Your World Tonight - Eastern Canada fires, Netanyahu defends Gaza takeover plan, North America's first K-Expo, and more

Episode Date: August 10, 2025

There is fear and uncertainty for many Newfoundlanders this weekend. Volatile weather is making it even more challenging to fight wildfires in that province. At the same time in Nova Scotia, critics say the government is overstepping by banning people from hiking and camping in the woods.Also: Israel's Prime Minister is defending his government's plan to take over the whole of Gaza. Benjamin Netanyahu insists it is the best way to defeat Hamas and end the war. But several other countries are warning the plan risks violating international humanitarian law.And: An expo showcasing Korean culture and content is drawing big crowds in Toronto — the first of its kind in North America. Organizers say the high turnout is a testament to how popular Korean culture has become. We'll take you inside for a firsthand look.Plus: An infestation killing trees in Newfoundland, The creative ways NATO allies are meeting military spending requirements, and more.

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This is a CBC podcast. Hi, I'm Anise Hidari. This is your world tonight. I got a feeling by this time tomorrow, my house could be gone. Well, it's not good down there. And we're on towards a lot of trees, heavy wooded area. And that's the way the fire is going to hit it. Fear and uncertainty for many Newfoundlanders this weekend.

because volatile weather is making it even more challenging to fight wildfires in that province. And at the same time in Nova Scotia, critics say the government is overstepping by banning people from hiking and camping in the woods. Also on the podcast, Israel's Prime Minister defends his government's plan to seize Gaza City, and Toronto's Got Soul. You don't have to understand the language for music to speak to you. And I feel like, for me, K-pop does that really well. South Korea is showcased in downtown Toronto.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, the wildfire situation keeps changing and fast. There are four out-of-control wildfires in the province. The most serious one in the southeast is growing in size. Scorching heat and relentless winds are tearing through dry terrain and fueling more flames. So far, thousands of people have been forced from their homes, and more evacuations could be ordered. Heather Gillis has more from St. John's. Extreme hot, dry, windy conditions aren't doing fire crews any favors as they try to fight the Kingston fire on Newfoundland's Beta Verde Peninsula, 140 kilometers away from St. John's.

It grew to nearly 4,900 hectares last night, burning at least nine homes in the region since it started last week. It's the second major fire in the area since May. This time, one local mayor, Curtis Delaney, says it's still too early to tell how bad things will be. I have a home in Broadcove, and, I mean, I don't know if I have a home to come back to it. So it's uncertainty. It's a helpless feeling. when you really got nothing to do when he sit back and wait. Gerard Howell lives in nearby Northern Bay.

He was in disbelief when last night Premier John Hogan evacuated his community and declared a state of emergency for 14,000 people in the region. Howell worries his home of nearly 30 years could be in the line of fire too. I got a feeling like this time tomorrow my house could be gone. Well, it's not good down there. And where I'm too is a lot of trees, heavy wooded area. And that's the way the fire is going to hit it. Today, Premier John Hogan visited the school where evacuees, like Howell, are seeking refuge in services.

Promising government help, as more homes have been lost in three communities. As they continue to be away from their homes, for however long it's going to be, we will continue to be there any and all hands around deck at this time. With three other major fires burning, Hogan says all the focus is on the Kingston fire. With four water bombers and four helicopters dousing water on the fire's northern edge, ground crews and heavy equipment at its southern flank. Other provinces, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick have all pitched in, sending water bombers or aircraft to help. Ken McMillan, the head of the country's association of fire chiefs, says this fire season has been horrendous, and he's using it to spark a conversation.

