The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/04/21 at 22:00 EDT

Episode Date: April 22, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/04/21 at 22:00 EDT

When they predict we'll fall, we rise to the challenge. When they say we're not a country, we stand on guard. This land taught us to be brave and caring, to protect our values, to leave no one behind. Canada is on the line and it's time to vote as though our country depends on it. Because like never before, it does. I'm Jonathan Pedneau, co-leader of the Green Party of Canada. This election, each vote makes a difference. Authorized by the Registeredleader of the Green Party of Canada. This election, each vote makes a difference. Authorized by the Registered Agent of the Green Party of Canada.

From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Neil Herland. We begin at the Vatican, where the body of Pope Francis was placed into a coffin tonight. The leader of the Catholic Church died today at the age of 88 from a stroke and heart failure. The first general congregation of cardinals will take place tomorrow morning and they could pick a date for the funeral of Pope Francis. Tonight thousands are gathering in St. Peter's Square. The CBC's Megan Williams reports.

As the sun set behind the cupola of St. Peter's Basilica, thousands gathered in the square to carry out the Rosary Prayer, the first night of mourning for Pope Francis. Cardinal Mauro Gambetti presided over the prayer service just a day after Pope Francis, in the same square, greeted cheering crowds from his Pope Mobile. It's a very bad day because the Pope is a guide for us and also for people that don't believe in Jesus because he speaks about peace, he speaks about poor people. Says this Italian in St. Peter's Square. Tuesday morning a small group of cardinals and those close to the Pope will meet to decide the timing of the funeral.

That will take place between Friday and Sunday, say Vatican officials, with at least nine days of mourning to follow before the conclave to elect Francis' replacement. Megan Williams, CBC News, The Vatican. The federal election campaign is entering its last week, but before kicking off their final appeals to voters, party leaders took a moment and paid their tributes to Pope Francis. Olivia Stefanovich has reaction. Let me first offer my condolences to Catholics. Before all the main political party leaders made their daily announcements,

they paused to commemorate Pope Francis, including conservative leader Pierre Polyev. We are in solidarity in remembering him. Pope Francis was a voice of moral clarity. Liberal leader Mark Carney called Francis the world's conscience, someone who shaped his own thinking. He called on us to reintegrate human values into our economic lives. And I want to share my condolences. Meanwhile, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh commended the late Pontiff for his 2022

visit to Canada and residential school apology. I think only someone like Pope Francis was able and capable of making that commitment and fulfilling that. Federal leaders honouring who they describe as a great world leader with a legacy that extends beyond the Catholic Church. Olivia Stefanovic, CBC News, Ottawa. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is defending his judgment once again for using a commercial messaging app to share highly sensitive military intelligence.

As Paul Hunter reports, The New York Times says Hegseth told family members about U.S. plans to attack Yemen. U.S. President Donald Trump outside the White House for the annual Easter egg roll on his now embattled Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, coming to Hegseth's defense, at least publicly, after fresh reports Hegseth had shared sensitive U.S. military details with his wife, his brother and his personal lawyer using the messaging app Signal. It's just fake news.

It just brings up stories. Just last month, Trump's national security adviser Mike Walz came under fire for setting up a chat on Signal that included Hegseth and other senior U.S. security officials and, accidentally, the editor of the Atlantic magazine, Hegseth himself, sharing sensitive intel on that chat. Back at the White House, a Trump official denying a report. The White House has begun looking for someone to replace Hegseth. Indeed, for the record, he still has Trump's backing for now.

Paul Hunter, 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 can be considered legitimate targets, fighting resumed in Ukraine after a brief Easter truce. And that is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Neil Herland.