Canada
#1 — CNews | Man charged 45% eco-fee on clock radio
TORONTO – When 76-year-old Joseph Lavalle needed a clock radio — so he could wake up every six hours to put glaucoma drops in his wife’s eyes — he picked one up for $9.99.
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#2 — Globe | Canada won’t follow U.S. industrial greenhouse gas initiative: Baird
The Harper government has no plans to follow a U.S. initiative to slash the greenhouse gas emissions of big polluters — even though Ottawa has pledged to harmonize its climate policies with the Americans.
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#3 — Globe | Record number of immigrants flunking tougher Canadian citizenship test
Immigrants who have to write a tougher Canadian citizenship test that was introduced last March are flunking out in record numbers.
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#4 — LFP | GG, PM attending Grey Cup
EDMONTON – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be here for the Grey Cup.
Harper and his daughter Rachel are set to attend the big game Sunday, along with Gov.-Gen. David Johnston and his wife Sharon, officials said.
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#5 — NP | Fantino may steal one for Tories in Monday byelections
OTTAWA — Voters in three federal ridings head to the polls Monday and one race in particular is being closely watched to see whether Ontario’s former top cop will commit a theft.
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#6 — OC | Special series: French immersion demand creating two solitudes
OTTAWA — Negative perceptions of English-only public schools could be fuelling the high demand for French immersion that’s currently causing overcrowding at several schools in the city.
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#7 — MG | Thousands expected to have Indian status restored
WINNIPEG — Thousands of grandchildren of women who lost their Indian status as brides will soon be able to apply to have their own status restored.
Bill C-3 could be proclaimed into law as soon as the Senate passes it by early in the New Year.
It will extend status to eligible grandchildren of women who lost status as a result of their marriages to non-aboriginal men before April 17, 1985.
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#8 — Star | Canadians ponder how to join royal wedding pomp
REGINA—Pack the top hat and tails, wedding bells are set to ring next spring for Prince William and Kate Middleton, and monarchists are hoping it won’t cost a princely sum to get to the nuptials.
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World
#9 — BBC | Irish Republic 85bn euro bail-out agreed
European ministers have reached an agreement over a bail-out for the Irish Republic worth about 85bn euros ($113bn; £72bn).
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Guardian | Ireland must find €17.5bn from its pension fund and reserves for bailout
#10 — BBC | Brazilian forces seize Rio drug trafficker stronghold
Brazilian security forces have taken control of a major Rio de Janeiro drug trafficker stronghold.
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#11 – CNN | Haitian candidates allege widespread fraud in national election
Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) — The front-runner in Haiti’s presidential race denounced Sunday’s national elections, calling for a complete annulment of the vote due to irregularities and ballot-box stuffing.
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#12 — Fox | Fire Reported at Islamic Center in Oregon
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Anger over a Somali-born teen’s failed plan to blow up a van full of explosives during Portland’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony erupted in arson on Sunday when a fire damaged an Islamic center frequented by the suspect, authorities said.
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#13 — Fox | Senators Lay Off Military Talk, Promote Regime Change for North Korea
WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain said Sunday it was time to discuss “regime change” in North Korea, but the former Navy combat pilot didn’t say how he advocates changing the government in the repressive and secretive dictatorship.
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#14 — DM | Deport convicted foreigners, say Swiss in early referendum results
Foreign convicted criminals should be deported from Switzerland, early results of a referendum have revealed.
Figures released on national television showed 53 per cent of voters are in favour of a proposal to automatically deport immigrants convicted of serious crimes such as murder, rape and trafficking drugs and people.
The initiative – put forward by Switzerland’s right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) – is the latest indication of an increasing hostility towards immigration.
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#15 — Telegraph | North and South Korea move close to war footing
North and South Korea have moved closer to a war footing around the Yellow Sea island targeted in last week’s artillery strike as tensions in the region continue to rise.
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#16 — Telegraph | ‘Big cat’ blamed for string of livestock attacks in Wales
Farmers have claimed a big cat is roaming the Welsh countryside following a string of savage attacks on livestock and sightings by terrified residents.
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