NEWS IMAGE COLLAGE / for 01-2013

A U.S. Navy minesweeper which was stuck on a reef of the coast of the Philippines early this month will have to be dismantled.

Sears Canada Inc. says it is laying off 700 employees -- some 360 from its department stores and about 300 from distribution centres. The remaining workers are being let go from head office and other support areas.

The derelict cruise ship Lyubov Orlova is now being towed by an offshore supply vessel, days after it broke free from a tow outside St. John's.

Three Conservative MPs want the RCMP to investigate any abortions performed after 19 weeks in Canada as possible homicides.

From Yahoo! Finance: This group of men have played a game of tag lasting 23 years.

Canadians have long complained about high cellphone charges and unexpected fees, but now, the CRTC is finally developing a set of guidelines that would make cellphone contracts easier for consumers to understand and manage.

A massive storm system raked the southeast U.S. on Wednesday, spawning tornadoes and dangerous winds that overturned cars on a Georgia interstate and demolished homes and businesses, killing at least two people.

The Harper government is on the brink of making the Northwest Territories a province in all but name by ceding federal control over land, resources and water.

Scientists have shown how the insects will use the Milky Way to orientate themselves as they roll their balls of muck along the ground.

More than 300 miners who were trapped underground at a Saskatchewan mining site after a fire broke out are safe and above ground this morning.

Cats may kill up to 3.7 billion birds and 20.7 billion mammals in the United States alone each year, a new study has found.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has cleared the first Nova Scotia aquaculture site to be hit by an outbreak of infectious salmon anemia but say a new strain of the deadly fish virus has been detected.

More mild weather in Ottawa has brought freezing rain and worries about driving, flying and the city's annual frosty carnival Winterlude.

Stories of fear and abuse are emerging in Fort Albany as residential school survivors share their experiences with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The historic manuscripts of Timbuktu, including one written in Hebrew, are no more. They were destroyed by Islamic terrorists in Mali.

A woman and her boyfriend have been arrested in the U.S. after police found an 8-year-old developmentally disabled girl locked in a wooden cage while the rest of the family went to a movie.

A passenger jet carrying at least 20 people crashed near Kazakhstan's principal city, Almaty, killing all on board, the airline and officials say.

Bradley Bulger says there was enough room for a wheelchair user to board an OC Transpo bus, but Bulger and his two-year-old brother in a stroller were ordered off anyway.

The Canadian Wheat Board is taking some heat over a print advertisement that uses a leggy pinup girl to sell its services.

A teenager in Ukraine has unexpectedly helped scientists in Victoria, B.C., make a rare discovery.

TODDLER, believed to be about three, writhes in agony as he is given a tattoo on camera while his mum restrains him as hardcore dance music plays

The B.C. Supreme Court has ruled the province's auditor general does not have the right to see all the documents linked to the cost of the BC Rail trial and the decision to pay $6 million in legal fees for David Basi and Bobby Virk.

While most Canadians don't earn enough to pay off their taxes until sometime in late June, Canada's businesses will have reaped sufficient revenue to pay their year's share by Jan. 30.

Toronto Coun. Ana Bailao has pleaded guilty to driving with a blood-alcohol level over 80 milligrams -- part of a plea deal that saw impaired driving charges against her, dating back to October, dropped.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is investigating after dozens of dead seals were found on a beach and in the waters off Prince Edward Island.

Alberta has come up with a policy to allow Sikhs to wear a ceremonial religious dagger called a kirpan in courthouses.

A Mount Pleasant, N.S. woman is facing impaired driving charges in the death of her 9-year-old daughter who died after being struck by a minivan.

A B.C. environmental group has found another Japanese fishing boat near the northern tip of Vancouver Island, which they believe is part of the debris from the Japanese tsunami.

The first soldier to survive after losing all four limbs in the Iraq war has received a double-arm transplant.

A water main break that flooded major parts of downtown Montreal, including McGill University, has been largely contained.

Diving in waters near Hawaii recently, a group of photographers were surprised to see a Bottlenose dolphin swim right up to them seemingly in distress.

A group of common dolphins are seen for the first time trying to aid a dying companion.

