In the news today: Iran fires at apparent Israeli drones near airbase

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

Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near airbase and nuclear site

An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran triggered air defences at a major airbase and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country. In a post to social media, Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said she had been briefed and was monitoring the situation closely. She met today with her G7 counterparts in Italy, where Italy’s foreign minister said the United States had told the group that it had received “last minute” information from Israel about a drone action in Iran. In a communique following the three-day meeting, the ministers urged the parties “to prevent further escalation.”

Rescue team gears up for new attempt to save orca

A large seine fishing vessel capable of casting a net strong enough to hold a nearly 700-kilogram killer whale calf has arrived in Zeballos, B.C., to participate in the latest attempt to rescue the young orca stranded in a remote tidal lagoon. The flat-bottom aluminum vessel has a built-in crane-like device for lifting heavy nets, and it’s expected to be deployed as part of a rescue effort that could happen any day now in the lagoon on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island. The female calf has been stranded alone for nearly a month since its pregnant mother died after becoming trapped on a beach at low tide.

Banks to be forced to use carbon rebate label

If the big banks don’t like being ordered to correctly label federal direct deposits, Canada’s environment minister says they only have themselves to blame. Steven Guilbeault says some banks are refusing to use “carbon price rebate” to label those deposits, even though that’s what Ottawa wants. It’s a fight that has been going on for nearly two years and Guilbeault says it is contributing to confusion about carbon pricing. Ottawa plans to amend the Financial Administration Act so government payments accepted for deposits will all carry the title the government requests.

Facing privatization, Indigo needs change, experts say

As Indigo Books & Music Inc. edges toward privatization, marketing experts say the retailer has a lot to do to turn around the business. Joanne McNeish, an associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University specializing in marketing, says a forthcoming shareholder vote on a take-private deal comes at a pivotal moment. Leading up to the bid from Gerald Schwartz’s Trilogy companies, Indigo has been challenged by the dominance of e-commerce giant Amazon, a cyberattack that downed some of the company’s services for weeks and middling results with refining its retail experience.

Suspect in Ottawa mass killing not seeking bail

The lawyer for the 19-year-old Sri Lankan national charged with the mass killing of a newcomer family in Ottawa says he has no plan to seek bail. Febrio De-Zoysa was charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder after police found the family dead in a townhouse in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven in March. He is set to return to court next week where lawyers expect to set dates for a preliminary inquiry in his case.

Judge at Zameer trial concerned over Crown theory

The judge overseeing the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer repeatedly raised concerns over the prosecution’s changing theory of what happened that night. Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy indicated she did not see how a jury could reach a guilty verdict on murder based on evidence presented in court. Zameer has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in Northrup’s death. The officer died after being hit by a vehicle in an underground parking garage at Toronto City Hall.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2024. 

The Canadian Press