Esprit de corpse? Canadian puts French village through Halloween bootcamp

Jeremy Mercer shows off the giant tower of pumpkins he set up on his mother's front lawn in Ottawa in 2007. Mercer has brought his passion with him to France. (Jeremy Mercer)

Jeremy Mercer says getting children in the village of Saint Maime in the south of France motivated to trick or treat last Halloween was easy enough. Getting them to trick or treat properly, however, was another matter.

"They moved as one pack from house to house," recalls the Canadian author and journalist, who moved from Ottawa and quickly discovered the spooky North American tradition had not taken hold in his new locale.

"You had this seething mass of [40] kids chanting 'Les bonbons! Les bonbons!'" he told CBC Radio's All in a Day. The result, said Mercer, was more frightening for the homeowners who had agreed to participate.

Despite that, Mercer — himself an avid enthusiast of the holiday — said the reaction from the community was positive, so this year he has organized three separate departure points and said the departure times of the children will be staggered.

Mercer said over the last three weeks he's been able to train the children on the proper etiquette.

"We're on track for better trick or treating," he said.

Mercer said the late-night festivities have been successful in part because La Toussaint — or All Saints' Day — on Nov. 1 is a public holiday in France. But while Halloween was introduced to the country decades earlier, it's been slow to catch on.

That's why he says he's keeping it simple.

"Canada has room for ironic costumes… but here we have to be just straight up vampire, ghost, monster," he said.

"Maybe year-four or year-five we'll get ironic with the 'cereal killer' stabbing a box of cereal, that sort of thing, but for now we just want [to] stay on message," he said.

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Record breaking unicyclist wheels into B.C.

A unicyclist on a record breaking tour of North and South America has reached British Columbia, after biking more than 22,000 kilometres on one wheel.

Cary Gray of St. Louis, Mo., set off on his epic journey on July 1, 2013 and has already spanned 11 countries: U.S., Canada, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia.

In Panama, Gray broke the Guinness World Record for Longest Unicycle Journey, which previously belonged to fellow American Lars Clausen, who unicycled 14,686.82 kilometres in a double crossing of the U.S. in 2002.

In the future, Gray has plans to cycle Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia, adding another 40,000 kilometres to his journey.

But for now, he's on his way north to Prince Rupert and beyond, to Alaska—if snow plows can keep the road clear.

You can listen to CBC Daybreak interviewing Gray on the road by clicking on the Listen button above. Can't see a Listen box? Click here to listen to the CBC interview with Gray.

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Daniel Radcliffe raps like Blackalicious on Tonight Show

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe cast a spell over The Tonight Show ​audience Tuesday night with a show-stopping performance of Blackalicious's classic rap hit Alphabet Aerobics.

"I've always had an obsession with memorizing complicated, lyrically intricate and fast songs," the British actor confessed to host Jimmy Fallon. "It's a disease."

The admission prompted Fallon to hand Radcliffe a microphone and the challenge of performing the super tricky song, which the 25-year-old actor handily accepted.

• On mobile? Watch Daniel Radcliffe's performance here

Radcliffe stunned the audience, which gave him a standing ovation, when he dropped his accent and flawlessly conquered the song's tongue twisting rhymes, which include verbal hurdles like: 

Casually create catastrophes, casualties
Cancelling cats got their canopies collapsing
Detonate a dime of dank daily doin' dough
Demonstrations, Don Dada on the down low

If you want to see how the former boy wizard stacks up to the original, check out Blackalicious's version in the video below. Warning: it contains explicit language.

• On mobile? Watch Blackalicious perform Alphabet Aerobics here​

Radcliffe is currently on the talk show circuit promoting his new movie, Horns. The supernatural thriller fantasy centres on a young man played by Radcliffe who wakes up after his girlfriend's mysterious death to find the growths on his head.

It's a dark departure for the former Harry Potter child star, who described the transition in a 2013 interview with CBC News.

"Obviously, when you're doing it from such a huge franchise there's a lot of speculation over whether you'll be able to [pull it off]," he said. 

"But I can't pay too much attention to that. I've just got to carry on finding films that I love and scripts that I'm passionate about and hope for the best."

Horns opens in select theatres on Friday.

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'Technology and stuff': The 'Chevy Guy' overshadows World Series MVP

'Technology and stuff' now a thing

By Jesse Campigotto, CBC Sports Posted: Oct 30, 2014 9:55 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 30, 2014 10:31 AM ET

With the World Series on the line Wednesday night in Kansas City, San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner came on in relief and tossed five shutout innings to deliver the Giants their third World Series title in five years.

He could not have been cooler under pressure.

The same can't be said for the man who presented Bumgarner with the World Series MVP trophy.

Chevrolet representative Rikk Wilde — or "Chevy Guy" as he was quickly dubbed on social media — fumbled through his lines as he tried to work through the advertorial elements ("technology and stuff?") of the sponsored trophy presentation.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig, a former car salesman himself, did not look impressed.

---

We feel for you, Rikk. It's a tough spot that the company didn't make any easier with that interminable script.

And, hey, your World Series probably still went better than Royals manager Ned Yost's.

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Trick about 4:30 p.m. Halloween curfew no treat for police

A post on a satirical website stating New Brunswick will impose a 4:30 p.m. curfew on Halloween led the City of Fredericton to post a Facebook notice stating the story was fake and is resulting in a waste of police resources.

A satirical website called The Manatee indicated New Brunswick would impose a 4:30 p.m. curfew for trick-or-treaters on Halloween. (The Manatee)

The post on The Manatee suggested children "wear their costumes to school and start trick-or-treating on their walk back from the bus stop."

It stated anyone found going door-to-door after 4:30 p.m. would be fined between $100 and $500, depending on the number of children in the group and the amount of effort put into their costumes, with smaller fines issued to those with more creative costumes.

A notice from the City of Fredericton posted on Facebook stated City Hall and the city's police force had received a number of calls about the possible curfew and the false news story.

"There has been a lot of chatter on social media, but we can reassure the public that this is not the case," stated the city.

"Unfortunately, this false story led to concern from a number of residents and ended up tying up resources unnecessarily," stated the city.

"We would ask people to refrain from posting an unsubstantiated information for this reason. Specifically, increased call volume to deal with a fake story, can unnecessarily tie up police lines."

The creators of The Manatee felt the news in New Brunswick needed a bit of comic relief and started the site about one month ago.

