Your World Tonight - Venezuela rescue efforts, 24 Sussex Drive makeover, Ukrainian drones, and more

Episode Date: June 26, 2026

The death toll continues to rise in Venezuela after devastating earthquakes shook the South American country. Emergency workers are tirelessly digging through rubble to find survivors and remains.Also: Prime Minister Mark Carney announces plans to overhaul a dilapidated 24 Sussex Drive, including a design competition and fundraising campaign. The goal — make the official home of Canada’s prime minister habitable and fit for the head of government.And: Ukraine is bringing the war to the skies above Moscow. Polls show a drop in Russian support for the war — and Vladimir Putin’s party.Plus: A controversial museum exhibit, Canadian cobalt refining, John Bolton guilty plea, and more.

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This is a CBC podcast. People are stuck, people are missing, people are hurt, people are buried in rubble. We have to find them and rescue them. A desperate search for survivors in Venezuela after two devastating earthquakes. Underfunding and government mismanagement are adding to an already difficult task. But there are stories of survival as other countries step in to help. This is your world tonight. It's Friday, June 26th, just before 6th.

P.m. Eastern, I'm Stephanie Scanderas. Also on the podcast? We are building this home of the Prime Minister of a G7 country for centuries. A new vision for what has become the most famous fixer-upper in the country. More than a decade of neglect has left 24 Sussex to crumble. It's been left vacant and was overrun by rats. Prime Minister Mark Carney says a new design competition and a fundraising blitz will change all that. Search and rescue operations are reaching a critical moment in Venezuela. 48 hours after two earthquakes rocked the capital in the country's northwest coast, the chance of finding survivors is dwindling with each passing hour.

The CBC's Katie Simpson is in neighboring Colombia and has this report. It's a frantic effort, the search for missing loved ones trapped inside, hulking, unstable, and dangerous piles of debris. Much of the work is done by. by hand, led by survivors. The scale of the widespread destruction and the lack of government resources means in some places it's largely up to the people to help each other. This man says he was trapped by debris in his building for four hours. His rescuers didn't have many tools, he says. They couldn't find the chisel or the drill, so they went at it with their nails.

harrowing stories of survival are emerging across the hardest-hit areas, the capital, Caracas, and the northern coastal state of LaGuera. That is where a man filmed himself as he was pulled out of the rubble to safety. Before the twin earthquake struck Wednesday, the Venezuelan government already struggled to meet the needs of its people. years of corruption and economic mismanagement under the Nicholas Maduro regime, all but destroyed public and emergency services. This massive task requires help from the outside. Planes from Colombia, Mexico, and Spain have already touched down, full of badly needed supplies and specialized search teams,

including highly trained dogs that can detect both the living and the dead. The U.S. is sending in heavy equipment, its military disaster assistance team, and $150 million in aid as part of its new and more friendly relationship with Venezuela. President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to seize Maduro to face narco-terrorism charges and is now working with his replacement, Delcee Rodriguez, to allow American companies to gain access to the country's oil reserves. Additional support is also coming from Canada, which pledged $5 million. to be distributed through trusted aid groups. Since Canada does not have formal relations with Venezuela and has imposed heavy sanctions on the country, distributing aid is a challenge.

Katie Simpson, CBC News, Bogota, Colombia. A former top security advisor to the U.S. President has made a plea deal that could help him avoid lengthy jail time. John Bolton was facing multiple charges for retaining and disseminating classified information, but today pleaded guilty to just one. Paul Hunter has the details. Mr. Bolton, any comment before today's hearing?

Outside the Maryland courthouse, John Bolton, said nothing. Inside, he told the judge, I'm sorry. And as U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes later underlined... This morning, just moments ago, John Robert Bolton, the second, pled guilty in federal court to the unlawful retention of national defense information. It represents a moment. mighty fall for the one-time national security advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump and former

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Bolton, who's 77, now faces up to five years in prison, a $2.5 million fine, and a complete loss of his federal pension. As Mr. Bolton just admitted, he put our national security at grave risk in violation of the law. At issue, not classified documents per se, but Bolton's notes of classified meetings in which he'd taken part. The notes were meant as raw material for a memoir he'd later write, more than a thousand pages worth, including some that were emailed to two people without security clearance, believed to be his wife and daughter. Making matters worse, said Hayes.

