Your World Tonight - Rafah border crossing opening, Iran - U.S. tensions, NHL players at the Olympics, and more

Episode Date: February 1, 2026

There is growing desperation for those in Gaza to leave for medical help and for aid to get in. The Rafah border crossing with Egypt is supposed to reopen, after Israel closed it two years ago. But significant help is yet to come in or out.Also: Iran's Supreme Leader is trying to deter U.S. aggression - warning the Americans, any attack on Iran would spark a wider war in the Middle East. Those comments come as the U.S. boosts its military presence in the region and President Donald Trump urges Iran to come to the table and negotiate a nuclear deal. Meanwhile, Iranians in this country tell CBC News they're feeling anxious about their family thousands of kilometres away, in the wake of deadly protests. And: After a 12 year pause, NHL players are returning to the Olympics. Expectations are high - especially for one matchup that, in this moment, seems to represent more than sport. CBC is in Milan with a preview.Plus: New victim comes forward in Epstein case, Conservative party convention wraps up, Myanmar election, and more.

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This is a CBC podcast. My family needs a medical assistant. There is no medicine available in Gaza. There is no hospitals and no more doctors here in Gaza. Desperation to leave Gaza for medical help and for aid to get in. The Rafa border crossing with Egypt is supposed to reopen after Israel closed it two years ago. But significant help is yet to come in or out. Israel has launched new, intense, air strikes.

This is your world tonight. I'm Stephanie Skandaris. Also on the podcast, the latest drop of Epstein documents leads to further allegations against Andrew Mountbatten, Windsor. And they're killing us here in Canada as a Canadian citizen. I really don't know what's going on over there. Iranians in Canada speak out about losing their loved ones in Iran's deadly protests. The Rafa border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip was supposed to be allowed to start opening today.

It was closed by Israel almost two years ago. People seeking medical care are trying to leave Gaza and aid is trying to get in. But despite lineups on both sides, there seem to be little movement on Sunday. For more, we reached the CBC's Sasha Petrissik, who's in Jerusalem. Sasha, what do we know about the opening of this really critical crossing between Gaza and Egypt? It is very critical, Stephanie. We're told that about 50 people who need medical treatment are scheduled to go into Egypt tomorrow. Their paperwork was being done today and other final arrangements were being made for the

crossings to begin. In Egypt, we saw ambulances and buses lined up all day today, along with aid trucks, waiting to enter into Gaza. But it's the movement of Palestinians in and out that's most anticipated because people have felt trapped in the middle of a war, as you can imagine, for the past two years with no way in or out. So there is excitement, but there's also concern in Gaza. And that centers around the fact that Israel says Palestinians who left since the war started will be allowed to return. But Gazans are skeptical because they think that Israel is trying to push them out through this process.

There's one man we spoke to today. Ahmed Abu Daud says he's torn because his family does need medical help outside and for that reason they want to go but he also worries about the future. This is what he said. We are very afraid to get out Gaza and could not come back to Gaza.

We are expecting that the Israeli forces will make problems, delaying many complications in moving out the people of Gaza. Now, the process is not going to be easy, even if everything goes smoothly. There will be multiple security checks for every person leaving and coming back by Israel's spy agencies, by Egypt, by Palestinian officials, overseeing the Gaza side of the crossing,

and by European Union officials who are overseeing that part of the process too. So only about 150 people are expected to cross every day. and there are an estimated 20,000 who need to leave for medical reasons. So this is going to be a long process. What about the bigger picture of the instability that's still happening within the Gaza Strip itself? Because despite this ceasefire, there are still ongoing attacks and violence happening. What can you tell us about that? It has been a very, very shaky ceasefire.

