Your World Tonight - Awaiting hostage release, Nunavut - Manitoba electricity link, Jays vs Mariners, and more

Episode Date: October 12, 2025

Anticipation is growing in both Israel and Gaza - as an exchange of the remaining Israeli hostages and Palestinians held in Israeli prisons is set to begin Monday morning. Meanwhile, world leaders are on their way the Egypt for an international peace summit.Also: Ottawa is expected to announce its second list of major nation-building infrastructure projects before the Grey Cup in Winnipeg next month. One of the potential projects is the 3-billion-dollar Kivalliq Hydro Fiber link. It would start in Manitoba - and connect western Nunavut to electric grids and high-speed internet. And: For the first time since 2016, the American League Championship Series is being played on this side of the border. The Toronto Blue Jays are hosting the Seattle Mariners tonight for Game 1. And there's a lot on the line for both teams. We'll take you to the field at Rogers Centre in Toronto.Plus: Taiwan caught in U.S.-China trade war, Global death report reveals some alarming new trends, Invasive weeds hurting Canadian farms, and more.

You might be familiar with the voice of Seth McFarlane. For over 20 years, he's been the voice of Peter and Stewie Griffin, Brian the Dog, Quagmire on Family Guy. Of course, he also created it. But did you know Seth has made a name for himself as a bona fide crooner, like an incredible vocalist? On cue with me, Tom Power, Seth McFarland will tell you how it all started with his love of film scores.

While he still uses a live orchestra for Family Guy, which is a bit of a lost tradition in TV, You can hear that now on Q with Tom Power wherever you get your podcasts, including on YouTube. This is a CBC podcast. Hi, I'm Ennis Haydari. This is your world tonight. We've set our lives aside for two years, and finally this will be a moment where we can go back to living. We can finally grief. As many Israelis wait for hostages to be released, many in Gaza wait for aid to arrive. And that, as Egypt prepares to play host to an international peace summit on Monday,

all as that part of the world navigates is still developing ceasefire. Also on the podcast, the trade war between China and the United States is ramping back up. And that could have consequences for another terse political relationship, Taiwan. Plus, another list of nation-building projects is expensive. in the coming weeks, with one proposal, a $3 billion electrical link to Canada's north. This project is so important to us. It's good, good us clean energy that we've been long needing. How Western Nunavut hopes to get on the grid.

Anticipation is growing in both Israel and Gaza for a historic exchange between, Israel and Hamas. Israel is expected to see the long-awaited return of 20 surviving hostages. They had been held in Gaza. The remains of 28 others are also expected to be returned. As well, almost 2,000 Palestinians should be released from Israeli jails. And as part of what some are describing as a fragile peace deal, aid is now rolling into Gaza. I spoke with our senior international correspondent Margaret Evans in Jerusalem. Margaret, tell us about how people in Israel are anticipating the release of the hostages and how that process is likely to happen.

Well, it's really built over the last two days for obvious reasons. I was at the square or hostage square in Tel Aviv this morning. It was already packed. I spoke to Udi Goren, whose cousin Tal Haimi was killed on October 7, 2023. His body was taken from the kibbutz that he was trying to protect to Gaza. I asked him how he was feeling about what was potentially about to happen. I think that I have been in a way preparing myself for this moment for the past two years. For us, the best case scenario is getting told back home for burial.

A lot of people say that this is what needs to happen in order to help them start to comprehend the loss and begin a deeper grieving process. The International Committee of the Red Cross, I should say, is once more handling the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees. They'll be the ones collecting the hostages from a point or designated point in Gaza

and taken, we understand, in a convoy of about eight vehicles to Israel to a reception area where specialist medical attention and psychological help will be available and then, of course, to be reunited with their families. Palestinian prisoners won't be released

until after the return of those hostages. But tell us what we know about that as well. There are 250 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who are expected to be released, but there has been all day long controversy about whose names are on that list. Hamas, of course, put forward names. They negotiate this with the Israeli authorities

who are holding these prisoners. but basically the Red Cross, their vehicles will take the prisoners to designated spots in the West Bank. From there they will be distributed to their families. We spoke to Sarah Davies of the International Committee of the Red Cross here in Jerusalem. Have a listen to what she had to say about this whole process. We know that families on both sides for two years have not had information on the whereabouts, the welfare, the safety and health of their loved ones. And we are very aware of just how critical it is to ensure an efficient, smooth and safe as possible operation.

