Under normal circumstances, adapting a best-selling Pulitzer Prize-winning novel for the big-screen might be an unnerving prospect but when it came to making The Road, director John Hillcoat had an ace in his pocket.

In Hedley’s early days, lead singer Jacob Hoggard spent a lot of energy trying to make people forget that he ever appeared on Canadian Idol.

Since winning top honours on So You Think You Can Dance-Canada in October, Tara-Jean Popowich has been on quite a wild ride.

LOS ANGELES - Britney Spears' ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib is being sent to jail for 45 days for leaving the scene of an accident.

CHICAGO - For more than two decades, Oprah Winfrey has been the inspirational, change-your-life champion who reigned over daytime television much like Johnny Carson once ruled late night.

OTTAWA - Members of Parliament are scrambling to climb aboard the Twitter bandwagon - and getting elbowed by controversial, satirical and even phoney postings.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A group of volunteer Santa Claus "elves" in Alaska's frigid interior is determined to save a popular holiday letter service featuring the North Pole's most beloved icon.

CAIRO, Egypt - Egypt on Thursday recalled its ambassador to Algeria for consultations as part of a growing diplomatic row caused by a bitter soccer rivalry between the two Arab nations that has sparked violence among fans.

BRUSSELS - The EU says it has solved an old problem for Washington.

OTTAWA - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is proposing a voluntary code of conduct for credit-and debit-card companies that he says will "level the playing field" for consumers and small businesses alike.