The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/01/25 at 09:00 EST

Episode Date: January 25, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/01/25 at 09:00 EST

There is no shortage of scam artists and true crime. But I'm guessing you've never heard of one quite like Caitlin Braun. For over two years, Caitlin Braun conned more than 50 birth workers into thinking that she was pregnant. I'm Kathleen Goldtar, and this week on Crime Story, I sit down with Sarah Trelevin, the host of the con, Caitlin's baby. Find Crime Story wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour, I'm Gina Louise Phillips.

Israeli authorities say they have released 200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. This comes after Hamas freed four young female Israeli soldiers from captivity in Gaza. The soldiers were transferred into the care of the Red Cross to be reunited with their families. Sacha Petrissic paints the picture. The ceremony organized by Hamas militants in Gaza today was clearly meant for the cameras. There were rows of Hamas militants, there was a stage with a banner that said Zionism has no future, and then a signing ceremony with the Red Cross handing over

the four female soldiers who were being released today. In exchange Israel is setting free 200 Palestinian prisoners who were convicted by Israeli courts and held in Israeli jails. 121 of these were convicted of serious offenses and were serving life terms. And it has a lot of Israelis upset, but the release of the hostages is paramount in people's minds and there is a lot of joy that that is happening and that the ceasefire process is continuing. Sasha Petrusik, CBC News, Jerusalem. The State Department is freezing new funding for almost all US foreign aid programs.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a stop work order on nearly all existing foreign assistance, with the exception of food and military aid for Israel and Egypt. It is not yet clear if and how this pause could affect US aid to Ukraine. The jury in a coroner's inquest in BC has ruled the 2018 death of a woman with Down Syndrome as a homicide. Florence Girard weighed only 50 pounds when she died of starvation in the home of her caretaker. Lindsay Duncombe reports on what the jury's recommended. The 13 recommendations come after a week and a half of testimony revealing a system in

what one witness described as crisis mode, a crisis that contributed to the tragic death of 54 year old Florence Girard. The jury says family members of witnessed described as crisis mode, a crisis that contributed to the tragic death of 54-year-old Florence Gerard. The jury says family members of people in care should be compensated to care for them at home if they want to. It also called for a living wage for caretakers and a new case management system to ensure people are getting the care they need. Florence Gerard had been living with Astra Dall at the time of her death, part of a program funded by the Crown people are getting the care they need. Florence Gerard had been living with Astrid Dahl at the time of her death, part of a program funded by

the Crown Corporation, Community Living BC. Dahl was convicted in 2022 of failing to provide the necessities of life for Gerard. Community Living BC has an annual budget of $1.6 billion, which it uses to support 29,000 eligible people. About 4,200 of those people live in a home share arrangement. Lindsay Duncombe, CBC News, Vancouver. It was touted by the premiers as a win-win for both Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. A memorandum of understanding between the provinces to renew the Churchill Falls

hydroelectric agreement until 2075. Now, a former head of the Atlantic province's power utility says not so fast. Bill Wells says he believes Newfoundland's being duped by Hydro-Québec and losing out on tens of billions of dollars in the deal. Patrick Butler has more from St. John's. That's Quebec Premier François Legault telling a reporter back in December that the Churchill Falls MOU would help his province save 200 billion dollars over the next 50 years.

That statement left former Newfoundland and Labrador hydro CEO Bill Wells with questions. Hydro-Québec will save the money because the new deal and the new development it promises on the Churchill River will cost less than the other options available to Quebec to increase supply. They've taken us to the cleaners. Wells says Legault's statement proves negotiators could have squeezed far more money from Hydro-Québec while still landing a win-win deal. The current Hydro CEO says Wells is wrong. Jennifer Williams says the deal ensures a fair price for Churchill Falls power and allows the province's revenues to spike 17 years before the end of the current contract. And that is Patrick Butler and it's also the end of your World This Hour.

For CBC News, I'm Gina Louise Phillips.