The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/04/21 at 18:00 EDT

Episode Date: April 21, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/04/21 at 18:00 EDT

Well, hey, look at us. You listen to Frontburner, I listen to Frontburner. We have something in common. My name is Alameen Abdul Mahmood. And look, we get to hear Jamie and the Frontburner team keep us on top of the big news stories that matter. I am someone who looks to culture to make sense of the world. The TV shows and books and music and movies that meet the moment. That's the kind of stuff I talk about every day on the podcast I host. It's called commotion. And if you want to hear smart, funny people talk about what the culture we consume says about us right now, follow Commotion wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour, I'm Mike Miles.

Thousands of worshippers in St. Peter's Square held prayers for Pope Francis. The pontiff, known for his humility and openness, died this morning at the age of 88. The Vatican says he suffered a stroke and heart failure. In his will, Francis has to be buried in a simple wooden coffin. He'll be the first pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican and the Basilica of St. Mary Major. The funeral is likely to take place on the weekend. Here at home, people are remembering a pope who had the common touch.

Francis visited Canada in 2022 and Canadians are honoring the pontiff as a vocal advocate for the poor and forgotten, Ethel Moussines-Moore. I woke up to the news, really saddened. I took it personally. I felt like a family member had passed away. He was known as the people's Pope for promoting a more inclusive church and today many Canadians across the country are mourning the passing of Pope Francis. He was just, he just knew, he just got you. He was a people person. He was really open to everybody, you know, and he didn't really care your background. Father Morgan Rice in Toronto traveled to the Vatican in 2022. He says when asked what he missed most after becoming Pope, the Pontiff's answer spoke

volumes. He missed being with the people because there was so much security and he couldn't just go out walk the streets like he could before. Cardinals from around the world, including Canada, will be heading to Rome to take part in the conclave to elect the next pope. Idomoussa, CBC News, Toronto. Canada's political leaders began the final week of the campaign sharing their thoughts about Pope Francis. Liberal leader Mark Carney was on the East Coast. He remembered the pope's commitments to the poor, the vulnerable, and the fight against climate change. His Holiness understood and taught that value in the market must never eclipse the values

of society. He wrote about the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, reminding us that ecological degradation and social injustice are deeply inclined. Carney also recalled the Pope's Canadian visit to apologize for the church's role in residential schools. He calls it a crucial step in moving the church forward in its journey toward meaningful reconciliation. Conservative leader Pierre Poliev says Pope Francis's humility, compassion, and faith had a profound impact on millions of Canadians. The US President says he stands firmly behind his Defence Secretary. Pete Hegseth is under

fire yet again for allegedly using a messaging app to share highly sensitive military plans. The New York Times says this time family members were included in those conversations. Kate Fisher is more. The report alleges that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared plans to bomb Houthi targets on the messaging app Signal in a group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer. It comes around a month after a journalist was mistakenly added to another Signal chat in which Hegseth shared details of those same attack plans in Yemen with top administration officials. President Trump called concerns over Hegseth's sharing of military plans a waste of time.

Ask the hoodies how much this functioned. Pete's doing a great job. Hegseth blamed the story on leaks from disgruntled former staff. What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out. The Trump administration insists that no classified information was shared in either chat. Kate Fischer for CBC News, Washington. Russian President Vladimir Putin says the Kremlin is considering Ukraine's request for a 30-day pause in strikes on civilian infrastructure. But Putin says civilian facilities are often used by the Ukrainian military and cannot be considered

legitimate targets, fighting resumed in Ukraine after a brief Easter truce, both sides accusing each other of multiple violations of the ceasefire. brief Easter truce, both sides accusing each other of multiple violations of the ceasefire. That is your World This Hour for CBC News. I'm Mike Miles.