There’s nothing like having the window open or the top down on a great day with tunes blasting from the car stereo. Chances are you’ve got your favourite driving song, if not a series of driving playlists. Is it your imagination, or do some songs sound better while driving?
It has to do with the brain’s sweet spot when it comes to rhythm. The background noise of a car—the engine, the road noise, the vibrations—is pretty consistent. But when you combine that with the slightly less consistent rhythm of a song, your brain shifts into a space where it’s more likely to enhance the novelty of the music.
Driving fast (which adds a sense of danger) while knowing you’re in control (which inspires confidence), combined with a great song (which makes you want to move), results in a little extra adrenaline that just makes everything sound better.
In May of 2005 Coldplay had reached a new peak in their career, officially having become a stadium band after two incredibly successful albums and a third soon to be on store shelves. A band this big will naturally draw a crowd. A very large crowd. A crowd that overwhelmed the area around The Edge studio at 228 Yonge Street who were eager to see the band perform acoustically for them.
The sidewalks and street were blocked and this quickly got the attention of the police, who sent over a mounted unit to escort the band after they’d finished performing.
There was a bit of a lecture from Toronto Police, and after this incident all future visits from huge bands were planned accordingly to avoid another traffic snarl.
The Black Keys have come a long, long way since that first gig in Akron, Ohio, sometime in early 2002. They played a show in front of just ten paying customers. The total take for the night was five dollars for guitarist Dan Auerbach and five dollars for drummer Patrick Carney.
Things improved slowly. Their first album was recorded in the basement of Pat’s family’s house. The third album was recorded in an abandoned tire factory. But with each new album, life got a little better–for an indie band, anyway. There was a lot of critical acclaim and much hipster love, but it wasn’t until their 2008 album, Attack & Release, that the rest of the world began to figure out what the Black Keys were all about. And, of course, things blew up real good with their 2010 album, Brothers.
And where did the band get their name, anyway? Pat’s father used the phrase “black key” as something that wasn’t quite right. I wonder what he thinks of his son’s job?
A group of Okanagan College students put their skills to work designing the look of the B.C. Summer Games. Cohan Sassaman reports.
The banners are designed. The branding is finished. And the artwork that will define the look of the 2026 BC Summer Games is already appearing across Kelowna.
But while the visual identity of the Games is complete, organizers say a major challenge remains: finding thousands of volunteers to help bring the event to life.
Students and volunteers from Okanagan College spent months creating the official artwork for the Games, drawing inspiration from the Okanagan Valley’s mountains, bridge and signature sun.
The project required students to balance classes, part-time jobs and volunteer work with the BC Summer Games, often while working under tight deadlines.
For project coordinator Anastasia Voytovych, the work often meant sacrificing sleep to meet deadlines.
“I think there was a month where I stayed up until 4 or 5 in the morning,” she said. “My family would wake up and see me still sitting there.”
Graphic design artist Tyron Barnett-Lake says seeing his work displayed throughout the city has been both exciting and intimidating.
“Seeing my artwork in public is terrifying and surreal at the same time,” he said. “There is something very rewarding about seeing your art in public for the first time.”
Natalie Roos who is part of the creative team designing some of the art that will be used in the BC summer games
Cohan Sassaman
That call for volunteers comes as a team of Okanagan College students celebrates the completion of the official branding and artwork that will welcome athletes and visitors from across British Columbia.
While the creative work is finished, organizers say preparing for the arrival of thousands of athletes, coaches and officials remains a massive undertaking.
“The biggest hurdle that we still have is recruiting volunteers for the Summer Games,” said Michael Saad, director of marketing for the BC Summer Games. “We are looking for upwards of 3,000 volunteers.”
As organizers continue recruiting volunteers, the student artists hope their work will help showcase the beauty of Kelowna to visitors from across the province.
“When people are attending the Games and looking at the art, I really want them to feel the beauty of Kelowna,” said Barnett-Lake.
The Games will run from July 22 to 26.
Some of the art work that will be used in the BC Summer games
WATCH: As we head into the summer months, MADD Saskatoon is hoping to remind drivers to think twice before getting behind the wheel impaired.
