Your World Tonight - Canada’s solidarity with Greenland, Venezuela’s uncertain future, child’s harrowing zipline experience, and more

Episode Date: January 6, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he backs Danish sovereignty over Greenland, after the U.S. President renews his annexation threats. Donald Trump’s takeover talk is just one of a number of distractions for Carney as world leaders gather in France for high-level coalition talks on the war in Ukraine.Also: Washington ramps up the rhetoric, and pressure on Venezuela, as reports of government crackdowns across the South American country threaten to push the nation deeper into crisis.And: A Toronto zipline accident involving a young boy triggers family outrage, and a demand for answers.Plus: China’s EV takeover, new safety questions into Swiss Alps bar fire, Canadian concerns over U.S. vaccine decisions, and more.

With the Morial app, you can sharpen your French skills in no time. You'll have a blast learning with content from Radio Canada. It's easy as Arndor Trois. Learn French. Have fun. Repeat. Download the free Morial app now. This is a CBC podcast. We stand with Denmark. We stand with Greenland.

Our closest partnership is with the United States. and we'll work with everybody to make sure that we move forward together. Prime Minister Mark Carney trying to navigate the emerging fault lines in global security, showing support for European allies as Canada's closest neighbor makes another push for more territory. The United States should have Greenland as part of the United States. Nobody's going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland. New threats towards Greenland and a concern about growing, U.S. imperialism, from the North Atlantic to South America.

The potential of that oil reserve for Venezuela and the American people is unlimited. I'm excited about it. Welcome to Your World Tonight. I'm Susan Bonner. It is Tuesday, January 6th, just before 6 p.m. Eastern, also on the podcast. Just days after the capture of Venezuela's president questions about the future of its resources, its government and its people. But we begin in Paris

and a Ukrainian Security Summit getting sidetracked. Tom Perry has the latest. It's an important meeting this afternoon. Prime Minister Mark Carney in Paris at a summit focused squarely on Ukraine. Our main objective is to finalize the security guarantees,

which create the possibility of a just and lasting peace. Along with Carney, European leaders, and U.S. representatives, Donald Trump's peace envoy, Steve Whitkoff, and the U.S. president's son-in-law Jared Kushner. But it was Trump himself, who cast a long shadow over this meeting with his increasingly bellicose threats against a NATO ally. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security,

and Denmark is not going to be able to do it, I can tell you. After sending U.S. troops into Venezuela to capture the country's president, Trump has once again turned his attention to Greenland and his desire to take over the territory from Denmark. In a statement today, the White House called acquiring Greenland an important foreign policy goal and pointedly refused to rule out military action. That after Trump's hardline policy chief, Stephen Miller, this week dodged a question on the U.S. potentially taking the island by force. The United States should have Greenland as part of the United States. There's no need to even think or talk about this in the context

of a military operation. Nobody's going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland. So the question just doesn't make any sense. But Denmark's Prime Minister, Meta Fredrickson, says the question needs to be taken at face value. I believe the American president should be taken seriously when he says he wants Greenland, she says, but I also want to make clear that if the United States chooses to attack another NATO country, then everything stops, including NATO. Mark Carney met the Danish PM at the Paris Summit and announced Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Governor General Mary Simon would visit Greenland next month to open a new Canadian consulate. Karni, today, trying to strike a diplomatic

tone. We stand with Denmark. We stand with Greenland. We're our closest. partnership is with the United States and we'll work with everybody to make sure that we move forward together. The leaders of six European NATO countries, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain joined Denmark in a joint declaration, calling the U.S. an essential partner, but underlining Greenland belongs to its people, that Denmark and Greenland alone will decide their future. The question, whether a newly emboldened U.S. president, shares that view. Tom Perry, CBC News, Ottawa.

Also dividing the attention of that meeting in Paris, the situation in Venezuela, following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces. Just days after that stunning operation, Donald Trump and other U.S. officials say they are ready to take over the country's vast oil reserves. Katie Simpson reports from Washington. Donald J. Trump. And I'm about to be an American. The U.S. President basked in a standing ovation from Republican lawmakers gathered for a New Year pep rally type speech in which Donald Trump celebrated the capture of Nicholas Maduro

and the success of the military operation. Nobody can take us. Nobody could have done that. Nobody has our weapons. Trump is now suggesting U.S. involvement in Venezuela will be a long-term commitment. In comments made to NBC News, he said the country needs to be nursed back to health before elections can be held, signaling his priority is seeking American access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves. I'm also meeting with oil companies. Let's go. You know what that's about. We've got a lot of oil to drill, which is going to bring down oil prices even further.

