The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/02/23 at 16:00 EST

Episode Date: February 23, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/02/23 at 16:00 EST

What does a mummified Egyptian child, the Parthenon marbles of Greece and an Irish giant all have in common? They are all stuff the British stole. Maybe. Join me, Mark Fennell, as I travel around the globe uncovering the shocking stories of how some, let's call them ill-gotten, artifacts made it to faraway institutions. Spoiler, it was probably the British. Don't miss a brand new season of Stuff the British Style. Watch it free on CBC Gem. From CBC News, the world is our. I'm Karen Hauerlach.

Political change is coming to Germany. The centre-right Christian Democratic Union is in first place after the country's national election. The far-right, AFD, is in second, doubling its support from last time. But as Abbey Kuathausen reports, Germany is headed for a coalition government. A man who's never held public office before will become the next German chancellor. Friedrich Merz declared victory after his conservatives picked up about 29% of the vote, but he still has to form a coalition with other parties in order to govern. Merz has already

ruled out negotiating with the far-right AFD, which came in second with about 20% support. Thunian is the deputy director at the Jacques Delors Center in Berlin. I think what we really need is quick coalition talks and a stable government and that really is only possible with two parties. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has conceded defeat but his central left party could still end up in the governing coalition. Meritz has called for speedy talks saying the world will not wait for the government to be formed as Washington retreats.

Abbie Koalas in CBC News, Berlin. Air defences were called into action in Ukraine overnight, fighting off hundreds of drones launched by Russia. And today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is offering to make a big sacrifice, if it means peace in his country. Dominic Velaitis reports. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian journalist, The Latest News. Officials say this was the largest single Russian drone attack of the war so far. They say 267 drones were launched against 13 Ukrainian regions.

It's not yet clear how many people may have been killed or injured. The onslaught came on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today, Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists he would be willing to give up his presidency if it meant peace in Ukraine, adding he could even exchange his departure for Ukraine's entry into NATO. Tomorrow, EU leaders will head to Kyiv to express their solidarity with Zelensky and talk security guarantees.

A meeting Ukraine's president hopes will be a turning point for his country and the war which enters its fourth year on Monday. Dominic Velaitis for CBC News, Riga, Latvia. Zelensky says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with him 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. The Vatican says Pope Francis took part in a mass today in the hospital as doctors work

to stabilize his health. The 88-year-old was admitted last week with pneumonia in both lungs and his condition took a turn for the worse on the weekend. Megan Williams has the latest. The pope remains in critical condition, although he has not had any breathing crisis. Yesterday he had a prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis, the Vatican said. That hasn't happened today. The Vatican gave to the Pope yesterday two units of red blood cells which have helped stabilize his

hemoglobin levels. The levels of the platelets have stabilized but what is alarming he is starting to show early signs of kidney failure. Now a statement said that those signs are under control for now so that is positive. He's been on high flow oxygen today. He needs extra oxygen to breathe properly. He's awake, he's alert and talking as well. But again, the main message is the pope remains in critical condition. That's the CBC's Megan Williams in Rome. Ottawa is paying 14 different First Nations in Saskatchewan $1.72 billion in total compensation

for treaty promises for agriculture that were never kept. Ottawa had agreed to provide the First Nations with plows, seeds, livestock and other farming tools needed for economic development but never supplied them. And that is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Karen Howerlund.