US home sales fall at fastest pace on record

Monday, January 25, 2010 Sales of previously owned homes in the US fell at the fastest rate ever recorded last December, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). According to the association, existing home sales fell 16.7% last month, to an annual rate of 5.45 million, the largest crash since 1968. The figure was less than the […]

A portrait of Scotland: Gallery reopens after £17.6 million renovation

Thursday, December 1, 2011 Today saw Edinburgh’s Scottish National Portrait Gallery reopen following a two-and-a-half-year, £17.6m (US$27.4m) refurbishment. Conversion of office and storage areas sees 60% more space available for displays, and the world’s first purpose-built portrait space is redefining what a portrait gallery should contain; amongst the displays are photographs of the Scottish landscape—portraits of the country itself. First […]

U.S. superbug expected to emerge in Canada

Wednesday, January 3, 2007 An infectious superbug spreading in the United States is to “emerge in force” in Canada, doctors fear. The bacteria have been reported popping up in day care centers and locker rooms across the U.S. Usually elderly or very ill hospital patients get the disease. More than 2 million U.S. residents are infected every year, the Centers […]

Mudslides kill at least thirteen in Italy

Friday, October 2, 2009 At least thirteen people have been killed after torrential rains caused mudslides in Italy on Friday. The mudslides occurred in the city of Messina, located in the northern part of Sicily. The mud blocked rails and road, cut off communications, and destroyed several buildings. Search and rescue teams were using dogs to locate survivors buried beneath […]

Eight people dead after shooting in North Carolina nursing home

Monday, March 30, 2009 At least eight people have been killed on Monday after a gunman entered a Carthage, North Carolina nursing home and opened fire on its residents. Local police reported that Robert Stewart, a 45-year-old man, entered the Pinelake health and rehabilitation centre, which gives care to Alzheimer’s disease patients, and shot a nurse and seven patients to […]

Oil price falls on inventory report

Thursday, September 8, 2005 Crude oil prices fell by $0.32, to $63.95 a barrel, after a report showed lower than expected losses in oil supplies due to Hurricane Katrina. According to a report published by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), crude oil stocks declined by 6.5 million, to 315 million barrels. The department also announced that 57% of the […]

President Trump fires FBI Director James Comey, raising questions about Russia investigation

Thursday, May 11, 2017 On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed James Comey from his position as head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Officially, Comey was fired for mishandling the issue with former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s alleged misuse of private email servers, but Senate Democrats and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have raised concerns over whether […]

Albanian group claims responsibility for Macedonia clashes

Thursday, November 8, 2007 A group, calling itself the Political-Military Council of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) says it was behind yesterday’s armed clash with Macedonian police forces which left at least six dead. In a statement, the organization claims that its members, formerly of the “Albanian Territorial Liberation Army“, had been “forced to assemble a regular military unit in […]

Celebrities draw attention on 2008 UK New Year Honours list

Saturday, December 29, 2007 I am almost as surprised as I am honoured. I feel deeply touched to be acknowledged by the UK, my adopted home, in this way. File:KylieShowgirl.jpg In an annual tradition, Queen Elizabeth II gave out honours in the 2008 U.K. New Year Honours list today. Chat show host Michael Parkinson is to be knighted, Australian singer […]