World Report - August 31: Sunday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: August 31, 2025

China is hosting world leaders today to discuss US President Donald Trump's trade wars.Israel claims the military has killed a longtime spokesman of the armed wing of Hamas.Hundreds of people are gathered dockside in Barcelona as a flotilla of aid ships prepares to depart for the Gaza Strip.Thousands of Australians are protesting immigration rates across the country.  Government employees in British Columbia could walk off the job as early as this Tuesday.Residents of Fort Providence in the Northwest Territories are being ordered to evacuate this morning due to a wildfire.Quebec universities are sounding the alarm over plummeting applications for international students.

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This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning, I'm John Northcott. China is hosting world leaders today to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's trade wars. Russia's Vladimir Putin and India's Narendra Modi are among those taking part in the two-day event. The meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is not expected to result in any tangible action, but it could lead to new relationships as member countries grapple with U.S. tariffs. The CBC's Julia Chapman has more.

China has rolled out the red carpet for members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or the SCO. Leaders of Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, and several other countries are gathering in Tianjin. The SCO was formed in 2001 as a response to Western alliances. It's an informal grouping focused on security and economic ties, and its members often use these events to air grievances about the West. The overriding theme this year, tariffs. On Wednesday, the US hit India with 50% tariffs, punishment for buying Russian oil.

Navdip Suri is a former Indian diplomat. I think some of the statements that we've witnessed coming out of Washington over the last few weeks have again, given rise to that sentiment that the United States is an unreliable partner. That sentiment is bringing historical rivals closer together. Today, China's Xi Jinping and India's Narendra Modi sat down for a rare meeting. Beijing and New Delhi have a tense relationship because of border disputes. But today, Xi says it's the right choice for China and India to be friends.

Vladimir Putin is also attending the summit. He won't come under any criticism for the war in Ukraine from fellow SCO members. He has described Russia's relationship with China as a stabilizing force. The two countries see the SCO as a way to tip the balance of global power away from the U.S. Julia Chapman, CBC News, London. Israel claims the military has killed a long-time spokesman of the armed wing of Hamas. The spokesman who went by the name of Abu Ubeida has been the public face of the Qasamb Brigade since 2006. Israel's military said he was behind the release of footage of the October 7th attack as well as videos showing hostages.

Ubeda was targeted in an airstrike on Saturday, according to the military. Hamas has not commented on Israel's claim. Hundreds of people are gathered dockside in Barcelona as a flotilla of aid ships prepares to depart for the Gaza Strip. This is the largest flotilla yet to attempt to reach Gaza. The activist Greta Tunberg is among those on board. The group hopes to arrive by mid-September to deliver food, medicine and water to the region. Reporter Dominic Volaitis has the latest from London. This is Greta Thunberg's second flotilla to Gaza and the largest one yet.

But speaking to reporters at the port of Barcelona this morning, the 22-year-old activist was keen to shift attention from the flotilla mission to the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The question here today is not why we are sailing. This story is not at all about the mission that we are about to embark. The story here is about Palestine. The story here is how people are being deliberately debilbertly, deprived of the very basic means to survive.

Hundreds of people from 44 countries are setting sail for Gaza. They'll be departing from ports in Spain, Italy, Greece and Tunisia and taking tons of humanitarian aid with them. Israel, which is currently pushing ahead with its plan to take full control of the Gaza Strip, imposed a blockade on the coastal enclave after Hamas took control of it in 2000. and has repeatedly blocked activists' attempts to reach it, claiming it's attempting to stop weapons from reaching the group. The maritime zone of the coast of Gaza is close to naval traffic.

In June, Israeli naval forces boarded and seized the British flagged yacht carrying Tunberg and others who were detained and later deported. Tunberg, though, has brushed aside concerns about the dangers of this latest flotilla, telling journalists she was more concerned about the world's silence on the crisis in Gaza. Dominic Volaitis for CBC News, London.

Thousands of Australians are protesting immigration rates across the country. Australia's government says the marchers are linked to neo-Nazis. Demonstrators, however, say they have genuine concerns about the impact of immigration on housing and security. Reporter Phil Mercer, there's more from Sydney. Australia is absolutely worth fighting for, and it is worth protecting our people, our heritage and our unique culture. Stewart is one of the organisers of the March for Australia rallies.

Protesters are demanding an end to what they say is mass immigration. I think we've been overrun by Indians and Muslims. I'm not against migration altogether. I'm just over the fact that we're bringing so many in the same time. They're not conforming to our way of life. I believe Australia should have a five-year immigration pause. We've been a very generous country. We've had been too generous lately.

Thousands are expected to rally today in cities right across the country as the controversial march for Australia protests call for dramatic cuts to immigration. Now, the March 4 Australia protests are happening right across the country. They're also happening in Sydney and Brisbane. So police resources will be stretched. The protests were mostly peaceful,

but there were several arrests. In Melbourne, riot police used pepper spray on demonstrators. There were also clashes between pro-migrant groups in Adelaide. We absolutely condemn the March for Australia rally that's going on today. It is not about increasing social

harmony. Murray Watt is a senior federal government minister. He's critical of the anti-immigration protests. The fact that this is being organised and promoted by neo-Nazi groups tells us everything we need to know about the level of hatred and division that these kind of rallies are about. Modern Australia is built on immigration. More than a third of the population was born overseas. The government says it is working to reduce migrant numbers. Phil Mercer for CBC News, Sydney. Government employees in British Columbia could walk off the job as early as this Tuesday. The BC General Employees Union issued a 72-hour strike notice on Friday

for more than 34,000 workers. Among the issues on the bargaining table, better wages, remote work options, and fewer non-union managers. The province's transport minister says essential services will continue even if the union strikes. He says both sides are expected to return to the bargaining table this week. Residents of Fort Providence in the Northwest Territories are being ordered to evacuate this morning due to a wildfire. People are being told ahead to nearby Hay River

where reception centers are being set up. Local officials say strong winds caused the wildfire to grow significantly overnight. It is now over 18,000 hectares in size and is two kilometers north of Fort Providence. Finally, Quebec universities are sounding the alarm over plummeting applications for international students. Last year, Ottawa capped the number of study permits

for international students. It said the move was to ease pressure on housing and other services. The schools say it's not only hurting them financially but has broader implications as well. Cobino Oduro explains. In 2025, Quebec has lost the battles for talent internationally. Christian Blanchet, the president of Universite de Quebec at Trois Revere,

says applications for international students dropped 46% between April 24 and April of this year across all universities in the network. We do not have enough Quebec students to actually help the research that has to be done there. And international students are key to enable us to reach the economic goals that we have. The federal government has implemented a two-year cap on international study permits with a target of 437,000 permits for this year and next. While in February, Quebec cut the number of international students that can enroll by 20%.

University de Montreal spokesperson, Jean-Riev Omira, says these policies are the issue. The message that the numerous policy changes send is that maybe Canada and Quebec are no longer welcoming international students. Blanchette agrees and says both levels of government need to understand the damage being done. Universities are tools for economic development. Why don't we use them to the full extent of what they can provide? That's what we would like to see. In an email, a spokesperson for Quebec's higher education minister says the government is taking into account the province's capacity to welcome foreign students.

The universities have agreed to take part in the upcoming consultations on the province's immigration plan. Kubino-Ruro, CBC News, Montreal. And that is the latest national and international news from World Report. If you're enjoying the World Report podcast and we hope you are, please follow us and tell a friend. It helps to spread the work. I'm John Northcott. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with us here at CBC News.