Your World Tonight — November 29, 2025

Podcast: Your World Tonight
Host: CBC (Kate McGillivray)
Episode Theme: An in-depth look at the world’s major news stories including Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil tankers, intensifying US-Venezuela relations, deadly extreme weather in Southeast Asia, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s pitch to her own party on a new Ottawa pipeline deal, medical education reform in Canada, and stories that blend the personal and the political.

Overview

This episode explores significant global and Canadian news, providing context and analysis. The CBC team covers escalating violence between Ukraine and Russia amidst faltering peace talks, Donald Trump’s aggressive stance against Venezuela, catastrophic weather events in South Asia, Alberta's internal political drama over oil pipeline agreements, and innovative changes in Canadian medical education. The episode is marked by compelling personal stories, from Himalayan families living in a sinking town, to nuns resisting convent eviction, merging the macro with the human-scale.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Tankers Amid Tense Peace Talks

• Main Story: As the US-led peace process in the Russia-Ukraine war is imperiled by ongoing violence, Ukraine strikes two Russian "shadow fleet" oil tankers in the Black Sea using sea drones. These ships help Russia dodge Western sanctions.
• Details:
  • Both struck vessels were sanctioned by the EU and UK (one also by Canada).
  • The “shadow fleet” expands as sanctioned vessels get replaced quickly, making sanctions only partially effective.
  • These attacks are Ukraine’s attempt to disrupt Russia’s war-funding energy industry.
• Insightful Quote:

  "Sanctions have not sidelined them… the moment any given vessel is taken out, some ship owner… will sell another vessel into the shadow fleet."
  — Elizabeth Brah, Atlantic Council expert, [03:55]

• Timestamps:
  • [00:40] Opening recap
  • [02:17] On-the-ground report from CBC’s Briar Stewart
  • [03:17] Shadow fleet explanation and Western sanctions

2. US-Venezuela Confrontation Escalates

• Main Story:
  Donald Trump’s administration closes Venezuelan airspace in a heightened campaign against drug cartels, which Venezuela decries as colonialist and illegal. Tensions rise alongside military maneuvers.
• Key Points:
  • Trump’s directive led Venezuela’s Maduro to accuse the US of violating sovereignty.
  • US military buildup includes the USS Gerald R. Ford.
  • Trump designates Maduro as head of a foreign terrorist group and signals potential ground efforts.
  • Critics, including former US diplomats, warn Trump’s actions sidestep procedural norms and hint at "slow-moving regime change."
• Notable Quotes:

  “He has no authority. This is all illegal... this is murder on the high seas.”
  — Jorge Haine, former Chilean diplomat & professor, [05:46]
  "Fentanyl is to what is happening in Venezuela what the weapons of mass destruction were to justify the Iraq invasion. It's a hoax."
  — Expert (unnamed), [07:56]

• Timestamps:
  • [05:11] Trump’s directive & Maduro’s response
  • [06:07] US build-up and political analysis

3. Southeast Asia’s Extreme Weather Catastrophe

• Main Story:
  Cyclone Ditwa's deadly path leaves at least 150 dead in Sri Lanka and threatens millions across the region. Expert analysis links the devastation to climate change and highlights growing unpredictability.
• Details:
  • Monsoon intensity, not duration, is increasing due to warmer atmosphere and oceans.
  • Climate scientists stress importance of early warning systems and emissions reduction.
• Memorable Scene:

  A young girl is pushed on a Styrofoam boat by her father through flooded streets in Colombo, Sri Lanka, symbolizing the human cost of the disaster. [09:37]

• Notable Quotes:

  “The main culprit is the climate change.”
  — Lijian Joseph, physical oceanography researcher, [10:42]
  "When it rains, it rains very heavily."
  — Lijian Joseph, [11:03]

• Timestamps:
  • [09:37] Sri Lankan disaster report
  • [10:42] Expert analysis on rainfall and climate factors

4. Sinking Himalayan Town Threatened by Unchecked Construction

• Main Story:
  The ancient Indian town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand is quite literally sinking due to unstable soil, a receding glacier, aggressive infrastructure projects, and climate change.
• Details:
  • Over 800 buildings evacuated after a sudden 5cm subsidence in 2023.
  • Town's drainage issues and large hydroelectric projects worsen vulnerability.
  • Residents are traumatized but often stay out of lack of alternatives.
• Memorable Moments:

  “During monsoon season, the cracks widen. Where will I take my children?”
  — Durga, town resident, [13:50]
  "We think that is the main cause."
  — Atul Sati, local activist, on blasting for hydro projects, [15:25]