It’s a stark reminder for drivers across the city to think twice before driving impaired.
A smashed car on display around Saskatoon this summer, organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, aims to remind people of the preventable dangers of driving under the influence.
The car will be at five different locations in the city from June 10 to Sept. 15, being moved every three weeks to high visibility locations in the city.
“When I see the crash car out there, it right away brings me back to seeing the crashed car in the SGI salvage lot that had our four family members in there,” said Linda Van de Vorst.
Van de Vorst is a mother for MADD who lost her son and his young family in a tragic accident involving an impaired driver.
She says she hopes this campaign will make people think.
“Knowing that that car is out there, people are going to ask, ‘Why is it there?’ ‘What is it doing there?'” she said. “Hopefully they will be wise enough to understand, impaired driving can kill or injure.”
In Saskatchewan, MADD says suspensions due to impaired driving are increasing, with an average of 30 people dying from impaired driving per year.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Cameron McBride says they are seeing too many incidents on the road.
“There are times where our police service will do a stop check during the night or evening hours,” McBride said. “And quite often, commonly that stop check will involve eight or nine police officers and there are times, still, where we have to stop the stop check because we’ve got so many impaired drivers that we’ve run out of people to do the work.”
And it never gets easier for the families.
On June 5, a roadside memorial was installed outside of Dundurn to remember Laura Anne Fearnly Hannah and Jamie Jean Hannah, a mother and daughter who were killed by an oncoming impaired driver.
Van de Vorst says she hopes this campaign will bring back a feeling of responsibility for drivers.
“A crash car means there’s an injury involved or a death and with that take responsibility to say, ‘I’m not going to drink and drive’ and ‘I want to ensure that my family knows the same thing,’ or, ‘if I’m out going out with somebody, a group of people, I want to make sure that the people that are there who are drinking and driving don’t get behind that wheel.'”
Watch the video above for more on the visual reminder to plan a ride home.
As Metro Vancouver businesses try to cash in on the World Cup, most have to be careful not to run afoul of FIFA's ultra-strict rules on what they can say, and more importantly, what they can't. But as Kristen Robinson reports, one Vancouver business is using imagination - and some creative spelling - to get around that.
A Vancouver beer bar has developed a creative and tongue-in-cheek way to advertise the FIFA World Cup while avoiding any FIFA trademark infringement.
FIFA has strict rules about non-rights holders using their branding and logo to advertise the World Cup, so the owners of The Magnet made their own trophy.
It consists of an old thrift shop gravy boat, a broken lamp and some painter’s tape.
They also put the words “Pheephaa Werld Kupp” trophy on it and placed it atop the bar for the duration of the tournament.
FIFA lawyers have already contacted some Metro Vancouver businesses and organizations over certain items or fundraisers.
“I said I thought they were for FIFA because we got them in time for FIFA and they were soccer bears and they were wearing jerseys of the teams,” Dawn Moulton, owner of the pet food store, said.
“Although they don’t look like the jerseys, but I don’t watch soccer, so I don’t really pay that level of attention.”
The supplier warned Moulton she could get fined, so she no longer advertises them as FIFA Bears.
More gripping testimony Wednesday in the trial of the man accused of murdering his ex-wife in Lumby two years ago. Vitali Stefanski admits he forced his ex into his vehicle, but denies killing her. Klaudia Van Emmerik has the latest.
On the second day of Crown cross-examination, Vitali Stefanski admitted he forced his ex-wife, Tatjana Stefanski, into his vehicle one day before the 44-year old woman was found dead in a forested area in the North Okanagan.
It was April 13, 2024, when security video from an adjacent property, showed Stefanski and Tatjana at the top of the driveway of her Lumby home, which she shared with her children and partner at the time.
Her body was found down a steep embankment near the 25-km mark on a forest service road near Mabel Lake on April 14, 2024.
Stefanski told the court he acted out of concern for Tatjana’s well-being when he forced her into the car, testifying she appeared distressed over what he described as harassment.
While it remains unclear who he believed was responsible, Stefanski said that he intended to take her to the local RCMP detachment.
