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Take a trip around the world with CBC Radio's As It Happens. Hear from the people at the centre of the stories of the day. From the complex to the weird and wacky, As It Happens brings you the voices ...

CBC Radio


    • Jun 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 53m AVG DURATION
    • 1,436 EPISODES

    4.4 from 295 ratings Listeners of As It Happens from CBC Radio that love the show mention: canadians, punny, canada, public radio, station, broadcast, sadly, happens, reporting, we're, except, theme, 11, news, moved, local, available, night, program, longer.


    Ivy Insights

    The As It Happens from CBC Radio podcast has been a long-standing favorite for many listeners, providing a delightful mix of serious and lighthearted stories. The hosts, Carol Off and Nil Koksal, are praised for their ability to conduct interviews with empathy and understanding. Listeners appreciate the diverse range of topics covered in each episode, as well as the witty and entertaining banter between the hosts. The podcast is often described as informative, engaging, and a highlight of the day.

    One of the best aspects of The As It Happens podcast is the variety of stories covered. From important current events to quirky and amusing anecdotes, there is something for everyone. Listeners appreciate that the show goes beyond just news reporting and includes segments on humorous or thought-provoking topics as well. Additionally, many reviewers commend Carol Off for her exceptional interviewing skills and her ability to dig deep into a subject matter while still making it personal and enjoyable.

    While The As It Happens podcast receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, some critics mention that at times there may be excessive use of certain words or phrases, such as "extraordinary." However, this minor criticism does not detract from the overall quality of the show.

    In conclusion, The As It Happens from CBC Radio podcast is highly regarded by its listeners for its informative yet entertaining approach to news reporting. With its diverse range of topics and engaging hosts, it has become a favorite for many who enjoy staying informed while being entertained. Whether it's listening during a drive or while going about daily activities, this podcast is praised for its ability to captivate audiences with its blend of serious journalism and lighthearted storytelling.



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    Latest episodes from As It Happens from CBC Radio

    Unanswered questions after Canadian dies in ICE custody

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2025 44:40


    There are a lot of questions about a Canadian citizen who died in immigration custody in Florida -- and his defence lawyer says his family deserves answers.After a shocking auditor general's report finds Newfoundland and Labrador overspent millions on agency nurses, the head of the provincial health authority tells us change is coming.The brand-new members of the CDC vaccine advisory committee meet for the first time since RFK Jr fired their predecessors. A CDC vaccine expert tells us why that drove her to resign. We remember the prolific composer Lalo Schifrin, who wrote the memorable music to all kinds of TV shows and movies -- including one piece that absolutely refuses to self-destruct. After nearly 40 years of striking fear in the hearts of computer users, Microsoft announces the death of the Blue Screen of Death -- to be replaced by a black as cold as a pitiless void.Researchers discover that orcas off the coast of B.C. use seaweed to scrub each other's skin -- a technique that could have both physical and social benefits.As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that gets by with a little kelp from its friends.

    Canada's hosting FIFA World Cup games. Is the cost worth it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2025 47:12


    As the projected costs for Vancouver to host a handful of FIFA World Cup games next year jump again -- our guest says it's time for the city to bow out -- and use that money to help people across the province who are struggling to make ends meet.A Francophone busker is shocked by a new rule requiring musicians to sing in French only in certain areas of Quebec City. He calls the change out of tune with his diverse community.Bill of health. Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general tells us the provincial health authority's questionable and excessive spending on agency nurse contracts should raise serious alarms.Oscar-winning Canadian director Denis Villeneuve is taking on the next James Bond film. An expert on all things double-0-7 says it is a dream scenario for the next phase of the franchise.And, Cuss célèbre. An animal rescue goes viral for its post about a macaw with an "R-rated" vocabulary.As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that guesses that means Parrot-al Guidance is Advised.

