Trump in Ireland, Key oil routes attacked in Saudi Arabia, Celine Dion back on stage in Paris, and more

0:00This week on Two Blocks from the White House From trade wars to the war in Iran, it's been anything but a quiet summer in Washington. And this fall shows no signs of letting up. And so this week we're asking what moments defined American politics this summer and what can we expect this fall? Find and follow Two Blocks from the White House wherever you get your podcasts. And watch us on YouTube, new episodes drop every Wednesday. This is a CBC podcast. You have a look to see it give a five. A great friend or never done his cap. It's gonna happen eventually. Now the UK, well I'm something to say but I'll be a soon but I think it would be a great thing. I mean, how can it be bad? US President Donald Trump stirring up controversy saying he supports Irish reunification. During his visit to Dublin, he also weighed in on the Canada US Trade War.

1:04This is your world tonight. I'm Sarah McMillan. Also on the program with so much focus on the trade war, it's tough for opposition parties to be part of the conversation. The federal new Democrats are busy strategizing on how to change that. And I didn't think she would come back on stage. So it's great. I'm really happy for her and happy for us, I'll say. And electric excitement in Paris as fans welcome Canadian superstar Celine Dion. Her return tonight to the concert stage marks a major comeback after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome. Donald Trump is visiting Ireland with a unified message on trade as he meets with its leaders to talk business. He's also calling for unified Ireland, a hot button issue most foreign dignitaries avoid. As Mark Carcassel reports, it wasn't just Irish domestic affairs the US President weighed in on.

2:06He also brought up the American Trade Relationship with Canada. Wearing a white ball cap with the Golden Letters USA emblazoned on it, President Trump was greeted by Irish dignitaries as he stepped off Air Force 1 to begin his two day trip to Ireland. The greeting on the streets of Dublin, not as warm. Protesters clattering drums and holding anti-Trump placards say the President is not welcome. I don't think we should be welcoming a warmonger. I don't think our leaders should be shaking hands with him. I think it's an abomination that he's here at all. I didn't know there was a protest. It can't be a better thing when... With Irish T-Shock, MacKale Martin nodding along, President Trump was asked about the prospect of unifying Ireland and Northern Ireland. A topic most heads of state outside of the region will not touch. But after a short sigh, the President says he'd love to see it, calling it a feather in everyone's cap. I'm a friend of both sides, great people. They're Irish people. How can they be there, right?

3:06That comment went over like a lead balloon with the crowd of protesters. It wasn't wise on his part to make that comment. But sure, I don't think he truly wants the United Ireland. He wants his definition of the United Ireland. The President came prepared with opinions on more than just Ireland. Iran came up too. He once again implied that the war will be over soon. I think it'll be probably right after the President's trying to hold out as long as he can to complicate the election. President Trump even compared Iran to Canada, claiming they both desperately want to make deals with the U.S. Of course, in very different contexts. He said about reports of progress in bilateral talks with Mexico and what that could mean for Kuzma. His answer focused solely on his northern neighbors. While much of his commentary is the same as it's been, and echoed the same false claims about 400% tariffs on imports from American farmers, there was one notable change. When those things go away, they're willing to get rid of all of them. You'll probably see it deal with Canada fairly soon.

4:07The President seems to imply Canada may have some wiggle room on supply management. The statement emailed to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Minister for Canada U.S. Trade Dominic Leblanc writes simply, quote, we have nothing to share at this time. On Friday, Leblanc told reporters that while Ottawa and Washington have maintained contact, there are currently no plans to meet again on trade. Mark Carcassel, CBC News, Washington. When it comes to trade, the federal government says right now it's focused on what it can control. That includes diversifying partnerships abroad. Prime Minister Mark Carney says to that end, he's traveling to France and the UK in the coming days. Carney will meet with EU leaders to discuss investment and security. He says the UK leg of the trip will focus on defense, energy, AI, and critical minerals. Global energy markets are on a high alert today. A coordinated wave of drone strikes and rebel advances in Yemen have choked off Saudi Arabia's vital oil routes. As Philippi Shannock reports, the conflict is pushing oil prices even higher.

