Apr 10

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=60 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="5c8746483.png"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="747" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#FFCC80" BORDERCOLORDARK="#CC9900" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#000000 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 52 WIDTH="37"><div> <A HREF="id1153.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 10"><U><IMG SRC="31ce11160.png" border=0 width="17" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> PREV</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="37"><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Giant Dwarf"><U><IMG SRC="31ce11160.png" border=0 width="17" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> HOME</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="37"><div> <A HREF="id1142.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mar 10"><U><IMG SRC="31ce11160.png" border=0 width="17" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> NEXT</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=BOTTOM WIDTH="503"><bR> <div> <IMG SRC="112e491e0.jpg" border=0 width="329" height="30" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="59"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="52" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="59" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <A HREF="mailto:giantdwarf@thot.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:giantdwarf@thot.net"><U><IMG SRC="5a72d190.png" border=0 width="45" height="25" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> E-mail G.D.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=420 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="5c88c8a93.png"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="3" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="748" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#FFCC80" BORDERCOLORDARK="#CC9900" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#000000 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 36155 ><NOBR><div> <B> <A NAME="top"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B><IMG SRC="5e4a5c200.png" border=0 width="92" height="32" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Past Articles:</B></FONT></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="626" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#FFCC80" BORDERCOLORDARK="#CC9900" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="50" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1201.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feb 12"><U><B>Feb/12</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1194.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jan 12"><U><B>Jan/12</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1193.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dec 11"><U><B>Dec/11</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1192.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nov 11"><U><B>Nov/11</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1191.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Oct 11"><U><B>Oct/11</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1190.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sep 11"><U><B>Sep/11</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1185.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aug 11"><U><B>Aug/11</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1184.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jul 11"><U><B>Jul/11</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1182.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jun 11"><U><B>Jun/11</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1181.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 11"><U><B>May/11</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1180.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Apr 11"><U><B>Apr/11</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1179.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mar 11"><U><B>Mar/11</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1178.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feb 11"><U><B>Feb/11</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1173.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jan 11"><U><B>Jan/11</B></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1172.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dec 10"><U><B>Dec/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1170.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nov 10"><U><B>Nov/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1167.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Oct 10"><U><B>Oct/10</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1161.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sep 10"><U><B>Sep/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1160.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aug 10"><U><B>Aug/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1159.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jul 10"><U><B>Jul/10</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1154.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jun 10"><U><B>Jun/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1153.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 10"><U><B>May/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFFCC WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1143.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B>Apr/10</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1142.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mar 10"><U><B>Mar/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1137.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feb 10"><U><B>Feb/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jan 10"><U><B>Jan/10</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1134.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dec 09"><U><B>Dec/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nov 09"><U><B>Nov/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Oct 09"><U><B>Oct/09</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sep 09"><U><B>Sep/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aug 09"><U><B>Aug/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jul 09"><U><B>Jul/09</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jun 09"><U><B>Jun/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1115.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 09"><U><B>May/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Apr 09"><U><B>Apr/09</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mar 09"><U><B>Mar/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feb 09"><U><B>Feb/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1099.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jan 09"><U><B>Jan/09</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1092.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dec 08"><U><B>Dec/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1091.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nov 08"><U><B>Nov/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1086.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Oct 08"><U><B>Oct/08</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1084.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sep 08"><U><B>Sep/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1083.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aug 08"><U><B>Aug/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1078.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jul 08"><U><B>Jul/08</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1077.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jun 08"><U><B>Jun/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1072.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 08"><U><B>May/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1071.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Apr 08"><U><B>Apr/08</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1060.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mar 08"><U><B>Mar/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1044.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feb 08"><U><B>Feb/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1043.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jan 08"><U><B>Jan/08</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1038.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dec 07"><U><B>Dec/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1037.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nov 07"><U><B>Nov/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1032.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Oct 07"><U><B>Oct/07</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1026.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sep 07"><U><B>Sep/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1025.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aug 07"><U><B>Aug/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1020.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jul 07"><U><B>Jul/07</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1015.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jun 07"><U><B>Jun/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1009.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 07"><U><B>May/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33 WIDTH="50"><div> <A HREF="id1007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Apr 07"><U><B>Apr/07</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id986.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mar 07"><U><B>Mar/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id979.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feb 07"><U><B>Feb/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFCC33><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id978.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jan 07"><U><B>Jan/07</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <B>These "Articles" are dated from April 1st, 2010 - April 30th, 2010.</B></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="410" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#30" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Louisiana coast residents watch, wait for advance of oil</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 30/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#29" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Researchers claim they have discovered Noah's ark</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 29/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#28" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Fears of Greek debt default hit European markets</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 28/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#27" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Ont. GM plant to be upgraded as part of $890M investment</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 27/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="360"><div> <A HREF="#26" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>'Boobquake' to test Iranian cleric's claim</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 26/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#25" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Tories should reveal details of Jaffer dealings: MPs</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 25/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#24" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>IMF meetings discuss Greece as Flaherty rides high</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 24/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#23" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Burning Louisiana oil rig sinks, 11 still missing</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 23/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#22" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Key documents in Jaffer testimony revealed</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 22/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#21" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>All eyes on Jaffer as ex-MP takes seat at hearing</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 21/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#20" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Somali pirates seize 3 Thai ships with 77 crew</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 20/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#19" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Volcanic ash delays flights in St. John's, N.L.</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 19/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#18" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Volcanic ash may be drifting to Canada's East Coast</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 18/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#17" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Remarks prompt B.C. premier to boycott Sikh parade</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 17/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#15" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Ash cloud continues to cripple European air travel</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 16/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#15" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>RCMP probe of Guergis centres around cocaine allegations</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 15/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#14" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Quakes strike western China killing 400, injuring 10,000</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 14/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#13" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Montreal woman feared lost at sea suddenly found</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 13/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#12" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Terry Fox 's Marathon of Hope remembered 30 years later</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 12/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#11" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Eerie Silence: author wants to expand search for E.T.</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 11/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#10" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>After 2011, Canada may mentor Afghan police</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 10/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#09" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Guergis gone, RCMP to investigate, says PM</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 09/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#08" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Rescue crews begin descent into West Virginia mine</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 08/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#07" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Hope fading for survivors in West Virginia mine disaster</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 07/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#06" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>25 dead, 4 missing in West Virginia mine disaster</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 06/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#05" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>'Miracle' in China: 115 trapped miners rescued</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 05/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#04" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Former hockey coach pardoned for sex crimes</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 04/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#03" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Climate-change research in Canada waning: scientists</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 03/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#02" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Spring heat shatters records across Canada</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 02/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#01" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="f1f0b0d0.png" border=0 width="11" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><B>Jurors return manslaughter verdicts in Creba trial</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> 01/04/10</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> =======================</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="705" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="707"><div>  <A NAME="30"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 200 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Louisiana coast residents watch, wait for advance of oil</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Fri. Apr. 30  2010  08:11  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 30th, 2010</div> <div> <B>The Louisiana coast is bracing for the impact of a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which threatens to devastate the local environment and economy.</B></div> <bR> <div> Oil has already begun lapping up on the coastal shore on Friday morning, with the U.S. Coast Guard patrolling to keep tabs on its location.</div> <bR> <div> David Kennedy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the impact of the spill is "of grave concern."</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0eaa07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> A production platform is shown just off the Louisiana coast near South Pass, Thursday, April 29, 2010. (AP / Bill Haber)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 902 WIDTH="707"><div> "I am frightened," Kennedy told The Associated Press. "This is a very, very big thing. And the efforts that are going to be required to do anything about it, especially if it continues on, are just mind boggling."</div> <bR> <div> The oil is flowing towards shore after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig burst into flames 10 days ago and sank two days later.</div> <bR> <div> The underwater well, which is located only 64 kilometers from shore, is now spewing an estimated 5,000 barrels of oil every day. Authorities believe it could take three months to stop the gushing well that is located 1.5 kilometres below sea level.</div> <bR> <div> Mike Brewer, who lost his oil spill response company in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, said it seems that the scale of the disaster may be too much to overcome.</div> <bR> <div> "You're pumping out a massive amount of oil," he said. "There is no way to stop it."</div> <bR> <div> Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency and asked the U.S. government for permission to call up 6,000 National Guard troops to assist in the clean-up.</div> <bR> <div> Operator BP PLC is working with the Coast Guard to use controlled burns and other means to limit the spread of the oil. </div> <div> BP shares have lost about US$25 billion in market value since the April 20 disaster, which may turn out to be the worst U.S. environmental disaster in decades.</div> <bR> <div> Tom McKenzie, a regional spokesperson for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the agency was focusing on national wildlife refuges on a chain of barrier islands.</div> <bR> <div> He said some 34,000 birds -- gulls, pelicans, roseate spoonbills, egrets, shore birds, terns and blue herons among them -- within the refuges are most at risk.</div> <bR> <div> Fishing guide Cade Thomas did not know who to blame, but was worried what would happen to his employment after a disaster that has turned out to be worse than originally described.