Five stories in the news for today, Aug. 2

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Pitch ideas

Central Alberta entrepreneurs take part in Catalyst Incubator program

14h ago

numerous incidents

QEII Highway very icy Monday morning

18h ago

"unprecedented levels of discrimination"

Ponoka Pride Society dissolves, citing limited resources

18h ago

CANADA BEEFS UP U.S. DIPLOMATIC TEAM

The Trudeau government is beefing up its team in the United States as it prepares for the upcoming NAFTA renegotiation. Sources say the government is creating a new position of deputy ambassador to the U.S. and appointing consuls general in Atlanta, San Francisco and Seattle. In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, the lead minister on NAFTA, is creating a special council to advise her on all aspects of the trade deal. The council and the new raft of diplomatic appointments to the U.S. are to be announced today.

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LOSSES MOUNT IN B.C. WILDFIRES

Wildfires have now destroyed more than 300 buildings across British Columbia. Emergency Management BC says this includes 71 homes, 116 outbuildings such as sheds and barns, and three commercial buildings. Another 115 destroyed buildings have yet to be identified. More than 840 fires have charred about 4,260 square kilometres in B.C. since April 1, and hot, dry weather is expected to worsen conditions in the days ahead.

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NDP LEADERSHIP CANDIDATES SET FOR ANOTHER DEBATE

The latest NDP leadership debate will be held tonight in Victoria as the candidates approach the last leg of the campaign to replace Tom Mulcair. The four candidates — Guy Caron, Niki Ashton, Charlie Angus and Jagmeet Singh — hope to sign up as many new members as they can ahead of an Aug. 17 cutoff to bring in fresh blood. The voting to elect a new leader begins in September.

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TOLL OF DEAD RIGHT WHALES RISES TO 10

The federal Department of Fisheries confirms that yet another North Atlantic right whale has been found dead in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In all, the carcasses of 10 of the endangered mammals have been found in the Gulf since June 7. The most recent find was reported Tuesday from the west coast of Newfoundland, though it remains unclear when the whale was first spotted. North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered, with only about 525 believed to be alive.

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The Canadian Press