    Canada goes all-in on military spending. Will it backfire?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2025 43:33


    At the NATO summit, the Prime Minister promises to spend a lot more on defence; Cesar Jaramillo, the chair of a Canadian disarmament group says that if the aim is to make the world safer, the move is way off target.Chandra Pasma, a provincial parliamentarian, tells us about her efforts to get the Ontario government to do more to address extreme heat in schools and other workplaces across the province.An activist in Kenya tells us she thought things would be peaceful today, when protestors commemorated a deadly protest one year ago. Instead, history repeated itself.People have started to return to Denare Beach, Saskatchewan, after wildfires ripped through their village. One resident tells us going home isn't easy -- but it's therapeutic all the same.We remember ground-breaking Quebecois musician Serge Fiori, whose band Harmonium changed the music scene in the province by paving the way for homegrown talent.A poorly-timed wardrobe malfunction leads to an unfortunate photo finish -- in which an American hurdler wins the race while trying -- and failing -- to keep his shorts in place. As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that always double-checks its equipment.

    Brutal heat wave sends 5-year-old boy to the ER

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2025 45:23


    An Ottawa mom had to take her son to the ER when he came home from class with heat exhaustion; she says school administrators need to do a better job of keeping students safe. Before the shaky ceasefire with Iran, Israel attacked a prison in Tehran that houses political prisoners -- and today, friends and family are still waiting on news about their loved ones. The Democratic primary for mayor falls on New York City's hottest day in years -- and a strategist says the close race between an establishment moderate and outsider progressive could point to where the party heads next.Two Nigerian communities are taking oil giant Shell to court over longstanding pollution caused by spills -- which they say has infiltrated their drinking water. We hear from an artist in the UK about her project that could take decades: drawing every pub in London. A British nightclub becomes the site of a sinister mystery -- when someone leaves behind a surprisingly large, and just surprising, sausage.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that loves a club banger.

    Did U.S. bombs really obliterate Iran's nuclear program?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2025 46:29


    A non-proliferation expert says that no matter what Donald Trump says, there's no way to know if U.S. bombs destroyed Iran's nuclear program. But they did make it more likely that Iran will pursue the bomb in secret. An advocate for Arab residents of Israel tells us too many of their communities have too few of the reliable protections that are commonplace in Jewish-majority cities across the country. After five years, an opposition leader is freed from prison in Belarus. His wife -- who took up the leadership in his absence -- tells us about their family reunion, and her husband's drive to get back to work. Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil is released after over a hundred days in ICE detention. We'll hear some of what he told the crowd that gathered to celebrate his return to New York.A triathlete is doing okay after a giant black bear ran in front of his bike during a race this weekend -- at which point he ran into the bear.One of the scientists who discovered little sea spiders that eat methane says the tiny creatures are playing an outsized role in the deep sea ecosystem.As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that warns: they may be compact, but they're gas-guzzlers.

    Weekend Listen: The journalist who died trying to save the Amazon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2025 28:27


    British journalist Dom Phillips's mission was to expose the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.In this episode, Nil's feature conversation with two of the people responsible for finishing a groundbreaking, posthumous book by Phillips, who was killed three years ago in Brazil. Phillips got his start as a music writer -- whose main claim to fame was coining the term "progressive house", and writing a celebrated history of the rise and fall of superstar DJs. Then, in 2007, his work on electronic music took him to Brazil, where he fell in love. First with the place. And then with a person: Alessandra Sampaio. But it would be another ten years before Dom began covering the story that would become his sole focus: the brutal destruction of the Amazon rainforest. In 2018, he traveled to the remote Javari Valley with Bruno Pereira -- an advocate for Indigenous peoples' rights in Brazil. And in 2022, the pair went back...and then, they went missing. In the years since, Brazilian police have charged five people in relation to their murders. And now, a collective of their friends and loved ones has published the manuscript Dom Phillips was working on at the time. It's called "How to Save the Amazon: A Journalist's Fatal Quest for Answers".Photography: Gary Calton