</div> <bR> <div> "They lied to us. They came out and said it was leaking 1,000 barrels when I think they knew it was more. And they weren't proactive," he said.</div> <bR> <div> CTV's Los Angeles Bureau Chief Tom Walters said people who rely on the sea to put food on their table are hoping that the disaster does not also take away their employment.</div> <bR> <div> "We sat into the night and ate crawfish with a couple of local fishing guide who are just heartsick because they see their livelihoods and their way of life passing away," Walters told CTV's Canada AM from Venice, La.</div> <bR> <div> "This really is a place where the sea is life," he added. "The Gulf of Mexico is absolutely a critical site in the fishing industry. Fishing is a critical industry for the people here in the Mississippi Delta."</div> <bR> <div> Brothers Frank and Mitch Jurisich were out on the water hauling in oysters before the oil reached their fishing area. </div> <div> A family that has relied on oyster-related employment for three generations, the Jurisich brothers filled 100 burlap sacks Thursday.</div> <bR> <div> "This might be out last day," Mitch Jurisich said.</div> <bR> <div> Without fishing, Frank Jurisich said his family "would be lost. This is who we are and what we do."</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="29"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Researchers claim they have discovered Noah's ark</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Apr. 29  2010  06:55  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 29th, 2010</div> <div> <B>A team of evangelical Christian researchers say they've discovered Noah's ark near the peak of Mount Ararat in Turkey.</B></div> <bR> <div> The group, from Noah's Ark Ministries International in Hong Kong, says its members "successfully excavated and ventured inside a large wooden structure" 4,000 metres above sea level.</div> <bR> <div> Samples of wood taken from the structure were carbon dated to 4,800 years old, NAMI's website says, and Turkish government officials plan to apply for UNESCO World Heritage site designation.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0e8a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> A member of the research team searches inside what they claim are the remains of Noah's Ark near the peak of Mount Ararat in Turkey.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 662 WIDTH="707"><div> "The structure is partitioned into different spaces," said one of the researchers, Man-fai Yuen. "We believe that the wooden structure we entered is the same structure recorded in historical accounts and the same ancient boat indicated by the locals."</div> <bR> <div> According to many Christians, Noah's ark came to rest somewhere in Turkey. In the Bible, the ark protected Noah, his family, and a pair of each species of animal on the planet during a cataclysmic flood.</div> <bR> <div> The researchers filmed one journey into the purported ship. A short video clip posted on their website shows several people wearing head lamps, descending into a deep crack in a glacier.</div> <bR> <div> One member of the expedition takes a sample from what looks like a curved, wooden wall. Floorboards are dimly visible in another shot.</div> <bR> <div> The team says they found the structure in 2007 and 2008, and returned with a film crew in October 2009.</div> <bR> <div> "I saw a structure built with plank-like timber," said Panda Lee, a member of the group, speaking about an October 2008 expedition to the site. "Each plank was about eight inches wide. I could see tenons, proof of ancient construction predating the use of metal nails."</div> <bR> <div> "I could see broken wood fragments embedded in a glacier, and some 20 metres long. I surveyed the landscape and found that the wooden structure was permanently covered by ice and volcanic rocks."</div> <bR> <div> NAMI has not disclosed the site's location, saying only that it's embedded in ice near the mountain's peak.</div> <bR> <div> Some experts are skeptical about the finding. If the ark was deposited in Turkey, moving ice likely would have swept it away ages ago. Also, there is no evidence of a catastrophic flood in Turkey around the time that the Ark would have taken to the high seas.</div> <bR> <div> The Hong Kong group follows in the footsteps of other explorers who claimed they had found the biblical craft.</div> <bR> <div> In 2006, a team of Christian archaeologists said they had located a piece of rock in the mountains of Iran, which they thought was a piece of the ark.</div> <bR> <div> In 2004, an American businessman and Christian activist claimed he had located the ark below the ice on Mount Ararat, using satellite imagery. However, the Turkish government refused to grant him a permit to launch an excavation.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="28"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 192 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Fears of Greek debt default hit European markets</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Apr. 28  2010  08:19  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 28th, 2010</div> <div> <B>European stocks are sliding for a second day on Wednesday, one day after ratings agency Standard & Poor downgraded Greece's bonds to junk status.</B></div> <bR> <div> The downgrade caused the premium that investors demand to hold Greek government bonds to jump to its highest level in 14 years. The interest rate gap between Greek and benchmark German 10-year bonds spiked to 7.7 percentage points, a further indication of the market's lack of confidence in Greece.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0e2a0740.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="116" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> The Euro sculpture sits in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, central Germany, Wednesday, April 28, 2010. (AP / Michael Probst)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 809 WIDTH="707"><div> S&P also downgraded its rating on bonds from Portugal to A-, its fourth-lowest investment grade rating and said a further downgrade is possible. That's led to concerns that Greece's woes are spreading to other indebted states.</div> <bR> <div> The secretary general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria, called for quick action to stem the crisis.</div> <bR> <div> "It's not a question of the danger of contagion. Contagion has already happened. This is like Ebola. When you realize you have it you have to cut your leg off in order to survive," he said in an interview Wednesday with Bloomberg television in Berlin.</div> <bR> <div> The heads of the IMF, the European Central Bank and other financial institutes were to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin later Wednesday.</div> <bR> <div> BNN's Michael Kane said Germany is facing enormous pressure to act because its economy is the strongest in the EU at the moment.</div> <bR> <div> "Germany is effectively the bank here," Kane told CTV's Canada AM.</div> <bR> <div> "So Germany has to be the saviour here for all the EU, and that's a big problem for Germany of course, to have to negotiate the money to bail out the other countries."</div> <bR> <div> Athens has called for aid from a euro45 billion joint eurozone and International Monetary Fund rescue package that would provide loans to Greece at a rate of about 5 per cent.</div> <bR> <div> Greece urgently needs money within the next three weeks, as it has euro8.5 billion worth of a 10-year bond maturing on May 19.</div> <bR> <div> Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou said late Tuesday that Greece would "absolutely and without any doubt" be able to service its debt by that time and rejected calls for restructuring.</div> <bR> <div> "The idea of restructuring debt is outside every negotiation. I am categorical on this point," Papaconstantinou stressed. </div> <div> The executive of the European Union also said on Wednesday that restructuring Greece's debt -- or that of any other euro zone country -- is not an option even being discussed.</div> <bR> <div> "Debt restructuring in a euro area member state is not an option and is not part of the talks in Athens," European Commission spokesman Amadeu Altafaj told a news briefing early Wednesday.</div> <bR> <div> "It is a political decision. Debt restructuring is out of question," he said.</div> <bR> <div> Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) said they would raise the subject of forcing investors to take a discount on Greek debt in Wednesday's talks, a senior party official said on Tuesday.</div> <bR> <div> But there remains doubt that Germany will be able to muster the political will to reach an agreement on aid. Public opinion in the country is strongly against helping Greece and Merkel's CDU is worried about defeat in a regional election on May 9.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="27"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Ont. GM plant to be upgraded as part of $890M investment</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Tue. Apr. 27  2010  08:21  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 27th, 2010</div> <div> <B>General Motors will spend $890 million to upgrade five of its North American plants, including one in southern Ontario.</B></div> <bR> <div> The Detroit automaker is expected to announce the investment Tuesday morning, according to media reports.</div> <bR> <div> It will spend $235 million to upgrade its engine plant in St. Catharines, Ont., where employees produce high-precision transmission components that are used in vehicle assembly at other plants. The Ontario plant has nearly 1,900 unionized employees, according to figures posted on the CAW Local 199 website.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0dea0730.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="115" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Employees at the General Motors components plant leave following a shift change in St. Catharines, Ont. in this 1999 photo. (Kevin Frayer / THE CANADIAN PRESS)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 563 WIDTH="707"><div> But the biggest single investment will be the $400 million expenditure at the plant in Tonawanda, N.Y.</div> <bR> <div> GM will also upgrade plants in Defiance, Ohio; Bedford, Ind.; and Bay City, Mich.</div> <bR> <div> Since GM came out of bankruptcy last July, it has invested $1.5 billion at 20 of its facilities on both sides of the border.</div> <bR> <div> A much more trim company after massive layoffs and a government bailout, BNN's Michael Kane said GM is now building itself back up and putting itself in a position to eventually divest itself of government influence.</div> <bR> <div> "It is now going to invest in factories to make them more efficient, to get the productivity up and that way contribute toward profitability," Kane told CTV's Canada AM.</div> <bR> <div> "Profitability is the key, because when they turn a profit next, then they can start thinking about listing their shares on the New York Stock Exchange again. And that's a big thing, that's a big hurdle to overcome."</div> <bR> <div> Last week, GM announced that it had paid back the $8.1 billion it borrowed from the U.S. and Canadian governments. It needed the money after losing $88 billion over much of the last decade.</div> <bR> <div> The automaker was initially loaned $61.5 billion from the two governments, but when GM went into bankruptcy, the cash-portion of the loan was changed.</div> <bR> <div> Instead, Washington was owed $6.7 billion in cash and Ottawa was owed $1.4 billion.</div> <bR> <div> The remainder of GM's debt was converted to shares now held by the two governments.</div> <bR> <div> At present, Washington owns 61 per cent of the automaker, while Ottawa owns about 12 per cent.</div> <bR> <div> GM plans to have a public stock offering, which will allow the U.S. government to unload its stock and recoup its investment on behalf of taxpayers.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I> </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="26"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 196 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>'Boobquake' to test Iranian cleric's claim</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Mon. Apr. 26  2010  09:36  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 26th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Can cleavage make the earth shake? An Indiana student and tens of thousands of her supporters are planning to find out today, in an event meant to satirize controversial comments made in Iran.</B></div> <bR> <div> The event has been dubbed "Boobquake" and is the brainchild of Purdue University student Jennifer McCreight. She's asking women around the world to show a little cleavage today, as a humorous test to disprove an Iranian cleric who said immodestly dressed women were responsible for recent earthquakes.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0d5a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Jennifer McCreight, Boobquake founder, appears on CTV's Canada AM via Skype on Monday, April 26, 2010.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 592 WIDTH="707"><div> "At first, it started off a joke," McCreight told CTV's Canada AM via Skype from West Lafayette, Indiana.</div> <bR> <div> "When I read what this cleric had said, I thought that it was pretty ridiculous and we could actually test it scientifically. So I suggested that we go ahead and do that. And I never thought it would take off like this."</div> <bR> <div> The comments that incensed McCreight came from a prominent Iranian cleric.</div> <bR> <div> "Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes," said Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, Tehran's acting Friday prayer leader.</div> <bR> <div> That prompted McCreight to post on her blog a week ago that she wanted to test that theory to see if cleavage really does possess seismic powers. She made a "modest proposal," asking other "female skeptics" to join her in showing a little cleavage today.</div> <bR> <div> "With the power of our scandalous bodies combined, we should surely produce an earthquake. If not, I'm sure Sedighi can come up with a rational explanation for why the ground didn't rumble," she wrote on Apr. 19 on BlagHag.com.</div> <bR> <div> Since posting the plea on Facebook, close to 200,000 people have confirmed they will participate in "Boobquake." She says she's even getting emails of support from Iran, where women are required by law to cover from head to toe.</div> <bR> <div> McCreight also noted that she has received some negative response and heard from some who say she is objectifying women.</div> <bR> <div> "What I say in response to that is people are doing this voluntarily," she said.</div> <bR> <div> "I'm not forcing people to do it. If women want to dress that way, we have the right to do that. To say that some men might behave inappropriately, that we should be the ones to cover up, that just doesn't make sense to me."</div> <bR> <div> McCreight says it's up to women how they want to take part in the event.</div> <bR> <div> "I don't want people to force themselves to dress more immodestly than they feel comfortable," she said. "But if you want to wear a low-cut shirt or some shorts, whatever you like. And we're going to see if we actually cause more or more severe earthquakes today."</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 376 WIDTH="707"><div> McCreight writes on her blog that she is not expecting a cessation of all seismic activity, noting that small earthquakes happen every day around the world. Iran is located on seismic fault lines and experiences at least one small earthquake every day, on average.</div> <bR> <div> She also writes that she doesn't people to write in to with every bit of seismic activity they hear about around the world on Monday -- including one that struck off the southeast coast of Taiwan early Monday morning.</div> <bR> <div> "No, the Taiwan earthquake is not statistically significant -- yet. If we get many of a similar magnitude in the next 24 hours, then we might start worshipping the power of immodesty," she wrote at 12:34 a.m. ET.</div> <bR> <div> The United States Geological Survey may beg to differ with McCreight's assessment. They note that the strong quake had a magnitude of 6.9, though, because it occurred deep underground, it did not cause damage.</div> <bR> <div> McCreight says she'll be compiling some statistics after the event.</div> <bR> <div> "We're looking to see if Boobquake significantly increases the number or severity of earthquakes," she wrote.</div> <bR> <div> "Or if an earthquake strikes West Lafayette, IN and only kills me, that may be good evidence of God's wrath as well – (I'm not too concerned.)"</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="25"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Tories should reveal details of Jaffer dealings: MPs</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Apr. 25  2010  13:42  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 25th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Opposition MPs investigating potential improper lobbying by Rahim Jaffer are asking the government to disclose details about dealings they have had with the former Tory MP.</B></div> <bR> <div> Jaffer and his business partner, Patrick Glemaud, testified before the Standing Committee on Government Operations last Wednesday to answer allegations of improper lobbying on Parliament Hill.</div> <bR> <div> They denied the charge, saying they had not registered as lobbyists with the federal government because they have never received funds from any client for lobbying work.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <IMG SRC="f0d3a06a0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="106" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Former MP Rahim Jaffer prepares to testify at the Commons government operations and estimates committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, April 21, 2010. (Fred Chartrand / THE CANADIAN PRESS)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 720 WIDTH="707"><div> But on Friday, Environment Minister Jim Prentice said Jaffer met with one of his staffers -- regional affairs director Scott Wenger -- in April 2009 and that Jaffer was acting as a representative of a green technology company.</div> <bR> <div> "Why didn't the Conservative government (come forward), at that particular time, when they knew that Mr. Jaffer's company was making overtures towards a number of ministers?" Liberal MP Siobhan Coady asked Sunday on CTV's Question Period.</div> <bR> <div> New Democrat MP Pat Martin also questioned the timing of Prentice's announcement.</div> <bR> <div> "Where's the accountability of the ministers that allowed this to go on? It only became a problem to them when it the front page of a national newspaper," Martin told Question Period.</div> <bR> <div> Allegations of improper lobbying first surfaced in a Toronto Star report earlier this month.</div> <bR> <div> Tory MP Tom Lukiwski defended his colleagues, saying that it doesn't fall to politicians to report inappropriate lobbying activity.</div> <bR> <div> "It is the responsibility of the individuals to register with the lobbyist commissioner -- it's not the responsibility of the government," he said.</div> <bR> <div> "To suggest in some way that the government was derelict in its responsibility is absolutely false."</div> <bR> <div> Jaffer and Glemaud are partners in Green Power Generation Corp., a firm that promotes sustainable technologies and renewable energy products.</div> <bR> <div> Coady, Lukiwski and Martin all sit on the Standing Committee on Government Operations, which is probing allegations of improper lobbying against the two men.</div> <bR> <div> Toronto businessmen Nazim Gillani, who has been linked to Jaffer, will appear before the committee next week.