Your World Tonight - Israel launches more attacks on Gaza, Gisele Pelicot's memoir, Canada wins its first gold medal in Milan, and more

Episode Date: February 15, 2026

The ceasefire in Gaza is under threat again. Local health officials say nearly a dozen people are dead, after the latest attacks by Israel. They come days before meetings in Washington about Gaza's future. Meanwhile, Israel's government is facing more questions over what it knew about the October 7th attacks.Also: It was the sexual abuse case that sent shockwaves through France and around the world. In 2024, Gisele Pelicot made the extrordinary decision to waive her anonymity during the rape trial of her now former husband. Now, Pelicot has written a memoir, published this week. She recently sat down with Piya Chattopadhyay - host of The Sunday Magazine - in a Canadian broadcast exclusive interview.And: Its now halfway through the Olympic Winter Games in Milan, and Canada's gold medal drought has has finally ended. That win is courtesy of Mikael Kingsbury in dual moguls. Plus: Back to school plans for students and teachers after tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, Growing anxiety among Canadians, and more.

This ascent isn't for everyone. You need grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always over-delivers. You've got to be 6,500 hospital staff, 1,000 doctors, all doing so much with so little. You've got to be Scarborough. Defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing. Donate at lovescarbro.cairro.com.

This is a CBC podcast. Not one of you will ever be forced to go back to that school. We will provide a safe place for you. BC Premier David E.B.'s promise to the students of Tumblr Ridge after the mass shooting at their school. Now officials have to find a way to keep it. This is your world tonight. I'm Stephanie Skandaris.

Also on the podcast, Gaza in mourning once again. New Israeli attacks kill at least 11 people, an already shaky ceasefire is under threat and doubts rise about Donald Trump's so-called Board of Peace. And... It took half the games, but the drought is over. Canada finally gets a gold. The ceasefire in Gaza is under threat again.

Local officials say at least 11 people are dead after the latest attacks by Israel. They come days before meetings in Washington about Gaza's future. and as Israel's government faces more questions over what it knew about the October 7th attacks. Cameron McIntosh reports from Jerusalem. Deaths denounced as a disgrace, with a ceasefire still in effect. In Han Yunus, five bodies are carried into a morgue after one of three separate Israeli attacks in Gaza overnight.

According to my point of view, Israel does not want peace, says Osama al-Ber. Ascar, burying his nephew. They do not want a ceasefire, he says. To the north, a tent city was also struck near Jabalya. Israel says it also targeted a jihadi commander in Gaza City. Strikes the Israeli defense forces say were legal after armed gunmen violated the ceasefire, crossing the yellow line into Israeli-controlled Gaza. It all comes as U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace prepares to hold its first

meeting on Thursday in Washington. We're committed to ensuring Gaza is demilitarized, properly governed, and beautifully rebuilt. Last month in Davos, Trump announced he'll lead and have final say over a multinational body that will oversee the ceasefire and reconstruction of Gaza. Canada and many U.S. allies, including the rest of the G7, are not involved. But about 20 countries, including regional players, are. Sunday, Trump posted five billion. dollars will be pledged to Gaza's reconstruction, including one billion from the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia says it will send up to 8,000 soldiers to enforce the ceasefire.

Amid concerns, the board may undermine the work of agencies already on the ground. Philippe Lazzarini is Commissioner General of UNRWA, the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency. If you get rid of an agency like ours before you have an alternative, you are also creating. a huge vacuum. Remember what happened in Iraq in 2003. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at first, critical of the board, citing undue foreign influence, signed on last week to get Israel a seat at the table. While at home, several protests drew thousands this weekend, calling for an independent inquiry into what the Israeli government knew about October 7 and when, amid reports of intelligence as early as 2018.

