Zunera Ishaq talks to reporters outside the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa on Tuesday, September 15, 2015. A new court ruling means Ishaq, who chooses to cover her face, now has a chance to become a Canadian and vote in the Oct. 19 federal election. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Five stories in the news today, Oct. 6 from The Canadian Press:

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TPP: CANADA, 11 OTHERS FORGE HUGE TRADE DEAL

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is likely to be a key talking point on the federal election campaign trail today. Twelve nations, including Canada, have a tentative deal in hand to create what is billed as the largest-ever deal of its kind, with implications for hundreds of millions of people and hundreds of products and industries. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has hailed the deal as a "great day for Canada."

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FEDS LOSE BID TO PLACE NIQAB RULING ON HOLD

A new court ruling means a devout Muslim woman who chooses to cover her face now has a chance to become a Canadian and vote in the Oct. 19 federal election. The Federal Court of Appeal rejected Monday a government request to put a recent decision in favour of Zunera Ishaq on hold while Ottawa seeks a hearing in the Supreme Court of Canada. Ishaq said she is pleased the courts have reaffirmed her right to citizenship and to vote.

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B.C. COUPLE "STUCK" OVER FAILED REFUGEE CLAIM

A former British soldier married to a disabled Canadian woman may be forced to leave their Victoria home for the United Kingdom after a series of missteps and a snarl of red tape. John Collins, 62, first made an application for refugee status when he entered Canada, based on alleged harassment in the U.K. by a member of the Irish Republican Army. The application was denied and he's been ordered to leave by the Immigration and Refugee Board.

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SURVEY: HIKE IN MORTGAGE RATES WOULD STRESS BORROWERS.

Nearly one in six Canadians would not be able to handle a $500 increase in their monthly mortgage payments, a new survey from the Bank of Montreal suggests. According to the bank, 16 per cent of respondents said they would not be able to afford such an increase, while more than a quarter, or roughly 27 per cent, would need to review their budget. Another 26 per cent said they would be concerned, but could probably handle it.

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REPORT: GLOBAL DEATHS FROM PREGNANCY DROPPING

Seven-thousand gynecologists and obstetricians from across the globe have gathered in Vancouver to strategize on measures to improve maternal and reproductive health worldwide. Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, president of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, says there's been a "considerable reduction" in maternal mortality worldwide, but more needs to be done.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY ...

— The lawyer for former Quebec lieutenant-governor Lise Thibault appears in court to try to have her freed and to seek leave to appeal the 18 month sentence she received last week on fraud and breach of trust charges.

— Alberta Auditor General Merwan Saher will release a report via the department website.

— Statistics Canada will release international merchandise trade figures for August.

— An official welcoming ceremony will be held for Supreme Court of Canada Justice Russell Brown.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2015