And both sides blame each other for violations. Just Saturday, we saw one of the worst days of fighting since the ceasefire started three months ago. At least 30 Palestinians were killed. Now, Israel says that Hamas fighters came out of a tunnel and attacked them, and that triggered Israeli airstrikes. But those airstrikes hit a police station in a tent city, and among the dead are women and children and other people who got in the way, as they have throughout this conflict.

that's exactly the kind of flare-up that we've seen throughout the past months of this ceasefire, and it's what's led to the delays in opening the Rafa crossing. So with attacks still happening and the level of destruction that has already occurred, obviously people still need help. You mentioned those aid trucks trying to get in to Gaza, but not all of them are being allowed, right? What's the latest there? There have been delays on aid, and what's maybe even more critical right now,

is that Israel has told a number of NGOs, critical NGOs, who work in Gaza, that they will soon have to leave if they don't hand over the lists of all of their local employees. Medcines Saint Frontier, Doctors Without Borders, is one of those that is going to be kicked out because they are not going to hand over the lists of their employees. they say that that's a danger to them. Israel maintains, and it has said that some of those employees are active in terrorist organizations, but they haven't provided any proof of that. So this standoff will end with MSF being kicked out. It's one of the biggest NGOs working there, but there are 36 others who are in exactly the same situation,

and it's going to have an impact on the ground. A number of countries, including Canada, have said that this is going to have a severe impact and have complained to Israel, but that doesn't seem to have changed anybody's minds. And meanwhile, the people who can't get out still need help. Sasha, thank you so much. My pleasure, Stephanie. The CBC's Sasha Petrissik in Jerusalem.

Iran's supreme leader is trying to deter U.S. aggression, warning the Americans any attack on Iran would spark a wider war in the Middle East. Those comments come as the U.S. boosts its military presence in the region, and President Donald Trump urges Iran to come to the table and negotiate a nuclear deal. Aaron Collins reports from Washington. We do have very big powerful ships in the heading of that direction. On board Air Force won a not-so-veiled threat from Donald Trump, the president reminding Iran that the U.S. is amassed an armada on its front door. The show of force, an attempt to kickstart negotiations with the country. Make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons.

They said they should do that, but I don't know that they will, but they are talking to us. Seriously talking to. The U.S. wants Iran to stop enriching uranium and dispose of current stockpiles, as well as demanding limits on the range of the country's ballistic missiles and an end to Iran's support for proxy groups in the region like Hamas and Hezbollah. A meaningful negotiation should be based on trust. Iran's foreign minister says his country is willing to talk, but Abbas Arachi says Iran no longer trusts the U.S.

But Arachi says Iran is working with other countries in the region to help find common ground. President Trump said no nuclear weapons, and we are fully agree. We fully agree with that. That could be a very good deal. Of course, in return, we expect sanction lifting. Iran remains a country divided, familiar chance of death to America ring out in Tehran, echoing on streets displaying billboards with coffins draped with U.S. and Israeli flags. But across Iran, protesters against the regime have clogged those same streets in recent weeks.

Thousands believed to have been killed as the state violently cracked down on dissent. One thing many Iranians do agree on another military conflict should be avoided. The country still reeling after its 12-day war with Israel in June. I am 100% against war, this man says, and a warning from the country's supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says an attack on Iran would lead to a broader regional conflict. The latest U.S. build-up comes as Iran was expected to conduct live-fire military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz today. They didn't, but experts worry a wider conflict could disrupt the global economy. Sajun Gohel is the International Security Director at the Asia Pacific Foundation.

20% of the global oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. So Iran doesn't necessarily need to close it. Disruption alone in the strait of homoids would cause a massive spike in energy prices. President Trump responded to those threats from Iran's leader today, saying he hoped a deal would get done in the coming days. But that if it didn't emerge, we would find out if Iran's supreme leader was right. Aaron Collins, CBC News, Washington. In Toronto.

Thousands rally in support. of those anti-government protests in Iran, many waving Iran's pre-revolutionary flag. As the bloody protests in that country drag on, Iranians here tell CBC News, they're feeling anxious about their family, thousands of kilometers away. Michelle Song has more. I just wish no one, no one never see this kind of picture of the love part. It was almost like a nightmare come to life for Tayebe Poshdari. She found out her second cousin.

were killed in Iran through social media. I can say for one hour, I just shivering because I shocked of this news. Vahid and Hamid Arzanu protested on the streets of Tehran on January 8th. The same day, Iranian authorities imposed an internet shutdown. Pashdare says Iranian forces shot her cousins. They both died from their injuries in hospital, and she can't even send her condolences to her extended family. killing us here in Canada as a Canadian citizens. I really don't know what's going on over there.

