Your World Tonight - Infant's remains found in Halifax, U.S. Iran negotiate ending the war, A 'Heated Rivalry' musical parody, and more

Episode Date: May 24, 2026

In Halifax, the search for a missing newborn has ended in tragedy. Police say an infant's remains were found this afternoon in a wooded area.Two people are now facing charges.Also: Progress appears to have been made towards a peace deal between Iran and the U.S. Both sides have hinted that an agreement is close, but disagreements over the key sticking points remain. And just how soon the war will end outright remains murky.And: It started as a steamy book series, then burned up TV screens around the world. Now, Heated Rivalry is getting ready to set the stage ablaze - as the hockey romance gets adapted into a satirical off-Broadway musical. We'll take you behind the curtain to meet the creatives behind it.Plus: Benjamin Netanyahu's political future, How a CRTC ruling could affect trade negotiations, and more.

Have you ever wondered how clean the seats on the TTC are? I found, like, chicken bones or, like, bed bogs. Or why so many Toronto restaurant bathrooms are in dank basements? Sometimes it's the most sketchy things. Like, when you go down, it's like, what is this? I'm Hayden Waters, a reporter and producer on the podcast, This is Toronto. From breaking down Doug Ford's obsession with the island airport.

We have to bring Jets in. To being inside an iconic Toronto Strip Club in its final hours. We go beyond the headlines of the day and get to know Toronto and all its big, beautiful, frustrating, wardy, fascinating glory. So find and follow us. This is Toronto, wherever you get your podcast. This is a CBC podcast. Earlier today, the human remains were located in the Prospect Road area of Halifax with the help of ground search and rescue. How and why did a baby die in Nova Scotia? A nearly two-day search ends in sorrow and criminal charges. This is your world tonight.

I'm Tanja Fletcher in Vancouver. Also on the podcast, creeping closer to a peace deal. The U.S. and Iran both signaling progress, but the framework to end the war, including the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, is still a big question mark. Plus, this operation that we did gave us positive intel to make educated decisions today in the positive light. From impending disaster yesterday to optimistic progress today. Cruise in Southern California say a new crack in that toxic chemical tank. Maybe the saving grace needed to keep it from exploding. We begin in Halifax, where the search for a missing newborn has ended in tragedy.

Police say an infant's remains were found in a wooded area this afternoon. Two people are now facing charges. Our Kayla Hounsel is there with more on what we know so far. It is a distressing call in the very sad event. Staff Sergeant Pierre Bordage was the officer in charge when the disturbing call came in. It was Friday night around 940. Officers were notified a woman was in hospital in life-threatening condition. It appeared she had just given birth, only there was no baby with her, no sign of the baby anywhere.

After an urgent day-and-a-half-long search, police now say they have found human remains they believe are connected to the case. Two people have been charged. The two individual charge are relative of the mother. 23-year-old Sukhreet Singh and his wife, 26-year-old Rahmandeep Kour, are each facing multiple charges, concealing the body of a child in dignity to a dead body and obstruction. The 23-year-old mother remains in critical condition. Police say they believe the woman experienced a medical emergency, and they do not believe her condition is the result of violence.

Their investigation remains ongoing. Since late Friday night, officers have been combing the area near a new apartment building in Halifax, including searching dumpsters. Linda O'Neill lives across the street. I think it's atrocious. I've really shocked by it and couldn't imagine it. For most of the day, Saturday, around 66 trained searchers with Halifax search and rescue deployed in the area. There were corns. There were people behind the trucks. Gorov-Oro owns a gift shop in a nearby strip mall.

He said police only told business owners they were looking for a missing person. There are no words to even say anything in that regard. Like, it's so painful just to even imagine a baby being out there. At 320 Sunday, police found the human remains in a wooded area just over 10 kilometers away. They won't say specifically what led them to that area. Bordage says this kind of crime is difficult on the entire community and his fellow officers. It is always difficult, specifically. Specifically, we have officers that have younger families.