Crown counsel challenged the explanation, pointing out that he never asked Tatjana whether she wanted to go to police.
“You pushed her in the car, right?” Crown prosecutor Laura Drake asked the 49-year old, who has pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder.
“Yeah,” Stefanski replied.
Drake then asked, “You didn’t ask her if she wanted to go to the police, right?”
Stefanski replied “yes” in agreement.
Stefanski later testified he changed course and decided to instead drive and look for a hospital after Tatjana started bleeding while in the vehicle, which at that point was still on her driveway.
He said Tatjana stabbed herself with a fishing knife that was in the car and belonged to him.
Court heard Stefanski had visited a storage locker prior to forcing Tatjana into the vehicle to unload fishing equipment in a box from his vehicle.
“Are you saying you put the fishing stuff in the locker on April 13, 2024?” Drake asked, to which Stefanski answered “yes”.
When asked why he left the fishing knife behind, Stefanski said he didn’t realize it was still in the vehicle.
“You kept the knife on purpose, right?” Drake asked.
“No, no,” Stefanski replied.
Crown also questioned Stefanski on why he didn’t call 9-1-1 after seeing Tatjana bleeding.
“I was not thinking about it,” Stefanski said.
“Do you agree that would have been a normal thing to do in response to seeing someone bleeding profusely?” Drake asked.
“Normally, in a normal situation, I would do it. But in that situation, it was, uh, really scared,” Stefanski said.
He also testified that he had never seen injuries like the ones Tatjana had in his life, adding, “In that moment, I didn’t even know what number to dial.”
He also testified that he witnessed Tatjana suffer two stab wounds while inside the vehicle.
Court previously heard that Tatjana was found with 21 sharp-force injuries, including seven wounds to her chest and ribs.
Outside court, Tatjana’s partner at the time said hearing the testimony has been difficult.
“I have no words for it,” Jason Gaudreault told Global News. “It’s so hard being in this room, hearing what we’re hearing.”
Despite having to relive it all, Gaudreault says it’s important for him to be inside the courtroom despite the three-hour round-trip drive to the Kamloops courthouse, as he seeks both justice and closure for himself and Tatjana’s two children, aged 11 and 18, of whom he now has legal guardianship.
“For me to have closure and be able to heal from this …I could never have that part of my life back ever again,” he said. “I just need to be solid and move forward and be the best I can for her children and they deserve it.”
Late last year, the trial was relocated to Kamloops after defence lawyer Tony Lagemaat successfully argued was necessary to ensure a fair trial for the accused.
Stefanski is being held at the Kamloops Correctional Centre, where Lagemaat has access to his laptop to review daily disclosure and evidence, something he would not be able to do if the trial remained in Vernon and Stefanski had to be held in RCMP cells at the local detachment.
A family friend has started a GoFundMe for the family, including Gaudreault, who is trying to rebuild his business following Tatjana’s death and now has to miss work in order to attend the proceedings.
“I think last night, I think I got about an hour’s sleep, a couple hours maybe at that,” Gaudreault said. “I was up at 2:30 this morning, went to my shop, had to take care of paperwork, get my guys going… allowing me to be able to be here to get through this.”
Both Crown and defence will present their closing arguments to the jury on Monday.
WATCH: The Camrose Police Service said it recently was made aware of group chat messages involving several youth, dating back to the fall of 2025. Those messages contained sexually explicit and disturbing content aimed at female high school students. As Bianca Millions reports, students in the Alberta city came out in protest over what they feel is inaction to address the situation.
WARNING: The details in this story may be disturbing
“We say no! We say no! Rape and violence got to go!” chanted the teenagers outside Camrose Composite High School on Wednesday afternoon.
Standing shoulder to shoulder, dressed in red, students in the central Alberta city gathered to protest both the contents of a disturbing, vulgar group chat and how officials have responded to its existence.
“We’re here to show people we want something done,” said Grade 12 student Sasha Covino. “So girls can feel safe in school.”