That meeting could take place as early as Thursday. And while Trump has provided no specifics and no plan, he says he thinks Venezuela's oil industry can be revitalized in less than 18 months. of that oil reserve for Venezuela and the American people is unlimited. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham says he's convinced the U.S. is going to make money out of this. So I'm excited about it. At this point, it's unclear whether the remaining Maduro regime will cooperate with the Trump administration. Venezuela's Attorney General, Tariq Sab, demanded Maduro and his wife be released from U.S. custody, describing U.S. actions as state terrorism. There also doesn't appear to be concerned yet from Prime Minister Mark Carney

about any impact on the Canadian energy industry. The Canadian oil will be competitive because it is low risk. Carney argues that Canada has an advantage because of its stable political climate and its cheaper, cleaner exports. In Washington, Trump continues to draw criticism for the lack of specifics about his long-term plans along with his rhetoric. I can see how this will destroy goodwill in Venezuela, the same way in Greenland and Canada has destroyed goodwill.

Republican Senator Rand Paul says Trump's talk about Venezuelan oil reminds him of his 51st state threats aimed at Canada. They are so insulted by this and that there's become a national consensus in Canada that they don't want to buy products from America because of this. So I think we need to be more careful with the way we treat the world and have more respect. There are no signs Trump's tone. will change. If anything, he only appears even more emboldened. Katie Simpson, CBC News, Washington. Inside Venezuela, people say the situation is calm, but on edge. People bracing for more unrest.

And some Venezuelans are getting out. Paul Hunter is on the country's border with Colombia tonight where they're shock about what happened and worry about what may come next. It cannot be labeled an exodus, at least not yet, but at the Venezuelan-Colombian border this morning, the bridge crossing into Colombia was jammed, bumper-to-bumper cars leaving Venezuela, at least for now. On the Colombian side in Cucatah, a small group of Colombians hold a big banner showing faces and names of family members grabbed by authorities in Venezuela years ago, held in prison. say on false charges, now pressing again for their release. Maybe, they say, with American help. Good bless America, President Trump. It will be to the right side of the history with this.

John Heraldo's 70-year-old father has been held in the Venezuelan prison for four years. Now with renewed hope, he'll be freed. On that, he wants more from Donald Trump. America, please help us. Help us. Help us Colombia. Help is Venezuela. We need help. Our family is destroyed. Meanwhile, a couple of blocks away in one of Kukata's deeply Venezuelan neighborhoods, migrants who've lived here for years, scratching a living somehow, are themselves trying to figure out what it all means. Sida Garcia left Venezuela nine years ago, unable to earn enough money to live in her home country. She now sells cigarettes at a tiny wooden kiosk in Kukita. She shakes her head at the notion, Nicholas Maduro's forced exit will change anything.

in Venezuela. The U.S. has taken only one person, she tells us. The rest of those running Venezuela are still there, so I don't think they've done anything. Nothing's changed. And she calls for the U.S. to now do more. But just down the street, at an equally tiny vegetable stand, Oscar Machado, who left Venezuela eight years ago,

has nothing but disdain for what the U.S. has done. It's a violation of Venezuela. Venezuelan sovereignty, he tells us. A violation of international law. Trump is always pointing at people who break the law, but here he is doing just that. All of this in Colombia, which has its own concerns now that Trump is planning action against its president, Gustavo Petro, Trump citing Colombia's longstanding drug gangs is the issue. Petro today slamming Trump for having, as he put it, a senile brain. Mass anti-Trump demonstrations are planned throughout Colombia for tomorrow. tomorrow. Paul Hunter, CBC News, Cucata, Columbia.