We have officers that have young babies. The accused will appear in court tomorrow. Kayla Hounsel, CBC News, Halifax. To Southern California now, and officials are hopeful they may be able to prevent imminent disaster. Orange County fire crews say a crack in the pressurized toxic chemical tank might actually help avert a cataclysmic explosion. Still, an evacuation order remains in place.

for some 50,000 residents with no timeline yet on when they can return. The CBC's Philip Lee-Shanock brings us the latest. Last night was a successful operation. Interim Orange County Fire Chief, T.J. McGovern says a specialized team of firefighters was able to take a close look at the massive tank last night. And they found a crack that may be acting as a pressure relief valve. With this new information, it could change our trajectory and our strategy to this event. He cautioned that there's still the danger of an explosion. The pressurized tank on an industrial

site south of downtown Los Angeles began overheating and venting vapor Thursday. The tank contains tens of thousands of liters of a chemical used to make resins and plastics. It's highly flammable and can cause serious respiratory problems if inhaled. Firefighters have been spraying the tank with water to keep the chemicals cool and prevent an explosion or rupture leading to a toxic bill. Lee Zeldin of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says there may now be another option. The most likely scenario is one of a low volume release where the local authorities are going to be able to monitor, neutralize, and contain a threat. In the meantime, tens of thousands of residents in a 23-square kilometer radius around the plant have been ordered to leave. Sun Vaux ended up in a

temporary shelter in Huntington Beach far from his home. For the last 24 hours, I've been like an evacuation site hopping. That other site was just like so packed. Retired teacher Patricia Rivera says she's worried about possible health threats. I'm scared and I don't know if anything that already is in the air is going to affect us. Rivera's partner, Robert Palmer, is a retired refinery worker. What I don't understand is why they haven't been able to contain this. If this was in a refinery, this would have been contained already.

Purdue University Engineering Professor Andrew Welton says this is an unusual situation. These types of Vincent's do occur. They just generally don't occur in a very concentrated, populated area like we're seeing here. Officials say no injuries have been reported and air monitoring tests around the evacuation zone are within normal limits. GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems makes aircraft canopies at the site and has apologized to those affected. Some residents have filed a class action lawsuit. The Lachashadok, CBC News, Toronto. Still ahead, heated rivalry is hitting Broadway, sort of. The hit hockey show has been morphed now into a musical parody.

We'll hear from the creative team behind it later on Your World Tonight. In the Middle East, progress appears to have been made towards a peace deal between Iran and the U.S. But just how close the war is to outright ending remains. murky. Aaron Collins' reports from Washington. Some progress has been made, significant progress, although not final progress, has been made. The U.S. Secretary of State speaking in India today, Marco Rubio seemingly uncertain about when a peace deal with Iran could be done, more clear, on some familiar U.S. demands. They will never possess a nuclear weapon, certainly not as long as Donald Trump is president of the United States. Related to that is this issue of the straits.

This is an international waterway. They don't own it. It's an international waterway. Goals that seem closer after a post on social media by Donald Trump late Saturday. In it, the president wrote that the final details of the deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly. That timeline for a deal seemingly delayed in a post by the president from Sunday, where he wrote that he had informed his representatives not to rush into a deal and that time is on our side. Iran's President Massoud Pazchkin says his country is ready to talk, insisting Iran isn't seeking a nuclear weapon.

Progress to be sure, but not a final peace deal, according to Fawaz Georges, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. It seems to me that if a deal is signed in the next few days, and most probably it will, it will end the war, but the key questions will be post-a-law. for the next 30 or 60 days between the United States and Iran. An end to the conflict something U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle want. Thomas Massey is a Republican congressman from Kentucky. Heck yes, I would support it. We don't know what the terms of it are, but if Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz are crashing out last night, I'd say it's probably a pretty good deal.

Rokana is a Democrat from California. The price of nitrogen, ammonia, urea are through the roof because of the blockade. and control of the Strait of Formos. They know that the price of gas is up, the price of diesel is up. The two congressmen had worked together on a bill to end the war. But Eric Loeb, a Middle East expert at Florida International University, warns that it'll take time for prices to come down even after the conflict ends. It would, of course, take time for markets to correct themselves

and for supply chains to be restored, because, again, it will take time for that commercial traffic to go through. Of course, for that to happen, the U.S. and Iran would actually have to reach a deal, an outcome that all sides seem to want, but one that remains stubbornly elusive. Aaron Collins, CBC News, Washington. A U.S. Secret Service investigation is underway in Washington after a man opened fire along the perimeter of the White House yesterday. shots were fired just outside a security checkpoint near a main entrance on the north side of the White House.

The suspect died in hospital after he reportedly pulled a gun from his backpack and exchanged gunfire with officers. A bystander who was also injured is said to have non-life-threatening injuries and is still being treated in the hospital. Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time, but officials say there was no impact on the president. Loved by supporters loathed by critics. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a divisive figure the world over. Soon Israelis will have their say on his political future. Last week, lawmakers advanced a bill to dissolve parliament paving the way for early elections.

But the outcome is far from certain for Israel's longest serving leader. The CBC's Cameron McIntosh is in Jerusalem with more. The evening bustle of a downtown Jerusalem market. Ask about Israel's future. It's safety. We're asking people what they think about BB. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does well here. If we don't have a baby, we will be nothing. Says Edan Sadoff, shopping here with her husband.

