Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year low stayed at 3.53 percent. That's near the 3.31 percent reached in November, which was the lowest on record going back to 1971.

The rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage stayed at 2.77 percent for a second week. The record low is 2.63 percent.

The one-year adjustable mortgage was the only rate to change this week. It averaged 2.61 percent, up from 2.53 percent last week.

Cheap mortgages are giving a boost to the slowly improving housing market.

Increased sales have helped to push home prices up, which makes consumers feel wealthier and helps to boost consumer spending. In addition, the increased housing demand is boosting new home construction.

Still, housing has a long way to go to achieve a full recovery. And many people are unable to take advantage of the low rates, either because they can't qualify under stricter lending rules or they lack the money to meet larger down payment requirements.

To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week. The average doesn't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.

The average fee for 30-year loans was 0.8 point, the same as last week. The fee for 15-year mortgages was 0.8 point, up from 0.7 point last week. The fee for one-year adjustable rate mortgages was 0.3 point, down from 0.4 point last week.

Freddie Mac said that the average rate on five-year adjustable-rate mortgages edged up to 2.64 percent this week from 2.63 percent last week. The fee stayed the same at 0.6 point.

The U.S. talk show host, recently named the world's most powerful celebrity, was in Switzerland for the wedding of singer Tina Turner when the incident occurred last month.

The broadcaster said in two U.S. interviews that a sales assistant had refused to show her the crocodile handbag, saying it was "too expensive" and steering her towards other, cheaper ones.

Luxury shop Trois Pommes denied discriminating against Winfrey, an African-American, who asked to look at a "Jennifer" purse, designed by Tom Ford and named for actress Jennifer Aniston. The owner put the incident down to a language barrier.

"This is an absolute classic misunderstanding," shop owner Trudie Goetz told Reuters on Friday.

"This has nothing to do with racism, I am here for everyone and the customer is king."

The sales assistant had wanted to show Winfrey that the bag was also available in other materials, which may have given the TV host the impression the shop did not want to sell it to her, Goetz said.

"Of course that's not the case. Who wouldn't want to sell a purse for 35,000 francs?" Goetz said.

Trois Pommes operates various luxury-brand boutiques in Switzerland, including the Tom Ford shop in Zurich where Winfrey said she was refused.

Winfrey, 59, who runs her own TV network, earned $77 million in the year to June 2013, taking the No. 1 spot on the Forbes most powerful celebrity list last month, the fifth time she has headed the annual ranking.

She also appears in a forthcoming movie, "The Butler", which examines race issues in a story about an African-American who works at the White House under several U.S. presidents.

The shop incident unleashed a volley of criticism in Switzerland, where media reported this week that asylum-seekers are not allowed free movement to public sports venues like municipal pools, prompting criticism from advocacy group Human Rights Watch.

Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga denied there were particular access barriers for asylum-seekers.

The Swiss tourism association said it regretted the handbag incident and was "never happy when our guests' feelings are hurt".

Switzerland has contradictory attitudes towards foreigners: on the one hand, it employs large numbers of foreign professionals in big industries like finance, which accounts for roughly 6 percent of gross domestic product.

On the other, the Swiss People's Party, the biggest in parliament, has long made opposition to immigration a key plank of its electoral appeal. It has been accused of racism for its campaigns which once featured a poster of a white sheep kicking a black one from a Swiss flag.

($1 = 0.9193 Swiss francs)

(Reporting By Katharina Bart; Additional reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Paul Taylor and Michael Roddy)

The rebuilding Celtics, who also agreed to part ways with Jason Terry and D.J. White, will receive Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

Boston were additionally given the right to swap first-round picks in 2017 as part of a trade that was agreed to in principle at last month's NBA Draft but could not be made official until a moratorium on transactions was lifted.

"Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets," team owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement. "With the arrival of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, we have achieved a great balance on our roster between veteran stars and young talents. This team will be dazzling to watch, and tough to compete against."

Garnett, a 15-time All Star, has averaged 19.1 points and 10.5 rebounds a game over his 18-year career.

