World Report - July 27: Sunday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: July 27, 2025

E-U chief Ursula von der Leyen hopes cut trade deal with Donald Trump today during US president's visit to Scotland.Ontario biologists worried about monster fish found Lake Huron.Critics claim politics, not science is behind Australia's move to lift ban on US beef.A tactical pause in fighting is now underway in parts of Gaza.Shelling continues along Thailand-Cambodia border despite ceasefire demands from US president Donald Trump.Summer McIntosh wins the 400m freestyle event at the World Aquatics Championships.

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This is World Report. Good morning. I'm John Northcott. A major trade deal affecting two of the world's biggest economies is being negotiated today in Scotland. U.S. President Donald Trump is there, and right now he's meeting with the head of the European Union, Ursula van der Leyen. The stakes are high. There have been persistent rumors for days that the... EU may accept 15% tariffs across the board, but for now, Trump is threatening 30%. As Nick Harper reports from Washington, Ottawa, will be closely watching today's talks. I'll be meeting with the EU on Sunday. Business and pleasure. Donald Trump is shuttling between meeting rooms and

fairways as he combines trade with golf. Ursula will be here, highly respected woman, so we look forward to that. It could be a make-or-break moment for EU chief, Ursula von der Leyen. She's travelled to Scotland with the aim of avoiding a 30% blanket duty on EU goods, starting when the tariff pause ends on Friday. But the president admits there are still sticking points. I don't know, with the European Union, I think we have a good 50-50 chance. That's a lot.

There's optimism on both sides of the Atlantic of a breakthrough. It'll be very telling for Canada to see what happens with the EU deal. Jonathan O'Hara is an international trade expert based in Ottawa. He believes Prime Minister Mark Carney is biding his time to leverage a better deal closer to the deadline. We've been talking about a last mover advantage with Canada, and probably the first country's in got some of the worst deals, and then maybe the countries that keep going on will get better and better deals.

But not everyone is happy about Trump's time in Scotland, with protesters calling out everything from Trump's perceived anti-democratic. behavior to his hardline immigration policies and not criticizing Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza. Trump returns to the U.S. on Tuesday, less than three days before his self-imposed tariff deadline expires. Nick Harper for CBC News, Washington. At the moment, virtually every country in the world is trying to preserve access to the U.S. economy without punishing tariffs. And in most cases, that means offering concessions to the Americans. Australia now plans. to lift restrictions on the import of U.S. beef.

It's been banned from the country for more than 20 years. Phil Mercer has more from Sydney. Just the swiftness of which this has been done, it looks as though it's been traded away to appease Donald Trump, and that's what we don't want. Opposition lawmaker David Little Proud believes the Australian government has caved into pressure from the US. The ban on beef was one of the Trump administration's main grievances with Australia.

The restrictions on beef were mentioned when the White House imposed tariffs in April. It does feel really messy and chaotic. Katie McRobbert is from the Australian Farm Institute, a lobby group. She says tariffs are being used as a weapon by the US in trade talks. It's pretty clear that the tariff situation was only really in place in the first instance to force these kind of negotiations through and to put pressure on different trading countries. Australia insists a rigorous scientific review, not political pressure, is behind its decision to allow U.S. beef imports to resume. But Australian beef producer Robert McKenzie isn't convinced.

We don't know whether it's going to be U.S. beef. We don't know whether it's going to be Canadian beef. We don't know whether it's going to be Mexican beef. Why would we take that risk? Bring it into Australia when clearly we don't want it. But Roger Price, a cattle breeder, says it's time the ban is lifted. For us, it's basically opening up that ban, which then correspondingly should give us better access

into the American beef market. for our export. Australia has very strict biosecurity controls at its borders. Officials say they're satisfied the US is effectively managing biological threats and has improved cattle tracing protocols. Phil Mercer for CBC News, Sydney. A big day and a huge win for Canadian swimming superstar Summer Macintosh. She is cruising away now.

