A billionaire media baron with a taste for a lavish lifestyle, Conrad Moffat Black is no stranger to the spotlight.

A billionaire media baron with a taste for a lavish lifestyle, Conrad Moffat Black is no stranger to the spotlight.

Canada’s Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper has set his sights on two traditional Liberal Party strongholds – Ontario and Québec – as support for his party surged in one poll but fell in another with only five days before the country elects a new government.

The Liberal Party lost its outright control of Canada’s Parliament early today but easily won the largest share of seats and will now try to lead the North American country’s first minority government in 25 years.

Prime Minister Paul Martin battled to stave off defeat yesterday in what could be one of Canada’s closest elections ever.

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin battled to stave off defeat today in what could be one of Canada’s closest elections ever.

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin has sacked the president of the country's passenger railroad, only days after he dismissed its chairman over a €74.5m spending scandal.

America and Canada have formed a joint task force to investigate what caused the huge North American power blackout, and prevent it from happening again.

The biggest power cut in American history rolled across a vast swath of the northern United States and southern Canada yesterday, driving millions of people outdoors into stifling rush hour streets – then darkness.

Canada has approved a new national policy to let gay couples get married, paving the way for the country to become the third to allow same-sex unions.

After winning new funds for fighting Aids, world leaders at the G8 summit turned their attention today to global problems like terrorism, nuclear proliferation and the world economy.

World leaders clamped a harmonious face on a summit simmering with Iraq war disputes today, striking a united front with pledges of billions of dollars to fight Aids and hunger in poor nations.

IRISH rescue teams who helped recover the bodies of passengers aboard the Air India flight which exploded off the Irish coast in 1985 have been praised by one of the victim’s relatives.

A World Health organisation spokesman today confirmed that the agency is reconsidering the travel warning it issued last week for Toronto, Canada’s largest city, due to Sars.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) today accepted a leading scientist’s findings that the Sars bug, which is causing panic worldwide, is more deadly than first thought.

Elton John and American singer-songwriter Billy Joel have called off their joint concert in Toronto following the alert over the Sars virus, it emerged today.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien has called a Cabinet meeting in Toronto instead of Ottawa to show the World Health Organisation erred in warning against travel to Canada’s largest city because of Sars.

An aide to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has quit following an outcry over reports she privately called US President George Bush a “moron”.

Canada's prime minister Jean Chretien has told his country's media that George W Bush is not "a moron".

CANADIAN Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is under fire after his director of communications, Françoise Ducros, was reportedly overheard on Thursday calling President George W Bush a moron at a NATO meeting in Prague.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has warned the US against "humiliating" poorer countries and said perceived western arrogance had played a part in the September 11 attacks.

A Canadian Parliament committee has called for legalising cannabis use by adults.

Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair is to fly to America for urgent talks over Iraq with US President George Bush, it was announced today.

AS negotiators finished a global plan to tackle poverty and save the environment, Russia said yesterday it will soon ratify the Kyoto Protocol a move that would bring the key climate change agreement into effect.

World leaders at the Earth Summit in South Africa have reached a compromise on the last details of a global plan to eradicate poverty and reverse environmental decline.

Negotiators were upbeat today about the prospect of achieving further deals on tackling world poverty and the environment as heads of state prepared to join the Earth Summit in Johannesburg.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has said he will not seek a fourth term and plans to leave office in February 2004.

A son of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has been charged with sexually assaulting an 18-year-old girl, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

With tens of thousands of young Catholic pilgrims waiting, Pope John Paul arrived in Canada today for a week of World Youth Day festivities with those he calls the future of his church.

The US government has turned to the Arab world for support in its campaign to oust Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was today flying out to a G8 summit in Canada which is expected to be dominated by plans to push a new aid pact with Africa.

Four Canadian soldiers were killed and eight wounded when an American fighter jet mistakenly bombed them during a training exercise in Afghanistan, officials said.

The Montreal Comedy Festival has become embroiled in a political row in Canada.

American warplanes are striking Taliban positions outside the northern city of Kunduz, the Islamic militia's sole remaining stronghold in the north of Afghanistan.

Canadian prime minister Jean Chretien has urged Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams to continue promoting the Northern Ireland peace process.

The mother of a British man being held in custody in Genoa following vicious rioting in the city insisted today her son had nothing to do with the violence.

Leaders of the world’s major industrialised countries, hoping to regain control of a summit marred by a protester’s death in massive demonstrations, searched today for ways to extend help to poor nations.

Beijing was today awarded the 2008 Olympic Games in the most controversial choice of a host city for decades.

A man who shoved a plate of whipped cream in the face of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has been jailed for 30 days .

US President George W Bush intends to make deep reductions in nuclear weapons, perhaps without negotiating reciprocal cuts by Russia, officials said today.

Western hemisphere leaders were today winding up a 34-nation trade summit as protesters and riot police prepared for a third day of clashes.

Tony Blair is heading for his first summit with US President George W Bush.