The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/02/22 at 09:00 EST

Episode Date: February 22, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/02/22 at 09:00 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 is Sour. I'm Neil Kumar. Five more hostages have now been released by Hamas in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square.

A total of six are being released today in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The CBC's Sasha Petrusik is there. Hostage square in Tel Aviv is crowded with people. They are staring at a huge screen. They are waiting to welcome six more hostages who are set to be released. People are very anxious to see what shape they're in, but also very nervous to who came home in caskets. But these four today who are being released

from the October 7th incident, three of them were at the music festival down in the South, the Nova Music Festival. They're in their 20s. One of them was visiting at Kibbutz near the border. But it's really been a lot of mixed emotions here, and that's not about to stop. Sasha Petrosik, CBC News, Tel Aviv.

European leaders are expected to put on a united front this coming week in Washington, as French President Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepare to meet with Donald Trump. They're expected to show their ongoing support for Ukraine. It all comes as U.S. officials announce they will be meeting with their Russian counterparts in two weeks. No injuries or structural issues have been reported after a 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck B.C.'s Sunshine Coast on Friday. As Mayor Baines reports, the earthquake has prompted questions over the Canadian earthquake warning system. People along the coast near the epicenter close to Seychelt, roughly 50 kilometres north of Vancouver,

experienced the earthquake more intensely. The biggest earthquake I've ever been in is 7.1 and this one actually felt stronger. I don't know if it's because we were closer or... The earthquake hit just before 1.30 in the afternoon. The vibrations felt along the coast and Metro Vancouver. It lasted about 10 seconds. Seismologist Tymee Mulder with Earthquake Canada

says quakes of this strength, estimated at 4.7, happen offshore more so than inland. Certainly a significant event. People feel it widely. It's still just below the threshold or at which we might expect damage if you're within 10 to 20 kilometres of the epicentre. There was an emergency alert but not everyone who felt it received an emergency alert text on their phones. Natural Resources Canada says they are sent out where strong shaking that could cause harm

is expected. Mira Bains, CBC News, Vancouver. More pink slips are being handed out by the White House. Among those now without a job in the U.S. is General Charles Q. Brown. He's accused of being a proponent of diversity equity and inclusion efforts at the Pentagon. Brown, who's black, is being replaced by retired Lieutenant General, who is white. The CBC's Linda Ward is following this story. Air Force General C.Q. Brown, a fighter pilot and only the second Black general to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, fired. His replacement? Three-star Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Raisen Kane, coming out of retirement.

The Trump loyalist most recently served as associate director for military affairs at the CIA. He said ISIS could be taken down in a matter of days. Brown's firing is abrupt but perhaps not unexpected. During Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing, Hegseth promised to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the military. He's openly questioned whether Brown would have gotten the job if he weren't black. The president did not explain his decision.

Taking to Truth social. He thanked him for his service and called him a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader. Democrats are criticizing the decision saying it politicizes the military. Linda Ward, CBC News, Toronto. And that is your World This Hour. Remember, you can listen to us wherever you get your podcasts. The World This Hour is updated every hour, seven days a week. For CBC News, I'm Neal Kubar.