Ten-time All-Star Pierce, a 15-year veteran, ranks fifth all-time in career three-pointers made (1,823), while averaging 18.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

Terry, a 14-year NBA veteran, has averaged 15.7 points and 4.5 assists per game, and was a member of the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks.

"We are excited to welcome Kevin, Paul and Jason to Brooklyn," said Nets General Manager Billy King. "All three players have championship pedigree and possess the veteran qualities that will make us a stronger team."

Pierce and Garnett teamed up to help the Celtics win their NBA-record 17th league championship in 2008.

"We would like to thank Paul, Kevin, and Jason for everything that they have done for this franchise," Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in a statement.

"We would not have won Banner 17 without Paul and Kevin and they will go down amongst the all-time great players to have ever worn a Celtics uniform."

The Nets were also expected soon to announce the signing of Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko to a two-year contract, according to local media reports.

The acquisition of Kirilenko, who opted out of the final year of his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, would push the Nets' current payroll to about $100 million, a total that would cost Russian billionaire Prokhorov more than $80 million in NBA luxury tax. (Reporting by Larry Fine in New York,; Editing by Frank Pingue)

For a nation debating how to respond to a sudden spike in gun violence at home, the death of Christopher Lane, in a random drive-by shooting as he was jogging along a street in the normally sleepy town oflast Friday, was a reality check.

Goodman was awarded an honorary doctorate degree of humane letters Sunday during at the convocation at Missouri State University in Springfield. He graduated from the school with a fine arts degree in 1975.

He says he originally went to Missouri State to play football but an injury led him to focus on drama. He says he owes his career to the school because its teachers helped him find and pursue his passion.

Goodman, a St. Louis native who has starred in stage, television and film roles, told the students to appreciate small blessings, because "the most important thing you will do in your life is take your next breath."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the arrests Thursday after an undercover operation that included officers from 16 states, three federal agencies and three Asian countries.

Items seized under "Operation Wild Web" include the pelts of endangered big cats such as the Sumatran tiger, leopard and jaguar; live migratory birds such as the California scrub jay; whale teeth; elephant and walrus ivory; and a zebra pelt.

"Our message is clear and simple: The Internet is not an open marketplace for protected species," said Edward Grace, deputy assistant director for law enforcement for the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Working with counterparts in California, Texas, New York, Florida and Alaska and other states, federal officials targeted illegal wildlife sellers who operate through Craigslist, eBay and other Internet marketplaces and classified ads. Wildlife officers in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia ran similar operations at the same time.

The items were seized last August, although charges are still being brought in many cases. Six Southern California residents were charged Thursday with selling endangered species and animal parts, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles said.

"As a major platform for the illicit trade in wildlife, the Internet has become a dangerous place for animals," said Jeff Flocken, North American regional director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, an advocacy group that worked with the federal task force.

"Wildlife crimes are not only harmful to endangered species, they also pose serious threats to national and global security," Flocken said.

Illegal wildlife trade generates an estimated $19 billion a year worldwide and ranks fourth on the list of the most lucrative global illegal activities behind narcotics, counterfeiting and human trafficking, the animal welfare group said in a report last year.

Federal laws regulating the sale of wildlife include the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act; the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Lacey Act, which prohibits trade in wildlife, fish and plants that have been illegally taken, transported or sold.

Other states involved in "Operation Wild Web" were Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, Oregon, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

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Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

I am prone to bouts of depression. I remarried last year, and my husband unfortunately does not understand or tolerate the depressions. He feels I should just "get over" things. He also doesn't believe in anti-depressants. It got so bad I attempted suicide last weekend.

My husband said my doing that was abusive to him. Had the pills I took not made me throw up, I would have happily waited to die.

There are six people on my medical aid, and the available funds are more than half used up. For me to see a psychiatrist will take a huge chunk out of it. I am caught between a rock and a hard place. If I do it, my family will miss out on medical care should the need arise later in the year. Is it selfish to try to hang onto what is left of my sanity? -- ON THE EDGE IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

DEAR ON THE EDGE: That your husband chooses not to recognize that depression is an illness -- one that's treatable -- is a reflection of his ignorance. That he would tell you your attempted suicide was abusive to him suggests that he is more concerned with himself than he is with you.

