NEWS IMAGE COLLAGE / for 08-2009

Japanese voters awoke this morning to a change in government for only the second time in 54 years, after the Democratic Party of Japan claimed a landslide victory of at least 300 of 480 seats in a parliamentary election.

Leading medical journal argues plan to vaccinate population will move too slowly

At the ripe old age of 40, the Internet is more widely available and faster than ever but artificial barriers threaten to constrict its growth

Canadians teaching Af-ghans how to fight are following an honourable tradition, says Canada's top Operational Mentor and Liaison Team adviser to forces in Kandahar, and it's a mission widely expected to expand after 2011

As a wildfire season that's already seen more than 2,700 blazes and cost British Columbia about five times its forest firefighting budget enters September, fire officials are making changes to ensure exhausted crews get a little more time to rest.

Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. on Monday announced plans to sell working interests in the company's MacKay River and Dover oilsands projects to the Chinese energy giant.

SUDBURY - Michael Ignatieff says the Harper government is on "life support" - and he sounds like he may be ready to pull the plug.

With a population above 5,000, the town of Meadow Lake is set to become Saskatchewan's newest city.

People in eastern Nunavut have been treated to one of the warmest summers yet, but that has also brought up concerns about erosion and melting permafrost in the area.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for four California counties as a massive wildfire raging north of Los Angeles almost doubled in size overnight and threatened more than 12,000 homes.

Goaltender Roberto Luongo reportedly is close to inking a contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks.

This year marks a major milestone in the life and history of the supply ship HMCS Protecteur. On August 30, the ship celebrated the 40th anniversary of her commissioning into the Canadian Navy.

Canada's Chief of Defence Staff met quietly with his Danish counterpart to strengthen military co-operation in the Arctic just days after the Conservative government mounted a solo display of military prowess in the Far North.

MACKENZIE RIVER DELTA, Northwest Territories -- Only a squawk from a sandhill crane broke the Arctic silence -- and a low gurgle of bubbles, a watery whisper of trouble repeated in countless spots around the polar world.

Disney hopes to put Marvel's 5,000 characters to work on its television channels and in video games, theme parks and movies. The agreed takeover is for a mixture of cash and stock, with Disney shares accounting for roughly 40% of the buyout price.

OSLO � A 28-year-old Norwegian man was fined after he complained to police that he had been cheated by a prostitute.

Another reason why DOGS RULE! ;-)

It seemed hard to believe, but Wally Buono actually found something that outraged him substantially more than the play of his B.C. Lions in their 37-10 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

While the hockey hype leading up to next year's Winter Olympics officially kicked off last week with Team Canada's orientation camp, Hockey Canada is facing a problem that could hurt the future of the sport in this country.

Think you have to respond to whatever flashes on your PDA ASAP? According to the experts, that's no reason to forsake good manners.

CALGARY - As an alleged gangster waits to see if he will be released from custody following a stay on his deportation order, a former Conservative MP is suggesting the government needs to strengthen its rules on deporting criminals.

BAGHDAD - Iraq is negotiating the return of 19 fighter jets that Saddam Hussein's regime sent to Serbia for servicing at the end of the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war, the Iraqi Defence Ministry said.

Ontario craft brewer Brick Brewing Co. said Monday it is facing another copyright lawsuit from Labatt Brewing Co., this time over its Red Baron Lime product launched earlier in August.

The Canadian economy has posted its first monthly gain in nearly a year, according to newly released data from Statistics Canada.

Canadian heavyweight Tim Hague (10-2) was a part of a record-setting bout, although not in the manner he hoped. Todd Duffee (6-0) knocked Hague out seven seconds into the first round, setting a UFC record for the quickest KO in company history.

WINDSOR, Ont. -- It was the sights, the sounds and the camaraderie that brought memories flooding back to dozens of veterans who took in the Windsor International Air Show from VIP tents on the weekend.

For the first time since the blood thinner warfarin was introduced more than half a century ago, Canadian researchers are reporting that a new drug is safer and more effective at reducing the risk of stroke in high-risk patients.