The days where we used to say that they were unpreventable or unpredictable or that the fire seasons were unprecedented, we can no longer say that anymore. and I think that one of the key aspects that the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs continues to talk about is the creation of a national fire administration, an office within the federal government to help coordinate and oversee resources across Canada. Meanwhile, officials say with weather conditions and the forecast provoking extreme fire behavior, it could take days for crews to contain the out-of-control Kingston fire. Heather Gillis, CBC News, St. John's. It's a bold order.

to prevent wildfires. Two Atlantic provinces with active fires are standing firm. Stay out of the woods. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are restricting recreational travel in forested areas, along with activities like hiking, camping, and fishing. As Alexander Silberman reports, the sweeping bands are leading to sparks of pushback. We must do everything possible to protect each other. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, ordering residents of his province to stay out of the woods. No hiking, camping, fishing, or ATV use, or face a $25,000 fine. I'm losing sleep about what's happening. Houston says the strict measures are the price to pay to avoid devastating wildfires like in 2023, when more than 200 homes burned. Nova Scotia remains under

persistent, hot and dry conditions, with no significant rainfall forecasted for the coming days. In New Brunswick, officials are also closing access to Crown lands. The restrictions come as the province battles 10 active fires. Get out of the woods and stay out of the woods. Premier Susan Holt is urging people to be extremely cautious. She says New Brunswick is not imposing new penalties for now. Existing laws allow for fines of about $170. We are really hoping that at the end of all this, we will have issued zero fines.

The restrictions in both provinces are sparking pushback. I don't think it's reasonable. Julissa Stewart lives in Lewisdale, Nova Scotia, and is speaking out against the ban. Since it went into effect last week, she can't take her dog for a walk on a trail near her home. Stewart is trying to launch a charter challenge to have the ban rescinded. It's one thing for somebody to go outside and light up a cigarette and throw a butt on the ground. It's another thing for somebody to want to take a hike in the woods. But fire officials argue the measures are necessary.

Scott Tingley is Nova Scotia's manager of forest protection. The vast majority of fires in Nova Scotia are human cause. We should be able to prevent virtually all of our fires here in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia has banned travel and activities in the woods before. The province issued short-term restrictions in 2023, 2016 and 2001. The current ban is in place until mid-October or when conditions improve. John Chant is fire chief of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia.

He finds the opposition to the ban, surprising. It is scary when you look at Facebook and you see the amount of kickback and pushback from these burning bans and the forestry bans because if a fire gets going, it's going to be a catastrophe. A catastrophe, officials hope. steep penalties will help avoid. Newfoundland and Labrador recently hiked the maximum fine for fire ban violations to $150,000 for repeat offenders and up to a year in jail. With conditions this dry, large parts of the country are bracing for what could come next. Alexander Silberman,

CBC News, Saskatoon. Back now to Newfoundland, where an infestation of spruce budworms has killed thousands of trees in Grosmorn National Park. And people who live there say they're worried about the risk of wildfires. Colleen Connors has more. You know, and it just sort of hangs around the branches for about, you know, tucked in the needles for about a week and a half or so. And then they emerge as the adult moths. And so what we're seeing.

Derek Whitaker is on the Baker's Brook Trail in the heart of Grosemore National Park, where vast amounts of trees are dry and gray. He's an ecosystem scientist with Parks Canada. who says the dead trees are the result of a massive spruce budworm outbreak. This natural phenomenon hasn't been seen like this since the 1970s. They were spotted again in the park in 2018, and the population has since exploded. In the spring, millions of caterpillars chomp the bright green tips on the spruce and fir trees, and over several years, the trees die.

Dana Lawson is visiting from Ontario and says the views are striking. It was beautiful, but it was very odd because it would almost look like there had been a fire or something just because you were seeing all these dead trees mixed in and so just the changes of color. It's kind of devastating, really. Jason Colahal says it's ruinous. He's the mayor of Rocky Harbor, a key tourist town in the center of this national park. He says the park should have never opted out of the provincial BTK insecticide spray program five years ago. BTK is a naturally occurring bacteria used to kill caterpillar,

like the spruce budworm. While close to 10% of the forest on the island was treated, none was sprayed in the park. Kullahal wonders if the fire hazard of thousands of dead trees was even considered. He worries about evacuation plans during the peak season, with only one road in and out of the area. Tourism is quite busy,

so I'd say the population is maybe even quadruple nightly here in Rocky Harbor. And we have emergency plans in place. but nothing for that, if we have anything of that magnitude, I don't think we really have it all covered. According to Whitaker, the forest in the park is wetter than other parts of the island, and the risk is minimal. So we haven't had any fires, you know, significant fires in Gross Morning in the whole history of the park since the 1970s when it was established.