The discovery of a suspicious package caused the cancellation of some BC Ferries' sailings between B.C.'s Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island Sunday afternoon, but police eventually determined there was no threat.

The wreckage of a Canadian plane which crashed in Antarctica is too dangerous to remove because it is embedded in snow and ice on a steep mountain slope, officials say.

The B.C. government has approved the shooting of one species of owl in a last-ditch effort to save their endangered cousins, the northern spotted owl.

Brandon police have charged a 12-year-old girl for uttering threats on a social media site.

The viral video of the eagle, which was created by students at Montreal's Centre NAD, has received international media attention and had more than 41 million views on YouTube since it was posted on Dec. 18.

Wild weather from ex-cyclone Oswald continued to batter coastal towns in Queensland on Sunday, after five tornadoes hit the Bundaberg region on Saturday, injuring at least 17 people and damaging at least 150 homes, Australian media reported.

Authorities have confirmd 232 people died early today after fire swept through a nightclub in southern Brazil, and they are investigating reports a fireworks show on stage may have started the blaze.

In Saturday's edition of Coach's Corner, Don Cherry disapproves of Oilers rookie Nail Yakupov's post-equalizer joy ride, but gives a thumbs up to the Leafs physical style so far this season.

Canada's Kaillie Humphries stamped an exclamation mark on her dominant season by successfully defending her world championship title with brakeman Chelsea Valois in St. Moritz, Switzerland on Saturday.

Lee Stempniak scored his third goal of the season and added two assists Saturday night to lead the Calgary Flames to their first win of the season, a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

A funeral was held in Calgary on Friday for 94-year-old Harold Marshall, a sniper-scout with the Calgary Highlanders in Europe during the Second World War.

Halifax crews were up early Saturday morning dealing with the monumental task and a logistical nightmare of moving a rickety, 250-year-old house across town.

Canadians have plenty to talk about because we live in a large, geographically diverse country with climate patterns that can vary widely from province to province and season to season, experts say.

A novelty umbrella that looked like a rifle created a tense situation at a bus stop in Richmond, B.C., and now police are warning the public against carrying the scary props.

A plane that crashed in Antarctica may have turned too early while travelling through a mountain range en route to its destination, says a rescue officer involved with search efforts.

Thousands of people rally in Washington DC calling for stricter gun controls on a march from the Capitol to the Washington Monument.

Kathleen Wynne will be Ontario's first female premier after dramatic movements on the convention floor in Toronto earned her the endorsement of two former rivals.

South Korea's new president will not tolerate North Korean provocations but will continue to push for dialogue with Pyongyang, a special envoy to President-elect Park Geun-hye said just hours after the North's top governing body declared it would continue

A strain of white coyote believed to be found only on the island of Newfoundland has caught the attention of National Geographic.

The wreckage of a plane missing in Antarctica since Wednesday has been found, Maritime New Zealand confirmed Saturday. The crash has been deemed 'not survivable'.

Cory Schneider made 30 saves in his fifth career shutout, Mason Raymond scored twice, and the Vancouver Canucks avenged last week's blowout loss to Anaheim with three power-play goals in a 5-0 win over the Ducks on Friday night.

A Canadian telescope bigger than six NHL hockey rinks is expected to help scientists understand the expansion of the universe and the role of mysterious dark energy.

A multi-vehicle pileup involving about 80 cars and trucks has closed Highway 401 near Oshawa, Ont.

Demographic factors are poor predictors of equity and housing markets

Food kitchens and factory closures are signs that Belgium is feeling the bite of austerity, the BBC's Matthew Price reports.

Dr Alex Wilner, a specialist in counter-terrorism at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, traces Canada's history with al-Qaeda-inspired extremism.

Street surveillance cameras in Tegucigalpa, one of the world's most dangerous cities, were turned off last week because Honduras' government hasn't paid millions of dollars it owes. The operator that runs them is now threatening to suspend police radio se

A Vancouver man already accused of using a cellphone to videotape himself torturing a kitten is facing even more charges, after the discovery of another 36 videos showing animal cruelty.