Army Olmer, one of hundreds out in Tel Aviv. The government has disappointed us. They have not done what we expected them to do as a leadership. Meanwhile, the task of securing and rebuilding Gaza laid bare this weekend. The bodies of a family recovered after spending 18 months buried under the rubble. They were waiting for the war to be over, says Meij, Merwan, Abu al-Nas, of her 10 dead family members. Her future and the rest of Gaza, now set to be decided by President Trump and his handpicked board. Cameron McIntosh, CBC News, Jerusalem.

Venezuela's lawmakers are debating a law that could free hundreds of political prisoners. The country's been relaxing some repressive measures since the U.S. captured President Nicholas Maduro last month. That has prompted a surge of demonstrations, demanding democratic reforms. Freelance journalist Manuel Rueda has more from Caracas. At Venezuela's central university, hundreds of students gather to demand freedom for the nation's political prisoners. Some carry banners that say free them all.

Others chant slogans against interim president to Delzi Rodriguez. Just weeks ago, these sorts of protests could have landed people in jail. But Venezuela's authoritarian government has relaxed some of its repressive measures. following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by the United States. The new government, led by Maduro's allies, is now under pressure from the U.S. to make political reforms. This is the time to break the chains of fear, says sociology student Moisezurtado.

Changes are happening now, little by little. Since January, about 400 dissidents who were imprisoned under Maduro's rule have been freed, spark in small celebrations around the country, And now Venezuela's Congress is debating an amnesty law that should ensure freedom for hundreds more. These developments have sparked hope among some that Venezuela has taken the first steps towards recovering its democracy. Meanwhile, opposition leaders are resurfacing from hiding and testing the limits imposed on them by the government. The current situation is better than what we were facing before, says former lawmaker, Delsa Solorza.

but our government still can't be described as a democracy. Solorzano spent 17 months in hiding to avoid arrest, living on her own in a secret location and rarely venturing outdoors. She reappeared at the end of January and is now back at her office in Caracas. Solorzano says that an amnesty for political prisoners is only the first step towards a democratic transition. courts need to be reformed, she says, so that they're not used for political persecution. But there are doubts on how far the amnesty will go.

Juan Pablo Guanipa, one of the nation's most well-known opposition leaders, was released from prison early in February. We celebrated his freedom by leading a motorcade through the streets of Caracas, calling on the people to fight for democracy and liberty in Venezuela. A few hours after that Venezuela a few hours after that speech, Guanipa was arrested by officials who said he had violated the terms of his release. The opposition leader is now under house arrest

and is banned from speaking to the media. His case, a sober and reminder that there is still a limit to what Venezuela's government will tolerate. Manuel Rueda for CBC News, Caracas. Still ahead, a harrowing and heavy story that led to changes around laws about consent in France. Giselle Pelico was drugged and raped by her husband and dozens of men. Her name known because she allowed it.

Now she's written a memoir, and CBC's Pia Chattapadai has the Canadian broadcast exclusive interview. You'll hear all about it coming up on your world tonight. It's a long weekend for millions of Canadian children, but for those in Tumblr Ridge, B.C., there is no holiday. from their grief. Eight people were shot dead, six of them inside their school. Now local officials are deciding when and where classes should resume. Julia Wong has that story. There is a stillness in Tumblr Ridge, BC. The only sound, the wind, as it rustles through the flowers, cards, and other mementos left at an ever-growing memorial for victims of the mass shooting.

Last week, the serenity of the tiny community was broken. a shooter killed eight people, the vast majority young students inside Tumblr Ridge Secondary School. Police tape around the school, a crime scene, is no longer there. R. CMP say the scene has been turned over to the school district. The BC Premier David Eby Friday made this commitment to students here. I am sure you are anxious about having to go back to that school and I will promise you that not one of you will ever be forced to go back to that. school. We will provide a safe place for you to go to school. Chad Anderson is the board chair for the school district.