A cyber actor believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran hacked Mr. Bolton's personal email account and gained unauthorized. access to some of the classified and national defense information in that account. He's highly respected by everybody in this room. Back in 2018, Donald Trump had nothing but praise for Bolton. But their relationship soured. Bolton became a fierce critic of Trump, including in that memoir he'd write. In turn, Trump's opinion of Bolton also changed.

Here's Trump a year ago. I'm not a fan of John Bowen. He's a real... So to a low life. But though the investigation into Bolton began in Trump's first term, framed by Bolton as retribution by Trump, it continued during the Joe Biden administration. And in that time, Bolton was again critical of Trump. When the then former president himself stood accused of mishandling classified documents after he left the White House in 2021. Here's Bolton on that three years ago.

This was a risk to national security beyond calculation. Trump was indicted but later had the case tossed by a judge he'd appointed. Federal prosecutors appealed but abandoned the case after Trump won re-election. Today's hearing for Bolton lasted just under an hour. His official sentencing will be in October. Said that U.S. attorney, after the proceedings, no one is above the law. Paul Hunter's CBC News, Washington. Coming right up, 24 Sussex makeover.

The Prime Minister announces plans to restore the crumbling official residence that hasn't been lived in for more than a decade. The design competition and fundraising campaign intended to make it happen. Plus, World Cup fever is packing the streets in Toronto and Vancouver, but local hotels are facing a surprising post-kickoff slump. Later, we'll have this story. Cobalt sulfate. It's a critical compound used to make the lithium ion batteries found in phones, laptops, and countless other products. Currently, most of supply comes from China, but a new project in Northern Ontario aims to change that. I have a conflict strikes and you don't have this in place and you're reliant on a potential

adversary, you've already lost the battle. I'm Lisa Xing on the plant in North Cobalt, Ontario that could help energize the critical mineral supply chain. That's ahead on your world tonight. Rat infested, uninhabitable, an embarrassment, a dump, word. used to describe 24 Sussex Drive. The Prime Minister's official residence, once host to whirl-leaders and royalty, has sat empty and in disrepair for more than a decade. Mark Carney is promising to change that,

as Tom Perry tells us his plan includes a competition and crowdfunding. Good morning, everyone. Prime Minister Mark Carney made his announcement outside 24 Sussex Drive with good reason. Inside, walls and ceilings are stripped to the studs. On the floor's bait traps guard against scurrying rodents. On one wall, a sign warns visitors to be wary of asbestos. So today our government is acting to renew this building.

Restore this institution. Preserve our history, protect our heritage and traditions for generations to come. Carney says he'll never live at 24 Sussex, but to ensure future prime ministers can. the government is launching a competition. Architects from across Canada will submit proposals on how to renew and restore the site. A panel of experts overseen by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada will pick a favorite. To pay for it all, Carney has asked the Rito Hall Foundation,

a charitable organization with ties to the Governor General's office to launch a fundraising drive. Individuals and philanthropic organizations will be allowed to contribute, but not corporations. Carney says the donors list will be public with two former prime ministers involved in the process. Prime ministers Harper and Crechein bipartisan have taken a specific interest in this moving forward. Former deputy prime minister, Sheila Copps, worked with both Harper and Creteens when they pushed the idea of a fundraising campaign for 24 Sussex back in 2024. She dismisses any concerns about donations and not public funds paying for a home for few. future prime ministers. We've been holier than the Pope on this one, because the bottom line is every other building

