World Report - August 25: Monday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: August 25, 2025

Palestinian health officials say at least 20 people, including 5 journalists, killed by Israeli airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in Gaza. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Poland for defence and energy talks. Want to quit smoking? Canada-wide guideline suggests a new natural medication may be more effective than e-cigarettes or vaping. France summons US ambassador Charles Kushner, after he writes an open letter accusing Emmanuel Macron's government of not doing enough to combat anti-semitism. Community groups criticize Montreal's new anti-racism policy for not including the words "anti-semitism" or "islamophoboia."  Missing Norwegian trekker found dead near York Factory in northern Manitoba. BC ostrich farm says it will take fight to save its flock all the way to Supreme Court of Canada. 

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This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning. I'm Marcia Young. Israel is insisting it does not target journalists, and it says it will immediately investigate airstrikes on Gaza's main hospital. Palestinian health officials say at least 20 people were killed in that attack, including at least five journalists and multiple health care workers. And as Julia Chapman reports, Israeli airstrikes are also bombarding Gaza City.

Chaos and confusion after a strike hits the roof of the Nassar hospital in Han Yunus. Minutes later, local reporters say there was a second explosion. It struck emergency workers and journalists responding to the first one. After a perilous night, there were also more strikes on Gaza City this morning. Tess Ingram is a spokesperson. person for UNICEF. We've got heavy bombardments happening in Gaza City last night was particularly intense and this morning there were some really visible strikes over to the east four in a row which just turned the sky black. Israel has told civilians to leave the city for

designated safe zones, but even those have come under attack. This Gaza City resident says he won't flee because he expects to die whether he stays or goes. A UN-backer. A U.N. backer report found nearly half a million people in Gaza are experiencing famine, which Israel denies. Humanitarian groups warn Israel's offensive will only send that number rising. But Israeli media are reporting the head of the IDF is pushing for a deal with Hamas. Ayal Zamir reportedly says conditions have been met to get the hostages released. Mediators hope there is time to reach an agreement before Israel fully launches its occupation of Gaza City. Julia Chapman, CBC News, London.

Thank you very much, Prime Minister Tusk. Dear Donald, it's a great pleasure for me to be back in Warsaw. Prime Minister Mark Carney is trying to strengthen Canada's economic and defense ties in Europe. Carney is meeting with Poland's Prime Minister today. On top of the agenda is the ongoing war in Ukraine. Poland is absolutely essential to the defense of Ukraine. 90% of the people and the material transit through Poland. So we're together working side by side in Ukraine, together side by side in NATO. Carney says Canada has learned a lot from Poland, including how important it is to spend more on security.

Poland is on track to spend more than 4% of its GDP on defense. And Carney says Canada plans to quadruple its defense spending between now. and the end of the decade. Every year, smoking kills 48,000 Canadians. That's a small city. Now a new national guideline is offering real help to quit smoking.

The evidence suggests a new natural medication may be more effective than e-cigarettes or vaping. House reporter Christine Birak has the details. I'll never stop thinking about quitting. It would be smart, of course.

I'm not a stupid person. I'm just an addictive person. Nicotine addiction grips people harder than their regrets. Canada's now launching its first ever national guideline, a push to help people quit smoking. We have some really powerful tools. Calgary ER Dr. Eddie Lang led the task force. The online guide offers a list of proven strategies from counseling and nicotine replacement therapies to medications that work. Perhaps surprisingly, e-cigarettes or vaping is low on the list. It's definitely not a go-to first-line choice, especially when there are so many

effective approaches available. Let me hypnotize you to quit smoking. With profit-driven ads flooding social media feeds, doctors warn smokers need help, figuring out what's effective. We asked a doctor about some of those claims. Acupuncture. It doesn't really work very well. Dr. Matthew Stanbrook's a respirologist in Toronto.

He says there's little or no evidence for hypnosis, laser therapy, acupressure, or St. John's Wart to quit smoking. People need to know that their chances are way better if they get help. that there are many options that work, and we can help them find one that works for them. Including a well-studied natural medication called cytosine. It effectively mimics nicotine's effects in the brain, reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. New help for a deadly old habit. Christine Beirac, CBC News, Toronto.

