BCJun 28, 2021
Wildfire near Peachland considered out-of-control, main route through south Okanagan closed
A new wildfire that flared up this morning just outside Peachland, west of Highway 97, has closed the main route through the south Okanagan until further notice. The BC Wildfire Service says the fire is considered out-of-control and a 10 person crew, backed by Peachland firefighters, is aggressively attacking the flames, which have charred less than a hectare and are not threatening any homes. The blaze comes as Natural Resources Canada forest ecologist Yan Boulanger says a heat wave across much of Western Canada has pushed the wildfire risk to what he calls ``extremely extreme.'' Another wil
WorldJun 28, 2021
Death toll rises to 10 at site of collapsed Florida building
Authorities said Monday that the remains of 10 people have been found in the collapse of a 12-story beachfront condominium in Florida. Police said Sunday night that they identified the remains of Leon and Christina Oliwkowicz, an elderly couple from Venezuela with ties to synagogues in Florida and Chicago. They also found the bodies of Luis Bermudez, a young man with muscular dystrophy who was from Puerto Rico, and his mother Ana Ortiz. Authorities say that 151 others remain missing as rescuers search through the rubble of Champlain Towers South. Rescuers searching for a fifth day for surviv
BCJun 28, 2021
More information on two deceased found outside Richmond residence
On June 25, 2021, shortly after 8:30 p.m., Richmond RCMP responded to a 911 call of shots fired at a residence near Barnard Drive and Westminster Highway. Front line officers arrived and found two deceased persons. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) took conduct of the file. Evidence gathered so far indicates that this was an isolated incident and that one of the deceased was a victim of a homicide. This incident is not related to the gang conflict. There is no risk to the public. IHIT is continuing to work with its partners at the Richmond RCMP, Integrated Forensic Identificati
BCJun 28, 2021
BC Hydro reports new record for peak hourly demand amid heatwave, says record can be broken today
BC Hydro says it expects the new record for peak hourly demand during the summer set over the weekend could be broken today as the heat wave peaks. The Crown utility says demand on Saturday night surpassed the previous record set last August, though it's reassuring customers its system can meet demand. It says peak hourly demand is usually recorded on weekdays when customers follow a more routine schedule, which makes Saturday's record even more unique. It suggests closing drapes and blinds to block out heat and opting for smaller appliances when cooking to save money and keep cool.
BCJun 28, 2021
Little damage as suspicious fire probed at abandoned church in northwestern B.C.
The Mounties say they are investigating a suspicious fire at an abandoned church in northwestern British Columbia. New Hazelton RCMP say the fire was reported early Saturday morning on the Gitwangak First Nation and was quickly extinguished with minimal damage and no injuries. Staff Sgt. Darren Durnin says in a statement that police want to know if the blaze could be linked to four recent fires at churches within Indigenous communities in the south Okanagan. A social media post from the Gitwangak Band says the former Anglican Church in that community is no longer used and it is in ``no way af
CanadaJun 28, 2021
McKenna retiring from politics, creates possible opening for Mark Carney
Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna has decided not to seek re-election. Her surprise decision could become a launching pad for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney should he decide to run for the Liberals in the next election.McKenna has held Ottawa Centre, a riding that encompasses Parliament Hill, since 2015, when she won it away from the New Democrats.She says over the weekend, she informed the prime minister and the president of the Liberal party of her intention not to run again.McKenna -- the minister of Infrastructure and Communities -- says living through COVID-19 through
IndiaJun 28, 2021
Mamata attacks Bengal Governor; says, 'Dhankhar is corrupt man, chargesheeted in hawala scandal'
Launching a scathing attack on West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said he is a corrupt man whose name was chargesheeted in hawala Jain case in 1996.Briefing mediapersons, the chief minister said, "The Governor (Jagdeep Dhankhar) is a corrupt man. His name was there in the chargesheet of hawala Jain case in 1996. There are cases pending against him. I have written three letters for the removal of the West Bengal Governor."Notably, the Hawala scam also known as Jain Diaries case made headlines in mid-nineties. The case was related to the alleged sipho
BCJun 28, 2021
Heat wave dubbed 'dangerous,' 'historic,' bakes much of Western Canada
Environment Canada warns the torrid heat wave that has settled over much of Western Canada won't lift for days, although parts of British Columbia and Yukon could see some relief sooner. Heat warnings remain posted across B.C. and Alberta, large parts of Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and a section of Yukon as the weather office forecasts temperatures reaching 40 C in some areas.Sixty temperature records fell Sunday in B.C., including in the Village of Lytton, where the mercury reached 46.6 C -- breaking the all-time Canadian high of 45 C, set in Saskatchewan in 1937.Environment Canada w
IndiaJun 26, 2021
Delhi records 85 new COVID-19 cases, lowest this year; active infections dropped to 1,598
After witnessing a ravaging second wave of COVID-19 in April-May, Delhi's fresh coronavirus cases continue to be on the decline and recorded only 85 new infections in the last 24 hours, the lowest single-day spike this year.As per the health bulletin on COVID-19 issued by the Delhi government, the positivity rate of 0.12 per cent, the lowest so far, was registered after 72,920 tests conducted during the 24-hour period. Following the recovery of 158 patients, the number of active infections also dropped to 1,598, the lowest since March 3 this year. The cumulative caseload of the national capita