World Report - March 25: Wednesday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: March 25, 2026

United States prepares to send at least 1,000 more soldiers to the Middle East, despite US President Donald Trump's optimism that a deal with Iran is coming. Senate Republicans try to push forward bill to end to the ongoing issues at airports across US. RCMP probe corruption allegations at Calgary city hall; warrants executed on former mayor Jyoti Gondek, councillors. "Longest Ballot" protest prompts Elections Canada to switch to write-in ballot for upcoming byelection in Quebec's Terrebonne riding.Prime Minister Mark Carney criticizes Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau for English-only condolence video.Montreal saw record 12 frostbite amputations in 2025, but none this year — thanks to a new drug, and new policies. North of North, Heated Rivalry, 40 Acres lead Canadian Screen Award nominees. 

The Powering Politics Podcast is available six times a week, but you might not be. If you want to catch up on what happened this week in politics, join me, Laura Dangelow and some of Canada's most tuned-in political strategists to break down the week that was. Short on time, the weekly wrap has you covered with a new episode every Saturday. This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning. I'm Martina Fitzgerald. The United States is preparing to send more soldiers to the Middle East.

But U.S. President Donald Trump is still expressing optimism about a deal to end the war. The White House has sent a plan to Iran. A senior Iranian official says the proposal is being reviewed, but so far the conditions appear to be excessive. The CBC's Sasha Petrissik is in Jerusalem with the latest. Warning sirens echo across Israel overnight, as Iranian missiles target and sometimes hit neighborhoods in the north and around Tel Aviv. The U.S. and Israel answer with airstrikes on Iran,

and at least a thousand more American troops heading to the region. The war continues. I don't know about any agreement, says Israel's military spokesman, Effie DeFrin. Our plans are unchanged. We've won this. This war has been won. At the White House, the view is very different. U.S. President Donald Trump, making it sound like peace is almost a done deal, as his envoys reportedly planned meetings with Pakistani mediators

and maybe even Iranian officials. But we're actually talking to the right people and they want to make a deal so badly. You have no idea how badly they want to make a deal? U.S. media says there's a 15-point proposal to end the war, one that Trump says includes an Iranian promise to abandon its nuclear program. And also a special present from Tehran. Actually, they gave us a present, and the president arrived today.

It was a very big present worth a tremendous amount of money. And I'm not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize. There is no confirmation from Iran of any of this. In fact, its military spokesman, Abraham Zofakari, mocked Trump telling him he's fired. Iran says the U.S. is just negotiating with itself. Sasha Petrissik, CBC News, Jerusalem.

Senate Republicans are trying to push forth a bill that could bring an end to delays at airport security across the U.S. The CBC's Willie Lowry joins me from our Washington Bureau. Willie, what exactly are the Republicans presenting? Martino, Republican senators have sent Democrats a proposal that would fund all of the Department of Homeland Security, except for some parts of immigration and customs enforcement. Roughly five weeks into the partial government shutdown and spurred by long lines at several airports across the country, Republicans and Democrats are really wrapping up negotiations, but Democrats say the proposal doesn't go far enough.

They want to ensure that ICE agents are not allowed to wear masks while patrolling, and that they seek judicial warrants before. entering homes and businesses. All of this coming as President Donald Trump dispatches ice agents to airports to help with TSA staffing shortages and those long lines. Willie, this bill is getting a rather cool reception, it seems. So what will happen next? Many Democrats have already said they won't vote for the bill. Here's Senator Cory Booker. I won't vote for another dollar of an agency that's so reckless, so out of control. So you're a no.

I'm a hard no from everything I've heard so far. Obviously, I'm going to evaluate a deal if it comes before me. But the parameters of the negotiation, what they've already thrown out, to me, makes it really unacceptable. But it's not just Democrats. President Trump has yet to endorse it either. Well, I'm going to look at it, and we're going to take a good, hard look at it. I want to support Republicans, and, you know, sometimes it's awfully hard to get. Democrats are expected to offer a counterproposal, any later.

legislation will require 60 votes to pass and a sign-off from the president. The CBC's Willie Lowry in Washington. Thank you, Willie. My pleasure. The RCMP are investigating allegations of corruption at Calgary City Hall. Details have not been released, but officers have searched a number of properties, including the homes of former mayor, Joti Gondek, and a former counselor. Andre Chabot is a sitting counselor whose home was also searched. I have no idea what the investigation.

about. I do know that I was asked to provide my devices for them to look at for to gather evidence. That's about as much as I know. I'm fully cooperating with the police. The investigation was launched after Calgary Police received a complaint last October. The timing coincides with Calgary's last municipal election. Elections Canada says voters will have to write in the name of their preferred candidate in the coming by-election in Terrebon. The Quebec writing has been the target of a group called the longest ballot committee. It's run dozens of candidates in high-profile races to object to Canada's first-past-the-post system.

