NEWS IMAGE COLLAGE / for 10-2007

JAKARTA (Reuters) - A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake jolted the Indian Ocean off Indonesia's Sumatra island early on Thursday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties and a brief tsunami alert was lifted.

Finance minister talks to retailers

MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan - Saying it's been a boost to his own morale, Canada's Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier wrapped up two days of visits with Canadian troops in the field in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Canada is putting pressure on individual NATO allies for support in southern Afghanistan, but no definite troop commitments have been made.

It's official: Microsoft will take a $240 million equity stake in Facebook during its next round of financing, valuing the company at a whopping $15 billion.

Canadians heading out to get their annual flu shot may want to know that the strains of the influenza aiming for North America appear to be drifting and mutating, raising questions about how much protection this year's flu vaccine will offer.

In a startling admission, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday American officials had bungled the Maher Arar case but she didn't apologize or offer to remove him from the U.S. no-fly list.

- Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean is to preside Friday over the 100th Order of Canada investiture, in a Rideau Hall ceremony that will include two of the very first recipients.

A section of Lake Superior's north shore, known for its pristine fresh water supply, will be declared a protected marine area, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is set to announce Thursday.

The most famous epistolarian in Canadian politics returned to his letter-writing roots to counter the massive image problem that plagues him in Quebec.

The Liberals have abstained from a final vote on the throne speech, giving Prime Minister Stephen Harper enough support to continue his minority government.

The public should take comfort that armed RCMP air marshals are riding commercial passenger flights and should not fear their presence will lead to wild-west shootouts, says the officer in charge of the program

Sympathy for Uxbridge family, but SPCA says owners entitled to shoot stray dogs posing risk

Canadian stocks were looking for direction in early dealing Wednesday but are now heading lower after the release of weak housing data from the US. Dismal quarterly results from Merrill Lynch (MER) revived credit worries on both sides of the border, but t

The Canadian military plans to buy a fleet of remote-controlled aircraft to patrol the Arctic, an official told CBC News.

The explosion of the shell against a mud wall in a field of grapevines sent the Canadian soldier crouched behind it flying backwards.

NATO ministers are expected to approve on Wednesday the chartering of up to 20 large, civilian-operated helicopters to boost airlift capacity in Afghanistan.

Canada has stationed several fighter jets at a central Labrador air base to prepare for a possible response to Russian military exercises in the Arctic.

Several pedestrians hurt in random, unprovoked attacks by stranger wielding sharp object on downtown streets

Warning: This story contains potentially offensive language MONTREAL -- Parents of 1,500 students at an English-language Montreal high school dealing with the fallout from a swarming incident last week are frustrated with the lack of communication o

Here for authors' fest, J.K. Rowling answers questions about wizard's `tragic infatuation'

In the two weeks I spent as a non-embedded reporter in Afghanistan I spoke to at least 10 Afghan adults a day and sometimes as many as 30. I asked all adults a variety of questions, but always one question remained the same: "What do you think about havi

Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto urged Canada on Tuesday to stay the course in Afghanistan, as a fresh threat on her life arrived the same day, underscoring her message about the need to rid her country of extremists.

RALEIGH, N.C. - You could call it a minor problem, but really it's much more serious than that. The Vancouver Canucks' inability to stay out of the penalty box is one of the big reasons why nine games into the season they are a game under .500 and havin

A crew of 19 people from 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron, led by crew commander Captain Wade Bowman returned from Australia recently after participating in two different exercises - Submarine Commander Course (SCC) and Mission Readiness Exercise Afghan Dusk.

A new study finds that a synthetic form of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, is an effective antidepressant at low doses. But, at higher doses, the effect reverses itself and can actually worsen depression

VICTORIA - It's curtains for the curtains that have been used at the B.C. legislature to cover controversial murals depicting aboriginals in colonial times.

