Your World Tonight - Carney in Ukraine, Trump threatens more national guard deployments, Canadian aerospace ambitions, and more

Episode Date: August 24, 2025

In a surprise visit to Kyiv, Prime Minister Mark Carney re-affirmed Canada's commitment to help re-arm Ukraine. It was Carney's first visit to the war torn country since becoming Prime Minister. We'll also look ahead to his meetings with allies in Poland, Germany and Latvia in the coming days.Also: Donald Trump is threatening to expand what he calls a crackdown on crime. The U.S. President suggested he could deploy the National Guard to more Democratic-led cities, like Chicago and Baltimore. But local leaders are pushing back, and accusing him of stoking fear.And: This week, Canadian aerospace company NordSpace hopes to be the first to launch a Canadian made rocket into space from Canadian soil. The company is hoping the launch will open the doors to a lucrative industry for this country, and help Canadian engineering talent stay home.Plus: Crackdown on Smithsonian museums, Canada Games comes to an end, and more.

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This is a CBC podcast. Hi there, I'm Chris Glover. This is your world tonight. It's not the choice of Russia, how the future sovereignty, independence, liberty of Ukraine is guaranteed. It's the choice of Ukraine. Tonight, Canada joins the world in re-arming Ukraine. We're tracking the Prime Minister's surprise trip to Kiev, his first to the war torn country coming on a ceremonious day for Ukraine. Also on the podcast, Donald Trump threatens

an expanded crackdown, potentially deploying the National Guard to more Democratic-led cities, what local officials are saying in response. Plus, the Canada Games comes to a close in Newfoundland, the story behind mounting the tournament during a particularly difficult summer in the province. In a surprise visit to Kiev, Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed Canada's commitment to help rearm Ukraine. It was Carney's first visit to the war-torn country since becoming Prime Minister. His trip comes as Ukraine commemorated its Independence Day, a national holiday that has taken on greater significance since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Breyer Stewart reports from Keith. Bells ring out from the Tower of the St. Sophia Cathedral, an historic site in central Kiev. Military officers and dignitaries line the square as Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives and greets Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky. Canada is under no illusions about the importance of your struggle. After the speeches, Zelensky honored the families

of some of the tens of thousands who have been killed throughout Russia's full-scale invasion, including the six-year-old son of a soldier killed in Donetsk. Zelensky patted the boy's head and told him his father was a hero. Watching from across the street, the boy's great-grandmother, Nina Lobas. The war needs to end, she told CBC News. It's very, very painful to see so many young people wounded and killed. While Carney took part in solemn commemorations, he outlined details about Canada's recent two-billion-dollar commitment for new military support for Ukraine.

More than half of it will go to purchase equipment, including ammunition, armored vehicles and drones. Carney had a brief visit to a site showcasing some of Ukraine's drone technology, and Canadian companies will soon be working with manufacturers in Ukraine to scale up the production of drones which are now dominating the battlefield. At a press conference, Carney said that if there is a ceasefire in Ukraine, Canada would step up as part of the so-called coalition of the willing. And I would not exclude the presence of troops. But the prospects for a quick truce appear dim.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump showed off a picture he was sent, was sent, a memento from Moscow to mark his summit with Vladimir Putin. But Russia's leader has given little else. I look forward to your questions. Prime Minister, given that Russia has rejected the idea of a NATO-backed security guarantee and European forces on the ground, what actually do you think the chances are of a ceasefire? Well, the first is we need a cessation of hostilities. We need a ceasefire.