</div> <bR> <div> Coady said she intends to ask Gillani about meetings he had with Jaffer last September, and what he took away from those meetings.</div> <bR> <div> According to a Toronto Star report, the two men discussed means of obtaining government funds for business projects. Jaffer allegedly referred to a "green fund" that could be accessed.</div> <bR> <div> "This is almost like an onion," Coady said. "The more you peel, the more smell there is and the more tears there are around this whole issue."</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="24"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>IMF meetings discuss Greece as Flaherty rides high</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Sat. Apr. 24  2010  19:03  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 24th, 2010</div> <div> <B>WASHINGTON — The financial calamity threatening Greece dominated discussions Saturday at meetings of the International Monetary Fund as some European countries expressed fears that US$60 billion in aid won't stave it off, said Canada's Jim Flaherty.</B></div> <bR> <div> Fresh off winning his battle against a global bank tax advocated by the IMF, Flaherty sat down with a roundtable of Canadian media to say the situation in Greece serves as a warning to countries like the U.S. and Great Britain on the dangers of running astronomically high deficits.</div> <bR> <div> "The crisis in Greece focuses the mind," Flaherty said, adding some countries have "too much optimism" in their economic forecasts and need to deal realistically with their debt problems.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <IMG SRC="f0d2a05e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="94" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> G-20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank co-chairs Jung Su Kim, Korean central bank governor, left, and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, meet with reporters at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, Friday, April 23, 2010. (AP / Cliff Owen)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 641 WIDTH="707"><div> "There are a number of western industrialized economies, including a number of European economies, that are running substantial deficits and accumulating a lot of debt," he said.</div> <bR> <div> "Those issues need to be addressed and can't go on indefinitely, especially since we are starting to see good indications of economic recovery."</div> <bR> <div> The finance minister sounded a note of cautious optimism when he said that if the European Union and the IMF deal quickly with Greece's request for the massive bailout, there's little fear that the Greek situation could lead to the dreaded financial "contagion."</div> <bR> <div> That would mean a cascading series of economic collapses in nearby nations that could result in another global financial meltdown. Portugal and Spain are particular countries of concern in the EU.</div> <bR> <div> "The consensus view is that the situation in Greece can be dealt with in an isolated way and that if it's dealt with fairly soon, that will be the end of that subject," Flaherty said.</div> <bR> <div> The European Union and the IMF are urgently formulating a strategy to help Greece, he added. Conditions will be attached to the package, Flaherty said, although he didn't provide details.</div> <bR> <div> He also said some Group of 20 countries, especially European nations, are nervous that $60 billion won't get the job done.</div> <bR> <div> "Some countries think it's not enough," Flaherty said. "There is concern about making sure that the package is enough so that it's a one-time event."</div> <bR> <div> Greece appealed on Friday for the billions in aid from its European Union partners and the IMF in the worst financial crises to hit the EU since it was founded in 1993.</div> <bR> <div> Flaherty was riding high on Saturday following his successful campaign against the global bank tax recommended by the IMF to ward off another financial meltdown like the one that occurred in the autumn of 2008.</div> <bR> <div> A defiant Flaherty argued it made no sense to tax banks in countries like Canada, where no taxpayer bailouts were required to prop them up during the economic tailspin, and vowed he would not implement such a levy in Canada.</div> <bR> <div> In a communique issued at the end of Friday's meetings of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, there was no endorsement of the multilateral bank tax. It will be discussed again at the G20 in Toronto in June, but Flaherty reiterated Saturday that there's not enough support for it among the 20 member nations.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 625 WIDTH="707"><div> While visits from Canadian cabinet ministers to D.C. usually attract attention from mostly Canadian media, Flaherty was trailed by reporters from high-profile international news outlets for days as he railed against the tax.</div> <bR> <div> Even U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner tipped his hat to Flaherty at his own news conference at the end of the meetings on Friday.</div> <bR> <div> "All things are swinging Canada's way," he joked. "They won the medal in the Olympics, the hockey medal. That is a good sign for Canada."</div> <bR> <div> Flaherty was modest Saturday about his newfound celebrity on the global economic stage, but conceded it felt odd to find himself disagreeing so vehemently with some of the world's economic powerhouses.</div> <bR> <div> "What was a little bit unusual about this was that one tries to have unanimity of views in the G7, in the Western industrialized economies, and Canada's the smallest player in that group," he said.</div> <bR> <div> "So there was some hesitancy to disagree so clearly with the UK and France and Germany, but on the other hand, their circumstances were so different going through the crisis that our first duty is to our own countries."</div> <bR> <div> But Flaherty, who went to Princeton on a hockey scholarship, expressed delight that Geithner made mention of Canada's Olympic hockey glory in his news conference, guffawing about it to reporters at the conclusion of the roundtable.</div> <bR> <div> On other matters of global economic importance, Flaherty said it was "likely" that China would move to liberalize its foreign-exchange policy after he enjoyed a long dinner conversation with his Chinese counterpart during his time in Washington.</div> <bR> <div> Looking forward to the G20 summit in Toronto in June, Flaherty said there's consensus among the member nations on several key issues surrounding financial sector reform, if not the global bank tax.</div> <bR> <div> The countries agree on how to go about implementing reform, including "quality and quantity of bank capital, standards for both, and a cap on leverage," he said.</div> <bR> <div> "And then going down the list to effective regulation -- we think that's very important, because most of the financial institutions that failed during the crisis were regulated, but not effectively regulated. And we think Canada is a model of effective regulation, quite frankly, and the Canadian model or something like it ought to be implemented globally."</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="23"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 180 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Burning Louisiana oil rig sinks, 11 still missing</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Apr. 22  2010  20:37  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 23rd, 2010</div> <div> <B>An off-shore oil rig that was hit by a massive explosion two days ago sank in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday, creating the possibility of a major spill.</B></div> <bR> <div> The sinking of the Deepwater Horizon could send more than one million litres of crude oil into the water each day. The environmental impact would be the most severe if the spill were to reach the Louisiana coast, about 80 kilometres away.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0c7a05a0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="90" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows fire boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon Wednesday April 21, 2010.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 645 WIDTH="707"><div> After it was rocked by an explosion Tuesday, the rig burned intensely. Firefighters had been battling towering flames for nearly two days, trying to control the fire that erupted after a thunderous explosion engulfed the oil platform off the Louisiana coast. More than 100 people escaped the explosion and resulting fire. Four people were critically injured.</div> <bR> <div> The Coast Guard is still searching for 11 workers who have been missing since Tuesday's blast, but one relative said families have been told it's unlikely any of them survived.</div> <bR> <div> Carolyn Kemp of Monterey, La., told the Associated Press Thursday that her grandson, Roy Wyatt Kemp, 27, was among the missing. He would have been on the drilling platform during the explosion, she said.</div> <bR> <div> "They're assuming all those men who were on the platform are dead," she said. "That's the last we've heard."</div> <bR> <div> Coast Guard boats and aircraft criss-crossed the area around the burning rig, searching for the 11 missing workers. The search crews have covered the 3,000-square-kilometre search area 12 times by air and five times by boat.</div> <bR> <div> Coast Guard crews in two cutters have been searching around the clock, said Coast Guard Lieut. Sue Kerver, while planes and helicopters joined them by day.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Underwater situation unknown</B></div> <bR> <div> Coast Guard Petty Officer Katherine McNamara said the well could be spilling as much as 336,000 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf a day.</div> <bR> <div> Crews had seen a 1.5-kilometre by 1.5-kilometre sheen of what looked to be crude oil on the surface of the water, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry said. But she added that after the rig sank, there was no evidence of crude oil coming out. What's happening underwater is not known, so officials have sent a vessel to check.</div> <bR> <div> Doug Helton, incident operations co-ordinator for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's office of response and restoration said the spill is not expected to reach the shore in the next three to four days.</div> <bR> <div> "But if the winds were to change, it could come ashore more rapidly," he said.</div> <bR> <div> The well will need to be capped off underwater. A Coast Guard spokesperson said crews were prepared for the rig to sink and had the equipment on hand to minimize the damage to the environment.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Survivors back on land</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 608 WIDTH="707"><div> Some survivors were being reunited with their families at a suburban New Orleans hotel on Thursday. Meanwhile, rescuers scoured the Gulf of Mexico in an increasingly desperate search for the handful of workers still missing from the explosion.</div> <bR> <div> After a long, slow boat trip, the rescued workers finally made it ashore at Port Fourchon earlier Thursday where they were checked by doctors and brought to a hotel in suburban New Orleans to await relatives.</div> <bR> <div> Stanley Murray of Monterey, La., was reunited with his son, Chad, early Thursday morning. His son, an electrician aboard the rig, had ended his shift just before the explosion.</div> <bR> <div> "If he had been there five minutes later, he would have been burned up," a relieved Stanley Murray said.</div> <bR> <div> The rig was doing exploratory drilling about 80 kilometres off the coast of Louisiana when it exploded, sending workers scuttling for safety. Many boarded life rafts but others were forced to jump more than 25 metres into the dark water of the Gulf.</div> <bR> <div> Seventeen people were injured in the blast and taken to hospitals, four of them critically. The Coast Guard said the injured suffered burns, broken legs and smoke inhalation.</div> <bR> <div> Adrian Rose, vice president of Transocean, told AP that the explosion appeared to be a blowout, in which natural gas or oil forces its way up a well pipe and smashes the equipment. But precisely what went wrong was still under investigation.</div> <bR> <div> The rig is owned by Transocean Ltd. and was under contract to oil giant BP.</div> <bR> <div> According to Transocean's website, the rig was built in 2001 in South Korea and is designed to operate in water up to 2,400 metres deep, drill 8.9 kilometres down, and accommodate a crew of 130. It floats on pontoons and is moored to the sea floor by several large anchors.</div> <bR> <div> Workers typically spend two weeks on the rig at a time, followed by two weeks off. Offshore oil workers typically earn US$40,000 to US$60,000 a year -- more if they have special skills.</div> <bR> <div> Since 2001, there have been 69 offshore deaths, 1,349 injuries and 858 fires and explosions in the Gulf, according to the federal Minerals Management Service.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="22"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 200 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Key documents in Jaffer testimony revealed</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Apr. 21  2010  22:25  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 22nd, 2010</div> <div> <B>One of three proposals that Rahim Jaffer's business partner purportedly showed MPs was for a green technology firm that Jaffer had been associated with, CTV News has learned.</B></div> <bR> <div> It asked Ottawa for $100 million for Green Rite Solutions, the sales arm of Wright Tech Systems, which offers environmentally friendly waste management technology.</div> <bR> <div> It's the same company that Jaffer's wife, former cabinet minister Helena Guergis, wrote a</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0bfa05a0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="90" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Rahim Jaffer and his business partner Patrick Glemaud appear before a Commons committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, April 21, 2010. (Fred Chartrand / THE CANADIAN PRESS)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 585 WIDTH="707"><div> letter of support for to a municipal politician in her riding. In a statement last week, Guergis said that she had previously looked into any potential links between the company and her husband, but became satisfied that no real link existed.</div> <bR> <div> On Wednesday, Jaffer and his partner, Patrick Glemaud, denied allegations of improper lobbying on Parliament Hill. </div> <div> Under questioning from members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, both Jaffer and Glemaud said they have not registered as lobbyists with the federal government because they have never received funds from any client for lobbying work.</div> <bR> <div> The two men are partners in Green Power Generation Corp., a company that promotes sustainable technologies and renewable energy products.</div> <bR> <div> Jaffer denied discussing his business in meetings he took with ministers, MPs and senators, saying he often told them about his new career only as a means of catching up with friends.</div> <bR> <div> But when asked about a document submitted to Brian Jean, parliamentary secretary to Transport Minister John Baird, on behalf of three companies, Glemaud called it an "executive summary" to determine if there was interest in learning more about the companies.</div> <bR> <div> "If there was an interest then there would be a request to submit a detailed business plan with all the details of the project," Glemaud said. "And that would be viewed as the actual grant or contribution agreement application, and that's when lobbying would start. We didn't get to that stage."</div> <bR> <div> "Our understanding is if we were in a position to be at that stage, then I would have to decide for myself to register as a lobbyist," Glemaud added.</div> <bR> <div> When Liberal MP Siobhan Coady asked for the names of the three companies mentioned in the executive summary -- one of them now revealed to be Wright Tech Systems -- Glemaud said he could not remember their names. Jaffer said he recused himself from that particular order of business because it may have given the impression of a conflict of interest.</div> <bR> <div> Committee chair Yasmin Ratansi requested that Glemaud supply the committee with the names of the companies or risk being in contempt of Parliament.</div> <bR> <div> <B>'Making us look bad'</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 786 WIDTH="707"><div> While some MPs kept a neutral tone during questioning, NDP MP Pat Martin came out swinging, telling Jaffer bluntly that "you are making us all look bad."</div> <bR> <div> Martin, who had tried to scuttle the proceedings over concerns that they would compromise any investigations by police or the federal lobbying commissioner, accused Jaffer of influence peddling, "a serious criminal offence. Influence peddling undermines the most fundamental, basic tenets of our democracy."</div> <bR> <div> Jaffer replied: "You're setting a new ethical standard right now because you have no evidence of anything and yet you're throwing out these allegations."</div> <bR> <div> Later, during a second round of testy questions from Martin, Jaffer replied: "I find it ironic that the one member who said he didn't want to turn this committee into a circus has now turned it into one."</div> <bR> <div> In an opening statement to the committee, Jaffer said his company has not engaged in improper lobbying on Parliament Hill and has not secured grants or other funds from the Canadian government.</div> <bR> <div> Jaffer questioned why he and Glemaud were called as witnesses as the committee probes their business dealings.</div> <bR> <div> "Initially, when our names appeared as witnesses, I found it unusual that the committee wanted to speak to us, as our business does not conduct any lobbying activities, nor do we attempt to obtain any public funding for our work," Jaffer said.</div> <bR> <div> "Then it became clear from the vicious attacks from media sources and in particular the opposition parties, that the reason we were being hauled in front of this committee was due to second-hand allegations, rumour and innuendo."</div> <bR> <div> On April 28, two Toronto businessmen -- Nazim Gillani and former CFL player Mike Mihelic -- are scheduled to speak to the committee about Jaffer's and Glemaud's business dealings.</div> <bR> <div> A report in the <I>Toronto Star</I> on April 8 detailed a meeting that involved Gillani, Mihelic and Jaffer, as well as other business associates last September.</div> <bR> <div> According to the <I>Star</I> account, the men discussed means of obtaining government funds for business projects and access to a "green fund" was allegedly brought up at the meeting.</div> <bR> <div> The next day, Gillani sent out an e-mail suggesting Jaffer had "opened up the Prime Minister's Office to us," a suggestion that Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office later shot down as being "absurd."</div> <bR> <div> During his opening statement, Glemaud also questioned the proceedings but said he agreed to appear "to defend my good name and reputation against allegations and innuendo that are completely untrue in law and in fact."</div> <bR> <div> "If this committee will be relying on statements from Kevin Donovan from the <I>Toronto Star</I>, I think you're starting on the wrong direction," Glemaud added moments later. "These are allegations and innuendo."</div> <bR> <div> According to Jaffer, he and Glemaud quickly realized after the September meeting that there was "no synergy" between their business and Gillani's and decided they would not continue working with him.