Your World Tonight - Tehran threats, taking the pulse in Cuba, Ontario moves to limit resale tickets, and more

Episode Date: March 20, 2026

Tehran threatens to attack tourist sites and recreational locations worldwide if the U.S. and Israel keep up the bombardment of Iran. The Iranian military says it will hunt down U.S. and Israeli officials. A statement allegedly from the new supreme leader says Iran’s enemies are being defeated.And: Cuba has been buckling under an oil blockade imposed by the US over the past three months. The UN has warned of an impending humanitarian crisis. CBC is on the ground in Havana. As people in the country struggle to buy food, the Cuban government remains defiant.Also: Ontario’s government wants to limit the price of resale tickets for sporting and entertainment events to no more than their original value. Premier Doug Ford already scrapped an anti-scalping law in 2019 that would have capped resale prices at 50 per cent above face value. At the time, his party said that law was unenforceable.Plus: Canadian Muslim families mark Eid amid worries about the Middle East war, Chuck Norris dead, Trump calls NATO nations cowards, and more.

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podcast. The U.S. President says Iran is defeated, but he's not ready to stop the fighting. Tehran is making new threats to start attacking civilian targets worldwide. The bombings and missile attacks across the Middle East are seemingly endless. So is the fear spreading through the global economy. This is your world tonight. I'm Stephanie Skandaris. It's Friday, March 20th, coming up on 6 p.m. Eastern, also on the podcast. The United States is acting like a rogue state, abusing of its power. Cuba feels the effect of an oil blockade enforced by the U.S. But its government remains defiant, accusing Washington of starving Cubans deliberately.

CBC is on the ground in Havana to find out how people are coping. Plus, I think I ultimately ended up paying somewhere between $1,300 and $2,000 per ticket. Tickets to your favorite events are out of reach for many people. Ontario is trying again to put a stop to scalping. Iran says it'll target tourist sites around the world. The regime keeps striking energy facilities across the Gulf. Amid that is a fresh buildup of American troops, sowing more doubt to the hope this war could end anytime soon.

We have full coverage of this story for you tonight, beginning with Katie Simpson from Doha. Iranian missiles light up the sky. in a series of videos broadcast on state television as the regime makes new threats against a broad range of targets. A military spokesman saying Iran will hunt down its enemies, American and Israeli officials, anywhere in the world, including civilian locations, parks and tourist sites.

Also, on Iranian TV? A message reportedly from the new Supreme Leader, a nine-page letter read. by a state broadcaster to mark the start of the Persian New Year. The fact it was a written statement will fuel speculation on the Ayatollah's whereabouts and his condition. He hasn't been seen since he was chosen to replace his father. American officials say he may have been seriously injured in an earlier attack. Iran pushed ahead with its missile attacks.

Israel says it made multiple interceptions, one near Jerusalem's old city walls where debris crashed into a parking lot. Witnesses say they heard warning sirens and took cover. Suddenly, I saw a cannibal just falling above me, and it fell about 200 meters west of me, and heard a real big explosion. Missiles and drones were also intercepted in multiple Gulf region countries aimed at energy infrastructure amid ongoing calls for de-escalation.

I think all Gulf states believe that this conflict will only end in the negotiating table, and the quicker we reach the negotiating table, the better. Rashid al-Mohan Adi is a Doha-based defense and security analyst. He says Gulf region leaders are best positioned to try to mediate, but it won't happen until Iran holds its fire. If the Iranians keep attacking the Gulf, then the Gulf is forced to stay in its current posture, which is defensive and not fully involved in the diplomatic track. The U.S. and Israel also remain on the offensive.

They say hitting a series of military sites in Iran. While in Lebanon, Israeli missiles struck multiple locations as part of what it says is a campaign against Hezbollah militants. Worshippers gathered outside a mosque in Beirut for prayers to mark Eid. Across the region, this would be a time of celebration, the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, and the start of the Persian New Year. But the heavy fighting overshadows some of the joy found in these moments. Katie Simpson, CBC News. Doha. While the fighting grinds into a fourth week, the U.S. President today claims the war is already won. That's as new American troops are dispatched to the Middle East. Paul Hunter explains. On board yet more warships, thousands more U.S. Marines departed San Diego for the Persian Gulf.