One of the other things that is happening, and we're not sure on the timeline of this, is but 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza who were detained by Israel without charge over the course of the war are also due to be released. They won't be transferred by the Red Cross. they'll be taken by the Israeli military to Gaza and the Red Cross will be on hand in Gaza to try to help them get their bearings, which is not easy again.

It's been a very desperate situation in Gaza for so many months. Thanks very much, Margaret. The CBC's senior international correspondent Margaret Evans in Jerusalem tonight. U.S. President Donald Trump plans to greet the freed Israeli hostages on Monday. That's according to his vice. President J.D. Vance. Trump is on his way to the Middle East tonight. He will make a brief stop in Israel before heading to Egypt for a peace summit with several world leaders, including

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Tom Perry is in Cairo for us tonight. Tom, Donald Trump is on his way to the Middle East. What is on the president's itinerary? You know, this is really something of a victory lap for Donald Trump. He's marking, he's celebrating how he and his team, And also their international partners like Turkey and Qatar managed to finally get Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal to end the violence in Gaza and to free the Israeli hostages. Trump's going to land in Israel on Monday morning. He's supposed to meet with hostages released by Hamas and meet with their families. He's supposed to speak to the Knesset.

That's Israel's legislature. And after that, he's going to board Air Force One and fly to Egypt, to Charmel Sheikh, where he's going to co-host, along with Egypt's president, this meeting of international leaders talking about maintaining the ceasefire and seeking a more lasting peace. Now, Britain's Prime Minister Kier Starmer will be there, French President Emmanuel Macron, and we've heard tonight that Prime Minister Mark Carney will also be taking part. So an important meeting, though I should point out, it's not a very long one.

Trump is really only supposed to be in the region a few hours before he flies home to the U.S. I understand that Israel and Hamas will not be represented at this summit. They won't be there. So how meaningful is the summit without them? You know, it's hard to say what's going to come out of this meaning. As I said, it's not very long, but also the two warring factions who've agreed to the ceasefire, they're not going to be there. But this could be more about looking ahead to what comes next, but also looking for those ways to ensure that the ceasefire holds. So, So there's still a lot to talk about, even if Israel and Hamas aren't there on Monday. Tom Perry and Cairo, thanks very much.

Thank you. Madagascar's president is accusing a military unit of attempting a coup against his government. An officer from the unit known as Kapsat says they are taking command of all of the country's armed forces. The unit was pivotal in bringing President Andre Rajalina to power after a coup in 2009. On Saturday, Capsat soldiers joined anti-government protests that have plunged the country into crisis for weeks. Protests first broke out over water and electricity shortages, but they have expanded to include calls for a complete overhaul of the government. Donald Trump is downplaying his latest trade war with China,

writing on social media that it will all be fine. The U.S. President announced this week that he will place a 100% tariff on Chinese goods. That was after China slapped export controls on rare earth minerals. The trade battle between the world's two biggest economies has implications for the world, in particular around global supply chains. One of China's key pressure points with the U.S. is Taiwan. Chris Brown reports from Taipei. In a statement that aired on China's state broadcaster Sunday,

Commerce Ministry blasted the United States for intensifying a superpower trade war. Global supply chains recoiled and stock markets tumbled after China imposed export controls on rare earth minerals last Thursday. Hello, everybody. President Donald Trump responded with a 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting November 1st, along with potentially other sanctions. They have a lot of Boeing planes and they need parts. China produces 90% of the world's rare earth minerals and magnets.

They're used to make everything from electric vehicles to aircraft engines. In Beijing, many believe that gives their country lots of clout. China isn't afraid of U.S. sanctions, said Lu Ming. We have the confidence and the ability to do better ourselves. But the U.S. makes even more products that China also needs, including high-tech components, and especially microchips used in artificial intelligence made with rare earth minerals. Rocky Urihani of Taipei studies the global supply chains that produce microchips.

They need those high-tech products from the United States. And is this leverage then to try to get that? I believe it will help. There had been an uneasy truce between the superpowers overtrade and cautious hope that a deal might emerge. from a meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month. Trump has raised doubts that meeting will now go ahead. In Taiwan, Uri Haie says the concern is that China will demand concessions from the U.S.

regarding Taiwan, which Beijing has repeatedly said must be reunified with China. China will suddenly propose, would you like to do this and we like to do this to Taiwan and then we would like to trade this? fact, some people in Taiwan believe the bartering has already started. When Taiwan's president wanted to stop in New York and his way to South America recently, the U.S. reportedly denied the request. People here believe it's because China's government wanted to block the visit, although U.S. officials deny that.

