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Canada's orphan oil and gas well problem runs a billion dollars deep

Canadian companies are spending public funding to clean up their oil and gas wells at a time when the industry is raking in historic profits, yet many wells remain abandoned or unplugged. As the number of these wells rises, so do the environmental costs and the likelihood that taxpayers will be on the hook for them.

A de-commissioned pumpjack is shown at a well head on an oil and gas installation near Cremona, Alta., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

The U.S. leads the world in weather catastrophes, here's why

Blame geography for the U.S. getting hit by stronger, costlier, more varied and frequent extreme weather than anywhere on the planet, several experts said. Two oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, jutting peninsulas like Florida, clashing storm fronts and the jet stream combine to naturally brew the nastiest of weather.

Protestors across Canada demonstrate against RBC's fossil-fuel funding

Demonstrators gathered in 40 locations across Canada on Saturday to voice their opposition to the Royal Bank of Canada's funding of fossil fuel projects. The protests, part of a nation-wide effort dubbed Fossil Fools Day, unfolded in cities including Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Halifax and Vancouver.

At least 26 dead after tornadoes rake U.S. Midwest, South

Storms that dropped possibly dozens of tornadoes killed at least 26 people in small towns and big cities across the South and Midwest, tearing a path through the Arkansas capital, collapsing the roof of a packed concert venue in Illinois, and stunning people throughout the region Saturday with the damage's scope.

Small areas reopen near Fukushima nuclear plant, few return

Evacuation orders were lifted in small sections of a Japanese town just southwest of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Saturday, in time for the area's popular cherry blossom season, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida joined a ceremony to mark the reopening.

Tornadoes spawned by huge system pulverize U.S. homes; 1 dead

A monster storm system tore through the U.S. South and Midwest on Friday, spawning tornadoes that shredded homes and shopping centres, overturned vehicles and uprooted trees as people raced for shelter. At least one person was reported dead and two dozen or more were hurt, some critically, in the Little Rock area.