So again, we take fire risk seriously. We have plans in place. The park follows all the provincial firebans. But Kala Hall would still like to see an extensive evacuation plan. It's incredible that this tiny little insect can cause so much damage. But budworm outbreaks happen every 30 to 40 years naturally. And Whitaker says that actually regenerates the forest quickly. He says in about a decade, the forest will grow back stronger and healthier than before,

and the views will be green again. Colleen Connors, CBC News, Grossmore National Park. In Italy. A water bomber flies around Mount Vesuvius as a three-kilometer-wide fire burns on the slopes of the volcano. Six Canadair firefighting planes have been deployed to fight the wildfire, but an ongoing heat wave is complicating the operation. The heat is also posing challenges in southern France, where a wildfire larger than Paris is currently burning. It is France's largest wildfire in more than 75 years.

Still ahead, NATO members have been promising to more than double the amount spent on defense. But countries like Italy are taking a creative approach by including public works projects as part of their spending commitment. And some experts say that's a bridge too far. That's later on your world tonight. A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Turkey's northwestern province of Balakasir. The tremors caused a dozen buildings to collapse, including the minaret of a mosque. Several people were rescued from the rubble. Officials say at least one person was killed.

The earthquake was followed by powerful aftershocks. Residents were told to stay outside. The shocks from the earthquake were felt all the way in Istanbul, about 200 kilometers away. Israel's Prime Minister is defending his government's plan to take over the whole of Gaza. Benjamin Netanyahu insists it is the best way to defeat Hamas and end the war. However, several countries are warning the plan risks violating international humanitarian law. Susan Ormiston reports from Jerusalem. The purpose of this news conference is to puncture the lies and spread the truth.

His truth, Benjamin Netanyahu says escalating the war is the fastest. way to win it, but admits his government is losing the information battle. Hundreds of trucks have gone in recent days. This is preventing hunger, but it's not prevented the global campaign of lies. He blamed the international media, social media algorithms and bots for spreading claims Israel is starving Palestinians and shooting civilians. The truth is that Hamas still has thousands of armed terrorists in Gaza. It subjugates Gazans. It steals their foods. It shoots them when they try to move to safe zones. Relance videographer with CBC News captured what he saw on the ground.

Palestinians in a desperate race to an aid distribution center as soon as the gates opened under the watch of armed security. Food is more available now than two weeks ago, but not near enough, and Gazans are still taking big risks just to get it. One man writhes from pain from a gunshot wound. Gaza officials say more than 30 people have died over the past day. Deaths Netanyahu is also blaming on Hamas. On Friday, Israel's government agreed to a large-scale military escalation. It would drive out a million Gazans settled in Gaza City, sending them south,

and then deployed troops and airstrikes to rout out Hamas strongholds, and try to rescue the remaining surviving hostages. This is not going to bring the hostages home. In Tel Aviv, Gershon Baskin, a former hostage negotiator, says Israel is pursuing a no-win plan. This is not the way to finish off Hamas. This is a political issue that needs to be dealt with at the political level, at the diplomatic level.

There is agreement in the whole region. Over the weekend, Israelis launched fresh protests. against the war escalation as the UN Security Council met in an emergency session. Dozens of countries denounced Israel's war plan and Netanyahu's defense, said Palestinian member Riyadh Mansour. If he's so sure of this global conspiracy about the lie, let him prove it, invite you, allow you to go to the Gaza Strip and see exactly what is happening there. did say he's directed the army to allow more journalists into Gaza to see for themselves,

but gave few details. Susan Ormiston, CBC News, Jerusalem. Al Jazeera says one of its Gaza correspondence has been killed by an Israeli strike. The broadcaster says Anas al-Sharif was killed near the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, along with other journalists and a driver. The Israeli military confirmed the strike, insisting Al-Sharif was a Hamas member posing as a reporter. The committee to protect journalists said last month, it was concerned for al-Sharif's safety. Warning, he was a target of an Israeli military smear campaign. The stakes are high at this week's summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders are to meet in Alaska on Friday for talks about

ending Putin's war in Ukraine. But as Mike Crawley reports from Washington, Ukraine and Ukraine, and its European allies, are worried they're being sidelined. New Ukrainian military recruits watch their instructors run live fire drills in the country's Kharkiv region. On a break from training, the soldiers consider whether a summit in far off Alaska can help end the war they're about to join. I want to believe that there will be a full ceasefire and peace, says a recruit named Dimitro. But how quickly that can happen, he adds, is an open question. The Alaska summit on Friday will be Russian President Vladimir Putin's first face-to-face meeting with a major Western leader and his first trip to a Western country since he started the war in Ukraine.

