AN HORRIBLE OR A HORRIBLE?

Frequently I am asked about if it is "a horrible" or "an horrible". Since I'm checking some Halloween essays and I constantly find this mistake. this is the explanation:

It's "a horrible" because if you say the word "horrible" out loud, then you realize the h  isn't silent. And even if a letter is silent you always say a unless the 1st letter of a word is a vowel.

STUDENTS' DOUBTS: NEWS ARE OR IS ?

Many students of mine ask me about this question again and again, I'm going to clarify it.

The news today are always full of stories about people who are unhappy.

OR

The news today is always full of stories about people who are unhappy.

The correct entry: is
The error was: are
The noun news is always regarded as singular, it has singular agreement although it's plural. Don't forget.