Beyond Local

EDMONTON — A spokeswoman for United Conservative Leader Danielle Smith says she is abandoning her media-question restriction policy during the wildfire crisis in order to ensure Albertans receive correct information.

EDMONTON — Environment Canada has opened an investigation into whether Imperial Oil broke federal laws with two releases of tailings from its Kearl oilsands mine in northern Alberta.

CALGARY — Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley delivered a direct message Thursday to people who have voted conservative in the past and are undecided on how to cast their ballots later this month.

TORONTO — Loblaw Companies Ltd. says it has reached a deal with TC Energy that will see the grocer's operations in Alberta powered entirely by wind, sun and water.

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is set to speak by phone with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today to discuss possible help for wildfires raging in the province.

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada says it set aside manslaughter and firearm convictions because of an unwarranted delay in a man's trial caused by the Crown.

OTTAWA — The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor says he has every confidence that South Africa will arrest Vladimir Putin when the Russian president is expected to attend an international summit there in August.

CALGARY — United Conservative Leader Danielle Smith says she won't be campaigning on some of her party's more contentious ideas — sovereignty legislation, a provincial police force and an Alberta pension plan — ahead of the May 29 election.

A threat by the owner of private Russian military company Wagner on Friday to withdraw his fighters from the battle to seize an eastern Ukrainian city is another flareup in his dispute with Russia's regular military over credit and tactics in the war.

TORONTO — Sylvia Tyson saw something special in a young and unknown Gordon Lightfoot on the night she caught one of his sets in the mid-1960s.