Good afternoon, captain. This is warship 27, copy all. Deepening the view by so many, the U.S. is laying the groundwork for a land in invasion in Iran, even as it insists the war has already been militarily won. I want to begin by just saying we're doing extremely well in Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House this morning. Their leaders are all gone. The next set of leaders are all gone. And the next set of leaders are mostly gone. And now nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore. We're having a hard time. We want to talk to them and there's nobody to talk to.

We have nobody to talk to. And you know what? We like it that way. And yet, as Iran continues to retaliate it, keeps the strait of Hormuz effectively closed to international shipping, gutting the global oil industry and frustrating Trump. This morning, he slammed NATO on social media for not agreeing to help reopen the strait. Cowards, he wrote, adding, we will remember. This is a warship 27, standing by on 16. and one three out.

But as more troops head to the Middle East, half of them infantry, the question, what's the plan? I would certainly tee up options for the president. Mark Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense during Trump's first term, says if there's an invasion, the U.S. could go big or go small, maybe just Iran's Karg Island with its critical oil facilities. I think, you know, some type of large-scale operation into the internal part of Iran going after a nuclear site the secure enrichment material would be very complicated, very risky, and would, you know, be a very difficult mission. Now, something short of that where you're trying to seize Karg Island as a leverage point against the Iranians, more doable. But it's a very dangerous scheme. That is the escalation ladder.

Rachel Bronson, an analyst with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, tells CBC News the threat of a land invasion could act as a pressure tactic in the hope Iran eases up. But the Iranians get a vote in this. And I think they're probably salivating at American troops, you know, headed towards their mainland. So we have to be really careful about this. Tonight, Trump was asked straight up. I may have a plan or I may not, but how would I ever say that to a reporter? It's certainly a place that people are talking about, but I can't say.

And with that, he left for the weekend in Florida. Paul Hunter, CBC News, Washington. NATO has pulled personnel out of Iraq, including Canadian military members and civilians. The country has been hit by retaliatory attacks from Iran. The defense minister says the Canadians who were serving on the NATO advisory mission in Iraq are safe and in a secure location. Coming right up, Ontario says it's going to tackle price gouging on ticket sales. It's a welcome move for concert goers, but may not address the real problem. Plus, the cost of gas has been climbing since the U.S. Israel War with Iran started.

You'll hear how that's affecting Canadians and what it would take for prices to drop. And he was a martial arts master with a larger-than-life acting career. Chuck Norris mostly played tough guys. You want to go it the easy way or the hard way? Good, the hard way, huh? Norris died yesterday at the age of 86. We'll look at his life and legacy that's still ahead on your world tonight. If you're one of the thousands of Canadians hoping to go to a World Cup soccer game this summer

or one of the sold-out K-pop concerts in Toronto, you'll likely have to pay big bucks if you're buying a ticket anytime soon. But that's about to change. The Ontario government says it's launching a provincial crackdown on the resale ticket market to prevent price gouging. Michelle's song has the details. Remember when Swift Mania took over Toronto two years ago? Taylor-Swiss-era's tour sold out six shows in the city,

bringing a sea of Swifties from all over the world and driving up resale ticket prices. That quite literally was the Great War. Danny Alexandria had to pay almost quadruple the original ticket price to go to the show. And I think I ultimately ended up, somewhere between $1,300 and $2,000 per ticket. Now Ontario Premier Doug Ford wants to stop that kind of price markup on events in the province by introducing legislation in the coming days,

making it illegal for tickets to be resold for more than their original cost, a move already being welcomed by Torontoians. Yeah, I'd like some lease tickets, actually. So if they're having to be resold at the original price, maybe I'll get to go to a game. Ontario's Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Stan Cho says the time is now to take action. And what we've done is we've leveled the playing field and said no more price gouging. But it's a stark shift from 2019 when Ford acts the previous liberal government's law

that capped resale ticket price increases at 50%. The affordability has increasingly become an issue. So the timing is right now to bring in these measures and the enforcement side. The move comes ahead of some major events in Toronto this summer. It's the only Canadian stop for K-pop Supergroup BTS's summer concert and one of two Canadian locations for the FIFA World Cup. Resale tickets are currently going for thousands of dollars for both events and even $125,000 for one World Cup match.