Really good race for second. Leaping G challenging Ladeke, but no doubt about it. about our winner here. It is the great summer Macintosh. Leibing G takes the silver Lideke, the bronze. Macintosh easily won the 400-meter freestyle event at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, a race she already holds the world record in. Devin Haru, reports from Poolside. The drive for five is very much alive for Canadian swimming sensation summer Macintosh competing in five individual events at the World Aquatics Championship. And on opening night, McIntosh delivered a golden performance winning the 400 meter freestyle in a time of 356, 26, cruising to victory ahead of American legend Katie Ledecki.

So McIntosh wins her ninth world championship medal. It ties Penny Alexiak and Kylie Moss for the most ever in Canadian history. And on Monday night in Singapore, McIntosh. Josh is back in the pool and the 200-meter individual medley. She's the world record holder in the event, and she is looking for back-to-back gold medals. For CBC Sports in Singapore, I'm Devin Haru. Malaysia is reportedly going to host mediation talks

aimed at ending the deadly border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. Leaders from all three nations will meet tomorrow. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump called for the fighting to stop, threatening to suspend critical trade talks until peace is restored. The violence erupted on Thursday. Since then, more than 30 people have been killed and close to 170,000 others displaced from their homes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying to the United Nations that it has, in his words, no more excuses. He says it is time to stop blaming his government for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. His comments come on the first day of Israel's military beginning limited tactical pauses in fighting in three areas in the strip. Israeli officials also establishing humanitarian corridors

to deliver food and supplies. But some say they still don't feel Israel is doing enough. The CBC's Julia Chapman has more. Trucks carrying supplies for Gaza lined up at the Egyptian border this morning. The Rafa crossing is one of the most important access points. Israel has intermittently closed it over the course of the war, but much of the population of Gaza is now starving. Images of emaciated children have galvanized world leaders,

and Israel appears to be listening to their concerns. It has announced tactical pauses in fighting in certain areas from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice. It says it will also provide routes inside Gaza for aid trucks to move safely. That's something humanitarian groups have long been calling for. The Israeli military shared footage of an airdrop, it says its forces carried out in the early hours of this morning. It's now allowing other countries to do the same. Critics say parachuting food into Gaza is a distraction, and aid agencies call it ineffective and dangerous. Fights have reportedly broken out at points where parcels of food have landed. This Palestinian man says he fears airdrops will injure people where they fall.

But more food does appear to be entering Gaza today. It provides a glimmer of hope to the many Palestinians who haven't got enough to eat. Julia Chapman, CBC News, London. And finally, a worrying discovery in Ontario has biologists on high alert. A local fisherman came across a gigantic fish in Lake Huron. It was a huge grass carp and invasive. species, the second largest ever caught in Canadian waters. Colin Butler now on why this is such a big deal.

Would have been one heck of a fine. That's Brooke Shrier with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. I can only imagine being that angler and coming across a 58-pound grass carp. And that's exactly what someone in a kayak stumbled on. July 14th at Bay Doudouet on Lake Huron north of Bruce Power in three and a half hours west of Toronto. A monster fish drifting on the current barely alive. The angler was suspicious, so reported it to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Testing revealed it was a sterile female grass carp, but still a threat.

Alex Price is a senior biologist with DFO's invasive carp program. The fact that the fish came back sterile is good because it's not, it doesn't have the ability to add to the population. Still, biologists aren't breathing easy because where there's one, there's likely more. Grass carp were brought here from Asia decades ago to eat weeds and aquaculture ponds. Now they're slipping out of U.S. tributaries and swimming north. Toothless, but relentless, they can reach 40 kilos and eat almost half their body weight each day in aquatic plants. The same plants that shelter baby fish, support birds, and hold ecosystems together. This fish is now the second largest of its kind ever caught in Canadian waters,

a big fish with big implications, and maybe a glimpse of what's ahead. Colin Butler, CBC News, London, Ontario. And that is the latest national and international news from World Report. I'm John Northcott. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with us here at CBC News. For more CBC podcasts, go to cBC.ca.