The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/02/22 at 17:00 EST

Episode Date: February 22, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/02/22 at 17:00 EST

1942, Europe. Soldiers find a boy surviving alone in the woods. They make him a member of Hitler's army. But what no one would know for decades, he was Jewish. Could a story so unbelievable be true? I'm Dan Goldberg. I'm from CBC's personally, Toy Soldier. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world is ours. I'm Karen Howerlach. We begin in Rome where Pope Francis' health has taken a turn for the worse. The Vatican says he is in critical condition after suffering a prolonged asthma-like attack.

The pope was taken to hospital just over a week ago with a lung infection. The Vatican says he's also received blood transfusions but was alert and sitting up today. Doctors say the 88-year-old is not out of danger yet. Hamas is accusing Israel of a blatant violation of the ceasefire deal by delaying its release of about 600 Palestinian prisoners. It's not clear why and Israel's security cabinet is meeting. Earlier Hamas freed six Israeli hostages. Sasha Petrasek reports.

In so-called hostage square in the middle of Tel Aviv, a lot of mixed emotions today. Joy of course at seeing the hostages come home, these six, but also a lot of sorrow over the realization that some won't be coming back alive. That became painfully clear this week when four were returned in caskets. There's now a memorial here with candles and lots of tears. Many people are turning their thoughts to what happens next because this group of six is the last who will be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. For the others who remain in Gaza, the 59 hostages, there will have to be a second phase to that agreement. The two sides are

in touch with each other. There are talks going on, but it seems very far away from an agreement that would see those other hostages come home. Sasha Petrusik, CBC News, Tel Aviv. Ukraine's military intelligence says Russia is going to claim victory over Ukraine on Monday, the third anniversary of the invasion. They say Russian propagandists are under orders to promote winning narratives that don't mention Russia was the aggressor. Dominic Volitis has more.

This Monday marks three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And according to intelligence officials in Kyiv, the Kremlin intends to use the anniversary to declare victory over Ukraine and possibly even NATO. The main intelligence directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, the GUR, says Russian propagandists have already been instructed to promote so-called victory narratives ahead of Monday's anniversary. Moscow's aim, it's claimed, is to destabilise Ukrainian society and discredit the country among its Western allies, which provide Kiev with essential military aid.

Russia is reportedly hoping the new propaganda campaign will mask its status as the aggressor in the conflict. Moscow has not commented on the claims. Dominic Vlaitis for CBC News, Riga, Latvia. A senior prosecutor in Berlin says the suspect, in a stabbing at the city's Holocaust Memorial on Friday, is a 19-year-old Syrian refugee. Sebastian Buckner says the suspect chose the location because he was planning to kill Jews. A tourist from Spain was seriously injured. It's the latest in a series of high-profile attacks by migrant suspects, making migration

a top issue in Germany's federal election Sunday. City engineers are inspecting bridges in Vancouver after yesterday's 4.7 earthquake and BC Ferries is inspecting its terminals. Thousands of people felt the earthquake in Vancouver, Victoria and as far away as Lillooet. But BC Emergency Management Minister Kelly Green says not everyone got an alert on their phones. I've also had reports of uneven application of the emergency alert system for this earthquake. It is a federal system so I will be reaching out to my federal counterpart to find ways that we can make sure that it works as expected so that people can stay safe. Natural Resources Canada is responsible for the earthquake early warning system.

It says it will look into why some people didn't get the message, telling them to drop, cover and hold on. And that is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Karen Howellack.