But it's not the choice of Russia. the future sovereignty, independence, liberty of Ukraine is guaranteed. But as the political talks continue, so does Russia's war, and the grief that comes with the growing number of debt. Breyer-Stewart, CBC News, Kiev. The Prime Minister will now spend the next three days meeting with allies in Poland, Germany, and Latvia. Murray Brewster is in Warsaw for us. Murray, what are Mark Carney's aims with this trip? Well, to sum it up in one sentence, the next few days is going to be about continuing

the work of drawing Canada closer to Europe. The Prime Minister is looking at these meetings in Warsaw, Berlin, and Riga as an opportunity to strengthen relations with European allies and, more importantly, perhaps to open the door to diversify trade in energy, critical minerals, and defense. Finding trading partners other than the United States, as we know, is the top priority for the government at the moment. In Warsaw, tomorrow, Prime Minister Carney is going to meet with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and he will. he'll also meet with business leaders to promote new industrial partnerships. Now, this is important because Poland is the fastest growing economy in the European Union,

and Canadian federal officials say it offers significant economic opportunities for Canada. As well, Canada is expected to finalize a bilateral strategic partnership with Poland, with a focus on energy and security. Before departing for Germany, the Prime Minister is expected to meet with Canadian military members. We have to recognize that there are more than 150 Canadian Armed Forces personnel in this country, deployed to support both NATO and Ukraine. In Germany on Tuesday, there's going to be a meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Mertz to promote strengthened economic cooperation.

Now, we're told they're going to announce a joint declaration that will get Canada and Germany working together to secure critical mineral supply chains. What that's going to look like at the moment is unclear. Later in the day, the Prime Minister will get a look at the German shipyard TKMS, which, along with the Norwegians, he is trying to convince Canada to buy its submarines. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister will then travel to Riga, where he will meet with the Latvian Prime Minister and then meet Armed Forces members deployed as part of Operation Reassurance. The last time a Canadian Prime Minister was in Latvia was 2023.

Canada has more than doubled the number of Canadian soldiers in Latvia to around 2000, and is in charge of the NATO Brigade there. All right, Murray, thank you very much. That's the CBC's Murray Brewster in Warsaw. Still ahead, keeping engineering talent on home. turf as Canada rushes to join the commercial space race. What a new Canadian aerospace company could mean for the lucrative industry's expansion in this country, that's later on your world tonight.

In the states, Donald Trump is threatening to expand what he calls a crackdown on crime. The U.S. President suggested he could deploy the National Guard to more Democratic-led cities like Chicago and Baltimore. But local leaders are pushing back, accusing him of stoking fear. Ashley Burke reports on the growing tensions and what could come next. Outside Washington's landmark train station, National Guard troops front and center with armored vehicles. People snapping photos, protesting, and one even apologizing for what Donald Trump's ordered them to do. Sorry that you're probably having to be mad.

Now there's new media reports Trump is planning to expand. his anti-crime agenda, targeting Chicago as early as September. The Democrats' House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is already condemning it. We should continue to support local law enforcement and not simply allow Donald Trump to play games with the lives of the American people as part of his effort to manufacture a crisis and create a distraction because he's deeply unpopular. The Washington Post says the Pentagon has spent weeks mapping out plans. that include an option to send a few thousand National Guard troops to America's third most populated city to target crime, homelessness, and undocumented immigration.

Chicago is very dangerous. On Friday in the Oval Office, Trump seemed to preview that plan while taking aim at the city's Democratic mayor. He's grossly incompetent. I haven't spoken to the mayor now. When we're ready, we'll go ahead and we'll straighten out of Chicago, just like we did D.C. Trump's targeting cities run by Democrats and today added Baltimore to the list. The president posting on truth social that if the state's governor, Wes Moore, needs help, he'll send in the troops.

Moore firing back, calling it unwarranted. Maryland's had amongst the fastest drops in violent crime of anywhere in the United States in the past two and a half years. The homicide rate in Maryland is down over 20% since I have been the governor. After Moore invited Trump to visit Baltimore, the president hit back online, telling Moore to stop talking and get to work, and then he'll see him on the streets. He seems to enjoy living in this blissful ignorance, these tropes in these 1980 scare tactics. CBC News spoke to Americans in D.C. outside the train station. I feel safer. It's like you know that someone is protecting you. I'm not even sure what it's for. This doesn't feel like it's an uprising that needs national intention.