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 615 WIDTH="707"><div> <B>Jaffer apologizes to wife, MPs</B></div> <bR> <div> During his statement, Jaffer apologized to his wife, Conservative MP Helena Guergis, who was booted from cabinet and caucus after the April 8 Star report. At the time, the prime minister announced that "serious allegations" about her conduct had been relayed to his office.</div> <bR> <div> Guergis is now sitting outside of the Conservative caucus pending a resolution to the matter.</div> <bR> <div> "She's the most important person in my life," Jaffer said, "and I love her dearly, and it was very unfortunate that her good name has been dragged into my problems unfairly."</div> <bR> <div> Jaffer also apologized "to my former colleagues for the trouble this whole episode has caused them."</div> <bR> <div> During his statement, Jaffer questioned the necessity of the committee investigation, saying allegations of improper lobbying should be dealt with by the federal lobbying commissioner.</div> <bR> <div> "For the record, the facts of this case are as follows," Jaffer said Wednesday. "One, GPG and its directors have not received any money from any grant, contribution or other financial benefit or on behalf of the government of Canada.</div> <bR> <div> "GPG and its directors, number two, have not received any compensation or payments on behalf of any person or organization to undertake any lobbying activities."</div> <bR> <div> <B>Jaffer denies drug use</B></div> <bR> <div> The Toronto meeting detailed in the April 8 Star report took place a few hours before Jaffer was arrested in Palgrave, Ont., and charged with cocaine possession and driving under the influence. Though those charges were later dropped, Jaffer pleaded guilty to careless driving in an Orangeville, Ont., court earlier this year.</div> <bR> <div> Jaffer said in his statement he has "never partaken in any illegal substance" and does not condone such behaviour. </div> <div> He did acknowledge "poor judgement" on that evening.</div> <bR> <div> "I was careless, I had a few drinks and I should have never tried to operate a motor vehicle," Jaffer told the committee.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I>  & w<I>ith a report by CTV Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="21"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 271 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>All eyes on Jaffer as ex-MP takes seat at hearing</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Apr. 21  2010  08:22  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 21st, 2010</div> <div> <B>A parliamentary committee is likely to stick to the substantive issues when it questions Rahim Jaffer Wednesday about his dealings with a Toronto businessman and allegations that the former Conservative MP suggested he could open doors inside the government.</B></div> <bR> <div> Jaffer and his business partner, Patrick Glemaud, have been invited to speak to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates on Wednesday afternoon.</div> <bR> <div> The two men are partners in Green Power Generation Corp., a company that promotes sustainable technologies and renewable energy products. They are supposed to speak to the committee between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0b5a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> MP Rahim Jaffer, the national caucus chairman reacts to the eviction of journalists by plain-clothes RCMP officers from the lobby of the Charlottetown hotel where the federal Conservative caucus is holding its annual meeting Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, in Charlottetown P.E.I. (CP PHOTO/Jacques Boissinot)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 620 WIDTH="707"><div> On April 28, two Toronto businessmen -- Nazim Gillani and former CFL player Mike Mihelic -- are scheduled to speak to the committee about the same issue.</div> <bR> <div> A report in the <I>Toronto Star</I> on April 8 detailed a meeting that involved Gillani, Mihelic and Jaffer, as well as other business associates last September.</div> <bR> <div> According to the <I>Star</I> account, the men discussed discussed means of obtaining government funds for business projects and access to a "green fund" was allegedly brought up at the meeting.</div> <bR> <div> The next day, Gillani sent out an e-mail suggesting Jaffer had "opened up the Prime Minister's Office to us," a suggestion that Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office later shot down as being "absurd."</div> <bR> <div> <I>Star</I> reporter Kevin Donovan said "it will be interesting to see how much latitude" committee members have during their session on Wednesday afternoon.</div> <bR> <div> "We're going to hopefully see questions about Mr. Jaffer's business dealings and I think one of the main questions is: We've heard that Nazim Gillani wrote to various people saying that Mr. Jaffer was going to open the prime minister's doors. But what did Mr. Jaffer say to him or indicate to him to make him say that?" Donovan told CTV's Canada AM during a telephone interview from Toronto on Wednesday morning.</div> <bR> <div> The Toronto meeting detailed in the April 8 <I>Star</I> report took placed a few hours before Jaffer was arrested in Palgrave, Ont., and charged with cocaine possession and driving under the influence. Though those charges were later dropped, Jaffer pleaded guilty to careless driving in an Orangeville, Ont., court earlier this year.</div> <bR> <div> Jaffer's business partner has indicated he is eager to talk to the parliamentary committee, as he and Jaffer "want to get this thing over with."</div> <bR> <div> But Donovan said Jaffer elected to stay silent when contacted by the <I>Star</I> in recent weeks regarding the allegations that had been raised about him.</div> <bR> <div> "When I first started looking into this story about a month ago, I certainly asked Mr. Jaffer to respond to questions on many occasions and I never heard a peep," said Donovan.</div> <bR> <div> Since the allegations about Jaffer were first raised in the April 8 <I>Star</I> report, his wife, Conservative MP Helena Guergis, has also fallen under scrutiny.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 360 WIDTH="707"><div> Guergis left the Conservative cabinet the morning after the <I>Star</I> report was released, with Harper announcing that "serious allegations" about her conduct had been relayed to his office.</div> <bR> <div> While the prime minister did not spell out what those allegations were, Harper said he "referred them" to both the ethics commissioner and the RCMP.</div> <bR> <div> Guergis is now sitting outside of the Conservative caucus pending a resolution to the matter.</div> <bR> <div> While opposition members have raised many questions about Jaffer and Guergis in recent days, some have cooled to the idea of having a parliamentary committee dig into the issue while it is being investigated by police.</div> <bR> <div> Donovan said it is unusual for a parliamentary committee to be pushing forward with the type of hearing taking place today, while an RCMP investigation is underway.</div> <bR> <div> "To me, this is almost more something you would see south of the border where a committee is convened and they ask some pretty tough questions," he said.</div> <bR> <div> "So, I guess we'll just have to see if it's going to come off today."</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I> </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Somali pirates seize 3 Thai ships with 77 crew</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Tue. Apr. 20  2010  07:16  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 20th, 2010</div> <div> <B>NAIROBI, Kenya — Somali pirates hijacked three Thai fishing vessels with 77 crew aboard more than 1,930 kilometers from the Somali coast, the farthest-off-shore attack to date, the EU Naval Force said Tuesday.</B></div> <bR> <div> Pirates have expanded their range south and east in response to an increase in patrols by European and American warships off the Somali shore.</div> <bR> <div> The hijacking of the three Thai vessels happened Sunday, said Cmdr. John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force. The attack took place well outside the area that the EU force operates in, he said.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f0aaa0830.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="131" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Somalia's Chief Justice Mohamud Omar Farah, seen, during an interview with the Associated Press in Nairobi, Kenya on Friday, March 19, 2010. (AP / Khalil Senosi)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 140 WIDTH="707"><div> The three vessels -- the MV Prantalay 11, 12, and 14 -- have 77 crew onboard in total. All the crew are Thai, Harbour said. The owner of the vessels is PT Interfishery Ltd.</div> <bR> <div> Pirates have increased attacks against shipping vessels over the last year in hopes of netting the multi-million dollar ransoms they can earn. Because of increased naval patrols and increased defenses on board commercial vessels, the pirates' success rate has gone down, though the number of successful attacks has stayed about the same year over year. </div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="19"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 217 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Volcanic ash delays flights in St. John's, N.L.</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Mon. Apr. 19  2010  08:32  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 19th, 2010</div> <div> <B>A number of flights in and out of the St. John's, N.L. airport have been delayed or cancelled, because of the threat from a giant volcanic ash cloud from Iceland.</B></div> <bR> <div> The St. John's International Airport website lists several departing flights as either cancelled or delayed up until 9 a.m. As for flights scheduled for later in the day, airport spokeswoman Marie Manning says Transport Canada is closely monitoring the effects of the ash cloud on Canadian airspace.</div> <bR> <div> Transport Canada could decide to shut down the airspace over St. John's, if necessary. </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f09ca07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Emily Mantle from Calgary takes a nap at St. John's International Airport after flights were cancelled early Monday, April 19, 2010. (Andrew Vaughan / THE CANADIAN PRESS)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 695 WIDTH="707"><div> They would then advise Nav Canada, which would then issue a "notice to airmen," advising pilots of the closure, said Nav Canada spokeswoman Michelle Bishop.</div> <bR> <div> The disruptions to air travel could leave musicians and other revellers who've been in St. John's for the Juno Awards stranded on the Rock.</div> <bR> <div> The ash cloud, which is expected to reach Newfoundland sometime Monday, could then move down the eastern seaboard of the United States, according to projections. That could mean more flight cancellations if the plume contains high concentrations of volcanic debris.</div> <bR> <div> AMEC meteorologist Stephen Green says it's a suprise that the volcano near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier is sending a tongue of its plume over the Atlantic.</div> <bR> <div> "That is very, very rare for surface level winds to be dragging particulates west across the Atlantic," Green noted to CTV's Canada AM from St. John's.</div> <bR> <div> He explained that a number of weather systems converging in the Atlantic are to blame. A large high pressure system has settled over Greenland along with two low pressure systems, one over the Azores and another one south of Newfoundland and Labrador.</div> <bR> <div> The winds blowing between the high and lows are acting like a vacuum cleaner, taking the ash cloud and dragging it against the jet stream.</div> <bR> <div> Green notes that the situation isn't likely to change anytime soon.</div> <bR> <div> "This weather pattern is going to persist for up to a week, at a minimum," he said. "So we can expect the ash to come across the Atlantic for up to a week."</div> <bR> <div> He says it's a near certainty that the plume will bring ash across the eastern seaboard, including through the New England states and eastern Quebec. But it remains to be seen what kind of concentrations of volcanic debris will be inside the clouds.</div> <bR> <div> "If the concentrations are sufficient to disrupt flight operations, it has the potential to disrupt flights in the eastern seaboard of the U.S.," Green said.</div> <bR> <div> Green also noted that the Iceland volcano continues to erupt and that most volcanologists expect this eruption to last up to two or three months.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="18"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 186 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Volcanic ash may be drifting to Canada's East Coast</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Apr. 18  2010  10:51  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 18th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Volcanic ash from a massive plume hovering over Europe may be heading all the way to Newfoundland and that has caused many flights out of St. John's to be cancelled for Monday morning.</B></div> <bR> <div> That means musicians and other revellers in St. John's for the Juno Awards over the weekend could have a difficult time leaving the Rock after a night of celebrating Canadian music.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <IMG SRC="f0a9a07b0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="123" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The volcano in southern Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier sends ash into the air Saturday, April 17, 2010. (AP / Brynjar Gauti)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 699 WIDTH="707"><div> An erupting volcano in Iceland has been sending a massive cloud of ash into the sky for days, forcing the closure of airspace over much of Europe.</div> <bR> <div> Transport Canada and Nav Canada have advised the St. John's International Airport that there is a chance the ash spewing from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano will reach St. John's airspace Monday morning, said a spokeswoman for the airport.</div> <bR> <div> "We do have a number of flights that have been cancelled Monday morning for precautionary reasons," said Marie Manning, the airport's director of marketing and community relations.</div> <bR> <div> "What we understand is about a 30 per cent chance that the volcanic ash will hit us."</div> <bR> <div> It looked as though travel surrounding the Juno Awards would be hampered both before and after the celebrations, as thick fog prevented some musical acts on Saturday from attending the Juno Fan Fare -- a showcase for bands nominated for new group of the year.</div> <bR> <div> On Sunday night, singer Michael Buble cut short his celebration after winning album and single of the year saying he was worried about the possible effect of the volcanic ash cloud.</div> <bR> <div> "I spoke to my pilot...just now, who told me that the ash cloud would be coming to St. John's by 3 a.m. and that it could be three days before anybody leaves here," Buble said.</div> <bR> <div> Transport Canada would make the decision to shut down the airspace, if necessary, and they would advise Nav Canada, who would then issue a "notice to airmen," advising pilots of the closure, said Nav Canada spokeswoman Michelle Bishop.</div> <bR> <div> Air Canada, WestJet and Porter Airlines have cancelled flights Monday out of St. John's up to 9 a.m., Manning said.</div> <bR> <div> Air Canada spokeswoman Angela Mah said the airline has also cancelled Monday morning flights to and from Gander and Deer Lake.</div> <bR> <div> "The volcanic ash is spreading westward and we are expecting it to affect our flight operations to and from three Canadian airports in Newfoundland and Labrador," she said.</div> <bR> <div> Mah said Air Canada would keep an eye on the situation throughout the night and Monday morning for flights after 9 a.m. and she advised passengers to check the airline's website for the most up-to-date information.</div> <bR> <div> "We will continue to evaluate for the rest of the day which flights we will be able to operate but we do expect there will be some delays and cancellations," she said.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="17"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 196 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Remarks prompt B.C. premier to boycott Sikh parade</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Sat. Apr. 17  2010  11:15  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 17th, 2010</div> <div> <B>B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has carried through on his pledge to boycott the annual Vaisakhi parade in Surrey, B.C., on Saturday after one of the organizers failed to apologize for controversial remarks about Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh and B.C. Liberal MLA Dave Hayer.</B></div> <bR> <div> The trouble started after organizer Inderjit Singh Bains told a Punjabi-language radio station that the two Sikh politicians were not invited to the event, which has come to draw upwards of 100,000 people each year.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <IMG SRC="f0a8a0670.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="103" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, last weekend at an earlier Vaisakhi parade in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday April 10, 2010. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 435 WIDTH="707"><div> Both Dosanjh and Hayer have spoken out against violence that afflicted the province's Sikh community in the 1980s. Sikh separatists were blamed for bombing two Air India planes. More than 300 people died in the attacks.</div> <bR> <div> Bains said Dosanjh and Hayer would need security if they were to attend.</div> <bR> <div> "Obviously, it's totally unacceptable in Canada that anyone would say those things about a public official," Campbell said about the matter on Friday. "Right now, I'm not expecting to go. I would have to hear an awful lot from the organizers of the parade with regard to what actually it is that they think they're trying to accomplish."</div> <bR> <div> Dosanjh said he has brought the matter to the attention of the RCMP.</div> <bR> <div> "For them to single me out means that it is a direct implicit threat against me and it is an invitation for others to do violence to me if I do attend," Dosanjh said.</div> <bR> <div> Other politicians such as Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal were present at the parade on Saturday.</div> <bR> <div> Dhaliwal called Bains' remarks hypocritical.</div> <bR> <div> "Sikhism is about accepting everyone," he said.</div> <bR> <div> Although the celebration had all the marks of a family event, there were also a few signs of Sikh separatism along the parade route.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with a report from CTV British Columbia's Renu Bakshi and files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="16"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 196 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Ash cloud continues to cripple European air travel</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Fri. Apr. 16  2010  10:20  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 16th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Europe will see less than half the typical number of planes travelling through its air space Friday, as aviation officials work to keep flights away from a troublesome volcanic ash cloud that is putting planes at risk.</B></div> <bR> <div> The ash cloud originated from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland, which began erupting Wednesday. Two days later, an ash cloud is drifting between 6 and 11 kilometres above the ground, along an Atlantic Ocean flight path that many planes travel through when crossing from the Eastern United States to Europe.