Chris Brown, CBC News, Taipei. Still ahead. It's been nine years since the last time the Blue Jays hit this milestone. Now, Toronto's baseball team is about to start the American League Championship Series. So is the next stop, the World Series? That's coming up after what you could call our version of the seventh inning stretch. Here on your world tonight. A sweeping new report looking at global deaths shows some striking trends. Infectious diseases such as COVID-19, are no longer a top killer. What some may call more routine causes,

such as heart disease, are back on top. And researchers are also seeing a trend of rising deaths among younger people. Lauren Peli reports. An ambulance was on its way. He'd had a massive heart attack and passed away. And it was just, it was horrific. This was my brother Gordon.

Swiping through old photos is painful for Heather Evans. Over the last two decades, the Calgary resident lost five of her seven siblings, all to heart disease. You know, when I look at my phone, it's very sad because there's just hospital scenes, funerals. Yeah, it's heartbreaking. Evans herself has survived two heart attacks

and had quadruple bypass open heart surgery in 2018. It's going to eventually take us, but we're not going to let it take our spirit. A new report in the Lancet Medical Journal shows heart disease is the number one killer around the world. Stroke and progressive lung disease round out the top three. while COVID-19 dropped from being the leading cause of death in 2021 to the 20th spot just two years later. It's not as dramatic as an outbreak.

Michael Brower is part of the research team and a professor at the University of British Columbia. Even if you go back to the early days of the pandemic, I think there was sort of excitement about, you know, let's nail this thing. Chronic diseases are, you know, it's a long slog. He says those slow burn threats deserve more attention from researchers and the public. Modifying behaviors like smoking, alcohol use, diet, and physical activity can all help prevent an early death. Browers' team also highlighted another troubling trend. Rising death rates among youth and young adults, including here in Canada. The report says these are often deaths of despair due to suicide, drug overdoses, and alcoholism.

That's the voice of Jen Mayer in a memorial video for her daughter Charlie, who died from suicide. earlier this year. The Ottawa mother says Charlie suffered from complex mental health struggles, which eventually escalated to self-harm and multiple suicide attempts. Quite often, we would have sat in the emergency room for 12 hours before we saw a psychologist. Experts agree there are major gaps in care for struggling young people. McMaster University Mental Health and Addiction Specialist James McKillop. We need inpatient in residential care for longer periods of time for individuals with severe concerns. The reasons why more young people are suffering, he says, are complex.

There is a sense of greater alienation and isolation among young people, and that with that may come greater use of substance use for managing depression, anxiety, other mental health conditions. The Lancet report says other chronic conditions such as diabetes and Alzheimer's also remain among the deadliest diseases worldwide. Lauren Pelley, CBC News, Toronto. In Newfoundland and Labrador, there will be more than turkey talk at the dinner table this Thanksgiving. Politics could be a major topic of conversation as well.

Voters in that province will elect a new government on Tuesday. Heather Gillis tells us what's at stake. So hopefully the House of Assembly has a majority in liberal government. After holding power since 2015, Liberal leader John Hogan is asking voters to reelect his party for another four years. His opponent, progressive conservative Tony Wakeham, is questioned. if people are better off, though, after a decade of liberal rule. Is your health care better? Do you feel safer in your own communities? Is it easier for you to meet, to make ends meet? While the NDP leader Jim Dinn says people aren't getting ahead

under either the liberals or the PCs. I'm tired of seeing people struggle and feeling powerless to help because successive governments have failed to listen. This is the 1969 contract, and we are endeavoring to... The recent hydroelectric agreement for Former Premier Andrew Fury announced with Quebec last December is permeating nearly every election issue. In a province with a bad history of power deals on the Churchill River, the new one aims to make amends, write historic wrongs, and bring $225 billion in future revenue to the province. Even though the ink on that deal is not dry,

Hogan is promising how he'll use the money to pay for his campaign promises, like cuts to residential electricity bills, more doctors, nurses, and police officers, feeling what he calls the NL dream. I think 10 years from now, when every tradesperson in this province shares in the prosperity that's been created by 10,000 new Churchill Falls jobs,

we have more funding for health care, more funding for our communities, and a more affordable life for everybody. But the PCs who built the province's last hydro project, Muscrat Falls, which was billions over budget and subject to a public inquiry, they want more scrutiny of the deal, a binding referendum, and an independent review.