Who gives him all of this unlimited power? It's scary. I do feel safe today, but I really feel we need to maintain our freedoms here. Chicago's mayor says he's taking Trump's threat seriously, but is fighting back and says the city will take legal action if the president moves forward with his plan. Ashley Burke, CBC News, Washington. There's also growing backlash tonight to Donald Trump's plan to review the Smithsonian museums and exhibitions in Washington, D.C. Trump has instructed his lawyers to examine eight of its 21 museums and galleries to root out what he calls anti-American ideology. He says he wants it done before the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence next July. Philip Lyshanock has more. We want the museums to treat our country fairly.

Ordering a review of the Smithsonian's National Museums, U.S. President Donald Trump said the institution was influenced by divisive race-centered ideology. Threatening to pull funding, the president says there's too much focus on, quote, how horrible our country is and how bad slavery was. museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner. Yohuru Williams is a history professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

He says much of U.S. history, past and present, is defined by race. And he questioned whether any government should influence a nation's collective memory. It's very clear that the president is not knowledgeable at all about the process by which the Smithsonian and other institutions have gone about really reviewing what's, appropriate with regard to a presentation of the complex history of the United States. Williams says a great deal would be lost if Trump controls what's featured in museums to fit his agenda. If you whitewash history in this way, what you ultimately destroy is the ability of people to have a correct portrait of the past in a way that would empower them to think creatively about

how we navigate the present and how we reimagine the future. And Williams says Trump clearly has little respect for these institutions, which could also undermine the public's trust. It's over there until it's over here, right? Ryan Hunt is the CEO of the Vancouver Museum and former executive director of the BC Museums Association. He says Canada's museums enjoy a very high level of public trust, but that could be eroded if their independence is undermined. We're only so secure from creeping authoritarianism until we see it in our own country. And he says much like U.S. Museum's approach to slavery,

Canadian museums have been addressing their past wrongs. Indigenous communities had their objects taken from them and put into museums against their will. And museums were then showing off these items as if those communities were gone. There were no longer part of Canada's present. One of the Federal Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action was for museums to redress how indigenous communities were portrayed.

And Hunt says the Vancouver Museums' exhibit called The Work of Repair is an example of addressing not censoring dark chapters in our nation's history. Philip Lishanak, CBC News, Toronto. In Vietnam, over half a million people have been forced from their homes as typhoon Kajiki makes its way towards the country. Forecasters say it could bring winds up to 200 kilometers per hour, along with at least 30 centimeters of rain and storm surge up to four meters. Dozens of flights have been canceled and authorities have ordered boats to stay ashore. Kajiki is also passing by China, which is already seeing heavy rain and strong winds.

The storm is expected to make landfall in Vietnam Monday morning. Rwanda-backed M-23 rebels killed at least 140 in eastern Congo last month, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report. The reported killings happened despite a permanent ceasefire signed in July. Freelance reporter Chris Ocheminga has more. A violent confrontation in the... east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This sound was captured in mid-August despite a ceasefire between M-23 rebels and government forces being in place since July. It's unclear

who's behind the gunfire. But a new report by Human Rights Watch says 140 people were killed by M-23 rebels across 14 villages last month alone. Many of them were farmers from the Hutu ethnic group. Dye Kadi Loh is the spokesperson of the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC. The UN have condemned these atrocities and called for immediate accountability and independent investigation into the crimes. The M23 rebels have denied the findings,

calling it extremist propaganda. The Rwandan government has also dismissed the report as false, but neither have offered an explanation for the murders. Josueh Kabanza is a Congolese human rights activist. That report highlights the untold horrors of the conflict that is unfortunately at the heart of the abomination on the ground, he says. Other Congolese NGOs have also reported the killings as Professor Daddy Sally explains. But you also have our own report as civil society, but you also have the report of the DRC government. We are all talking the same.

The UN says the killings constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law. It's also a violation of the fragile ceasefire between the warring factions. Qatar is brokering peace talks that went off the rails last week, sparking renewed clashes. Both sides accused each other of starting the fighting. The M23 rebels have been calling on the DRC government to release their prisoners, and the DRC blames them for refusing to withdraw from all the territories they have captured as they agreed in the Declaration of Principles signed in Doha. Several ceasefire deals have been violated since the conflict began in 2021.

