Your World Tonight – CBC

Episode Date: December 13, 2025
Hosts: Dave Seglins, with reporting from Tanya Fletcher, Philip Ly Chanok, Marie Armel Lafore, Cody Weddle, Ross Cullen, Megan Williams, John Last
Episode Theme: A whirlwind global catch-up – covering a mass shooting at Brown University, major diplomatic moves in Belarus and Venezuela, election fever in Chile, environmental emergencies, European urban innovation, climate-challenged winemaking, and surprising trends in the toy industry.

Main Theme

The episode delivers deep context, fast-moving updates, and analysis on some of the world’s most urgent news stories as of December 13, 2025, all with a distinctly Canadian perspective.

Episode Summary & Key Discussion Points

1. Mass Shooting at Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island)

[00:49-02:36]

• Incident Recap:
  • Two confirmed dead, eight critically wounded after a mass shooting on the Brown University campus.
  • Suspect, described only as a male dressed in black, is still at large.
  • Initial reports (later retracted) suggested the suspect was in custody.
  • Campus remains in lockdown, with shelter in place orders active.
• Police Response:
  • Officers executed a swift search and evacuation protocol.
  • Ongoing manhunt utilizing all available resources.

Notable Quotes:

• “Our officers responded and as they're trained to do, entered that building immediately and began searching for a suspect. … No suspect was located at that time.” – Philip Ly Chanok (01:57)
• “Stay with CBC News for updates throughout the evening.” – Dave Seglins (02:36)

2. Belarus: Prisoners Freed in U.S. Negotiated Deal

[02:36-05:53]

• What Happened:
  • Over 120 prisoners, including high-profile protest leader Maria Kolesnikova, released by Belarus.
  • U.S. negotiated the deal in exchange for lifting sanctions on Belarusian potash exports—a key fertilizer mineral.
• Geopolitical Impact:
  • Maria Popova (McGill): The deal shifts U.S. policy away from the EU’s position, raising concerns about a “budding Russo-American alliance.”
  • Growing unease in Europe and Canada as Belarus remains closely allied with Russia.
• Link to Ukraine Talks:
  • Maria Popova warns that the U.S. tilt could have broader implications as U.S.-led peace talks on Ukraine ramp up; pressure is on Ukraine to negotiate before Christmas, but President Zelenskyy refuses to concede territory.

Notable Quotes:

• “He wants more normalized relationship with the United States and the West. So we're moving in that direction.” – John Cole, U.S. envoy (04:01)
• “What we're witnessing really is a budding Russo-American alliance, something that is really worrisome to Europe but also should be worrisome to us in Canada.” – Maria Popova (05:01)

Timestamps:

• Belarus Development: 03:13 – 05:53

3. British Columbia Floods and Rocky Mountain Avalanche Risks

[05:53-11:38]

• BC Floods:
  • Fraser Valley: Hundreds displaced; as of today, more than 450 homes evacuated, 1,000+ on alert.
  • Farming sector hard hit (70+ farms, lost barns/livestock and a key animal health lab closed for months).
  • More rain forecasted; significant frustration at government for lack of progress since 2021’s historic floods.
• Avalanche Danger in Rockies:
  • Heavy snow = high avalanche risk (notably in Banff and Jasper).
  • Resorts stress differences in control measures; dangers spike outside marked runs.
  • Backcountry users are strongly warned to avoid avalanche terrain.

Notable Quotes:

• “Please don't drive around barriers… two individual drivers…sink their vehicles into the water, requiring them to be rescued.” – Cody Weddle via Tanya Fletcher (07:04)
• “Snow is very grumpy. It does not like to change quickly.” – Doug Latimer, Avalanche Forecaster (09:48)
• “Go and play. But make sure you're staying out of avalanche terrain because things are going to be touchy.” – Doug Latimer (11:32)

Timestamps:

• BC Floods: 05:53 – 09:12
• Avalanche Risks: 09:16 – 11:38

4. Chile's Presidential Election: A Hard Right Turn

[12:50-16:00]

• Election Context:
  • Jose Antonio Kast (far-right) leads, leveraging public fear of crime and immigration.
  • Promises include strict deportation deadlines, border fortifications, and tough-on-crime policies—even as Chile remains relatively safe statistically.
• Political Climate:
  • Robert Fung (Univ. of Chile): Kast split from even more moderate Pinochet-aligned parties; frames the country as facing crisis; softens image to court moderates.
  • Leftist candidate Jeanette Harra (Communist, also tough on crime) struggles with baggage of the past.
• Polls predict a landslide victory for Kast, indicating a significant shift for South America’s stablest democracy.

