World Report - September 19: Friday's top stories in 10 minutes

Episode Date: September 19, 2025

Late night hosts react to Jimmy Kimmel suspension as Donald Trump escalates free speech fight.Canadian PM and ministers in Mexico City for trade mission.Avi Lewis announces bid for NDP leadership.Canada barring Irish rap group Kneecap from entering the country.Tik Tok deal expected to be discussed in U.S. - China phone call.Estonia says Russian jets violated its airspace.Russian drone attacks in Kyiv.A humpback whale is dead after ferry crash off the British Columbia coast.Cancer researchers say funding cuts in the US threaten care for Canadian children.

The spirit of innovation is deeply ingrained in Canada, and Google is helping Canadians innovate in ways both big and small, from mapping accessible spaces so the disabled community can explore with confidence, to unlocking billions in domestic tourism revenue. Thousands of Canadian companies are innovating with Google AI. Innovation is Canada's story. Let's tell it together. Find out more at g.co slash Canadian Innovation. This is a CBC podcast.

This is World Report. Good morning, I'm John Northcott. There's more reaction this morning to the suspension of an American TV host that has turned into a heated battle over free speech in the U.S. Jimmy Kimmel, the vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump, was taken off the air by ABC this week

over comments he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kerr. Trump applauded the move and late yesterday escalated his attacks on broadcasters saying those who air negative coverage of him should have their licenses revoked. That's something that should be talked about for licensing too. When you have a network and you have evening shows and all they do is hit Trump. They're licensed. They're not allowed to do that.

They're an arm of the Democrat Party. Trump made the comments on board Air Force One returning from a state visit to the UK. His comments come as Kimmel's fellow late night. TV hosts sprung to the comedian's defense on their own programs. Steve Futterman has more. But with an autocrat, you cannot give an inch. And if ABC thinks... Last night, Kimmel's fellow late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert devoted almost his entire monologue to the suspension. People across the country are shocked by this blatant assault on the freedom of speech. And comedian John Stewart last night tried to show what the newscast might sound like, if

Donald Trump had control. He wowed the English with charm, intelligence, and an undeniable sexual charisma. On Hollywood Boulevard in front of the theater where Jimmy Kimmel usually tapes his show, there was anger. Jimmy said nothing wrong. And you know what? Even if he had said something wrong, he did not deserve to be suspended. Around 100 people gathered, attacking ABC, its parent company Disney and Donald Trump. On CBC's As It Happens, Tom Wheeler, who was the Federal Communications Commission chairman under Barack Obama, said pressuring ABC to remove Kimmel goes against the FCC bylaws.

The policy manual at the FCC says that the First Amendment prohibits the commission from censoring broadcast material. Kimmel's suspension has stunned the entertainment industry and has brought comparisons to the McCarthy era of the 1950s. Steve Futterman, CBC News, Los Angeles. Prime Minister Mark Carney and some of his top ministers are in Mexico City for day two of their trade mission. It comes as Canada begins consultations preparing for next year's review of the Kuzma trade

agreement. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is with Carney in Mexico. He says it's encouraging that the U.S. has already started work ahead of next year's review. The fact that the Americans have formally begun their purpose. process, which involves obviously Congress. It's under American law that they have to begin their domestic consultation in preparation of the review, which is built into the agreement in 2026. For us is a positive sign. Yesterday, the Prime Minister signed a new strategic

partnership with Mexico's president. The two leaders say the pact will elevate an already strong economic relationship. Filmmaker and journalist Avi Lewis is announcing his intention to run for the leadership of the federal NDP. In the April federal election, Lewis ran in B.C. as a candidate for the New Democrats, but lost. The party was reduced to seven seats in the general election with Jugmeet Singh, resigning as leader after the campaign. The Irish rap group, Neckap, is being barred from entering Canada. The group is scheduled to perform four concerts in Toronto and Vancouver next month.

Neckap has a large fan base, but its support for Palestinians and harsh criticisms of Israel have also attracted controversy. One member is facing terrorism charges in the UK for allegedly waving the Hezbollah flag. Canada's Parliamentary Secretary for Combating Crime, Vince Gasparo, says NECAP amplifies political violence and has made statements that are contrary to Canadian values. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are holding a much-anticipated phone call this morning.