Many Congolese hope Qatar and the US will use their influence to make this one hold. Chris Ochamringa for CBC News in Kinshasa. Community members near Edmonton are searching for a teenager missing since June. The 14-year-old's disappearance from Paul First Nation has now been deemed suspicious by Edmonton police. As Sam Sampson reports, relatives and indigenous advocates are urging the police to remain steadfast in their search. I hope you guys are safe today. Alana Bird stands on the shores of the North Saskatchewan River, dropping off a grocery bag of wagon wheels, gummy snacks, and chocolate bars.

It's her way of saying thank you to the strangers who are about to get in a boat and search for her missing son, 14-year-old Samuel Bird. Sam, if you see this, please come home if you're alive. Samuel Bird has been missing since June 1st. The First Nation's teen was last seen in West Edmonton, walking away from a friend's house. He never came home and never reached out. Like, he was really good at staying in touch with me.

Like, he would call me and, hey, Mom, I'm over here. Can I stay here tonight? After that night, just everything just stopped. Police first reported Bird missing in early July. A few weeks later, Bird's mother says she received disturbing, violent videos and images allegedly involving her son. Police said they're working to determine the source and authenticity. Then on Friday, Edmonton police said Bird's disappearance is now considered suspicious.

In a written statement, police said the search. is deeply attuned to the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and children and that detectives have been tirelessly following every lead. I got a long pool stick, like a telescope pool stick, just so we can poke around if we need to. As the police conduct their own investigation, community members have organized search parties. For weeks, volunteers have scoured parts of Edmonton on foot. On Sunday, community activist Tierra Williams took to the river on an. inflatable dingy. I'm just taking it one minute at a time. I mean, I'm not an expert. I'm just

somebody who's concerned and I have a boat. So no mother should have to search for her son by herself. She should be able to lean on her community and the police. Community members and treaty six officials have asked police to designate Byrd's case as a search and recovery mission. A new phase of investigation, according to criminologist Laura Ferguson. It doesn't mean that the person's deceased. It doesn't mean that they're looking for remains. So it would involve the police working with volunteer search and rescue groups in the region in order to initiate those different specialized tactics. Take, for example, diving recovery teams.

The University of Regina professor created a North American-wide research organization called the Missing Persons Research Hub. She's also trained and partnered with different police services to improve policies on missing persons cases. She says the length of time that's gone by may affect what happens next. Leeds can dry up. evidence can disappear or be more challenging to locate. People can forget information that would be valuable for the case. It also becomes more difficult to initiate a search and recovery operation

because of that limited information that the police have. For now, water searches are a grassroots effort. Alana bought a boat to eventually go out on her own. Be safe, bye, be safe. But right now, she's relying on strangers who just want to. want to help. Sam Sampson, CBC News, Edmonton. Turning now to Newfoundland, where the 2025 Canada Games are coming to a close in St. John's. Our Jackie McKay is there, and Jackie, the games are being held as a success. But talk to us about

some of the challenges for organizers and athletes. Yeah, definitely some hurdles for the Canada Games officials, but, you know, we've made it through. So there was a fire about 12 kilometers from St. John's, and so they had to move at the lacrosse venue. They had the postponed beach volleyball for that and for sailing because of a highway closure. But luckily, a few days later, that fire was under control.

We started with really hot weather the first week here in St. John. John's, and then we move to rain jackets and fleeces. So, you know, for outdoor events, that is not super great, but great for fires and those conditions. So things started to get a little bit better there. Well, that's certainly reassuring, absolutely. So speak to us a little bit about what the games have meant for the host city and the province generally. So I've actually spoke to a lot of the fans here in Newfoundland. You know, those crowds, excellent. They're really showing up for those hometown crowds for the Newfoundland teams. But, you know, they've been having a hard time.

Lots of people have lost their homes here in Newfoundland. But the games was actually seen as, you know, like lifting people's moods in spirits and bringing people together. Oh, I love that. And it's so nice to hear everybody coming together. Of course, everything really worked up to tonight's closing ceremonies. And carrying the flag of Newfoundland and Labrador is Gavin Bags. Talk to us about his accomplishments. Yeah, so he has definitely been somebody who has been a bit of a star here in Newfoundland for the games.

