World Report - May 24: Saturday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: May 24, 2025

Ukraine officials say Russia carried out a large-scale overnight attack targeting Kyiv.European Union reacts to Donald Trump's latest tariff threat, calling for respect, not ultimatums.King Charles' upcoming visit to Ottawa to assert Canadian sovereignty as Donald Trump threatens annexation.

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Find an agent today at Desjardins.com slash business coverage. This is a CBC podcast. This is World Report. Good morning. I'm Thomas Dagg. Ukraine's capital has come under a major attack. Officials say Russia carried out a large-scale overnight strike with hundreds of drones targeting Kiev. At least 15 people were injured in what Ukrainian authorities are calling one of the biggest combined attacks on Ukraine's capital since Russia's full-scale invasion. This latest round of strikes comes as a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine continues

in phases. The CBC's Anna Cunningham has the latest. Explosions lighting up the night sky over Kyiv. Tracer fire from Ukrainian air defences continued throughout the night. Ukraine's air force says Russia launched 250 long-range drones and 14 ballistic missiles. Smoke could be seen billowing from the top floor of one apartment block as emergency crews battled fires. By daylight, in streets of at least four districts, debris is scattered. Kyiv's air alerts remained in place for seven hours. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says these attacks show why the war is being

dragged out. He repeated calls for stronger international sanctions on Russia to force Moscow to a ceasefire. Today, just hours after the attack, Ukraine and Russia confirmed a second prisoner exchange. 307 prisoners returned from each side. Friday saw the release of some 390 Ukrainians and 390 Russians, soldiers and civilians. The move was agreed in direct talks in Istanbul. Russia says only when 1,000 prisoners each have been exchanged will it set out its terms for peace. But for residents in Kyiv after the overnight strikes, peace is far from their reality. Anna Cunningham, CBC News, London. Europe is demanding respect. It's responding to the latest tariff threat from Donald Trump. The European

Union's trade commissioner says negotiations must be based on respect. The US president is frustrated with what he sees as the slow progress of trade talks with Europe and says he'll slap a 50% tax on all EU goods entering the US. Some countries suggest his threat is only a negotiating tactic. Guntram Wolff is with Bruegel, a European economic think tank. The predictions on Trump are very difficult to do. We know that he's very volatile and we know also that he is blinking once he sees the consequences. So indeed I think there's significant uncertainty on whether they will happen.

But Wolff says if Trump does impose the tariff It will bring major disruption to the American and European economies to the Middle East now Blasts in northern Gaza as Israel maintains its military offensive in the beleaguered territory Gaza, as Israel maintains its military offensive in the beleaguered territory. At least six people have been killed in airstrikes today. On Friday, more than 70 died in attacks across Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel is partially lifting its humanitarian blockade, but aid workers say there is nowhere near enough food getting to displace Palestinians. Rachel Cummings is with Save the Children in Gaza.

It's a desperate situation and everywhere we look, we will see children with empty bowls looking for food, children with empty bottles looking for water. The whole of Gaza is in need of humanitarian assistance. Now, whatever Save the Children can do, we will do, but we know also that there's a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed for everybody here. The United Nations says Gaza's entire population

of 2.1 million is at risk of famine. In Australia, at least five people have been killed in record flooding. The southeast of the country has been inundated with rain, with some areas getting four months worth in just three days. Towns have been cutundated with rain, with some areas getting four months worth in just three days. Towns have been cut off, homes destroyed and farm animals swept away. An estimated 10,000 properties have been damaged by floodwaters. From Sydney, now Phil Mercer

reports. It's nerve-racking. Can't sleep. Because you toss it and turn it. Where's the water up to? There was no way out for Jessica Collins when the floods bore down on the town of Gloucester 260 kilometers north of Sydney. It kind of feels like COVID times you know when you sort of trap. Guys we're still stuck here at Glenborne still coming up. Tens of thousands of people remain isolated by record-breaking floods in the Australian state of New South Wales.