NOORDWIJK, The Netherlands - With wavering European allies showing signs of sticking it out in Afghanistan, Defence Minister Peter MacKay will be in an uncomfortable position Wednesday as he meets with NATO counterparts.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven thundered into orbit Tuesday, setting off on the most challenging space station construction mission yet that will pave the way for the arrival of two science labs in a few months

A lawsuit filed on behalf of military veterans and civilians exposed to Agent Orange and other defoliants cleared another legal hurdle Tuesday. The Manitoba Court of Appeal ruled the case can proceed in Winnipeg, even though the defoliants were used a

MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan - One of Canada's newest weapons against roadside bombs in Afghanistan became the victim of an improvised explosive device on Tuesday.

Critics are urging Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to re-evaluate high tariffs retailers must absorb, saying sticker prices won't reflect the strength of the loonie without active government intervention.

A Conservative senator wants voters to decide whether to put Canada's sleepy upper chamber into permanent repose.

Ryan Smyth was one question away from getting away without an itty, bitty tear letting him down. His return-to-town press conference was concluding when some big meanie of a sportswriter tried to make him cry.

Devastated by the shooting deaths of their two golden retrievers, an Uxbridge family is still waiting for answers four days after the tragedy.

A California TV reporter was live from his home, which was completely engulfed in flames.

"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling visits Toronto Tuesday for an appearance at the International Festival of Authors.

Howling winds and extreme drought are fuelling more than a dozen uncontrollable wildfires across Southern California for the third day in a row, creating what a fire official called the perfect firestorm.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper benefits from parliamentary immunity and does not have to deal any time soon with allegations that he defamed a onetime Conservative candidate, the Ontario Superior Court has ruled.

When the Dalai Lama meets Stephen Harper in Ottawa next week, it will be the first time a Canadian prime minister agrees to meet the exiled Tibetan leader in public.

We never thought adding an absurd amount of surveillance cameras to a city (or its public transportation system) would become fashionable, but it seems like Toronto is the next big locale ready to hop on the Big Brother bandwagon.

A police affidavit says an Alberta man accused of killing two prostitutes told his family that a hockey duffel bag found to contain a woman's body was filled with compost worms.

SAN DIEGO - Wildfires blown by fierce desert winds Monday reduced scores of Southern California homes to ashes, forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee and laid a hellish, spidery pattern of luminous orange over the drought-stricken region.

Stephen Harper is beefing up Canada's claims on the Arctic, but it's not clear who owns the northern sea and the potential resource windfall beneath it

U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins admits border security can get a little tight at times, even for his tiny dog.

Britain's broadcasting watchdog criticized the BBC Monday after ageing rock wildman Iggy Pop used the expression "Paki shop" on live television.

A Russian man who has confessed to killing 63 people with the goal of marking all 64 squares on the chessboard showed no remorse Monday as his murder trial wrapped up, mocking both prosecutors and his own lawyers.

The Air Force Association of Canada presented its annual awards of excellence to members of the Air Force at the AFAC Annual General Meeting in Ottawa, October 13 - 14.

The Canadian military has released several soldiers after they claimed conscientious objection to serving in war-torn Afghanistan, according to internal records from the National Defence department.

Moderate throne speech was well received, polls are improving and the Liberals are in disarray

The homicide squad investigating a multiple murder in the top floor of a Surrey apartment building is being very cautious about the information it releases.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WILSON, Afghanistan - At first blush it was a chilling sight: two rows of handmade crosses covered with the gear of Canadian soldiers.

Military researchers are going to place remote sensors under Arctic ice and on top of frozen, windswept hills in a test designed to help Canada keep a closer eye on its vast northern reaches.

The Dalai Lama's visit to Canada next week will include a public appearance with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and public addresses at major stadiums in Ottawa and Toronto.

Government maps show that a proposed hydroelectric dam and reservoir on the Churchill River are smack-dab in the range of an already-endangered caribou herd, says an environmental group opposed to the project.

The certificates allow Canada to detain and deport foreign-born terrorist suspects who are deemed a threat to national security.

A Grey Cup ring has appeared on EBay.

Lewis Hamilton may yet be awarded the Formula One championship after McLaren announced late Sunday it was appealing the stewards decision not to penalize the Williams and BMW-Sauber teams for fuel irregularities.