Canada's oil sector has been jumping on the crisis in Venezuela to support its call for a new pipeline to BC's coast. But today, Premier David Eby says he's still not convinced it's needed. Speaking in Vancouver, Eby says the Trans Mountain Pipeline already feeds into Vancouver Harbor and it's not yet at capacity. What I don't support is taxpayers paying for another publicly owned pipeline across the north. The economics have been very challenging for that proposal. There is still no private sector proponent. There's nobody who wants to build it from the private sector. Pierre Pauliev also waited into the debate. The conservative leader went online to warn of an oil production ramp up in Venezuela, and he urged the Prime

Minister to immediately approve a pipeline to the Pacific coast. Coming right up, it's now the top-selling electric vehicle maker in the world. But many Canadians have never heard of it. How a Chinese car company is speeding past Tesla. And officials in Switzerland reveal more details and more safety problems connected to a deadly New Year's fire at a ski resort. Later, we'll have this story. I'm Michelle Song in Toronto, where the parents of a young boy are looking for answers

after he fell from a zip line at a trampoline park. I can't believe that what happened to my son when I see him. I was like out of my mind that time. A fun outing ending with a serious fall. Why the parents say the park should have done more to keep their son safe. That's later on Your World Tonight. Members of various far-right groups marched in Washington today, It's been five years since the insurrection on the U.S. Capitol.

Many of those taking part were pardoned and acquitted for violent acts as a mob tried to overturn the 2020 election. Democrats in Washington say the Trump administration is trying to whitewash history. The White House unveiled a new web page on this anniversary. It blames Capitol Police for turning a peaceful demonstration into chaos. It's been a rough start to the year for electric vehicle-making. Tesla, its stock price slid more than 4% after new data showed lower demand for its cars in the UK. Tesla is also no longer the world's top-selling EV maker. That title now

belongs to a Chinese company. Anise Hadari explains how it's racing ahead, even though the cars aren't for sale everywhere. My grandpa said that B.YD is the myth from the east. Advertisements for Chinese business BYD aren't usually seen by Canadians. The company's electric vehicles aren't available for sale here, but elsewhere in the world, they are now coming out on toss. Switch to BYD. BYD sold 2.26 million electric vehicles last year. It's dethroned to Tesla from first place, which only sold 1.64 million, a 9% drop from the year before. Tesla over the past couple of years just has really kind of slacked on that. They've coasted. Robbie DeGraph is with automotive research firm Autopacific. He's based in

Milwaukee. And while that's happened, the auto industry's other leading giants in the EV space, including BYD and other Chinese automakers, have really accelerated forward. But that's not the only reason a company like BYD has vaulted to number one when it comes to EVs. China is the single biggest market for cars in the world. Last year, they sold about 31 million vehicles. That's more than the North American and European markets combined. Colin Mang is an economist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. In China right now, about half. of new vehicles sold our electric vehicles. That compares with 17% in Europe, only about 10% in North America.

Right now, there's a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, both in this country and the United States. The basic idea behind those 100% tariffs was to keep Chinese vehicles out while we developed our own industry. Chinese firms benefit from the fact that manufacturing wages in China are much lower than manufacturing wages in North America or Europe. There's also been concerns around the extent. to which the Chinese government has subsidized electric vehicle manufacturers. China retaliated against Canada with tariffs imposed on canola exports from this country. But there are other reasons those who watch the EV market say it might be time to let what is now the world's most popular electric vehicle maker into Canada.

Kenneth Bacour produces and hosts the EV Revolution Show on YouTube. I think that that would be a good move to allow some of the Chinese manufacturers in because we need to get more mass market adoption of EVs. Part of that movement for more mass market adoption is a lower up-front sticker price. But the Global Automakers Industry Association in Canada points out removing barriers to cheaper Chinese vehicles here would pose a risk to this country's automotive industry. And while BYD might be selling the most EVs these days, Tesla's batteries aren't dead yet. It's still the highest valued car company in the world.

Any Sadari, CBC News, Calgary. Iranian security forces fought again. with protesters in a 10th day of demonstrations across the country. Footage posted online today from Tehran's Grand Bazaar shows clashes and crowds running from tear gas smoke. The ongoing violence was triggered by anger over the state of the economy. Dozens of protests have been taking place across Iran. At least 35 people have reportedly been killed. Swiss authorities say the bar where dozens of people died in a New Year's Eve fire was not properly inspected. It's just one of several safety issues being uncovered, including the use of a construction material that's found in Canadian venues.