Co-creator Alex Vietinghoff says he hopes people realize they have to watch what they read on the internet.

"I was a little nervous at first because I thought, `Oh great, what have I done?'" he said.

"But I think now it's pretty obvious to everyone that it's satirical and hopefully going forward there won't be any small crisis like that again."

The site has had about 200,000 visitors.

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Daniel Radcliffe raps like Blackalicious on Tonight Show

Harry Potter star proves he's a lyrical wizard, rapping Alphabet Aerobics for Jimmy Fallon

CBC News Posted: Oct 29, 2014 10:09 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 29, 2014 10:09 AM ET

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe cast a spell over The Tonight Show ​audience Tuesday night, with a show-stopping performance of Blackalicious's classic rap hit Alphabet Aerobics.

"I've always had an obsession with memorizing complicated, lyrically intricate and fast songs," the British actor confessed to host Jimmy Fallon. "It's a disease."

The admission prompted Fallon to hand Radcliffe a microphone and the challenge of performing the super tricky song, which the 25-year-old actor handily accepted.

• On mobile? Watch Daniel Radcliffe's performance here

Radcliffe stunned the audience, which gave him a standing ovation, when he dropped his accent and flawlessly conquered the song's tongue twisting rhymes, which include verbal hurdles like: 

Casually create catastrophes, casualties
Cancelling cats got their canopies collapsing
Detonate a dime of dank daily doin' dough
Demonstrations, Don Dada on the down low

If you want to see how the former boy wizard stacks up to the original, check out the Blackalicious's version in the video below. Warning: it contains explicit language.

• On mobile? Watch Blackalicious perform Alphabet Aerobics here

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‘It looked real:’ Yellowknife RCMP respond to Halloween decoration

Police in Yellowknife were not amused this morning when they received reports of a person hanging from a balcony, only to find a Halloween decoration.

"It looked real enough that someone called the police,' says RCMP Cst. Elenore Sturko.

Instead of a person in distress, first responders found  an effigy hanging in a noose suspended from a hangman's post, a press release says.

The person who had put up the decoration said it was for a party.

It's since been taken down.

"This is a good time to remind the public to keep safety in mind this Halloween," says Sturko.

"Now that the snow and ice are here it's important to drive with caution and watch out for children who may be wearing costumes, and could be distracted by seasonal decorations."

RCMP say they'll have extra members on duty on Halloween night with a focus on traffic enforcement.

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Drone being used to survey damage from alien crab species

The Nature Conservancy of Canada will be using a drone, as well as "boots on the ground," to try and get a clearer picture of the impact of the invasive green crab on eel grass beds.

European green crab have been eating their way up the coast, feeding on clams, oysters, mussels, small fish — but perhaps most alarming is their tendency to destroy ecologically vital eel grass in the process.

Without the eel grass, lush estuaries become underwater deserts and that can have a huge impact on species that rely on it. (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)

Eel grass serves as a nursery for many important commercial marine species, as well as for a number of species at risk. Without the eel grass, these lush estuaries become underwater deserts and that can have a huge impact on species that rely on it.

Eel grass meadows are also important for filtering and trapping sediment, improving water quality and helping sustain migratory waterfowl, according to the NCC.

The conservancy hopes the survey of more than 445 hectares of the Pugwash River Estuary will give conservationists a better idea of the amount and the health of eel grass beds in the area.

Craig Smith, program manager for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, said the project is designed to help track how eel grass is surviving against an "increasing and significant threat."

"Eel-grass meadows are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world," said Smith.

"Their slippery, grass like leaves provide numerous benefits to coastal environments and we are creating a baseline dataset of eel-grass in the estuary to help detect future changes."

Alien green crab, which likely originated in the Mediterranean, were first introduced to New Jersey in 1817. By the 1950s, green crab had found their way north to waters off southern Nova Scotia.

In recent years, they have rapidly expanded their range around Cape Breton, north to Prince Edward Island the Magdalen Islands of Quebec and into even colder waters around Newfoundland.

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Despicable Me minion makes birthday appearance at Sask. farm

Don't tell Gru, but one of his lovable, mischievous minions has made its way to a farm north of Regina. 

Minions - for those who don't know - are yellow, cylinder-shaped creatures made famous in Despicable Me, a 2010 computer-animated comedy starring Steve Carell, who voices super-villian and minion-master Felonius Gru. 

The minion apparently made its way to the Nixon family farm, near Earl Grey, Sask., for Arowyn's fourth birthday party. 

Arowyn, 4, (far left) and members of her family stand in front of the minion. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Nixon)

It stands 12-feet tall, and while nobody is really sure what minions are, this one appears to be made out of two straw bales, an old tire, cardboard, a belt from a baler, air hose tubing and a great deal of spray paint. 

Arowyn's mom, Jessica, said she saw a picture on the internet of a similar minion and asked her husband if one could make an appearance at their daughter's upcoming birthday party. 

When the minion appeared in the yard, Jessica said her kids were pretty pumped. 

Arowyn Nixon and her brother, Trace, playing with the minion. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Nixon)

"They all freaked out and ran up to it," said Jessica.

Obviously, Arowyn and her younger brother spent some time playing with their new friend. 

"Running around, looking at it, jumping around, they played some tag around it," said Jessica. 

The minion themed birthday party was a success, and Jessica was just finishing cleaning up the aftermath when reached by CBC. 

For now, the minion will stay. 

"We'll probably keep it for a little while," she said. 

And, she isn't ruling out the possibility of more creatures from other dimensions visiting their farm. 

"Our little guy has his party in a month," she said. "Now I'm thinking, 'what am I going to do for his party?'"

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Do you have what it takes to get through 'Santa School?'

Halloween hasn't even arrived, but Kris Kringle is getting a jump-start on his Christmas plans.

Since the man in red can't be everywhere at once, some of his elves are lending a hand to whip Santa representatives into the holiday spirit this weekend in Calgary. Learning the tricks of the craft isn't easy but Calgary's "Santa School" has drawn wanna-be St. Nicks from as far away as New Mexico and from all across Canada.

"I think that the perception that the public has is you just put on a red suit and you're qualified to be Santa," said one student, who identified himself only as Santa Tomas. "There's so much to it."

The Santa and Mrs. Claus students spend three days learning the ins and outs of becoming the big man — or woman.

That includes vocal lessons, performing tips and perfecting the art of the Santa Claus entrance — right down to the ringing of the bells.