We need him. We need him. Because BB, he has the courage, the omits, you know, to do stuff. You feel safe with BB? Yes. Yes, of course. Contrast that to this. Outside Netanyahu's corruption trial in Tel Aviv, protesters clad in prison orange. Excuse my language, my dead dog is better.

Paula Kush says the real danger to Israel is Netanyahu's government. They have to go. If they come into power next time, we have a fascist, nationalist government with religious fanatics, and the world will not only talk. about the Israelis, we will be completely, it will be the end of us. First elected as Prime Minister in 1996, Netanyahu has served on and off a total 18 years, Israel's longest serving Prime Minister. Another election is coming. He finds himself in a difficult political situation. Political analyst Dalia Shindland says Netanyahu has not really recovered from the Hamas-led October

7th attacks that left nearly 1,200 people dead. While controversies over judicial and democratic overhauls, concessions to the far right and religious orthodox, and his criminal trial have him fighting headwins at home. As efforts to reshape the region, wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, all point to uncertain outcomes. The policies of this government were the most divisive that we've ever seen, really, in Israeli history,

judging by how many people were out on the streets. Polls consistently have Dennyahu below 50%. His government, if the elections were held today, could not form a coalition with the current parties. Opposition forces are aligning, among them two former Prime Ministers forming a new party. The new Together party embraces many of Netanyahu's nationalist policies, like accelerated expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Just without the division Netanyahu creates, says party organizer Lee Leibinger. It's not serving us, not as a country, not as a nation, not as a people. Anyone but BB sentiments do resonate. Opinions come quick at this Tel Aviv bustaw. I will put you, you will be better. Netanyahu has requested a pardon on his corruption charges. It's unclear what impact that or further fighting in Iran could have on the election.

Shainland points to 30 years of political cunning. Given us history, would you bet against him? No, I wouldn't bet against him. Israel's ultimate political survivor, a boat to be tested again. Cameron McIntosh, CBC News, Jerusalem. Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo say the number of suspected Ebola cases there has climbed over 900. But the number of suspected deaths was revised downwards to 119 from earlier estimates of 170. Since the outbreak began, infections have also been reported in neighboring Uganda.

The African Centers for Disease Control says the virus could spread to as many as 10 other countries in the region if more is not done to contain it. Canada has tightened screening at airports, but health officials maintain the Ebola risk in this country remains low. Premiers of Canada's western provinces and the territories are gathering in Alberta this week. The leaders say it's about focusing on shared priorities, though key differences entrenched between BC and Alberta's premiers could make for a rather uncomfortable summit. The CBC's Emily Fitzpatrick has more. It's going to be a very awkward meeting. there's no doubt about that. Mount Royal University Political Science Professor

Dwayne Bratt says there's an elephant in the room ahead of the Western Premier's conference. The summit is billed as an opportunity for leaders to focus on shared priorities, like indigenous economic opportunities or economic growth in trade. But this year, the premiers of Alberta and British Columbia are at odds over Alberta's plan to hold a fall referendum,

which will decide whether Albertans want to vote on separating from Canada. I fundamentally disagree with her approach. to Canadian unity. A planned BC Premier David E.B. shared his concerns about ahead of the meeting. Having one of the premiers bluntly that appears to be setting the table to leave the country. And so, you know, that's an awkwardness in the room for sure. But it doesn't prevent us from talking or working together. Alberta Finance Minister Jason Nixon says the referendum isn't meant to cause tension with other provinces. But to give Albertans a chance to be heard.

The government's position is very clear and the premier's position is clear. We believe the best way forward for Alberta. And for Canada is to have a strong Alberta and a United Canada, and that's what we are going to continue to advocate for. But we also trust Albertans to be able to have their safe. But it's not only about separatism. Eby and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have also been exchanging barbs over a potential new pipeline project to the BC coast. But Smith says, despite that, they can work together.

He wants to build intertides with us, but he has this one little problem that he's got a hang-up from the previous 10 years, in particular about Alberta Bichemin. But other voices will also be at the table. Scott Moe supports a lot of what Daniel Smith does. But Wob Canoe, as the only indigenous premier of the provinces, has been a very firm advocate of Section 35. Dwayne Brat says the premiers of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the territories will all have their own concerns to address. The western provinces are not a monolith.