in Ottawa is being renovated and nobody's saying anything. And the prime minister's residence has had rats in it and asbestos, and we've done nothing. Opposition conservatives have so far been reluctant to attack the government's plan. Conservative House leader Andrew Shear, who had access to two official residences as leader of the opposition and House Speaker, today stuck for the most part to a tight side. script. Mark Carney and the liberals are focused on one home. Conservatives are focused on millions of homes, getting millions of homes built for Canadians so prices can come down. The winning proposal for 24 Sussex is supposed to be picked by Canada Day next year. Carney wouldn't say today how much the project

might cost, but he says it needs to get done. To bring a building he calls a symbol of Canada's democratic traditions back to its former glory. Tom Perry, CBC News, Ottawa. Some of the excitement from Senegal supporters heading to today's World Cup match against Iraq at Toronto Stadium. The FIFA tournament has filled Toronto and Vancouver streets with fans, but hotels have not been feeling the love. Bookings are way down. As Talia Sarve reports, the industry is hoping for a rebound once the World Cup wraps up. A celebration as loud as its energy contagious. Soccer fans packed parks and streets in Toronto on Friday

as the city hosts its last World Cup group stage match. You'd expect with crowds like this, it would be hard to get a hotel here, but US visitor Jay Tosoro secured a room, no problem. Booking was pretty easy. We just found a place I was right next door and that was it. A little less than what we usually see for Jim. Sarah Angel is CEO of Greater Toronto Hotel Association,

which has found occupancy rates dropped 72% last. week, 14% less than the same time last year. Numbers also slightly felled the week earlier. What we have seen is some displacement of meetings and conventions and business events that would usually happen in June. That makes June a very strong month for the city. In April, FIFA cancelled thousands of hotel room bookings in host cities, including Vancouver and Toronto, without officially clarifying why.

Initially reserved for staff and media, the move left many hotels scrambling. When you sign up to host, you don't know who you're going to see. And that's one of the things that you have to bid blindly. And there's a huge risk there. Economics professor, Mochalanda, from Concordia University, says the Hotel Association data is unsurprising. Despite a Toronto City Hall report last year, citing an expected economic output of up to $940 million.

That's never the way these things actually play out. Destination Vancouver also reported no boost to bookings in the Cup's lead up. I mean, I would argue it's not economic. Michael Edwards, a professor of tourism management, claims the benefit of hosting goes beyond moneymaking. It's about the psychic income and the community togetherness and the fun feeling of hosting the World Cup in Toronto. And those vibes tend to last longer than the scrutiny over the economic impact. The hotel industry, instead hoping to capitalize on that. I think we're going to have a strong July in August and we always have a great September. Canada hosts its final match on July 7 in Vancouver.

Talia Sa, CBC News, Toronto. Officials in Russian-occupied Crimea have declared a state of emergency after Ukraine launched one of its largest attacks overnight. Waves of Ukrainian missiles and drones have smashed fuel stores and energy facilities, increasingly well within Russia's borders. Pressure is building in Moscow. for diplomacy, but for escalation. Terrence McKenna explains. Last week, Ukraine unleashed an unprecedented attack against Moscow. Residents saw drones racing over their hands.

The major oil refinery on the outskirts of the city was targeted repeatedly. Former Ukrainian defense minister Alexei Reznikov says Ukraine is sending Russian civilians a message. We show them that the war come to the territory. there people will understand you cannot sleep well, like Ukrainians. There have been other Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory. These two women live near an oil refinery hit in Tuopse, 450 kilometers from the Ukraine border. One says civilians are in a state of panic.

The other says every day they go to bed with fear. Soviet-born politico-journalist Zoya Shephtilovic says the, oil attacks are having a big effect on the war. Obviously, financially, this is how the Russians are able to continue waging war. When you hit their oil facilities, it's hitting Putin's bottom line. Recent public opinion polls in Russia show support for the war and for Putin's governing party is dropping. What does all this mean for Vladimir Putin's future?