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f094a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Travellers gather inside a terminal at the Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport, outside Paris, Friday, April 16, 2010. (AP / Christophe Ena)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 335 WIDTH="707"><div> Aviation experts say the ash cloud creates a risk that debris could be sucked into the engines of airplanes travelling in its vicinity. Volcanic ash clouds can also cause visibility problems for pilots.</div> <bR> <div> The circumstances have created temporary and fluctuating no-fly zones across Europe, including in Britain, Ireland, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Belgium. Many flights out of Germany have been halted, as well as in Poland, where a major state funeral is scheduled to take place on Sunday.</div> <bR> <div> CTV's London Bureau Chief Tom Kennedy said Polish officials are monitoring the situation and the government has indicated "that as a last resort, they are prepared to delay the funeral" that is expected to draw leaders from around the world -- including Prime Minister Stephen Harper.</div> <bR> <div> "The problem is that it's very unpredictable. They don't know where this cloud is going to be moving, they also don't know how quickly it's going to dissipate," Kennedy told CTV's Canada AM from Warsaw on Friday morning.</div> <bR> <div> "The latest we've heard from British authorities is that the cloud is moving very, very slowly, therefore it is very, very dense. So, if that is the case, it's quite possible as we have heard already, that this situation is going to drag on, not just for the next few hours, but for the next several days."</div> <bR> <div> <B>Flight problems spread globally</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 559 WIDTH="707"><div> The flight delays in Europe have had a ripple effect around the world, said Eurocontrol, the European air traffic agency.</div> <bR> <div> "We expect around 11,000 flights to take place today in European airspace. On a normal day, we would expect 28,000," said Kyla Evans, a Eurocontrol spokesperson.</div> <bR> <div> "The cloud of volcanic ash is continuing to move east and southeast."</div> <bR> <div> BNN's Michael Kane said the delays are costing worldwide airlines a collective fortune.</div> <bR> <div> "We're being told that if air travel is disrupted for three days -- and this is according to the Asia Pacific Aviation Centre – a three-day shutdown would cost the industry as much as $1 billion," Kane told CTV's Canada AM on Friday morning.</div> <bR> <div> "If this goes on for another day, we're talking huge, huge amounts of money," Kane added.</div> <bR> <div> Stephen Green, a meteorologist and environmental engineer with AMEC, said the Eyjafjallajokull volcano is now spewing out less ash than it was two days ago, which will lessen the problems for European air travellers over the weekend.</div> <bR> <div> But Green said the volcanic debris could eventually spread very far from its current location if it maintains a position of 10 kilometres or more above sea level.</div> <bR> <div> "Ten kilometers is pretty much the magic mark because the upper layer of the atmosphere is called the troposphere. Basically, it's a river of fast-moving air circling the Earth," Green told CTV's Canada AM from St. John's, N.L.</div> <bR> <div> "If it gets into the troposphere, it could extend for thousands and thousands of miles."</div> <bR> <div> Some parts of Europe expect some improvement by the end of Friday, such as in France, where some planes will be allowed to land at three Paris airports for a short period of time. In Sweden and Norway, flights were banned in their respective capital cities, though air travellers are now able to land in some northern cities. In Ireland, airports reopened in Dublin and Cork on Friday, though some restrictions were still in place in the country's airspace.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="15"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>RCMP probe of Guergis centres around cocaine allegations</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Apr. 14  2010  22:02  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 15th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Helena Guergis, the former minister of state for the status of women, was expelled from caucus and is being investigated by RCMP over allegations of partying with cocaine and prostitutes, CTV News has learned.</B></div> <bR> <div> Private investigator Derek Snowdy says Guergis lost her Tory post after he informed a Conservative Party lawyer of those allegations, CTV's Robert Fife reported Wednesday night.</div> <bR> <div> Snowdy had been conducting a 19-month probe into the affairs of Nazim Gillani and his business partner, former CFL player Mike Mihelic, when he learned of purported illicit behaviour by Guergis and her husband, former Tory MP Rahim Jaffer.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f089a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Private investigator Derek Snowdy informed a Conservative party lawyer of the allegations against cabinet minister Helena Guergis.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 587 WIDTH="707"><div> Both Gillani and Mihelic are facing fraud charges on an unrelated matter.</div> <bR> <div> Gilliani boasted that he had cellphone photos of Guergis and Jaffer "partying" with cocaine and high-priced hookers, Snowdy said.</div> <bR> <div> "I was concerned about blackmail," he said.</div> <bR> <div> It has not been confirmed that Gillani said those comments or that he had the cellphone photos, but it was those allegations that caused Harper to act.</div> <bR> <div> Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not commented on the allegations facing Guergis, saying only that he acted as soon as learned of them.</div> <bR> <div> "The minister offered to resign and I accepted her resignation and I've also made it very clear that I had received some information of serious allegations, of which I had no direct knowledge, and of which I did the appropriate thing and forwarded those to the authorities," Harper said during Question Period on Wednesday.</div> <bR> <div> In an email to CTV earlier on Wednesday, Guergis said she was unable to respond to all questions about the matter at this time.</div> <bR> <div> "I'm sure you can appreciate it is very difficult to answer allegations based on innuendo from anonymous sources. Nevertheless, I intend to defend myself to the fullest extent to ensure that the record is set straight," Guergis wrote.</div> <bR> <div> "What I can tell you is that as soon as I heard the Prime Minister had referred certain matters to the RCMP and the Ethics Commissioner I contacted both parties to offer my full co-operation. The Ethics Commissioner has already said she does not have any information to warrant an investigation and I'm still awaiting an answer from the RCMP. Because this is now in the hands of the police I have retained legal counsel."</div> <bR> <div> Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has charged that the behaviour of Guergis and Jaffer reflected poorly on the prime minister, calling it the latest incident in a "pattern of arrogance."</div> <bR> <div> "The question now is not about Mr. and Mrs. Jaffer, it is about the prime minister . . . will he finally admit that with the confidence he displayed with this couple, he displayed a poor lack of judgment?" Ignatieff asked.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 509 WIDTH="707"><div> NDP Leader Jack Layton told the prime minister to "at least give us a hint as to why the RCMP is involved."</div> <bR> <div> Harper responded that it was "inappropriate" to comment on the matter as it was before the RCMP.</div> <bR> <div> Earlier on Wednesday, Guergis spoke out against a CTV report which said the third-party allegations against her are related to blackmail and drug use.</div> <bR> <div> The former junior Conservative cabinet minister said she was shocked by the story.</div> <bR> <div> "This is completely ridiculous and an example of rumours gone amok," Guergis wrote in an email to The Canadian Press Wednesday.</div> <bR> <div> The embattled politician was booted from her cabinet post and the Tory caucus last week.</div> <bR> <div> Jaffer has also been under intense scrutiny amid allegations of improper lobbying and questionable use of Guergis' parliamentary resources.</div> <bR> <div> Guergis has rejected those charges, as has Jaffer's business partner, Patrick Glemaud.</div> <bR> <div> Glemaud has said their company, Green Power Generation, never made a dime on Jaffer's Tory connections.</div> <bR> <div> Gillani has claimed to his associates that Jaffer, who is a partner in green energy consulting firm Green Power Generation Corp., could give them special access to the Prime Minister's Office, a claim that Harper has adamantly denied.</div> <bR> <div> Guergis has hired Howard Rubel, the same lawyer that her husband used to negotiate a controversial plea bargain on impaired-driving and drug charges.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="14"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 250 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Quakes strike western China killing 400, injuring 10,000</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Apr. 14  2010  08:42  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 14th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Multiple earthquakes shook a remote province in western China on Wednesday morning, killing at least 400 people and injuring more than 10,000 others.</B></div> <bR> <div> The rumblings started in Yushu, a rural county in the southern part of Qinghai province that is home to about 100,000 people, at about 7:49 a.m. local time. The U.S. Geological Survey said at least six tremors occurred in a three-hour period, all of which registered a magnitude of 5.0 or higher.</div> <bR> <div> Karsum Nyima, the deputy head of news at the Yushu country TV station, said the largest quake -- which the USGS measured at a magnitude of 6.9 -- left residents running for their lives as their mud-and-wood homes collapsed.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f081a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> People walk on the ruins of collapsed buildings after a quake in Yushu County, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Wednesday, April 14, 2010. (Xinhua / Ren Xiaogang)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 517 WIDTH="707"><div> "In a flash, the houses went down. It was a terrible earthquake," Nyima said in a telephone interview with China Central Television (CCTV). "In a small park, there is a Buddhist pagoda and the top of the pagoda fell off. … Everybody is out on the streets, standing in front of their houses, trying to find their family members."</div> <bR> <div> CCTV reported that the death toll had reached 400 by Wednesday afternoon.</div> <bR> <div> In Jiegu, the main city in Yushu county, located about 30 kilometres from the epicenter of the Wednesday quakes, an estimated 85 per cent of the local houses had collapsed, local publicity official Zhuohuaxia told the official Xinhua News Agency.</div> <bR> <div> "The streets in Jiegu are thronged with panic and full of injured people, with many of them bleeding from their injuries," Zhouhuaxia was quoted as saying.</div> <bR> <div> Wu Yong, commander of the local army garrison, warned that the death toll "may rise rurther as lots of houses collapsed."</div> <bR> <div> Wu said the rescue effort was being hampered by strong winds and frequent aftershocks, as well as downed phone lines. Other officials said a lack of excavators left paramilitary police shoveling away rubble by hand.</div> <bR> <div> Ren Yu, the general manager of the Yushu Hotel in Jiegu, said the sudden collapse of so many buildings put "so much dust in the air, we couldn't see anything."</div> <bR> <div> "There was a lot of panic. People were crying on the streets. Some of our staff, who were reunited with their parents, were also in tears," he said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press.</div> <bR> <div> The Yushu Hotel was relatively undamaged and more than 100 of its guests were relocated in the aftermath of the disaster. Ren said he and his staff then turned their attention to helping rescue people in other buildings where the damage had been much greater.</div> <bR> <div> "We pulled out 70 people, but some of them died on the way to the hospital," he said.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 442 WIDTH="707"><div> A fire brigade found itself trying to rescue 20 students who were trapped in a Jiegu school following the quakes. The head of the rescue team, Kang Zifu, told CCTV that he and his fellow firefighters were also trying to get 40 or more people out of a four-storey building that had collapsed.</div> <bR> <div> Qinghai's provincial government said it had distributed 5,000 tents and 100,000 coats and blankets to survivors who were left outdoors in harsh winds and single-digit temperatures in the aftermath of the quakes.</div> <bR> <div> Francis Markus, a spokesperson for the International Federation of the Red Cross, said it is believed that the destruction from Wednesday's quakes will not be nearly as devastating as the disaster in neighbouring Sichuan province that killed tens of thousands of people nearly two years ago.</div> <bR> <div> "We believe and we hope at this stage that we are not looking at a disaster of the proportions of the Sichuan earthquake which saw, obviously, more than 80,000 people dead," Markus told CTV's Canada AM during a telephone interview from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, on Wednesday.</div> <bR> <div> "We are basing the hope on the fact that this is a very remote area -- very rugged and sparsely populated, although there are some small towns and townships but a lot of it is populated by herders and farmers out in the countryside."</div> <bR> <div> In the rural areas within Qinghai province, many houses are built out of simple materials, which has left them vulnerable, Markus said.</div> <bR> <div> "Generally in the countryside, most of the housing is made of earth and timber, so in many cases, perhaps a large number of injuries, which we're seeing…are caused by the collapse of housing like that," he said.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="13"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Montreal woman feared lost at sea suddenly found</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Tue. Apr. 13  2010  08:43  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 13th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Martin Neufeld is feeling both joyful and angry. Joyful his wife, who was feared dead for almost a month while sailing off Chile, is in fact alive and well. But angry after hearing what she went through.</B></div> <bR> <div> Neufeld's wife, Josée "Jade" Chabot, set sail from Ecuador on Jan. 16 aboard a 13-metre sloop. She and four other experienced crew members had paid $3,500 for a 45-day trip into the Pacific to earn their own skipper's licences.</div> <bR> <div> Their boat was due to dock in Coquimbo, Chile, around Feb. 27 and Chabot planned to fly home March 16.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f079a0ae0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="174" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Josee 'Jade' Chabot and Martin Neufeld are seen in this undated handout photo.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 716 WIDTH="707"><div> But then an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile on Feb. 26, the day before the boat was due to dock, and a tsunami followed. When Chabot failed to arrive in Chile as planned, her husband began to suspect the worst.</div> <bR> <div> "I must tell you it's been a roller coaster ride emotionally and psychologically for the past month-and-a-half," Neufeld told CTV's Canada AM via Skype from his home in Amos, Que.</div> <bR> <div> "It's going from one extreme to the next. It's losing her to finding her again. It's been an incredible journey for me -- and probably a lot more incredible for her, because they were completely oblivious that there was an earthquake and a tsunami and that half the world was looking for them," he said.</div> <bR> <div> Neufeld said as the weeks passed, there was no word from the ship or its skipper. Though Chilean authorities started a search, no trace of the sloop or its crew were found.</div> <bR> <div> Then on Sunday, the boat suddenly quietly docked in Coquimbo -- almost six weeks late.</div> <bR> <div> Now Neufeld is angry. He's since learned that the boat's skipper, Boguslaw (Bob) Norwid, refused to allow his crew to radio home to say they were delayed, simply because he is philosophically opposed to it.</div> <bR> <div> "This captain never turns on his radio, even when he's close to land," Neufeld explained.</div> <bR> <div> "So what I find unforgivable is that when they came back on their course finally around the Juan Fernandez Archipelago near Chile, they could have radioed there but they didn't. They could have radioed when they got in to Coquimbo, Chile, but they didn't. The captain just kind of snuck in without telling anybody," he says.</div> <bR> <div> "So this is a captain that has a habit of really sailing under the radar. He doesn't believe in having a satellite radio because as far as he's concerned, calling 'Mama' when you're out at sea is not being a sailor," says Neufeld.</div> <bR> <div> Neufeld has since learned from his wife that the boat was tossed around in a number of storms, then got stuck in a dead calm between Ecuador and Chile.</div> <bR> <div> "And what happens is a sailboat gets caught out there, it can sit for weeks and wait until there's wind before they can move. But there's also a current there that takes them out into the Pacific and they drifted out about 2,000 nautical miles. Once they were out there, they were out of the search area. Their radio can't contact anybody."</div> <bR> <div> Neufeld says he knows his family is not the only one angry and he's considering a lawsuit.</div> <bR> <div> "Most of the families are quite angry at the captain. We're angry because we've lived such profound emotions that even in this joyful celebration, it turns to anger… Because it's not fair we experienced all this," he said.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="12"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Terry Fox 's Marathon of Hope remembered 30 years later</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Mon. Apr. 12  2010  08:35  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 12th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Thirty years ago today, Terry Fox began his inspiring "Marathon of Hope", with the dream of running across the country and raising what was then a staggering $1 million for cancer research.</B></div> <bR> <div> Three decades later, his legacy lives on as strong as ever, with more than $500 million raised in his name since his story of courage and determination became the stuff of Canadian legend.</div> <bR> <div> When Fox began his run on April 12, 1980 by dipping his foot into the Atlantic Ocean in St. John's Harbour, he said he wanted to make a difference in the lives of other people battling cancer.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f070a0a80.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="168" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Runner Terry Fox continues his Marathon of Hope run across Canada, 1980. (The Canadian Press)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 749 WIDTH="707"><div> His mother, Betty, says it was her son's time spent in hospital while he battled his cancer that forged his resolve to do something more.</div> <bR> <div> "He never really lost sight of the patients that he left behind on the cancer ward," Betty recalled to CTV's Canada AM Monday, from St. John's, where she's marking the anniversary.