Thousands of Irish labourers who worked, suffered and died in a massive 19th century construction project in Canada have finally been acknowledged.

CANADA has become the first country to announce it would withdraw from the Kyoto protocol on climate change, dealing a symbolic blow to the already troubled global treaty.

Canada’s environment minister has said his country is pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

Secret dealing began in earnest today on plans to rescue the only treaty governing world greenhouse gas reductions.