With little information coming from inside the country, the exact death toll is disputed. Iran's government says more than 3,000 people died during the protests that started more than a month ago, while some human rights organizations say that is an undercount. Activist and professor at the University of Toronto, Mississauga, Arsulon-Konem-Muipur, says he believes tens of thousands of people have died. Because we're talking about truckloads of bodies. These are, again, several reports like that, filled with bodies, being thrown in various places, maybe close to cemeteries and people or hospitals sometimes.

Ariye Shehi works for the human rights organization Henghaw, which has been trying to verify the deaths of individual protesters in Iran. But Shehi says they're careful about citing exact figures. And it's such a big responsibility in this people's life. So we have been trying to avoid giving numbers and trying to get more information on the people who have been killed. To not let this people just become a data. Yasamon lives in Toronto. CBC News isn't using her full name over safety concerns for her family in Iran.

She's speaking out for her aunt, who was shot in the leg at a protest and bled to death in hospital. If she died, it has to be for a good reason. And I hope that my voice can save others who are still alive and are trapped in that country. But fear is still in control. As she says, her family members are afraid to share too much. So we're pretty much just having vague conversations. Hi, we're fine. How are you? But that's that.

We cannot ask any further questions. we do not dare to ask any further questions. Blackout restrictions are gradually easing, yet the full scope of what's happening in Iran is still unknown. Michelle Song, CBC News, Toronto. Meanwhile, the co-writer of the Oscar-nominated drama, it was just an accident, has been arrested in Tehran this weekend. Medi Mamudian was detained after signing an open letter

condemning Iran's supreme leader. Two other co-signers were also, arrested. The movie's director, Jafar Panahi, also signed the letter. Late last year, Panahi was sentenced in absentia to one year in prison on charges that he engaged in propaganda activities against the state. Still ahead, one of the greatest rivalries in sports is heating up again on the ice. Teams Canada and USA are getting ready to battle it out for Olympic hockey gold in Milan. And this year, NHL players are back.

CBC's chief correspondent Adrian Arsenault is in Milan with a preview that's coming up on Your World Tonight. There are new allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor linked to Jeffrey Epstein. The BBC is reporting another alleged victim has come forward. On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice released millions of documents related to the Epstein files, including photos of a man who appears to be the former prince. Philip Lyshenock reports. there are certain people that Prince Andrew hurt. The BBC reports that another woman has come forward alleging that she was sent to Prince Andrew,

as he was known then, by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for a sexual encounter. The claims have not been independently verified by CBC News. Her lawyer, Brad Edwards, told the BBC the allegations date back to 2010 when the woman was in her 20s. And she even, after a night with Prince Andrew, had a tour of Buckingham Palace. Edwards has represented more than 200 Epstein survivors, including one of the best known, Virginia Joufrey. Jufre alleged she was 17 when she was trafficked by Epstein to London in 2001

to have sex with the former prince who repeatedly denied her claims. We have nothing to hide. Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department released millions of documents Friday and are facing criticism by victims who say they're heavily redacted to protect perpetrators while some of their names have been revealed. Todd Blanche is Deputy Attorney General. We are talking about a review of 3.5 million pieces of paper. Every time we hear from a victim of their lawyer that they believe that their name was not properly redacted, we immediately rectify that. They expose some of what he has already said in public to be untrue.

Hannah Furness, royal editor of the Telegraph, says, as the files show the former prince remained in contact with Epstein after his conviction for soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl. These emails and messages show that they kept in contact a long time after that, that they were sending war messages to one another exchanging Christmas cards. Freness says there's now more pressure on Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, as he's now known, to speak to authorities. This is about what he saw when he was spending time with Epstein and Gellane Maxwell.

What did he see and what did he know that could help bring up? justice for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. The files also include pictures appearing to show Andrew crouching over an unidentified woman lying on the floor. It's a very disturbing image. Steve Reed, the UK Secretary of State for Housing, repeated British Prime Minister Kier Starmor's call for the former prince to cooperate with investigators.

