The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2026/01/02 at 05:00 EST

Episode Date: January 2, 2026

The World This Hour for 2026/01/02 at 05:00 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 is sour. I'm Wayne Tibero. The U.S. is urging China to exercise restraint and avoid actions that raise tensions following large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. The Taiwanese president has vowed to defend the island's sovereignty and boost military spending in response to the war games. Patrick Fock reports. In a televised speech from Taiwan's presidential office marking the New Year, leader Lai Ting De said the island must resolutely defend national sovereignty

and strengthen national defense. We must plan for the worst and hope for the best, he added. The speech came just two days after China, fired dozens of rockets and deployed jets and naval vessels encircling the island, which Beijing claims as part of its territory. In an address, just hours after the war, Games concluded Chinese President Xi Jinping said China's reunification with Taiwan cannot be stopped. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this week he wasn't concerned about the drills,

but on Thursday the State Department issued a statement saying China's actions are a source of unnecessary strain. Meanwhile, Lai warns the exercises demonstrate the need for boosting Taiwan's defense capabilities. Patrick Fock for CBC News, Singapore. are dead and 115 injured, mainly many serious. After a fire at a crowded bar in the Swiss Alps, New Year's Eve, the cause of the blaze, which was initially reported as an explosion, remains unclear. Authorities say it appears to be an accident rather than an attack. Here's an eyewitness, speaking through a translator. Some friends came. They called me, so I drove over. I arrived, and from there, everyone was burned. Everyone was.

was screaming, everyone was shouting. They'd been moved from the constellation to bar 1900 and it was crazy. It was like a horror movie. For real, it was a horror movie. I've never seen anything like it in my life. Switzerland has begun five days of mourning. Authorities say many of the victims were young and from many countries. Global Affairs Canada says it's not aware of any Canadians among those killed or hurt in the fire. The sound of fireworks in Amsterdam, fire destroyed a large part of a historic church there. And local media reports say there is suspicion the church may have been hit by fireworks. It ripped through the popular 19th century church shortly after midnight local time.

Flames spread quickly causing extensive damage. An official cause of the fire is still under investigation. New York's new mayor, Zoan Mamdani, is prime. promising to restore trust and work for all. He says his administration will govern expansively and additionally. At a news conference, the mayor announced three executive orders aimed up protecting renters and building new housing. Just a few hours ago, I celebrated with tens of thousands of New Yorkers. Many of them left our ceremony to return to houses and apartments that do not feel like homes,

where bad landlords do not make repairs, where rents constantly rise, where roaches crawl in the hallway, and heat in the chill of winter comes rarely. Today, on the first day of this new administration, we will not wait to deliver action. Mamdani is a Democrat. He was sworn in at a decommissioned subway station below City Hall just after midnight, placing his hand on a Quran as he took the oath of office

as the first Muslim mayor. In BC, a snowmobiler has died in an avalanche in the northern interior. Avalanche Canada reports three snowmobillers were riding in a mountainous area near Tumblr Ridge on Tuesday. It says the slide was triggered by a snowmobile from the base of the slope. No one else was injured. Tumblr Ridge is located about 175 kilometers northeast of Prince George. And that is your world this hour.

For CBC News, I'm Wayne Tibado in Charlottetown. Thank you.