NEWS IMAGE COLLAGE / for 12-2008

OTTAWA - The cost of cleaning up 21 toxic Cold War radar stations across the North has more than doubled to $583 million amid lax controls, says a scathing audit.

HALIFAX, N.S. - The crew of a Canadian navy ship has returned home for the holidays after a mission that included helping to secure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Somalia.

A man from the central Newfoundland town of Sandringham who faces numerous charges was in critical condition Sunday after police used a Taser to subdue him during a violent confrontation

It may be looking a lot like Christmas, but severe snowstorms that began Friday and have continued into Sunday, the first day of winter, have put many Canadians' travel plans on ice.

Snow and freezing temperatures in many parts of southern British Columbia will make an already dangerous situation even worse for those living on the street, prompting efforts to help Vancouver's homeless make it through the chilly nigh

British Columbia's frigid weather appears to have claimed another life. This time the victim is Etorina Bassani, an elderly Abbotsford, B.C. woman, whose frozen body was found in her driveway on Saturday.

The Chicago Blackhawks made it a clean sweep of Western Canada on Saturday night, posting a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

TEHRAN, Iran - Iranians recited poetry, shared stories and ate fruits and nuts Saturday during all-night celebrations of the longest night of the year.

The U.S. military could double its presence in Afghanistan in 2009 with the deployment of up to 30,000 extra troops by next summer at the latest, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said Saturday.

VERNON, B.C. - More than 6,000 BC Hydro customers in Lake Country and Vernon are without heat after the power to their homes went out Saturday morning.

Mats Sundin says the groin problems he suffered last March will not be a factor as he prepares for his debut with the Vancouver Canucks.

The 2,000 residents of La Loche, Sask., can now make the two-hour commute to Fort McMurray, Alta., to ship supplies and visit friends since the La Loche winter trail connecting the two communities opened Saturday morning.

Three young children were killed in a fire that destroyed a home on Bell Island, 35 kilometres west of St. John's, early Saturday.

Canadians are set for another rough taste of winter this weekend as the first official day of the season approaches, with Environment Canada issuing weather warnings across the country.

ROME - Some homeless people in Italy will be savouring beluga caviar this Christmas, thanks to officials who seized 40 kilograms of the contraband delicacy from smugglers.

Canadian skier Manuel Osborne-Paradis reached the podium Saturday, finishing third in a men's World Cup downhill in Val Gardena, Italy.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The first of eight armed CH-146 Griffon helicopters arrived at Kandahar Airfield on Saturday.

Testing to date in Canada, the United States and Europe shows that nearly all H1N1 viruses are resistant to oseltamivir (sold as Tamiflu) and susceptible to the adamantane drugs, amantadine and rimantadine. The inverse is true for H3N2 viruses, which are

It's as much a part of the Canadian mosaic as the Maple Leaf, the moose or the Mounties, but is Newfoundland in danger of losing its signature accents?

As part of an effort to eradicate wild boars roaming through the Alberta wilderness, the provincial government has placed a new bounty on the animals.

RCMP in Fort St. John, B.C., are investigating another round of attacks on local well sites

If one thing is clear, it's that Victorians are not used to seeing snow on the ground for more than a couple of days. It's been seven days and counting. With little rain to wash it away and more cold ahead, it looks like the snow will stay, maybe long eno

The Chicago Blackhawks head into Vancouver for a game against the Canucks on Saturday (CBC Sports, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. PT) riding a six-game winning streak.

Tooryalai Wesa, who fled Afghanistan in 1991 and settled in Coquitlam, B.C., assumed his new post during a ceremony in Kandahar City.

On the heels of the American aid package for General Motors and Chrysler, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty revealed details about Canada's contribution at a news conference Saturday.

That will require the CAW to cut compensation anywhere from $15 (Canadian) to $25 an hour to align itself with the requirements outlined in the Bush bailout plan, he said. Currently in Canada, workers at the Detroit Three plants earn wages and benefits to

VANCOUVER - Up to 4,000 more British Columbians whose driving records show evidence of drinking and driving will now be forced to provide breath samples every time they operate their vehicles

TORONTO - The biggest statement in the battle between John Tavares and Victor Hedman was made by Dana Tyrell.

CHICAGO -- The animal-rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has named Oprah Winfrey its "Person of the Year."

Officials at Whistler Blackcomb defend their response to a safety bulletin issued nearly two years ago by lift manufacturer Dopplmayr, warning that ice build-ups could rupture some ski lift support towers.

Duncan Keith scored 26 second into overtime to give the red-hot Chicago Blackhawks a 3-2 road win over the Calgary Flames on Friday night.

The mayor of Vancouver and police are trying to find options for compelling homeless people to move off the streets in sub-zero temperatures following the burning death of a woman who had lit a fire in a makeshift shelter to keep warm.