Camrose Composite High School students protest outside the Alberta school, dissatisfied with the school and police response to a series group chat messages depicting alleged musings of violent sexual assault and mutilation of girls in the community. Photo taken Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Global News
The anger stems from a series of Snapchat group chat messages involving several youth, dating back to the fall of 2025.
The messages contain explicit and disturbing content alleged aimed at several female high school students.
The hundred or so students protesting on Wednesday criticized teachers and school officials for what they believe is inaction.
Covino, describing the contents of the messages as disgusting and unhuman, wants the students from the group chat expelled from school.
“One of the individuals in the school — an adult — said that ‘boys will be boys,'” Covino said with a look of disgust on her face.
“We don’t think this is a ‘boys will be boys’ situation.”
She then began crying, saying girls at the high school don’t feel administration has adequately addressed the situation or assured their safety.
“It feels like, by saying that ‘boys will be boys,’ they’re dismissing it. Not enough is being done,” Covino said.
“I don’t want to come to school and have to worry about if something bad is going to happen because no one’s doing anything.”
Camrose Composite High School students protest outside the Alberta school, dissatisfied with the school and police response to a series group chat messages depicting alleged musings of violent sexual assault and mutilation of girls in the community. Photo taken Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Global News
Screenshots of some of the group chat messages have been widely circulated on social media.
One image shows a handwritten list of girls names. Another names several girls and describes wanting to graphically mutilate and sexually assault them. A different screenshot shows a Snap of a boy describing himself as a rapist.
Global News has viewed the screenshots but is not sharing them on our platforms due to the vulgar, sexual nature of the content and possible underage youths involved.
“It’s disgusting, it’s horrible,” said high school student Marleigh Tansowny, who said a family member’s name appeared on the alleged list.
“I want (other girls) to know that there are people here supporting them.”
The Camrose Police Service said it was made aware of the content last week and is investigating what it calls concerning social media content involving students at the local high school.
Camrose Composite High School students protest outside the Alberta school, dissatisfied with the school and police response to a series group chat messages depicting alleged musings of violent sexual assault and mutilation of girls in the community. Photo taken Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Global News
The protest came on the same day the RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s (NWR) National Security team issued an unrelated, but timely news release about the prevalence of violent online groups and the sharing of disturbing content.
Police said they saw an increase as the COVID-19 pandemic led to more people to use digital communications, more often.
“While technology has aided youths in maintaining peer connection and academic studies, it has also created more opportunities for violent online groups to exploit and influence impressionable youths, to amplify the speed and reach of extremist narratives and false messages – which are often facilitated through social media platforms, applications (apps), and online gaming platforms,” RCMP said.
This past March, a youth in Alberta was sentenced to a 19.5-month probation with 27 conditions and a two-year discretionary weapons prohibition, after they developed Roblox roleplay games where players could assume the role of a gunman and carry out a school shooting scenario.
“Using Discord, a popular communications app where servers contain text channels for online conversation, the youth received guidance from an online user to create these game modes,” RCMP said.
“The investigation also revealed the youth was in possession of materials promoting hateful rhetoric and documentation detailing a desire to carry out a mass casualty event.”
Police said that investigation reflects a broader pattern of concerning youth behaviour seen across the country.
A different Alberta youth was also charged with terrorism-related offences and is subject to a terrorism peace bond, due to concerns the youth would commit offences relating to the 764 violent online network.
According to the RCMP, the 764 network targets children and teens through online gaming platforms, social media and mobile apps, including on Discord, Telegram, Roblox, Twitch, Steam and Minecraft.
It encourages recruits to do things like engage in explicit acts or sexually exploit others; harm or kill family pets or other animals; perform self-harm; attempt or complete suicide; or conduct other acts of serious violence.
Camrose Composite High School students protest outside the Alberta school, dissatisfied with the school and police response to a series group chat messages depicting alleged musings of violent sexual assault and mutilation of girls in the community. Photo taken Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Global News
The sexually explicit and graphically violent ideas shared in the Camrose group chat have not come to fruition, but that’s little consolation for students like Tansowny.
“I want something to be done. I want justice. I want these kids to understand that this isn’t OK,” Tansowny said.
