A software engineer from Toronto, Canada on Thursday presented to the press the country's first android, a partially-built female robot the inventor said could become an ideal domestic partner when completed.

Le Trung, 33, calls his invention Aiko, the Japanese word for "love child." The robot can respond to touch, visual cues and voice commands. It can clean the house, mix a drink, read newspaper headlines in English and Japanese, and tell the weather.

Technology has altered the petty crime scene in Canadian schools. The most popular item subject to theft or mugging in educational institutions and outside is the iPod.

The convenient music storage worth $400 has dislodged the Walkman and Nike Air Jordans as the most coveted items on and off campus.

The head of a Toronto woman in her late 40s or early 50s was severed Tuesday morning after she was hit by a small school bus and dragged a short distance.

The incident took place 7:20 a.m. at the intersection of Steeles Avenue E and Pharmacy Avenue as the unidentified woman was crossing the road. There were no riders on the 20-passenger school bus when it hit her.

With Canadian consumers postponing major capital purchase decisions, real estate agents have to make their offers sweeter by throwing in freebies. Among the incentives they dangle to potential home buyers are a free car, TV sets and overseas trips.

Kelly Collins, chief operating officer of CountryWide Homes, explained to the Toronto Star, "Everyone is doing what they can to attract buyers; there is so much doom and gloom... Anything you can do to differentiate yourself from the competition helps."

Microsoft Canada has doubled the reward money for anyone who could help find a 15-year-old boy, who ran away from their home in Ontario after being scolded by parents for playing too much Xbox games.

Microsoft is hoping that $25,000 more will encourage anyone to provide information or the location of Brandon Crisp of Barrie, 60 miles north of Toronto. The boy, who is addicted to playing Call Of Duty 4 on the Microsoft video game console, has been missing for two weeks now.