Canadian accused of shooting badly hurt insurgent

PETAWAWA, Ont. — A Canadian soldier charged with second-degree murder was seen firing his weapon at a severely injured Afghan insurgent — but the body was never recovered, according to documents read into the military court record. Capt. Robert Semrau, 35, faced his first court appearance Tuesday since being charged Dec.... more

Local Briefs - January 07

Chinook’s Edge board chair resigns The chair of the Chinook’s Edge School Division board of education has announced he will step down as of Jan. 13. Doug Wagstaff has been the chair since October 2007. He will continue his work as a... more

• Drugs drive DARE speaker back to a life of crime
• Ice castle  
• Local briefs - January 6

> more

B.C. mulls fines for out-of-bounds, backcountry skiers

VANCOUVER — B.C.’s solicitor general has ordered his staff to study the possibility of fining outdoor enthusiasts who enter out of bounds areas at ski resorts and in the backcountry. Such provincial action would be a Canadian first, observers suggested Tuesday. John... more

• St. John's bans new drive-thru eateries
• Ontario woman confirms her son is one of two dead in Quebec plane crash
• Judge shortage, glut of cases clogging Kandahar’s courts

> more

Scientists say Milky Way galaxy is not snack-sized as once thought

WASHINGTON — Take that, Andromeda! For decades, astronomers thought when it came to the major galaxies in Earth’s cosmic neighbourhood, our Milky Way was a weak little sister to the larger Andromeda. But scientists now say the Milky Way is considerably larger,... more

• Israeli strike near UN school kills at least 30
• Washington, D.C. in overdrive preparing for Obama’s historic inauguration
• Gaza civilian toll rises; diplomats seek truce

> more

Celtics fall to lowly Bobcats

Even Charlotte Bobcats rookie D.J. Augustin wasn’t intimidated by the suddenly tender Boston Celtics. Raymond Felton scored 25 points and rookie Augustin added 11 of his 20 in overtime as the lowly Bobcats stunned Boston 114-106 Tuesday, sending the Celtics to... more

• Langkow’s two goals lift red-hot Flames to 5-2 win over Sharks
• Team Canada wins fifth-straight gold medal  
• Oilers rally against Islanders

> more

Finding staff solutions

University buddies do a lot of talking, the outcome of which is seldom productive. But the banter between Brad Pallister and Mitch DeBelser gave rise to B&M Recruitment Solutions, which today sources workers for employers across Alberta and beyond. Based in Innisfail,... more

• Steady economic upswing forecast
• Rimbey Co-op expansion
• Building permits drop sharply

> more

The Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton found dead at age 60

DETROIT — Ron Asheton, the guitarist for the Stooges whose raw sound helped inspire the first generation of punk musicians, has died. He was 60. Asheton was found at his Ann Arbor home early Tuesday morning by police officers after they... more

• Alberta’s Wild Roses
• Death certificate says Travolta’s son killed by seizure
• Norm MacDonald here Jan. 21

> more

LOOKBACK: City’s first bingo hall opened 25 years ago

ONE YEAR AGO • One of the key players in the fight against the proposed east Central Alberta route for a major power line cleared the way to run for a seat in the provincial legislature. Joe Anglin resigned his position... more

• Grand Canyon, Loch Ness compete as nature wonders
• Just a tiny cup will do
• Smart idea for the thrifty cook

> more