5:13Houthi militia and Yemen capture more coastal territory, including the Keyport city of Mokha, after seizing these strategic island params in the Bab Al-Mandeb straight. The group now effectively controls marine traffic between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia had more than doubled oil exports using this route to bypass the strait of her moves. It also shut down its cross-country oil pipeline Friday after it came under a drone attack. Saudi Arabia now can't send out its oil to the north via the Suez Canal. Iranian President Masood Pzezekyan tried to calm fears of retaliation. We are not at war with Saudi Arabia, he said, blaming Houthis and Yemen, although the drone attack originated in Iraq. The Saudi Arabia's remarkable is the Saudis have not yet responded by targeting the militia side. Dr. Muhammad Salum is with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He says Iraq is cooperating with the Saudi investigation and is helping track down Iran-backed fighters.

6:16The Iranians and their allies in Iraq and also some Houthi elements are trying to do to make sure that oil price is a skyrocket. Patrick Dahan, head of petroleum analysis with gas buddy, says geopolitical tensions will push the price of crude oil even higher. These are all vital pieces of infrastructure critical to getting the flow of oil to the market, disruptions of these pipelines and infrastructure. All these geopolitical tensions and new escalations are causing the jobs. Many ways the pipelines much more of a sitting duck than a boat or a ship. Christoph Roel is with Columbia's center on global energy policy. He says Saudi Arabia's East West pipeline had helped blunt the impact from the closing of the straight of her moves. But he predicted the effect of reduced supply would be much less than the energy crisis of the 1970s, caused by the OPEC oil embargo and the Iranian revolution. The oil has dramatically declined.

7:16That means we need less of this oil to keep the global economy going. To wait the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey have all condemned the Saudi pipeline attack. Iran says it's called for a regional meeting of foreign ministers from all the Gulf countries to discuss maritime security and shipping routes. That's expected to happen Monday in Oman, filthy Shanox, CBC News, Toronto. With just over a month until election day in Israel, a newspaper exposé is shaking up the country's political landscape. This week Israel's oldest paper, Harretz, published the details of a telephone conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the President of the United Arab Emirates, during which the paper reports Netanyahu was warned of a possible attack more than a week before October 7. The UAE has not confirmed or denied the call and Netanyahu is threatening legal action against the paper. Crystal Gomancing has more on the fallout from Jerusalem.

8:16This is deeply unsettling. This news hits us all of the families. Raffi Ben-Shitred called the Harretz article shocking during an interview on Radio 90 FM the day after it was published. His son, Elroyi, was killed, fighting to keep the Nakhallah's army base, meters from the Gaza border from being overrun by armed gunmen in the Hamas-led attacks on October 7. The Prime Minister receives a warning and keeps the information to himself, says Shitred. So I have the document, I have records, I have everything. Jalomeel Dar and Rudy Yuval wrote the expose on the 45-minute long phone call between the leaders of Israel and the United Arab Emirates, a summary of accounts from their new book, Hostages, 843 days of abandonment. Now we can see that Netanyahu got the messages, got the warning before 10 days before the war.

9:22Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper, elder says he worked confidential sources for nearly a year and a half and that the Prime Minister was informed by Muhammad bin Syed that the Hamas leader, Yaya Sinwar, was planning what was described as a big surprise. Netanyahu instructed his office to sue the paper and the journalist responsible for libel. So far, a suit has not been filed. A lengthy statement posted to the Israeli Prime Minister's ex account called the report a malicious fabrication with a clear political timing. Harat's the left-leaning newspaper has followed up on the original story published on the 8th with more coverage online and in print. The story has also been picked up around the world. I don't think that this specific report is going to change much in the election. Mirav Zanchine is the senior analyst on Israel for crisis international, an independent organization that follows and analyzes global conflicts.

10:23Speaking to CBC News from her home in Tel Aviv, she says Israelis want answers for the astronomical security failure, but camps are entrenched. Anything that comes out from now until the election I think will be, you know, kind of pushed aside by the pro Netanyahu camp as the election propaganda and pushed by the anti- Netanyahu camp as proof of why he can no longer lead. More than 1,200 people were murdered on that date, 251 abducted and taken into Gaza. 166 of those kidnapped on the day returned alive. The war in Gaza in response to the attacks have led to at least 73,000 being killed, with nearly all of the territory destroyed according to the Hamas-run government, but also humanitarian groups working on the ground. The third anniversary will be marked 20 days before the Israeli elections. Crystal Gamancing, CBC News, Jerusalem. Still ahead, bringing much-needed vision care to thousands of people in Northern India, a new program is offering eye screenings at the post office.

