News for Youse: Poll suggests Liberal comeback, housing sales slow, and Kris Kross rapper dies

Poll suggests election getting close  Forum Research has released a poll showing the NDP with just a four-percentage-point lead on the B.C. Liberals. The NDP is at 39 percent and the governing party is at 35 percent.

UBC funds Therapeutics Initiative  CKNW Radio has reported that UBC will cover the cost of the Therapeutics Initiative, which provides unbiased information to physicians and the public about prescription drugs. The B.C. Liberal government cut off funding to the organization, which has blown the whistle on the side effects of Big Pharma's products.

Slow housing sales  The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver has reported that April home sales were the lowest since 2001; sales volume was also 20.9 percent below the 10-year average for the month. The composite multiple-listing-service benchmark price is $597,300 for the REBGV, which doesn't include Surrey and Langley.

Canucks drop opener  The San Jose Sharks defeated Vancouver 3-1 last night at Rogers Arena in the opening game of their best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final series.

Andrew Ference faces hearing  The National Hockey League is reviewing Boston Bruins defenceman Andrew Ference's elbow to the face of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski.

Workshop for reconciliation  Reconciliation Canada held a workshop yesterday at the Musqueam Cultural Centre with deputy provincial health officer Dr. Evan Adams, Mayor Gregor Robertson, and former Northwest Territories premier Stephen Kakfwi, among others. It's part of a series of events leading up to the arrival of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Vancouver in September.

Bank of Canada will get new governor  After markets close today, the government is expected to name a new governor of the Bank of Canada to replace Mark Carney. The Globe and Mail suggests the front runner is senior deputy governor Tiff Macklem. 

Joe Fresh does damage control  Loblaw's discount clothing chain Joe Fresh says it will be a "force for good" in Bangladesh. This comes after a garment factory that supplied garments to the company collapsed in the capital of Dhaka, killing nearly 400 people. 

North Korea throws American in jail  An American who claims he visited North Korea as a tourist, Kenneth Bae (also known as Pae Jun-ho), has been sentenced to 15 years of compulsory labour in North Korea. He was convicted of committing crimes against the government.

Kris Cross singer dies  Chris Kelly, who was part of the 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, has died in an Atlanta Hospital. He was 34 years old.