Sarah Levitt has the details. In France's parliament, elected officials stand for a minute of silence. A commemoration for the 40 dead and at least 116 injured in the bar fire that, that broke out New Year's in Cronmontana, Switzerland. Videos from inside show the inferno and the likely cause. Sparklers, attached to bottles, ignite the foam-clad ceiling in the basement of Le Constellation. Then the horror, as the partygoers, many of them teenagers, scrambled to get out. Today, new information.

There hasn't been a safety inspection at the bar since 2019, says Grand Montana Mayor, Nicola Ferroo, though it's meant to happen annually. He also noted the soundproofing foam was considered acceptable at the time and a fire alarm wasn't required for a venue of that size. We deeply regret this and he says the courts will determine the impact of the oversight. Small consolation for those who have lost loved ones. It's a disgrace and an absurd one, says Edzio Didone,

who's 16-year-old, great. nephew, Achille Barrosi, died. A tragedy that needs to be thoroughly investigated. There have been similar disasters like this before. In 2013, a flare set fire to the foam-clad ceiling of a nightclub in Brazil, killing 242 people and injuring more than 600. And in 2015, in Bucharest, a nightclub fire killed 64 and eventually led to the resignation of Romania's prime minister.

In Canada, certain acoustic. foam, often used in music venues, is legal as long as it's covered by a thermal barrier like drywall. Without a covering on it, it's very susceptible to easy ignition. Gordon Routley is a former assistant fire chief with Montreal's fire department and a fire protection engineer. We were very conscious of this kind of risk. And any time our inspectors encountered that kind of material, they immediately took action to have it removed. But it takes someone who, understands the risk to be there to do an inspection. In the small Swiss ski town, authorities have now banned the use of any pyrotechnics indoors

and promised to inspect all public buildings as soon as possible. The two bar owners are being investigated for negligence but aren't facing any charges. Sarah Levitt, CBC News, Montreal. An 11-year-old boy is recovering from a frightening fall at an indoor park in Toronto. He dropped several meters from a zipline onto a concrete floor. Now his parents are demanding answers. And as Michel Song reports, Ontario's safety regulator says it didn't even know the park had a zipline. What was meant to be a fun weekend activity turned into a disaster.

11-year-old Raman Azizi was taken to hospital in an ambulance. After falling off a zipline at an indoor trampoline park in Toronto, He says he's traumatized. I was crying too much, and I thought I was going to pass away. In a video taken by his mother, Raman is seen pulling on the rope attached to his zipline harness just before jumping off the platform. But then, he quickly fell to the ground. Fortunately, Raman has non-life-threatening injuries, internal bruising and pain in his back and elbow.

His father, Sadiere Azizi, says he and his wife can't even eat from the shock. I ran as fast as I could thinking all things to the extreme that he took a fall. Maybe he's going to break his spinal cord. Maybe he's going to crack open his skull. I mean, you never know. When they arrived at the park on Saturday, they did sign a waiver. But since the accident, Rahman's parents say they haven't heard from the park. Sadiar says he didn't see enough staff present.

or safety netting below the zip line. It's unimaginable that there was no secondary measure. No padding, no netting, no fail-safe harness. Aerial adventure expert Troy Richardson watched the video of Rahman's fall. He says harnesses are supposed to have a backup safety. But I didn't see a secondary carabiner that would be following him, that would keep him from falling if something happened. And says having enough well-trained staff is critical.

And so for every 30 patrons or maybe 31, you have to have one staff member. And really, you need people at different connection points watching everybody. Aerospace Park has an obstacle course, go-carting and miniature golf, along with ziplining. The safety regulator for amusement devices in Ontario, the technical standards and safety authority is investigating the incident. Amar Khan is with the TSA. She says they weren't aware of a zip line at the park. The operator had not notified TSSA that it had been installed, and therefore it was not authorized by TSSA. Rahman's parents say their story is a warning for other families.

