World Report - December 29: Monday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: December 29, 2025

Trump, Zelenskyy signal peace progress after Florida talks — but Putin remains the hurdle.Netanyahu meets Trump as fragile Gaza ceasefire faces tough next phase.China holds military drills around Taiwan as a warning to 'separatist forces'.Sydney shopkeeper hailed a hero after stopping Bondi gunman, says he just wanted to end the killing.Gen Z drives surge in popularity in sport of running.Retired MP Charlie Angus trades Parliament for the stage — touring Canada to rally against Trump.

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Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo. This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning. I'm Sam Samson in Edmonton. Details are emerging from the talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida. The leaders met for nearly three hours to discuss a possible peace plan, and while both say progress is being made, key issues remain unresolved. House at this hour says Trump has concluded what it says was a positive call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Steve Futterman is following this story. Steve, what's the latest coming

out of the Trump-Zolensky talks? Well, Sam, it's clear the U.S. and Ukraine seem to be pretty much on the same page, at least based on the comments from Trump and Zelensky after their two-hour meeting. Take a listen to both men giving their upbeat assessments. We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things, and I do think we're getting a lot closer, maybe very close. We had a really great discussions on all the topics, and we appreciate the progress that was made by American and Ukrainian teams. That's the good news. The complicated news is that they still have to sell their ideas to Vladimir Putin and Russia.

That could be a very hard sell. The revised 20-point peace plan, the plan includes two key proposals, the establishment of a demilitarized zone in eastern Ukraine and an international peacekeeping force to monitor the area. And Trump did admit that some of the issues are a bit tricky, especially when it comes to, as he referred to it, land. So Russia was not included in these talks. How is Moscow responding? Well, again, there's a public side and a more complicated, maybe more realistic side. Today, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov indicated that the talks to end the war are in their final. stage, whatever that means. And when asked if he agreed with Trump's upbeat assessment,

he said, of course. But Russia has not publicly moved from its hardline stance that parts of eastern Ukraine should be handed over to Russia. And there is still no indication that Putin would be willing to agree to that international peacekeeping force, which could involve international military troops. So again, the public face, everyone's saying they're upbeat, they're positive, that something might be close, but still no hard indication. that Russia might be willing to agree to this demilitarized zone. Steve, thank you for this. Thank you, Sam.

Now, another high-profile meeting is set for today at President Trump's Mar-Lago Resort. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives for his fifth visit to the U.S. this year with the Gaza ceasefire at the top of the agenda. While the first phase of the truce has largely held, talks on the next phase are proving far more difficult. Israel and Hamas are accusing each other of. of violations with Hamas refusing to commit to disarmament and Israel resisting a full withdrawal or unrestricted aid access into Gaza. Tensions are rising in the Taiwan Strait as China launches two days of military drills around

the self-governing island. The exercises include a simulated seizure and blockade of key areas prompting Taiwan to put its forces on high alert. World Report co-host John Northcott has more from London. China, which claims the island is part of its territory, says the exercises are to, quote, safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity. This latest show of strength dubbed Justice Mission 2025 is significant with destroyers, frigates, fighter aircraft, drones, and rockets. There were live fire exercises in the Straits of Taiwan, and tomorrow, senior Chinese military officials are promising even more, including what is described as a military blockade exercise of major Taiwanese ports.

Taiwanese presidential spokesperson, Karen Quo, speaking in Taipei, said that Beijing's actions were a threat not only to Taiwan, but to the whole region, adding, But is also an open challenge to international law and international order. Our country expresses strong condemnation of the Chinese authorities. regarding international norms and using military activities and means to threaten neighboring countries. While Beijing does not strictly accuse any particular country of provoking this latest flurry of activity, the U.S. recently agreed to sell $10 billion worth of arms to Taiwan.

If approved by Congress, it would be the largest such sale ever. And Japan's new right-wing prime minister, Sinai Takeichi, has said in an unprecedented move that if there were to be an attack on Taiwan, her country could resists. respond militarily. John Northcott, CBC News, London. The man who tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen at Australia's Bondi Beach is speaking out for the first time. Ahmed al-Amed, a Syrian immigrant, says he acted to stop the killing when two gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah event, killing 15 people. Tricia Kindleman has more. The shocking video was captured as two gunmen perpetrated the December 14th mass shooting,

which officials called Australia's worst since 1996. Ahmed al-Amad, though, seemingly without hesitation, intervened that day. He told CBS News that he started to warn the gunmen to drop his gun and stop what he's doing. Here's more of what he said about that split-second decision that he made. I do want to see people, you know, screaming and asking help, help. And that's my soul asked me to do that. Al-Amed was shot five times by the second gunman and was released from the hospital just last week. Despite his own injuries, he grieves the loss of others.

I know I save lots, but I feel sorry still for the loss. It's also had life-changing impacts for him. Last week, Al-A-Mad was handed a check for $2.5 million after a fundraiser attracted more than 43,000 donations from around the world. Tricia Kindleman, CBC News. Toronto. This new year, Canadians are lacing up their running shoes. The sport is booming, led by Gen Z. Paula Du Hotschuk explains why run clubs are having a moment. All right, everybody, how we're 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 Zs 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. After COVID, 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. It says runners are also getting younger. As I grew up, at that time, it was very, like, fun and something to envy was to go and get drunk. But Gen Z expert, Michelle Newyon, says that's not cool anymore. Young people are less interested in nightclubs, more interested in run clubs. Particularly because they're able to invite their friends but still kind of lean into health and wellness. And while many people pledged to get healthy at this time of year, Nguyen says the Gen Z interest in health and wellness isn't just a passing fad,

but a defining part of the generation. Paula Duhatchek, CBC News, Calgary. And finally, former Ontario NDPMP, Charlie Angus, is rethinking retirement. After nearly 21 years in Parliament, he did not seek re-election last spring and planned to write a book, but that changed after Donald Trump won the U.S. election. The CBC's Elizabeth Thompson explains. Over the past eight months, Charlie Angus has indeed been everywhere, from Rustico, Prince Edward Island to BC's Sunshine Coast, and everywhere in between. Last year, Angus decided not to run again as

MP for his Northern Ontario writing. He wanted a break from politics to work on a book. Then Donald Trump got elected. We're facing the threat to democracy. International institutions are stressed in a way they've never been before. We're facing a threat to our border, which is very real. Angus has been speaking at town halls across the country, urging Canadians to stand up to Trump. He's also returned to his musical roots, playing gigs with his band, The Grievous Angels. Well, I'm having a blast. Like, I love this country. I love traveling. I love going into these communities. Along the way, he's also developed a following on social media. His website has 71,000 followers. In September, he teamed up with popular US news site Midas Touch. His Midas Canada YouTube channel has more than 208,000 subscribers. Angus says people

stop him in the street, thanking him for standing up for Canada. Some have also asked him to run for the NDP leadership. Oh, I hear that all the time. Ain't happening. Playing with the band. Angus says he's not ready to change his tune. So for now, he'll keep fighting Donald Trump and taking that message across Canada. Elizabeth Thompson's CBC News, Ottawa. That's the latest national and international news from World Report. I'm Sam Samson. This is CBC News.

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