The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/08/08 at 19:00 EDT

Episode Date: August 8, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/08/08 at 19:00 EDT

If you're listening to this, I already know you have great taste in podcasts. But maybe, if you like me, you still wonder if you're missing out on the best stuff. That's where the Sounds Good newsletter can help you out. Every other Thursday, the audio files at CBC Podcasts highlight one must-hear show and lots of other new and noteworthy titles. They do conversation starters, they do hidden gems, and they also tell you about the stuff they love that they didn't make. Go to CBC.ca slash sounds good to subscribe. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Gina Louise Phillips.

U.S. President Donald Trump says a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will happen next Friday. In a social media post, Trump says discussions on ending the war in Ukraine will take place in Alaska. It would mark the first time the pair have met face-to-face since 2019. Trump previously said a deal would involve some swapping of territories, adding that an agreement was very close. Prime Minister Carney is joining a number of world leaders condemning Israel's plan to fully take over the Gaza Strip. The proposal to seize Gaza City was approved by Israel's security cabinet today.

This action is not going to contribute to an improvement in the humanitarian situation on the ground. It is going to put the lives of the hostages at greater risk rather than lessening it. Carney says he reiterates his call for a ceasefire and the immediate release of hostages. Earlier today, Germany, the second largest arms distributor to Israel following the U.S., announced it would suspend those military exports. It cited the worsening civilian toll in Gaza as the reason. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's disappointed with that decision, adding that the objective is not to occupy Gaza.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are getting a pay raise. Prime Minister Mark Carney says the bump will help with recruitment and retention. A problem military leaders have called critical. Catherine Tunney has more. It's a generational shift. Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the country's largest military air base in Trenton Friday, announcing a long promise pay increase for members of the Canadian military. The salary top-up will be graduated.

The lowest ranks of the regular force will get a 20% boost, or the top brass will see an 8% percent. increase. Their pay, your pay, should reflect the weight of your responsibilities. There's also additional compensation coming, including extra support for those who move a lot for the job and those helping Canadians through natural disasters. And an incentive package to the tune of $50,000 to help recruit Canadians fill roles facing critical shortfalls. The spike in salary spending comes as Carney's government promises to invest heavily in defense to meet its NATO target a 5% GDP by 2035.

Catherine Tunney, CBC News, Ottawa. To the prairies. Our area, in comparison to the rest of Canada, is definitely the worst right now. That's meteorologist Kean Kukalski talking about the air quality in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and parts of Northern Ontario. Smoke from wildfires has pushed the AQI to 10-plus, meaning elevated risk to health and the need to take precautions. With all the smoke that's already still hovering around the area in the prairies right now,

It's really just kind of lingering there and with more smoke brought into the atmosphere by these fires, it's really just going to continue to add to the situation. Kikalski says the situation is expected to improve today and tomorrow, but spike again on Sunday. Thousands of Air Canada flight attendants may walk off the job in a little more than a week. But as Anise Haydari reports, negotiations are ongoing and a deal is still possible. Travelers departing Toronto's Pearson Airport aren't worried about leaving, but return flights might not board

if Air Canada flight attendants end up going on strike. It's a little bit concerning. We have to get back home, right? QPET has been negotiating with Air Canada on behalf of more than 10,000 flight attendants for months. But without a deal, the workers voted 99.7% in favor of striking. Air Canada has said it still believes there could be a deal. Management and the union had their little tete-a-tete, as we say.

and exchange positions. John Graddock lectures on aviation management at McGill University. He says bargaining restarted today, but with flight attendants wanting both higher wages and their paid hours to include work before and after a plane is in the air. This is a contract that will cost their can. No way our can is going to get away with a low-cost solution. The union is now saying strike action could happen by August 16th,

but they would have to give three days notice. And he said RECBC News, Calgary. And that is the world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Gina Louise Phillips.