    Protester plans to crash Jeff Bezos's lavish Venice wedding

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2025 47:16


    A resident tells us she's determined to disrupt billionaire Jeff Bezos's lavish Venice wedding -- even if it involves jumping into a canal to block the floating wedding party. A hiker at the scene of a deadly rock slide in Banff National Park describes how she and fellow hikers sprang into action to help survivors, after a part of the mountain gave way. An Iranian-Canadian tells about her tense eleven-hour bus ride from Tehran to the Turkish border -- watching the skies for Israeli missiles the whole time. The daughter of celebrated language keeper Sophie McDougall says a new stamp in her mother's honour is a reminder to protect the critically endangered Metis language. Michigan wildlife experts free a black bear that had a plastic lid stuck around its neck -- ending a very uncomfortable two-year ordeal. Chinese researchers discover a way to embed coded messages in frozen bubbles -- opening a new frontier in penguin espionage. As It Happens, the Friday edition. Radio that reminds you: someone else's bubble code is none of your fizziness.

    His partner is stuck in Iran – and he can't reach her

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2025 57:04


    A Canadian man whose partner was visiting family in Iran when the bombs began to fall tells us about his struggle to reach her -- and about why she won't leave until she knows her loved ones will be safe.The sky's the limit...for foreign-owned airlines. But Canada's competition bureau wants more of them to be allowed to take flight -- to bring down the price of air travel in this country.Researchers investigate the impact of expensive beauty products on their preteen users -- and find that the potential harms are more than just skin deep.As the flood waters recede in South Africa, the extent of the damage is becoming clear. Our guest says she'll never forget watching her own house disappear in the deluge.A new study finds that -- when they stick around -- baboons are surprisingly involved fathers. And baboon daughters who maintain strong bonds with their dads appear to live longer.Patients in the Czech Republic will be down in the mouth to learn that the young dentist who worked on their teeth over the past few months has been arrested for not being a dentist at all.As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that guesses it was just a case of enamel magnetism.

    Can Congress stop Trump from going to war with Iran?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 59:14


    A group of bipartisan U.S. lawmakers pushes to prevent Donald Trump from unilaterally going to war with Iran. But a congresswoman admits there's no guarantee he'll heed their resolution, even if it passes. A university professor in Tehran says the attacks on his country were unprovoked -- and that if the U.S. joins in, it should expect severe retaliation.Canada's cancer screening guidelines are set for an overhaul. An oncologist tells us the changes are long overdue. Celebrity chef Robert Irvine remembers his late friend Anne Burrell -- who started out cooking in restaurants, and wound up on the Food Network. An Alberta kindergarten teacher shows how well she knows her students, by identifying everyone of them just by the sound of their voices.Turns out Asteroid 2024 YR4 may still affect us Earthlings -- because if it does collide with the moon, the resulting moon fragments could really mess with our satellites. As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that proves the moon isn't made of the green cheese -- it's made of debris.

    Carney backs Zelenskyy, puts ‘maximum pressure' on Russia

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025 59:56


    Amid deadly Russia attacks in Kyiv, and the absence of a disappearing Donald Trump, Prime Minister Mark Carney announces billions in new support for Ukraine at the G7 summit.The federal government says its recently tabled "Strong Borders Act" is meant to keep Canadians safe. But a lawyer says it's a thinly veiled excuse to give police access to personal data.Today, the IDF killed dozens of Palestinians who were waiting for flour; the UN's special rapporteur says that proves armed peacekeepers should be deployed to protect aid convoys.A mother and daughter describe the surreal – and memorable – moment that they were both called to the bar at the same ceremony yesterday.As the G7 summit in Alberta wraps up today, minus one key player, a reporter says Donald Trump's sudden departure was a snub, but not exactly a surprise. A once-in-a-lifetime screening of a long-lost original print of "Star Wars" stuns an audience because it looks a lot more amateurish than they'd expected.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that hears even Chewbacca looked sloppy – and that's just a Wookiee mistake.

