Six stories in the news for today, Aug. 3

Six stories in the news for Thursday, Aug. 3

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MONTREAL’S BIG O HOUSES ASYLUM SEEKERS

Montreal’s Olympic Stadium will be the temporary home address for some newcomers to Canada with the venue being pressed into use as a temporary shelter. The stadium rotunda was fitted with cots, blankets and food as Quebec contends with a recent influx of people entering from the United States. The stadium is expected to be used for a couple of months.

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Missing pet

'She means the world to our family': Woman seeks help in finding missing pet parrot

4h ago

BE CAREFUL ON THE ROADS

Semi flips outside P.A.; one of dozens of incidents on Sask. roads due to winter weather

4h ago

NO GO FOR BUSES

School bus routes outside P.A. canceled due to spring snowstorm

9h ago

PLANNED BURN SPARKS NEW FIRE IN B.C.

A spokesman for British Columbia’s wildfire service says crews accidentally started a blaze on Tuesday to burn off fuel in order to contain one of many fires raging in the province’s Interior. Kevin Skrepnek says embers ignited a hillside as part of a controlled burn against a wildfire about 80 kilometres west of Kamloops. He says controlled burns are an essential and effective tool for fighting wildfires and most planned burns are successful.

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UNRULY PASSENGER FORCES FLIGHT BACK TO TORONTO

An Air Canada flight returned to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport last night due to an “unruly passenger.” Peel Regional Police say a flight attendant was assaulted during an incident and suffered minor injuries. The flight was bound for Budapest, Hungary when the pilot flew back to Toronto. Police say the unidentified passenger is expected to appear in court today to face an assault charge.

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TSB TO RELEASE REPORT ON ONTARIO TRAIN DERAILMENT

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is expected to release a report today on a CN Rail train derailment in northern Ontario that caused numerous tank cars to catch fire and crashed into a river. The derailment happened on March 7, 2015, near Gogama, Ont., about 80 kilometres south of Timmins, Ont.  The derailment was the third in northern Ontario in less than a month, and the second in the same area.

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FEDS TO MAKE UP VICTIM SURCHARGE SHORTFALL 

The Liberal government’s plan to allow judges to excuse impoverished offenders from paying a federal victim surcharge could end up shrinking provincial budgets, so Ottawa is prepared to shell out some extra cash — for a time. The Liberal government introduced legislation last October aimed at partly overturning a change the previous Conservative government made to the surcharges judges impose on offenders at sentencing.

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DE GRASSE OUT OF WORLDS WITH INJURY 

Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse will miss the upcoming world championships due to a torn hamstring he suffered yesterday while training. The injury is a huge blow to a Canadian team relying on De Grasse for medals at the worlds. The 22-year-old from Markham, Ont., was also due to race against Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in the 100 metre final at London Olympic Stadium and compete in the 200 metres and the 4×100 relay.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil will hold a news conference to discuss a rise in the number of asylum seekers entering from the U.S.

— Finance Minister Joe Ceci is scheduled to announce changes to Alberta’s liquor policies.

— Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc will comment today in Moncton, N.B., on the recent deaths of North Atlantic right whales.

The Canadian Press