11:34It's a place many people are passing through anyway, and importantly, an institution they trust, more on that later, on your world tonight. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has wrapped up a three-day visit to Canada. During the trip, Zelensky and Prime Minister Mark Karni signed a 100-year-long strategic and political partnership to symbolize allyship between the two nations. In an exclusive interview with CBC News Chief Correspondent, Adrian Arsano, Zelensky says it's strange to see the recent tensions between Canada and the U.S. It's very dangerous that there are some problems between neighbors, and we are the example in action. When people know each other, when they think that they are friends for all the period of time, for all the time, because they're neighbors, they have to secure their borders, they have to be friends, they have to be strategic partners. That's why I think that the United States and Canada will have a very constructive time, they have to have it.

12:41Zelensky also says he is willing to sit face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin if negotiations happen, but he doubts the Kremlin is interested in ending the war. The federal and the Democrats are in a tough moment, facing $10 million in campaign debt, a depleted caucus, and a political landscape dominated by the Canada-U.S. trade war. NDP leader Avi Lewis is battling to keep his party relevant and is working on rebuilding after a devastating result in last year's federal election. David Thurton with more on how the party is looking to re-strategize. NDP leader Avi Lewis takes a stage out of bar on the sidelines of the party's caucus retreat ahead of the fall parliamentary city. The party is still rebuilding after its worst election result in 2025, and the NDP lost three recent bi-elections to the Liberals. But the result, in the Toronto Riding of Beaches, East York, is giving the party some hope.

13:53While the results do bode well for the party, challenges still lie ahead. The Democrats are returning to the House of Commons this fall with a small caucus, two MPs are gone, one across the floor to the Liberals, and another left for provincial politics. And the NDP is still digging itself out of debt, owing $10 million on a campaign loan. While with only five seats in a majority government, the NDP doesn't really have much it can do in Ottawa, so their influence in the role is going to be pretty small. Eric Grenier is a polling analyst. In addition to the party's challenges, Grenier said it is struggling to break through. I still don't really think that the NDP is able to get itself into the conversation. We've taken seriously in the context of a more epic kind of geopolitical fight between Donald Trump and Canada and Mark Carney. Breakthroughs and breakdowns and trade negotiations take up most of the attention these days. The NDP largely supports the government as it tries to preserve the continental free trade deal.

14:55But they have been critical of Ottawa's domestic response arguing $7.5 billion in support to businesses and minor changes to employment insurance, EI, helps businesses and not really workers. And the answer is clear. Our party is here to be a voice for the people who are working harder and harder and still falling further and further behind, for the 99% for the vast majority of us grappling with an endless cost of living emergency. Lewis has been NDP leader for less than six months. He says the party is continuing to have deep serious conversations about what the NDP needs to be as both the party and the country confront existential threats. David Thornton, CBC News Toronto. Leaders from 11 major or emerging economies are gathering in New Delhi for the BRIC summit. The meeting comes as the expanded block pushes to bypass US dollar dominance and counter Western tariffs.

15:55But it's also happening amid divisions between some of its members over fighting in the Middle East and growing global tensions. Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They discussed advancement of economic stability across the global South. This is Xi's first visit to India in seven years following a deadly 2020 border clash. Both leaders are now easing visa restrictions and boosting trade ties. In the northeastern Indian state of Assam, post offices are taking on a new role helping people see better. It's a pilot project aimed at bringing vision care to people who need it. Freelance reporter Murely Krishnan brings us that story tonight. The idea is simple. Bring basic eye care to places people are already visiting. Bandana Devi is an accredited social eye care worker at the post office. I began working the program last December. She says, I've seen over 3,000 people and many are happy after coming here.

