National / International News

Police confirm that a three-year-old old boy who was injured in an incident at a house in Falkirk has died.

India's Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde visits the sites of the two explosions in Hyderabad which killed 16 people and injured 117.

The Olympic and Paralympic sprinter is accused of premeditated murder in the Feb. 14 shooting death of his girlfriend. He says it was a horrible accident. Prosecutors say he knew what he was doing.

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A jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of a man accused of decapitating a 60-year-old grandmother in a Tenerife supermarket.

The new data service is due to launch in March but will not be available to North Korean citizens

The Orange Order says comments by its Grand Chaplain over restrictions on parades "are indicative of a growing feeling of discontent among members".

Actress Megan Fox is reuniting with director Michael Bay to star in the updated film version of 90s big screen hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Also: The U.K. issues Jane Austen postage stamps; in the U.S., biographer Paula Broadwell's promotion in the Army Reserves is suspended; it's Edward Gorey's birthday; and an anti-bullying poem goes viral.

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Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini swears when asked about the speculation over his future at the Etihad Stadium.

The Belfast Trust has pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety of staff at Belfast City Hospital in an incident linked to asbestos.

A South African magistrate is delivering his decision on whether athlete Oscar Pistorius, accused of murdering his girlfriend, should be freed on bail.

For the past several weeks we've been checking in on the real estate scene in different markets around the country. We're trying to get a fix on whether the market is truly starting to recover. The answer isn't simple. Even during the housing crisis, real estate is still all about location. So at first glance, buying a house in Florida right now may not sound like a solid investment, considering the state has the highest foreclosure rate in the country, according to RealtyTrac. That's not what you'll hear from Yoselyn Hollow, though. She's an owner and broker for RE/MAX Realty Team in Cape Coral, Fla., where she says, business is booming.

"We are experiencing a lot of appreciation in terms of prices in our market. Our inventory is a little low. We have about a three to four month supply, which is fantastic for sellers because obviously they have a little more equity. They can turn around and sell. Buyers? Maybe not so good as it was several years ago, when we were urging them to buy, because now they are paying a little bit more than they would have a couple of years ago," says Hollow.

Hollow says Cape Coral is experiencing a lot of investors coming into the market, including international buyers. She says Cape Coral is also seeing a lot of people who want to retire in the area. But compared to other cities in Florida, Cape Coral is a bit of an anomaly. According to the latest housing report from RealtyTrac, Florida has the highest foreclosure rate in the country -- it's two times the rate of anywhere else.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AN INTERACTIVE MAP OF HOW MANY MORTGAGES ARE UNDERWATER IN YOUR STATE
 

"Miami, Tallahassee, Jacksonville -- those are some of the ones that RealtyTrac had mentioned in terms of foreclosure. But Cape Coral, not so much any more. A few years ago, I would have said to you that probably 80 percent of our market was distressed. Now 80 percent of our market, if not a little bit more, is actually traditional sellers. To me it's an indication that market is a little bit behind us. Will we see short sales and will we see bank-owned properties coming in the market? Absolutely. But I think it's going to start trickling in. It's not going to come in the waves that it did a few years ago," say Hollow.

Hollow says she is very optimistic about the future of housing where she is. "Real estate always has healthy economy rebound and I don't think it's going to change. We're going to continue to see the prices increase. We're still going to continue to see people coming and retiring and moving to Florida, and that creates markets in and of itself. I'm highly optimistic," says Hollow.

For the past several weeks we've been checking in on the real estate scene in different markets around the country. We're trying to get a fix on whether the market is truly starting to recover. The answer isn't simple. Even during the housing crisis, real estate is still all about location. So at first glance, buying a house in Florida right now may not sound like a solid investment, considering the state has the highest foreclosure rate in the country, according to RealtyTrac. That's not what you'll hear from Yoselyn Hollow, though. She's an owner and broker for RE/MAX Realty Team in Cape Coral, Fla., where she says, business is booming.

"We are experiencing a lot of appreciation in terms of prices in our market. Our inventory is a little low. We have about a three to four month supply, which is fantastic for sellers because obviously they have a little more equity. They can turn around and sell. Buyers? Maybe not so good as it was several years ago, when we were urging them to buy, because now they are paying a little bit more than they would have a couple of years ago," says Hollow.

Hollow says Cape Coral is experiencing a lot of investors coming into the market, including international buyers. She says Cape Coral is also seeing a lot of people who want to retire in the area. But compared to other cities in Florida, Cape Coral is a bit of an anomaly. According to the latest housing report from RealtyTrac, Florida has the highest foreclosure rate in the country -- it's two times the rate of anywhere else.

 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AN INTERACTIVE MAP OF HOW MANY MORTGAGES ARE UNDERWATER IN YOUR STATE
 

 

"Miami, Tallahassee, Jacksonville -- those are some of the ones that RealtyTrac had mentioned in terms of foreclosure. But Cape Coral, not so much any more. A few years ago, I would have said to you that probably 80 percent of our market was distressed. Now 80 percent of our market, if not a little bit more, is actually traditional sellers. To me it's an indication that market is a little bit behind us. Will we see short sales and will we see bank-owned properties coming in the market? Absolutely. But I think it's going to start trickling in. It's not going to come in the waves that it did a few years ago," say Hollow.

Hollow says she is very optimistic about the future of housing where she is. "Real estate always has healthy economy rebound and I don't think it's going to change. We're going to continue to see the prices increase. We're still going to continue to see people coming and retiring and moving to Florida, and that creates markets in and of itself. I'm highly optimistic," says Hollow.

Heavy rain in the Greek capital Athens floods roads and homes, causing huge traffic jams and disrupting its train and tram network, officials say.

A road is closed after a lorry carrying glue jack-knifed, spilling its load over the carriageway.

Marketplace Tech etiquette guru Janell Burley Hofmann is a Cape Cod Mother of five with strong opinions about how to behave with technology. Today's topic: Family tech policy.

How do you set aside electronics in order to better spend time with family? And, maybe even thornier: How do you set rules for setting aside electronics that everyone can still live with?

Hofmann has two recommendations to tackle this issue with tact:

1. Agree on guidelines ahead of time. Before that big family get together, Hoffman suggests sending out a group email asking for "screen-free" day.

2. Suggest a "screen-free" activity such as playing a board game, hiking, or another outdoor activity.

How do you manage your family's tech use? Tell us in a comment below.

Britain's four biggest accountancy firms are heavily criticised by the Competition Commission for being too dominant.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that he has not considered leaving after defeats to Blackburn and Bayern Munich.

The FBI disciplines agents for sending nude pictures, bugging a boss's office, and visiting a massage parlour, a leaked memo reveals.

Members of Australia's Olympic swimming team have admitted to using sleeping medication Stilnox during a "bonding" session before the Games last year.