The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2026/01/03 at 03:00 EST

Episode Date: January 3, 2026

The World This Hour for 2026/01/03 at 03:00 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 wayne tibito we begin with breaking news several news agencies are now reporting that at least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around two a m local time saturday in venezuela's capital caracas it is not clear what is behind the explosions but venezuela's government accuses the u.s of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states. So far there's been no response from the Pentagon or the White House. People rushed to the streets. Parts of the city are without power, and smoke could be seen rising from the hangar of a military base in the city. We'll continue to follow this developing story and have more next hour. Back here at home, power has been restored to a northern Manitoba First Nation. Some people were without power for up to four days in bitterly cold conditions. But as Gavin Axelrod reports the damage left behind is creating a new set of problems.

Pimichikamak cre nation has power again, but the community faces more challenges. Chief David Monia says burst pipes are causing damages to homes. He also worries how the extreme cold will impact the First Nations water treatment system. We have pastups that are frozen. We have toilets that are tilted because the water froze underneath it and is pushing it up. Pimichikamak declared a state of emergency earlier this week. after a snapped power line cut electricity to the community. Over 1,000 people were evacuated,

seeking warmth and shelter at hotels or with loved ones across the province. Manitoba Hydro spokesperson Peter Truro says crews worked as fast as they could to fix the outage. Given the location and the terrain with a 300-meter span of cable in between two islands and a river on ice that couldn't support vehicles, it was just very difficult to make that repair. Indigenous Services Canada says its Emergency Management Assistance Program will provide financial support to Pima Chikimack to help with damages. Gavin Axelrod, CBC News, Winnipeg.

Investigators in Switzerland are continuing the painful tasks of identifying those who died in a nightclub fire. This mother is looking for her 17-year-old son, asking anyone who may know if he is injured or dead to contact her. At least 40 people died when a fire tore through a club in the Swiss resort town. In the early hours of New Year's Day, nearly 120 others were injured. Officials say they believe the fire was started by sprinkler champagne bottles that were brought too close to the ceiling.

They also say it could take days to identify everyone who was killed. Four people have been killed in a helicopter crash in the mountains of Arizona. Officials say the crash near Telegraph Canyon, about 103 kilometers east of Phoenix, took place Friday morning. the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. While transit prices are going up across the country, as operation and labor costs rise, the spike is raising questions about why it continues to be a challenge for Canadian cities to provide affordable public transit access. Jessica Chung explains.

The cost per ride when you're tapping is really high now. Laura Shantz with Ottawa transit riders says the increase to $4.10 a ride is going to deter commuters. As we see this amount go up and up and up, customers are really going to want to know what's in it for them. Ottawa is not the only city that saw an increase. Calgary hiked its fares 20 cents to $4 per ride. Victoria jumped 50 cents, now $3. Jeff Casello, a professor at the University of Waterloo, says there will be consequences, as riders also deal with overcrowding, infrequent, and unreliable service. other alternatives begin to move away from public transit, which further decreases the revenue

stream, which makes fares go up again, which creates this cycle where we are moving really in a very negative way. Jessica Chung, CBC News, Vancouver. And back to our top story, the FAA has now banned U.S. commercial flights in Venezuela airspace over what it calls ongoing military activity ahead of explosions in Caracas. We'll have more on that story next hour. And that is your world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Wayne Thibodeau.