    Trump's in town for G7. Is a new trade deal imminent?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2025 63:47


    Prime Minister Mark Carney's team says he made great progress on tariffs during his meeting with Donald Trump at today's G7. But our guest warns that the president could still blow everything up – because he has before. A Minnesota state politician remembers his longtime friend and colleague, Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated along with her husband this weekend by a shooter targeting politicians.A non-proliferation expert says Israel's explanation for bombing Iran doesn't hold water. He believes it's not about nukes – it's about regime change. A Holocaust researcher gets the rare chance to see footage from Jerry Lewis's unfinished, long-buried Holocaust film "The Day the Clown Cried" – and says it's full of surprises. We'll hear about the late Betsy Jochum, who made history as a pioneering player in the first professional women's baseball league. A secret report reveals that Edinburgh, Scotland fears an influx of middle-aged, drunk, rowdy people when Oasis plays there. And one of the Gallaghers is not a fan of that description of his fans.As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that tells Edinburgh: where there's a will, there's Oasis.

    The view from Tel Aviv and Tehran on the brink of war

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2025 63:00


    This morning, Iranians were awoken by massive explosions from Israeli airstrikes -- and this evening, Israelis huddled in shelters as missiles hurtled their way. We'll hear from people in Tel-Aviv and Tehran.As Washington prepares for a massive military parade tomorrow, we hear from a U.S. Army veteran who says he and his fellow vets are not impressed.After her husband admits that he's cheering for the Edmonton Oilers, a Calgary woman -- and devoted Calgary Flames fan -- posts him for sale...at a low, low price.A Yukon teen creates a new algorithm to help skiers choose the best wax. He waxes eloquent about his hopes that it will help Team Canada.A friend and biographer remembers Gary England, a trailblazing Oklahoma meteorologist who guided the state through more tornadoes than he could count.We wish we could eradicate bed bugs -- but a new study shows their numbers exploded during the beginning of civilization, and have a talent for out-matching whatever we throw at them.As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that knows, for bed bugs, box spring's eternal.

    Reporter describes ‘apocalyptic' scene at Air India crash

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2025 61:13


    More than 260 people are dead after an Air India flight bound for London crashes into a residential neighborhood. Karishma Mehrotra of the Washington Post is in Delhi. She tells us what she's learned about how the disaster happened. A potentially game-changing vaccine against Lyme disease is currently in clinical trials. A scientist in Nova Scotia – where ticks are rampant and ravenous – says it can't come fast enough. Dozens of states join forces to try to prevent the bankrupt biotech company from selling millions of people's DNA, and other deeply sensitive data. A Montreal business owner says last year's Formula One race was a fiasco, but the city seems to have gotten its act together for this weekend's big event. A Cambridge University professor became so spellbound by the many murders in medieval England that he began to map out where they all took place, and he's thrilled to death that his project has just been published. The asteroid we once feared would hit the Earth has switched targets, and may now be on course to smack right into the poor innocent moon. As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that supposes it's for the crater good.

    Democrat on troops in LA: “This isn't about immigration.”

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2025 61:11


    His district in Los Angeles has been targeted by ICE raids, and Democratic California Assembly member Isaac G. Bryan says Donald Trump's deployment of U.S. troops has made the city a testing ground for democracy itself.Philomena Lee's name has become synonymous with the scores of unmarried mothers whose children were sold to American families by Irish nuns. Now her daughter is fighting to make sure every survivor gets the compensation they're owed. Steven Page reflects on the musical genius of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, and tells about the surreal moment Brian Wilson sang him his song, which is called "Brian Wilson".The mayor of St. Mary's, Newfoundland hopes a shuttered fish sauce plant that's been stinking up the joint for two decades will be cleaned up at last. A satirical article claiming Cape Breton has its own new time zone that's 12 minutes ahead of the rest of Nova Scotia has been causing some confusion for AI, which doesn't seem to be in on the joke.A Canadian author's cookbook titled "Every Salad Ever" is not sold on Amazon. But to Greta Podleski's chagrin, Amazon was selling something that looked awfully similar -- a fake, AI-generated version of the book.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio warns against taking the slaw into your own hands.

