World Report - April 23: Thursday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: April 23, 2026

Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors meet in Washington as the killing of a journalist Amal Khalil threatens a fragile ceasefire. US Navy Secretary John Phelan fired over alleged clashes with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. WestJet is hiking its baggage fees after Air Canada did the same less than two weeks ago. Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is ready to go into a detailed CUSMA review, but is also ready to wait if that's what has to happen. Nova Scotia family angry after teenaged son facing mental health crisis discharged to homeless shelter. Canada's first university in the arctic will be Inuit-led and located in Arviat, Nunavut. Tickets for Punjabi pop artists Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Aujla selling fast in Canada. 

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The Big Five, available now, wherever you get your podcast. This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning, I'm John Northcott. A second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is set to start today in Washington. Ambassadors from both countries are meeting to try to extend a fragile 10-day ceasefire. But back in Lebanon, that truce is under extreme pressure. Local health authorities say in Israeli strike killed a journalist yesterday.

an act Lebanon's Prime Minister is calling a war crime. The CBC's Chris Brown has more from Beirut. Colleagues of journalist Amal Khalil with Al-Aqbar News outlet compiled a video tribute to her hours after her body was pulled out of the rubble of a building in South Lebanon. Two vehicles were reportedly traveling through the Israeli-occupied south, what Israel calls its security zone. An Israeli missile hit the first car killing two men,

Khalil and her photojournalist colleague Zainab Farage fled into a nearby building. The Lebanese Red Cross claims Israel's military then attack the building and the Red Cross team that arrived to help. The IDF claims it was targeting terrorists. The building was used by Hezbollah and it does not target journalists. The weak old ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is now extremely precarious as Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants continue to attack each other inside the occupied area. The ceasefire is also splitting Lebanese society. CBC News attended a mass funeral for Hezbollah militants

where Shia clerics denounced the upcoming talks today between Lebanon's government and Israel in Washington. Lebanon's president is trying to diminish Hezbollah's influence and as a start, wants Israel to immediately stop destroying homes and villages it occupies. something Israel is refusing to do. Chris Brown, CBC News, Beirut. The U.S. military says it has seized another tanker suspected of carrying Iranian oil. The second time it has done so this week.

On social media, President Donald Trump is claiming the U.S. has total control of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Navy Secretary John Phelan has been removed from office effective immediately. Willie Lowry is in our Washington Bureau. Willie, what more do we know about this firing? Well, first, John, that is. It's somewhat unexpected and the Pentagon gave no official reasoning for it. But several U.S. media outlets are reporting that it comes after John Feelein clashed with other senior Pentagon officials, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

As Secretary of the Navy, Feelein was tasked with leading the organization's shipbuilding efforts. Some in the Pentagon were frustrated that Feelein was not progressing quickly enough on that front. Phelan had no previous military experience but did have a close relationship with President Donald Trump and was a major donor to the 2024 campaign. His departure is unlikely to affect current operations, but of course it comes as the U.S. Navy is actively engaged in a blockade of Iranian ports. Phelan is just the latest Pentagon official to lose their job in recent weeks. Tell us more about that, Willie.

That's right. Hegset has removed several high. ranking Pentagon officials recently as he cements his power over the US military. Earlier this month General Randy George, Army Chief of Staff, was dismissed. George had served in the position since 2023 and had bipartisan support. General David Haudney and Major General William Green had also recently been removed and last summer

Hegeseth fired Lieutenant General Jeff Cruz as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Willie Lowry in our Washington Bureau. Thanks Willie. pleasure. In other news, for the third year in a row, WestJet is hiking its baggage fees, something Air Canada did less than two weeks ago. Anisadari has the details. If you pay to check bags on WestJet flights, be prepared to start paying more. The company is increasing fees starting today. If you prepay for your baggage, $5 more in advance. $10 more if you pay at the airport. There are some exceptions, depending on your credit card or frequent flyer