17:04The numbers from the pilot project are striking. Since it began last year, nearly 9,000 people have been screened. Around 7 in 10 were found to have press biopia and age-related difficulty in nearby objects. They were given reading glasses. For the majority, it was their first pair. Anjali Deika is one such beneficiary. My life has changed so much. The results are free, she says. I'm able to help my children with their homework now. The five post offices are in and around Assam's capital, Gauhati, as well as in remote rural areas. The program is run by Vision Spring India, a global social enterprise in partnership with India Post. Around 4 in 10 beneficiaries come from households earning less than $60 a month. We chose post offices because they're the most trusted address across India. People in Assam may have never seen an eye doctor, but they've been to their post office several times.

18:12Ashutthaneja is the managing director of Vision Spring in India. India Post has nearly 165,000 post offices across India. Majority of them in rural areas and serving remote villages. There is another reason better eyesight matters here. Assam is one of India's biggest tea producing regions and thousands of people depend on tea gardens for their livelihoods. Tea picking requires workers to distinguish between young leaves and older ones, something that becomes harder when their near vision starts to deteriorate. The pilot is now moving to its next phase. The question is whether the service can be sustained beyond the initial pilot. The organisations involved are now looking at a model where they could be an incentive or small payment for every pair of glasses dispensed. Motli Krishna for CBC News, Gohati, India.

19:12Flash in cameras and a well-traudant red carpet signs of the Toronto International Film Festival well underway. But the industry watching from the sidelines is asking bigger questions about Toronto's marquee moment. Joining me now is Eli Glasner with more on the highs and the hurdles. Eli, we're in the middle of TIFF's opening weekend, the busiest part of the fest. How do you rate things so far? You know, it's interesting. On the one hand, the red carpets are open. If you're like me, you spend most of your time in the dark seeing as many films as possible. So it feels like TIFF back in its glory days. Toronto is hopping. The streets are filled with producers, tourists and talent. But if you look under the glitz in terms of sheer star power, Canada's largest film festival is perhaps not as bright as it used to be.

20:14Now, yes, we have Cynthia Rivo, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, John Malcovitch. But I think what we're missing is some bigger and true A-list talent. And this has been the trend for the past few years. Venice and Tellyride seem to be wooing away some of the other premieres, which may be why TIFF launched this market, a new focus on the business side of the industry. And to be honest, of the major films from Thursday and Friday, I think the biggest reaction was not for a fictional film, but a movie called Always Lalisa, which is a documentary about Lisa from the K-pop group Blackpink. Last night, I started to hear these screams. I saw fans running around the fences just trying to get a glimpse of Lisa. Here's a taste. You can hear them chanting in the back. And that bedlam, the screams, that reminded me of what I've seen before when Benedict Cumberbatch first arrived at TIFF, or Tom Hanks, or Viola Davis.

21:21So could the way that things are sort of changing create opportunities for Canadian films? It's hard to say. Canadian films have always kind of piggybacked on the bigger spotlight from the Hollywood fair, but I think what's interesting is how it's changing. I went across to the business section of the TIFF market. The Canadian pavilion was buzzing. And I think after the success of films like Nirvana the Band, The Show, The Movie, and other recent movies, Canadian, the English Language Box Office, is the strong and it's been in years. And at TIFF there's a number of films trying to ride that wave like the stunt driver. So this is about a real life daredevil, Ken Carter. Now this guy had a chip on his shoulder because it was always competing with the American evil, Canoeville. I talked to Jay Barrouschell about the timing of this. And this is a very patriotic Canadian who described his film as an indignant middle finger aimed at America. I have lived here philosophically for most of my life, but it just added an extra sense of urgency, I suspect, to the whole thing and of vitality to it.

22:32There's a lot of other great Canadian films making waves, really looking forward to Mina Sham. She's the director of Double Happiness. She is back with a Hong Kong Vancouver tale called What You Want and Smudge the Blades. It's a very scrappy hockey story about an indigenous team from Northern Alberta. Now this is written, directed, and starring Cody Lightning. So certainly a vibrant year for Canadian movies. Thank you very much, Eli. My pleasure. That's CBC News, senior reporter Eli Glasner. Well, they might dominate the CFL on the gridiron, but this season the Montreal Allewats are tackling a new playbook, learning how to speak French. There are several Frank Fouham players on the team, but as Jay Turnbull tells us, dozens more are trying to par a fancy. How are you? How are you? That is the sound of about 60 burly football players crammed into a room in the basement of Olympic Stadium trying to learn French.