And it's not just a rift between BC and Alberta. There are really differences amongst all of them, which is why they meet on a regular basis. two-day meeting begins Monday in Canaanascus and concludes with a joint news conference on Tuesday. Emily Fitzpatrick, CBC News, Edmonton. The government of Newfoundland and Labrador says a proposed deal with Hydro-Qabec is not in its best interests. In a report released last week, a provincial panel highlighted a series of issues with a framework agreement for Churchill Falls, signed in 2024. Julia Israel has the story. This is the 1969 contract, and we are endeavoring to be right of it.

Back in 2024, ending the Churchill Falls deal 16 years early was pitched as a win-win for power-desperate Quebec and cash-strapped Newfoundland and Labrador. That lopsided deal allows hydro Quebec to buy its power from Newfoundland and Labrador for extra cheap. A new tentative deal was struck, which promised to upgrade and expand the existing Churchill Falls facility and build a new hydroelectric development on Gull Island. But now, Newfoundland and Labrador says it's not good enough. There needs to be material improvements to this deal before we would ever consider signing it.

Premier Tony Wakeham announces the findings of an independent review, which found problems with pricing models and with the inability to export power through Quebec to reach other customers. And it points out a potential gem, a promising mining industry in Labrador waiting to be developed. But the tentative agreement wouldn't provide enough power to do that. Inu Nation negotiator Mark Newee wants to see the region thrive so long as the Innu are consulted. You know, what's good for Nihuan.

If there's no agreement at all, then the current agreement will go on for the next 50 years. But energy economist Jean-Tomé, Bernard, says if Newfoundland and Labrador wants more money and more electricity, it still has to negotiate with Quebec. it. He says if there's one factor not to overlook, it's Hydro-Cubex's expertise to pull this thing off. And for Quebec to assume all the cost and risk of the new development, Bernard says something's got to give. But there are things that we can do, we will do them. And, you know, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been promoting his national electricity strategy to double Canada's energy grid by 2050.

So supporting the two provinces and reaching a final agreement could benefit Ottawa. Also, economist and former provincial NDP leader, Alison Coffin, says Newfoundland and Labrador is actually in a far different position now than when the tentative deal was negotiated. We are getting just a huge amount of revenue coming in with oil royalties. And given the state of global oil refining infrastructure, I expect to have higher oil prices for a prolonged period of time. Coffin says a few extra dollars on the table could mean a little less reliance on. Hyder Quebec. One pressure that can't be relieved is Quebec's provincial election in October. Julia Israel, CBC News, St. John's. Canada's outgoing Governor General says the backlash she's received about not speaking fluent French was unfair. Mary Simon sat down with CBC News

chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton to reflect on her time at Rita Hall. Simon was asked about the criticism she faced over her lack of proficiency in one of Canada's official languages. When the attack started to happen, it seemed really strange that I would be the one being attacked when a whole committee of people that vetted the process came to the conclusion that I was the right person at the right time for this country. Simon is Canada's first indigenous Governor-General and does speak both English and Inuctitude. She leaves the role next month. Louise Arbour, who's from Montreal and speaks both French and English, will replace her.

The U.S. ambassador to Canada warns that tariffs, in his mind, are here to stay. Pete Hoekstra recently sat down with Radio Canada where trade was top of mind ahead of a looming deadline. The North American Free Trade Deal is up for renewal this summer. And as J.P. Tasker explains a recent decision by the country's telecom regulator could add another layer to those negotiations. We put tariffs on everybody in the world. U.S.S. President Donald Trump's ambassador in Ottawa says Canada has no hope of getting any substantial tariff relief. The president is wedded to those tariffs as a way to restore American industry. And Ambassador P. Huxra says there will be no exceptions.

There's different terrorists for different parts of the world, depending on economic circumstances and that. But the concept of tariffs is uniformly applied to everyone that we trade with. The comments come as Canada weighs another decision that could further snarl U.S. trade talks. The CRTC, the broadcast regulator, has decided to triple what Americans streaming giants like Amazon and Disney must pay to fund Canadian media content, demanding 15% of all their Canadian revenue be set aside to create homegrown TV, movies, and news. For God's sakes, let people come home and relax and enjoy their favorite binge-watching. experience without paying yet another liberal tax hike. In an interview with CBC News, conservative leader Pierre Pauliev urged Prime Minister Mark Carney

to overrule the CRTC and block what he started calling the Netflix tax on consumers. Trump's trade representative Jameson Greer has railed against the online streaming act which led to these higher levies, saying Canada must drop a law that discriminates against US tech and media firms if there's any hope of renegotiating Kusma. So I hope you're prepared. I hope everyone's prepared because we're going to have... In Ottawa Sunday, the Prime Minister kicked off the FIFA soccer tournament he's co-hosting with Trump next month, while his government considers whether to allow the CRTC Rayhike to go ahead. I think there's some disappointment and maybe some frustration.