You have teenage children who need their mother. Trying to hang onto what's left of your sanity and get the medications you need isn't selfish -- it's sound thinking. If not for your sake, please seek help now for theirs.

DEAR ABBY: I'm pregnant with my first child and live 800 miles from my parents, who are retired. We have a good relationship now, but growing up I had major emotional issues my parents didn't handle well. Years of therapy in my early adulthood helped to fix them.

My parents have just told me they have been approved to be foster parents and will be caring for an emotionally disturbed teenager soon. While I know I should be happy for them, I'm extremely upset. I feel they were ill-equipped to handle my emotional issues growing up, and they should be more concerned with their grandchildren in retirement than taking in strangers.

When I heard the news, I tried my best to sound supportive, but they could tell I was upset. How can I handle these feelings? Would it be beneficial to tell them how I feel? -- MOMMY-TO-BE IN NORTH CAROLINA

DEAR MOMMY-TO-BE: A way to handle your feelings would be to view the situation from the perspective of an adult, not a jealous child. That your parents will foster this teenager doesn't mean they will love their grandchildren any less.

On some level they may be trying to make up for the mistakes they made in your upbringing. Because they were ill-equipped to recognize your emotional problems does not mean they won't be wiser now. I suggest you wait to discuss this with them until you're feeling less resentful.

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 12-year-old girl trying to live a simple life. I read your column every day. I have one small question. I really wanna know why girls don't like each other that much. Many girls at my school are really mean. I wish I knew the answer to why girls are like that. Do you know why? -- CONFUSED

DEAR CONFUSED: Girls your age are mean to other girls for a variety of reasons. Some o# them may be acting out because they are having problems at home. They may do it because they are jealous or to make themselves feel more important (a power trip).

Girls like this have never been taught to respect the feelings of others. They behave this way because they haven't matured enough to have developed empathy, an ability to be sensitive to the feelings of those they are hurting.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby ator P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person, order "How to Be Popular." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Popularity Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

THE CASE

Jackson's mother wants a jury to determine that the promoter of Jackson's planned comeback concerts didn't properly investigate Dr. Conrad Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter by a criminal jury for Jackson's June 2009 death. AEG's attorney says the case is about personal choice, namely Jackson's decision to have Murray serve as his doctor and give him doses of a powerful anesthetic as a sleep aid. Millions, possibly billions, of dollars are at stake.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEK

Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe tearfully testified about the singer's fear of debilitating pain that he often experienced after sustaining burns to his scalp during a shoot for a Pepsi commercial in 1984.

Rowe gave conflicting testimony about Jackson's frequent medical visits, saying many were tied to treatments for acne, the skin-lightening condition vitiligo, and the burns, although she acknowledged that she questioned the singer's motives when he went for medical treatments from his dermatologist more than once a week.

Rowe said Jackson's injuries and medical conditions forced him to wear wigs and de-pigment his skin and left the singer feeling that he was disfigured.

Financial consultant William Ackerman testified that based on Jackson's historical spending, he would have likely provided his children and mother $21.5 million in support if he had lived another 15 years. Ackerman however said that the singer's large debts, in the $400-$500 million range, made it likely that he wouldn't be able to continue providing for his family as he had in the past.

WHAT THE JURY SAW

Rowe break down repeatedly, wiping away tears and at one point covering her face with her hands when she was asked about the impact of Jackson's death on his children.

Private photos of Jackson's two oldest children, Prince and Paris, with Rowe and their father. In one image, Prince was captured feeding his mother a piece of watermelon when he was an infant.

Charts showing that Jackson was spending tens of millions of dollars each year to support his lifestyle and pay the interest on loans he had taken on key assets.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"Unfortunately, some of the doctors decided that when Michael was in pain that they would try to outbid each other on who could get the better drug. And so he listened to the doctors," Rowe said, describing what she said a competition by Jackson's dermatologist and a plastic surgeon to convince the singer their pain medications were better.

"He foolishly, foolishly, trusted a lot of people," Rowe said of Jackson based on her observations during the nearly 20 years they were close friends.