A loose-knit group of Canadian copyright reform activists has abandoned charging membership fees in an effort to gain recognition as an official federal political party.

Police have arrested two teenagers after a 17-year-old was beaten to death on Saturday in the remote northern Manitoba community of Nelson House First Nation.

PENSACOLA, Florida - Police in Florida say a burglar who made off with a man's valuables returned to the home later

BRUNSWICK, Georgia - The man who reported the gruesome slayings of seven people in a Georgia mobile home faces charges of lying to police and tampering with evidence, and authorities said Sunday they haven't ruled him out as a suspect in the killings.

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Though he has climbed aboard small planes thousands of times, forestry worker Bob Pomponio always feared he was sitting on a flying gas tank that might one day cause trouble.

EDMONTON - A nine-year-old peregrine falcon who has spent the last few months harassing and even killing nuisance gulls as part of a unique program at a city landfill site, was released back into the wild in a ceremony Sunday.

TORONTO - More than 2 1/2 years after his acquittal, a man with ties to the notorious Malvern Crew is once again behind bars awaiting a second trial for the 2004 murder of 19-year-old Simeon Peter.

MONTREAL -- Carl Edwards caught Marcos Ambrose on the final turn to win a caution-filled NAPA Auto Parts 200 while local favourites Andrew Ranger and Jacques Villeneuve finished third and fourth at the NASCAR Nationwide event Sunday at Circuit Gilles Vill

INVERMERE, B.C. � Forget about bears and cougars � animal attacks just keep getting odd-er. A 49-year-old triathlete in this mountain town about 275 km west of Calgary was training in an area lake for an upcoming Ironman competition when he had the su

More than a dozen types of deli meats sold across Canada were hit by a recall late Friday over fears that they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Police in British Columbia began to examine a well in a central part of the province Saturday, as they searched for evidence in the disappearance of an Alberta woman who vanished seven years ago on the so-called Highway of Tears.

A year later and the rain again caused all kinds of headaches on Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as it limited morning practice for Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts 200 to only a few laps for some drivers and cancelled the afternoon practice session altogether.

One of the key figures behind the cascade of documents detailing torture and abuse within America's global "war on terror" happens to be a Canadian-born graduate of Toronto's Upper Canada College.

Simone Sandler's family is still looking for closure 15 years after her murder

Mounting economic danger lurks in our passive response to youth joblessness

Softer side of Harper on display in Quebec magazine interview as he talks about faith, family and country

The cash-strapped state of California is holding a massive two-day garage sale to get rid of cars, computers, prison gear and anything else deemed surplus and beef up empty coffers in the process.

In a nation that views the Kennedy family as American royalty, Sen. Ted Kennedy's funeral on Saturday provided an unfettered glimpse of the storied clan reunited, once again, in grief.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton swooped into the Canadian National Exhibition Saturday praising Toronto and Canadian health care during an hour-long speech to just under 12,000 people.

Heat and wind have whipped up 432 blazes across British Columbia, and almost half of them are burning in the Kamloops region.

POZNAN, Poland - Canada took home bronze in the women's four at the world rowing championships Saturday.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. -- Seven people were found slain and two critically injured Saturday at a mobile home park built on the grounds of a historic plantation in southeastern Georgia, police said.

KABUL - President Hamid Karzai widened his lead over his main challenger in the latest election returns, creeping toward the 50 per cent mark that would enable him to avoid a run-off in the divisive presidential contest.

Helicopter gunships destroyed a training camp for suicide bombers in Pakistan's northwestern Swat Valley, killing six Taliban fighters in an area the government had already declared clear of militants, an official said Saturday

U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy was laid to rest Saturday in Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery on a hillside near his older brothers John and Robert.

Three weeks after the Hamilton Tiger-Cats snapped a 21-21 tie with a last-minute touchdown to upend the visiting Eskimos, they were on the receiving end at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium.

Police are investigating three stabbing deaths in two separate incidents Friday night on B.C.'s south coast.