This is President Trump making sure that Putin is serious. The Secretary General of NATO, Mark Ruta, on the Sunday CBS program, faced the nation. Ruta is praising Donald Trump for getting Putin to the table and downplaying concerns that the U.S. president will offer Russia concessions that are unacceptable to Ukraine. It is crucial to know that when it comes to the future geopolitical situation of Ukraine, their sovereignty, there will be no infringements on that, and that it is always Ukraine itself deciding of what they want to do or not want to do in terms of a peace deal. What Kiev and its European allies fear is a deal that rewards Putin,

with the large parts of eastern Ukraine now occupied by Russian forces. Trump himself has already said that swapping of territories is the way to peace. Now this signal from his vice president, J.D. Vance. It's actually very simple. If you take where the current line of contact between Russia and Ukraine is, we're going to try to find some negotiated settlement that the Ukrainians and the Russians can live with. Vance making the comments in an interview on Fox News. We, of course, condemn the invasion that happened.

We don't like that this is where things are, but you've got to make peace here. Vance calls Putin's willingness to attend the summit a major breakthrough. He says the U.S. is working on getting the Russian leader to sit down with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, although not necessarily at the Alaska summit. Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markurova. It's Russia that attacked us. It's Russia that illegally occupied Crimea and. other territory since 2022. While Makarova thanks Trump's administration for its diplomatic push,

she also has a warning. The implications of how this war will end is so much bigger than just about Ukraine. European leaders have issued a statement ahead of Friday's summit between Trump and Putin. It says, quote, the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. Mike Crowley, CBC News, Washington.

Donald Trump may have succeeded in convincing NATO members to boost defense spending, but even though Canada and other member states have agreed to more than double their spending commitments to a minimum of 5% of GDP, not all of that money has to be spent on military supplies, like rifles or ammunition. As John Last reports, some NATO countries are using what could be called creative accounting to make up the difference. Train lines like this one from Venice to Florence carry hundreds of millions of passengers each year, just a tiny fraction of which are moving for military reasons. But ask the Italian government, and upgrading those lines is a crucial national defense

expenditure. Just one way, Canada's NATO allies are getting around the group's challenging new spending target. There's a lot of non-strictly defense items which are also ending up in that port. Francesco Gallietti is a political analyst and founder of policy sonar, an Italian think tank. The fact is, under the new commitment, only 3.5% of GDP must actually be spent on military equipment or troops. The rest, Gallietti says, is to build up members overall ready. and make up for decades of U.S. spending on the infrastructure that makes military deployment possible. That's led to the proposed inclusion of some questionable items, including a 13.5 billion euro bridge to span the Strait of Messina.

The ambitious project aims to connect Sicily to the mainland, but generations of Italian politicians have struggled to find funding. I mean, you can look at it that way, saying that Italy is once again creative and fudging etc., that's certainly correct. I mean, it's within the Italian tradition. But if instead of narrowly focusing on defense, you embrace the idea of readiness that everything should be securitized,

then things start looking differently. That presents an opportunity to countries like Canada in dire need of new infrastructure like ports and roads. David Perry is president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. There's huge infrastructure deficits of all kinds in the north, and some of that additional spending, even if it's not just putting a radar installation in. I think you could make a case that that would help protect the northwest flank of the NATO alliance. But others caution that Canada's Department of National Defense might not be the best ones to choose who benefits from infrastructure spending. Kelsey Gallagher is a senior researcher with Project Plowshares, a peace research institute.

