The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/15 at 10:00 EST

Episode Date: December 15, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/15 at 10:00 EST

Hey Canada. It's me, Gavin Crawford, host of Because News. Each week, I put comedians on the spot with a pop quiz about the headlines. This week, we're talking about the monster of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's own making, Wayne Gretzky's incredible pronunciation skills, and the one kind of Christmas toy experts are all calling dangerous. Miguel Revis, Emma Hunter, and Gene Yune are here, so laugh along as we try to make sense of the headlines. Follow Because News on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for free. From CBC News, it's the world this hour. I'm Joe Cummings. The latest inflation figures are out this morning, and they're showing the annual inflation rate was unchanged last month. It came in at 2.2%, which is where it was in October. Statistics Canada says food prices continue to put the most upward pressure on the overall outlook. They were up by 4.2%.

7% last month. That's the biggest one-month jump we've seen now in two years. And the spike in 2023 came as the economy was still recovering to get out from the worst of the pandemic. Acclaimed Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner is dead. And police in Los Angeles are investigating his death and the death of his wife as a homicide. Steve Fuderman reports. Here in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles near Reiner's home, police spent the night conducting their investigation. Deputy Police Chief Alan Hamilton. Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the 200 block of Chadbourne Avenue. Upon arrival, they determined that there were two deceased individuals inside of the residence.

Although police did not officially confirm the deaths, Reiner's family did. According to media reports, the person under suspicion is his 32-year-old son, Nick, who has dealt with mental health issues. In addition to his acting, Reiner also won acclaim directing such films as when Harry met Sally and a few good men. You want answers? I think I'm entitled. You want answers. I want the truth. You can't handle the truth. Among those expressing shock at Reiner's death, former U.S. President Barack Obama, he said Reiner had a deep belief in goodness. Steve Feuderman, CBC News, Los Angeles. Details are emerging now about some of the victims of yesterday's attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Australia.

Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen opened fire at a holiday gathering at Sydney's Bondi Beach. Phil Mercer has more. We know that the 15 victims include a 10-year-old girl called Matilda and an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. We know that there was a British-born rabbi, a father of five, who worked in a Jewish centre in Sydney, a man who was a former police detective who was working as a photographer. And also we heard details of another man who died, apparently protecting his wife from gunfire.

So throughout the day, we've learned more about the victims of this atrocity. and we've also learned more about the people who police believe perpetrated it. Unbelievably, a father and son, 50 and 24 years of age. The older man was shot dead by the police at the scene. The younger man is critically ill in hospital. Phil Mercer for CBC News at Bondi Beach in Sydney. A Hong Kong court has convicted media mogul Jimmy Lai under China's national security laws. A three-judge panel has found lie guilty of conspiracy.

to endanger national security, and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. Here's Lai's son, Sebastian. What we've seen today and actually have lost past five years is a complete breakdown in Hong Kong legal system. Lie, an outspoken critic of Beijing was the founder of the now-defunct Daily Apple newspaper. The 78-year-old is facing life in prison. The BC government says the heavy rain in the forecasts may cause more flooding in low-lying areas across the province. The Sumas and Chilawak rivers are still under flood warnings. While the latest surge is expected to be less intense than the downpours last week, that triggered widespread flooding in Abbotsford.

A high-impact rainfall warning remains in effect today. Environment Canada is saying the worst of the rainfall will be in and around the Fraser Valley area. And that is the World This Hour. Remember, you can listen to us wherever you get your podcast. The World This Hour is updated every hour seven days a week. For CBC News, I'm Joe Cummings.