The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2026/01/02 at 12:00 EST

Episode Date: January 2, 2026

The World This Hour for 2026/01/02 at 12:00 EST

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from cbc news the world this hour i'm claude fagg swiss officials are zeroing in on the cause of the deadly new year's eve fire in an alpine resort town they point to sparkling flares being held up near the ceiling of the nightclub as a likely cause and have also given more details of those killed and injured world report co-host john northcott has the latest from london for the first time we're getting a true sense of the breadth of countries affected by the tragedy. Officials say there are 40 dead and 119 injured, many of them critically, in hospitals with severe burns across Switzerland and even around Europe as the number of injured have outpaced the ability of Swiss hospitals to deal with them. 71 of the victims are from Switzerland, but there are many from France, Italy, as well as

Serbia, Bosnia, Poland, and Luxembourg. With a number of still unidentified, Swiss officials say they are in touch with the Philippines, Romania, Turkey, as they turn to home country resources to try to make positive identifications. Now, we're getting some greater clarity as to the cause of the fire. The officials saying what eyewitnesses have been saying really from the very beginning

that large lit sparklers in champagne bottles, or kind of a feature of the club, they were being carried through the club, which they often did, but in this occasion, they say they got too close to the ceiling, and they set off that fire that then spread rapidly. John Northcott, CBC News.

London. Iranian authorities say at least seven people are dead as protests over rising prices and economic pressure spread across the country. And a warning, the audio may be disturbing for some listeners. Verified footage from BBC Persian captures repeated gunfire as security forces confront protesters in Fasa in southern Iran. Iranian officials deny reports of a death in that confrontation. The unrest has now entered its sixth day. U.S. President Donald Trump says the United States will intervene if Iran violently suppresses peaceful protests. Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Paris early next week to meet leaders of the Coalition of the Willing, focusing on negotiating peace in Ukraine and providing security support. Since the war began nearly four years ago, Ottawa reports more than

$23.5 billion in aid to Ukraine, including financial and military assistance. The Ontario government has quietly given itself the power to override archaeological protections. Developers see the changes as a way to make approvals more predictable while still protecting history. But as Colin Butler reports, archaeologists and First Nations fear a minister can now erase history with a mere stroke of a pen. They're essentially rewriting our history. Tobermori-based archaeologist Scarlett Genesis says no good can come of this. I think it's bad when government tries to control our heritage. But control is exactly what the province quietly gave itself with Bill 5. Elected officials can

now grant exemptions for projects they call priorities. The Ontario Home Builders Association wouldn't go on air, but told CBC in an email, the law promises faster approval. while still responsibly protecting heritage. Indigenous rights lawyer Aaron Detler says there's nothing responsible about it. It doesn't matter if it's the most sacred site known to any particular First Nation because the priority has been given to developers. Skipping assessments could also halt projects when burials or artifacts are found. Experts warn of political favoritism at the cost of 13,000 years of history,

especially when decisions about the past are being made in the present, by politicians. Colin Butler, CBC News, London, Ontario. Canadian basketball star, Shea Gilgis Alexander, has scored another award. The NBA's reigning most valuable player from Hamilton, Ontario, has been named Sports Person of the Year by Sports Illustrated. Gildes Alexander led his Oklahoma City Thunder to an NBA title last season, where he was also named Finals MVP.

And that is your world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Clare. Potpeg.