They, a lot of the time, under-deliver, and they are well over budget. Gallagher points to Canada's beleaguered purchase of F-35 fighter jets, whose cost has already ballooned by 50%. All that means that Canada's historic increase in defense spending could be even more expensive for Canadians when all is said and done. Your taxes will go up. This money has to come from somewhere, and I think things are going to be squeezed a little bit. For CBC News, I'm John Last, in Padua.

Italy. A Korean wave is splashing over Canada as a showcase of South Korean culture is drawing tens of thousands of people in Toronto this weekend. Everything from K-pop to kimchi and Korean skin care is being featured. And as Michelle song explains, this is a part of how South Korea is becoming a cultural powerhouse elsewhere. At a performing arts venue in downtown Toronto, the lineup to enter the first K-Expo in North America wrapped around the building. Organizers say about 75,000 people showed up to get a taste of Korean culture this weekend. Do you have banana cream soda or banana milk?

From food, music, television, film, and even beauty. This is K-beauty. Korean culture is reaching people all over the globe. They call it the Korean wave, which refers to the global popularity surrounding Korea's entertainment and culture. I hold it so dear to my heart. Jamie Dalyan came to K-Expo to immerse herself in a culture that isn't hers,

but one she loves. She grew up listening to K-pop artists like BTS and Black Pink. You don't have to understand the language for music to speak to you. And I feel like for me, K-pop does that. really well. Zachary Cuomo says he came to the Kay Expo after watching a few Korean shows, like Trigger on Netflix. The writing is way better. Way better. Yeah, the storylines is way better. The writing's way better. Acting is actually on point. Kexpo is hosted by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, and the Korea Creative Content Agency, or

Koka. Teh Lee is the executive director of Koka Canada. He says the competitive nature of Korea society has helped propel its culture. The artists there have been able to compete with each other and make something unique as something called Korean culture. For example, we have Parasite movie as well as Squid Games, you know. Squid Game is deemed the most popular non-English show on Netflix. Parasite. Parasite won best picture at the 2020 Oscars.

K-pop boy band BTS dominated the Billboard Top 100 with many of its singles, all examples of how the country's content is creeping into the mainstream. Sam Richards is a sociology professor at Penn State University. In 1965, it was poorer than the nation of Mozambique and Africa. And now Korea's become a global power in the world. He says Korea's influence is here to stay. People are fascinated by Korea and Korean culture, and it's not going away. The Korean wave has captivated Western audiences,

and K-Expo organizers say they want to continue sharing its culture with Canada and the world. Michelle Song, CBC News, Toronto. It used to be a near-daily sound in millions of homes. But as technology changed and sped up, dial-up Internet just couldn't keep up. And now one of the most iconic brands in Dial-Up Internet is hanging up the phone line. AOL has announced it's discontinuing one of the oldest and, well, noisiest ways of getting online. Customers of America Online, CompuServe, and Netscape, who use Dial-Up Internet, will lose it by September 30th. That news gave Victoria-based tech expert Dana D. Tommaso a bit of a nostalgia trip.

It's kind of the OG dial-up provider, right? Like, this is the one that when people think dial-up, they think of AOL. There was even a movie about AOL. You've got mail. When you think of dial-up internet, they're like the Kleenex of the dial-up world. It's the brand you think of. I turn on my computer. It's true.

There was a whole 1998 movie about AOL, Dial-Up, and love. I go online. Welcome. And my breath catches in my chest. until I hear three little words. You got mail. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks probably don't use dial-up anymore, and here in Canada, they're in good company.

The CRTC says at least 95% of Canadians have access to what's considered high-speed internet. As for AOL specifically, the company told CBC News only few customers use its dial-up service, period. That's not a surprise to DTAMASO. I would say it is probably still only around a few thousand. That doesn't surprise me at all. There are still some extremely rural areas

where a phone line and a landline is what we call them now is really the only and best option for some people. For anyone who still needs to yell at family members to get off the internet because they need to make a phone call, don't worry, there are still a few companies out there to get dial-up from. It just won't be one of the most iconic internet service providers of the past few decades. Welcome.

But they aren't going. away entirely. If you still rely on an AOL email address, you've got mail. Those will keep working. This has been your world tonight. I'm Anise Hadari. Thanks for listening. Goodbye.