After learning the skills for success, the only thing aspiring Santas have left to practice is patience, as they wait for the Christmas season to begin.

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Despicable Me minion makes birthday appearance at Sask. farm

Don't tell Gru, but one of his lovable, mischievous minions has made its way to a farm north of Regina. 

Minions - for those who don't know - are yellow, cylinder-shaped creatures made famous in Despicable Me, a 2010 computer-animated comedy starring Steve Carell, who voices super-villian and minion-master Felonius Gru. 

The minion apparently made its way to the Nixon family farm, near Earl Grey, Sask., for Arowyn's fourth birthday party. 

Arowyn, 4, (far left) and members of her family stand in front of the minion. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Nixon)

It stands 12-feet tall, and while nobody is really sure what minions are, this one appears to be made out of two straw bales, an old tire, cardboard, a belt from a baler, air hose tubing and a great deal of spray paint. 

Arowyn's mom, Jessica, said she saw a picture on the internet of a similar minion and asked her husband if one could make an appearance at their daughter's upcoming birthday party. 

When the minion appeared in the yard, Jessica said her kids were pretty pumped. 

Arowyn Nixon and her brother, Trace, playing with the minion. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Nixon)

"They all freaked out and ran up to it," said Jessica.

Obviously, Arowyn and her younger brother spent some time playing with their new friend. 

"Running around, looking at it, jumping around, they played some tag around it," said Jessica. 

The minion themed birthday party was a success, and Jessica was just finishing cleaning up the aftermath when reached by CBC. 

For now, the minion will stay. 

"We'll probably keep it for a little while," she said. 

And, she isn't ruling out the possibility of more creatures from other dimensions visiting their farm. 

"Our little guy has his party in a month," she said. "Now I'm thinking, 'what am I going to do for his party?'"

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Halloween dog parade in New York

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Snakes on the plains: 98 snakes, found in home, released to the wild

A slithering mass of 98 snakes that had found their way into a basement are back in their natural element after being released to the wild, just outside Regina Wednesday.

Megan Lawrence tips a bin to release 98 snakes to the wild, just outside Regina. (Dean Gutheil/CBC)

The story of the snakes on the plains began when they were discovered in the basement of an older home in the Regina area. Experts say it is normal for snakes to seek cozy spots that are below the frost line for winter hibernation.

'We know there's more down there in the basement.'- Megan Lawrence, Salthaven West

"I was a little surprised that there was that many actually," Megan Lawrence, from Salthaven West Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, told CBC News Wednesday. 

Lawrence helped the homeowner clear out the creatures, and even tended to a few with health issues. A total of 102 were rounded up. One snake appeared to have a broken vertebra, another seemed to have an eye infection and two more were acting sluggish. The four in poor health are still at Salthaven West.

The harmless garter snakes found their way through cracks in the soil and the foundation of the older home.

Wildlife experts released 98 garter snakes into the wild near Regina Wednesday. (Dean Gutheil/CBC)

The snakes were taken to an area northwest of Regina known as the Condie Nature Preserve and released to find a more natural winter home.

Lawrence added Salthaven West may end up having to return to the basement where the snakes were discovered, as she is sure they were not able to get each and every one.

"We know there's more down there in the basement we just can't get to them," she said. "I imagine over the winter we'll be taking in more."

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Celebrated architect Frank Gehry flips the bird to Spanish media

The American-Canadian architect responded to reporter's question by flipping him the bird

The Associated Press Posted: Oct 24, 2014 3:11 PM ET Last Updated: Oct 24, 2014 3:19 PM ET

Architect Frank Gehry travelled to Spain to receive a prestigious award but shocked his hosts by responding to a reporter's question with an obscene gesture and making contemptuous comments about most modern architecture.

Gehry shocked his hosts Thursday with the obscene gesture and biting comments about modern architecture. (J.L. Cereijido/EPA)

The American-Canadian was in the northern city of Oviedo to accept one of Spain's Prince of Asturias prizes Friday.

Local media reported that on the eve of the ceremony, Gehry reacted with a rude gesture at a news conference when asked if his work was based on spectacle.

Gehry said 98 per cent of buildings today lack sensitivity and respect for humanity, according to El Pais.

He has created the Guggenheim Museum in Spain, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, an arts centre sponsored by the LVMH Fashion Group.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

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Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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Man who faked coma caught on camera strolling around supermarket

He might have got away with it if it hadn't been for his supermarket loyalty card.

A British fraudster who pretended to be quadriplegic and sometimes comatose for two years to avoid prosecution has been convicted after police caught him on camera driving and strolling around supermarkets.

Alan Knight of Swansea, Wales, stole more than $64,000 US from the bank account of an elderly neighbour with Alzheimer's disease, prosecutors said.

When police began investigating, the 47-year-old Knight claimed to be quadriplegic and so sick he sometimes fell into a coma. He checked himself into a hospital to avoid court appearances, saying he was having seizures.

'A very accomplished and determined actor ... and the conditions he claims to be suffering from are simply nonexistent.'- Judge Paul Thomas

The South Wales Evening Post reported Wednesday that the suspect's wife, Helen Knight, had written to the newspaper saying her husband had obtained a doctor's letter certifying he was "quadriplegic and in a comatose condition, bed-bound at home" after a neck injury.

"We've been through absolute hell and we're still going through hell," she wrote, according to the newspaper.

Knight's deceit was uncovered when police tracked the use of his supermarket card, and produced surveillance camera footage of him walking and driving.

Warned that the trial would go ahead whether he was present or not, Knight arrived at Swansea Crown Court Tuesday in a wheelchair and neck brace. Faced with the video evidence, he pleaded guilty to 19 counts of forgery, fraud and theft. His wife has not been charged with any offence.

Judge Paul Thomas said Knight was "a very accomplished and determined actor ... and the conditions he claims to be suffering from are simply nonexistent."

"His illnesses coincide with impending court appearances. I do not believe the symptoms are genuine," the judge was quoted as saying by the South Wales Evening Post.

Knight is due to be sentenced Nov. 7.

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Vintage Apple 1 computer sells for $905,000 US

Winning bid came from Henry Ford museum

The Associated Press Posted: Oct 23, 2014 9:21 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 23, 2014 9:22 AM ET

A vintage Apple computer that was one of only 50 made in Steve Jobs' garage in 1976 has sold for $905,000 US at auction in New York City.

Bonhams auction house says the winning bid on Wednesday came from The Henry Ford museum. The final price of the Steve Wozniak-designed Apple 1 computer was far above the pre-sale estimate of $300,000 to $500,000.