Former Montreal Alouettes quarterback Sam Etcheverry has died at age 79 following a lengthy battle with cancer

Detectives James Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs would be impressed with this police work.

HALIFAX, N.S. - Post-tropical storm Danny was bringing heavy rain to parts of Atlantic Canada late Saturday as earlier concerns about the possibility of strong winds diminished.

Spurred Complaint; Networking site agrees to better protect privacy

NEW YORK - The bad boy image of motorcycles helped drive sales for decades in North America, thanks partly to Hollywood rebels like James Dean and Marlon Brando or Peter Fonda in "Easy Rider".

Canadian designer David Dixon's Barbie-inspired line will be available at The Bay in September, including this Houndstooth Dress Canadian designer David Dixon's Barbie-inspired line will be available at The Bay in September, including this Houndstooth

1999 highway crash survivor tells harrowing tale of loss

An Australian jeans retailer has installed cameras in its dressing rooms to help women answer for themselves that perennial fashion question -- does my bum look big in this?

18-year kidnap hell of schoolgirl 'heart-warming': Suspect

CALGARY -- A Calgary family has been left shaken after thieves stole their life savings in a brutal home invasion this past week, taking $10,000 that had been hidden under a pillow.

Whether it's playing at the Olympics or the world championships, it's no longer a big deal for the women's national hockey team.

"This virus travels at an unbelievable, almost unheard of speed," World Health Organisation Director General Margaret Chan told France's Le Monde daily in an interview.

EDMONTON -- Alberta will wait a year to implement Canada's first legislation giving parents the power under its human rights code to pull their children from lessons on religion, sex or sexual orientation.

Officials at the CNE are offering tickets at a bargain price for this afternoon's speech by former U.S. president Bill Clinton at BMO Field, after only a third of available tickets were sold as of late Friday.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- The so-called summer "fighting season" in Afghanistan is coming to an end, so Canadian construction season is about to begin.

The controversy over a large, balloon-like aircraft remains afloat over the Ontario-Michigan border, where a group of Canadians remain perturbed about privacy concerns and some of their U.S. neighbours see an enticing economic opportunity.

A Toronto constable who opened fire at a suspect in a fleeing car in 2007 was charged yesterday with injuring the man.

"Freedom's a must." -- Murder suspect Owen Anthony Smith upon release in February Turns out Owen Anthony Smith's freedom didn't last very long.

Alberta's largest multimillion-dollar lottery winner went back to work for half a day before deciding $17 million was enough to retire.

It turns 25 on Monday, but these days the once-innovative music station looks more like a flighty teen

Bananas growing in a Toronto public park during this damp, dreary summer? Amazingly, yes. Here's the proof

Hundreds of mourners lined the sidewalks near Boston's Mission Church despite a persistent rain, saying they wanted to pay their final respects to Sen. Edward Kennedy.

OLG boss in crosshairs as Liberals scramble to pre-empt new onslaught on error-prone agency

Shoppers angry as signs of season start to appear well before Labour Day

CEO gets laggard lender back on track with focus on customer relations

From equipment to transportation, a logistics centre in Resolute has everything needed to support the 160-plus scientific missions working in Canada's Arctic

The space shuttle Discovery roared into space late Friday night on a 13-day mission to the International Space Station to deliver supplies and a new crew member.

Vancouver police have issued a public warning about a man who escaped from a Vancouver hospital psychiatric ward Aug. 25, was taken into custody Aug. 26, and now is being sought by authorities again.

Cody Pickett must be wondering what he has to do to get the upper hand on the Calgary Stampeders and post his first win as a Canadian Football League quarterback.

The driver involved in a downtown Vancouver traffic accident that left a two-year-old girl dead and put her mother in hospital Wednesday has a lengthy record of driving infractions

ATHENS, Greece -- Archaeologists said Friday they have unearthed a lavish burial site at the seat of the ancient Macedonian kings in northern Greece, heightening a 2,300-year-old mystery of murder and political intrigue.

