Good morning. This is Hanna Lee.

Despite Iranian officials being banned from Canada, one former regime member has been in the country since April. We'll have more on that below. Then, we'll look at what lies ahead for Prime Minister Mark Carney's landmark "nation-building" bill, which the Senate passed unamended yesterday. Lastly, we have a deep dive on the Great Matcha Shortage.

Iranian officials are banned from Canada — but this former regime member landed in April

Former Iranian regime official Mahdi Nasiri posted on Instagram in April that he was leaving Iran and on his way to Canada. (Mahdi Nasiri/Instagram)

Mahdi Nasiri has been described as an important hardliner in Iran during the 2000s. He's also — despite most Iranian leadership being banned from arriving here since 2022 — been in Canada since April.

What's happening: In the 1990s, Nasiri was the managing director of Kayhan, Iran's most conservative newspaper. He later served in senior positions with the regime throughout the 2000s. While he doesn't deny his past roles, he says he's been critical of Iran's government in recent years and now supports its liberal opposition leader. But his name has been reported to the RCMP, a source told CBC, and some wonder why he was allowed to enter in the first place — and whether he should be permitted to stay.

Some context: In 2022, Canada banned Iranian government, security and intelligence leaders from entering the country. It came after incidents like Iranian Canadians reporting harassment and surveillance they believed were tied to Tehran, and an explosive U.S. indictment revealing an Iranian plot to kidnap Canadians. The ban was expanded last year to include anyone who served as a senior official with the Iranian government since June 2003. 

Carney's 'nation-building' projects bill passes into law — but not without Indigenous pushback

Prime Minister Mark Carney's first major piece of legislation, Bill C-5, passed the Senate unamended on Thursday. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

The Senate passed Prime Minister Mark Carney's landmark "nation-building" projects bill Thursday unamended. Ottawa now has extraordinary new power to fast-track initiatives that could boost the economy, as Canada struggles with the U.S. trade war.

What's changing: The cabinet can allow some projects to bypass provisions of federal laws, long criticized as a hindrance to getting things approved on time. Carney has signalled those projects could include pipelines or electricity grids and has framed the legislation as a way for Canada to fight back against U.S. trade aggression and become more independent. 

Some issues: The bill passed in three weeks since being tabled, a breakneck pace and part of Carney's push to build quickly. To quell any concerns, Carney has said he will personally lead sessions with rights holders, starting with First Nations on July 17. But some Indigenous leaders worry that the need for speed means they won't be adequately consulted and that they will lose their rights. Paul Prosper, a Mi'kmaw senator from Nova Scotia, called the bill a betrayal of reconciliation. 

How matcha went mega viral — and nearly upended the Japanese tea industry

Global demand for matcha has gone supernova since the fall, ultimately leading to a global shortage. (Pelin Sidki/CBC)

Demand for matcha has exploded. Here in Toronto, iced matcha lattes come with mix-ins that defy the imagination, from mango sticky rice to banana pudding. But what does all this mean? According to those closely watching the Japanese tea industry, a hefty price hike.

What's happening: The finely powdered green tea is usually sourced from Japan. Global interest has steadily increased for years, but demand started picking up around October 2024, according to the Global Japanese Tea Association.

At the same time: In Japan, tea consumption and production have decreased. Its farmers are getting old, and there are few successors taking their place. Matcha also makes up just six per cent of its total tea production, and shifting gears isn't easy. One tea purveyor exports up to a third of its product internationally and says it will have to raise prices once the next harvest is ready — and iced-banana-pudding-matcha-latte lovers will eventually have to absorb that cost.

In case you missed it

• A 49-year-old Canadian citizen has died while in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The cause of death is under investigation.
   
• U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a deal has been reached to scrap a controversial tax proposed by the Trump administration that could cost Canada and the U.S. billions.
   
• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has claimed victory over Israel while U.S. President Donald Trump closed out the NATO summit promising to give proof that Iran's nuclear program has been destroyed.
   
• The reality show Love Island USA is asking viewers to stop harassing contestants online.

And, in today's good news...

'She's my hero': Young girl saves grandmother from stroke twice

Marleen Conacher, centre, pictured with her two granddaughters. Meaka Star, left, was 10 when her quick thinking saved her grandmother's life. (Gray & Arbor Photography)