Time running out for missing sub : A look at what’s In The News for today

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/06/2023 (1181 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Crews frantically searching for missing sub as oxygen runs out

The race against time to find a submersible that disappeared on its way to the Titanic wreckage site entered a new phase of desperation on Thursday morning as the final hours of oxygen possibly left on board the tiny vessel ticked off the clock.

Underwater noises described as “banging” have been heard in an area of the Atlantic where the submersible disappeared Sunday near the wreck of the Titanic.

However, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jamie Frederick cautioned that analysis of the sound by naval acoustics experts has so far proved inconclusive.

The noise, which was detected by a Canadian Aurora military patrol aircraft early Wednesday, was giving added impetus to the desperate search for five people aboard the 6.4-metre vessel named Titan.

Here’s what else we’re watching …

RCMP to release names of Manitoba crash victims as city gathers in mourning

RCMP are set to release the names of the people who died in a fiery bus crash a week ago as a small western Manitoba community prepares to gather in mourning for the 16 lives lost.

“Death happens but we never forget the ones who passed away. They will always be in our hearts. They have moved us and shaped us,” said Wayne Olson, a community minister for the Church of Christ in Dauphin and one of the organizers of a community memorial service Thursday evening.

The minibus was carrying a group of seniors from Dauphin and the surrounding area to a casino last Thursday, when it went into the path of a semi-trailer truck on the Trans-Canada Highway near the town of Carberry, some 190 kilometres to the south.

Health officials have said nine others are in hospital. Four are in critical condition.

House of Commons to break for summer

All parties in the House of Commons agreed to rise for the summer Wednesday despite there being no formal announcement of a public inquiry into foreign interference.

Opposition parties had been demanding the government call the inquiry before the end of the spring session and it was being used as some leverage against allowing the House to rise earlier than the planned summer break date of June 23.

But Wednesday evening that changed, and the opposition parties all backed a government motion that meant after Wednesday, the House will not sit again until September.

But the talks for an inquiry continue and a deal still could be announced before the end of the week.

Group heading to Syria without Ottawa’s backing

The federal government has rebuffed an offer from a civil society delegation to travel to northeastern Syria on Ottawa’s behalf to repatriate detained Canadians.

Instead, a scaled-down group, including Sen. Kim Pate, intends to head to the region in late August to gather information about Canadians held in squalid camps and prisons.

The delegation is also to include Alex Neve, former secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada, and Scott Heatherington, a former Canadian diplomat.

Late last month, the Federal Court of Appeal overturned a judge’s declaration that four Canadian men being held in Syrian camps are entitled to Ottawa’s help to return home.

The May ruling set aside a January decision by Federal Court Justice Henry Brown, who directed Ottawa to request repatriation of the men as soon as reasonably possible and provide them with passports or emergency travel documents.

Flood of hate spurs LGBTQ mental health fears

The Canadian Mental Health Association’s policy director says the organization is worried about the normalization of anti-LGBTQ hate and the impact it’s having on mental health.

Sarah Kennell says policymakers should focus on ensuring people affected by such discrimination have access to health resources they need.

The call comes after Statistics Canada data released in March revealed a 64 per cent increase in police-reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation, from 258 incidents in 2020 to 423 in 2021.

The federal government is providing 1.5 million dollars for safety measures at Pride festivals across the country.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2023.