Two suspects are deceased and several members of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) have been transported to hospital during an ongoing incident at a bank in Saanich today. A shelter in place advisory remains in effect for the area of North Dairy Road to Cedar Hill Cross Road, and Richmond Road to Cedar Hill Road as officers search for a potential third suspect. At approximately 11 a.m. this morning officers with Saanich Police, GVERT, and VicPD responded to a report that two armed men had entered a bank in the 3600-block of Shelbourne Street in Saanich. Multiple officers res

Ukrainian officials say scores of civilians are feared killed or injured after a Russian missile strike hit a crowded shopping mall in the central city of Kremenchuk. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post Monday that the number of victims was ``unimaginable,'' citing reports that more than 1,000 civilians were inside at the time of the attack. Zelenskyy stressed that the target presented ``no threat to the Russian army'' and had ``no strategic value.'' At least 13 people were dead and more than 40 wounded, according to the regional governor, Dmytro Lunin, who said th

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced new sanctions against 74 people and businesses in Russia and Belarus. They include 46 entities linked to the Russian defence sector and 15 Ukrainians who support the Russian occupation. Trudeau says Canada also plans to sanction state-sponsored propaganda agents in an attempt to counter Kremlin disinformation. The announcement comes as G-7 leaders meeting in Germany discuss the threat to global stability posed by the invasion of Ukraine.

President Joe Biden spoke from the White House about the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that legalized abortion nationwide. He said the court has done what it's never done before in taking away a constitutional right that is so fundamental to so many Americans. He says the decision places the health and life of women at risk. Biden is vowing to do everything in his power to protect a woman's right to an abortion in states where they are now prohibited. The US Supreme Court voted 6-3 to strike down Row v. Wade. Biden called the decision ``wrong, extreme and

Andrea Fuentes prevented a tragedy at the swimming world championships with her quick reaction. The United States coach knew something was wrong when she saw artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez sink motionless to the bottom of the pool during a solo free routine on Wednesday. The fully clothed Fuentes dived in. She swam to the unresponsive Alvarez, put her arms around her, and lifted her to the water's surface. Another person helped get her out of the pool. Alvarez is a two-time Olympian. She had fainted. USA Artistic Swimming says she is feeling much better.

The Vatican has released the itinerary for Pope Francis' July 24-30 visit to Canada. The publication of the program on Thursday is a sign he intends to go ahead with the trip despite knee problems that forced him to cancel a six-day visit to Africa that was also planned for next month. Francis is due to visit Canada to apologize to Indigenous peoples for abuses at Catholic-run residential schools. The 85 year old pope has been using a wheelchair for over a month because of strained ligaments in his right knee that have made standing and walking difficult. The itinerary was delayed for nearly

Premier John Horgan has pulled the plug on a controversial 800-million dollar plan to build a replacement for the aging Royal BC Museum in Victoria. Horgan says he's heard quite clearly from the people of BC that it's the wrong time for such a project and they want his government to rethink its plans to protect the museum's priceless artifacts. He says he made the wrong call and his government will go back to the drawing board to find a project that all residents can get behind. His government had said it approved the project because the museum can't withstand a flood or earthquake, and renov

A leap in gas prices is blamed for the steepest climb in the cost of living in nearly 40 years. Statistics Canada says the national inflation rate in May rose to 7.7 per cent when compared with May of last year, and has jumped nearly one per cent since April. BC also saw a sharp hike last month as inflation in this province was set at 8.1 per cent, a 1.4 per cent vault over April's 6.7 per cent setting. Vancouver and Victoria posted identical rates of 8.2 per cent in May, well over a percentage point higher than the month earlier, with Stats-Can saying a nearly 10 per cent spike in food costs

Premier John Horgan and BC's Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Murray Rankin have issued a statement to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day. Horgan says the province honours the leadership and strength of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples throughout British Columbia. He says much has changed since the first celebration 26 years ago, but there is still a lot of work to do to make reconciliation a reality and right past wrongs. A statement from the B-C Liberal caucus says reconciliation requires not only that the past is recognized and addressed, but also that a brighter a