The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/12/27 at 04:00 EST

Episode Date: December 27, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/12/27 at 04:00 EST

This ascent isn't for everyone. You need grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always over-delivers. You've got to be 6,500 hospital staff, 1,000 doctors, all doing so much with so little. You've got to be Scarborough. Defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing.

Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo. From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Mike Miles. Charitable giving in Canada is starting to look more like high finance than neighbors helping neighbors. National data shows donations are increasingly concentrated among fewer wealthier donors, even as demand at food banks and local charities rises. As Colin Butler tells us, in London, Ontario, that shift is already being felt. We are currently we're tracking about a half a million dollars behind. United Way Elgin Middlesex CEO Kelly Zigner says the half million dollar hole is where middle class line workers from the GM cammy plant Shuddernan Ingersoll used to pitch in. Charitable giving hit an all-time high of 12.8 billion in 2023, according to stats can. Yet the number of people giving hit a 20-year low. Experts call it charity squeeze where billions flow from a shrinking. pool of wealthier donors to certain charities, while others often smaller, lesser known, face rising demand and fewer contributors. It's been a tough year, I'm not going to lie.

Shine Foundation CEO Tiffany Houston. It has to do with the times. Fewer donors, more need, and a system increasingly shaped by the few rather than the many. For local charities, every dollar counts. Now, more than ever. Colin Butler, CBC News, London, Ontario. It's the time of year when people head back to the gym or pound the pavement. And for many Canadians, that could be a New Year's resolution to get more steps in.

But just how many steps do we need in a day to be healthy? Lauren Pelley took a look at the latest science to find out. Along a chilly Toronto Trail, a walking group for people 55 and up focuses on staying independent through their steps. Member Karen Whitney. At one point, the idea was everyone should do 10,000. and now there's some query back and forth. The notion of getting 10,000 steps per day dates back decades, but modern research shows a number doesn't tell the whole story.

Various recent studies suggest daily step counts in the thousands may cut mortality rates to a point. At around 7,000 steps a day, we start to see a little bit plateauing of health effects. Researcher Melody Ding is with the University of Sydney. She says that it's all about hitting realistic goals. Lee Vanderlund agrees. She's the scientific director for participation, a Canadian non-profit that encourages health and fitness. Look for those little opportunities where you can break up those extended periods of sitting.

Can you get off a transit stop sooner? Can you park further away? Lauren Pelley, CBC News, Toronto. The use of artificial intelligence to fill social and emotional gaps in human lives is becoming more widespread with a growing number of people turning to chatbots for connection. But experts warn virtual connections should not consider. come at the expense of real ones. Laura Westbrook reports from Hong Kong. Wearing a flowing white wedding dress,

Urena Noguchi walks down the aisle to stand next to the groom. He's a smartphone placed on a table, displaying an AI-generated persona with dark hair that flops over his eyes. The 32-year-old says at first Klaus was someone to talk to after she sought advice from chat GBT and broke off an engagement. But her feelings grew. For me, being with a human didn't make me feel positive, but I did feel good when I dated an AI.

According to a survey of 1,000 respondents this year in Japan, more people feel they can share their feelings with a chatbot than their best friends or mothers. Relationship Coach Valentina Tudos says the emotions are real. Having someone who sends you texts every day and says, hello, this, of course, also poses a danger that people might really disconnect from real-life interactions. Laura Westbrook for CBC News, Hong Kong.

Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist for UK rock band, The Cure, has died. One of the many hits he played on after joining them in 1990. Bamonte was due to touring the UK and Europe in 2026, but the band says he suffered a short illness over Christmas. Perry Balmante was 65. That is the world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Mike Miles.