The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2026/01/07 at 12:00 EST

Episode Date: January 7, 2026

The World This Hour for 2026/01/07 at 12:00 EST

Hi there. I'm Nala Ayyed, host of Ideas. Ideas is a podcast where we dig deep into the why to understand the what. Here you can find out how an enslaved man mailed himself to freedom or why the yellow traffic light was designed to be ambiguous. The Ideas podcast has something for everyone. With episodes every weekday and a vast archive, the choices are endless. Listen now to ideas wherever you get your podcasts. And tell a friend. There is something. something here for them, too. From CBC News, it's the world this hour. I'm Joe Cummings. The Prime Minister's office says Mark Carney will be going to China next week. The PMO says Carney is making the trip to discuss trade, energy, agriculture, and international security. The visit runs from Tuesday to Saturday.

But at this point, there's no confirmation on whether Harney will be meeting with President Xi Jinping. The United States has seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela. One is a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic. The other is a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. claims the tankers violated its recently imposed Venezuelan oil blockade. And U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegzeth says today's action is a warning to any vessel, not respecting the American sanctions.

Our military is prepared to continue this. said the president when he speaks, he means it, means it. He's not messing around. We're an administration of action to advance our interests, and that is on full display. We're happy to breathe out. Homeland security officials say both vessels were either last docked in Venezuela or on their way to a Venezuelan port. Meanwhile, a week of National Morning has been declared in Venezuela in the wake of last week's raid that saw the U.S. capture President Nicholas Maduro. Here is the country's acting president, Delci Rodriguez. I've made the decision to declare a seven-day morning period

to honor and glory the young men and women who died offering their lives, defending Venezuela, defending President Nicolas Maduro. It's for them our recognition. It has wounded my soul the images of the bodies, but I know they were martyred for the supreme values of this republic. Venezuelan officials say dozens of military members were killed in the raid,

and the Cuban government said, as 32 of its military and police officials deployed to Venezuela were also killed. The White House says all options are on the table when it comes to the possibility of the United States taking over Greenland, and that includes deploying the military. President Donald Trump says the island is vital to U.S. national security and acquiring the Danish territory is now a priority. Willie Lowry has the latest from Washington. U.S. media is reporting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on the Hill that the U.S. was interested in buying the island.

In a statement sent to CBC, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said, quote, the president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief's disposal. There is bipartisan concern with both Democrats and some Republicans, fearing what this might mean for long-standing international relationships. Denmark, meanwhile, has requested a meeting with Marco Rubio

as it scrambles to figure out just how serious the U.S. is and what it can do to keep the U.S. a key NATO ally happy without actually giving it what it wants. Willie Lowry, CBC News, Washington. Despite being in the middle of an intense winter deep freeze, the people of Anuvik are being asked to turn their heat down to conserve propane. Anuvic gas says there's been an unexpected reduction in its fuel supply

and winter weather conditions are limiting road access. The current temperature in the Northwest Territories town is about minus 40. That's minus 60 with wind chill. People are being asked to limit their oven use, take fewer hot showers, and close their blinds to help retain heat. A winter storm system now into its third day is upending the lives of millions of people across Europe. Snow ice and freezing temperatures are forcing widespread train delays and flight cancellations. The Dutch airline, KLM alone, has canceled more than 600 flights.

Dangerous road conditions have stopped bus and truck services in Paris, and French officials are warning that the disruption will impact the delivery of fresh produce and other food products right across the country. And that is the world this hour. For CBC News, I'm Joe Cummings.