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Sales of existing homes fell 3% in September...The National Association of Realtors said sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.91 million, pretty much in line with the 4.9 million consensus. August data were revised higher to 5.06 million from an initially reported 5.03 million... ...The cancellation rate was still high as 18% of real-estate agents reported at least one...Tougher conforming jumbo loan limit rules went into effect in October, and a separate NAR survey of about 1,300 agents in areas that experienced lower loan limits showed that 16% of buyers dropped out of the home buying process....

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Sales of existing homes fell 3.5% in July to an eight-month low, with a high cancellation rate again taking its toll on an already troubled market, according to data released Thursday. The National Association of Realtors said sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.67 million...Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a 4.99 million annual rate. The numbers for the second straight month went against the increase in pending home sales, again showing the difference between agreed and closed transactions.

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is telling participants in an online forum on health care that the current system and its skyrocketing costs are a threat to Medicare. Obama says the Medicare trust fund will be in the red and out of money in a decade unless Washington overhauls the system.

WASHINGTON — Sales of previously owned homes plunged in July to the lowest level in 2 1/2 years and the inventory of unsold homes climbed to a new record high, fresh signs that the housing market has lost steam. The National Association of Realtors reported today that sales of existing homes and condominiums dropped by 4.1 percent in July from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.33 million. That was the lowest level since January 2004. The latest snapshot of housing activity was weaker than analysts anticipated. Economists were forecasting the pace of sales to fall to 6.55...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2006 – The Defense Department is taking more steps to address the threat that terrorists are seeking weapons of mass destruction to use against U.S. forces and the homeland, a senior DoD official told reporters here today. "If you look at what we've done to date, we've nearly doubled our investments in chemical and biological defenses," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. "We've implemented any number of important organizational changes to address the challenges that are posed by WMD more effectively." The U.S. military must have the capability to protect itself against chemical, nuclear and biological weapons, as...

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Last Update: 26/03/2004 08:08 Only existing First Temple relic may be forged By Amiram Barkat, Haaretz Correspondent Investigators for the Israel Antiquities Authority have been informed that a precious Ivory Pomegranate, on display at the Israel Museum since 1988, is a forgery. On the basis of an inscription it had been dated from the period of the First Temple, 10th century BCE. However, it is information on the origin of the inscription that has raised doubts about the authenticity of the item. The Antiquities Authority refused to reveal the origins and nature of the information it holds. The inscription, completed...