And then we will turn around and renegotiate if necessary. But once that renegotiation takes place and we've reached a point in time where we think we can live with this deal, that this is the best deal we could get. Then we will turn around, bring it to the legislature. The PCs, buoyed by an endorsement from the province's trades unions, are promising $300 million in new spending as the province's debt nears $20 billion. And in a province where Stats Canada estimates a quarter of the population or seniors,

the PCs are promising better health care, four new MRI machines, a new urgent care center, and free access to nurse practitioners. Meanwhile, affordability and the lack of housing is on the mind of the NDP, where for the first time, that party has a full slate of 40 candidates. We've laid out a plan for more non-market community-based housing, something that there's a dearth up in this province. We've talked about ways in which we can, let's say, address affordability by signing onto the Pharmacare plan.

Voters will decide which party will form government on Tuesday. Heather Gillis, CBC News, St. John's. Ottawa is expected to announce its second list of major nation-building infrastructure projects before the Grey Cup in Winnipeg next month. One of the potential projects is in northern Canada. The $3 billion Kivolik Hydrofiber Link would start in Manitoba. It would connect Western Nunavut to electrical grids and high-speed Internet. Karen Pauls explains.

Hey. How are you doing, man? Good, how are you? Proponents of the Kiva Lik Hydrofiber Link working the room at this community meeting in Churchill, explaining the plans. There'll be a small backup plant just in case. Huno Tatuni heads the Kiva Lik Inuit Association.

He's also on the board of Newkik, the Inuit-Ren Corporation, in charge of the project. This project is so important to us. It's good a good-clean energy that we've been long needing. It takes us off diesel fuel because we use diesel for heating and electricity. I mean, it's just going to open the door for so many opportunities out there for health care, for education. Nunavut imports all of its fuel to power diesel generators, the main electricity source for isolated communities. There is no shared transmission grid. Each community has its own power plant.

Most of the internet serving governments, businesses, schools, and residents is provided by Starlink. The proposed hydrofiber link would stretch 1,200 kilometers, connecting Manitoba Hydro's power grid to five western Nunavut communities and a gold mine. It would also offer fiber optic connectivity delivering high-speed internet service. So what an amazing time to be a Canadian. The premiers of Manitoba and Nunavut have agreed to work together on the project. We see our very good friend from Manitoba step up in terms of allocating the potential firm power. Newkick hopes to have shovels in the ground by 2028 and power to the gold mine four years later.

So it's the very definition of nation building because it fills a very critical infrastructure gap. Anne Rafael O'Dwain is Newkick's CEO. And can power communities, can power future mining development and certainly can power defense as well. She says for every dollar invested, more than twice will return to the Canadian economy. We need to signal to international players that Canada is serious about the Canadian Arctic. And you cannot have a strong Arctic without strong communities. And you cannot have strong communities without basic infrastructure. The mayor of Rankin Inlet, Harry Totangi, sees the benefits.

The cost of electricity is more than three times higher in his community than Churchill. The cost of everything is high, but this is one of the bigger, bigger expenses that we have up north, a big deal could have. Reliable, cheaper power source. But he has questions. Where exactly will the transmission lines be built? Will locals get any of the jobs? And how will it impact the environment and the wildlife? There's other animals. There's polar birds, fishing. There's issues with wildlife we have that we don't want to affect it. Proponents know it's a delicate balance, but Kuno Tatwini says... There's no better time than now to connect the rest of Canada, right? Again, just want the opportunity to better our lives. And he argues that will benefit all of Canada.

Karen Paul's, CBC News, Winnipeg. Among the many difficulties confronting the agricultural industry, a stubborn, pervasive one. Invasive weeds. They are making the harvest significantly more challenging for farmers in the prairies. Now scientists are trying to eradicate the weeds

and also attempting to slow the spread of new ones. Helena Mahalik reports. The Russell of Kosha Weeds, a green, bush-like plant that stands up to Jake Leguiz waste at his family farm near Fillmore, Saskatchewan. Some of it obviously survived. His lentil and flax fields

choked out by the invasive tumbleweed. One kosha plant can do a lot of damage because, yeah, that one seed turns into thousands. Kosha weeds have always thrived in drought conditions. Now its resistance to herbicides is growing and it's costing farmers. Every time we're out in the field, we're spraying for kosher. Ligwe spends hundreds of thousands annually on herbicides.

Last year, purchasing a $100,000 weed exterminator add-on to his combine. Chopes up the weed seeds and then they come out the back there. But nothing has tamed the beast. This is a significant expense to add to a machine like that. Experts say, while kosha has been confined to the southern prairies for years, it's now rapidly spreading. It's moving kind of from the south to the north. Sean Sharp is a Saskatchewan scientist, specializing in invasive weeds with agri-food Canada.

