The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/21 at 16:00 EST

Episode Date: December 21, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/21 at 16:00 EST

Hey, I'm Gavin Crawford. Each week I quiz a panel of comedians. All About the News. This week, Steph Tolliv makes her debut. Her Netflix special is just named by The L.A. Times is one of the best comedy specials of the year. She's joined by Miguel Revis and Andrew Fung. The news is pelting us with coal, so we're looking for the candy canes. How are Canadians altering their holiday plans? Does the Prime Minister have a secret plan to turn us all British? And what AI slop do we have to look forward to from Person of the Year?

Follow us on Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts to find out. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Kate McGilfrey. Israel has approved 19 new settlements in the Occupied West Bank. Ministers who propose the move say it's about blocking the establishment of a Palestinian state. Dominic Volaitis tells us more. Israel's Security Cabinet has now approved proposals of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The move brings the total number of settlements approved in the past three years to 69. Despite the fact the settlements are considered illegal under international law, the Israeli government is pushing ahead with expansion. Far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who co-sponsored the move, said it's designed to block

the establishment of a Palestinian state. The United Nations claims approvals are now at their highest level since 2017, with Secretary General Antonio Guterres warning the policy fuels tensions and restricts Palestinians access to land. Arab nations say it undermines hopes for a two-state solution. And in an earlier interview with Time magazine, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Israel would lose all support if it approved more settlements. Dominic Volaitis for CBC News, Riga, Latvia.

A memorial was held on Bondi Beach for the 15 people killed and the dozens wounded in last weekend's mass shooting. Two men opened fire on a crowd marking the first day of Hanukha. Philip Lyshanak has more on today's ceremony. Eight days ago there was horror and fear, but today on Bondi Beach there's defiance and solidarity. David Ossip is head of a Jewish community group in New South Wales. Like the grass here at Bontai was stained with blood, so too has our nation been stained. But friends, Hanukkah teaches us that light can illuminate even the biggest of places.

New South Wales Premier Chris Min said the courage of the Jewish community was an inspiration. On this last night of Hanukkah, you have reclaimed Bondi Beach for us. Mixed with the grief was anger at the government's failure to prevent this tragedy. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was met with a chorus of booze. The government has proposed gun control measures and a national day of mourning is planned for the new year. Philip Lyshanock, CBC News, Toronto. In Washington, the partial Epstein file's release has left some lawmakers furious. Pam Bondi is breaking the law. I believe we're going to get bipartisan support in holding

her accountable. That's Democratic Congressman Ro Kanna. He's calling out the U.S. Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi for failing to release all Epstein files by the Friday midnight deadline. He's also frustrated by the files that were released, many of which were heavily redacted with the names of possible suspects scrubbed out. Kana says House members are working on a bipartisan deal to hold Bondi in contempt. It would fine Pam Bondi for every day that she's not releasing these documents. The problem here is that there are rich and powerful people who either engaged in this abuse, covered it up, or were on this island.

And what the American people want to know is who are these people. Kana also wants a congressional committee set up to look at which redactions were justified and which are not. Two more cases of avian flu have been diagnosed on a commercial poultry farm in Abbottom. B.C. There are currently 35 infected premises in the province, including multiple in Abbotsford. The numbers show that more than 10 million birds have been infected in B.C. in the last four years. And the Canadian naval ship, HMCS St. John's, returned to its home port in Halifax yesterday, reuniting more than 200 sailors with their families just in time for the

holidays. Sailor Steve Andrews was the first one off the ship. I feel amazing. This is my third deployment, second in the Navy. My first one was in the Army in Afghanistan, and it's nice to be home. I can't wait to get home and spend the beautiful day with my family. The sailors spent the last five months in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea as part of Operation Reassurance, meant to strengthen Canada's relationship with its NATO allies and show them support. And that is the world this hour.

For CBC News, I'm Kate McGilfrey. Thank you.