The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/10/13 at 03:00 EDT

Episode Date: October 13, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/10/13 at 03:00 EDT

The spirit of innovation is deeply ingrained in Canada, and Google is helping Canadians innovate in ways both big and small, from mapping accessible spaces so the disabled community can explore with confidence, to unlocking billions in domestic tourism revenue. Thousands of Canadian companies are innovating with Google AI. Innovation is Canada's story. Let's tell it together. Find out more at g.co slash Canadian Innovation. From CBC News, the world this hour, I'm Neil Hurland.

We begin in the Middle East. The Palestinian militant group Hamas has released the first seven living Israeli hostages as part of a ceasefire deal reached last week to end the war in Gaza. A total of 20 living hostages are supposed to be freed today. In exchange, Israel is releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners and about 1,700 Palestinians detained during the war. The CBC's Crystal Gamansing reports from Tel Aviv. Throughout hostages square in Tel Aviv, it is a sea of bodies, heads, telephones, flags.

It is absolutely packed. Every time on the big screen mentions or puts a picture of one of the 20 living hostages to be released, people erupt and scream and cheer. There's music playing. People say that this is the moment they have been waiting for. This is what Israel and Israelis needed after two long years of waiting. The release, at least at this point, seven of the hostages who are alive have been transferred into the hands of the Red Cross. Israel Defense Forces describing them as being in good shape.

These individuals have been in captivity for two years. Red Cross officials had said it would be unclear if they even knew that they were being released back into the hands of Israeli forces today and that their mental state, their health would all be the priority that they would be kept away and protected and given space to just come down and reintegrate. But for all of the people packed into hostages where this is the moment, confirmation that what they have been fighting for, what they have been packing into hostages square, what they have been demonstrating on the streets of Jerusalem, this is the moment they have been waiting for. More cheers as they talk about the releases

and the joyous families receiving these individuals. In addition to the 20 living hostages, remains are also to be received. As soon as they become in the possession of the IDF, they will be placed in coffins covered with Israeli flags. then take into forensics locations for identification. This is a moment people here have been waiting for. We have heard from average Israelis. We have heard from the President of Israel. We have heard from the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that this is a welcome day.

It is what the nation needed. And from all of the cheers, all of the tears and the hugs and the hugging happening here in Hostages Square, it is what the people had been hoping this day would eventually be. Crystal Damansing, CBC News, Talafeet. And U.S. President Donald Trump has just arrived in Israel. He helped broker the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, and he'll speak in the Israeli parliament today. Then he'll travel to Egypt to host a peace summit.

Prime Minister Mark Carney will also attend that event, but neither Israel nor Hamas will be there. The Toronto Blue Jays lost their first game of the American League Championship series last night. The Seattle Mariners beat the gym. Jay's 3-1 at the Rogers Center in downtown Toronto. The CBC's Thomas Daiglo was there. George Springer crushed the first ball thrown to him, hitting it out of the park as the Blue Jays took an early lead.

The Mariners switch-hitting star catcher Cal Raleigh responded with a solo shot of his own, and Seattle never looked back, taking game one of the American League Championship series 3-1. The Jays didn't appear like the same team that cruised past the Yankees in the last round. Toronto's bats going cold, managing only two hits through nine innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who caught fire in the previous series, couldn't manage a single hit in four plate appearances. Next, the Jays will send rookie pitching sensation Trey Yassavage to the mound

when they host Seattle for game two of their best of seven Monday evening. Thomas Dagg, CBC News, Toronto. And that is your world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Neil Hurland. Thank you.