The still-working computer has an intact motherboard, as well as a vintage keyboard and monitor.

The auction was Bonham's first sale in New York City of items connected to science and technology. Other lots included a letter by Charles Darwin to a colleague about the sex life of barnacles, and a Helmholtz sound synthesizer from 1905, the earliest electrical keyboard.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

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Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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Former Crime Stoppers car stolen, Regina police say

A vehicle that was previously used for Regina's Crime Stoppers program has been stolen, according to police in that city.

Police said the vehicle, a 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser, still bears the Crime Stoppers logos and other identifying decals.

While the missing vehicle was reported to police on Oct. 17, they said it may have been taken as much as a month earlier.

"The Regina police would like to advise that this vehicle is not in the possession of Crime Stoppers, and that persons currently using this vehicle do not represent Regina Crime Stoppers," police said in a news release.

They did ask anyone with information about the stolen car to contact Crime Stoppers, at 1-800-222-8477, which is the number on the side of the vehicle.

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Jalapeno Mac N' Cheese chip flavour wins Calgary man $50K

Jalapeno Mac N' Cheese beat the competition to become Canadians' preferred flavour in a potato chip contest.

Randall Litman of Calgary, who came up with the winning combination, takes home $50,000 plus one per cent of future sales of Jalapeno Mac N' Cheese on Lay's Wavy, Lay's Canada announced Tuesday.

The variety of foods on the same plate at summer barbecues was Litman's inspiration. He said his favourite combination is when potato chips end up next to macaroni salad, adding some jalapeno to give it a kick.

"It's incredible to think that my submission, which started from a conversation I had with my wife at a barbecue, will now join the Lay's flavour lineup," Litman said in a release.

Earlier this year, the Lay's Do Us a Flavour contest challenged Canadians to submit ideas for their favourite potato chip flavour. In less than two months, the contest received more than a million submissions.

In August, Lay's revealed the four finalists and Canadians had until Oct. 15 to vote for their favourite.

The other three finalist flavours were: Bacon Poutine on Lay's Original by Guillaume Lorrain from Trois-Rivieres, Que.; Cinnamon Bun on Lay's Original by Gloria Melanson from London, Ont.; and Tzatziki on Lay's Kettle Cooked by Denise Vella from Cambridge, Ont.

The winning flavour will be released across Canada in late November.

Maple Moose, created by Tyler LeFrense of Isle Aux Morts, N.L., was the 2013 winner.

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Snakes on the plains: 102 snakes slither into home near Regina

They writhed, wriggled and slithered their way inside an unsuspecting family's home near Regina. Then, 102 garter snakes were plucked up and taken to a wildlife shelter in the city's northwest. 

Megan Lawrence is the Director of Rehabilitation at the Salthaven West Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre. 

"We got a call from a family that found some garter snakes in their basement, and as they investigated further they found a lot more. And then they started finding them in other areas of the house, like kitchens and bedrooms. So they decided then it wasn't a good idea to have them there anymore."

Lawrence said the family eventually reached her, and she and her partner went to check out the house.

'For the most part they were in tight spaces. Cracks in the floors, cracks in the walls, between boxes, underneath things — anywhere they could get into basically'- Megan Lawrence, Salthaven West Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

"They were starting to end up everywhere in the house but in the basement. For the most part they were in tight spaces. Cracks in the floors, cracks in the walls, between boxes, underneath things — anywhere they could get into basically."

She said they weren't really hiding, and they weren't moving very quickly because some of them had apparently settled in for the winter. 

"They were already starting to go into hibernation," she said. "So we just were, you know, picking up boxes and things off the floor and just found them and just caught them by hand. And then we were transporting them in buckets and pillowcases."

Lawrence and her partner used about five pillowcases, and then moved the snakes into a bucket to count them. From there, Lawrence says, they separated them by size. She said the largest snake is nearly one metre long, and the shortest is approximately 22 cm. 

Most common call of the season for snake expert

The Royal Saskatchewan Museum's Head of Research and Collections is also a snake expert. Ray Poulin said it's not unusual for snakes to wind their way under the soil and into your home this time of year. 

A number of baby snakes were among the 102 found at a rural property near Regina. (Salthaven West/Facebook)

"We get half a dozen calls — at the museum — which, I'm not sure is always the first place people think to call. So, imagine how many places out there, how many houses have snakes going in at this time of year," he said. "So I think it's very common,"he said. 

Poulin says it's also common for garter snakes to sneak in homes in large groups. He says it would be a rare occurrence if 100 of any other type of snake were found in a house, but he's not surprised by this volume of Plains Garter Snakes.

Snakes on a plain

In his office, Poulin mostly receives calls from people in southern parts of the province, from anywhere between the Alberta and Manitoba borders. He says he hasn't heard about it as much from the Saskatoon area to the northern border, however there is a different species of garter snake that will also group together to find dens there as well. 

So why do they do it?

A home is infested with garter snakes. Some of them were more than a metre long. (Salt Haven West/Facebook)

​

"The snakes know winter is coming. Snakes have to get below the frost line, or else they can't survive the winter. On the prairies, there's only so many options to do that," Poulin told CBC News. "Older houses that have foundations that the snakes can get into—that serves as a great place to get underground and get under that frost line."

Poulin says what's most interesting to him as a researcher is how the snakes manage to arrive in basements and other parts of homes in such large numbers. He says he's curious about how snakes spread the news to others once one of them finds its way into a warm home. 

'If they have found your basement and they have set up shop, they're going to want to come back year after year'- Dr. Ray Poulin, Royal Saskatchewan Museum

"Snakes in general tend to go back to the same hibernation site every year. So if you don't have them in your basement already, it's actually quite a low chance that they're going to find your basement and set up shop there. On the other side of that, if they have found your basement and they have set up shop, they're going to want to come back year after year."

'We know there's more down there'

While Lawrence says the family no longer wanted to live with the snakes, she says they have a 'healthy respect' for them. So she's confident they'll take care of them when they find more.

A pile of plains garter snakes 'rescued' from a home near Regina wriggle for the cameras at the Salthaven West Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. (Megan Lawrence)

"We know there's more down there, they're just hiding," Lawrence said. "They're going to keep trying to catch them and get them out of there. They don't want to harm them and they know that with winter coming it's important to not put them outside unless they have an alternate place to hibernate."