I don't want to see another kid hurt because I know how much it hurts to parents. Aerospace Trampoline Park says the incident is under review with their insurers and legal counsel. But because it involves a minor, they will not provide additional information. The TSSA says there could be legal action or fine. against the park. Michelle Song, CBC News, Toronto. This is Your World Tonight from CBC News. If you want to make sure you stay up to date

and never miss one of our episodes, follow us on Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. Just find the follow button and lock us in. Police in Spain have arrested a man wanted in connection with the Desjardin data breach. Juan Pablo Serrano is facing charges of fraud and identity theft. The hack of the Quebec Financial Group took place between 2017 and 2019.

Thieves stole the personal data of nearly 10 million customers. It's expected Serrano will be sent back to Canada. Five other suspects were arrested in 2024, including a former Desjardin employee. U.S. federal health authorities are reducing the number of vaccines recommended for children. New guidelines no longer advise immunizations for hepatitis A and B or COVID. It's the latest overhaul of American vaccine policy. And as Anan Ram reports, there's concern it's causing confusion for Canadians. To me, it is frightening. Dr. Caroline Quach has advised governments federally and provincially about vaccines. And what worries her about the latest vaccine

recommendation changes out of the U.S. is that seemingly there's no science behind them. We did look at vaccination schedules, sometimes changing them, but always based on evidence. It wasn't based on just for the sake of it, just decrease the number of vaccines to decrease the number of vaccines. I think we take like 88 different shots all wrapped up in one. At the direction of U.S. President Donald Trump, federal health officials reduced the number of recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11, effectively dropping hepatitis A and B, flu and meningococcal vaccines, supposedly to align with other developed nations. This is also not true.

Timothy Caulfield is a professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta. He says nations like France, Britain, and Canada were already similar, and that this move is ideologically driven. The goal is to create fear and uncertainty about vaccines. You introduce a little bit of doubt into the decision-making of parents and hesitancy rates go up, and that is bad. In Canada, which still recommends most of the shots now dropped from the U.S. guidelines, vaccines are heavily scrutinized by independent experts and then provinces that ultimately decide on covering them. Edmonton pediatrician Dr. Joan Robinson considers

it a good system. We try in Canada to follow the evidence and that all the decisions are made based on the evidence that is provided. She also says these vaccines reduce the risk for children, but also reduce a burden on society. Take rotavirus that can cause serious gastrointestinal issues. With rotavirus, even though it does not prevent many deaths, prevents huge numbers of hospitalizations, visits to the emergency department, and certainly parents having to stay home from work. And we need now to be on our own feet, and we cannot always lean on the US. Canada's public health minister, Marjorie Michelle, recently suggested some Canadians might be influenced by America's health decision makers, and some experts agree that the U.S.

is now not the leading source for public trust in science. We used to be able to point to the CDC, to the FDA, we can't anymore. You know, the good news is, you know, public health agencies in Canada do a good job, so I think we can still, you know, point both clinicians and the public to those entities. It's worth noting these are recommendations for U.S. states and that many of the previous vaccines can still be accessed by Americans through their health care providers based on their individual risks. Honan Dram, CBC News, Toronto.

We close tonight on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast with a pod of killer whales, finding just the right spot. I looked over and one's just coming straight down the beach line, about five feet off the shore, just with its fin out of the water. I picked my jaw up off the ground, but it was once in a lifetime type of stuff. Ryan Chillibeck lives near the beach and rushed down when he heard there was a pod close to shore. Northern resident killer whales in very shallow water, they weren't in trouble. Turns out the animals had an itch that just needed to be scratched.

Amongst all the different killer whale populations around the world, there's only a couple that have been observed doing this behavior. So it's very specialized, it's very unique. It's very cool to see and record when it does happen. Marine researcher Jared Tower says that specialized behavior the whales were up to was scratching their bellies. rubbing them along the rocky shoreline. Tower says it feels good and helps exfoliate the skin. And these whales keep coming back to this stretch of the coast. The pebbles on the beach have to be just right for nor the resident killer whales to want to rub.

It was a satisfying show for the 20 or so people who made it down to see the whales. They were tipped off by a local Facebook group that broadcasts or podcasts news of whale sightings in the community. Whenever somebody sees whales, they can post it, and then everybody in the community will have a chance to see these magnificent creatures. Glenda Seward's runs the group. She says this latest sighting was one of the best in years. Whales needing a scratch, getting almost close enough to touch. Thank you for joining us on your world tonight for Tuesday, January 6th. I'm Susan Bonner.

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