The way that we can help those victims is for anybody who has any insight or information about what went on to come forward and testify. Andrew Mountbatten, Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has offered no further comment. Philip LeShanock, CBC News, Toronto. The federal conservatives are standing by their leader. But after a successful party convention,

the focus now turns to what Pierre Pollyev could do to try to become the next Prime Minister. Rafi Bucanian charts the political path ahead. When you care about something, you work for it. Conservative leader Pierre Poliev, seizing on the first success he's had in months, addressing delegates at the party's convention in Calgary. When you believe in something, you fight for it. And most of all, when you start something, you never give up.

But getting 87% of this partisan crowd to give him their thumbs up was the easy part. Now comes the challenge of convincing Canadians, Just last April, they put a minority liberal government back in power as the country was seized with a Canada-U-S trade war. We have a leader that's a litigator and up to the job, and our parties endorsed that. Shuvolo and Majumdar is a Calgary Conservative MP. He says Paulyev is already focusing on issues that resonate nationally, affordability and the cost of living.

It's certainly something a result of thousands of conversations across the country. We know our movement is strong, hopeful, united. But nowhere in Paulyev's speech following the leadership, following the leadership vote was a direct reference to U.S. President Donald Trump. There's obviously our relationship with the United States. Jenny Byrne ran Poliev's general election campaign last year. Some within the conservative movement criticized it for not pivoting to Trump's economic threat. Burn now says the party should link Canada's changed relationship with the U.S. to its affordability message.

It's staying on top of things, being adaptable, and seeing how that is actually going to affect Canadian's day-to-day life. One more challenge for Pahliav, a weakened NDP. The party nearly wiped out after last year's election is holding a leadership race. And if it cannot rebuild before the next time Canadians go to the polls... That is just absolute death for the Conservatives. Eric Grenier is a polling analyst. He says the Conservatives need a stronger NDP to split the progressive vote.

The Conservatives cannot win an election if the NDP is in single digits or even in the low teens. They need the NDB to come back to be where it was before. And though a federal vote may not be in the near future, by elections could soon test Palliev, including one in the downtown Toronto writing, typically a liberal stronghold to replace former cabinet minister Christia Freeland where the liberals are the only party that have named the candidate. Rafi Bucucan, on the CBC News, Arroy.

In Switzerland, another person has died following the fire at a ski resort bar during a New Year's Eve party. A Swiss prosecutor says an 18-year-old burn victim died of their injuries on Saturday. That brings the total number of deaths from the fire to 41. More than half of those killed were teenagers, more than a hundred people were injured. An investigation into the fire and the owners of the bar is still ongoing. A military-backed party has won a sweeping victory in Myanmar's general election. The multi-phase vote was the first election since the military toppled the government in a coup d'a five years ago. That coup led to a civil

war, the crushing of all dissent, and the banning of any independent media. Freelance reporter Adam Bemma now with a story of journalists in exile, still covering their native country from neighboring Thailand. At a nondescript building in Thailand, the Democratic voice of Burma broadcast news via satellite into Myanmar, also known as Burma. I've been covering news about Burma over 30 years. This is the most situation I have ever seen. A-chan Nang is DVB's co-founder and chief editor.

I can't find what to describe, you know, how brutal they are. A-chan refers to the military dictatorship that has killed thousands of its pro-democracy opponents. More than 5 million people have been displaced during the Civil War. According to the United Nations, Myanmar in Southeast Asia is emerging from decades of military rule. DVB once ran its news operations out of Yankegee. Myanmar's largest city. During the country's touted transition to democracy and the election of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy in 2016.

The NLD won a second landslide victory in the 2020 elections. Months later, a coup d'etat reversed that. Aung San Suu Kyi and much of the NLD were detained and DVB was forced out of the country. Five years later, DVB is once again covering elections, this time from exile. Military-run polls, which ended on January 25th, have been called a sham by the UN and several Western countries. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party claimed victory before results were even released. But without the NLD on the ballot, this was expected. The junta disbanded the party three years ago.