The B.C. Safety Authority has issued a safety order to ski lift operators across the province in the wake of the partial collapse of a gondola tower in Blackcomb Mountain earlier this week

A Coquitlam woman who says she was refused service at her local coffee shop because her wheelchair had earlier dislodged a sink in the cafe's bathroom has filed a complaint with the B. C. Human Rights Tribunal

For the first time since Christmas Day 1971, all of Canada can expect a white Christmas

Environment Canada has ended its winter storm warning for much of a southwestern Ontario event that stranded air travellers in Toronto and left major highways in the region a dangerous mess.

Ontario's Premier Dalton McGuinty hints his province and Ottawa will quickly follow suit with its own aid package now that Washington has announced US$17 billion in loans for the beleaguered American auto industry.

The Vancouver Canucks defenceman will miss four weeks with a broken rib, the team said Friday

Computer hobbyists and researchers take note: two U.S. scientists have created a step-by-step guide on how to build a supercomputer using multiple PlayStation 3 video-game consoles

OTTAWA - National Defence is examining whether to equip the air force's Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters with hand-held infrared sensors to detect crash victims and those lost in the wilderness

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Winnipeg Friday for the groundbreaking of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights at The Forks.

Illicit drug use and the "high probability" that members of the Canadian Forces are involved in the drug trade are among the major concerns of military officials, according to documents obtained using access to information laws.

Air Force personnel from 8 Wing Trenton, Ont. and United States Air Force personnel trained side by side during Exercise Green Flag - in an annual tactical airlift training exercise held at the U.S. Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas - from December 1

Atlantic Lottery Corp. executives and board members rang up more than half a million dollars in travel and entertainment expenses over the past two years.

The Canadian military will purchase 500 laser dazzlers for troops in Afghanistan as it seeks a new way to reduce the number of casualties among Afghan civilians.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates has reportedly approved deployment of a combat aviation brigade to Afghanistan early next year.

TOKYO -- Japan has acknowledged that Allied prisoners of war were put to work in a coal mine owned by Prime Minister Taro Aso's family, reversing previous denials after newly found documents provided proof.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando authorities say DNA tests confirm the skeletal remains recently found in the woods belong to missing toddler Caylee Anthony.

The body of a middle-aged homeless woman was found burning Friday in downtown Vancouver after she apparently tried to keep herself warm by burning candles in a temporary shelter she had built over a shopping cart.

A major snowstorm is moving through southern Ontario Friday as the country's busiest airport ramps up staffing to handle crowds of holiday travellers, flight delays and cancellations

There may be a perfectly good reason why Santa doesn't get lost on his annual Christmas globetrot: His flying reindeer just might be female and don't mind stopping for directions.

CH-146 Griffon helicopters from 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron located at St-Hubert, Que., arrived at Mirabel Airport today, from where they will be shipped to Afghanistan.

Majel Barrett Roddenberry, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's widow and a fixture of nearly every incarnation of the space travel franchise, died on Thursday. She was 76.

The political satire is ready and the Chicken Cannon is primed as Royal Canadian Air Farce prepares to tape its final New Year's special at the CBC broadcasting centre in Toronto.

Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort had been warned of potential structural failure to its gondola towers if water seeped into them and turned into ice, according to documents obtained by CBC News on Thursday.

After six long months, the Mats Sundin saga is finally over as the unrestricted free agent has agreed to a one-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks

TORONTO - Are you one of those who knows for a fact that poinsettias are poisonous and that candy canes and sugar plums will have the kids dancing on their hyperactive heads this Christmas?

SAN'A, Yemen - An international anti-piracy force thwarted the attempted takeover of a Chinese cargo ship off the Somali coast on Wednesday.

How's this for a tribute to Trevor Linden: a hard-nosed victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

New legislation backed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin would allow Russian authorities to label any government critic a traitor -- a move that rights activists said Wednesday was a chilling throwback to times of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Scientists say they now have unambiguous evidence that the warming in the Arctic is accelerating.

The ruins of an entire city have been discovered in northern Peru, researchers say.

A large banner was unveiled at the Sears' Eaton Centre store yesterday with messages to the military men and women serving in Afghanistan from their families across Canada

Edmonton tries to recover from a 9-2 drubbing on a special night in Vancouver

Residents of southwestern B.C. woke up to snow Wednesday morning, with more expected throughout the day.

Commuters slogged through fresh snow Wednesday as Ottawa remained without public transit for the eighth day in a row

New Brunswickers are digging out from a thick blanket of snow as Moncton and Saint John remain under a snowfall warning.

The cold that's gripped the Canadian Prairies this week could stick around well into the New Year, Environment Canada predicts in its seasonal forecast.

A former Calgary man arrested in connection with a child sex business in Thailand has been convicted twice in Canada on sex-related charges involving young boys

Hockey star devoted a lot of time to working with charities

Doug Forseth, the senior vice-president of operations at Whistler Blackcomb, said experts inspected the damaged tower overnight and determined the damage was likely caused by what he called "ice jacking."

Canadian Forces officials say the drones -- also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs -- will help reduce the risk of ambushes and roadside bombs.

The federal government is getting rid of one of the country's prized foreign properties - a palatial British building name after Canada's first prime minister.