Notable Quotes:

• “There are no safe neighborhoods left, so security is a top issue.” – Anonymous voter (13:12)
• “Cass comes from a background which was on the far right...” – Robert Fung (14:22)

5. Venezuela: Opposition Leader’s Nobel Peace Prize & Hopes

[16:00-18:57]

• Maria Corina Machado:
  • Accepts Nobel in Oslo; hailed as “icon of freedom” by supporters.
  • Insists Nobel will amplify international pressure on Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
• Controversy:
  • Criticized for support of possible U.S. military intervention; responds by citing presence of hostile foreign interests in Venezuela.
• Future Outlook:
  • Machado plans return home, but timing and circumstances remain uncertain.
  • Success of her cause is seen as contingent on U.S. policy, especially the stance of President Trump.

Notable Quotes:

• “It's a turning point in our history. Venezuelan people are feeling right now that the world is behind us and that we are not alone.” – Maria Corina Machado (17:15)
• “Maybe the exclamation point. It may be the beginning of the end for the Maduro regime.” – U.S. Congressman Carlos Jimenez (17:34)

6. Paris Debuts Europe’s Longest Urban Cable Car

[19:26-21:51]

• Innovation in Transit:
  • C1 line connects outlying suburbs, cuts commute by 20 minutes.
  • Construction inspired by alpine cable systems; operates with safety-first protocols.
  • Stops highlighted by opening-day technical glitches.
• Environmental Ambitions:
  • Part of a larger plan for carbon-neutral public transport by 2050.
  • Expansion limited for now by cost and engineering challenges.

Notable Quotes:

• “The installation was stopped for operational reasons.” – Onboard announcement (20:59)
• “The Paris Capital Region analyzed 12 possible follow up projects… but…the technicalities of design and operational costs mean a second Parisian cable car is not coming down the line in the near future.” – Ross Cullen (21:39)

7. Italian Wine Grapples with Climate Crisis

[21:51-25:13]

• Extreme Heat & Drought:
  • Growers face cracked soils, earlier harvests, and significant crop losses.
  • Shifts force adaptation: shared irrigation, tech tools, revived ancient grape varieties.
• Changing Identity and Methods:
  • New and old techniques blend; even the taste of Italian wine is evolving.
  • Global wine production vulnerable as just 12 grape varieties make up most wine sold.

Notable Quotes:

• “The grapes that once ripened in October now ripen late August.” – Megan Williams (22:12)
• “It's not only about new methods. There's also a return to old methods, like grafting grapes onto wild roots.” – Megan Williams (23:55)

8. Toy Industry: Tariffs, 'Kidults', and a Year of Upheaval

[25:13-28:39]

• Tariffs Drive Prices:
  • U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods push toy prices up for the first time in decades.
  • Shrinking volume, higher average spend, industry relies on “kidult” collectors.
• Santa’s New Reality:
  • Adults buying nostalgia-heavy toys and collectibles are buoying sales.
  • Uncertainty lingers; holiday season crucial for industry viability.

Notable Quotes:

• “Children's toys in 2025 are actually up 17%. Those sales were largely driven by adults and those consumers, they will pay a premium.” – Andrew Wagart, Toy Association (26:28)
• “Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know, and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally.” – President Donald Trump (27:19)

9. Bobby Rousseau: Montreal Hockey Legend Passes

[11:41]

• Honored as a four-time Stanley Cup champion and Quebec Sports Hall of Famer.
• Not inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame but remembered fondly by Montreal Canadiens fans.

10. Dick Van Dyke’s 100th Birthday

[28:39-29:43]

• Celebrated actor, singer, and dancer marks a century.
• Shares his philosophy on longevity:
  • “I've always thought that anger is one thing that eats up a person's insides and hate. And I never really was able to work up a feeling of hate. I think that is one of the chief things that kept me going.” (29:10)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Belarus:
  "What we're witnessing really is a budding Russo-American alliance, something that is really worrisome to Europe but also should be worrisome to us in Canada." – Maria Popova, 05:01

• On Italian Wine:
  "It's not only about new methods. There's also a return to old methods, like grafting grapes onto wild roots, which are proving the hardiest." – Megan Williams, 23:55

• On Chilean Politics:
  "He left a party which is already a kind of a Pinochetista party… for being too moderate." – Robert Fung, 14:28

• Dick Van Dyke’s Wisdom:
  “Anger is one thing that eats up a person's insides… I never really was able to work up a feeling of hate. I think that is one of the chief things that kept me going.” – Dick Van Dyke, 29:10

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:49] Mass Shooting at Brown University
• [02:36] Belarus Prisoner Release and Diplomacy
• [05:53] BC Floods and Rocky Mountains Avalanches
• [11:41] Bobby Rousseau Tribute
• [12:50] Chilean Presidential Elections
• [16:00] Venezuela’s Nobel Laureate Opposition Leader
• [19:26] Paris Urban Cable Car Launch
• [21:51] Italian Winemaking and Climate Change
• [25:13] The Evolving Toy Industry
• [28:39] Dick Van Dyke’s 100th Birthday

Overall Tone

Clear, direct, and analytical with a human touch—balancing in-depth context and expert commentary with emotional stories and personal reflections.

This episode offered a global sweep of the day's headline-makers and undercurrents, spotlighting crises, resilience, innovation, and the cultural shifts shaping 2025.