23:32It's a work in progress. The team has French classes once a week. Today is Tournament Day, so the players have been split up into small teams. All these competitive dudes trying to out French one another. It's chaotic. On the field, Allewats receiver Tyson Philpott is having the best season of his career. How's your friends coming on? I'm Patipa. In the classroom, the Delta BC native is one of the team's best students. Why is it important you to try to learn some French? We know it's a part of the Montreal culture and it's a beautiful language and you know, spend five years here, so it's about time fully buying. Technically, the Allewats have been trying to speak the language for a few seasons already. The classes are head coach Jason Moss's idea. The Americans saw how popular those videos were and I was player seemed to enjoy the challenge and want to do push them even further. Quebec is different. It's different than the rest of Canada and we want to represent that. I know there's a lot of Francophones, Angle Phones as well and Quebec. So it's the attempt and it's the belief that that will make us better and represent more fully arched province.

24:39It's about answering a fans question if he doesn't know your language and he can speak in another you be able to show that part. They say your French is pretty good. No, it's not. Trust me. It's going to take them so. I'm trying. I hope it gets better as it goes. At Exan Gagnet is one of a dozen Quebecers on the team. He appreciates his teammates effort. Yeah, it's incredible. Honestly, with the guys just having so much on their plate, taking time to just trying to understand French and speak it and just trying to learn some words. It means a lot for a guy from Montreal and Quebec. From my team. From those team. Menody Ome is the woman behind those viral videos and now the team's French teacher. The guys really want to learn French sometimes when I do my lesson and the guys don't really understand how I'm saying it or what does it mean. They ask me again how to say it. So that begs the question. How long until these out-of-proven players can conduct an interview entirely in French? It's a work in progress.

25:42J-Termple CBC News Montreal. Her heart has gone on and with it, the hearts of some 30,000 fans, Celine Dion, took the stage in Paris tonight. Her first full concert in six years. For more on the Quebec Superstars emotional comeback, we've reached the CBC's Sarah Levitt at the plenitude arena. Sarah, what was the reaction like to this show? The scene was absolutely electric. I have to say. And fans have just been saying what a comeback this was. She came on the scene of course wearing a magnificent outfit. I can't even describe it. And immediately saying, but as she ended that first song, she cried. And she said to the crowd in French since we're in Paris. I promised myself I wouldn't cry, but I knew that I couldn't sustain that promise. And one of the big things from this performance is just how fans reacted to everything she did.

26:49At one point, she came out and was singing, started a song, and said, no, wait, stop the song. And then she said, I'm very sorry, I made a mistake. Can I start again? And the crowd cheered her on. So far, only hearing electric reviews. Let's hear from some fans that I just spoke to coming out of this concert. She's just amazing. She's wonderful and she's always been in my life. When I was five years old, I was singing her songs, so it's been with me all my life. One thing I think, the Queen has returned. The Queen has returned. She's a spiritual show and there wasn't a dry eye in the house at any given point in time. This wasn't necessarily an easy path for Celine. People weren't so sure she'd ever returned to the stage. Tell us more about that. Yeah, you know, she, the last time she performed in front of a crowd, a ticketed crowd was in March 2020. Yes, there was the pandemic. But then soon after she was, she made it clear she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome,

27:55a neurological disorder. It causes really intense spasms of the muscles, including vocal cords. And so it wasn't clear. Will she make the stage again? Now she did at the Parasol Olympics in 2024 for an amazing performance during the opening ceremony. But can she do that for a two hour plus show tonight? She showed she absolutely could captivating the audience from the beginning to the end. Everybody saying as we heard from someone earlier, the Queen is back. Thank you very much, Sarah. Thank you. The CBC's Sarah Love It, joining us from Paras tonight. Well, as fans celebrate Celine Dion's return to the stage in the city of lights. Well, let's lean take us to the end of our show tonight. Here she is with Puckity Mem on call. This has been your world tonight for Saturday, September 12th. I'm Sarah McMillan. Good night.

29:18And I have to know that I'm looking for you. If you're the one to take me, even if you don't take me.