The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/08/21 at 18:00 EDT

Episode Date: August 21, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/08/21 at 18:00 EDT

We are gathered here today to celebrate life's big milestones. Do you promise to stand together through home purchases, auto-upgrades, and surprise dents and dings? We do. To embrace life's big moments for any adorable co-drivers down the road. We do. Then with the caring support of Desjardin insurance, I pronounce you covered for home, auto, and flexible life insurance. For life's big milestones, get insurance that's really big on care at Dejardin.com slash care. From CBC News, The World This Hour, I'm Gina Louise Phillips.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says there was a 17% drop in the number of opioid deaths in 2024 compared to the previous year. And a new study identifies some of the reasons why fewer lives were being lost. Jennifer Yoon has the details. It's really not time to take our foot off the gas pedal. A 17% decline in opioid-related. debts. Undeniably good news, says Samantha King, a researcher at the Canadian Center for Substance Use and Addiction. But she says the progress is patchy across Canada. They're not happening uniformly

across the country. They're not happening similarly across different demographics of folks, even within provinces and territories. In the provinces that did report fewer deaths, King says the drug supply appeared to be less toxic, like a decrease in fentanyl concentration, and supports like drug testing and supervised consumption sites have helped. But another reason behind the declining deaths, King says, could be that the opioid crisis has been going on so long many of the people most vulnerable to opioid deaths have already died. Jennifer Yun, CBC News, Toronto.

The Crown has decided not to appeal the not guilty decisions in a sex assault trial of five former world junior hockey players. An Ontario Superior Court justice found the players not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a London-Ontario hotel room in 2018. In her decision last month, Justice Maria Carousia found the complainant's evidence was neither reliable nor credible. Ontario's Attorney General had 30 days to file an appeal. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe met with members of the Federal Cabinet today

to discuss the Chinese tariffs imposed on Canada's $43 billion canola industry. Moe is planning a trip to China and other issues. Asian nations in a few weeks. He hopes to raise the matter with the Chinese authorities, but he acknowledges he needs Ottawa's support. It is going to be Prime Minister Carney and President Z that ultimately are going to speak on behalf of their countries. And it is my position as a sub-national leader of a province that has a tremendous interest in stake in getting this to a place where we can have access not only to our second largest market in China, but to our largest market, the United States of America.

China is accusing Canada of canola dumping practices, something that Ottawa firmly rejects. Court documents show an Ontario man allegedly used a knife against a home intruder. 44-year-old Jeremy McDonald from Lindsay is now facing charges of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. Police say the alleged intruder was seriously injured

in a fight and airlifted to a Toronto hospital. That man is also facing multiple charges. charges, including weapon possession. The case has led to a public debate about what constitutes reasonable self-defense. A New York court has thrown out a massive financial penalty against the U.S. President. Last year, Donald Trump was ordered to pay nearly half a billion dollars for fraud. Today's ruling is a major financial win for Trump, but not a complete legal victory. Ashley Burke has the story. A New York Appeals Court ruled that the penalty against Donald Trump was excessive and is tossing it out. Last year, a lawsuit in New York accused Trump

and his family businesses of dramatically exaggerating his net worth for more than a decade to dupe bankers into giving him better terms for loans. A judge found Trump and his executives fraudulently overstated his wealth at the time New York Attorney General Letitia James said justice was served. Today we prove that no one is above the law. But Trump's legal team Ontario Amber Alert in effect. The Peel Regional Police have requested an Amber Alert on August 21, 2025. Victim 1 Zad Rahman, 8 months old, boy, Middle Eastern. Suspect 1 Shah Zay Meman, 40 years old, male, Middle Eastern. Suspect Vehicle is a 2023 Gray Nissan Rogue other license plate CZLM-113, Ontario. Last seen in Brampton