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The province’s anti gang strategy includes an ad campaign aimed at kids thinking of joining a gang and a ban on armoured vehicles.  Attorney General, Andrew Swan says new legislation will spell out the penalties for driving an armoured gang car in the province.  Swan adds they are also looking at restricting the sale of bulletproof vests in Manitoba, something B.C. is already doing.  Gang members in the city have been known to wear body armour.

The province is hoping an edgy ad campaign will make kids think twice before joining a gang.  Attorney General Andrew Swan says the ads are just one piece of the province’s evolving anti gang strategy. 

Singer John Mellencamp’s 14 year old son has started a social networking campaign on line, to try and get his rocker Dad to quit smoking.  Mellencamp’s youngest son, Speck, says his Dad has promised to quit if he gets one million people to join his Facebook group.  The 58 year old Mellencamp suffered a heart attack back in 1994, and has since tried to quit several times.

U.S. President Barack Obama is ordering an additional 30 thousand American troops to Afghanistan.  In a speech last night, Obama said that American security is at stake.  He says his new policy is designed to bring the war to a successful conclusion, and leave Afghan forces capable of taking responsibility for their own country’s security.

We expect to hear sometime today from Canadian commanders in Afghanistan, on what they think of the planned U.S. troop surge.  But, it’s already getting a thumbs up from retired general Lewis MacKenzie.  He says Canadian Forces should be happy because he expects at least half of the American reinforcements will be posted where the Canadians currently are….in the Kandahar region.

Now that he’s out of the rough….at least legally….Tiger Woods can concentrate on his reputation.  Rumours are still swirling about alleged affairs, and the world’s top golfer has done little to stop them.  Yesterday, the Florida Highway Patrol fined Woods 164 dollars for careless driving in last Friday’s crash outside of his Orlando area mansion.  They say that no criminal charges will be laid, and the case is now closed.

It’s been 6 weeks since the H1-N1 vaccination program began in this country…and figures from the national public health agency show that so far, 32 per cent of Canadians have gone out to get a swine flu shot.  While officials say that’s not as high as they had hoped, the figure is pretty much in line with what other countries are seeing.

If you’re looking for work, how about applying to become the new CEO of General Motors?  There’s an opening now that Fritz Henderson has been canned after only 8 months.  He had apparently been locking horns with GM’s board of directors.  The company’s chairman will apparently fill in while the search to find someone new begins.

Well no real surprise here……..the opposition parties are panning yesterday’s government throne speech.  Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen says the speech offers no ideas to help the economy or fight crime.  And the Liberals say the speech contained mostly recycled announcements from previous years. 

Lots of goodies in yesterday’s throne speech from the province.

Plans for several tax breaks were announced.  There were promises for tax credits for adult sport programs and even the cost of fertility treatments.  Several justice measures were also included yesterday.  The city will get help to get that police helicopter in the air to chase down suspects.  As well, new laws are proposed banning gangs from setting up businesses as a front for gang activity.  The government also plans to increase fines under workplace health and safety laws.

The province has also decided to provide money for a new polar bear exhibit at the zoo.  The zoo’s only bear, Debbie, died last year.  Zoo officials have been asking for help to modernize and build a brand new holding area.

Canadian astronaut Bob Thirsk and 2 fellow astronauts from Belgium and Russia, returned to Earth this morning, having spent 6 long months at the international space station.  All 3 had been on board the station since May, in a mission that marked the longest ever space stay for a Canadian.  Thirsk says the experience was exhilarating but exhausting and he’s happy to home on terra ferma.

Even the unexpected death of the King of Pop this year, proved to be no match for this country’s hockey obsession.  The NHL is at the top of Yahoo Canada’s 2009 buzz index of internet searches.  RuneScape, a multi player online game took the number 2 spot, ahead of the UFC and and then Michael Jackson.

A sad end to that fire we told you about yesterday on Talbot Avenue.  It appears that the home’s owner, Millard Haluk passed away in the blaze…..although police have yet to confirm.  Haluk, who was apparently a compulsive hoarder lived in the home alone….and some officials now wonder if all the clutter in his home may have fuelled yesterday’s blaze.

Officers have surrounded a home in Seattle, Washington for the 2^nd time in 2 days.  They’re searching for a man suspected in the shooting of 4 police officers at a coffee shop on Sunday morning.  Authorities have been on the hunt for Maurice Clemons, a man with a long criminal history, since the shooting on Sunday.

Labour Minister Rona Ambrose says a strike at CN Rail is a threat to the economy….and that’s why she’s introduced back to work legislation to force an end to the 3 day old walk out by locomotive engineers.  The bill would also send all outstanding issues to binding arbitration.

A former Miss Argentina has died from complications after undergoing cosmetic surgery on her buttocks.  38 year old Solange Magnano, who won the crown back in 1994, died of an embolism after 3 days in critical condition.  A close friend says the mother of twins was a woman who had everything, and lost her life to have a slightly firmer behind.