Pulitzer Prize-winning America-Russia expert Anne Applebaum has covered the war for Atlantic magazine. The most important thing to note is that Putin's war has finally reached my mind. That doesn't mean that Putin is leaving tomorrow or that the war is ending tomorrow, but it means there's been a pretty strong shift in the mood of the business elite, the political elite, and other people who do still have influence on Putin's thinking. Cold War historian Michael Kimmage of the Kennan Institute in Washington thinks discontent in Russia is not a serious threat to Putin.

For a man who has to face no elections, who completely controls the Russian media, who has no opposition parties to deal with. So he's not a man who's under any great deal of domestic political pressure. How will Putin respond to the attacks inside Russia? Alexei Zhuradlyov, a prominent Russian parliamentarian, has called for the killing of all civilian inhabitants in the Ukrainian cities closest to the front line. Putin and his senior generals have already been indicted for war crimes

at the International Court in the Hague. Will they double down on their civilian attacks? Terrence McKenna, CBC News, Toronto. Israel and Lebanon have signed a framework agreement with the U.S. It follows several days of talks in Washington to secure an end to fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. It's not clear what's in the agreement, which does not include Hezbollah,

but all sides frame the deal as a good first step. U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, says there's a lot of work ahead. Both of these countries can be hopeful about their future, a future of peace, a future of prosperity, a future of mutual coexistence in a way that's beneficial to the men and women and children, including those not yet born, who deserve what all people deserve. And that is the right to live in their country without fear of harm, without fear of war, without fear of conflict.

Washington says it'll commit significant resources, including an immediate $100 million dollars in humanitarian aid in coordination with the UN. A contentious exhibit about a painful topic is sparking protests. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is hosting an exhibit about the mass displacement of Palestinians in the 1940s. Jewish organizations say it's one-sided, and one person has resigned from the museum's board. Cameron McIntosh explains why, despite the pushback, it's still going ahead. Okay, so can you take me through the exhibit here? Small exhibit, big controversy.

Nagba is where that means the catastrophe, and Palestinian use it to describe their forced displacement. At the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, curator Isabel Masson is explaining the National Museum's newest exhibit. Palestine uprooted. It's a human rights story that we tell with this exhibition. It explores the displacement of 750,000 Palestinian. during the creation of Israel after the Second World War and the consequences of it all today.

Sparking criticisms, big parts of the story are being left out. Museum CEO Isha Khan. We understand that there's critique and there's opinions about what it should be and what it should include. And we've tried to explain and rationalize why this exhibit is about Palestinian Canadians. It's two panels, a few paragraphs, brief descriptions of the Nakhba, along with fighting in Gaza, and Israel's current occupations of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, along with some videos, one featuring Fuhad Sahuan, whose family was driven from Haifa when he was four. And we were never allowed to go back. So we lost our properties, we lost our bank accounts, we lost our furniture, our cars, and our identity.

The Jewish community is upset. calling it a singular telling of a complicated history that also saw Israel attacked and more than 800,000 Jews displaced. Simon Wohl is CEO of B'nai Brith, a Jewish human rights organization. It's when a national museum of human rights presents a one-sided position. It reframes an understanding of history, and context is critical. The Arab-Israeli war is addressed in another gallery, amid concerns of a lack of openness with the Jewish community,

the museum's only Jewish board member, Mark Berlin, resigned. I do think there has been an activist ideological narrative being put forward by the creation team, and to me that's problematic. Earlier this month, Federal Heritage Minister Mark Miller rejected calls in question period to intervene. It is not the place of the minister or anyone this house to dictate mediaezym policy and what is curated and what is not. As curator, Mason insists care was taken, but the focus is clear. We came to this project with an awareness that Palestinian voices are often marginalized, spoken over, or even silence. With that, the exhibit will open as is, exploring a divisive subject at a device of time.

