B.C.

VANCOUVER – An independent review of B.C. Transit agrees that municipalities’ voices have been squeezed out at the Crown agency.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – A man charged with murdering his ex-girlfriend in Alberta and stabbing a fellow inmate during a jailhouse Scrabble game has pleaded not guilty in a third case, in which a police officer was slashed during an undercover operation near Kamloops, B.C.

VANCOUVER – Between injuries, a suspension and international duty, Martin Rennie has plenty of holes to plug in his roster before the Vancouver Whitecaps host FC Dallas on Wednesday night.

VANCOUVER – Medical device developer Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which restructured it operations last year says its second-quarter loss was cut to $2.9 million as revenues nearly doubled.

VANCOUVER – The company formerly known as Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. had a US$285.9-million net loss in its second quarter as it worked toward getting a massive copper and gold mine in Mongolia into commercial production next year.

VERNON, B.C. – Fire crews in the North Okanagan believe they have gained the upper hand after an aggressive grass fire threatened two homes and a golf resort near Vernon, B.C.

NANAIMO, B.C. – Nanaimo, B.C., has joined a handful of Canadian cities and U.S. states in banning the sale of shark fins.

VANCOUVER – Great Basin Gold Ltd. (TSX:GBG) stock dropped nearly 50 per cent in unusally heavy trading Wednesday after the Vancouver-based company disclosed it is faced with a “liquidity challenge” due to operational problems and a revenue shortfall. Its board has struck a committee to look at strategic alternatives. The company’s CEO has also resigned. Great Basin’s stock was down 19.5 cents at 23.5 cents with more than seven million shares traded at mid-morning.

VANCOUVER – Alderon Iron Ore Corp. (TSX:ADV) says a Chinese company has reduced its investment commitment to Alderon, which is developing one of several planned iron ore mining operations on the Quebec-Labrador border. Hebei Iron & Steel Group Co., Ltd. now plans spend a total of $182.2 million, down $11.8 million from the agreement they reached in April. The reduction reflects the reduced value of Alderon shares, which have fallen in recent months.

PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – A seven-year-old boy is recovering from puncture and scratch wounds to his head and shoulder after being attacked by a cougar on Vancouver Island.

VANCOUVER – China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. (TSX:CGG) reports second-quarter comprehensive income attributable to shareholders of US$10.9 million or three cents per share, compared with US$27.4 million or 6.8 cents per share in the same period in 2011. Revenue in the three months ended June 30 was US$76.5 million, down from US$92.9 million.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Commercial and recreational sockeye fishermen on the Fraser River may not get a single opportunity to cast their nets this season.

VICTORIA – A second person has died after Monday’s small plane crash into a hillside west of Kelowna, B.C.

VANCOUVER – On the same day a government review of ICBC said there are too many staff being paid too much, the Crown corporation’s CEO has announced he’s quitting.

VANCOUVER – Amid allegations of discrimination and sexual harassment, the RCMP brass have recently made at least one change that will please female officers — the force is now allowing women to wear pants and boots with all their formal uniforms.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Cold case cops in British Columbia have arrested a 45-year-old man in a killing going back more than 13 years.

VANCOUVER – Ballard Power Systems (TSX:BLD) said Thursday it has received orders for 102 fuel cell power generation systems to be delivered to Cascadiant Inc., its new Southeast Asian distributor. Financial terms of the sale were not immediately available.

BURNABY, B.C. – Photon Control Inc. (TSXV: PHO) says a B.C. appeals court has sided against it in upholding an earlier decision that the company dismissed its former president without cause.

RICHMOND, B.C. – Catalyst Paper says it has reached an agreement to sell its Elk Falls site in B.C. to Pacifica Deep Sea Terminals for $8.6 million in a deal the buyer says will create 400 new jobs in the region.

VANCOUVER – New lab results stemming from an investigation into two British Columbia mill explosions earlier this year show that wood dust from both beetle-killed and green wood poses a high risk of explosion.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – A judge in Kamloops, B.C., has ordered a psychiatric assessment for a man accused of killing his girlfriend in Alberta, slashing an undercover police officer in B.C. and stabbing a fellow inmate in the eye during a game of Scrabble.

VANCOUVER – B.C. Supreme Court has granted the Insurance Corporation of B.C. an injunction to stop its employees from using an unauthorized email signature that ICBC says is pro-union.