The family of Peter Garrison, the 82-year-old pilot who died Friday after crashing into a Richmond highrise, has spoken out to defend his flying abilities.

Let's see, there was a good first period, followed by an awful second period and then a decent third period. Sounds a lot like Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Kings, doesn't it?

A dozen wildfires stoked by gusting winds burned out of control in southern California on Sunday, killing one person in San Diego and forcing thousands to evacuate homes from the celebrity enclave of Malibu down to the Mexican border.

The Canadian navy is sending five ships, two helicopters, a surveillance plane and more than 1,100 sailors to an training exercise off the coast of California Monday.

Wearing yarmulkes and rows of shiny medals, Jewish Second World War veterans and Holocaust survivors alike made a pilgrimage Sunday to the grave of a modest aboriginal war hero. Michael Delisle Sr. was among the first to enter the Dachau concentration c

Canada's defence spending has hit its highest level since the Second World War. Based on NATO's figures, Canada, with its defence budget now slightly more than $18 billion a year, is the sixth highest military spender in the alliance, concludes a new

Soaring drug bills in Canada could be cut if doctors simply paid attention to the cost of the medications they prescribe, says a new federal report. The study, commissioned by Industry Canada, found that Canadian physicians are generally oblivious to d

A trader proposing a new set of public toilets in a popular north London entertainment district has come up with a novel way to sell the idea -- name them after gay playwright Joe Orton.

Fashion and environmentalism converged on the catwalk in the heart of downtown in a colourful display of homegrown style that was green to the core.

Whatever may befall the rich and famous in 2008, the humble potato will be less humble

The true face of Tutankhamun, the boy king who ruled Egypt 3,500 years ago, is to be revealed to the public for the first time.

Many Americans will be wagering on this week's baseball World Series. For Taco Bell, the stakes are a free taco for everyone in the United States.

A prison review panel will recommend scrapping the virtually automatic release of federal inmates who've served two-thirds of their time, The Canadian Press has learned.

Canada's diplomats in Kabul and visiting high-value targets like Prime Minister Stephen Harper are protected by a group of heavily armed gunmen hired by Saladin Security, a British firm with a long history of secretive and clandestine operations.

The Government is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan to make up for the expected withdrawal of other Nato forces

Canadians may think of our soldiers in Afghanistan as lone rangers, galloping over the Himalayan hills to single-handedly hold off bomb-wielding renegades.

Canada's chief of defence staff, Gen. Rick Hillier, arrived at the Kandahar airfield for a surprise visit with Canadian troops on Monday.

Philadelphia is home to the least attractive people in the United States, a survey of visitors and residents showed on Friday.

Nuclear energy is key to establishing a hydrogen-powered rail corridor in Toronto, says Greg Naterer, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

China's Communist Party has unveiled the leadership line-up that will steer the country for the next five years.

The minority Conservative government is facing the second of three major tests for its fall legislative agenda Monday, but there's little prospect of anything but clear sailing for the Tory ship of state.

With soldiers quitting the army in greater numbers since the Afghan combat mission began and critical shortages in some military trades, it has been a struggle for Canadian commanders to keep generating the forces required for the war against the Taliban.

Parliament is poised for a great deal of debate in the coming months over Canada's role in the war in Afghanistan, but on the dusty battlefields of this central Asian country there is not much doubt over one central question.

Curtis Sanford spent his Vancouver Canucks debut bailing out his new teammates as they failed to generate a shot on goal for more than half the game.

Thought for the Day: Mercury's retrograde phase is approximately at the midpoint. This one has caused no end of strange events. Do remember that it will bring good things if you remain adaptable.

Each Dec. 12, millions of pilgrims pay homage to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the `Mother of the Americas' and a powerful cultural and religious icon for almost 500 years

"Good girls go to heaven, party girls go to Sixth Avenue." So says the sign above the accessory store Sixth Avenue at Yonge and Wellesley Sts.

