The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/20 at 19:00 EST

Episode Date: December 21, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/20 at 19:00 EST

This ascent isn't for everyone. You need grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always over-delivers. You've got to be 6,500 hospital staff, 1,000 doctors, all doing so much with so little. You've got to be Scarborough. Defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing.

Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo. bro.ca. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Gina Louise Phillips. U.S. officials say American forces have seized a second vessel in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. This comes just days after President Donald Trump

announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuelan waters. The first tanker was seized on December 10th. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on targets in Syria last night. We hit the ISIS thugs in Syria who were trying to regroup after their decimation by the Trump administration five years ago. We hit them on. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is calling it a declaration of vengeance. Two members of the Iowa National Guard and an American translator were killed in an ISIS attack in Syria last weekend. Hegseth says the U.S. targeted

ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in response. In Florida, members of the Trump administration are meeting with Russian officials for another round of talks on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. But there are no signs the Russian president is prepared to compromise. Dominic Volaitis has the story. The Russian delegation is meeting with Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in Miami today. This follows U.S. talks yesterday with Ukrainian and Euro.

officials who earlier this week reported progress on security guarantees for Kyiv as part of a proposed plan to end the war. But Putin offered no compromise during his annual press conference in Moscow yesterday, insisting Ukraine abandon its ambition to join NATO and withdraw from the four Ukrainian regions Russia now controls. Meanwhile, Ukraine's president, Vladimir Zelensky, said, financial support from the EU for Ukraine has strengthened its position in future peace talks. Dominic Volaitis for CBC News, Riga, Latvia. Meanwhile, at least eight people were killed and another 27 wounded in a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Odessa.

And Ukraine says its drones hit a Russian warship, an oil rig and other facilities in the Black Sea. This morning, police in Welland, Ontario took a man into custody. after following a standoff that lasted nearly a day. The suspect was identified as 59-year-old Daniel Tronko. Yesterday, he barricaded himself inside his home after exchanging gunfire with police. One officer suffered minor injuries and was later released from hospital.

Constable Richard Hingley from Niagara Regional Police says there were some tense moments. We sent remote cameras into the building, into the residence, Every time that we did that, the suspect met those cameras with gunfire. Just demonstrating a blatant disregard for public safety and the safety of officers. Hingley says Tronko was injured and sent to hospital. Ontario's Special Investigations Unit has taken over the case.

Tronco has been charged with attempted murder. A Quebec judge has granted bail to Daniel Jolive. He was convicted of four counts of murder and spent more than 30. years in prison, always insisting he was innocent. Now his case is being examined by a federal panel as a possible miscarriage of justice. Jolivei's granddaughter says this is the best Christmas gift she could receive. But he doesn't see it that way. What gift is there after 33 years there?

You should have given me that gift like in the first week there when I was saying I'm innocent. They didn't believe me. I even asked to pass the polygraph test. The case is in the hands of the federal justice. Minister who could decide to appeal the case or order a new trial. That process could take up to five years. New Brunswick is going to spend $10 million in an effort to make home care more affordable for seniors and people with disabilities. The province will increase the income threshold for accessing home care by 10% starting New Year's Day. And that's the world this hour.

For CBC News, I'm Gina Louise Phillips. Thanks so much for listening. You know,