Hookstra, meanwhile, blames the federal government for slow progress on the Kuzma review that's supposed to be done by July 1st, saying, there's been little movement on American trade irritants. I think we believe we could have moved further on the trade negotiations, which are due in five weeks. Like with the digital services tax, he already scrapped, the Prime Minister could use this CRTC rate hike as a bargaining chip. Carney could drop the levy on American tech in exchange for some sort of deal on tariffs. The issue is, of course, the two sides haven't had any sort of formal trade negotiations in months. But Carney is heading to New York this week as he looks to American business to put the pressure on Trump for a Coosma deal.

J.P. Tasker, CBC News, Ottawa. It started as a steamy book series, then burned up TV screens around the world. Now heated rivalry is getting ready to set the stage ablaze as well. The hockey romance has been adapted into a satirical off-Broadway musical. The CBC's Christine Pagulian takes us behind the curtain. Patrick, Patrick. That's Shane Hollander. Well, a musical version of the popular character

in the new, Heeded Rivalry, the Unauthorized Musical Parity. Canada is Shane Hollander. You're an awesome player to watch. Within 20 minutes of watching the first episode of the TV show, writer Dylan Markerell was hooked. So I started taking notes, trying to down everything that I love.

And then I get to just, like, look at all those notes later and be like, Now, what if this were a musical? The answer to that question led to sold-out concert readings and an off-Broadway run. Mark Orrell describes the piece as comedic mashup grounded in Broadway pop culture fandom that nods to sweeping show tunes in Anastasia and Chess. The show also embraces cheeky, campy numbers that blend ballet-inspired hockey choreography with high school musical energy.

You gotta get you, get you head in the game. Canadian director Alan Clifford describes the lightning fast two-month leap to the stage, not as a challenge, but as a happy accident that resulted from the TV show's cultural momentum. You know, I'm such a huge fan of the show itself that it's, this is a love letter to the show. To get the show ready for a theater crowd, a seasoned Broadway cast was a assembled, including Jim and Moon as Shane and Jay Armstrong Johnson as Ilya. It seemed like a perfect opportunity for something fun and ridiculous. Armstrong Johnson signed on without an audition, arriving at the first rehearsal, expecting

to wing Ilya's signature Russian accent, but the creative team insisted on authenticity. So he hired a dialect coach, just as Connor Story did for the TV show. Connor and I both from Texas, so we're both curly-headed boys from Texas. So, you know, I'm really taking his inspiration and trying to do right by him. Some online critics say they fear the parody will be disrespectful and veer toward homophobia. But Armstrong Johnson says it comes from a place of love. This was written by a queer person and acted by queer people and directed by a queer person. So homophobia has no place in this.

For now, off-Broadway offers the biggest stage to keep heated rivalry's spirit alive. But Clifford, who also helped launch the Tony-nominated Broadway musical, Titanic, says bringing the production to Canada is at the top of his wish list. People would eat this thing up, and I feel like a lot of people would come into theaters that probably wouldn't normally come into a theater, and I think that is really what we want to accomplish. With the second season of the TV series slated for April 2027, the musical parody has its big opening night on May 10th.

Christine Pugolian, CBC News, Toronto. And finally tonight, Drake is raising his own status as national treasure on pace now to shatter records with his three new albums. According to projections, the Canadian rapper could have a record 42 songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Country singer Morgan Wallin holds the current record with 37 tracks on the chart at one time.

It's all thanks to Drake's latest album drop earlier this month in the form of a trilogy, Iceman, Habibti, and Made of Honor, with hit tracks like this one on track to rake in more accolades for one of Toronto's biggest ambassadors. While Iceman had been teased for months ahead of time, the existence of the other two albums

was only announced during a live stream hours before their release. Well, now the trio has claimed the top three positions on the Billboard 200 chart. It's the first time any artist has held the top three spots concurrently since Billboard began its album rankings in 1956. I'm so green you gotta teach me, baby. From Vancouver you'll be a B.C. baby. Now, Iceman was hyped big time ahead of its release.

In a promotional stunt in a downtown Toronto parking lot, installed a massive ice sculpture, weighing about one million pounds and costing over one million dollars. The business case was arguably worth it. Iceman has become Drake's 15th number one album. It's pushed him ahead of Jay-Z for the most number ones among R&B and hip-hop artists. Overall, only one act is ahead of Drake with top albums, that being The Beatles, with a record 19 number one albums. This has been your world tonight for Sunday, May 24th. I'm Tanya Fletcher in Vancouver. Thanks for being with us.

Have a good night. Go to cBC.ca slash podcasts.