    Hockey Canada trial: Should restorative justice be an option?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2025 55:26


    As the high profile sexual assault trial of five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team wraps up, an advocate calls on Ontario to drop its ban on restorative justice, to give complainants a better option than court.The auditor general exposes the ballooning cost of the F-35 program, but Defence Minister David McGuinty says Canada needs to revive its military with new spending regardless. An Israeli human rights lawyer says Canadian sanctions against two far-right government ministers for inciting violence with their rhetoric are long overdue, but very welcome. California lawmakers decry Donald Trump's deployment of U.S. troops to the streets of Los Angeles, and one spars with the Defence Secretary over whether it's even legal. A museum manager in Taber, Alberta tells us about the moment she found a grenade while going through boxes, and the moment she started seriously panicking. The owner of a giant pencil in Minneapolis tells us about this year's grand sharpening, which happens with great pomp and ceremony on his front lawn.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that warns you: one of the following stories includes graphite content.

    Carney vows to spend big on national defence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2025 59:52


    The Prime Minister announces a huge boost to military spending, to the relief of a former Canadian Army commander who says that, in an unstable world, that investment is long overdue. An Australian woman is accused of killing her inlaws by serving them Beef Wellington with poisonous mushrooms, and her trial has become a national obsession. While our guest was photographing protests in Los Angeles, he was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet. He tells us the President's decision to send in the National Guard has only made Angelenos less safe. In an annual tradition, staff at a Winnipeg high school all become guidance counsellors, and what they're guiding is a family of ducks. A Canadian classic rock banger has become a staple of this year's Stanley Cup playoffs; we'll get Rik Emmett from Triumph on the line to lay his feelings about "Lay It On The Line" on the line.When a group of young Black men posted a video in which they tried matcha for the first time, it got a lot of love, and a lot of noisy haters. But their videos, and their joy, are proving infectious.As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that celebrates a matcha made in heaven.

    Steel worker jobs are in danger. Can they be saved?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2025 63:16


    Canada's industry minister Mélanie Joly tells us she'll do everything in her power to protect steel and aluminum jobs, in the face of punishing U.S. tariffs. A volunteer firefighter from Saskatchewan tells us about battling a blaze that would eventually engulf his community, and his home. After years of diplomatic tension, Canada appears to be mending fences with India. But some members of the Sikh diaspora won't give Narendra Modi a warm welcome.  The case of a woman accused of killing her inlaws by serving them poisonous mushrooms has Australia glued to coverage. We hear from a reporter covering her trial.The piping hot rivalry between two Ontario cities over who makes the best pizza pits shredded pepperoni and canned mushrooms against extreme cheese and a dough ball.It's traditional in Spain for seniors to sit outdoors and chat with friends, so when one town implied they should take it inside, some angry people wanted to take it outside.As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that thinks: from where we sit, there's nothing wrong with where they sit. 

    Evacuee watched her home burn down in Prairie wildfire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2025 54:15


    A Saskatchewan woman describes the devastation of watching her family home go up in flames on a neighbour's doorbell camera -- and the moment her little brother reminded her what really matters.For the first time, Mexico has chosen its judges through public elections. But our guest says the most telling thing about the results is how few people actually showed up to vote.Their fellow graduates are celebrating, but for the US Air Force Academy's transgender cadets, the present and future are full of anxiety – because their government is barring them from the military.Tributes are pouring in for Marc Garneau, the first Canadian in space. Fellow astronaut Dave Williams remembers him as a remarkable -- and humble -- friend.A 3-hundred pound sea turtle gets some much-needed medical attention after colliding with a boat off the coast of Florida. But first her vets had to solve the significant challenge of finding a C-T scanner big enough for her.Moment of drought. Scientists in Germany find that trees can remember living without enough water – and can learn from that experience to prepare for the future.Case of the blues. American researchers recreate a 5-thousand year-old pigment called "Egyptian Blue" -- which reminds us of the time a Pasadena man extracted dormant yeast from an ancient Egyptian pot, and used it to bake a loaf of bread. And…out of fin air. A group of disc golfers in South Carolina are exactly as surprised as you would be when a small hammerhead shark falls out of the sky and lands right in front of them.As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that's a real shark to the system.