Many are without power. Towns and homes have been inundated. It's been fine up until about an hour ago and then we realised that the bottom half of our house was going to go under. I've been in a lot of floods in the last 40 years but this one is something that I would rather forget about. Helicopters have rescued residents who sought refuge on their roofs. Emergency commander Andrew Cribb says they acted quickly

because of the speed of the floods. It has come through so fast. We have had to change completely the way we tactically approach these flood rescues. There are warnings that snakes and rats could be lurking in the dirty brown flood waters, which should start to recede in the coming days. The heavy rain is abating. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns. Like everybody I just want this to pass without any further loss of life and get these communities

back on their feet as soon as possible. The government says that climate change is having a significant impact on weather events around the world and that Australia is not immune. Phil Mercer for CBC News, Sydney. A man accused of killing an Ontario provincial police officer and wounding two others near Ottawa has been found guilty on all counts. Alain Belfeuille was charged with first degree murder and attempted murder. He opened fire on the officers just over two years ago at a house he was living in. Belfort had pleaded not guilty, telling the court he acted

in self-defense because he thought someone was trying to break into his home. But prosecutors argued successfully the shooter acted deliberately, knowing the men were police officers. King Charles begins his first visit to Canada as reigning monarch next week. He's coming for the opening of Parliament on Tuesday when he'll read the throne speech. The royal visit is intended to send a message to Washington about Canadian sovereignty and quash US President Donald Trump's threat of making Canada the 51st state. The host of the House, Catherine Cullen, has more.

If you want to make a point about Canadian sovereignty, what better symbol than the embodiment of that sovereignty? Philippe Lacasse says the King's visit makes sense. The Carleton University professor says it's not just about asserting Canada's distinct identity. There's also Donald Trump's known admiration for the royal family. So if you respect and admire the King of the United Kingdom, perhaps you should also respect and admire the King of Canada, given that he is the same person. So there is that signal being sent. It's a joke. King is archaic and colonial symbol.

Pascal Berube is not convinced. The Parti Québécois politician is among those who have decried the visit. Donald Trump is not afraid of anyone. I don't think he's going to be afraid of Charles de Ture. Perhaps not afraid, but will Trump take notice? Pete Hoekstra is the new U.S. ambassador to Canada. If there's a message in there, you know, there's easier ways to send messages. Just give me a call.

Carney can call the president at any time, you know, send the message. Hoekstra argues that in the wake of the Carney-Trump White House meeting, any discussion of the 51st state is done. Still, Patricia Treble, who writes about royalty and the crown, says the visit will be replete with truly Canadian symbols, from the flag to the RCMP. We always look at ourselves as we are separate from the United States, but in this case we are very, very different from the United States. And I think that's what the world is going to be seeing on Tuesday. Just how much that registers with Canadians and Trump remains to be seen.

Catherine Cullen, CBC News, Ottawa. And you can hear more from Catherine about the King's visit and what may come of it coming up on the House here on CBC Radio after this newscast or wherever you get your podcasts. Canada Post says it's waiting for word from the union about whether the two sides will return to the table for talks this weekend. The union's 55,000 workers were in a legal strike position as of yesterday, but they're staying on the job for now, so the mail is moving. But as part of their job action, employees are refusing to work overtime, so there could

be delivery delays. Martin Ryder, excuse me, Marvin Ryder is a professor at McMaster University. He says the uncertainty is hurting trust in the Postal Service. We found for instance that people are reluctant to put a parcel or a letter into the mail system fearing that it's going to get locked down for two or three or four weeks before it can get delivered. We saw that back in November, December. So without a deal people are just not using the post office the way they did before. Trust between Canada Post and its union is also low, according to Ryder.

He says that will make it extra hard to get to a settlement. That is the latest national and international news here from World Report. For news anytime, go to cbcnews.ca or the CBC News mobile app. I'm Thomas Daigle. This is CBC News.