<p>Disney also considered Ben Affleck, but "Star Trek" director J.J. Abrams won out</p>

The longtime face of the B.C. Lions' franchise is heading to Saskatchewan. Geroy Simon, the CFL's all-time receiving yards leader, was traded to the Roughriders on Thursday in exchange for receiver Justin Harper and a third-round pick in the 2014 Canadian

Consumers believe they can expect to receive maximum advertised internet speeds in their homes most of the time, but the data to show how often that actually happens doesn't exist, a new study has found.

North Korea's top governing body warns that the regime will conduct its third nuclear test in defiance of UN punishment, and makes clear that its long-range rockets are designed to carry not only satellites but also warheads aimed at striking the United S

An Ontario couple who found a peephole in the bathroom of a luxury hotel suite in Mexico wants to recoup the cost of the vacation, but the tour company is refusing and considers the matter resolved.

A nine-year-old boy died in hospital Thursday, hours after he was shot inside his Brampton, Ont., home.

Women's rights activists in Morocco have welcomed plans to change a law allowing rapists of minors to avoid prosecution by marrying their victims.

North Korea says it is proceeding with plans for a third nuclear test, two days after the UN Security Council condemned its rocket launch.

A new report from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan finds Afghanistan's infamous National Directorate of Security still regularly engages in torture and abuse in its facilities across the war-torn country.

The Pentagon is dropping the last vestiges of rules barring American women from serving in combat, paving the way for the largest expansion ever of their role on the front lines.

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence has decided to end her six-week-long hunger strike after members of the Assembly of First Nations and the Liberal and New Democrat caucuses agreed to back a list of commitments supporting aboriginal issues.

Zack Kassian scored in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Vancouver Canucks edged the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Ross Rebagliati, the snowboarder who was temporarily stripped of his Olympic medal after marijuana was found in his sytem, is hoping to use his celebrity to sell pot.

The teeth-chattering cold snap that has caught many Canadians off guard following a mild start to the winter, and is seizing vehicle engines, rupturing water mains and setting cold-weather records in many parts of the country, is expected to last at least

Senior U.S. defence officials say Pentagon chief Leon Panetta is removing the military's ban on women serving in combat, opening hundreds of thousands of front-line positions and potentially elite commando jobs after more than a decade at war.

Canada is looking at whether and how to extend its help for Mali, but would like to see a broad consensus behind its efforts, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said today.

A 12-year-old boy has been charged with manslaughter after his 16-year-old brother was fatally shot in the Montreal suburb of Dorval, Que.

On first glance, many travellers may think that Canada and the United States are quite similar. But what is legal north of the 49th parallel, might land you with a hefty fine or a jail term in America. Here are 13 unique laws that could trip you up during

Israelis are voting in a general election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to be returned to office with a reduced majority.

A gamma-ray burst - the most powerful explosion known in the Universe - may have hit the Earth in the 8th Century, a study suggests.

France's foreign minister has announced that Canada has offered to transport African troops to Mali as the war against Islamic extremists continues.

Steadily dropping water levels in the Great Lakes threaten to leave the Canadian economy high and dry as billion-dollar shipping routes evaporate, according to one expert.

Officials in a rural Manitoba municipality are warning residents about a herd of bison that has been spotted roaming the community since last summer.

Ahmed Dogan, leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) escaped unscathed, and it was not immediately clear why the attacker had targeted him at the party congress in downtown Sofia.

The licences are going to be simplified. The licences are going to be more flexible and the vast majority of people who are involved in the (hospitality) industry are going to be very pleased,

Teemu Selanne had two goals and two assists Saturday to help make Cory Schneider's first NHL season-opening start a short one as the Anaheim Ducks thumped the Vancouver Canucks 7-3.

Some elementary school students in the Greater Toronto Area were given a different kind of science lesson Thursday when they chatted with Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield from space.

Thousands of gun advocates gathered peacefully Saturday at state capitals around the U.S. to rally against stricter limits on firearms, with demonstrators carrying rifles and pistols in some places while those elsewhere settled for waving hand-scrawled si

Accidental gunfire at three gun shows around the United States on Saturday left five injured, authorities said, the same day that thousands of gun advocates gathered peacefully at state capitals around the U.S. to rally against stricter firearm limits.