The conversation between the American and Chinese leaders may finalize a deal that would keep TikTok operating in the U.S. The future of the Chinese-owned social media app has been in question for some time with Washington threatening to ban it. The CBC's Anise Hadari is in Washington. Anise, what are we expecting? We are expecting potential details on who controls this app

or at least a little more information. TikTok had been banned in the United States over security concerns unless it was sold by its Chinese parent company. Now, that ban keeps getting delayed over and over again, but we did hear about a framework for a deal earlier this week. We didn't find out anything about it, though. Here's what Trump said yesterday.

TikTok has tremendous value. The people that are investing it are among the greatest investors in the world, the biggest, the richest, and they'll do a great job. And we're doing it in conjunction with China. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg are reporting that U.S. investors include the company Oracle that's founded by Larry Ellison. He's a friend of Trump's. One thing to note, there is a story.

Some reports that this so-called TikTok algorithm, that's the system that recommends videos to you, that might stay under Chinese control, and a U.S. owned TikTok would basically license or rent it. So if the actual thing that keeps people using TikTok isn't owned by the U.S., it might not settle down any security nerves. Meanwhile, in East, Trump's call with Xi also expected to touch on the trade war between the world's two biggest economies. What more can tell us about that? It's the first time Trump and Xi have spoken since June. there's a lot for them to discuss, you know, tariffs and trade disputes. The U.S. threatened tariffs of up to 145% on some Chinese exports.

Some of those have been suspended or extended. Clearly, diplomatic and trade players are going to be watching and listening for what comes out of this call. Maybe some clues on where their superpower relationship goes, John. Anise Adari, in our Washington Bureau. Thanks, Anise. You're welcome. Another NATO member country is accusing Russia of violating its airspace.

Estonia says three Russian fighter jets. flew in its airspace for 12 minutes today. This is the third member of the alliance to report a Russian incursion this month. Last weekend, Romania said a Russian drone breached its airspace, and on September 10th, Poland said it had shot down at least three Russian drones over its territory. There were overnight drone attacks in Ukraine's capital, warning sirens in Ukraine's air defense system were heard over Kiev. Debris from destroyed drones did some down.

on the ground, but there are no reports of anyone being killed. A humpback whale found dead off British Columbia's North Coast is believed to have been struck by a BC ferry. Searchers found the animal yesterday. A ferry in the area reported a whale strike on Wednesday, about 130 kilometers southeast of Prince Rupert. Jenny Ray heads the research group BC Whales. She says there are more and more whales in the waters where the strike happened, and they should be navigated around carefully. So this particular area where this whale was struck is very close to the same area that BCFerry has also struck another whale last summer. And it's just an area where we need to have, we need to put in place a slowdown zone.

And I'm working with the get gap recession. I'm really hoping that's what happens. B.C. Ferry says it has measures in place to reduce the risk of whale strikes, including specific training and operating protocols. Finally, Canadian cancer researchers say funding. cutting cuts in the U.S. are threatening care for children here in this country. They say they've been forced to stop enrolling some kids in clinical trials. That's because the cuts are impacting a pediatric brain tumor research group with links to Canada. Allison Northcott has more. This is Emmett. She's funky. She's smart.

Emmett Doolin was diagnosed with brain cancer just days after she was born. She had chemo at three weeks, but then joined a clinical trial at the BC Children's Hospital. a treatment targeting her type of tumor. Her mother, Lena Doolin, says it gave them hope. It's been the best thing that's ever happened to her. As much as these kids are resilient, with all the harsh side effects from chemo, I don't think she would have lasted this long.

Clinical trials can offer children with hard-to-treat cancer's new options, but recent changes to some U.S. institutions that run pediatric cancer trials are having a ripple effect here. The impact of this on Canadian children is huge. Dr. Jim Whitlock, head of hematology oncology at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, says three clinical trials at his hospital have stopped enrollment because the group they're linked to in the U.S., the pediatric brain tumor consortium, is losing its funding. It means that they won't be able to find those options here in Canada.

Those who can may need to travel to the U.S. or to other places outside Canada to access those therapies. And, of course, we know that many children and their families simply don't have the means to do that. its trial is not affected, but at least two other trials for pediatric cancers in Canada have also had to stop enrolling new patients. Experts say Canada needs to strengthen its capacity for clinical trials and be less reliant on the U.S. Alison Northcott, 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. helps to spread the word. I'm John Northcott. This is CBC News.