An off-duty RCMP officer involved in a deadly collision told a police officer he'd taken two shots of vodka after the crash to "calm his nerves," a B.C. court has heard - but his lawyer says the statement should be dissallowed.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has appealed for calm after clashes in several cities between Afghan security forces and protesters furious over the burning of Muslim holy books at a U.S. military base left seven people dead.