But many MPs are fed up with these long ballot protests, and as Darren Major reports, a House committee is urging the government to change election rules. The longest ballot committee constitutes a coordinated effort to undermine our elections undermine confidence of a democratic process and so confusion amongst voters. MPs, including conservative Michael Cooper, say it's time the government take action against the longest ballot committee. Elections Canada has had to make a number of adjustments to accommodate massive lists of protest candidates in recent years. The federal electoral body has printed meter-long ballots that have caused delays in counting. More recently, voters were asked to write

in the name of their preferred candidate rather than choose from a list of more than 200 people. Cooper says the organizers are exploiting loopholes in Canada's election rules that need to be closed. We now urge the liberal government to speedily introduce targeted legislation to prevent groups like the longest ballot committee from disrupting future elections. The House Procedures Committee released a report yesterday that MP say will keep the group in check. It includes recommendations that would limit how many nomination forms a voter could sign and who can act as an official representative for a candidate. But Mark Mooter, who has run multiple times as part of the group's efforts, says any changes to the rules won't slow them down. Listen, we're motivated, and this isn't going to stop until electoral reform is actually enacted.

Darren Major, CBC News, Ottawa. Prime Minister Mark Carney is taking the CEO of Air Canada to task. Michael Russo recorded a condolence video in English in response to this week's collision at LaGuardia. There was no French version. one of the pilots who died in that collision was from Quebec. I'm very disappointed, as others are, rightly so, in this unilingual message, particularly in these circumstances, lack of judgment and lack of compassion.

In his four-minute video, Russo spoke only two words in French, bonjour and merci. He's now being summoned to Ottawa to explain his actions to the official languages committee. When the temperature drops, risk of frostbite goes up. Every winter across Canada, severe frostbite results in amputations, mostly among people who are homeless. But as Leah Hendry reports in Montreal, a new drug and a new approach, are making a positive difference. Homelessness goes badly with health. James Hughes runs

the Old Brewery Mission, a homeless shelter in downtown Montreal. He says chronic health conditions such as diabetes are common, so is substance abuse, which can make people more susceptible. to frostbite. Frostbite happens when the skin and underlying tissue freezes from exposure to extreme cold. It can range from mild frost nip, stage one, to stage four, where the damage can spread to the muscles, tendons, and bones. As the tissue dies, the skin hardens and turns black. The worse the frostbite, the higher the chance of amputation. We have people here in our cafe and in our emergency services who have lost limbs. On average, there are five or six frostbite amputation. every year in Montreal. But if it's a bad winter, that number can go even higher. In

2023 and 2025, there were 12. But in 2026, there have been none so far. You warm it up and you see what stage is becoming. Dr. Ali Azapana is a plastic surgeon. He says Quebec hospitals now use a drug called illoprost to try to reverse the damage. It keeps the blood vessels open and prevents clotting. So the chance of amputation decreases substantial. In addition to the drug, drug, the city added hundreds of warming shelters to get people out of the cold this winter. That's amazing. And whether that or the drug was what saved limbs, Hughes says it's good news in a sector where that's in short supply. Leah Hendry, CBC News, Montreal. The nominees are out for the Canadian Screen Awards. When people ask where I'm from, I say think of the furthest place north you've ever been.

Now keep going. The CBC hit TV show North of North is leading the pack with 20 nominations. The sitcom follows a young Inuk mother who suddenly ends her marriage. The show is up for Best Comedy Series, as well as Best Lead Performer for Anna Lamb. The queer hockey sensation heated rivalry is not far behind with 18 nominations, including Best Series. That is the latest news from World Report. I'm Martina Fitzgerald.

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