After Slamming Brakes On Growth, China Reaches For Stimulus

Canucks fire Alain Vigneault as coach Vigneault, the Canucks' all-time leader in coaching wins, led the club to six Northwest Division titles, two Presidents' Trophy titles and an appearance in the 2011 Stanley Cup final. The move had been expected since the Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs, but Gillis said he wanted to take time and ensure he was free of any emotion before making the decision. Vigneault kept a difficult goaltending situation from becoming a major distraction and secured home-ice advantage in the playoffs for the fifth straight season. In his first season, he guided the Canucks to a division title and a spot in the second round of the playoffs before they were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in five games — with four decided by one goal. The next season, he guided the Canucks to their third Stanley Cup final berth in franchise history. The situation was supposed to be resolved after Luongo agreed to waive his no-trade clause prior to the 2012-13 season, but Gillis was not able to get the deal he wanted prior to the lockout that shortened the regular season to 48 games. Vigneault guided his club to eight wins in its last nine home games, including a 3-1 victory over first-place Chicago that secured the Canucks' fifth straight Northwest title. Schneider struggled in the third period of Game 3, allowing three quick goals, and mishandled the decisive shot in Game 4 in overtime before Patrick Marleau poked home the loose puck for the series-clinching goal.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was fired from his job as football coach at a Catholic high school Wednesday for reasons unrelated to the scandal over a video that purports to show the leader of Canada's largest city smoking crack cocaine, officials said.

Puerto Rico's tiny island of Culebra has been forever dependent on the U.S. territory for food, jobs and health care, but the territory's governor is cutting some of those strings.

Bahrain's main Shiite opposition group says it will temporarily boycott talks aimed at easing the Gulf nation's more than two-year unrest because of increased crackdowns by security forces.

The World Health Organization says the Horn of Africa is experiencing an outbreak of polio with cases confirmed in Kenya and Somalia.