Ray Poulin is the Head of Research and Collections at the Royal Saskatchewan museum and a snake expert. (CBC)

Plains garter snake tips

Poulin says the type of snakes winding their way into basements in southern Saskatchewan are almost always Plains Garter Snakes, which he says are pretty harmless. Here are a few other tips he relayed to CBC about the snakes:

• Check for cracks or holes near your foundation to see where the snakes are getting through.
• Try placing a barrier of gravel around the house, though Poulin admits he's not sure whether it's a surefire way to stop them 
• The snakes in your house at this time of year are likely adults and they're not reproducing, because they don't have their young until summer
• You can put on any type of glove to pick them up. "I always tell people the worst thing a garter snake can do to you is poop on you. They don't really have enough jaw strength or teeth to do damage," Poulin says. 
• Don't dump them close to your house. "You'd want to move them. If you just let them go back in the yard, they're just going to go right back to your house," he says. Anywhere with steep slopes can help the snakes find a new hibernation site. 
• If handling a snake makes your skin crawl, call a professional to remove them.

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The Hobbit trilogy budget tops $745 million US

The movie trilogy The Hobbit has so far cost nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars to make as the epic continues to set new benchmarks for studio spending.

Financial documents filed this month in New Zealand, where the three movies are being made, show production costs through March had reached 934 million New Zealand dollars ($745 million US).

The figures include filming and digital effects completed over several years but not the final eight months of production costs leading up to the scheduled December release of the final movie. It's not clear from the documents whether worldwide marketing and distribution costs are included.

Warner Bros., which is making the movies, on Tuesday declined to answer questions about the costs: "We don't comment on production budgets," wrote Candice McDonough, a senior vice-president at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Entertainment, in an email.

The cost eclipses previous records for film productions. On a per-film basis, however, the movies are not the most expensive ever made. At least not yet.

Box Office Mojo and Guinness World Records estimate that record goes to Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End which cost about $300 million to make.

Box Office Mojo estimates the first two Hobbit movies took in a combined $1.98 billion at the box office.

The financial documents filed in New Zealand provide an unusually detailed account of the costs involved in a big Hollywood production. Typically, studios provide only vague estimates and have been accused of both underestimating and overestimating costs as it suits them for publicity purposes.

But in New Zealand, Warner Bros. set up a wholly-owned company to handle the trilogy, which has filed regular financial reports that are publicly available.

The latest documents show the production received $122 million from New Zealand taxpayers through an incentive scheme designed to attract big budget movies to the country. Such schemes are common in U.S. states and countries that compete for movies.

Trilogy director Peter Jackson has been promoting the anticipated release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on social media, putting up images of movie posters on his Facebook page. "We're getting closer now," he wrote in a post last month.

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Paris 'sex toy' inflatable art removed after attack by vandals

A controversial green art installation on Paris' tony Place Vendome has been taken down after being vandalized overnight.

Le Monde reported that American artist Paul McCarthy was hit in the face Thursday by a man who said the sculpture, which had just been inflated on the Place Vendôme, had no place there. (Jacques Brinon/The Associated Press)

The inflatable sculpture called "Tree" vaguely resembled a Christmas tree but evoked for others, including its creator, American artist Paul McCarthy, a giant anal sex toy.

McCarthy told Le Monde the work was somewhat inspired by an anal plug — but insisted it was a bit of a "joke" and meant as an "abstraction."

Wires holding the sculpture in place were severed by vandals sometime overnight, according to French media reports. The sculpture was deflated and folded up on Saturday.

Culture Minister Fleur Pellerin blasted the vandalism, calling it "a serious attack on the principle of artistic freedom."

Locals were quoted as saying the artwork was ugly and had no place in one of the most beautiful squares in the French capital.

Many took to Twitter to complain, using the hashtag #PlugGate. And on Thursday, the artist himself was reportedly slapped by an offended man in the historic square shortly after the "Tree" was inflated. Le Monde said McCarthy was not injured.

The temporary, 25-metre exhibit was created for the International Contemporary Art Fair, which takes place in Paris from Oct. 23 to 26.

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Children's Museum hosts adults-only after hours parties with bar, bands

Winnipeg's Children's Museum is trying out a new strategy to help raise cash — they're inviting adults to party there at night.

"People that are in their early 20s now, even pushing into their 30s, they remember coming to the Children's Museum when they were younger, and they want to come back," said museum services co-ordinator, Mario Labossiere. 

The museum has launched a series of events — dubbed Seriously Adult — which see the museum open to adults only after hours, and a bar is installed in the back in order to tap a market of people who aren't likely to hit up a fundraising gala or go to a golf tournament.

One of the Children's Museum's exhibits blasts air into the face of a young visitor. The museum is holding adults-only nights to raise money for underprivileged kids to visit the museum. (Children's Museum photograph courtesy of Ebonie Klassen Photography)

"They just think it's the coolest thing to be able to walk around with a drink in their hand and do all those fun things," said Labossiere. "It's not something you can say you do all the time."

So far, they've hosted a trivia night, a comedy night and coming up — an indie night with local bands Mise en Scene, ATLAAS and French Press.

And adults aren't asked to stay off the exhibits — they're encouraged to get in and play.

"With our policies, we can't always allowed unaccompanied adults into the museum for various safety reasons so having these after hours adult-only events gives us a lot of options," said Labossiere. "They can play in the train. They can crawl up the Lasagna Lookout Tower. They can milk a cow, but then they can also listen to some music, hear some comedians ... and just have a great time."

And the idea is paying off. Each event raises between $5,000 and $7,500 dollars.

But organizers are hoping to get more for their next event.

"We have a Free to Play access program, which brings under-supported children to the museum for free, and we really believe in making this place accessible to as many people as possible," said Lisa Dziedzic, the museum's marketing director. "It's a huge amount of money that it takes to be able to fund that program. That's why we do it."

Dziedzic hopes to raise enough money from Nov. 7's indie night to bring 1,000 underprivileged kids to the museum.

Children's Museum hit by funding cut

"We've had fundraising galas and special event dinners and golf tournaments, things like that, and we're finding the rate of return on [Seriously Adult events] is actually been higher than we've been able to do over the past number of years with those types of events," explained Dziedzic.

A careful counting system ensures every cap, bottle and cup are accounted for after the adults-only nights at the Children's Museum. (Curtis Shonoski)

And the museum needs the cash. They generate 86 per cent of their own revenue from ticket sales and special events, with only 14 per cent coming from government funding.