SAO PAULO, Brazil - Kimi Raikkonen won the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday to capture the Formula One title in the tightest race for the championship in 21 years.

Parents find it's hard to find toys made here; they also discover they're pretty pricey

Green tea, golf and just being busy are how retired NHL greats like Wendel Clark, Steve Thomas and Andy Bathgate keep their battered bodies healthy now that their skates and sticks are off the ice

This herb has a touch of Mediterranean magic about it. During our long cold winters, ruffle its spiky grey-green leaves, inhale deeply and the heavenly smell immediately conjures up southern Italy or a sun-drenched Greek island.

CALGARY - Jarome Iginla is on fire and so are the Calgary Flames. Iginla continued his red-hot play Saturday, notching the go-ahead goal and adding two assists as the Calgary Flames rolled to a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

A year in which Canada geese forgot to fly south and bears failed to hibernate is not the time for the federal government to cut funding and begin dismantling the country's national wildlife service.

Rubino, whose pan-Asian dishes at Rain routinely involve such kitchen wizardry as food dehydrators and flavour-enhancing enzymes, last week competed in Manhattan on Iron Chef America for an episode to air early in the new year.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- There are some things that are just so Canadian that even a hot desert sun and being 11,000 kilometres away from home can't diminish it.

Scientists at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control are running tests to determine if a Maple Ridge, B.C. cat died of bubonic plague.

THE questions have puzzled art lovers for centuries: did the Mona Lisa ever have eyebrows and eyelashes? And if she did, what happened to them?

The Boston Red Sox try to become just the 11th team in major league history to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series when they play Game 7 of the American League Championship Series this evening against the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Par

Everyone always asks "what's hot for next season" or "what colours are in right now?" The truth is that you might already know the answer just from flipping through this month's Flare or Vogue.

It seems fitting that Canada's contribution to an international experiment into the universe's origins would look like a giant hockey puck.

- Four Afghan villagers were shot at CFB Wainwright Tuesday.

Mario Lemieux is about to receive his biggest paycheque yet.

The clandestine clip, shot from a top-secret military platform, shows a Taliban fighter with an AK-47 over his shoulder. Just before he rounds a corner and prepares to open fire against NATO soldiers, the man reaches into his backpack, pulls out a bur

BOSTON - Phil Kessel used the same formula that's worked for him in the past, and new Boston coach Claude Julien wasn't about to change either.

TAMPA, Fla. - Mathieu Darche fought hard near the net, and the result was a rare goal.

ST. LOUIS - Although his team's power play had generated only one goal in 22 chances coming into Saturday's game in St. Louis, Minnesota Wild centre Eric Belanger felt the unit was on the right track.

Two of Canada's top experts on polar politics are sounding an alarm over Britain's plan to claim more than a million square kilometres of seabed territory off the coast of Antarctica -- and questioning Canada's official indifference toward the controve

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - The New York Islanders needed nearly every second to beat the road-weary New Jersey Devils, who didn't even have Martin Brodeur in net.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Detroit coach Mike Babcock would love Kirk Maltby to score more.

PHILADELPHIA - Simon Gagne is thoroughly enjoying the Philadelphia Flyers' longest winning streak in nearly two years.

DALLAS - The Dallas Stars reversed their recent habit of slow starts and were rewarded with a home win over a Pacific Division rival.

WASHINGTON - Sidney Crosby was booed whenever he touched the puck against the Washington Capitals. A loud group of Pittsburgh Penguins supporters in a sellout crowd of 18,277 responded in kind, jeering Alex Ovechkin when the puck was on his stick.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Jeremy Roenick scored a power-play goal early in the second period and the San Jose Sharks finally won at home, beating the Nashville Predators 3-0 on Saturday night.

OTTAWA - After four months, Ray Emery finally got the taste of an NHL game Saturday night, but it will be at least another seven days until he gets another.

There are no moral victories in the Battle of Alberta So it came as no comfort to the Edmonton Oilers, as they did everything right on Saturday night to smother the red-hot Calgary Flames offence, but could barely find the net themselves in a 4-1 loss