    Should Canada hit the U.S. with counter tariffs?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2025 56:58


    A union president heeds the call of Ontario's premier to hit back against US President Donald Trump's doubling of tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel.Montrealers were upset when a beloved music venue shut down last because of a noise complaint. So the city passed a new bylaw, but one owner says it won't protect venues like his from a similar fate.We'll hear from a State Senator in California who is pushing to establish new rules governing AI – if the Trump Administration doesn't ban him from doing it first.After almost 70 years, Medicine Hat, Alberta's CHAT-TV has faded to black, and the channel's news anchor tells us he's heartbroken. We'll check in with Oilers Superfan Magoo, who says there's magic in the air and on the ice, and the team is ready to bring the cup back to Canada. Knock wood. Don't skip that part.Scientists delve into the question of whether we'd like robots more if they swore, and discover a fascinating cuss and effect.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that warns you: the results are not cut and droid.

    Pioneer says AI tools lie and blackmail us to stay alive

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 66:40


    One of the Canadian godfathers of AI launches a non-profit, with some 40-million dollars in funding, to protect people from the technology he pioneered. A Manitoba chief is urging anyone who hasn't left his community yet to flee the out-of-control blaze that's approaching -- before it's too late.On the eve of a potential doubling of tariffs, an Ontario mayor braces everyone who works at the local steel plant -- and everyone in the city who doesn't -- for extreme economic pain. A Montreal tour guide shares the story behind a new Canada Post stamp depicting a 1977 police raid on one of the city's most historic gay bars -- and the fight for equal rights that followed. He's an Albertan, and he works at a big hockey bar -- but despite his Canadian pride, a Calgary Flames fan tells us he just can't bring himself to cheer for the Edmonton Oilers. Residents of a UK community resort to some very colourful -- and disproportionately dramatic -- language, when a section of local road is painted red for safety. As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that figures the problem is just a pigment of their imagination. 

    Why Canada needs to move now on breaking trade barriers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 63:10


    The prime minister and the premiers meet to try to reshape the Canadian economy, and our guest says there's no time to waste.Nine of her ten children, and her husband, are dead after an Israeli airstrike. Now, a Gaza doctor's last surviving child is in hospital with serious injuries; I'll talk to the surgeon who's treating him. Researchers find that colon cancer patients who are given an exercise routine, and the support of a coach were significantly more likely to survive.Thanks in part to their late lead singer, James Lowe, the Electric Prunes were psychedelic savants whose motto was "so far out, so good".A former member of British Parliament tells us about the renewed battle to allow Stilton, England to produce Stilton cheese, which is, after all, named for Stilton, England. A perfumer-turned-astrobiologist answers the question we've all always asked: what does space smell like? And if you assumed cat urine and "poisonous marzipan clouds", good news.As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that senses she's a real odor-achiever.

    Nurses scramble to save patients from Manitoba wildfires

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 58:35


    As the prairie fires force Manitobans from their home, the head of the province's nurses union tells us how her members are caring for others, when their own homes and loved ones are at risk.A Swiss village manages to evacuate, but not to save their historic community, as a massive glacier collapses and buries their homes under millions of tons of rock and ice.We hear from with an Alaskan man who got trapped under an enormous boulder while out hiking, and his wife, who helped rescue him – just in the nick of time.A new study suggests horses use a wide range of facial expressions to communicate, not just with their human keepers, but with one another.Taylor Swift announces that after all of the drama, and all of the Taylor's Versions, she is now the proud owner of her entire catalogue of music.The Hollywood hit "Sinners" is a Jim-Crow-era horror set in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where locals were excited to see it but couldn't because the city doesn't have a movie theatre. We hear from one of the people who pulled off a special showing, with some special guests.As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that always screens with excitement.