I think it's really unfortunate for ticketmaster. Brian Barry is the executive director of the Ticket Policy Forum, which represents resale platforms like Stubhubh and GameTime. He says the new rules won't address the root issue. So the impact here is if Ticketmaster gets its dream come true, which is less competition from our marketplaces, it will simply corral all of that consumer searching for tickets into their market, and they will raise price.

But Alexandria hopes the move ultimately allows more people to see world-class entertainment. Live music is a very, very unique experience that I think everybody should have the opportunity to enjoy. Ticketmaster's parent company welcomes the proposal, but the Ticket Policy Forum warns more resellers could go underground and drive up the risk of scams. Michelle Song, CBC News, Toronto. But it's the price of something else that's hurting pocketbooks the most right now and not just in Canada. The cost of gas has skyrocketed around the world since the war began. Julia Wong takes a look at how Canadians are coping with the price jump. I'm a little more than frustrated.

Pain at the pump, aggravating for Kyle Dalmere as he fills up his truck in Ottawa. I've got to re-budget my whole week. And definitely, definitely the flow has to get put into my budget. Gas prices across Canada have climbed in recent weeks as the conflict in the Middle East rages on, hitting 168 a liter in Toronto, 184 in St. John's Newfoundland and more than $2 in Vancouver. Blossy fuel is our business

expense year round. Semi driver Tony Power says it now costs an extra $300 to $400 to fill up his truck. So far, he hasn't passed on the increases to his clients. So every jump in price hurts the Newfoundlander's bottom line.

Well, it comes out of my pocket. My net pay obviously is down. It's also a problem Meals-on-Wills Edmonton can't escape. The not-for-profit has four delivery vehicles. Its gas bill has gone up by about one-third, says Executive Director Adam Zabjunk. We're trying to be as conscientious as possible and make sure that everybody has the most efficient routes, but the reality is we're on the road. That's the only way we can get the meals to our

clients, and we have no other choice but to pay the prices at the pump. expects the organization to ask for more donations and support from the community to bridge the gap. And with no end to the war in sight... It's a challenge for sure. If there was a timeline or a deadline and we could say, okay, we need to weather this until X date, that would be great. But the uncertainty is unfortunately something that we just have to deal with. With paralysis in the street of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy corridors,

Everything, including food and travel, is expected to get more expensive. Bob McNally is the former White House energy advisor to President George W. Bush. Well, unfortunately, Iran has shrewdly played the strongest card it has, the oil and gas card. And it has grabbed a hold of nothing less than the world's jugular, really. It's hard to overstate how important that waterway is, not only for energy, but for agriculture and chemicals. just about everything we do and we need. Meaning Canadians may have to deal with sticker shock on gas and more for quite a while. Julia Wong, CBC News, Edmonton.

The economic crisis in Cuba is getting worse. The country buckling for months under an oil blockade imposed by the U.S. With fuel shortages and blackouts, people are struggling to afford food and basic necessities. Now the U.N. is warning of an impending humanitarian crisis. As the CBC's Jorge Berrera tells us from Havana, the Cuban government remains defiant. At the San Rafael Market, east of Havana's historic center, Magdalia Padron lists vegetables, cassava, cucumber, onions that have shot up in price in hand with U.S. President Donald Trump's, now three-month-long oil blockade

that forced energy prices in Cuba to stop. skyrocket. It's tough, it's tough, we're just holding on, waiting to see what will happen, she says. Padron owns a small restaurant and delivers meals to market vendors. I only get two hours of power a day, says Padron, who was forced to shut down her shop for a month because of the havoc caused by the country's fuel shortage. We can't do anything but wait and see what happens, she says. The tourism industry has almost completely collapsed.

After flights and cruises suspended trips over fuel shortages, says taxi driver Alfredo Hernandez. He drives a 1948 cherry-red Buick convertible, one of over 400 classic cars that operate as taxis for tourists in old Havana. The demand used to be more than services we could offer, he says. Now taxis get 20 liters of gas a day, and local traffic, a fraction of what it was. Gas on the black market goes for $10 U.S. a liter.

