The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/20 at 10:00 EST

Episode Date: December 20, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/20 at 10:00 EST

Hi, Steve Patterson here, host of The Debaters, the show where we answer your most burning questions, like, do candles deserve more appreciation? Canada's best comedians wax on about it in this week's new episode, so listen, wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Claude Fagg. This morning, there's lots of anger about the Epstein files. Despite a law demanding they be public by midnight last night, much remained withheld. or redacted. And there's talk of lawsuits to force their release. Steve Futterman has more.

Yesterday's release was far from complete. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Trump Justice Department is complying with the law. President Trump has certainly said from the beginning that he expects all files that can be released to be released, and that's exactly what we're doing. Among the released files are numerous pictures showing Epstein and many recognizable personalities. Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, and Diana Ross. But there is little explanation to put the pictures in context. And many pages are redacted, with huge sections blocked out. The Justice Department says this is primarily to protect the victims.

One of those victims, Annie Farmer, who says she was abused by Epstein when she was 16, says she expected more to be released. I don't feel tremendously confident. There's been a lot of effort in money. in time put into redactions, not to protect victims, but to protect people in power. Steve Futterman, CBC News, Los Angeles. The standoff between police and a shooting suspect in Welland in southwestern Ontario is over. Police arrested a male suspect at about 745 local time this morning, and an area lockdown has now

been lifted. A 59-year-old man had barricaded himself inside a home for almost 24 hours. He allegedly shot an officer with Niagara Regional Police. She was not seriously injured. Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada must stop making, keeping all its eggs in the American basket. In a year-in interview with the CBC's Rosemary Barton, the Prime Minister signaled a major shift towards markets in Asia and Europe, but admitted that renewing ties with China comes with strict conditions. The question is how deep is the relationship and how clear are

the guardrails around that relationship. And there are areas, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, defense, where clearly the security threats are such that we would not have a deep relationship with China in those areas. Carney identified India and the European Union as other key targets for expansion, as Canada aims to double its non-U.S. exports over the next decade. Iran has executed a man accused of spying for Israel, marking the latest escalation in a deadly shadow war between Tehran and Jerusalem. State media identifies the man as a 27-year-old architecture student. He was reportedly arrested in May for photographing military sites in the city of Urmia. This marks at least

the 11th execution for espionage since the direct 12-day air war between the two nations in June. YouTube influencer Jake Paul's foray into heavyweight boxing has ended in a brutal defeat and a trip to the hospital. The 28-year-old was knocked out by former world champion Anthony Joshua last night in Miami. Dominic Volaitis reports. The fight, watched by millions on Netflix, got off to a lackluster start. But in the fifth round, the former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua found his range, landing a succession of blows on social media star turned prize fighter Jake Paul. By round six, it was all over. Down goes, Paul!

A knockout win for Joshua, leaving Paul with a potential serious injury. I think my jaw is broken, by the way, so... Paul reportedly drove himself to hospital with a suspected broken jaw, missing the post-fight news conference as a result, at which Joshua praised his opponent. Jake has spirit. He has some harm. He tried his best. and I take my half to him. Jake Paul says he's now intending to take a break. Some had criticised last night's fight as sham,

highlighting the size difference and experience gap between the fighters. Dominic Velitis for CBC News, Riga, Latvia. And that is your world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Claude Fag.