The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/01/19 at 03:00 EST

Episode Date: January 19, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/01/19 at 03:00 EST

Hi, I'm Damon Fairless, host of Hunting Warhead from CBC Podcasts and the Norwegian newspaper VG. Hunting Warhead follows a global team of police and journalists as they attempt to dismantle a massive network of predators on the dark web. Winner of the grand prize for best investigative reporting at the New York festivals and recommended by The Guardian, Vulture, and the Globe and Mail. You can find Hunting Warhead on CBC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Mike Miles.

The long anticipated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is on hold this morning. It was supposed to take effect an hour and a half ago, with some Gazans even gathering outside a hospital to celebrate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he wouldn't allow the ceasefire to begin until Hamas provides a list of hostages that are being freed the first day. Hamas says it's having technical issues providing that list. The Israeli military said it will continue to attack in Gaza and not long afterward announced it had hit what it called terror targets in northern and central Gaza.

Palestinian health authorities report at least eight dead. Crews are maintaining the upper hand on the two major fires burning around Los Angeles, but there are warnings of more high winds that could fan those flames. They're expected as soon as tomorrow. Last night, though, was a time to mourn the lost. Steve Utterman has more. It has been a week and a half since the fires broke out. This was a time for reflection, an evening vigil. Crosses were set up, one for each of the deaths confirmed so far. People showed up to pay respects.

I know it's making me feel things I never felt before. There were prayers, some brought candles, others placed flowers in front of the crosses. Just you can feel that emotion and that connection. Being here means a lot. Meanwhile, the fight goes on to contain the two major fires and fire crews continue to make progress. The largest of the fires, the Palisades Fire,

is now 49% contained. The Eaton fire is 73% contained. Initial recovery efforts are underway, but it will take years and billions of dollars to return these areas destroyed to something even close to what they once were. Steve Futterman for CBC News, Pasadena, California. TikTok is now banned in the U.S. but President-elect Donald Trump is considering granting a 90-day reprieve. Still banned or not,

content creators are looking to pivot to what's next. Phil Bleshenok reports. For TikTokker Dustin Tyler, there is no substitute. You know, you can use other platforms. It's just not the same. Let's just say I make enough to pay my bills. That income could be cut off with the ban on the Chinese-owned app.

And while incoming U.S. President Donald Trump says he's leaning towards postponing that ban for 90 days to allow the company to sell itself to American owners, analyst Kelsey Chickering says it would be wise for content creators to look for alternatives. Social media platforms can come and go and you have to diversify your content to be successful in this business. Red Note, another China-based app, has had huge interest from so-called TikTok refugees. But Philip Mai, who runs the social media lab at Toronto Metropolitan University, is skeptical.

The Red Note thing I think is a fad. It was a protest vote more than anything else. Trump is expected to announce his decision on postponing the TikTok ban on Monday. Phil C. Shannock, CBC News, Toronto. The federal court of Canada is moving up a challenge to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's prorogation of parliament. Constitutional lawyer James Manson represents those bringing the case, which argues Parliament needs to be in session to deal with Donald Trump's threatened 25% tariffs on Canadian

goods. That's important, I think, for all Canadians and for future prime ministers to understand what are the limits and the scope of their power to prorogue Parliament. When can they do it? When can they not do it? You know, can it just be for any reason or does it have to be something, something called, you know, more concrete? To Nova Scotia residents David McKinnon and Aris Lafornos want an order setting sight to those advice to the governor general and

a declaration that parliament is not prorogued. The hearing has been set for February 13th and 14th in Ottawa. Extreme cold warnings are in effect across the prairies and parts of Ontario and Quebec. Wind chills of minus 40 are forecast in northern Alberta and most of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. People are advised to stay indoors if possible, and if not, dress warmly and be aware of the risk of frostbite. That is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Mike Miles.