The U.S. is trying to choke the Cuban economy to death, he says. Trump's strong arm Mexico and Venezuela to stop sending oil to Cuba. And the U.S. Treasury Department moved Thursday to block a Russian tanker from making a delivery. Therefore, the United States is acting like a rogue state, abusing of its power. Carlos Fernandez-Cosio is Cuba's vice-man. Minister for Foreign Affairs and a former ambassador to Canada. He says Cuba won't bend to the U.S.

We are the down here in every corner of the world that we can. In the Buena Vista neighborhood, Melanie Gonzalez-Barros says she has to go hungry to be able to feed her two children, age one and a half in six months. Her husband makes between $1,000 to $2,000 pesos, roughly $2 to $5,000 Canadian, working from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. a day. She says she wants her children to leave Cuba someday, so they won't have to face this type of hardship.

Jorge Barra, CBC News, Havana, Cuba. Officials in Hawaii have issued an evacuation order of Oahu's North Shore due to severe flooding. Video on social media shows cars and parts of homes submerged in flood waters.

The evacuation order covers more than 4,000 residents advising people to get to higher ground as soon as possible. Multiple storms have pummeled the island with heavy rain over the past week, and officials say the rising water levels could cause a 120-year-old dam to fail. Hawaii's governor says the state's National Guard has been activated to help respond to the flooding. Hollywood martial arts star Chuck Norris has died. The American actor rose to fame with a string of action movies and later became a pop culture legend, the subject of countless viral internet posts celebrating his toughness.

As Magdegebrislasa explains, while beloved by millions, his legacy is complicated. On screen, he battled with Bruce Lee, beat the bad guys in Texas, became internet famous, and got some heat for his views. Born Carlos Ray Norris, but known as Chuck, he parlayed his martial arts moves into a lifetime of lessons in the spotlight. Sculls out. In the 60s, Norris went from mastering martial arts to making his movie debut in the wrecking crew. His big break came in The Way of the Dragon starring Bruce Lee. You had enough? On TV, he was a star too in Walker, Texas Ranger, making a fan of Pablo the Dawn, a culture critic in Florida.

The resident badass of like film and TV and no nonsense is what I think about when I hear his name. Norris flexed his comedy chops with a cameo in Dodgeball. Thank you, Chuck Norris. Thank you, Peter. And inspired viral social media posts poking fun at his legendary strength, introducing him to a younger generation. But he also got hit with backlash. Norris was a vocal supporter of conservative causes,

expressing homophobic views, and together with his wife commented publicly on Obama seeking re-election, something Pablo the Don says complicates his legacy. just like this is clouded and shrouded and racism and it feels baked in and he was a complicated person like we all are. He had his faults and flaws in his characters like we all did. In his later years, Norris kept working. Just 10 days ago, he posted a video on social media showing his boxing moves. I don't age. I level up. But on Thursday, things took a turn. Norris was hospitalized in Hawaii, dying the same day. In a statement, his loved one said he was surrounded

by family at the time and was at peace. Fans at Toronto's Comic-Con shared their shock. I grew up watching those movies with my dad, so the idea that he's gone now, it's sort of like a part of that memory as a whole heartbroken to hear about that recipes to him and his family. In Vancouver stunt coordinator, Loro Chertrand Del Valle, reeling from the news. He worked with Norris on several projects in the past, including Walker, Texas Ranger, and said he was always smiling. I really thought he would live forever.