He says kosher has now been detected in Alberta's far north, moving that direction as a result of climate change and deforestation. Cutting down tree lines, which would block the wind. Now it has a prairie that's wide open that it can just tumble and fly through. Now Agrafood Canada scientists are stepping up, putting research into ways to clamp down on kosha, from running tests on sister variants to providing education to farmers on identifying the species on their land. But Tyler Smith, a botanist with AgriFood Canada,

says a lack of existing research is making it hard to track invasive patterns. We don't have a lot of data. on how these plants are interacting, how the weeds might be interacting with other things in the environment, what kind of soil requirements they might have. It's one of the weeds that drives our herbicide decisions. In southern Saskatchewan, Jake Lague's harvest is almost done. He's hoping for better results after a second year

using the weed terminator on his combine. But Ligwee says the spread of kosha is affecting food production, making it harder to turn a profit. It's a problem in our cereals. It can be a problem in our canola. And every time we get a patch of kosha, There's less yield there. There's less production. Farmers hope scientists are successful

in finding new ways to stop these weeds before the spread is irreversible. Helena Maholic, CBC News, Fillmore, Saskatchewan. It's a big night for Canadian-based. baseball fans. For the first time since 2016, the American League Championship Series is being played on this side of the border. The Toronto Blue Jays are hosting the Seattle Mariners tonight for game one, and there is a lot on the line for both teams. Tom Staggla breaks down the excitement and the nerves ahead of the first pitch. As 44,000 fans dressed in blue started streaming

in to the Blue Jays downtown stadium, there was optimism. I think we're a really, really strong team this year, I think we can do it. With long-time supporters still in awe that their team is now playing for the American League pennant and even slightly favored to win. Oh my God, it's amazing. Like, we went from a team from last year being last place to like now like first. Indeed, how things have changed in one season. The same core roster who missed the playoffs last year is now four wins away from the World Series and again starting this round at home. You could feel the buzz in the city for a few months now.

That's Jay's manager, John Schneider. His team racked up more home wins than any other squad in the league this season than crushed the Yankees twice in Toronto last week. Schneider credits fans for always making it harder for visitors to come out on top. It can be pretty deafening at times. So to the fans, I say thank you for coming. and thank you for making this a place that is noticeably different to play in. The Jay's latest playoff opponents have their own Canadian following, particularly in B.C.

The Mariners are coming off a grueling five-hour, 15-inning marathon matchup on Friday night in Seattle, followed by a flight across the continent to make it to Toronto. The Jays are again contending without their star shortstop Boba Chet, who's still recovering from a knee injury. As for pitchers, veterans Max Scherzer and Chris Bass Bass, are returning to the roster for this series and the Jays are sending a familiar face to the mound to start game one.

Kevin Gosman is again his team's pick to start the series after a dominant appearance in the last round and with added momentum this time. And even just driving around the city, you notice everybody, you know, they used to be wearing Yankees hats and now they're kind of wearing, you know,

you see a lot more Blue Jays hats. Fans are hoping to. Toronto will avenge the team's meltdown in 2022 when they blew an 8-1 lead and lost to Seattle in the wildcard round. The Js haven't made it to the World Series in 32 years while the Mariners are battling for their first ever trip to the big stage. Both teams are chasing history and it's set to be a tough fight. Thomas Dagg, CBC News, Toronto. This is pretty much literally on. It's as close as you're going to get to the actual country by coming here.

Sam Fias is thrilled about Toronto's newest cultural district. As of this weekend, northern part of Canada's largest city will also be called Little Iran. Fias' family has owned a Persian grocery store there for 35 years. There's a larger population of Iranians who live in Los Angeles, but they're not as closely knitted as a Toronto. Iranian communities. Yeah, that'd be great, man. Ali Nijadhi lives in the neighborhood.

He told CBC Toronto why he was so happy to see this recognition for his community. Tehranto, Toronto, it's all good, man. After 30 some odd years, I think we deserve a street name after us. You know, a whole population after the 7980 revolution. But it's all good, man. Can I offer you some ashirehti? Another true Iranian practice offering food.

In the Persian language, you may call that taroff. But come for kebab and some soup, some Persian bread. It's one of the kind. You can't find it anywhere else. I'm not being biased. I'm telling the truth. It's one of the best in the world. New street signs are expected in the neighborhood.

And on top of the existing food and shopping options in Little Iran, a park will soon play host to a Persian garden. We leave you with some pop music. you're likely to hear playing in the neighborhood many call Tehranto, but the city now officially calls Little Iran. This is Andy. You're listening to Your World Tonight. I'm Ines Hadari in Calvary in California.

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