"I loved him very much and I still do. I wanted him to be a father. I wanted him to have everything he didn't have growing up," Rowe said of her decision to have children with Jackson after his divorce from Lisa Marie Presley.

"She is devastated. She tried to kill herself. She is devastated. She has no life. She doesn't feel she has a life anymore," Rowe said of her 15-year-old daughter, Paris, who was hospitalized in June after authorities said she took Motrin pills and cut her arm with a kitchen knife.

WHAT'S NEXT

Jurors will hear from Dr. Gary Green, an expert testifying on medical conflicts of interest, and will likely see testimony from more of Jackson's doctors.

Is this the next big thing from America's most popular deodorant brands? Not yet, but it should be!

And it was invented by someone probably not old enough to even wear deodorant. Eleven-year-old Quinn Sheeran attached the electronics from a musical birthday card to a stick of Old Spice so that it rocks the inspiring tune when the deodorant is opened.

Quinn's cousin posted a photo of his invention to Reddit, where it was voted to the top of the r/Funny forum and the homepage, receiving overwhelmingly positive comments from users like : "Sweet mother of all that is good and holy, this is the best thing I've seen on youtube since ."

In response to all the Reddit excitement, Quinn's cousin posted aof Quinn explaining his fresh-scented sound stick.

Thanks, Quinn! Now we just need it in a body spray. Our guess for the name of this totally inspiring scent? "Yo, Adrian, I'm Gonna Fly Now." What do youthink Quinn should name it? Let us know on ourpage and on Twitter at .

With Obamacare putting these health insurance exchanges into action soon, you may be wondering what they are, when they'll start and how they work. Here's what you need to know:

What are health insurance exchanges?

A health insurance exchange enables individuals and small business owners to shop for health insurance coverage. You'll be able to , over the phone or by mail. At their core, health insurance exchanges are meant to make shopping for health care coverage easier and to bring more competition to the marketplace, thus lowering premiums.

By Oct. 1, 2013, every state must have an exchange set up, though each exchange will look a bit different. States have the option of running their own exchanges, partnering with other states, partnering with the federal government or opting out altogether. States that opt out will have a federally-run exchange in place.

Currently, states that will run their own exchanges include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia. States not listed here will either partner with the federal government to run an exchange or will have their exchange fully run by the federal government.

How will they work?

Individuals will be able to compare policies from the insurance companies approved for each exchange. Policies will be rated into four categories based on level of coverage: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. All the exchanges will include a toll-free number so you can get more individualized help shopping for your plan if you need it.

Each policy will meet a basic level of . All exchange policies are required to cover:

--Ambulatory services (outpatient care)

--Emergency services

--Hospitalization

--Maternity and

--Mental health and substance abuse therapy

--Prescription drugs

--Rehabilitative services and devices

--Laboratory services

--Preventative and wellness services

--Chronic disease management services

--Pediatric services

Bronze-level plans will cover just the basics, while higher-level plans will cover more - and may also have lower co-pays or co-insurance fees. Many bronze-level plans will also have a high deductible, so you may have to pay out of pocket until you reach a certain maximum - around $6,000 for individuals or $12,000 for families.

Will all exchanges be the same?

Not all states will have the exact same exchange. The insurance companies participating will vary from one exchange to another, as will the premiums. For instance, in California, the state exchange has only allowed a certain number of insurers to participate, which officials say will help narrow the exchange to the best-value offerings. Colorado, on the other hand, allows any insurer to participate, as long as they meet minimum federal qualifications.

What if consumers can't afford the premiums?

For consumers who , there are some potential benefits for those who qualify. First, Obamacare has expanded Medicaid coverage to people at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or $32,499 for a family of four and $15,856 for an individual in 2013. The Medicaid expansion, however, has not been adopted by all states.

Second, consumers who make between 138% and 400% of the federal poverty level ($32,499 to $94,200 for a family of four and $15,856 to $45,960 for an individual) will be eligible for health care premium subsidies on a sliding scale basis.

Rob Berger is the founder of the popular personal finance blog the .