The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/03/18 at 16:00 EDT

Episode Date: March 18, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/03/18 at 16:00 EDT

This is Michael Bublé, host of the Junos, Canada's biggest night in music. And trust me, this lineup is going to be everything. With performances by Akela, Baby No Money, Josh Ross, Nemesis, Snoddy Nose Rez Kids, a special final performance by Sum 41, and Michael Bublé. Now that's what I call a party. Don't miss the Junos, live March 30th at 8 Eastern on CBC and CBC Gem. And you're all invited. From CBC News, the world this hour.

I'm Tom Harrington. Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced nearly $7 billion in spending for Arctic security, including a new radar system. Catherine Cullen has the details from Iqaluit. The world is changing. Our adversaries are increasingly emboldened. Prime Minister Mark Carney says this is not just about Canada's security, but its sovereignty too.

We must invest in Canada's north to defend our sovereignty. Canada will work with Australia to build an over-the-horizon radar system. It would protect the Arctic against threats, including hypersonic missiles, from Russia, China, and elsewhere. The system could be ready as early as 2029. Canadian officials say in their conversations with the American military, this investment has been welcome. The $6 billion project is part of a previously announced plan to spend nearly forty billion dollars beefing up North American defense.

There's also funding to increase the Armed Forces presence in the Arctic. Carney's first phone call with Donald Trump, who has been critical of Canada's military spending, is anticipated to happen soon. Catherine Cullen, CBC News, Iqaluit. The US and Russia have agreed to pursue a limited ceasefire in Ukraine. The agreement came after a call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Under the proposed deal, Russia and Ukraine will stop targeting each other's energy infrastructure

for 30 days. But the Kremlin insists the US must stop its military assistance to Ukraine for a lasting peace to be reached. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he will support any proposal that leads to stable and just peace. The two leaders discussed several other issues, including Iran and the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says from now on negotiations with Hamas will happen only under fire. Gaza officials say the Israeli airstrikes overnight killed hundreds of Palestinians.

Netanyahu warns those strikes are just the beginning and that military pressure on Hamas is the only way to secure the release of the remaining hostages. The blame for the resumption of hostilities lies solely with Hamas. The acting U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea says Washington supports Israel's actions. Shea says Hamas had refused every proposal and deadline to extend the first phase of the ceasefire and release more hostages. Hamas had insisted on moving on to the second phase, meaning the withdrawal of Israeli troops. Inflation is on the rise in Canada. And one reason for it?

The end of the GST holiday. Anis Hedary has the details. Inflation jumped up to 2.6% in February, and that's an increase from earlier in the year. The biggest culprit pushing prices up in Canada – the end of the temporary cut to the GST and HST. And because Statistics Canada calculates inflation based on many after-tax prices, the cost of things the agency measures went up by default. While today's inflation numbers are still within the Bank of Canada's target range, it doesn't mean things are still in the clear.

But if it's something that's going to persist into the future, that's something to watch out for. James Orlando is the Director of Economics at TD Bank, and he points out there's other things looming that could affect inflation. With retaliatory tariffs, where the Canadian government puts tariffs on goods from the United States into Canada, that means higher inflation per Canada.

As for interest rates often used to influence inflation, the next announcement on those is April 16th. And he's had R CBC News Calgary. Two NASA astronauts are now on their way back home. They've been stranded on the International Space Station. To Crew 9, safe journey home. It's been the honor of a lifetime to cross your path up here on the Space Station. We'll miss you, but have a great journey home.

Suni Williams and Butch Willemore got a fawn for well as their SpaceX Dragon capsule undocked early this morning. They were originally scheduled to spend a week aboard the space station, but after a mechanical failure, their visit ended up lasting nine months. The trip back to Earth will take about 17 hours. Splashdown is expected off the coast of Florida at around 6 p.m. Eastern Time this evening. And that is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Tom Harrington. Thanks for listening.