We need to put in place a back-to-school plan so that students can get back to their education and get back to a daily schedule that's familiar to them, but that building is not an option at this stage. So other options are being explored and details being worked out. Anderson says there will be a phased-in approach when students and teachers eventually go back to school. Obviously, no one is going to be forced back to school on a given date, but we want to make that available to students as soon as we possibly can

and let them come back and feel safe in a safe place. Anderson says he's thankful for the lockdown drills the district put in place, saying the shooting could have been much worse. The district is now doing a security review. We have a number of layers of safety that worked in this case, but of course we certainly await information from the RCMP on obviously what went wrong in this case. Shannon Behan is president of the BC Principals and Vice Principal's Association.

BC schools are safe schools. They're safe places. And there's training for all educators in BC schools. But she says after this, smash shooting, other school districts are likely re-examining their safety protocols. Are the staff adequately trained? Do they need more training? If so, that will be in place. As for those in this tiny community, life here will never be the same. But it will move one step closer to normal when back-to-school details are released later this week. Julia Wong, CBC News, Tumblr Ridge, British Columbia.

Ottawa's latest defense strategy aims to help small and medium-sized Canadian businesses. The $6.6 billion plan aims to move away from over-reliance on U.S. firms for military needs and to prioritize equipment made in Canada. The document sets an ambitious goal of awarding 70% of federal contracts to Canadian firms within a decade. The strategy was meant to be released a few days ago, but was delayed because of the school shooting in northern B.C. An official announcement is expected this coming week. In Winnipeg, alarms ring out as water fills the city's police headquarters. The flooding broke out Saturday night in what was at first thought to be a burst pipe,

but police say it was actually caused by two people, opening multiple emergency supply valves in the upper stairwells of the building. No one was injured, but the water has caused extensive flooding damage. A 51-year-old man and 36-year-old woman have been arrested and are facing mischief charges. AI's hunger for more electricity is driving more demand for uranium and a project proposed in the Athabasca Basin

near the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan is aiming to feed that hunger. As Helena Mahalik explains, the NextGen Energy Plan is now in the hands of regulators. It's got the ability to take Saskatchewan and Canada back to being the number one producer of nuclear fuel.

NextGen CEO, Lee Kerr, says they submitted the project to the provincial and federal government in 2019. The province approved the mine back in 2023, but now it's up to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to decide if next gen gets a license to build and operate a mine and mill site. Out of the 48 statements submitted, 42 were for the project. Currier says people are excited about a nuclear-powered future. AI and the advent of data center has been constructed. hundreds of billions of dollars being invested

into data centers around the world. They've got to be powered. Globally, the demand for uranium is greater than ever before. If approved, the Rook 1 mine could produce 14 million kilograms of uranium annually, which would make Canada the world's biggest global uranium and nuclear power provider. NextGen estimates the mine would generate $38 billion in federal revenue during its 24-year duration. The proposed site is in the traditional territory of many First Nations communities who have unanimously agreed to support the project.

Rodney Lapreys is the implementation coordinator for Birch Nero's First Nation and NextGen. He says the community is cautiously optimistic. I think there's a lot of hesitation because of the past mining experiences of the community has gone through. That process had no community or cultural involvement whatsoever. NextGen has committed that, 75% of this project's workforce will be indigenous. The impact on the land, also a major topic of conversation at the hearing. Concerns were raised about the possible impact on water and traditional hunting lands.

The mine proposal passed Ottawa's environmental assessment. But LaPriez says it's essential. The land and animals are top of mind. Our connection to the land is lived every day. It's who we are. It's our identity. Candice Salmon, the Safety Commission's registrar, says it's one of 13 points the Commission is evaluating after the hearing. They look at a lot of environmental issues such as water and fish and all of the sort of habitat thing.

The safety agency has 120 days from the end of the hearings to make a decision on NextGen's mind proposal. Helena Mahalik, CBC News, Saskatoon. It was the sexual abuse case that sent shockwaves through France and around the world. In 2012, Giselle Pellicoe made the extraordinary decision to waive her anonymity during the rape trial of her now former husband. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging and raping her, and 50 other men he let sexually abuse her were also found guilty. Giselle Pellico has written a memoir, published this week. She recently sat down with Pia Chattapadai, host of the Sunday magazine, in a Canadian broadcast exclusive interview. Pia tells us about that conversation.

