The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/02/16 at 20:00 EST

Episode Date: February 17, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/02/16 at 20:00 EST

In Scarborough, there's this fire behind our eyes. A passion in our bellies. It's in the hearts of our neighbors. The eyes of our nurses. And the hands of our doctors. It's what makes Scarborough, Scarborough. In our hospitals, we do more than anyone thought possible. We've less than anyone could imagine.

But it's time to imagine what we can do with more. Join Scarborough Health Network and together, we can turn grit into greatness. Donate at lovescarborough.ca. From CBC News, The World This Hour, I'm Julianne Hazelwood. Much of Canada is dealing with harsh winter weather today. A storm is hammering Ontario and Quebec,

and parts of Western Canada are experiencing extreme cold. Linda Ward reports. As fast as plows can clear the roads and sidewalks, they're covered again. Three to six centimeters of snow per hour with a total of 15 to 25 centimeters expected by this evening. Up to 40 or 50 centimeters for parts of Quebec. Ontario Provincial Police Sergeant Kerry Schmidt is urging people to stay off the roads. You can't see the lane markings. We have had cars in ditches. Some collisions are happening as we speak.

At Toronto Pearson Airport, there have been hundreds of flight cancellations and delays. Forecasters say they expect the snowfall in the last week to beat the total accumulation last winter. And central Canada isn't the only one coping with tough conditions. Much of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and parts of northwestern Ontario are under an extreme cold warning with temperatures hitting minus 40 and even minus 50 in some places. Linda Ward, CBC News, Toronto. In the U.S. at least eight people were killed in Kentucky

after heavy rains triggered dangerous flooding overnight. Governor Andy Beshear. Where we are right now is in the emergency response phase. This is the search and rescue phase. We've already seen over a thousand rescues, primarily because of the swift water boat teams as well as so many other responders that are out there. Beshear says the flash flooding is largely over, but there will be riverbank flooding in the next few days. Ten million people from Ohio to Mississippi are under flood warnings, and hundreds of thousands are without electricity.

France will host an emergency European leaders' summit tomorrow to discuss the war in Ukraine and European security. The President of the Republic will meet the main European countries. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrett says there is a wind of unity blowing over Europe that we have not have felt since the COVID pandemic. The meeting comes as US President Donald Trump tries to reach a deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine, but many European leaders are concerned that they and possibly the Ukrainian president will not be involved. Ukraine, but many European leaders are concerned that they and possibly the Ukrainian president will not be involved.

Nova Scotia's premier recently hinted that his government may lift a long-standing moratorium on uranium exploration, but the reaction has been mixed. Frances Willock reports. Marilyn Manzer was a young mother living in Hentz County in the early 1980s when she heard the news. A French company wanted to mine uranium nearby. She and other residents didn't know anything about uranium at the time, so they got to work. Public concern prompted the province to launch an inquiry. That resulted in a moratorium

in 1981, which later became a ban. Manzer disputes the current Premier's characterization of those who opposed development. Take the no out of Nova Scotia. I mean, we were working our butts off really to be positive and to protect this province. Erin Adlaca is an associate professor of geology at St. Mary's University. She says it's time to end the ban. We understand what radiation does. We know how to mediate it and to monitor it

and to ensure that our workers are safe. Frances Willick, CBC News, Halifax. Post-secondary institutions across the country are still feeling the impact of Ottawa's decision to cut the number of international students it admits. In Victoria, Camosun College is expecting a $10 million deficit because international students brought in 20% of its revenues. Now, Camosun is cutting all non-essential spending

and is considering layoffs. Lynette Utani speaks for the college's Faculty Association. We don't know what the long-term forecast will be and what other things will happen in terms of international politics. And there has been some reputational damage to Canada as a brand destination for international students. Nutanix says all three of Camosun's unions are calling for more transparency and consultation in budgeting decisions. And that is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Julianne Hazelwood.