The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/29 at 11:00 EST

Episode Date: December 29, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/29 at 11:00 EST

When Christy Lee started her podcast, she wanted to avoid the spotlight. But that's kind of become impossible. Canadian True Crime has over 70 million downloads and is constantly at the top of the charts. This week on Crime Story, behind the scenes with Canadian True Crime and Christy Lee. Find Crime Story wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Claude Fagg. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky isn't the only world leader meeting U.S. President Donald Trump this week. He met with Trump yesterday as talks continued to end the war in Ukraine. Today, Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The meeting comes as Israel faces regional conflicts following attacks in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. Blake Sifton reports, Tel Aviv. When he meets Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump is expected to push for progress toward phase two of the Gaza peace plan. The body of one hostage remains in Gaza, and Israel has

said previously that they won't go forward with phase two until his body is returned. But Netanyahu is coming under increasing pressure to move forward with the process. There are also reports that many officials in the Trump administration are growing frustrated with Netanyahu, believing that he's trying to stall the peace process.

Now, phase two is supposed to see a transitional government of Palestinian technocrats govern Gaza and be overseen by an international body that's being called the Board of Peace. And an international stabilization force is meant to enter Gaza and disarm Hamas as Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza. But many serious obstacles need to be overcome. We still don't know which leaders will join the Board of Peace. No countries have publicly agreed to contribute troops to the force. And Hamas has flatly refused to fully disarm. Blake Sifton for CBC News, Tel Aviv. Hamas, meanwhile, has confirmed the deaths of two of its top leaders in the Gaza conflict.

The group said its arm-wing spokesperson Abu Ubeida and former Gaza chief, Mohammed Sinwar, were killed. The Israeli military had reported in May that it had killed Sinwar, the younger brother, a former Hamas leader, Yaya Sinwar. Three months later, Israel said Ubaidah had also been killed. Hamas's confirmation comes months after the Israel, strikes, highlighting the ongoing complexity of the Gaza conflict. Tension is rising in the Taiwan Strait as China launches major military drills near the island. Video released by Taiwan's military shows a fighter jet taking off a response to what Taipei calls a large-scale Chinese exercise nearby. Beijing says it's conducting live fire drills

in surrounding waters and airspace, deploying. warships, aircraft, and long-range rocket launchers. The two-day exercise is meant to simulate a blockade and the seizure of key areas. China says it's warning to what it calls separate. It is a warning to separatist forces. Taiwan has placed its military on high alert. China claims the island as its own and has repeatedly threatened to take it by force. It's the season to make New Year's resolutions and this year many Canadians might be thinking about starting to run or jog. Paula Duhashik reports. All right, everybody, how much you doing tonight?

In the parking lot of a Calgary brewery, hundreds of 20 and 30-somethings have gathered to go for a run together. You know, I think there's been a little bit of a running boom since COVID. The founder of YYC run crew, Rafael Lopez, says many of the club's new members are also new in town. The Alberta Bank ATB Financial says in recent years, the province has seen a massive surge in young people moving here from other parts of the country. Millennials and Gen Z's searching for new friends, using run clubs to try and find them. I think because people are just so tired of just being isolated from other people.

I was working from home. I kind of didn't have a social group. But I know that running has become like the next dating platform. Even without a population boom, a similar trend is unfolding elsewhere in the country. Ottawa race organizer Somersault says it's seen about a 300% increase in registration since before the pandemic. Paula Duhatchek, CBC News, Calgary. And Paula has been taking a deep dive into why running is having a moment right now. You can hear more on the CBC radio special, The Running Revival, which airs January 2nd at 5 p.m. And that is your world this hour.

For CBC News, I'm Claw Fag. Thank you.