Other local museums get a lot more. 

"As a children's museum we don't quite qualify for the same heritage or historical funding that lots of other institutions in the city can [get]" said Dziedzic.

The museum also saw its funding cut last year, when the City of Winnipeg made across-the-board cuts to arts funding.

"There's cuts all over the place so it is a hard thing to try and rely on government funding to do," she said.

Massive clean-up, strict counts keep it safe

But there are risks with inviting adults into a children's space to drink and play — the museum has to go through a massive cleanup before it can be reopened, and every cup, bottle and beer cap has to be counted so none go missing. 

"We scrub, and we pull apart things that are never pulled apart just to make sure that there isn't a bottle cap somewhere that shouldn't be there," said Labossiere.

All that so adults can splash in a water lab, take apart a jumbo Jenga set, clamber up and down play structures or whiz down a kaleidoscope slide. 

The hardest part, Labossiere and Dziedzic said, is trying to get the word out that the events are happening.

"We're still in the brainstorming part of it," said Labossiere. "Some things have been working really stellar and some have not."

Working on a shoe-string budget and relying on volunteer services means they're only able to put on a few of the events a year — but at least for now, the museum plans to keep hosting them to raise money for underprivileged kids.

---

The next Seriously Adult event at the Children's Museum is on Nov. 7. Mise en Scene, French Press and ATLAAS will all play sets. Tickets are $20 and doors open at 7:30 p.m.

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Canadian Pacific accidentally bulldozes Montreal park

A sliver of greenery that was partially bulldozed by Canadian Pacific Railway by accident will be refurbished on the rail company's dime, according to a spokeswoman.

The city-owned property has been turned into a neighbourhood park and meeting place by local residents. CP says it will restore the park. (Amis du Champ des possibles/Facebook)

The Field of Possibilities sits near the corner of Bernard Street and De Gaspé Avenue in Montreal's Mile End and has long been used as a neighbourhood park by nearby residents.

According to a local citizens group, the city bought the land from CP in 2006. 

The group said the parcels of land are rich in biodiversity, and that residents had been fighting to get the green space protected by the city for years.

Both the city and the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough confirmed to CBC News that CP did not have the right to bulldoze any part of the park.

The workers ripped up plants and grass this week and set up a staging area to build train tracks before moving them.

CP spokeswoman Salem Woodrow said the land was used in error, and that workers will remove bulldozers by the middle of next week and pay to refurbish the park.

"We regret any inconvenience," Woodrow said.

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Paris 'sex toy' inflatable art removed after attack by vandals

A controversial green art installation on Paris' tony Place Vendome has been taken down after being vandalized overnight.

Le Monde reported that American artist Paul McCarthy was hit in the face Thursday by a man who said the sculpture, which had just been inflated on the Place Vendôme, had no place there. (Jacques Brinon/The Associated Press)

The inflatable sculpture called "Tree" vaguely resembled a Christmas tree but evoked for others, including its creator, American artist Paul McCarthy, a giant anal sex toy.

McCarthy told Le Monde the work was somewhat inspired by an anal plug — but insisted it was a bit of a "joke" and meant as an "abstraction."

Wires holding the sculpture in place were severed by vandals sometime overnight, according to French media reports. The sculpture was deflated and folded up on Saturday.

Culture Minister Fleur Pellerin blasted the vandalism, calling it "a serious attack on the principle of artistic freedom."

Locals were quoted as saying the artwork was ugly and had no place in one of the most beautiful squares in the French capital.

Many took to Twitter to complain, using the hashtag #PlugGate. And on Thursday, the artist himself was reportedly slapped by an offended man in the historic square shortly after the "Tree" was inflated. Le Monde said McCarthy was not injured.

The temporary, 25-metre exhibit was created for the International Contemporary Art Fair, which takes place in Paris from Oct. 23 to 26.

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Canadian Pacific accidentally bulldozes Montreal park

A sliver of greenery that was partially bulldozed by Canadian Pacific Railway by accident will be refurbished on the rail company's dime, according to a spokeswoman.

The city-owned property has been turned into a neighbourhood park and meeting place by local residents. CP says it will restore the park. (Amis du Champ des possibles/Facebook)

The Field of Possibilities sits near the corner of Bernard Street and De Gaspé Avenue in Montreal's Mile End and has long been used as a neighbourhood park by nearby residents.

According to a local citizens group, the city bought the land from CP in 2006. 

The group said the parcels of land are rich in biodiversity, and that residents had been fighting to get the green space protected by the city for years.

Both the city and the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough confirmed to CBC News that CP did not have the right to bulldoze any part of the park.

The workers ripped up plants and grass this week and set up a staging area to build train tracks before moving them.

CP spokeswoman Salem Woodrow said the land was used in error, and that workers will remove bulldozers by the middle of next week and pay to refurbish the park.

"We regret any inconvenience," Woodrow said.

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Paris 'sex toy' sculpture deflated by angry locals

Vandals have toppled a giant green art installation in Paris, punching it and cutting the support wires, after the inflatable 25-metre piece drew plenty of criticism on the streets and social media.

The installation by American artist Paul McCarthy was erected on the Place Vendôme on Thursday, but started coming down late the following night. It was called the "Tree" because it vaguely resembled a Christmas tree.

Le Monde reported that American artist Paul McCarthy was hit in the face Thursday by a man who said the sculpture, which had just been inflated on the Place Vendôme, had no place there. (Jacques Brinon/The Associated Press)

McCarthy told Le Monde the work was somewhat inspired by an anal plug sex toy — but insisted it was a bit of a "joke" and meant as an "abstraction."

Locals were quoted as saying the artwork was ugly and had no place in one of the most beautiful squares in the French capital.

Many took to Twitter to complain, using the hashtag #PlugGate. And on Thursday, the artist himself was reportedly slapped by an offended man in the historic square shortly after the "Tree" was inflated. Le Monde said McCarthy was not injured.

The U.K. tabloid Metro quoted police as saying "individuals" punched the installation and severed the cables that were holding it in place, "taking advantage of a momentary lack of a security guard."

Its bright green material could be seen lying flat on the pavement early Saturday.

The work was created for the International Contemporary Art Fair, which takes place in Paris from Oct. 23 to 26.

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'It was right here:' Yukon cabin vanishes without a trace

A Yukon woman is looking for her house.

Josie-Anne Pilotte says she was building a cabin on a friend's mining claim near Fish Lake Road just outside of Whitehorse.

