The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/02/23 at 15:00 EST

Episode Date: February 23, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/02/23 at 15:00 EST

Okay look, we are deep into awards season right now and maybe you've heard the names of the movies like Anorah or The Brutalist but maybe you haven't gone around to seeing them just yet. Allow us to catch you up. The Oscars are on Sunday, March 2nd and will Conclave win Best Picture? Will Demi Moore win Best Actress and prove that she's more than a quote unquote popcorn actress? Look out for commotion March 3rd.

That is the day right after the Oscars. We will recap all the big moments of the night. You can find commotion wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world is sour. I'm Karen Hauerlach. Supporters of the center-right Christian Democratic Union are celebrating in Germany. The right Christian Democratic Union are celebrating in Germany. Early results in the national election put their party in first place with 28% of the vote under leader Friedrich Meyers. The far-right Alternative for Germany party is in second with 19% doubling their share of the vote from last time.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Social Democrats are in third place in the party's worst results since the Second World War. None of the parties won a majority, so we'll be negotiating a coalition government. The Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is looking shaky again. Israel is refusing to hand over about 600 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. It was supposed to release them after Hamas freed six Israeli hostages on refusing to hand over about 600 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. It was supposed to release them after Hamas freed six Israeli hostages on Saturday. Sasha Petrasek reports.

Across the occupied West Bank and in Gaza, there's frustration and anger from Palestinian families waiting for the release of loved ones held in Israeli jails. The delay is a huge burden, says Badr Abu Aliya. More than 600 detainees were supposed to be freed in exchange for six Israeli hostages released yesterday. But Israel put a hold on that, saying it doesn't like the way hostages are paraded by Hamas, calling it degrading propaganda. Palestinian officials call it a pretext by Israel.

If Israel doesn't, the bodies of four hostages may not be released by Hamas this week, and if the ceasefire collapses altogether, 59 other hostages may not make it out of Gaza. Sasha Petrusic, CBC News, Jerusalem. Crowds are gathered outside a hospital in Rome praying for Pope Francis. The Pope was admitted more than a week ago with pneumonia in both lungs. The Vatican says Francis rested well last night and took part in the Holy Mass this morning with those taking care of him. The 88 year old is in critical condition. This is a generational moment. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says a stable peace that will deter further Russian aggression is not just in Ukraine's

interests but in the interests of Europe and Britain. Russia already menaces our waters, our online spaces, even at times our streets. And the economic insecurity that the conflict has caused cost a living crisis. That will only continue unless we have a resolution that is fair and stable for Ukraine. Instability in Europe always washes up on our shores. Starmor says he supports American calls for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security, promising Britain will reshape its military, economic and industrial capabilities. Starmor is to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday.

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Trump tomorrow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with him on Monday in Kiev, the third anniversary of the Russian invasion. Trudeau will also chair a virtual G7 leaders meeting that day where the war in Ukraine is expected to dominate the agenda. Police in Edmonton are investigating an elaborate rental scam that's cost several people a total of almost $11,000. Constable Amanda Trenchard says there are some warning signs. They're advertised online in most cases. They use Facebook Marketplace. But what usually

happens in the scam is there's a property there. The person sometimes will go to view it, but the person that is supposed to show it doesn't ever show. And so they just kind of say, just look at the outside. You can see it's for rent. Victims are convinced to pay first and last month's rent, but never get the apartment. Police say they received 90 reports of rental scams last year, with damages amounting to about $100,000. And that is your World is Our.

For CBC News, I'm Karen Howerluck.