The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/02/04 at 02:00 EST

Episode Date: February 4, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/02/04 at 02:00 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 Neil Herland. A trade war has officially broken out between the United States and China. U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed a new 10% tariff on Chinese goods entering the U.S. And now the Chinese Finance Ministry is fighting back, announcing a package of tariffs on a range of U.S. products. The Chinese retaliation tariffs include 15% on coal and liquefied natural gas, 10% tariffs on American crude oil and agricultural machinery. Meantime, Canada and the U.S. have struck a deal to pause the threat of tariffs for

30 days, and despite all Trump's complaints in recent days about trade deficits and Canadian banking regulations, he insists this is about fentanyl. Caroline Bargout reports. Shortly after his meeting with US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on the social media platform X reiterating Canada's 1.3 billion dollar border plan to stop the flow of fentanyl from getting into the United States. It includes new helicopters, technology and nearly 10,000 frontline staff. On top of that, Canada has promised to appoint a fentanyl czar and will designate drug cartels as terrorists.

Federal data shows of the nearly 22,000 pounds of fentanyl that was seized at the American border last year, just 43 pounds came from Canada. Despite that, Trudeau says Canada and the U.S. will also launch a joint strike force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering, and will be backing it with $200 million. President Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social and said, Tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30-day period to see whether or not a final economic deal with Canada can be structured. Fairness for all. Caroline Bargoud, CBC News, Washington.

Well, a reaction to that 30-day pause on tariffs continues to pour in. Some of Canada's premiers are warning even with a temporary reprieve, Canada needs to fight back. Michelle Gossoub reports. Hours from what could have become an escalating trade war, Canada has bought some time. But with the uncertainty hanging overhead, some Canadian Premiers aren't backing down, saying no matter what happens next, Canada needs to be prepared to fight back. These unilateral actions by the United States have changed our relationship for the foreseeable

future. Speaking in North Vancouver, BC Premier David Eby said he'll put on hold retaliatory measures that would have taken alcohol from Republican states off of BC shelves. 29 days from now, we'll see where we're at. That pause in retaliatory measures echoed by the premiers of Ontario and Manitoba. While calling down his own plan to cut off U.S. alcohol, Quebec Premier François de Gauss said Canada must become less dependent on the U.S. We have to be ready to all kind of scenarios with this guy.

While the terror threat continues to hang over the economy, there is a pause in the escalation for now. Michelle Gossoub, CBC News, Vancouver. The U.S. government has reached a deal to send some of its dangerous criminals to El Salvador, where they'll be housed in prisons. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing the plan after meeting with the president of El Salvador. He has offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals in custody in our country

including those of US citizenship and legal residents. The US will pay El Salvador to take the prisoners. The agreement will help the US lower its detention costs while bringing new revenue to El Salvador. The US also plans to send migrants who enter the states illegally. A 17 year old Australian girl has been killed in a shark attack. It happened at a beach north of Brisbane. The victim was swimming when a shark bit her. Rose Harrison witnessed the tragedy. I could hear screaming next minute, all hell broke loose and the police were running.

I just couldn't believe it. And one of the ladies that was down here comforting one of the locals, I've been here 10 years, this has never happened. And it's going to devastate the community." Shark attacks are considered extremely rare. And that is your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Neil Herland.