The cabin was on pallets and ready to move, but when Pilotte arrived last month, she found someone else had already beat her to it. 

​

"We found a pair of gloves, a crowbar, and they left the windows behind," she says.

Pilotte says whoever took the cabin took everything she had inside and left it outside. 

She doesn't know what happened. Snowfall covered any tracks. 

"I went berserk," Pilotte says. "I lost it. I left, and yes I went to the police and I reported it." 

It's been two weeks since the theft and there are still few clues. 

Pilotte says the cabin was supposed to be a hideaway.

"Just a place to sleep, to hide in, to get away," she says. "A place to be, my little home."

Police in Whitehorse are investigating the unusual crime.  

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Habs' Carey Price stars in creepy commercial

Dark Humour

Canadian actor Jay Baruchel plays goaltender's stalker

By Tony Care, CBC Sports Posted: Oct 16, 2014 7:58 PM ET Last Updated: Oct 16, 2014 8:14 PM ET

The Montreal Canadiens went with some dark humour after releasing a commercial as part of their new Club 1909 global fan campaign.

The scene shows Habs star goaltender Carey Price sleeping peacefully before waking up and finding that a stalker – Canadian actor Jay Baruchel – has been in his bedroom for most of the night.

"I love watching you sleep," Baruchel tells a startled Price.

It gets creepier.

Have a look.

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Submission Policy

Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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Fan interrupts Florida gubernatorial debate — an electric fan

The Florida governor's race that was already one of the most negative in the state's history became even nastier— and weirder — as Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democrat Charlie Crist fought over everything from self-defence laws and the economy to the use of an electric fan during a debate Wednesday night.

The start of the second debate was delayed by about five minutes as confused panellists pointed out that neither candidate was on stage. At that moment, Crist walked out and the audience was told Scott was refusing to join him because Crist had a small fan inside his lectern. The panellists spent a few minutes deciding what to do, with Crist insisting the debate go on without Scott.

The governor eventually walked on stage, and Crist kept his fan. With that flap over, the candidates continued the attacks on each other that have marked the campaign. There is little common ground between Scott and Crist, which Crist noted after both men talked about their faith in God.

"I'm happy to be a Methodist, too. Maybe it's the only thing we agree on, Rick," said Crist, who preceded Scott as governor before he switched parties from Republican to Democrat.

The candidates disagreed on gay marriage and Florida's "stand your ground" law, as well as how each has handled education and the environment. They also blamed each other for rising utility costs.

When the candidates were asked if justice was served when neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was acquitted of murder for fatally shooting unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin last year, Crist used the opportunity to suggest amending the stand your ground law, which allows use of deadly force if people are in fear for their lives.

"Everyone believes in that American premise and it is the right thing to do to defend yourself and your property," Crist said. "But when it gets to the point where you have a statute on the books that allows the instigator … to end up killing another human being after they started the incident, there is something fundamentally wrong with that law."

Scott said Martin's death was tragic, but the law should remain as is.

"I believe in the right to defend yourself. I can't imagine losing a child like that but I have talked to sheriffs and police chiefs," Scott said. "I stand with them that we need to have the existing law in place."

As he has done throughout the campaign, Scott blamed Crist for rising unemployment during the recession and took credit for lower unemployment during the recovery.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said he wouldn't change the controversial Stand Your Ground law, and said the state is again on solid economic footing. (Andrew Innerarity/Reuters)

"Charlie is the zero-wage governor: 832,000 people went from wages to zero wages when Charlie was governor," Scott said.

Crist quickly shot back.

"Rick, there you go again, trying to blame the global economic meltdown on me. It is unbelievable that he would continue to say that, but he says it. And he also says he created all these new jobs all by himself," said Crist. "You just can't trust Rick. And it's sad. It's unfortunate."

Scott also tried to blame Crist for a law that allowed Duke Energy to collect money from customers for a nuclear power plant on Florida's Gulf Coast that will never be built.

"That's not true. That was Jeb Bush," Crist said to audience applause.

Bush signed the bill in 2006 that Scott referred to, but Crist signed a separate bill amending the law to add language that also allowed power plants to charge customers for the cost to run transmission lines from nuclear power plants.

Scott was asked if Florida's constitutional ban on gay marriage was discriminatory, but he refused to directly answer the question, even when asked a second time. He did say he supports traditional marriage.

Crist said he supports gay marriage.

"Who is it for us to tell other people who to love and what is it in our right to tell other people who to marry?" Crist said.

Scott then pointed out Crist supported the gay marriage ban when it passed in 2008.

"We don't know what Charlie believes on this issue because he's taken every side on this issue," Scott said.

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Puck the Bunny predicts Habs win over Bruins at home opener

Puck the Bunny has picked the Montreal Canadiens as the winner of tonight's home opener against rival the Boston Bruins.

Boscardin (and her rabbit) became big Habs fans while still living in Brazil. (Louise Boscardin )

The owner of this fuzzy Lionhead bunny, Louise Boscardin, admits Puck has a hard time picking the Bruins or the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Habs.

Still, Boscardin told CBC Daybreak on Thursday that he's got a pretty good track record in his three years of predicting games.

Boscardin, 26, became a Habs fan while living in her hometown of Curitiba, Brazil.

She lived in Montreal briefly before moving to Markham, Ont., where she contributes to a Habs fan site called AllHabs.net.

Inspired by Paul the Octopus, the soccer-predicting cephalod, Boscardin turned Puck into a psychic bunny the day she put a tiny Habs jersey on him.

She said Puck's favourite player is Carey Price — because he never hits the puck. 

Watch his prediction for tonight's game here.

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Squid swarm attacks research sub in Greenpeace video

A video featuring a squid swarm attacking a research submarine has gone viral after being posted on Vine by Greenpeace.

As of Tuesday morning, the six-second video had been shared more than two million times since being posted in honour of October's annual Cephalopod Awareness Week, said John Hocevar, a marine biologist with Greenpeace. The informal celebration of octopuses, squid and their eight-armed kin takes place each year starting Oct. 8.

Hocevar said the squid are "used to being able to eat pretty much anything they find," so it makes sense for them to try their luck with the sub.

The squid in the video belong to a species known as opalescent squid, or "market squid," as the species often winds up in dishes such as calamari.

They weren't as big as they look in the video – they're only about half a metre long. But they could still be dangerous.

