A ’number of Irish’ are among five killed in a US balcony collapse; Liquidators at Clerys in Dublin have told laid-off workers there are no funds to pay redundancies; and primary education is not free, but would be for an extra €103m a year, says Fergus Finlay. Just some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com.

Wind turbines may be required to be a minimum of 700 metres from residential dwellings under proposals being considered by Environment Minister Alan Kelly.

Mineral propsector Conroy Gold and Natural Resources is hopeful of attracting a development partner, as part of an equal share joint-venture, to fully develop its planned gold mine at Clontibret in Co Monaghan.

Irish prospector Conroy Gold and Natural Resources has conditionally raised a further £750,000 (€952,000) to continue the financing of its gold mining operations in counties Monaghan and Armagh.

Fastnet Oil & Gas has said that although results were disappointing, the direct net exploration costs incurred by the company, from recent maiden drilling work at its interests offshore Morocco were less than $2.75m.

Conroy Gold and Natural Resources has moved a significant step closer to realising its goal of establishing a second gold mine in the border region.

The future of Ireland’s only oil refinery, Whitegate in East Cork, is in jeopardy after being put up for sale by its owners, who are also selling the massive oil storage terminal in Bantry Bay.

The London market lost ground today after an emergency summit between the leaders of France and Germany failed to ease fears over the eurozone crisis.

There were gains on both sides of the Atlantic today as positive sentiment helped stocks shake off eurozone concerns.

Mining firms led the FTSE 100 Index lower by midday today as the takeover buzz in the sector fizzled out in London and metal prices dipped.

BP shares were hit by another major sell-off today despite wider gains for the FTSE 100 Index.

Shell-shocked investors in BP saw shares fall by as much as 12% today as angry US politicians threatened a legal challenge to block it paying dividends.

NATURAL Resources Minister Conor Lenihan has made the right decision to enable a pilot fishery that will determine how a commercial fishery could be operated on salmon stocks in Castlemaine Harbour in Co Kerry.

Four Shell to Sea campaigners have been arrested for public order offences after chaining themselves to the stairwells in the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

Heavyweight banking and mining stocks helped the FTSE 100 Index gain ground ahead of comments from the US Federal Reserve later today.

The FTSE 100 Index dropped back below the 5600 level today as concerns over moves to calm China’s economy hit mining stocks hard.

The London market struggled to make headway today as a poor session for mining stocks dragged on blue-chip shares.

The FTSE 100 Index limped into the black today as a better than expected start on Wall Street helped the London market claw back early losses.

The FTSE 100 Index was dragged back from a new 10-month high today as a steep fall on Wall Street put an end to London’s winning streak.

London’s FTSE 100 Index secured its fifth day of gains today as blue chip stocks including British Airways drove the market higher.

Investors paused for breath today after the FTSE 100 Index’s best month in six years.

London’s blue chip share index received a late session boost after Wall Street rose on the back of better than feared US economic output figures.

The London market bounced back from Friday’s five-year low in spectacular fashion today.

The FTSE 100 Index endured a second day of losses after amid continued doubts over the US Government’s bank bail-out plans today.

London’s blue chip shares retreated into the red today as stocks were hit by bad housing market news on both sides of the Atlantic.

The London market slipped into the red today as Royal Bank of Scotland’s £12bn rights issue triggered a tough session for bank shares.

The FTSE 100 Index finished the week above the 6000 mark today as the world's biggest bank gave a boost to the market.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern must intervene in the troubled talks process over the controversial Corrib gas project, it was claimed tonight.

Fine Gael is accusing the government is putting industry at a disadvantage by failing to act on renewable energy.

Political reporter Michael O’Farrell looks at a reshuffle of few surprises.

THE rescue of four rowers facing death in a hurricane-thrashed ocean is an action movie tugging at its mooring and just waiting for the tide to come in. It has all the ingredients of box-office success.

PROVIDENCE Resources is to start drilling in its Blackrock prospect off the Cork coast as soon as the drill arrives from Holland.

The newly-elected Fine Gael MEP Simon Coveney said today he would not resign his Dáil seat because there was no public appetite for a by-election.

A COUPLE granted permission for an extension to their home have been told they could lose their house to make way for a new road.

FIFTY FIVE EU directives, some from as far back as four years ago, have not yet been transcribed into Irish law, latest figures reveal.