“This is disgusting and it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
Both the Camrose Police Service and the Battle River School Division released near-identical statements about the situation, saying the investigation is ongoing at both school and police levels.
“We are aware that from the outside, it may appear that limited action is being taken. However, significant steps have already occurred behind the scenes, including investigative work, interventions, and supports for all affected parties,” said both statements by Camrose police and the Battle River School Division.
Police said the individuals directly impacted, as well as those involved in the messages, have been identified. The division said school administration has met with students and families, is providing support to other affected students, and is working closely with police.
“We recognize that members of our community — particularly students, families, and school staff — are feeling upset, frustrated, and concerned. These reactions are understandable. The safety, dignity, and well-being of all young people remains our highest priority,” the school division said.
Both police and the school division said they were unable to share more details publicly due to privacy laws, and encouraged people to not share or amplify the screenshotted content to avoid further harm.
“We remind the public that sharing content, engaging in speculation, or targeting individuals online can cause further harm—particularly when youth are involved.”
Neither would comment on if any disciplinary action has been taken, nor did they agree to an on-camera interview.
Global BC has obtained video evidence presented in the trial of three men convicted of the first-degree murders of Arnold and Joanne De Jong. Angela Jung reports.
WARNING: Details in this story are disturbing. Discretion is advised.
One month after a Supreme Court judge convicted three men of the murder of an Abbotsford, B.C., couple, Global News has obtained some of the evidence that was shown in court.
One of the pieces of evidence showed two of the killers, Abhijeet Singh and Khushveer Toor, filming themselves on the roof of the victims’ home one month before the killing.
The court then also saw a TikTok posted by Toor, showing him putting one of the murder weapons in a car.
The court earlier heard that Arnold died by asphyxiation, with his entire head and face wrapped in duct tape, while Joanne was bludgeoned and had her throat slashed.
The three men, including Gurkaran Singh, all in their 20s, were arrested in December 2022, after the De Jongs’ bodies were found in their Abbotsford home that May.
Prosecutors say the suspects had done cleaning work there before the home invasion, and that the men killed the couple before stealing cheques, credit cards and a power washer.
The De Jongs’ daughters were in court on Wednesday.
“Our parents were tortured, they were murdered,” Sandra Barthel said.
“I’m sure our parents begged for mercy and we’re not shown that, and yet the irony of a faint hope clause in this case in which they can get released from jail, possibly after 15 years, just does not seem just to us.”
The trio was convicted of first-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Toor’s lawyers have applied for a constitutional challenge, which can happen when there are multiple murder victims.
It’s expected counsel for the other two will join the challenge.
That hearing is set for the first week of September, further delaying sentencing.
Daughter Heather Hoogland said the family is frustrated.
“It’s like opening a can of worms for any person that is coming to Canada, and if they commit a crime, they can get off scot-free.”
WATCH: The Riders received their Grey Cup championship rings, each one designed to represent their title-winning season and the history behind it.
The SaskatchewanRoughriders have received their Grey Cup championship rings, each one designed to represent their title-winning 2025 season and the history behind it — an exciting moment for many players.
“I feel extremely blessed. Like you said, first year coming into an organization like this I just couldn’t ask for anything better,” said Kian Schaffer-Baker.
Every ring features 14 green stones to mark the team’s wins last season, along with five gems symbolizing the organization’s Grey Cup championship titles. A key detail inside features a piece of the Grey Cup game ball.
The front office, coaching staff and veteran players all had input into the design.
“The guys did a great job at designing. The guys that were a part of that team and were on the design crew, amazing job, really thoughtful, every piece means something in there,” said Logan Ferland.
For some members of the organization, like quarterback Trevor Harris and defensive lineman Mike Rose, it was another addition to an already impressive collection of championship hardware. However, for many players it marked a career milestone receiving their first Grey Cup championship ring.
“That’s everything right there. That’s my first championship in all my years playing football — so damn near 17 years, 18 years of playing football — and that’s the first one I’ve ever gotten so I definitely cherish that moment and I’m excited for the next one,” Schaffer-Baker added.
While the championship rings are reserved for the team, Rider nation has a chance to own a commemorative version inspired by the same design.
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