A Catholic Church on the Penticton Indian Band and a Catholic Church on the Osoyoos Indian Band have been destroyed in overnight fires. On June 21, 2021 at 1:22 a.m., a Penticton RCMP officer was on patrol when he observed fire coming from the Sacred Heart Church on Green Mountain Road. By the time the officer arrived on scene the church was fully engulfed. At 3:10 a.m., Oliver RCMP were notified St. Gregory’s Church on Nk’mip Road was burning. Both churches burned to the ground and police are treating the fires as suspicious. Investigators have and continue to liaise with both the Pentic

Premier John Horgan is marking National Indigenous Peoples Day by celebrating First Nation communities while recognizing systemic racism continues to be a reality for them. A statement from Horgan and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Murray Rankin says they honour the leadership, resilience and strength of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. But the statement says B.C. must also recognize the "systemic racism, discrimination and intergenerational trauma Indigenous Peoples have experienced and continue to experience." A release from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chief

Special weather statements are in effect for eastern and inland Vancouver Island and the entire inner south coast as Environment Canada warns of hot, dry conditions. The weather office says temperatures will remain five to 10 degrees above seasonal normal all week. Although conditions will cool slightly on Wednesday before the heat returns for the weekend. Several heat records were broken in southern BC yesterday. Environment Canada says it was 28.7 degrees in White Rock, smashing the previous record of 27.2 for the day set 83 years ago, while the mercury reached 32.5 in the Hope area and 30.

Denis Shapovalov says he won't compete for Canada at the Tokyo Olympics. The 22-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., says in a Twitter post he made the decision for safety reasons ``due to the current situation.'' Opposition within Japan to holding the games has been high. The country has been dealing with a high number of COVID-19 cases and a low vaccination rate. Shapovalov is the top-ranked Canadian on the ATP Tour at No. 12. He withdrew from the French Open at the end of May, saying on social media that his shoulder had been bothering him and he needed to rest. Earlier that month, Shapovalo

BC's Wildfire Service says an out-of-control blaze in the Fraser Canyon has grown further burning 3.5 square kilometres of bush south of Lytton. The service says the George Road wildfire is scattered across steep and rocky terrain, creating ``different fingers and spots.'' The fire began Wednesday, and the service says it's suspected to be human-caused but remains under investigation. Evacuation alerts have been issued by Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the Lytton First Nation for 10 homes in the area. BC Wildfire Service on Twitter: UPDATE: #BCWildfire crews have made good progress on

RCMP in Burnaby, B.C., are investigating an alleged hit-and-run that caused the death of a motorcyclist Saturday evening.The Mounties issued a release saying they responded to a report of a vehicle rear-ending a motorcycle at Canada Way and Imperial Street. They say the motorcyclist was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.Police are looking for witnesses and no other details were provided. Burnaby RCMP on Twitter: UPDATE- News Release BelowWe are asking for witnesses to a fatal hit and run collision that resulted in the death of a motorcyclistThis collision occurred last night.htt

Police are investigating a shooting last night in Surrey, B.C. that they say preceded a car crash.Local Mounties say in a news release that it happened in the Newton area at around 8:40 p.m.They say officers were dispatched to investigate a report that the occupants of a silver SUV had fired shots at people in a white Jeep in the 7300 block of 128 Street.Police say both vehicles sped away but the Jeep crashed near the intersection of 128 Street and 76 Avenue. RCMP investigators say no one in the Jeep was injured, adding that they believe it was a targeted shooting.No further suspect informati

Ahead of the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls, Aam Aadmi Party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that the party's chief ministerial candidate for Punjab will be from the Sikh community. "Aam Aadmi Party's CM candidate for Punjab will be from the Sikh community. It is the right of the Sikh community. The face of the Chief Minister will be discussed later, but whosoever he will be, Punjab will be proud of that person," Kejriwal told reporters here. In a boost to the AAP in Punjab ahead of Assembly elections slated for next year, former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap

Fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents will soon be able to return to Canada without a mandatory quarantine.The first stage in loosening the border restrictions that have been in place for 15 months will begin at 11:59 p.m. eastern time on July 5.It will apply only to people already eligible to travel to Canada, including citizens, permanent residents, and people registered under the Indian Act.Those travellers must have two doses of a vaccine approved by Health Canada, provide a negative COVID-19 test from 72 hours before arrival, take a second test upon arrival, and have a quara