That's the kind of legend that he was, and he will live on in our hearts and in our minds. And he's such a big inspiration. Fans of the star could get one more chance to see him in a new movie. Zombie plane, his final project, has yet to be released. Norris was 86 years old. Magde Geberra Salasas, CBC News, Toronto. 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. Alberta's government is shutting down the province's first ever supervised drug consumption site. Public safety minister Mike Ellis says the site in Calgary, as well as a mobile service in Lethbridge, will be closed at the end of June. Ellis says it's the next step and the province has moved to a recovery-oriented approach to, addiction. Two other sites, one within Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital and another in red deer, were closed down last year. The closures mean just three supervised consumption sites will remain in Alberta, two in Edmonton and one in Grand Prairie. Celebrations for Eid Elfitter and Noorouz are carrying a significant importance tonight. Eid marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan

and Noruze is the Persian New Year. This year, the war raging across the war raging across the war. the Middle East is having an effect on many here at home. Philip Lyshenock reports. In St. John's Newfoundland, thousands came for the first Eid celebrations at the new Suleiman Dawood Mosque. Housed in a former Catholic church, the Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, says the mosque reflects the province's growing Muslim community. So many people came to morning prayers that a third service had to be added.

In the prayer, we especially mentioned those people, like, who are going through a war, May Allah help them. Samavaya Sahar says for many here in Canada, their thoughts are with loved ones who may be in harm's way. Some of the people who are over here, they have family back home, so they are very upset about it. But for sure, I hope this war ends soon and everything settles in peace. Marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan when the moon is cited,

Muslims celebrate by breaking their fast, exchanging gifts, enjoying delicacies and renewing connections. Dalia Hashim is with the Canadian chapter of the Islamic Society of North America based in Mississauga, Ontario. She says it's painful to compare it this year to happier times. And so to say kind of this year is more or less, it's kind of unfair because I think we've seen in the last couple of years those struggles and those wars and that turmoil, if anything, continues to increase.

She says volunteering, charity and community is very much part of the observances this time of year. We know a lot of people have family and relatives across the world that are deeply in pain and suffering, but we also know that a lot of folks here in Canada and Ontario are facing a lot of economic and financial challenges. We try and support in whichever way we can. Mohammed Sultan is youth president of the Muslim Community Association in Cambridge, Ontario. He says Eid is the time. to reflect on the importance of community, unity and faith. Especially I want to say to the world leaders

that we should think about peace. This ongoing situation we can see overall in the world. I just want to say them, please come together, sit together, and be happy and make a peace in the region. This year, Eid coincides with No-Ruz, the Persian New Year, signifying renewal and rebirth. More than 300 million people in Iran and around the world celebrate the holiday this year in the midst of a war with Israel and the U.S. Fulte-Shadok, CBC News, Toronto.

Finally tonight, it's finally spring. But it took a long cold winter to get here. And on a very cold day, it can be just impossible to get out of your bed or your den. Jeannie, the Black Bear, gets it. During her big spring debut in Quebec this week, she took one look at the wintry weather and said, no thanks. We're not poking her out of bed. That's the expression, right?

Don't poke the bear. So we're not going to push Jeannie out just because we scheduled her to come out, always based on her behavior, and it was clear that the day before and the morning of she was not ready. Kyria Marchand is the Animal Care Team coordinator at the Eco Museum, a non-profit zoo in St. Anne de Bellevue. She's one of the keepers who monitor Jeannie's hibernation all winter long.

We check on Jeannie every day to make sure she's comfortable. She has access to water, to dry straw, anything that she needs during her hibernation. And in the weeks and months leading up to today, we start looking out for really subtle signs of her being up a little bit more, staying up after we leave, being up when we arrive. And then we try to determine the time that she's really ready for her first meal and to come back out for the public. Usually the system works. In fact, this is the first time the zoo has had to delay in its nearly 30-year history. But Tuesday, the big day, was anything but spring-like.

A frigid wind chill, a fresh coat of ice. 15-year-old Jeannie knew enough to wait for some warmth. She finally emerged Thursday, fashionably late, but not freezing. Director of Education, Natalie Dradini, says it'll take a bit of time for Jeannie to find her old routine. So what we expect is for her to start re-exploring her living. She knows it very well. She's been here since 2014, but she's been in her state of hibernation of Torper since November 26th of last year. So it has been in 113 days, she's going to re-explore it, and she's probably going to be a little hungry. She also says Jeannie is a star, and after keeping

her audience in suspense, she's ready to reclaim her spotlight. This has been your world tonight for Friday, March 20th, the first official day of spring. Thank you. for being with us. I'm Stephanie Skandaris. Good night. For more CBC podcasts, go to cBC.ca.ca slash podcasts.