He's won four medals, one silver swimming, two in wheelchair athletics, and one gold in wheelchair athletics. And he has been a great promoter for the pair of sports. And so we got a chance to speak with him, and then here's a little bit about what he had to say. You know, we work just as hard as the able-bodied athletes. Every athlete who competes at this level works just as hard as everyone else. One of the great things about the Canada Games is actually the Parasporates and the Special Olympics teams, they compete side by side with all the able-body athletes. So if you came out and you saw a race for a men's or women's team,

you know, the parathets are just on the line next and you also get to see that. So a lot of people had the opportunity to see some of those events they've maybe never thought about going to before and really get exposed to it. Oh, Jackie, I love it, and I can hear the joy in your voice. So nice to hear about the games and how everybody there is responding to it. Thank you so much for joining us on the program today. Thanks so much for having me. CBC's Jackie McKay joining us there from St. John's. Now, about 200 kilometers southwest of St. John's is the small town of St. Lawrence, Newfoundland.

About 1,000 people live there, but it's now just one small step from Canadian Aerospace History. This week, the company, Nordspace, is hoping to be the first to launch a Canadian-Mavent rocket into space from Canadian soil. Kevin Pittman is St. Lawrence's mayor. Well, this is pretty exciting. It's something that will create enthusiasm. It'll build people's spirits up. So it's got more than just the job potential and more than the tourism. It's got something that gives your town life again. The Nord's base launch could open the door to a lucrative industry for this country and help Canadian engineering talents stay home. Onondraim went behind the scenes with the company.

Our launch vehicle ready to go, it's going to be a pretty big summer for us. At six meters, it might be among the shortest rockets you've ever seen, but it's the first step to reach much greater heights for Aulgoel, CEO of Nordspace. A true sovereign access to space capability means launching Canadian-made payload satellites from Canadian-made rockets from a Canadian spaceport. His company has built and will launch a rocket into suborbital space from Canada, a private commercial effort that's never been done before. So these are the Hadfield rocket engines.

As he showed us 3D printed engines at an unassuming industrial park in Markham, Ontario, Goyle's team of rocket engineers were busy, prepping, and have been for months. Testing the engines, assembling the rocket, even building the launch pad from scratch on Newfoundland South Coast. We were able to go from pretty much napkin sketches to this built vehicle in about a year. Goel self-financed this rocket with money from his other businesses. It hopes to reach sub-orbital space, but the next one will reach orbit, and this isn't the only company wanting to get there.

Space is going to be a big, thriving economy. Bashar Elzeen is CEO of Reaction Dynamics, also planning to launch an orbital rocket in the next few years. He sees it giving Canada a business advantage. We need to get a way to access that orbital economy to benefit from it. See it that way. There's going to be anywhere between 600 to... a thousand jobs created launching Canadian satellites.

And while SpaceX has opened up the satellite economy more than ever before, the launch pad in Florida say experts is getting crowded. Independent launch capability would allow Canada to offer something to the world. So we named the rocket Chkabesh, which is a hero from Kreef folklore. and offer Canadian rocket experts like Oleg Kalamanov, a homegrown rocket industry. Kalamanov recently led a team of students with Concordia to successfully launch a rocket from Kree land in Quebec, and he sees more rocket launches from Canada as a boost for more than just jobs. You know, is there something amazing about education, right?

You know, maybe this is something that we can actually develop an orbital space program within a university. Could you imagine that? University is capable of launching their own satellites. We are following this up with a second launch in about a year. Back at Nord Space, Goel sees the recent pride of Made in Canada as helpful to the cause. We're glad, you know, people, Canadians really are realizing why investing in Canada, building in Canada is as important as we think it is. And while much more investment is needed, with real rockets getting off the ground this year,

it means this industry doesn't just have its head in the clouds. Onondrom, CBC News, Markham, Ontario. It's a big moment for Arabic pop. A new wave is capturing millions of listeners. Arab artists are touring with some of the world's biggest chart-topping bands. Part of the rising interest is because of the global focus on the war in Gaza. Magda Gheber Salasa now with a story we first brought you back in January. Mesmerizing audiences with her Arabic melodies,

from Coachella to opening for Coldplay during a world tour this year, Ileana's star is on the rise. There's so much depth in our culture and in our language and melodies. I just want to show the beauty of where we come from. There's so much beauty that people try to hide. Born in Nazareth, the Palestinian Chilean artist has found global success singing in Arabic with more than 7 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