Because there were such thick swarms of them, on two occasions a squid got sucked through the submarine's thrusters and propellers, blowing fuses and disabling the sub's ability to move around, Hocevar said. That forced Greenpeace to abort two dives and resurface early.

The dives were part of the environmental group's 2007 and 2012 expeditions to survey the seafloor habitat of the deep sea canyons in the Bering Sea.

Hocevar said Greenpeace had been calling for protection for those habitats, but the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which regulates fisheries in that region off the coast of Alaska, said there wasn't enough information about them to justify special protection.

Following the Greenpeace surveys, which found a rich habitat of deep sea corals and sponges swarming with fish and marine life, the council has begun two processes that could lead to protection for the canyons.

"It's going too slowly," Hocevar said. "The ambition isn't what we'd like to see. But we're working on that."

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Drone sparks soccer brawl

A 2016 European Championship qualifier between Serbia and Albania was abandoned on Tuesday after scuffles among players and fans on the pitch over a banner featuring an Albanian flag that was flown above the stadium by a drone.

English referee Martin Atkinson interrupted the match in the 41st minute when Serbia defender Stefan Mitrovic managed to grab the banner and Albania players tried to protect it. Several Serbian fans invaded the pitch and clashed with Albania players.

The Group I match was later abandoned "due to a disturbance on the pitch," according to UEFA, with the score at 0-0.

"The Euro 2016 Qualifying match between Serbia and Albania has been abandoned and the circumstances will be reported to the UEFA Disciplinary Body," European football's ruling body said in a statement.

Albanian fans had been warned against attending the game between the two Balkan rival nations that have had turbulent relations — mainly over the former ethnic Albanian-dominated Serbian province of Kosovo that declared independence in 2008.

"We wanted to continue the match, but Albanian players said they were not psychologically ready," Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic said.

Both Serbian and Albanian fans have a long history of violence and racial abuse. In October 2010, the Italy-Serbia European Championship qualifier was disrupted in Genoa by violent Serbia fans. UEFA eventually awarded Italy a 3-0 win.

On Tuesday, the Albanian anthem was loudly jeered by Serbian fans and derogatory chanting was heard throughout the first half. Serbian supporters also threw flares at the pitch.

The drone, clearly visible in the lights of the stadium, made a series of passes above the pitch.

The banner displayed an Albanian flag and a map of so-called "Greater Albania," an area that comprises territory within today's Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and northern Greece.

The banner also portrayed two Albanian nationalist leaders — Ismail Qemali, who declared Albania's independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912 and Isa Boletini, an Albanian fighter against the Turks.

Fearing trouble, hundreds of riot police were deployed inside and outside the Partizan stadium in Belgrade. Dozens of Albanian fans, mostly from Kosovo and Montenegro, apparently managed to get inside despite warnings by Serbian security officials that they would be arrested if they carry Albanian symbols.

On his Twitter page, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama congratulated Albanian players for their courage before the match was abandoned and added that he was "sorry for the neighbours who left a bad worldwide image with the ugly show."

Thousands of Albanian fans who followed the match on a big screen in Tirana headed for the airport in the Albanian capital to welcome the players arriving from Belgrade.

After the match, Albanian Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri sent a letter to his Serbian counterpart expressing concerns for the security of the Albania players, team staff, journalists and a few fans.

The minister asked for "urgent steps to guarantee the security of all Albanian citizens present in the stadium."

Cristiano Ronaldo scored in injury time to give Portugal a 1-0 win over Denmark in a tense Euro 2016 qualifier in Group I.

Portugal, which was recovering from a shock 1-0 home loss to Albania on Sunday, made the better start in Copenhagen. But the home team had the best chance of the first half when a shot by Denmark striker Michael Krohn-Dehli hit the post.

Ronaldo headed home in the 94th minute following a shot from Ricardo Quaresma, crushing Danes hopes of a draw.

Group D

John O'Shea scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give Ireland a 1-1 draw with Germany, as the World Cup holders suffered another setback in their 2016 European Championship campaign.

Toni Kroos scored in the second half to put Germany ahead as it sought to bounce back from a loss to Poland.

Kroos hammered home a low drive in the 71st minute with what was then Germany's 17th shot. Ireland only had managed one until then, but O'Shea's late strike stunned Joachim Loew's team.

In Warsaw, Poland drew 2-2 with Scotland to remain top of Group D on goal difference over Ireland, while Georgia won 3-0 at Gibraltar.

Poland and Ireland have seven points from three matches, while Germany and Scotland have four each.

Group F

Northern Ireland continued its surprise run in Euro 2016 qualifying by beating Greece 2-0 for its third straight win in Group F.

Jamie Ward fired in a corner kick taken by Oliver Norwood in the ninth minute, with the ball crossing the line after a slight deflection off Greece defender Loukas Vyntra.

Kyle Lafferty scored the second after a solo run six minutes into the second half at Karaiskaki Stadium. He has now scored in all three of his country's group matches.

The injury-plagued Greeks had their best chance in the first half with Nikos Karelis, who misplaced his lob for the 2004 European champions.

In Tuesday's other Group F games, Hungary won 1-0 in the Faeroe Islands while Romania beat Finland 2-0 in Helsinki.

Group E

Switzerland earned its first points in European Championship qualifying on Tuesday with a 4-0 win at San Marino.

Frankfurt forward Haris Seferovic scored in the 10th and 24th minutes, Galatasaray midfielder Blerim Dzemaili added another on the half-hour mark, and Xherdan Shaqiri completed the scoring in the 79th.

Also, San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Simoncelli stopped a penalty from Ricardo Rodriguez in the final minute.

Switzerland moved level with Estonia and Slovenia with three points each in Group E, which England and Lithuania lead with six points each.

San Marino, ranked 208th by FIFA, remained last with zero points.

Switzerland, which reached the Round of 16 at the World Cup in Brazil, lost to England and Slovenia in its opening qualifiers.

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Wife Carrying Championship: An unusual Nordic tradition returns

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New York Comic Con 2014: costumes and crowds

Fans dressed as their favourite comic book and television characters descend on New York City

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Hello Kitty exhibit opens in Los Angeles

'Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty' museum celebrates Japanese icon's 40th anniversary

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New York Comic Con 2014: costumes and crowds

Fans dressed as their favourite comic book and television characters descend on New York City

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22.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hello Kitty exhibit opens in Los Angeles

'Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty' museum celebrates Japanese icon's 40th anniversary

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Wife Carrying Championship: An unusual Nordic tradition returns

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