France is summoning U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner. He's the father of Donald Trump's son-in-law, and he's written an open letter to France's President Emmanuel Macron. In it, Kushner accuses Macron's government of not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism in France. France's foreign ministry denies the allegations, calling them unacceptable. Last month, France said it will recognize Palestinian statehood at next month's UN meeting. Kushner, who is Jewish, says that declaration is fueling violence against Jewish life in France and emboldening extremists.

The city of Montreal may adopt a new anti-Semitism. racism policy later today. But as Quabino Adoro tells us, community groups say it's missing a key component. It has clearly omitted those two important words, which are anti-semitism and Islamophobia. Farida Mohamed of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women says Montreal's anti-racism policy doesn't explain how the city intends to address hate and extremism. We're not actually naming the problem. And the biggest problem at the moment in Montreal, and as we're in Canada for that,

matter is the hate directed at different communities and a lot of them are religious-based communities. As it stands, the policy focuses on urban safety, cultural, economic and territorial equity and inclusive participation. Mohamed says minority groups weren't included in the discussions. The city of Montreal has to do better and they should have concerted all these racialized, all these religious communities before they actually, you know, scribble down the guiding principles. According to Montreal Police, there's a 6% increase in hate crimes reported between 2023 to 2024, and hate incidents were tripled that at 18%. Phony Emmy is the executive director of the Center for Research Action on race

relations. What we've seen in this city, what we've seen in this province in the last years and more recently, as early as early this month, there are very, very disturbing acts of violence. In a statement, the city of Montreal says it's determined to fight hate crimes head on with the help of the Montreal Police Crime Unit. The five-hour organizations are hoping the city will change the anti-racism policy in time for the city council meeting later today. Kubino-Duro, CBC News, Montreal. Friends and family of a missing Norwegian hiker are grieving.

The body of 29-year-old Stefan Shottelvic was found in northern Manitoba on Sunday. Shottelvik was trekking along the Hudson Bay Coast from Fort Severn, Ontario to York Factory, Manitoba. Here is Manitoba RCMP's Sergeant Paul Menag. It was almost a 300-kilometer trek. He made it 295 kilometers through extremely difficult terrain, which some people, some experts have said there's only a few people on this planet that can do it. The fact that he made it that far is just a testament to his skills.

He says this search and rescue mission was one of the most difficult ever conducted in the province. A spokesperson for the hikers family says they are relieved. The search has now come to an end. A BC ostrich farm says it will take its fight to save its flock all the way to Canada's highest court. The farm was ordered to call the birds after it experienced an outbreak of avian flu. And last week, it lost an appeal of that order. Yasmy Haneh tells us where the legal battle could go from here.

Some campsites, some RVs. A video shows tents set up at universal ostrich farms as supporters protest and order to call hundreds of ostriches after an avian flu outbreak. Katie Pasitney's parents own the farm. They see that there's a problem with these animals not getting tested and that they could be murdered and called without verifying their health. The CFIA ordered the call after dozens of ostriches died in late 2024 and early 2025.

Two births tested positive for avian flu. The agency says the call is necessary to protect animal and human health. But the farmers say the surviving birds, are healthy and should be tested, as they could provide valuable insight into fighting avian flu. It's been an ache watching our future and possibly the future of health breakthroughs hanging the balance. After losing an appeal to stop the call, the farmers are now preparing to take their case to the Supreme Court of Canada. Lawyer Omar Sheikh. What we're looking to do is try and get some reason put into the thinking around these call orders with different species.

The Supreme Court of Canada only hears a small number of cases that it considers to have national significance. But the farmers say they'll do whatever they can to save their birds. Yasmin Ganea, CBC News, Vancouver. That is the latest national and international news from World Report News Anytime at cbcnews.ca. And if you enjoy the World Report podcast, please follow us and tell a friend. it helps spread the word.

I'm Marcia Young.