</div> <bR> <div> "He really wanted to do something to find the cause of cancer. And that was really the main purpose of what he did."</div> <bR> <div> Terry's sister Judith says it's still incredible to think that her brother ran the equivalent of a marathon -- 40 kilometres -- each day of his 143-day run. But she says that's the kind of person her brother was.</div> <bR> <div> "Terry was a very determined person right from a very young person. We were all taught as children not to give up on anything we started. Certainly, I believed and knew that Terry would not give up," she said, standing alongside her parents in St. John's.</div> <bR> <div> Back in 1980, it didn't take long before Fox's determination and spirit grabbed the attention of media outlets everywhere. TV images of the then 21-year-old running with his artificial leg and trademark gait quickly captured the hearts of the country. Before he had even left Newfoundland, Fox had already stepped up his goal, planning to raising $24 million -- or one dollar for every person who was then in Canada.</div> <bR> <div> As all Canadians know, Terry didn't make it. He had to give up his run near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when the cancer that had started out as osteosarcoma in his knee had metastatized to his lungs.</div> <bR> <div> But over those 143 days, Fox logged in 5,280 kilometres, raising $1.7 million. A week after his run ended, CTV organized a nationwide telethon in support of Fox and the Canadian Cancer Society. The event raised $10.5 million. Donations continued throughout the winter, and by April, 1981, over $23 million had been raised in Fox's name.</div> <bR> <div> Fox died two months later.</div> <bR> <div> Today, it's clear that Fox's memory lives on. His name adorns more than a dozen schools across the country, as well as a provincial park in the B.C. Rockies. People from 40 different countries run in his name every year and the Terry Fox Foundation is constantly funding to help find new cures for cancer.</div> <bR> <div> Fox's father, Rolly Fox, says it's heartening to say how his son's dream has led to reality in the fight against cancer.</div> <bR> <div> "Back in 1977, when Terry was diagnosed with the bone cancer, Betty and I were told his chances of survival were, I think, 20 to 50 per cent. Today, a person getting the same bone cancer that Terry had, their survival rate is way up in the 90 per cent range," he said.</div> <bR> <div> "And that's all because of research."</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="11"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 337 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Eerie Silence: author wants to expand search for E.T.</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Apr. 11  2010  07:25  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 11th, 2010</div> <div> <B>This week marked the 50th anniversary of one of the most ambitious, far-fetched and (at least so far) spectacularly unsuccessful undertakings in the history of science: the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or SETI project.</B></div> <bR> <div> And one of its leading lights is now arguing that after five decades of intent listening for radio signals from outer space –- and being rewarded by nothing but fitful static from the rest of the universe – it's time for a different approach.</div> <bR> <div> Dr. Paul Davies, a world-renowned cosmologist and astrobiologist at Arizona State University, has marked the project's 50th birthday by writing "The Eerie Silence: Why Do Aliens Ignore Us?" -- a brief history of a topic that has been touched on by hundreds of science fiction stories, movies or television shows.</div> <bR> <div> "It was regarded as a quixotic enterprise at best in the early days. Back in the ‘60s one might as well have been saying you believe in fairies as work on SETI," Davies said in an interview with CTV.ca. "It was seen as a crazy thing to do."</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f06ea0ef0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="239" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> 'The Eerie Silence' by Paul Davies, explains why the search for intelligent life beyond Earth should be expanded.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 599 WIDTH="707"><div> "Now the pendulum has swung the other way, so today I would say it receives widespread support. I might even say that the pendulum has gone a little bit too far: there's rather too much credulity in the scientific community for the possible existence of intelligent life. I think we have no evidence one way or the other. We should remain open-minded but skeptical."</div> <bR> <div> "The Eerie Silence" is far more than just a history of SETI: it covers almost every topic related to the 50-year hunt for intelligent aliens, from an overview of its tentative beginnings at a West Virginia observatory to the philosophical underpinnings of the search for life, any life, beyond the confines of the Earth's atmosphere.</div> <bR> <div> He pays tribute to pioneer SETI researcher Frank Drake, the astronomer who set up the first modern search for alien intelligence in 1960, calling it Project Ozma, after a character in the Wizard of Oz.</div> <bR> <div> "There's not many people who would design an experiment, get null results for 50 years and still keep cheerful about it," he said. "It's astonishing."</div> <bR> <div> But he argues in the book that after such a long silence, it's time for us earthlings to rethink the search for extraterrestrials entirely.</div> <bR> <div> "It's a call to arms across the whole of the scientific community, saying ‘Let's not leave this to a small heroic band of radio astronomers,'" he said. "We need everybody to exercise our imaginations as to how alien technology might betray itself, what sort of footprint might it make … We shouldn't be fixated on radios."</div> <bR> <div> Davies says we should all stop expecting distant alien civilizations to be beaming radio messages to us, or to be broadcasting so loudly in transmissions among themselves that we will be able to pick them up over the vast distances of interstellar space.</div> <bR> <div> "I think that doing traditional SETI is very unlikely to succeed," he said. "We need to look at doing more things than just listening on the radio."</div> <bR> <div> For instance, he suggests the existing banks of radio telescopes now dedicated to search for signals from outer space be allowed to search for radio beacons, automated radio broadcast stations set up by alien civilizations, which could keep beaming out a message long after those civilizations vanish.</div> <bR> <div> "We could look for those, but I think that the problem with the way SETI is set up, both the hardware and the software, is that it's not directed at looking for a beacon."</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 513 WIDTH="707"><div> Davies also raises the intriguing possibility that ET has already been here, millions of years ago, and left some trace of their presence, although he's quick to point out that he's a firm disbeliever in UFOs and alien abductions.</div> <bR> <div> He suggests SETI expand to include searches for unusual geological, physical or even genetic evidence of alien presence, whether on Earth, elsewhere in the solar system or beyond. "We need to be mindful of anything that stands out; any anomaly; anything that doesn't look like it could have a natural explanation," Davies said.</div> <bR> <div> "In other words, instead of looking for messages we look for signatures of technology, and we should look at anything that is weird, out of place, or not right; wherever it is, we should use the whole panoply of science, everything from nanotechnology and molecular biology right across to radio astronomy to find out what it is."</div> <bR> <div> Despite the long silence, Davies believes the search is worthwhile. "Even if it doesn't lead anywhere, I think it's really important that we think deeply about such things as what is life, what is intelligence, what is the fate of mankind? Looking for intelligent civilizations out there is really in a sense looking for our own future," he said. "If the eerie silence out there is because all the other intelligent, advanced life forms have all blown themselves up then that's the fate that lies in store for us. These are deep questions which need addressing."</div> <bR> <div> And besides, he continued: "It's a great way of getting young people involved in science. When you take surveys, there are two things [in science] that young people love. One is dinosaurs and the other is SETI."</div> <bR> <div> Asked whether the search for intelligent life in space will ever succeed, Davies hesitates.</div> <bR> <div> "It's certainly possible to argue that life is a freak accident that is confined to Earth and this is it. But I find that hard to swallow," he said. "As a human being I would just love to think that there are lots of aliens out there … but in terms of what are the chances it's very hard to put a number on it."</div> <bR> <div> The Eerie Silence is published in Canada by Thomas Allen Publishers</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="10"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 233 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>After 2011, Canada may mentor Afghan police</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Sat. Apr. 10  2010  19:17  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 10th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Canada's role in Afghanistan beyond next year's combat deadline is beginning to come into focus, with Defence Minister Peter MacKay hinting Saturday that a police training force will stay in the country after Canadian troops leave.</B></div> <bR> <div> Ottawa has been reluctant to discuss its plans in Afghanistan beyond the legislated end date, but it appears that mounting international pressure is forcing the government to put at least some of its cards on the table.</div> <bR> <div> During a recent visit to Ottawa, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in blunt diplomatic terms that Canada should maintain its fighting force in Afghanistan.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <IMG SRC="f06fa0740.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="116" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> A joint Canadian and Afghan patrol take a breather at the start of a clearance operation in Adamzai, southwest of Kandahar City. on Friday, March 26, 2010. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Murray Brewster)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 645 WIDTH="707"><div> However, Ottawa has faced increasing resistance domestically to any extension of the 2011 date as combat casualties have risen to more than 140.</div> <bR> <div> Still, Canadian police mentorship in Afghanistan could represent a tenable compromise, as Afghan police forces are in need of guidance from abroad.</div> <bR> <div> "What we will do beyond that point in the area of training, will predominantly be in the area of policing. And that is very much a key component part of security for Afghanistan," MacKay said, speaking from Afghanistan.</div> <bR> <div> For years, the country's police force has been wracked by corruption and incompetence. Brutal policing practices and equipment shortages have also undermined security in the country.</div> <bR> <div> The Canadian Press reported Saturday that the goal is to have 134,000 trained officers in Afghanistan by October 2011. The current number is about 98,000.</div> <bR> <div> Currently, there are 48 Canadian civilian police and 40 military officers mentoring forces in Afghanistan, but that number could grow after Canadian troops leave next year.</div> <bR> <div> Washington has been consistent in asking for more time from Canada, even if it means operating in less volatile environs and training the Afghan army.</div> <bR> <div> However, such a role could still put Canadian troops in harm's way, which is a politically unpalatable position for the Conservatives.</div> <bR> <div> On Saturday, MacKay was careful not to talk specifically about mounting U.S. pressure to stay in the fight. Instead, he spoke of the goodwill that Canada has earned with its international partners.</div> <bR> <div> "But they also very much understand that in Canada we have a parliamentary motion that is unequivocal. It is very clear the military mission will end in 2011," he said.</div> <bR> <div> The motion was passed in Parliament in March 2008, but it only specified that Canada cease combat and pull out of the volatile Kandahar region.</div> <bR> <div> However, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said that every soldier would also leave the country.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="09"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 250 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Guergis gone, RCMP to investigate, says PM</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Fri. Apr. 09  2010  18:31  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 9th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Helena Guergis has stepped down from the Conservative cabinet and will sit outside the party caucus while the RCMP completes an investigation into her conduct, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.</B></div> <bR> <div> Harper held a brief news conference early Friday afternoon and confirmed that Guergis had just resigned from her position after "serious allegations" about her conduct were relayed to his office.</div> <bR> <div> "Last night, my office became aware of serious allegations regarding the conduct of the Honourable Helena Guergis. These allegations relate to the conduct of Ms. Guergis and do not involve any other minister, MP, senator or federal government employee," Harper said.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="f06da07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces MP Helena Guergis had resigned from cabinet in Ottawa, Friday April 9, 2010. (Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 666 WIDTH="707"><div> "I've referred the allegations to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and to the RCMP. Under the circumstances, I will not comment on them further."</div> <bR> <div> The prime minister said Guergis offered her resignation and he accepted it.</div> <bR> <div> "Pending a resolution she will sit outside the Conservative party caucus," he said.</div> <bR> <div> Harper said Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose will immediately take over the portfolio Guergis vacated.</div> <bR> <div> Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff told reporters that the public should know more about the specific allegations made against the demoted junior cabinet minister.</div> <bR> <div> And he suggested that the prime minister's about-face on the matter raised questions as well.</div> <bR> <div> "Just 24 hours ago, the prime minister was saying he had confidence in this minister, and now 24 hours later -- boom, she's gone," Ignatieff said Friday, about a half-hour after Harper's announcement about Guergis' resignation. "It raises questions about the prime minister's judgment."</div> <bR> <div> The announcement that the embattled MP has left the Tory cabinet, followed a tumultuous period that saw her personal finances and behavior called into question and her husband centered out in an unflattering report by a Toronto newspaper.</div> <bR> <div> Minutes before Harper announced Guergis' departure from his cabinet, she sent out an email indicating that she had resigned from her position.</div> <bR> <div> In the email, Guergis said she had been through "a very difficult time" over the past nine months.</div> <bR> <div> "This morning, I tendered my resignation as Minister of State for Status of Women to the Prime Minister which he accepted," the email states. She goes on to say she has "made mistakes for which I have apologized," including an incident at an airport in Charlottetown in which she made disparaging remarks while going through security.</div> <bR> <div> "I want the people of P.E.I to know that when I spoke emotionally I was speaking about the airport as I would never insult my father's birthplace. I apologize again. I have worked hard for Canadian women and I am proud of my record of my accomplishments on their behalf," she said in the email.</div> <bR> <div> Guergis said she will continue on as the MP for Simcoe-Grey.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mounting problems</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 480 WIDTH="707"><div> The change comes a day after a controversial <I>Toronto Star</I> newspaper report suggested that a business associate of Guergis' husband -- the one-time Edmonton-Strathcona MP Rahim Jaffer -- bragged in an email that the former parliamentarian had "opened up the Prime Minister's Office to us," during a meeting in which the former MP and a group of businessmen discussed means of obtaining government funds for business projects.</div> <bR> <div> In response, the Prime Minister's Office said Thursday that the claim was "absurd" and said neither Jaffer nor his associates had any influence within the government.</div> <bR> <div> The report came after some difficult months for the well-known political couple.</div> <bR> <div> In recent months, the 38-year-old Jaffer pleaded guilty to careless driving in relation to an arrest last September after being stopped in his car in Palgrave, Ont., north of Toronto. He was initially charged with drunk driving and cocaine possession, but those charges were dropped.</div> <bR> <div> The <I>Star</I> reported that the arrest came the night Jaffer was driving home from the meeting where he allegedly was talking to the business associates about his connections to the Conservative government.</div> <bR> <div> Guergis has also caught the attention of the media several times in recent months.</div> <bR> <div> In recent weeks, a Liberal MP asked the ethics commissioner to examine an $880,880 mortgage Guergis was recently approved for, which she used to purchase a house in an upscale Ottawa neighbourhood.</div> <bR> <div> That followed a February incident in which Guergis allegedly threw a temper tantrum at the Charlottetown airport. After that it was revealed that some of her staff members wrote flattering letters to newspapers about her record as an elected official, though they did not let the publications know that they worked for Guergis.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="08"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 196 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Rescue crews begin descent into West Virginia mine</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Apr. 08  2010  08:08  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 8th, 2010</div> <div> <B>Rescue crews began their descent into a West Virginia mine on Thursday morning, in hopes of finding survivors of a deadly blast that killed at least 25 people.</B></div> <bR> <div> Rescue personnel waited days to make their entry into the Upper Big Branch mine, while crews drilled holes deep into the earth to vent out the toxic gases that had been building up inside. Methane gas has been the key safety concern and the suspected cause of the explosion that occurred Monday afternoon at the mine that is located about 48 kilometres south of the state capital.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="efb2a0630.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="99" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin briefs reporters on the latest mine rescue operations, Thursday, April 8, 2010, in Montcoal, W.Va. (AP / Haraz N. Ghanbari)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 559 WIDTH="707"><div> State governor Joe Manchin said rescue crews entered the mine at about 4:55 a.m. ET.</div> <bR> <div> "They are advancing," Manchin said at an early morning news briefing. "They'll move as rapidly as they possibly can."</div> <bR> <div> Four teams of eight rescuers are slated to be involved in Thursday's efforts, which Manchin said will give the families of four missing miners some closure.