Cameron McIntosh, CBC News, Winnipeg. We're in the process of becoming the world's alternative to China as a reality. reliable supplier of critical minerals. We're a trusted partner in a world as anything but. Prime Minister Mark Carney this week outlining some of Canada's economic goals. He's been touting a broader strategy of reliability and self-sufficiency. In line with that comes the first battery grade cobalt refinery on the continent. As Lisa Singh tells us, it means a small town in Ontario will finally live up to its name. Construction is underway in North Cobalt, Ontario.

Workers are retrofitting an old metals refinery and adding new buildings to give it a new purpose, refining cobalt, an important step in turning the element into a product called cobalt sulfate. That's essential in lithium-ion batteries. Those batteries go in everything from EVs and smartphones to fighter jets. We need these critical minerals for our batteries and for our high-tech in order to function as a modern society.

Trent Mell is the founder of Electra Battery Metals, the company behind the $100 million project. He's hoping the Canadian refinery will mean less dependence on China, which currently has the critical mineral supply chain locked down, producing up to 90% of the world's refined cobalt. Once the Ontario plant is up and running, a first in North America, it's supposed to produce roughly 4% of global supply. If a conflict strikes, and you don't have this in place, and you're reliant on a potential adversary, you've already lost the battle.

That's likely why the refinery has received millions in funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and the Canadian federal government. So this is where we introduce the sulfuric acid. Even though the operation is based in a town called Cobalt, there isn't enough of it available locally, so it will come from mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ethically sourced, says Electra. At the refinery, the dark powder will undergo

Several steps to take out other metals, making it as pure as possible, resulting in reddish crystals. Graham Kinsman is the company's metallurgical lab lead. At each stage of the process, we're adjusting pHs, we're adjusting temperatures, to make sure that we are efficiently removing the material that we need to remove. While 60% of the output is earmarked for South Korean company LG Energy Solutions, the final material will undergo testing to guarantee its quality. Building the midstream is very, very, very important. Marilyn Spink, the executive director of the Canadian Critical Minerals and Materials Alliance,

says that refining piece, that middle stream, could be Canada's contribution to the supply chain. If there's cobalt, you know, in Canada, we could stop importing the cobalt as you scale up and derisks your chemtech processing, and that's really, really hard. It takes a lot of talent and risk. That risk is why Mels is playing it safe for now. This is a case of a Western company copying what's happening in China. We don't need to reinvent the wheel. The goal, finish construction early next year and ramp up production by the end of 2027. Lisa Scheng, CBC News, North Cobalt, Ontario.

Finally. With hair-raising precision, the giant chopper is positioned 40 feet away. And each seven-ton load gently lowered within a tolerance of just two inches. A CBC News report from just over half a century ago, as some of the final pieces were being lifted onto Toronto's CN Tower. Today, the Canadian landmark is celebrating 50 years since opening to the public, attracting nearly 2 million visitors each year. So this is 22 kilometers.

That's about 11 miles per hour. It takes just 58 seconds to get to our observation level. Vanessa David Alvarez started working at the tower over a day. decade ago. She told CBC Toronto host Chris Glover that she never takes the views for granted. This is actually my favorite elevator because you get to see the water, you get to see like Ontario, Billy Bishop, you've got the planes coming in and out. I think it's my favorite being for sure. The CN Tower wasn't just built as a tourist attraction. It was and is a telecommunications tower, broadcasting radio and television signals across the city where more and more tall buildings

were getting in the way. Architect, Nicola Kachato, didn't design the structure himself, but as a principal at the firm that did. There's nothing that's superfluous in this building. It is one piece of engineering that is, from a structural standpoint, it's beautiful, it's elegant, it's mega, it's functional, and I think that's what makes it special. A special tower that remains the tallest, freestanding store. structure in the Western Hemisphere and a symbol of Toronto and Canada to people across the globe. It's an important piece for the city. It's an important piece for the country. It becomes one of those,

let's call it a monument that we have here, similar to monuments that you would see around the world. This has been your world tonight for Friday, June 26th. I'm Stephanie Skanderis. Good night. For more CBC Podcasts, go to cbc.ca.ca slash podcasts.