The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/23 at 03:00 EST

Episode Date: December 23, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/23 at 03:00 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. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Neil Hurland. The United Nations will select a new Secretary General next year and the government of Argentina is formally announcing its candidate. That's Rafael Grosier, a well-known figure on the world stage. He's currently head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Nuclear Watchdog.

In recent years, he dealt with some of the most difficult files on the planet, including the inspection and verification of Iranian nuclear sites and the Russian occupation of the biggest nuclear plant in Ukraine. The Secretary General of the UN has traditionally been chosen by the Security Council in backroom discussions, but efforts are underway to make the process more transparent. There's also calls for a woman to finally lead the UN after nine men. Canada's operational command is,

looking at the possibility of permanent bases in Latvia. It's only one potential solution to keep the country's NATO deployment in the Baltic region over the long haul. Murray Brewster has more. We're looking at every option, very much understanding that we've got a limited number of troops.

Lieutenant General Steve Bovain is in charge of Canada's military operations, at home and abroad. He says planners under his command have embarked on a study about how to keep the deployment in Latvia going until 2029. We're looking at whether it would make sense to permanently base people forward. Beauvais underlines, however, no decision has been made. No recommendations have gone to the chief of the

defense staff or the government on the notion of permanent basing. Right now, about 2,200 Canadian troops cycle through Latvia roughly every six months, a costly, time-consuming exercise that means there are very few soldiers left over for other missions. At least one other NATO allies, Germany has already embraced the idea and plans to have troops permanently stationed in Lithuania by 2027. Murray Brewster, CBC News, Ottawa. U.S. President Donald Trump insists that the United States needs to have Greenland. Trump has named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as his special envoy to Greenland. We need Greenland for national security, not for minerals.

We have so many sites for minerals and oil and everything. We have more oil than any other country in the world. And if you take a look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast. You have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need it for national security. We have to have it. But so far, Greenland has turned down Trump's overtures. Greenland is a territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. For families with autistic children accessing services can be difficult,

but a new program created by Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind is hoping to help that. It graduated its first two autism service dogs. Julia Goodwin reports. Four-year-old Nora Beale plays on the floor with her yellow Labrador, Fred, at her home in Pembroke, Ontario. But he's no ordinary companion. He's been trained by Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. He helps her sleep better and with emotional regulation by applying pressure with his head, paws, or full body to help her calm down.

Nzen D.C. Bongosa, a trainer with Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, says the program, was built out of need. They've been receiving requests for years. People always asking us, asking us, and then we thought in 2025, why not give it a try? But all the work pays off when he sees the result with the families. It gives that fulfillment that you'll contribute in somebody's life. Canadian guide dogs for the blind says it will continue to develop the program with placements planned for the upcoming year. Natalia Goodwin, CBC News, Ottawa. We're following an urgent food recall across Canada.

It involves an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to Pillsbury brand pizza pops. 20 infections have been reported in five provinces. Four people have been hospitalized. The Public Health Agency of Canada says, do not consume, use, serve, or sell the recalled products. Take them back to your grocery store. And that is your world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Neil Hurland.

Thank you.