</div> <bR> <div> Kevin Stricklin, the coal administrator of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, said crews were ready to do their job, whether that means finding the four missing miners alive, or recovering their bodies if they have perished.</div> <bR> <div> "We're focused," Stricklin said. "It is what it is, and this is what we're dealing with right now."</div> <bR> <div> Inside the mine, it is hoped that the four missing miners were able to make it to rescue chambers that have enough food, water and oxygen to keep them alive for four days. Early indications are that at least one of the two rescue chambers is empty.</div> <bR> <div> The missing miners are believed to be at least 91 metres below the ground, and officials say it will take rescue crews at least two to three hours to reach them once they get inside the mine. Those waiting for news of their loved ones know it is a long shot that the miners have survived.</div> <bR> <div> Mine worker James Griffith's brother, William, did not return from his Monday shift, and his brother-in-law was among the confirmed dead in the disaster.</div> <bR> <div> "In my honest opinion, if anyone else survives it, I will be surprised," Griffith said.</div> <bR> <div> State governor Joe Manchin said there is only a "sliver of hope" that the miners survived.</div> <bR> <div> "We've been working against long odds from day one," Manchin said.</div> <bR> <div> In the tight-knit mining community, families are preparing to bury the known dead. Local newspapers have published notices of five funerals that will be taking place over Friday and Saturday.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 323 WIDTH="707"><div> Anna West, 34, said the deaths have made her question her family's future in mining, despite marrying a miner and descending from miners.</div> <bR> <div> "It could have just as well been my husband," said West, while attending a candlelight vigil in the small town of Whitesville, West Virginia. "My father was a miner, his father was a miner."</div> <bR> <div> "I already told my son that I don't want him to be a miner."</div> <bR> <div> The blast in West Virginia is considered to be the worst U.S. mine disaster in the past quarter-century. Previously, a 1984 mine fire in Orangeville, Utah, killed 27 people. In 1970, an explosion at a Hyden, Kentucky, mine killed 38 people.</div> <bR> <div> Since Monday's blast, the federal mine agency has been investigating the circumstances behind the disaster at the mine owned by Massey Energy Co., a company that has faced repeated censure for failing to properly ventilate its methane gas.</div> <bR> <div> Don Blankenship, the head of Massey Energy, has defended his company's record and has shot down any notion that he values money more than the safety of his employees.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="07"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 271 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Hope fading for survivors in West Virginia mine disaster</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Apr. 07  2010  08:09  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 7th, 2010</div> <div> <B>The families of four missing miners in West Virginia are anxiously awaiting word on whether their loved ones survived a deadly mine explosion, but officials say it is unlikely that they could still be alive.</B></div> <bR> <div> The blast at the Upper Big Branch Mine occurred Monday afternoon during a shift change, when 61 people were inside the mine located about 48 kilometres south of the state capital of Charleston. A build-up of methane gas is the suspected cause of the worst U.S. mining disaster in more than 25 years.</div> <bR> <div> Twenty-five people have been confirmed killed, but the fate of the four miners is still unknown. Rescue crews have been unable to enter the mine as they wait for toxic gases to be vented.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="efaaa07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Michelle McKinney hugs her aunt, Jeanie Sanger, in Whitesville, W.Va. on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 as they talked to reporters about McKinney's father and Sanger's brother, Benny Willingham, who was among those killed in an explosion at Massey Energy Co.'s Upper Big Branch mine. (Tribune Review / Andrew Russell)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 529 WIDTH="707"><div> CTV's Joy Malbon said officials indicated Wednesday morning that they are in the midst of drilling four holes into the mine -- two for venting purposes, two for rescuers to make their eventual entry into the part of the mine where they believe the missing workers may be.</div> <bR> <div> "Very early this morning, they got the first drilled bore hole down into the mine," Malbon told CTV's Canada AM from Naoma, W.V., on Wednesday morning.</div> <bR> <div> "They've got to be careful because any kind of spark could ignite that highly combustible methane gas," she added. "They are about a football field away from getting those high-pressure ventilation fans down there to get the gas out and they say it would be a matter of hours -- once they have clean air, once they deem it's safe – before they reach the miners."</div> <bR> <div> Rescue crews also plan to perform a seismic test, which will transmit a sound underground to alert potential survivors that help is on the way. Miners are supposed to respond to such signals by tapping on the roof, but officials say it is unlikely they will be able to communicate because they are so far underground.</div> <bR> <div> If the four missing miners are still alive, officials believe they are about 91 metres away from the rescue chambers inside the mine, Malbon said.</div> <bR> <div> The rescue chambers are small, airtight boxes designed to provide trapped miners with enough air, food and water to survive for about four days. Since the disaster occurred on Monday afternoon, rescue teams have been able to check one of the rescue chambers and they found it empty. They have not been able to check on the second.</div> <bR> <div> For families waiting to learn what happened to their loved ones, they are looking to the 2006 Sago Mine disaster to give them hope. In that incident, an explosion killed 12 people, but miner Randal McCloy Jr., survived more than 40 hours in the toxic environment before being rescued successfully.</div> <bR> <div> "That's the kind of miracle that they are holding onto," Malbon said.</div> <bR> <div> They are also turning to faith. A group of about 50 mourners who lost friends and family in Monday's disaster went to the nearby St. Joseph Catholic Church to honour the dead and pray for the missing miners.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 505 WIDTH="707"><div> "The coal community is coming together and praying for miners and their families," said Larry Asbury, the father of a man who is a member of a mine rescue team. "It's just so important to show the community this kind of support."</div> <bR> <div> On Tuesday, state governor Joe Manchin said the people who may have lost their loved ones have to hold out hope.</div> <bR> <div> "I don't want to give anybody any false hope, but by golly, if I'm on that side of the table, and that's my father or my brother or my uncle or my cousins, I'm going to have hope," said Manchin.</div> <bR> <div> Also Tuesday, Don Blankenship, the chief executive of Massey Energy Company, which owns the mine, met with the families of the miners who died.</div> <bR> <div> "I don't know that we know what happened," Blankenship said in an interview with The Associated Press.</div> <bR> <div> He said it was unlikely that the missing miners could still be alive, and that the odds of their survival "dims every day."</div> <bR> <div> Blankenship defended his company's safety record, despite Massey Energy paying US$382,000 in fines in the past year for repeated serious violations involving its ventilation plan and equipment.</div> <bR> <div> He said the mine was "not thought to be unsafe by the agencies or the company."</div> <bR> <div> "I think that what they (the Mine Safety and Health Administration) said is, 'You know, there's been a lot of debate about the ventilation.' At the times the mine operates and men are in the mine, it complies with whatever the federal and state agencies have agreed."</div> <bR> <div> In 1984, a fire killed 27 people at the Emery Mining Corp.-owned mine in Orangeville, Utah. Thirty-eight people died in an explosion at the Finley Coal Co. mine in Hyden, Kentucky.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="06"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 202 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>25 dead, 4 missing in West Virginia mine disaster</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Tue. Apr. 06  2010  07:52  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 6th, 2010</div> <div> <B>West Virginia authorities have been unable to make contact with four miners who remain missing following a deadly blast that killed at least 25 people at a coal mine on Monday afternoon.</B></div> <bR> <div> The blast occurred at about 3 p.m. local time at the Upper Big Branch mine, about 48 kilometres south of the state capital of Charleston.</div> <bR> <div> The 25 confirmed dead and the four missing miners were killed in the midst of a shift change.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="efa2a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> A road sign warns drivers near the entrance to Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch Coal Mine in Montcoal, W.Va., Tuesday, April 6, 2010. (AP / Jeff Gentner)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 865 WIDTH="707"><div> West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said seven bodies have been recovered and identified, while 18 others have not.</div> <bR> <div> "The families want closure," Manchin said at a news conference. "They want names ... these families are good people. Hard-working people. They understand the challenges. Right now I told them to do what they do best. Love each other and come together as a family."</div> <bR> <div> As of 7:30 a.m. ET, authorities confirmed that 11 bodies had been recovered, according to CNN reporter Sandra Endo.</div> <bR> <div> Endo said eyewitness reports suggested the blast "took you off your feet."</div> <bR> <div> "In one account, this man was getting out of the mine taking his shirt off and he was watching his son, his nephew and older brother go in to work their shift," she told CTV's Canada AM from Marsh Fork, W.V., on Tuesday morning.</div> <bR> <div> "The blast blew his shirt off and those three of his relatives, unfortunately, did not make it and were part of those who were identified. Those are the types of stories that we're hearing and we know that there are certainly more to come."</div> <bR> <div> Among the dead were 62-year-old Benny R. Willingham, a 30-year miner who was only five weeks from retirement, said his sister-in-law, Sheila Prillaman. She said the family learned of his death after seeing his name on a list of victims posted by the company.</div> <bR> <div> Efforts to locate the four missing miners have been stalled by a build-up of methane gas in the areas where rescuers intend to search. Rescuers have had to bore holes to vent the toxic gases before they can continue their work.</div> <bR> <div> Kevin Stricklin, an administrator with the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, told a news conference that it is unlikely that the remaining four miners could have survived.</div> <bR> <div> "All we have left is hope and we're going to continue to do what we can," Stricklin said.</div> <bR> <div> "But I'm just trying to be honest with everybody and say that the situation does look dire."</div> <bR> <div> Stricklin said a group of miners leaving the mine felt a blast of air and turned back to investigate what was happening. When they returned, they found nine others, seven of whom were dead. Additional mine workers were hurt or missing inside the mine.</div> <bR> <div> The U.S. Secretary of Labour, Hilda L. Solis, said the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration will "investigate this tragedy and take action."</div> <bR> <div> "Miners should never have to sacrifice their lives for their livelihood," Solis said in a statement.</div> <bR> <div> The blast at the Massey Energy Company-owned mine is believed to be the deadliest U.S. mine disaster since a fire killed 27 people at the Emery Mining Corp.'s mine in Orangeville, Utah, in 1984.</div> <bR> <div> In 1970, a blast at the Finley Coal Mine in Hyden, Kentucky, killed 38 people.</div> <bR> <div> Massey Energy Company, the owner of the West Virginia mine, is a publicly traded company that owns 2.2 billion tons of coal reserves in the region.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="05"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 216 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>'Miracle' in China: 115 trapped miners rescued</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Mon. Apr. 05  2010  06:03  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 5th, 2010</div> <div> <B>XIANGNING, China — More than 100 Chinese miners were pulled out alive Monday after being trapped for over a week in a flooded coal mine, where some ate sawdust and strapped themselves to the shafts' walls with their belts to avoid drowning while they slept.</B></div> <bR> <div> Rescued miners wrapped in blankets, some with their light-sensitive eyes covered but their feet bare, were hurried to waiting ambulances that sped wailing to nearby hospitals. One clapped on his stretcher and reached out his blackened hands to grasp those of rescuers on either side.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="ef9ba07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, a rescued miner is taken out of the flooded Wangjialing coal mine in Xiangning, north China's Shanxi Province, Monday, April 5, 2010.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 674 WIDTH="707"><div> Rescuers in tears hugged each other at the scene, which was broadcast live on national television. The sudden surge in rescues was a rare piece of good news for China's mining industry, the deadliest in the world. A rescue spokesman said 115 survivors had been pulled out as of 4:30 p.m. local time (0830 GMT; 4:30 a.m. EDT).</div> <bR> <div> "A miracle has finally happened," Liu Dezheng told reporters Monday morning, after the first nine miners were taken out shortly after midnight. "We believe that more miracles will happen."</div> <bR> <div> Rescuers have been pumping water out of the flooded mine since last Sunday, when workers digging a tunnel broke into an old shaft filled with water. The first signs of life from underground came Friday, when tapping could be heard coming up the pipes. Divers first headed into the tunnels over the weekend but found high, murky water and emerged empty-handed.</div> <bR> <div> As the water level continued to drop, rescuers with rubber rafts squeezed through the narrow, low-ceilinged passages late Sunday and pulled out the first nine survivors just after midnight. Eleven hours later, the large wave of rescues began.</div> <bR> <div> The miners had spent eight days underground and some were soaked through. Some had hung from shaft walls by their belts for days to avoid falling into the water when asleep. Later, they climbed into a mining cart that floated by.</div> <bR> <div> One miner described eating sawdust and tree bark and drinking the murky water, the leader of one of the rescue teams, Chen Yongheng, told a press conference Monday afternoon.</div> <bR> <div> As the rafts approached the first trapped miners, one of them asked, "Can you get me out of here?"</div> <bR> <div> Liu Qiang, a medical officer involved in the rescue, said the survivors had hypothermia, severe dehydration and skin infections from being in the water so long. Some also were in shock and had low blood pressure.</div> <bR> <div> "This is probably one of the most amazing rescues in the history of mining anywhere," said David Feickert, a coal mine safety adviser to the Chinese government.</div> <bR> <div> A total of 153 workers had been trapped, and there was no word Monday afternoon on the status of the 38 miners still underground. Chen said two or three of the underground mine platforms had not yet been checked. Conditions remained complicated by high murky water.</div> <bR> <div> Families of the survivors were thrilled. "He called and managed to say my sister's nickname, 'Xiaomi,' so we know it's really him and that he's alive," said Long Liming, who said he received a call around midday from his rescued brother-in-law Fu Ziyang.</div> <bR> <div> A doctor then took the phone and said Fu had to rest, Long said. "He was trapped underground for so long, so he's very weak. But we are very relieved to know that he made it out safely."</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 575 WIDTH="707"><div> Officials said most of the rescued miners were in stable condition, but state television said seven were in serious condition.</div> <bR> <div> In a sign of government concerns over possible social unrest, family members of the trapped miners said they have been kept under close watch in hotels and are not allowed to leave unless accompanied by minders.</div> <bR> <div> The first rescue early Monday morning had seemed beyond hope for days before crews finally heard tapping from deep underground Friday.</div> <bR> <div> Rescuers then scrambled to understand the complicated situation underground and send down packages of glucose, milk and letters of encouragement. One read: "Dear fellow workers, the Party Central Committee, the State Council and the whole nation have been concerned for your safety all the time.... You must have confidence and hold on to the last!"</div> <bR> <div> Some workers appeared to be trapped on upper platforms of the mine; their access to the entrance of the V-shaped shaft was blocked by an area swamped with water.</div> <bR> <div> "The situation underground was a bit more complicated than we predicted," Luo Lin, the director of the State Administration for Work Safety, told state television.</div> <bR> <div> It was unclear Monday how deep into the mine the rescued workers had been found.</div> <bR> <div> "The miners in the lowest levels will be in the most extreme danger," Feickert said. "Just think of a tall building, with people on different floors, if that suddenly filled up with water."</div> <bR> <div> China Central Television said one of the newly rescued workers still was holding his mining lamp.</div> <bR> <div> A preliminary investigation last week found that the mine's managers ignored water leaks before the accident, the State Administration of Work Safety said.</div> <bR> <div> China's coal mines are the world's deadliest. Accidents killed 2,631 coal miners in China last year, down from 6,995 deaths in 2002, the most dangerous year on record, according to the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Associated Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="04"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 202 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Former hockey coach pardoned for sex crimes</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Apr. 04  2010  21:46  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 4th, 2010</div> <div> <B>A former junior hockey coach imprisoned for sexually abusing his players in a case that shocked the hockey world has been quietly pardoned by the National Parole Board, according to a report Sunday by The Canadian Press.</B></div> <bR> <div> Graham James, sentenced to 3.5 years in prison in 1997, was pardoned three years ago by Pierre Dion, a clinical psychologist in Ottawa and full-time member of the Appeal Division of the National Parole Board, the wire service reported.</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <IMG SRC="ef99a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Head coach Graham James and the Swift Current Broncos junior hockey team are shown in this undated photo. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 662 WIDTH="707"><div> Dion, who was first appointed by the Liberals and re-appointed by the Conservatives, approved the pardon for James on Jan. 8, 2007. He could not be reached for comment.</div> <bR> <div> A spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the pardon "deeply troubling and gravely disturbing" and was shocked that the government learned of the pardon only Sunday, three years after the fact.</div> <bR> <div> "The prime minister has asked for explanation on how the National Parole Board can pardon someone who committed such horrific crimes that remain shocking to all Canadians," said Dimitri Soudas.</div> <bR> <div> "The actions of this convicted sex offender shocked the conscience of a nation -- one where the bond of trust between coaches and players in our national game is sacred."</div> <bR> <div> Harper has asked Public Safety Minister Vic Toews to look into the issue and propose changes to ensure the parole board puts public safety first in issuing on pardons.</div> <bR> <div> James, now 58, pleaded guilty to sexual assault after two of his former players, including ex-NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, went public with stories that he had molested them while he was coaching their Western Hockey League teams between 1984 and 1995.</div> <bR> <div> James was charismatic and consistently successful as a coach. Even during his investigation, he was able to secure character references from respected hockey persons and former players.</div> <bR> <div> To the end, he claimed that his relationship with Sheldon Kennedy was consensual and that he had done nothing illegal or immoral.</div> <bR> <div> Former NHL star Theoren Fleury has lodged a formal complaint with police after publishing his autobiography last fall that included details of years of abuse by James.</div> <bR> <div> Entitled "Playing With Fire," Fleury's book alleges that James began molesting him at age 14, describing one occasion when James drove both he and Kennedy to Disneyland for a vacation, assaulting them on alternate days.</div> <bR> <div> Fleury reacted to news of James' pardon by issuing a statement on Sunday.</div> <bR> <div> "I'm shocked and mystified," Fleury wrote. "Imagine somebody who commits that kind of crime being pardoned."</div> <bR> <div> "Obviously nobody was proud of the decision or it wouldn't have been a secret. I thought we had an open justice system. It's just more proof our society has a lot to learn about protecting the victims."</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 912 WIDTH="707"><div> The pardon will make it "even tougher" for victims of sexual abuse to talk about what happened to them, Fleury added.</div> <bR> <div> James began his coaching career in 1984 as head coach of the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors and later the Swift Current Broncos, recruiting both Fleury and Kennedy.</div> <bR> <div> It wasn't until more than a decade later, in 1996, when James was coach, general manager and part-owner of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen, that he was charged with sexual assault.</div> <bR> <div> The other victim besides Kennedy has never been publicly named and Fleury was not one of the complainants at the time. </div> <div> James' current whereabouts are unknown.</div> <bR> <div> The Canadian Hockey association has barred him from coaching for life. However, from 2001 to 2003, James coached hockey in Spain, including the national team -- with his Spanish employers fully aware of his Canadian police record.</div> <bR> <div> The Canadian Press quoted an unnamed Winnipeg man who said he was also abused by James, saying the pardon was like a fresh wound.</div> <bR> <div> "To say that the parole board process has been abused would be a grotesque understatement," the man said in an interview. "Here you have an incredibly high-profile pedophile -- and there's no other word to use to describe him -- who clearly has not been able to take responsibility or show any accountability for his actions."</div> <bR> <div> "I can't explain in words the extent to which this just cuts right to the heart of the pain again, in terms of who he is and what he did."</div> <bR> <div> The latest accuser, who says his encounter with James preceded Kennedy's by four years, is still deciding whether to lay a formal complaint against James.</div> <bR> <div> Fleury said he submitted to the abuse because he didn't know who would believe him or whether hockey officials would circle the wagons to protect James.</div> <bR> <div> Fleury said he struggled with the decision to lodge a criminal complaint against James, writing in his autobiography that the sexual abuse he suffered as a teenager transformed him from a confused young man into an angry, self-loathing alcoholic who blew millions of dollars on cards, drugs and lap dancers.</div> <bR> <div> "I have been reflecting on this a long time," said Fleury. "I wanted to make the biggest impact on preventing this kind of thing from happening in the future."</div> <bR> <div> A pardon can make it easier for a convict to get a job or travel abroad. Under Canadian human rights law, a person cannot be denied access to services or employment with a federal agency due to a pardoned conviction.</div> <bR> <div> In addition to ensuring he had no further convictions, the parole board would have been obliged to investigate James's behaviour to ensure he was of "good conduct" during that time.</div> <bR> <div> In 2006-07, the parole board issued 7,672 pardons to people convicted of lesser offences, 7,076 pardons to people with more serious convictions, and denied just 103 applications.</div> <bR> <div> A pardon can be revoked if the person is later convicted of another crime, or the parole board finds the person is no longer of good conduct. Discovering the person lied or concealed relevant information at the time of the application can also result in a pardon being cancelled.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="03"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 266 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Climate-change research in Canada waning: scientists</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Sat. Apr. 03  2010  08:39  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 3rd, 2010</div> <div> <B>The meeting of Arctic states held in Chelsea, Que. earlier this week was billed as a way to spur international efforts concerning global warming and the Far North.</B></div> <bR> <div> Instead, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized Ottawa for failing to invite more foreign governments and other stakeholders, such as aboriginal groups, that are concerned with Arctic issues.</div> <bR> <div> "We need all hands on deck because there is a huge amount to do, and not much time to do it," Clinton said in a prepared statement. "What happens in the Arctic will have broad consequences for the Earth and its climate. The melting of sea ice, glaciers and permafrost will affect people and ecosystems around the world, and understanding how these changes fit together is a task that demands international co-operation."</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="ef96a05a0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="90" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> James Drummond, a Dalhousie University professor and chief investigator for the Canadian Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Change, stands on the roof of the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL), on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, July 24, 2006. (AP / Ted S. Warren)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 662 WIDTH="707"><div> Yet when it comes to understanding how the climate of the Arctic will change in coming years, scientists say Canada is falling off the map.</div> <bR> <div> Last week, a climate research centre at the University of Montreal, known by the acronym ESCER, warned that such groups are being forced to close across the country.</div> <bR> <div> A lack of federal funds for climate and atmospheric science has "sounded the death knell for research groups working in this field in Canada," Rene Laprise, ESCER's director, wrote in a statement.</div> <bR> <div> His centre has lost two staff, who found government jobs after learning that their salaries would not be guaranteed past September 2010, Laprise told CTV.ca by email. Five others are expected to leave "any time," he wrote.</div> <bR> <div> Climate scientists across the country say they're in a similar situation -- with dwindling funds and poor prospects to secure more money, they're preparing to shut down major projects while their staff seeks jobs abroad.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Financial woes</B></div> <bR> <div> Laprise and other scientists in his field are frustrated that the 2010 federal budget, made public last month, set aside no new money for the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences, the main source of federal funding for climate-related research.</div> <bR> <div> CFCAS was founded in 2000 and has doled out $116 million on 198 research grants at universities from Victoria to Halifax.</div> <bR> <div> Canadian scientists who have contributed to international initiatives such as the World Climate Programme and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change rely on the foundation for a large part of their research money.</div> <bR> <div> And while CFCAS's mandate runs to March 31, 2012, it hasn't received any new cash since 2003, and the money it has received was "fully committed" two years ago.</div> <bR> <div> "There are no more funds to be distributed," Kelly Crowe, a spokesperson for the foundation, told CTV.ca by email. "Our researchers are all looking at wrapping up their projects for good."</div> <bR> <div> A spokesperson for Environment Canada said that last year, the ministry received a funding request from CFCAS for $50 million to be spent over three years. But the request hasn't been approved.</div> <bR> <div> "The government will continue to consider this proposal, in the context of our current fiscal constraints," Tracy Lacroix-Wilson wrote in an email. "We cannot speculate on any future funding at this time."</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 650 WIDTH="707"><div> <B>Brain drain</B></div> <bR> <div> Meanwhile, climate and atmospheric science researchers have begun to leave the country.</div> <bR> <div> In December, Katrin Meissner quit a tenure-track position at the University of Victoria and moved her family to Sydney, Australia. She now studies climate change at the University of New South Wales, with two other researchers who also recently left Canadian universities.</div> <bR> <div> "The possible closing of the CFCAS was certainly part of it," Meissner said, referring to her decision to leave.</div> <bR> <div> Theodore Shepherd, a veteran physicist at the University of Toronto who studies atmospheric dynamics, said people like Meissner are pulling up stakes because the international landscape for climate-change funding no longer favours Canada.</div> <bR> <div> When CFCAS was created in 2000, Shepherd said Canadian universities began attracting climate scientists from Europe who would otherwise have gone to the U.S.</div> <bR> <div> But economic stimulus programs introduced in the wake of the recession injected cash into climate-change research in the U.S. and in many European countries. That's made them more attractive destinations for scientists in related fields.</div> <bR> <div> The situation is changing "partly because they've got more money, partly because we've got no money," Shepherd said.</div> <bR> <div> He admits he has started to look for opportunities abroad, due to persistent funding problems in Canada.</div> <bR> <div> "Not super actively," he said. "But I'm realizing it's going to be very hard to do what I want to here."</div> <bR> <div> Atmospheric research on the Arctic, an area that experts say will be hit particularly hard by climate change, is also being threatened by federal funding problems.</div> <bR> <div> James Drummond is an Oxford-educated physicist at Dalhousie University, and the principal investigator for the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory, located 1,100 kilometres from the North Pole.</div> <bR> <div> He expects the lab will be forced to close unless Ottawa announces additional public money to pay for salaries and operational expenses.</div> <bR> <div> "At the moment, we're operating on the principle that something will turn up," he said by phone from Halifax. "The reality is that the funding stream has been broken."</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 215 WIDTH="707"><div> In recent years it has become harder to get federal money in all areas of atmospheric science, Drummond said. And while many scientists in that field don't expect to run out of funding until later this year or early 2011, he said they need new money now in order to map out their work next year.</div> <bR> <div> "It's not research that can be turned on and off like a tap," Drummond said.</div> <bR> <div> With no additional money, he added, the issue of brain drain has become "very real" in the world of Canadian atmospheric science.</div> <bR> <div> "And once those people leave it will be very hard to get them back, because they'll say ‘well, look what happened last time.'"</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from Ian Monroe</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="02"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 189 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Spring heat shatters records across Canada</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Fri. Apr. 02  2010  16:36  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 2nd, 2010</div> <div> <B>From Alberta to Newfoundland, Canadians have been basking in warmer than normal temperatures on the first long weekend of the spring.</B></div> <bR> <div> In particular, Ontario and Quebec are enjoying record-breaking, summer-like conditions.</div> <bR> <div> In the nation's capital, the temperature is peaking out at a downright sizzling 28 Celsius under sunny skies.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="ef94a07e0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Members of the public soak up the sun in old Montreal, Friday, April 2, 2010. (Graham Hughes / THE CANADIAN PRESS)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 598 WIDTH="707"><div> That's a full 21 degrees higher than the normal forecast high for this time of year. The tally also shatters the city's 54-year-old record for April 2, which was only 16.7 C.</div> <bR> <div> Locals haven't wasted any time getting into the season, as patios in the ByWard Market filled up fast and local officials opened parks earlier than usual.</div> <bR> <div> It usually takes until May 1 to open locations like the lanes by the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and the larger urban parks of the Ottawa region.</div> <bR> <div> Montreal is also enjoying some smokin' weather, with a forecast high of about 25 C Sunday, which absolutely slays the previous record of 16 C.</div> <bR> <div> Further south, Toronto has edged into record warmth territory, exceeding a record that stood for more than 40 years.</div> <bR> <div> At 2 p.m., the temperature at Pearson International Airport was 22.4 degrees Celsius. The previous record was 20.6 C, set on April 2, 1967.</div> <bR> <div> For perspective, the record low for the day is - 6.1 C, set in 1962. A normal day would see a high of 9C and a low of zero. </div> <div> Winter-weary Maritimers haven't been left in the cold, either.</div> <bR> <div> New Brunswick was getting plenty of sun on Good Friday, with Fredericton reaching a high of 19 C -- also a new record.</div> <bR> <div> The average for this time of year in the city is only 6.4 C, according to Environment Canada.</div> <bR> <div> With the exception of Winnipeg, the prairies have been mild, too.</div> <bR> <div> Edmonton was expected to hit 13 C and Calgary was hitting double digits. Saskatoon was hovering around 13 C by 1 p.m. local time.</div> <bR> <div> Vancouver seems to be one of the only spots in the country not baking under the sun. A wind warning was in effect for Sunday and the forecast high was a gloomy 8 C.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="707"><div> =======================</div> <div>  <A NAME="01"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 200 WIDTH="540"><div> <B>Jurors return manslaughter verdicts in Creba trial</B></div> <div> Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Apr. 01  2010  11:59  ET</div> <div> Giant Dwarf Posted: April 1st, 2010</div> <div> <B>Jurors have returned manslaughter verdicts against two men accused in the shooting death of Jane Creba, the Toronto teenager who was killed in a 2005 Boxing Day shootout.</B></div> <bR> <div> Louis Woodcock, 23 and Tyshaun Barnett, 22, have each been found of guilty of manslaughter and four counts of aggravated assault.</div> <bR> <div> Both men had pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, prior to the jury's verdict.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="165"><div> <B><IMG SRC="ef90a0950.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="149" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Jane Creba, 15, was shot and killed while shopping in Toronto on Boxing Day in 2005.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 687 WIDTH="707"><div> The jurors returned a verdict on Thursday morning, after deliberating since Monday afternoon. They also asked the judge for clarification on the timeline of events before returning their verdict.</div> <bR> <div> Outside the courthouse, defence lawyer Christopher Hicks, who represented Barnett, said his client has "always been remorseful" for what happened the night Creba died.</div> <bR> <div> "He obviously didn't want anybody to be harmed, he certainly didn't want an innocent person like Jane Creba to die," Hicks told reporters on Thursday morning.</div> <bR> <div> Hicks noted that his client was not directly responsible for Creba's death.</div> <bR> <div> "We know who did that, that was somebody else," Hicks said. "So I think this has to be factored into any sentence submissions that he did not directly apply lethal force to Jane Creba. His liability in this matter is somewhat remote, more remote than you usually have in a manslaughter."</div> <bR> <div> The lead investigator on the case, Toronto police Sgt. Savas Kyriacou, gave credit to the jurors who were tasked with handing down a verdict in such a complicated case.</div> <bR> <div> "We respect the decision of the jury and obviously they had very hard decisions to make," Kyriacou told reporters outside the courthouse.</div> <bR> <div> Kyriacou said he had a chance to speak with the Creba family after the verdict came down.</div> <bR> <div> "They expressed their thanks and gratitude and they are happy with the outcome and it is also an end to a chapter in this," he said.</div> <bR> <div> Creba was out shopping with her family when she was caught in the gunfire of a shootout on Yonge Street involving a group of men on Dec. 26, 2005. The Grade 10 student was only 15 when she died.</div> <bR> <div> Six other bystanders were wounded in the same shootout.</div> <bR> <div> Two other men are serving life sentences for their part in the fatal gunfight that led to Creba's death.</div> <bR> <div> Last December, Jeremiah Valentine pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Creba's death.</div> <bR> <div> In 2008, Jorrell Simpson-Rowe was found guilty of second-degree murder.</div> <bR> <div> Written by CTV.ca News Staff <I>with files from The Canadian Press and Sue Sgambati</I></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <A HREF="#top" TITLE="Apr 10"><U><IMG SRC="16243f0d0.png" border=0 width="63" height="13" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>