The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2026/01/04 at 17:00 EST

Episode Date: January 4, 2026

The World This Hour for 2026/01/04 at 17:00 EST

The PWHL is back for the third season of heart-stopping women's hockey. And this season, there are two new teams looking to make their mark on the ice. The Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Golden Eyes. When the world's best women's hockey players face off, anything can happen. Will the Minnesota Frost achieve a three-beat? Will a new team take home the trophy? There's only one way to find out. Watch the PWHL for free on CBCJ.

From CBC News, The World This Hour. I'm Kate McGilfrey. In New York, toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro is adjusting to some very different accommodations. Good night. You're happy me here. Maduro greeted photographers before spending the night in a New York City detention center. He and his wife were detained by U.S. forces during an early morning raid in Caracas yesterday. It's all left big questions about who will be in.

in charge in Venezuela. U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday, the U.S. will run the country for now. While in Venezuela, the Supreme Court has sworn in Maduro's Vice President Delci Rodriguez as interim leader, reporter Manuel Rueira, describes what it's like on the ground. Because the fact that Maduro has been imprisoned doesn't mean that the same regime is not around. Basically, Maduro's closest aides are now appear to be, running the show. Yesterday evening, the vice president was put in charge of the country by Venezuela Supreme Court. And she appeared on television in the afternoon saying that they want Maduro back, that they're going to keep on fighting, that they're not going to be a U.S.

colony. This was, you know, an effort by the vice president trying to give an impression, you know, these aides of Maduro that they're in charge now. we'll have to see in the following days. There's a bit of anxiety, a bit of just trepidation, people wondering what will happen next. Manuel Reda for CBC News, but what that? Meanwhile, Democrats are increasingly angry that the Trump administration failed to consult Congress before its Venezuelan military operation. This morning, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the plan.

It wasn't necessary because this is not an invasion. We didn't occupy a country. This was an arrest operation. This is a law enforcement operation. He was arrested on the ground in Venezuela by FBI agents. Read his right and removed from the country. Rubio also denied the accusation that the Trump administration was simply going after Venezuela's oil reserves, instead painting a picture of the U.S. coercing the current Venezuelan leadership into allowing more foreign oil investment.

We have leverage. This leverage we are using and we intend to use. We started using already. Ultimately, this is not about securing the oil fields. This is about ensuring that no sanctioned oil can come in and out until they make changes to the governance of that entire industry. In the 1970s, Venezuela nationalized its oil industry, kicking almost all American companies out.

The UK and France carried out air strikes on ISIS targets in Syria late yesterday. This comes about two weeks after the U.S. launched major strikes in the same area of the country. Julia Chapman reports from London. The British Ministry of Defense says Fischer, Jets targeted an underground facility north of Palmyra. Intelligence analysis concluded that ISIS was storing weapons and explosives there. The military says there are not believed to be any civilian casualties. Defense Minister John Healy says the UK is determined to stamp out any resurgence of ISIS.

A little over two weeks ago, the U.S. targeted the same part of Syria. Launching around 100 munitions, it struck ISIS sites after the killing of two U.S. soldiers and an American translator. ISIS has been weakened from its former state, but it's estimated to have up to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq. Experts say there has been an uptick in attacks and that the group may be trying to exploit the transition of power after the defeat of the Assad regime.

Julia Chapman, CBC News, London. And at least 30 people were killed in an unknown number abducted by gunmen in an attack in Nigeria. The gunmen opened fire in a village market. burning down the stalls and looting food. This man says all five of his children were kidnapped. The attack comes weeks after gunmen kidnapped more than 300 children and staff at a school in central Nigeria. Most of those victims were released.

The government hasn't said whether a ransom was paid. And that is the world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Kate McGilfrey. Thank you.