The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/01/13 at 08:00 EST

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/01/13 at 08:00 EST

They're elected to run your country, your province, your city. They make decisions every day that affect your life, and they should be held accountable. Join me, David Cochran, on CBC's Power and Politics podcast, where I speak to the key players in the political stories everyone is talking about. You'll hear from those who've got the power, those who want it, and those affected most by it. You can find the latest episode at cbc.ca slash listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

From CBC News, it's the world this hour. I'm Joe Cummings. The confirmed number of dead from the ongoing LA wildfire emergency has now reached 24. This along with at least 100,000 people being forced from their homes. And while round-the-clock efforts continue to get all the blazes under control, there is more bad news from the weather forecast. The strong winds that initially help fuel these fires are returning. Steve Futterman has the latest. This is just the beginning of what's going to be a three day period.

The worst of the winds are going to come on Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. That's really the time of most concern, but LA is on pins and needles right now. People are actually very, very nervous. They don't want a repeat of last week. Now, fire crews are in position in these vulnerable areas where they might have new fires or possibly the reigniting of fires that have already been extinguished. There are also concerns

that the winds may go into brand new areas where the fire crews are not positioned. Good sign though, these winds are not going to be as intense as last week. Maybe around 75%. They're still going to be strong, still going to cause potential problems, but they should not be quite as bad as last week. Steve Futterman for CBC News, Los Angeles. The U.S. Geological Survey says an earthquake has struck the southwest coast of Japan. The epicenter of the 6.8 quake is near the city of Miyazaki. The tsunami warning has been issued for the region with officials predicting waves as high as at least one meter.

Alberta Premier Daniel Smith met over the weekend in Mar-a-Lago, Florida with Donald Trump. The visit comes amid Trump's ongoing tariff threats in just a week before he returns to the White House. Sam Sampson reports. Standing near the ornate archways of Mar-a-Lago, Daniel Smith smiles and shakes Donald Trump's hand. In another photo under sunny skies, Smith stands by Trump,

who's wearing a bright red Make America Great Again ball cap. Smith says their conversation was friendly and constructive, mentioning the jobs Americans have because of Alberta's exports. When she's speaking for Canada, for Canada's interest, she can be quite effective. Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams says communication is key when Donald Trump is threatening 25 percent tariffs. Smith is the first Premier to travel to Mar-a-Lago and meet with Trump since he was elected in November.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford went on American network shows to talk trade. And Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with his US counterpart late last year. In her written statement Smith said Canada and the US are proud independent nations and there's a need to preserve our independence while growing a critical partnership. Sam Sampson, CBC News, Edmonton. As of today the price of mailing a letter here in Canada just went up, and it's a big increase. A single stamp goes up 29 cents to $1.44.

This follows a 30-day strike late last year by Canada Post employees and the Crown Corporation reporting losses of more than $3 billion since 2018. The British government is rolling out a multi-billion dollar initiative that will significantly increase the use of AI in the public sector. Crystal Gamansing has the details now from London. This technology offers huge potential in dealing with productivity problems. Senior cabinet member Pat McFadden selling the practical benefits of artificial intelligence. The Labour government is starting to implement recommendations from an AI advisory review

launched last summer. Later on this morning, I'm going to see AI in action in the classroom where it's being used by about 30,000 teachers in England, saving them about three and a half hours a week. From administrative work in the education sector to viewing images of road conditions, the Labour government is banking on AI to save money. Government borrowing costs have hit their highest level in 16 years and this month the pound fell to a 14-month low against the dollar. The government says its AI opportunities action plan could create

more than 13,000 jobs. Crystal Gamansing, CBC News, London. And that is the World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Joe Cummings.