Yeah, the world first met Giselle Pellicoe in late 2024, bravely coming to court during the trial of her husband and these other men. Two years later, how is her recovery going? I think the short answer is better. Giselle says the trial actually helped her to look inward, to take stock, and now she's trying to build herself back up from what she describes as ruins. But of course, this is a long road. Everyone has her own coping mechanisms. What really struck me, Stephanie, is that she isn't angry. isn't resentful or jaded.

She doesn't even hate the man she was married to for nearly 50 years. Here's what she said to me about that. My whole life, my focus had been my family. Everyone has to find their own strategy to cope with these memories. I just kept the good ones. I mean, we shared some beautiful moments. We had three children, and we can't forget that. We have to cling to the good things.

Otherwise, it's hard to survive all this. And Stephanie, it's really important for Giselle to, she pointed this out both in her book and in our conversation, that she doesn't see her former husband, Dominique Pellicoe, as a monster, but as a human being who did monstrous things. So remarkable that she can even feel that way. Of course, we all came to know who she is because she waived her legal right to anonymity as a victim. And then when she attended the trial, there were these enormous protests outside the courthouse and across France. Support that continues to resonate. How does she feel about making that decision? This decision is so interesting because unlike Canada in France,

sexual assault trials are closed. The media can't go and the public can't go in. So for her to even ask for her anonymity to be waived was huge. We talked a lot about that outpouring of support. She's definitely proud, though Giselle doesn't like that word. She doesn't sit perfectly well with her. She describes herself more as a symbol or as a battle flag. Here's how she reflected on her decision and all the support she received.

I would say the decision was helpful to society because so many women supported me during this trial because I think they saw themselves in my story. There were also all these other victims that hadn't been recognized. It took some reflection, but I decided that shame, it's always the victims that carry shame, not the accused. I might not have done it at 20 or 30. Today I'm 73.

I was 70 at the time of the trial. So I took the dive. And it sparked major change. The Pelico case spurred legal changes in France. Consent is now required under French law. So what other changes does Giselle Pelico want to see? Well, remember, she was drugged by Dominique Pelico using common prescription drugs that are usually prescribed for anxiety and things like muscle relaxants.

He put them in her food and her drinks. So easily accessible drugs for the most part, Stephanie. And she says this tool of sexual violence is more common than people like to think. but it's not often talked about. She also says that cultural attitudes have to change. For example, during the trial, there were legal debates about whether the word rape should even be used when that's exactly what this was. And Dominique Pellicoe had no problems in recruiting dozens and dozens of men from in and around their small town in France. So she says the changes about consent are important, but a small first step with a long way to go.

And that education needs to start at a very young age. So a long way to go. But for now, what is next for a year? Giselle Pelico. She is happy. She has fallen in love again. I met her partner when we were in Paris. Giselle says she wants to spend her remaining years doing things that she loves, going for walks on the beach, traveling. And she says to try and return to a normal, peaceful life to allow herself to be happy again. And I'm sure that's what everyone who supported her through all of this really wants. Pia, thank you so much. You're welcome. You can listen to Pia's full interview with Giselle Pelico at cbc.c.c.

and you can watch highlights tonight on the national. We already know issues like the rising cost of groceries or housing or giving Canadians grief. New research suggests another factor, the constant threats and insults coming from the Trump administration. And the way the global international order is rapidly changing is leading to real anxiety. Karen Pauls tells us more. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that? Prime Minister Carney and Canada caved to prime. President Trump. This is a red line.

