Supreme Court Considers if Shamima Begum Can Return to UK
The Supreme Court on Monday opens a hearing into whether so-called ISIS bride Shamima Begum can return to the UK to give evidence against the decision to revoke her British citizenship. If they conclude Begum has no right to return to be at her appeal in person, the five justices may also decide she has no right to appeal in the first place—effectively ending her attempts to have her citizenship returned. The hearing will last for two days. Begum travelled to Syria at the age of 15, along with some other classmates, to join the so-called ISIS caliphate. As the caliphate was being whittled down to its last survivors by U.S. and allied forces, she surfaced at a refugee camp in Syria, where she caught the interest of Western journalists. Her citizenship…
OTTAWA—Businesses struggling to pay the bills because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to start applying today for a long-awaited new commercial rent-relief program offered by the federal government.
The new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy replaces an earlier rent-support program for businesses introduced in the spring that saw little pickup because it relied on landlords to apply for help.
The new program will cover up to 65 percent of rent or commercial mortgage interest on a sliding scale based on revenue declines, with an extra 25 percent available to the hardest-hit firms.
Federal cabinet ministers will highlight the program during a news conference this morning in which they will also open two initiatives designed to help businesses owned by Black Canadians.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which represents thousands of small companies across the country, is welcoming the new rent program as long overdue for firms hard hit by COVID-19.
However, it is criticizing the government for not opening it to businesses that would have qualified for the previous rent-relief program, but could not access federal funds because their landlords chose not to apply.
Focus News: Federal Rent Subsidy for Businesses Hurt by Covid-19 Opens Today
ADF Honour The Next Generation of Young Australian Innovators
More than聽2,700 high school students from around Australia received recognition for their innovation and learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects from the Australian Defence Force this week. Students from Year 10 and Year 12, chosen from 1,660 Australian schools, were presented with the inaugural ADF Future Innovator Award and cash prizes for showing what they鈥檝e learnt from STEM-related topics. Congratulating the winners Defence Personnel Minister Darren Chester said the award laureates represent the next generation of聽motivated STEM innovators. “The ADF’s requirement for innovators, critical thinkers and problem-solvers continues to grow, and this is one of the ways we are promoting the exciting opportunities available through a career with Defence,” said Chester in a media release on Nov. 23. Year 10 students received cash grants of $250, and…