This election is not for the people of Burma to elect their own government. This military regime, they're trying to legitimize themselves. With the USDP set to return to government in Myanmar, it will do so without the party that trounced it in the two previous elections. Both considered free and fair by the international community. We all know the military stole the election from the previous government. We don't see this election as a credible. TVB and other independent Myanmar media have united to share resources and funding opportunities this year to keep coverage of Myanmar in the spotlight since protests or any other form of dissent has been crushed by the military.

Adam Bemma for CBC News, Shanghai, Thailand. After a 12-year pause, NHL players are returning to the Olympics and expectations are high, especially for one matchup that in this moment seems to represent more than sport. The CBC's chief correspondent Adrian Arsenault is in Milan. Some team is going to be heartbroken. Seven minutes into the golden goal overtime here. There are always Olympic rivalries, some a little more heated, as it were, than others. And yes, we're talking hockey, Canada versus the U.S.

Crosby, it's over! A pairing so high octane, Team USA and NBC put together an ad. All right, Team USA, listen up. Featuring actor John Hamm, giving a pep talk to the American players in the dressing room. You're going to Milan to bring home the biggest prize of all. Canadian tears. Exactly. Wait, what did Canada do?

Stuff. On the screen, montages of on-ice fights between Americans and Canadians. But they're usually so polite. Not anymore. Really? Most of the ad's fight footage is from. the Four Nations Tournament last year, when both the Canadian and American anthems were booed. And there were three fights in the first nine seconds of one game.

What a start! Canada won that tournament, by the way, and the Canadian men's and women's teams. Canada has won the gold medal. Have won more Olympic gold medals than any other country, just putting that out there. NHLR Sam Reinhardt, who plays with the Florida Panthers, is Canadian to the core, and heading to his first Olympics. He says the American ad doesn't phase him. He likes it.

Who's actually going to be crying in Juan of Katrina? Hopefully happy tears from us afterwards. I can't imagine they enjoyed talking about us in the summer probably filming this. So that's another reason to try and win the Olympics. Oh, yeah, so you got in their heads. Absolutely, yeah. And it seems to keep that up,

CBC built an ad with a team counter response. A montage of Canadians' winning goal to the convenience soundtrack of the weekend's Save Your Tears. From another first-time Canadian Olympian, Brad Marchand, also of the Panthers, you won't hear any of that sort of cockiness, just respect and joy at wearing the Maple Leaf. There's a big rivalry with USA, but that doesn't mean that any team is above any of the other ones in the tournament. Neither is he worried about concerns the Santa Julia Arena may not be finished and the ice a little different from NHL dimensions. If you told me we're sleeping on the streets, I'd be just as happy to go there.

You're not freaked out by the ice? No, I could care less about the ice. You know, we'll play on a pond. Pride and the prospect of a matchup with serious stakes and maybe some of those tears. Adrian Arsena. CBC News, Milan. CBC will have full coverage of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, including all the hockey. The puck drops Thursday in the wisconsin.

Women's Tournament, Team Canada facing off against Finland. The Canadian men will hit the ice on the 11th against Chequia. That'll all be streaming on CBC Gem. And for full event schedules, results, and more, visit cBC.ca slash Milano Cortina 20206. From hockey to music, where the weekend will be saving his tears over the Grammys. He was snubbed from tonight's awards, re-igniting this long-running drama after he was snubbed in 2021, started a boycott, then basically got an apology and gave a surprise performance last year. This year, surprisingly, snubbed again. Other Canadians are in the mix.

Justin Bieber is performing and up for four awards, including album of the year and pop solo. performance for daisies. Calgary's Tate McCray has her first nomination and Montreal's K. Trinada has two. Canadian producer, Circuit, has seven and has already one producer of the year. Drake has won, well, his nemesis, Kendrick Lamar, well, he has the most of anyone this year with nine. But when the Grammy's CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., does interviews about this year, well, he gets asked about the snubs. He says he can't predict what voters will do. So, since you won't hear it on the

Grammys, you can hear it with us. One of the biggest songs of last year. This is the weekend's timeless. On Your World Tonight, I'm Stephanie Skanderas. Thank you for listening. For more CBC Podcasts, go to CBC. For more CBC.ca.ca.ca.