Mustafa, Lou-Adriane Cassidy among contenders for first Polaris Song Prize

Good morning. University admissions are more competitive than ever thanks to an avalanche of applications, a relatively small number of seats, and rising grade inflation. More on that below, plus Canada’s top court prepares for Quebec’s Bill 21 hearing, and Mexico’s trade struggles. But first:Today’s headlinesCanada is weighing whether to follow the U.K. on recognizing Palestinian statehood if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire A powerful 8.8 earthquake shakes Russia’s Far East, triggering a tsunami advisory in B.C. Developers press for easing of foreign ownership rules to avoid a...