Smoky skies have cleared slightly in parts of British Columbia but Environment Canada is maintaining air quality statements for the entire southern third of the province.For the first time in days, the weather office lifted smoky skies bulletins for all areas north of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and Thompson regions.But it says wildfire smoke carried north from blazes in Washington state, Oregon and California is expected to continue blanketing southern B.C. at least until later this week.The province's air quality health index reflected a brief improvement in conditions early Wednes

Statistics Canada says the consumer price index in August was up 0.1 per cent compared with a year ago.The annual inflation rate was unchanged from the year-over-year increase of 0.1 per cent in July. The average economist estimate had been for a year-over-year increase of 0.4 per cent for August, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv. Gasoline prices remained down 11.1 per cent compared to August 2019, following a 14.9 per cent decline recorded in July.Excluding gasoline from the inflation calculations, the consumer price index rose by 0.6 per cent in August. Prices, though, wer

BC is reporting 97 new cases of COVID-19 and no additional deaths, leaving the death toll at 219. Heath officials say a new outbreak has been detected at the Opal retirement residence in Vancouver, meaning 11 long-term care or assisted-living facilities have ongoing outbreaks. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry say in a joint statement that the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has ticked up to 63. There are 1,590 active cases in BC, while 3,000 people remain under active monitoring by public health workers after exposure to known cases.

The US National Hurricane Center says parts of Alabama and the Florida panhandle could see historic flooding when hurricane Sally makes landfall near the Alabama-Mississippi state line sometime today or early tomorrow. The Category 1 storm is crawling toward the northern Gulf Coast at just three kilometres per hour. Forecasters say some places could be inundated with almost two metres of water. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is urging residents near Mobile Bay and low-lying areas near rivers to evacuate if conditions still permit a safe escape from Hurricane Sally.

International Trade Minister reserves the right to take action if necessaryis praising the Team Canada approach to fighting the tariff. Ng says Canada will no longer be announcing its own suite of retaliatory counter-measures but it reserves the right to take action if necessary. International Trade Minister Mary Ng says it's a good day for Canada's aluminum industry. And Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says things are back to where they should be. The comments come after the United States stepped back from a tariff dispute with Canada and is lifting a 10 per cent levy on aluminum. The

Clean-up is underway along CN Rail tracks just west of Hope where a train derailed early yesterday morning. CN says no one was hurt when about 60 cars jumped the tracks at a rail bridge, dumping tons of potash into Hunter Creek. Environmental crews are at the scene, along with Transportation Safety Board investigators, and a vacuum truck is being used to remove the potash. CN says the CP train was on its tracks because the two companies share tracks through the narrow Fraser Canyon region.

India's defence minister is accusing China of violating past border agreements and increasing its military deployment along a disputed mountainous frontier in the Ladakh region. Rajnath Singh told Parliament that India has made counter-deployments along the rugged frontier to protect its interests and its troops have foiled transgression attempts by China. Relations between the two countries have often been strained, partly due to their undemarcated border. Since May, the two countries have been embroiled in a tense border standoff in Ladakh. In June they had their deadliest clash in decades.

RCMP in Surrey say a shooting last night in the Newton neighbourhood has ties to gang activity. Police say a man was being pursued by two others just after 10 p.m., and although shots were fired, the man was not hurt and was located. Investigators believe all three are known to each other and officers are trying to identify everyone involved. Staff-Sergeant Kirk Duncan says there's no indication of ongoing risk to the public but he says shooting put the community in danger and there's no place for such activities in Surrey.

After suspending mail service yesterday over a wide area of Vancouver Island and southern B-C, Canada Post still hasn't said if service has resumed today.The corporation halted delivery arguing soaring concentrations of smoke wafting up from wildfires in Washington state, Oregon and California make delivery unsafe for its workers.Environment Canada is maintaining air quality advisories over most of B-C and the air quality index shows much of the province is enduring conditions that can create a very high health risk. The weather office says smoke concentrations could fall slightly today but gr