The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/01/25 at 01:00 EST

Episode Date: January 25, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/01/25 at 01:00 EST

Hi, I'm Matea Roach, and I like to think that I know a little bit about a lot of different things. But you know what's one thing I can never get enough of? Books. If you're anything like me, after you finish reading a great book, you probably have some burning questions for the author, you want to talk to all your friends about it. Every week, I talk to the biggest, brightest, and most interesting authors from Canada and around the world. You can find bookends wherever you get your podcasts.

From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Mike Miles. He came, he saw, he promised help. After days of incendiary rhetoric, U.S. President Donald Trump was in California Friday evening to see the destruction from the L.A. wildfires. Steve Futterman with more on the visit. The president spent several hours seeing the damage both from the air and on the ground. He met with some of those who lost their homes.

I don't think you can realize how rough it is, how devastating it is until you see it. Afterwards, before a gathering of state and local officials, he said the federal government is standing behind you 100 percent. I'm going to give you everything you want. I'm going to give you more than any president would have ever given you. Earlier in the day in North Carolina, Trump had a much different tone. He seemed to set conditions on federal aid being given to California. He did not repeat that here, and Democratic Congresswoman Judy Chu was hopeful.

One statement actually that I will not forget is when he said, California will get what it needs. Trump says he wants rebuilding to begin quickly, and he said he will make it easier to deal with federal red tape. Steve Futterman for CBC News, Pacific Palisades, California. In the end, it came down to one vote, but former Fox News host Pete Hagseth is now the U.S. Defense Secretary and the third confirmed member of Donald Trump's cabinet. Ira Spitzer reports. Ms. Klobuchar, no. Former House Speaker Mitch McConnell joined fellow Republicans

Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, as well as all 47 Democrats, in opposing Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense. With the chamber deadlocked at 50-50, Vice President J.D. Vance used his tie-breaking vote to install the 44-year-old former TV presenter and Army veteran at the head of the world's most powerful military. At a tense confirmation hearing, Hegseth faced allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual assault. His opponents also raised concerns over his lack of management experience and his previous opposition to women in combat roles.

The narrow vote margin was the closest ever for a U.S. defense secretary's confirmation. Iris Betzer for CBC News in San Francisco. Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney continues to rack up endorsements from federal cabinet members. As of Friday night, a former central banker has 13 ministers backing his campaign. His top rival, Christia Freeland, has five. In an interview with CBC radios of the House, Freeland said her former colleague's support for Carney doesn't bother her. Central to my campaign to see this is not about liberal elites deciding this

is about the grassroots. It is certainly looking like Mark is the choice of the liberal establishment. It is certainly looking like he is the PMO's candidate. However, the PMO told CBC News that Trudeau and his office are remaining neutral throughout the liberal leadership race. Freeland also talked to host Catherine Cullen about leaving Trudeau's cabinet and how she's tackling Donald Trump. You can hear the full interview Saturday morning after the 9 o'clock edition of World Report or anytime wherever you get your podcasts.

Mayors of Canadian cities on the U.S. border are forming a new partnership. The Border Mayors Alliance is intended to serve as a unified national voice to safeguard communities and bring a municipal perspective to an international discussion. Matthew Shoemaker is mayor of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He says proposed tariffs and a trade war are one issue, but so is any general reduction in cross-border traffic. I know, for example, if bridge traffic drops, as it did in our community during COVID,

that has a huge impact on local retailers, it has a huge impact on gas stations in town, it has a huge impact on local retailers, it has a huge impact on gas stations in town, it has a huge impact on hotels. The municipal level, it's really an on the ground economic impact from a reduction in the back and forth travel. Shoemaker says unlike other border cities, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario is much larger than its American neighbor. And he says there's an outside reliance by the Sioux, Michigan for business and tourism

travel by Canadians. And he's hoping their business relationship doesn't have to change. That is your World This Hour for CBC News. I'm Mike Miles.