Become the 51st state. My Canadian heart just got ripped apart. Lily Wexu is from Montreal, but now lives and works in Los Angeles. She's feeling helpless and scared when she hears President Donald Trump threatening Canada with annexation

and economic ruin. Any talk of assaulting my country in any way, whether it's economic or territorially, I mean, I could cry right now. She's not the only one struggling. According to a recent Angus Reid poll, four and five Canadians are feeling more fear than hope about the Canada-U.S. relationship in the year ahead. Canadians were asked if they feel Trump will pursue more military operations like in Venezuela or if they feel that was an isolated incident.

Three-quarters say they expect more to come. We're just live in a world where I think none of us are going to be safe. People in the north have been watching the US threats on Greenland. Some, like Titus Alulu, say they're worried about northern sovereignty. Inuit in Canada would be impacted, he says. If you look at Alaska, it's an American state. And if Greenland were to become an American state, Canada is right in the middle. Then there are newcomers who know what happens when threats become reality.

You have to move somewhere else to stay. safe. Yaroslav Javner is a Ukrainian man who moved to Winnipeg from Poland in July 22. His wife and three children joined him from Lviv, Ukraine, three months later. They chose Canada because it was safe. Javner says his wife feels a lot of anxiety and his children have questions. All he can do is tell them they're safe. Just keep working, keep living. It feels really vulnerable. Carolyn Closson is a therapist at Wired for Connection in Winnipeg. She says those are all valid feelings that can feel even worse if someone has already experienced violation, disrespect, and lack of consent. So for people who have experienced global conflict in their neighborhood and then came here for safety, this can be a very difficult time.

While it's important to stay informed and understand how threats and insecurity impacts people, Klausen recommends managing news and social media consumption and finding people or a community. for support. And we need each other like we need food, water and oxygen. And when we share our distress, we are able to manage it better. Lily Wex, who says she's practicing self-care. Still, she worries for loved ones in Canada, especially with talk of referendums on sovereignty in Alberta and Quebec. We need to come together as Canadians. A lot of bad things can happen when a population is divided. Karen Paul's, CBC News, Winnipeg. You're listening to Your World Tonight from CBC News. And if you want to make sure you never miss one of our episodes,

follow us on Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. Just find the follow button and lock us in. Halfway through the winter games now and Canada's gold medal drought has finally ended. Despite having nine medals, not a single one was the top prize. That all changed today thanks to a man they call the King. Sarah Levitt has more from Livigno, Italy. There it is.

May Kill Kingsbury. The relief. The king, the legend. The long-awaited win. Canada's golden moment courtesy Mikhail Kingsbury in Dual Mogos. Day 9 of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, and finally the Canadian anthem played for all to hear. Time, second, deck! Mikhail King's Bureau! Mikhail Kempiru'll be your Olympic gold champions.

It was an epic finish up against one of his biggest rivals in the sport, Japan's Ikuma Horishima. Gold. Gold. How's it feel? Unreal. Incredible. I couldn't ask for a better day.

With a silver and now a gold, the man from De Montagne, Quebec, is the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history. And watching all along has been family, including partner Lawrence and his 18-month-old son, Enrique. Since his son was born, Kingsbury says it's changed his perspective. While competing at an elite level continued, he says his top priority is his family. In fact, all three medalists Sunday or fathers to toddlers.

After the medal ceremony, the men gathered with their partners and kids showing a moment of kinship amidst the competition. The three dads, we did in the World Cup at the World Championship, And I remember in an interview at the World Championship, I said, why not do it at the Olympics? I was nervous. I've been nervous a couple of times. Also watching in Livigno, Canada's Secretary of Sport, Adam Van Coverden, an Olympian himself. It was such a thrill. Everybody is so proud of Mikhail. And every single athlete, regardless of which country they're from, respects him so much.

He's not just the king of Canadian freestyle skiing. He's the king of freestyle skiing. Kingsbury says it's his last Olympics and, Willsbury. What a way to exit. He's now got three silvers and two golds over four winter games. Kingsbury hasn't said, though, if he'll retire from competition completely, saying he wants to see how his body is doing, and if he still has it in him to continue. Sarah Levitt, CBC News, Livigno, Italy.

