OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged for the first time Thursday that "perhaps" he could have responded more quickly to the news that his trusted chief of staff had footed the $90,000 bill for Sen. Mike Duffy's disallowed housing expenses.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama sought to move the U.S. beyond the war effort of the past dozen years, defining a narrower terror threat from smaller networks and homegrown extremists rather than the grandiose plots of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida.

(Reuters) - American Ryan Palmer took advantage of ideal scoring conditions and local knowledge with a birdie fest as he charged into a one-shot lead in Thursday's opening round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas. The 36-year-old Texan piled up eight birdies on the way to a flawless eight-under-par 62 …

Syrian opposition scrambles to save credibility ahead of peace talks ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The Syrian opposition in exile met on Thursday to decide whether to attend a peace conference that the United States and Russia see as a crucial path to ending two years of civil war. Under international pressure to swiftly resolve …

Senator Mike Duffy says he wants a "full and open" inquiry so Canadians can get all the facts about the scandal that has rocked the Senate and the Prime Minister's Office and that he has no plans to resign.

By Matt Spetalnick and Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Thursday shifted the United States away from a "boundless global war on terror," restricting deadly drone strikes abroad and signaling that America's long struggle against al Qaeda will one day end. In a major policy speech, Obama narrowed …

CALI, Colombia - Prime Minister Stephen Harper says it is too soon to decide whether Canada should join the Pacific Alliance trade bloc in its mission to deepen economic integration.

James and Bryant headline All-NBA selections (Reuters) - Most Valuable Player LeBron James of the Miami Heat and veteran Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers headlined the list of players selected for the All-NBA team, the league said on Thursday. Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tim Duncan of the San Antonio …

TORONTO - Maybe offering straight cash for a blood donation is a no-no, but research suggests that other incentives like free T-shirts and gift cards can boost donor rates without compromising the safety of the blood supply.

MONTREAL - Dorel Industries is dipping its toe in the retail bicycle business by opening a concept store on the outskirts of New York City.

TORONTO - Prior to training camp this season, young midfielder Jonathan Osorio was just hoping to catch on with Toronto FC.

By Paulo Prada RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro ordered shops closed in one of its biggest slums early Thursday, defying efforts to restore order to the city's vast shantytowns and renewing safety concerns in Brazil as it prepares to host the World Cup and Olympics. Shops were shuttered and …

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he is lifting his ban on the transfer of detainees from the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention centre to Yemen. And he is calling on Congress to lift its restrictions on detainee transfers, including limits on imprisoning them within the U.S.