status, but if you are the kind of traveler who flies ultra-basic, you could now pay up to $93 for your first suitcase, more than $110 for your second. WestJet tells CBC News the changes are because of industry trends, and the move does follow Air Canada, increasing its fees by $10 a bag in many cases. On both airlines now, if you're flying within Canada on a regular economy fair, you could pay $45 for that first suitcase. Higher baggage fees are landing while Canadian. and global airlines are also cutting roots and increasing some fares and fuel surcharges, facing jet fuel prices that have doubled or more

since the war in Iran choked off energy supplies. Eni's Hidari. CBC News, Calgary. Mr. Mark Carney says Canada is ready to enter trade negotiations with the United States at any time. We're ready to go into detailed negotiations. We're also ready to wait if that's what has to happen. We're not sitting here taking notes, okay, and taking instruction from the United States.

He says President Trump has not mentioned Canada paying any entry fee for the Kuzma Review to start, but there are a series of trade issues between the two countries, and Carney says if Washington wants to resolve them, talks have to begin. A hospital in Halifax is being criticized for allegedly discharging a mental health patient prematurely. The teenager's family says he was sent to a homeless shelter

with no follow-up plan. The CBC Selena Alders has the... the story. Jeremiah Dixon often uses music to distract himself from how he's feeling. But on April 13th, that escape didn't work. He attempted to end his life. I was just kind of in like a really negative headspace. And there's like a lot of dark thoughts that were like running through my mind and kind of

in a way yelling at me. The 19 year old was taken to the Halifax Infirmary by a. ambulance. He was assessed and treated, but less than 12 hours later, discharged, then sent in a taxi to a local homeless shelter. His father, Dave, says he doesn't understand. It seemed very much a situation of we just want to clear the bed, and that seemed to be the highest and only priority. His son has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and struggles to manage his impulses and behavior. The Dixon say they needed more time to ensure their home was safe. That wasn't enough to convince hospital staff to keep Jeremiah.

And they just sent me off with some snacks and a ride to the shelter. A spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health would not comment on this case. They said not all mental health crises require hospitalization, but it comes after years of public outcry in Nova Scotia about an entire health care system in crisis. Selina Alders, CBC News, Halifax. Canada is a step closer to getting its first university in the Canadian Arctic. It will be Inuit-led and it will be located in Arviat Nunavut.

Tonight, that community is planning to celebrate, and the CBC's Winita Taylor is there. Four years from now in 2030 that the doors open and classes start. Alvette Mayor Josephicadak Jr. looks out at the future site of Inuit Nunagat University next to the frozen shore of Hudson Bay. The hamlet has been selected for the main campus by Inuit Tabarikinatami, the National Inuit Organization, spearheading the project. We knew we had a very strong proposal to be selected

due to our cultural, language, heritage, everything that is still very alive here in Nangvić. Once built, this will be the first university in Canada's Arctic, led by Inuit. Inuit Nunangat is the homeland of Inuit in Kuwait in Kinawit in Kness. Canada. Right now, those who want to attend university must leave their communities and families and travel thousands of kilometres south. Soon, they will be able to stay closer to home. Leaders have been long calling for an institution like Inuit Nunangach University, including

Canada's Governor General Mary Simon at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. It will be Canada's first university rooted in Inuit culture and language. These are major steps forward. The timeline to build is fast. ITK hopes to have the first cohort of students in 2030. Tonight, Arveh Amute, along with Inuit leaders, will be celebrating this community, becoming the home of Inuit Nunangat University. Oneida Taylor CBC News, Arvette Nunavut. And finally, you've heard of K-pop. Well, how about P-pop? Punjabi pop is having a moment in this country. Diljit D'Sange kicks off the Canadian leg of his Aura world tour in Vancouver tonight.

In 2024, he became the first Indian artist to sell out BC place, and tonight he aims to do it again. DeSange isn't the only Punjabi star with shows at some of Canada's biggest musical venues. Gino Award winner Karen Ojula is launching his own tour on May the 2nd. Live Nation says he is the first. Punjabi artist to do two nights at Scotia Bank Arena in Toronto and two nights at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. And that is the latest national and international news from World Report. I'm John Northcott. This is CBC News. For more CBC podcasts, go to cBC.ca.ca slash podcasts.