About 100 people gathered at the Jericho Sailing Centre in Vancouver Saturday in another effort to stop the closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard station.

Salmon from a quarantined Nova Scotia aquaculture farm are now being moved to a fish plant in Blacks Harbour, N.B. for processing.

Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists as the Ottawa Senators spoiled the Winnipeg Jets' home opener with a 4-1 victory Saturday afternoon.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got power-play goals by Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozek to open the lockout-shortened NHL season with a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Hockey fans across Canada are welcoming the return of the NHL today, as the puck drops on a season that has been shortened by a four-month-old lockout.

VANCOUVER - B.C. Premier Christy Clark has slammed Ottawa for its move to close the Kitsilano Coast Guard station, saying it could put the lives of British Columbians at risk. ...

A retired top army commander who penned a controversial report on transforming the military is breaking his silence 18 months after retiring from the ranks, in an interview airing on CBC Radio's The House.

The mother of a seven-year-old New York City boy who brought a gun to school has been arrested on weapons and endangerment charges, police say.

Members of an excavation team hunting for dozens of World War II-era British fighter aircraft believed buried at Myanmar's main international airport said Friday that the search will take longer than expected after a survey discovered bundles of electric

The U.S. Marine Corps, known for turning out some of the military's toughest warriors, is studying how to make its troops even tougher through meditative practices, yoga-type stretching and exercises based on mindfulness.

Talk about whisky on ice: Three bottles of rare, 19th century Scotch found beneath the floor boards of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton's abandoned expedition base were returned to the polar continent Saturday after a distiller flew them to Scotland t

British Airways apologises to passengers stuck on planes at Heathrow and to others unable to get their luggage as the snow sees hundreds of flights delayed and cancelled.

The proof that cannabis prohibition has failed is irrefutable, four former B.C. attorneys-general say

A number of Chinese tourists are giving birth in Canada as a way to circumvent their country's strict one-child policy and to get their child a coveted Canadian passport.

Debris sightings have been common on Canadian and U.S. shores since the 2011 Japanese tsunami, but what may be the largest piece of debris yet in the form of a Japanese silo has washed ashore in British Columbia.

The Toronto Maple Leafs encouraged their fans to smash property on Friday in order to get their hands on a signed hockey sweater.

Southern Manitoba got a break from the cold weather on Friday, but it won't last long, as an Arctic blast is expected to hit the region this weekend.

A Vancouver Island woman and the deer she has raised from a fawn as a pet won't be forced to separate, B.C.'s Environment Minister has decided.

Some botanists are shaking their heads at the new polymer bills because they say the money features a maple leaf from Norway, and not Canada, although that's not how the Bank of Canada sees it.

The crew of a U.S. Navy minesweeper that ran aground in a protected marine sanctuary off the Philippines was evacuated on Friday as the ship remained stuck on a reef.  The USS Guardian, an Avenger-class minesweeper, hit the Tubbataha Reef in the Sul

Ordinary Greeks are finding ways of fighting back against endemic levels of corruption in their country, with a number of websites now allowing people to report cases of bribery.

Three students from a school in Quebec City are expected in court this afternoon to face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, in a case involving alleged threats posted on Facebook.

A U.S. computer developer who apparently outsourced his job to a third party in China -- for a fraction of his salary -- is being hailed as a business savant by online admirers.

Militants with possible links to al Qaeda seized about 40 foreign hostages, including several Americans, at a natural-gas field in Algeria, posing a new level of threat to nations trying to blunt the growing influence of Islamist extremists in Africa.

City officials are investigating a series of dog attacks in Nunavut's capital.

A loaded gun was found inside a knapsack at an east Toronto high school on Wednesday, a startling discovery that police say has led to charges against four students.

The B.C. owner of a domesticated deer that likes to eat cookies, watch TV and dance to rock and roll says provincial officals are once again demanding she turn the animal loose.

Vic Toews suggested the current system is unsustainable and said police services need to look at options for reform. The minister acknowledged that the volume and severity of reported crime is falling in Canada.