That victory broke Canada's longest gold medal drought ever at the Olympic Games. Canada's slow start comes as Italy, the host country, is having a record. year. Breyer Stewart has more on that from Milan. At short track speed skating last night, Canadians cheered on William D'anjanoe, who was last year's world champion in the 1500 meters. Canadian William Dengenu is on that front line. For the vast majority of the race, he was in metal contention until the final lap. He ended up in fifth.

There was no Canadian medal, but there was still excitement among the fans in the arena. It was looking good for a while. It was looking really good for a while, but what are you getting? We're not giving up. We've got it. Lots more to go. Olympic champion representing Canada. By midday Sunday in Italy, Mikhail Kingsbury had won gold in the new event, dual moguls.

It was Canada's first gold medal of the Games and came later than usual. At the Beijing Games in 2022, Canada had already won 14 medals by day 9 of the Olympics, 16 medals by the same mark at the Games in Pyongchang. So far in Italy, Canada has nine. We want to be competitive with where we've been in the past years, that's for sure. Jennifer Hyle won a gold medal at the Turin Olympics 20 years ago in Moguls and his team Canada's chef de Michant this year. To me, excellence looks like putting yourself in the mix.

And so we have done that. We've also known that the most of our medals we're going to come in the second week and the most of our gold medals. There are still plenty of medals up for grabs, including in hockey, where it's expected that both the men's team and the women's team will easily reach the podium. While it's not clear how Canada's Olympic run will ultimately compare to previous years, Italy is having its best Winter Olympics ever.

Over at Casa Italia, there's an exhibition created for the Olympics. Italian fans check out displays and watch a screen streaming the events. On a wall there's a table tracking Italy's growing medal tally, 22 so far, eight of them gold. Oh my God, yeah, Team Italy is doing good. Lucia and Martino, who would only give CBC their first names, say Italy's success has made them winter Olympic fans. I'm watching all the sports, even at work,

but in my office everyone is cheering. I was not expecting that, but I'm really following. the games and it's very exciting to see the athletes perform. An Olympic champion representing Italy. As host nation, Italy automatically qualifies for every event and has made it a priority to try and win big at home. Breyer Stewart, CBC News, Milan. Hello out there, we're on the air.

It's hockey night. A lot of people probably thinking about Olympic hockey right now, with Canada's men fresh off a massive win over France, and the women taking on Switzerland in the semi-final tomorrow. The hockey song? Probably the ultimate tribute to Canada's game, by, of course, stomping Tom Connors. In St. John New Brunswick, people want a tribute to Stompin Tom,

a statue in the place he was born. Stompin'all's there left a bingo and the boys are getting stinkle, we think no more to vingo on a Sudbury Saturday night. Stump and Tom already has a statue in Sudbury that was put up in 2015, two years after he died. But the New Brunswick group says he should be remembered in his hometown, where he was born in 1936. I've been of the weird man. I've been ugly wear a man. Cross a desert spear man. I breathe the mountains air man. They say his story is one of hardship and grit. Young Charles Thomas Connors and his mother leaving St. John in search of work

before his mom was jailed for stealing groceries, and he was placed in orphanage. The group says it's a story of breaking through, making something great out of humble beginnings, and that resonates with St. Johners. I've been all across this country from the east coast to the west, and I've been asked about a thousand times what places I like best. Here's more of Stompin' Tom, singing about Canada at a time we're all coming together on your world tonight. I'm Stephanie Scandaris.

Good night. Just take a little piece of P.E.I. And old Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Quebec and Newfoundland, Alberta and Manitoba, Ontario and Manitoba, Ontario, NBC, and you'll have found the stomping grounds of all my friends and me, and you'll have found the stomping grounds of all my friends and me. For more CBC podcasts, go to cBC.ca.ca.com.