The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/23 at 17:00 EST

Episode Date: December 23, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/23 at 17:00 EST

Welcome to Lilith Fair! In the late 90s, a groundbreaking all-female music festival emerged, led by Canadian artist Sarah McLaughlin. Promoter said, you can't put two women on the same bill. People won't come. And it put a huge fire under my butt to prove them wrong. Representation for women in rock music wasn't there. And worse, you're being pitted against each other.

Lilith became a free train. Catch the documentary that chronicles a pivotal moment in music culture. Watch Lilith Fair, building a mystery. For free on CBC Gem. From CBC News, The World This Hour, I'm Martina Fitzgerald. The lawyer allegedly connected to suspected drug kingpin, Ryan Wedding, has been granted bail ahead of his extradition hearing. Deepak Paradkar is accused of advising Wedding to kill an FBI witness and of aiding an international drug smuggling network. The CBC's Michelle Song was in court today.

Deepak Paradcar, the Toronto area lawyer accused of working. with the alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding has been released on bail as he faces extradition to the U.S. The judge says that although he recognizes that the attorney general argues Pratkar would likely flee if released, he says because of his age and health conditions, the judge believes it will be difficult for Pradkar to be on the run. The judge also says he has the utmost confidence in Pratkar's shirty, his wife, Mandy Taylor Pratkar. Bail is set for more than $5 million. Pradkar's defense proposed. 24-7 house arrest with an electronic monitor

and proposed he will not communicate with anyone outside his family. Pradkar faces five charges in the U.S., including conspiracy to tamper with a witness. If found guilty, he would face life in prison. Michelle Sogg, CBC News, Toronto. For the federal government, in 2024, deportation costs added up to nearly $80 million. The Canada Border Services Agency says last year it removed more than 18, thousand people from the country. Experts say that number may go up

as Ottawa tightens, immigration targets, and limits new study and job permits. Evan Dyer reports. The last fiscal year was the busiest for removal since 2012, part of a steady uptick that followed a lull during the pandemic. CBSA

says the increase reflects the larger numbers of non-citizens allowed into the country in recent years, some of whom made asylum claims that were rejected or failed to comply with the conditions of their entry. It costs between $3,000 and $4,000 to remove a person who's willing to leave the country unescorted, but removals requiring a CBSA escort are more than three times as expensive. CBSA says it's currently deporting 400 people a week and is on track to remove

over 20,000 people in the current fiscal year. Evan Dyer, CBC News, Ottawa. Canada's economy shrank by a greater than expected 0.3% in October. It's the biggest slump in almost three years. The economy was dragged down by the decline in wood manufacturing following the new U.S. tariffs in mid-October. But Stats Canada says when the November numbers are released, we should see the economy has made up most of that lost ground. One of the top items on the Christmas wish list for teens comes with a warning from health officials. E-Scooters are a popular buy for people of all ages. But as Tanya Fletcher reports, hospitalizations involving e-scooters are also trending upward.

It's small, lightweight, and it gets you pretty much where you need to go. Onyxcala works at EVs in downtown Vancouver and says many parents come in looking to buy an e-scooter for their kids. But with every sale, a word of caution. We are very, very clear. We tell people, just because it goes fast, doesn't mean you need to or should ride it that fast. Some e-scooters can go from zero to 75 kilometers an hour in seconds.

And data from the Canadian Institute of Health Information shows injuries are on the rise. Over a one-year period, hospitalizations linked to e-scooter injuries rose by 32% with a staggering 61% among young people aged 5 to 17. The more serious ones that we hear about include head injuries like concussions and fractured. Dr. Brandon Yao with Vancouver Coastal Health says children need to know e- scooters are a vehicle, not a toy. His advice, wear a helmet and don't speed. Tanya Fletcher, CBC News. Libya's military chief and four other people have been killed in a plane crash in Turkey.

The Libyan officials were on a visit to the Turkish capital, Ankara, for high-level defense talks. But their jet disappeared from the radar on the way back home. Officials have now found the plane's wreckage. The cause of the crash is still unknown. That is your world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Martina Fitzgerald. Thank you.