Global climate change and its effects on crop production threaten the food supply of millions of people in Nepal, an international aid agency warned Friday

Iran has slowed its enrichment of uranium but has not clarified the "possible military dimensions" of its disputed nuclear program with international nuclear investigators, the UN's atomic watchdog agency said in a report Friday.

A British documentary filmmaker is recuperating at his home in London after being forced to call for an emergency airlift to rescue him from the Yukon wilderness.

New Brunswick will soon know how many birds of prey migrate through the province thanks to a new project called Hawk Watch

A New Brunswick man has received a conditional discharge for threatening a school principal who scaled back the daily singing of O Canada at his daughter's school.

He was captain of the Enterprise, but is Captain Kirk fit to be a captain in the Canadian navy?

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- For the third time this week, NASA fueled space shuttle Discovery for a Friday night launch to the international space station after resolving a fuel valve problem.

A 12-year-old girl from Afghanistan will be able to attend public school in Regina after all, school board officials confirmed Friday.

CALGARY- Calgary police cracked down on credit and debit card fraud this week, when they made one of the largest seizures of skimming equipment in Calgary's history Wednesday. Four men, all from Quebec with suspected ties to organized crime groups in

The Vancouver Canucks overhauled their blue-line Friday, acquiring defencemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich from San Jose for two prospects, and making official the signing of veteran Mathieu Schneider.

Strong winds and dry conditions have fanned forest fires across B.C., forcing officials to issue new and expanded evacuation orders for two rural communities.

The RCMP won't pursue criminal charges related to the Ryan Jenkins investigation in Canada, the force's Federal Border Integrity Program announced Friday morning.

The likeable and long-time NDP premier of Manitoba will serve as Canada's next ambassador to the United States

Vancouver Police say they're not expecting problems with the Critical Mass bike ride Friday afternoon, even though there is still no predetermined route for the somewhat spontaneous event.

Eva Konopacki's strong, clear voice breaks as she speaks by phone from her room in a luxury hotel in Warsaw.

Edmonton-based military man, and his best friend, killed on the same day in separate crashes

TORONTO -- Dog lovers may think he's one sick puppy, but Mel Glickman believes the "100 ways to wok a dog" menu he has been distributing through High Park is just a provocative attempt at artistic humour.

TORONTO -- Unlike the guy who peed all over his hallway, Alex Hess walks softly but carries a big ... tape gun.

CALGARY -- Dany Heatley was booed before he even hit the ice and Roberto Loungo had his name chanted in the unlikeliest of buildings, but it was Martin Brodeur who proved last night why he's still the most likely starter for Team Canada this February.

Studying fisheries, establishing sovereignty and opening up the deep sea, scientists are at work in the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific

OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper has chosen a longtime conservative crusader for lower taxes to be his new director of communications.

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- China on Thursday denounced Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou's decision to allow the Dalai Lama to visit the self-ruled island, casting a shadow over rapidly improving relations between Taipei and Beijing.

Four days after accused murderer and former reality-TV contestant Ryan Jenkins was found dead in a rural B.C. motel room, his family and friends have taken on the task of trying to clear his name.

SEOUL, South Korea - North and South Korea have no major differences on resuming reunions of families separated by the Korean War but are far apart on prisoners of war and civilian abductees, reports said Thursday.

Wildfires erupted Thursday in several areas of parched California, threatening homes and forcing evacuations from Monterey County in the central coast region to Los Angeles in the south

Thirteen-year-old Laura Dekker will find out Friday if she can go ahead with an attempt to sail solo around the world and become the youngest person to do it.

OTTAWA - Stephen Harper once called the Senate a "dumping ground" for political cronies.

The Department of National Defence has yet to write a report on the Cougar Helicopters crash off Newfoundland five months ago that killed 17 people, and MP Jack Harris said that is unacceptable.

Halifax Metro Transit is denying a family's claim that a frustrated bus driver kicked their eight-year-old autistic son off a bus because he was screaming.

Police in Abbotsford, B.C., are investigating the discovery of human remains in a burned-out car.

An environmental group has lost its legal fight to stop a U.S. government research ship from entering Canadian waters off the west coast of Vancouver Island.