And she's not alone. From pop to hip-hop, St. Levant and the Snapdick are also drawing audiences in Canada and across the world. Now there seems to be a renewed sort of interest in what's happening in the Middle East of North Africa, what's happening with Arab diaspora artists. Danny Hajar is a music journalist in Washington, D.C. He says over the last few decades,

there have been some moments where Arabic music has had more of a global presence, but what's happening now is different. It's been very interesting to watch that trajectory. I don't think it's quite there yet on the level of Latin music or K-pop or anything like that, but the foundation is certainly being laid. He says platforms like Spotify and TikTok

make the music more accessible. He also credits more films and TV shows like Marvel's Moon Night. For using the music in non-stereotypical ways. But there's another contributing factor, says Carolyn Ramsey, an academic at Carleton University. I think in the last year, the war on Gaza has really contributed to the rise of interest in Arab popular music. Ramsey teaches about music from the Middle East and North Africa.

She believes Palestinian Solidarity Movement, movements, social media, and music are coming together to fuel some of the interest. The sonic symbolism, material symbols are suddenly in public spaces in ways that are new and different. She also thinks what's resonating is Arab musicians in the diaspora, celebrating all sides of their identity. That rings true for a Halifax-based rapper, Shawnee. I'm just so proud of my culture. The Syrian-Lebanese artist blends English and Arabic lyrics in his music. But I feel like more and more people are trying to get in touch with who they are as a person,

get in touch with their roots. And I feel like that's why I do it. Keeping people listening and moving to her music, Ileana is setting her sights on an even bigger and brighter future. And hopefully less than 10 years, there's more artists to come and more people in the industry and people in general to just be super proud of where they come from. Makta Gaprasilasa, CBC News, Toronto. If you haven't heard this inspiring K-pop mega hit everywhere yet, get ready, you're about to.

I'm done hiding, now I'm shining, like I'm born and be. Golden is currently in the top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, along with two other songs from the Netflix film K-pop Demon Hunters about a K-pop girl group who used music to protect the world from demons. Now a sing-along version in theaters is estimated to have earned between 18 and 20 million dollars this week alone. Quite the epic hall, especially when you consider K-pop demon hunters, debuted two months ago. Since then, it's become the second most watched film ever on the platform. The film's writer and director is Canadian Maggie Kang. She just spoke with Q on CBC radio about the popularity of her work. As a filmmaker, you are kind of

in a hole, working on your film, and for animation, it's usually for originals, it takes about six years. You don't really expect this kind of reaction. I honestly didn't think it was even possible for a movie to be this popular, really. No kidding, Kang lived in Toronto growing up, but spent many summers in South Korea. She tells us she's happy her movie is celebrating Korean culture. Some of her youngest fans are pretty amped about it, too. We watched it over 50 times. I've seen it 100 times. It's not really similar to anything else I've ever seen in my 10 years' lifetime.

Kids especially have been leading the charge on making this film a hit. Here's why they think it's captivating attention. The entire world sees them as pop stars, but behind the screen, they're actually fighting demons. But then there was like this demon boy band. And at the end, they defeat the demon boys. It's kind of sad, but still It's really good movie A really good movie and oh yeah

They also love the music, especially the hit Golden Now joining the world singing along with it This has been gonna be golden Oh No more hiding Now I'm shining Like a wonderful This has been

This has been your world tonight For Sunday August 24th I'm Chris Glover Thank you so much for listening. Waiter so long to break these walls down to wake up and feel like me. Put these patters all in the past now and finally live like the girl they all see. No more hiding. I'll be shining like a boy.

For more CBC podcasts, Go to cBC.ca slash podcasts.