The frozen Lower Mainland was under a snow warning Tuesday, with at least nine cm of the white stuff expected to fall overnight and into Wednesday. Other regions continue to deal with the fallout of the arctic front still hovering over British Columbia.

Readers of the CBCNews.ca site for British Columbia have selected the ongoing mystery over seven human feet that have washed up in the province and nearby Washington State as newsmaker of the year.

The Vancouver Police Department is trumpeting its unprecedented new program to arrest suspects wanted on minor warrants elsewhere in the country, and fly them back to that region to be charged

Canadian Idol, once a competition-crushing ratings juggernaut for CTV, will not be produced in 2009, the network confirmed tonight.

EASTON, Pa. - The father of 3-year-old Adolf Hitler Campbell, denied a birthday cake with the child's full name on it by one New Jersey supermarket, is asking for a little tolerance.

The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday authorized nations fighting piracy along Somalia's coast to take action inside the country and in its airspace, pending approval from the Somali government.

The mysterious force causing the universe to expand at an accelerated pace is also stifling the growth of the matter inside it, astronomers revealed Tuesday.

The Oilers need to play in a new downtown arena, National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday in Edmonton

At least five people were trapped in a gondola cabin suspended in mid-air Tuesday afternoon after a gondola tower partially collapsed at the base of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, B.C., police said.

Braving freezing conditions, the models - of all ages, shapes and sizes - bared all in front of the cultural section of the Paris town hall, which runs the art workshops, saying their aim was "not to shock but to show how we work".

A US space agency (Nasa) probe has witnessed a moon of Saturn do something very unusual and Earth-like.

A PAIR of gay penguins thrown out of their zoo colony for repeatedly stealing eggs have been given some of their own to look after following a protest by animal rights groups.

To help kids communicate with old St. Nick this Christmas, Canada Post has partnered with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to ensure that Santa Claus receives his e-mails - and children their replies- in a timely fashion.

SANAA, Yemen - Somali pirates Tuesday seized a tugboat operated by the French oil company Total and a Turkish cargo ship

SAN FRANCISCO -- Users of all current versions of Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer browser might be vulnerable to having their computers hijacked because of a serious security hole in the software that had yet to be fixed Monday.

NASA scientists say their analysis of new satellite data shows that the Earth lost more than two trillion tons of land ice since 2003.

NEW YORK - The New York Giants need another sack - to cover a flamboyant fan who wears skimpy outfits.

ORAN, Algeria - OPEC powerhouse Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that the group would cut oil production by about two million barrels a day to halt a precipitous fall in prices.

LONDON - British beer drinkers found a measure of good news Tuesday amid a flood of economic downers: The fabled pint won't have to be renamed.

The head of Canada's military mission in Afghanistan said Tuesday he expects to see an escalation in violence in the war-torn country over the next year.

One-time Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore and former Vancouver Canucks winger Todd Bertuzzi met in Toronto on Monday for a court-ordered mediation hearing in an effort to prevent a lawsuit from heading to court.

Freezing temperatures have shut down the Albion Ferry, which connects Maple Ridge and Fort Langley across the southwest reaches of B.C.'s Fraser River, and there is no word when it will resume service.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Abdul Malik had a choice: keep living on a meagre salary, or move to the northwestern Pakistan city of Peshawar for big bucks - and big risks.

OTTAWA - A rebel group that claimed responsibility for kidnapping two Canadian diplomats in Niger quickly recanted its claim Tuesday, with the bizarre contradictory statements fuelling confusion over who has Robert Fowler.

International mining giant BHP Billiton is showing interest in a property north of Iqaluit that could possibly become the North's next diamond mine.

A historic hotel in Assiniboia, Sask., was in rubble Tuesday morning following a huge fire.

A little girl from Saskatchewan who kicked her way out of a crashed truck and helped save her family has been honoured in Prince Albert.

A man sought in connection with a series of violent armed robberies of gas stations and convenience stores in Surrey, including one in which two workers were shot, has been arrested, police said Monday.

Temperatures averaging -30 C are 10 to 20 degrees below normal

Mom died of brain cancer in November

Exclusive report from a Taliban veteran's compound in Afghanistan and on the battlefield

As a follow-up to Exercise Desert Gander , and to further prepare for deployment to Afghanistan, 43 members of 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, based at CFB Edmonton, Alta. (THS) spent a week at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alta. recently training in advanced door-

PASAB, Afghanistan - The possibility of creating tribal militias in order to fight the Taliban and other insurgent groups in Afghanistan likely won't work in all regions of the country, says the commander of Task Force Kandahar.

VANCOUVER, B.C. - A man facing murder charges in a Christmas party shooting was on suicide watch Monday as friends and family of paid glowing tribute to his alleged victim.

LONDON -- The tiny tangled threads of the world's oldest spider web have been found encased in a prehistoric piece of amber, a British scientist said Monday.

Canadian accused of running a sex tourism business in Thailand involving young boys has been arrested in London, and now faces charges of child pornography.