths of three babies who authorities say were delivered alive and then killed with scissors at his grimy clinic, in a case that became a flashpoint in the nation's debate over abortion.

Long a companion for artists, the color wheel can also be a handy tool for gardeners.

Perhaps to alleviate the dreariness of long northern winters, Scandinavian style tends toward folk-art florals, crisp checks, plaids and stripes, and wood furniture left natural or painted in colors that evoke the region's natural beauty.

U.S. homebuilders broke the 1 million mark in March for the first time since June 2008. The gain signals continued strength for the housing recovery at the start of the spring buying season.

I recently moved to a home with acreage, but quickly realized that even large lots have small or quirky outdoor spaces that must be designed carefully and thoughtfully.

Miles of stucco-coated strip malls and houses topped with red tiles roofs got you feeling a little ... homogenized? The Modern Phoenix Expo might be the cure for what ails you.

While visiting a second-grade classroom in Chandler some seven years ago, Barbara Blalock witnessed a 7-year-old girl hand in her right tennis shoe as collateral. She was borrowing a pencil from her teacher.

Warm weather and the first buds of spring have been slow to arrive in much of the country. But even if your garden has yet to grow, you can add beauty, fragrance and a sense of springtime to your home by decorating with lush plants and potted trees.

It may be a “tale as old as time,” but "Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” will never feel old hat to generations of new children or eternal fans of romance and fairytales.

Critics have dubbed Dwight Yoakam a music sponge for transcending the country genre and absorbing different musical styles, making his brand of hip, honky-tonk music accepted among rock audiences. His latest album -- his first original recording in seven years -- is a testament to that.

NEW YORK — With the housing recovery gaining steam, Americans have more incentives to paint up, touch up and otherwise redecorate their homes. But there's no need to spend willy-nilly.

Home-decorating television shows and shelter magazines have many Americans dreaming about inviting an expert interior designer into their homes.

Intrigued by the drama and inspired by the sophistication of British aristocrats in "Downton Abbey," some fans are plotting to bring the series' style into their own homes, from gilded finishes to opulent upholstery to portrait paintings.

When Renee Pedro bought a house with mid-century décor, she decided to embrace the look.

Many Americans have embraced outdoor decorating, filling their yards with fluffy sofas, gleaming end tables and even outdoor rugs.