• Timestamps:
  • [12:06] Story intro
  • [13:19] On-the-ground experiences

5. Alberta’s Danielle Smith Sells Pipeline Deal to Divided Party

• Main Story:
  Premier Danielle Smith champions a new energy memorandum with Ottawa as a victory for Alberta, but faces internal party backlash from separatist factions.
• Details:
  • Smith seeks to present Alberta as both proudly Canadian and ready to defend provincial rights.
  • Some UCP members boo the suggestion of collaborating with Ottawa, favoring separatist approaches.
  • Smith promises to oppose federal gun seizure programs, stoking further controversy.
• Notable Quotes:

  "Let's not throw in the towel and give up on our country just as the battle has turned in our favor and victory is in sight."
  — Danielle Smith, [16:55]
  "She needs to put that in reverse and back out of that deal."
  — UCP party member (unnamed), [18:01]
  “If you don't want to get shot, don't break into someone's house. It’s really that simple, isn’t it?”
  — Danielle Smith, [19:07]

• Timestamps:
  • [16:55] Smith’s UCP speech
  • [18:01] Internal party dissent

6. Revamping Canadian Medical Education with Culture in Focus

• Main Story:
  Two Canadian universities (Toronto Metropolitan and Simon Fraser) are prioritizing culturally-sensitive, community-based medical education to address both doctor shortages and health disparities.
• Details:
  • Students are exposed to real-world family practice early and continuously.
  • The importance of cultural, dietary, and community factors is emphasized in both medical education and patient care.
  • Events target local students, encouraging more to consider healthcare professions in their home communities.
• Notable Quotes:

  “People have this momentum that they stay where they trained. So wouldn't it be nice if you came to a community, integrated in the community, and then stayed where you trained?”
  — Dr. Theresa Chang, TMU, [21:01]
  "Our students will stay with that family doctor, with that family practice for their whole three years."
  — Dr. David Price, SFU, [22:09]

• Timestamps:
  • [19:58] Medical education reform segment

7. Brief Noteworthy Stories

a. Tom Stoppard’s Passing

• Details:
  • British playwright Tom Stoppard dies at 88, leaving a legacy in theater and film, including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love.
• Notable Quote:

  "You will never age for me, nor fade."
  — Tom Stoppard, excerpt of writing, [23:12]

b. Gander: The Heroic War Dog

• Details:
  • A new film tells the story of Gander, the Newfoundland war dog posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal for saving Canadian troops.
• Memorable Moment:

  “He grabbed the grenade and ran it away back to the Japanese, hence losing his life when it exploded.”
  — JP Baer, filmmaker, [25:36]

c. The Rebellious Nuns of Salzburg

• Details:
  • Three octogenarian nuns become social media stars after breaking out of a care home to reclaim their convent. Their future remains uncertain after resisting a Church demand to quit social media.
• Notable Quote:

  "Before I die in that old people's home, I'd rather go to a meadow and enter eternity that way."
  — Sister Bernadette, [27:44]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

 “Sanctions have not sidelined them... it really does limit these vessels' ability to call at ports, but it doesn't reduce the shadow fleet because the moment any given vessel is taken out, some ship owner somewhere will sell another vessel into the shadow fleet.”

— Elizabeth Brah, Atlantic Council, [03:55]

 “Let's not throw in the towel and give up on our country just as the battle has turned in our favor and victory is in sight.”

— Danielle Smith, Alberta Premier, [16:55]

 “He grabbed the grenade and ran it away back to the Japanese, hence losing his life when it exploded.”

— JP Baer, filmmaker (on Gander), [25:36]

 "Before I die in that old people's home, I'd rather go to a meadow and enter eternity that way."

— Sister Bernadette, rebellious nun, [27:44]

Important Timestamps

• Ukraine/Russian Shadow Fleet Strikes: [00:40] - [04:46]
• US-Venezuela Confrontation: [05:11] - [08:05]
• Extreme Weather in Southeast Asia: [09:37] - [11:38]
• Joshimath Sinking, Uttarakhand: [12:06] - [16:06]
• Danielle Smith/Ottawa Deal: [16:55] - [19:45]
• Canadian Medical School Reform: [19:45] - [22:28]
• Tom Stoppard’s Life/Text Excerpt: [22:53] - [23:21]
• Gander the Dog Story: [24:03] - [26:16]
• Rebellious Nuns: [26:27] - [28:42]

This episode expertly intertwines global power plays, environmental urgency, grassroots political drama, innovative efforts in healthcare equity, and idiosyncratic tales that highlight perseverance, making it an informative and poignant listen for anyone seeking to grasp the pressures and personalities shaping our world today.