The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2026/01/03 at 09:00 EST

Episode Date: January 3, 2026

The World This Hour for 2026/01/03 at 09:00 EST

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I'm Neil Kumar. We begin in Caracas, Venezuela, where U.S. forces have carried out an overnight attack. U.S. President Donald Trump says Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured. U.S. Attorney General Pambondi has now confirmed that the couple has been indicted in New York and charged with narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and weapons-related charges. Julie Chapman is gauging reaction and has the latest. I think it's safe to say that both allies and adversaries of Venezuela were taken by surprise at the action overnight by the U.S. government. Cuba is one of Venezuela's few allies.

Its president Miguel Diaz-Kanel denounced the action by the U.S. calling it state terrorism. The Majuro government has been growing closer to Iran, Russia and China. Iran has condemned the incident as a flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. The Russian Foreign Ministry says it's deeply worried and condemns what it calls an act of armed aggression. It says the pretexts used for the action are unfounded. We've not heard from China yet, but it is the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude oil, and we can expect pretty unequivocal condemnation for them. As far as America's allies, President Javier Milley of Argentina,

a good friend of Donald Trump's, posted on X, saying, long-lived freedom. That's the CBC's Julia Chapman reporting from London. London. In Arizona, four people have been killed in a helicopter crash in the mountains. 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. Transit prices are going up around 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 fairs 20 cents to $4 per ride. Victoria jumped 50 cents, now $3. Jeff Cassello, a professor at the U.S. University of Waterloo says there will be consequences as riders also deal with overcrowding, infrequent, and unreliable service. Those who have 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. Power has been restored to a northern Manitoba First Nation. Some people were without power for up to four days in barely cold conditions. But as Gavin Axelrod reports, the damage left behind is creating a new set of problems. Pimichikamak creation 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 pathups that are frozen. We have toilets 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 Chura 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 Chikamack to help with damages. Gavin Axelrod, CBC News, Winnipeg. Environment Canada is the warning of the potential for flooding in southwestern BC

as high tides and high winds collide over the weekend. The weather agency issued a coastal flooding statement on Friday saying abnormal high tides and a low-pressure system moving through the region could result in flooding. And that is your world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Neil Kumar. Thank you.