    Living a ‘nightmare' after escaping Prairie wildfires

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 63:06


    As fires burn across the prairies, our guest describes the moment she had to evacuate her community, and the nightmare she and her neighbours have been living through since. Elon Musk announces he's turning his focus away from Washington and back to his companies -- and a Washington reporter takes stock of the Tesla tycoon's adventures in government. The Ontario Hockey League's top team hasn't had an ostensibly mandatory sexual violence prevention training in years. And our guest says that's especially disappointing given the reckoning happening in the sport right now. Some investors are using the acronym TACO -- as in "Trump Always Chickens Out " -- to describe the president's tariff flip-flops. And the journalist who coined was flabbergasted to hear it denounced by in the Oval Office. And, we hear from the passenger who captured the mayhem that ensued when a pair of pigeons made its way into the cabin of commercial plane. As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that's always open to ruffling a few feathers.

    Repairing Canada's ‘dilapidated' military

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 65:14


    The federal government says it will quickly ramp up military spending. A former Conservative defence minister tells us there's no time to waste because the country is facing a security emergency.The U.S. Department of Justice cuts a deal that allows Boeing to avoid a trial over two deadly crashes in exchange for a billion dollar payout. But a lawyer for families of victims says there's much more than money at stake.A 96-year-old Nova Scotia woman was so frustrated about not having a family doctor that she took out an ad pleading her case in the local newspaper. Nearly 40 years after a marble bust vanished from Jim Morrison's grave, one of music's strangest cold cases gets busted wide open.A PhD candidate in California tells us about her team's efforts to remove invasive bullfrogs from Yosemite waterways, one at a time, by hand. And about the encouraging impact it's had on native turtle species. And, Spain proposes legislation to help prevent the sewer blocking monsters made of fat and wet wipes known as fatbergs, so we revisit our interview with a man who would really appreciate that effort.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that guesses they're all feeling pretty wiped out.

    First Nations leaders see hope in King Charles' speech

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 59:10


    We'll hear from AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak about why today's throne speech was an important victory for Indigenous people in Canada -- and for all treaty peoples. Every minute that sepsis goes untreated increases the risk it will be fatal. Now, a team of researchers in Canada is developing a portable detection device to predict a patient's sepsis risk, and save valuable time.A controversial US-backed humanitarian organization begins giving out food packages to desperate Gazans. But a longtime aid worker says the chaos that ensued shows the plan is deeply flawed.In the New Zealand parliament, bills that aren't part of the government's legislative agenda still have a chance to be advanced -- and that chance comes in the form of an old cookie tin that one official tells us embodies nothing less than democracy itself. We meet the 22-year-old who is closing in on completing the quest he began at 10, to visit every Old Spaghetti Factory in the world. Turkey gets serious about airplane etiquette -- promising to fine passengers who stand and crowd the aisles before their rightful turn to disembark.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that anticipates some seated debates.

    Will King Charles silence Trump's 51st state threats?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 61:44


    King Charles is providing the pageantry. But Donald Trump's threats to annex Canada provided the impetus. A former diplomat says the royal visit sends a strong message to the White House at a crucial time.A woman in Kyiv tells us what it's been like to weather Russia's largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began.Major flooding in Australia has killed at least four and displaced thousands. A resident of one of the worst-hit cities tells us about having to flee her home and what it was like to return to the damage.A new New York City festival will have pigeon fans flocking to celebrate the much-maligned bird. And Pigeon Fest's origins all go back to an iconic pigeon on a plinth, which we first told you about last summer. An Ontario couple gets a draw-dropping price for the antique tobacco tin they discovered while renovations led them to rip out a bathroom wall. And, a 3-year-old goes viral after her parents share her intense fear of John Wilkes Booth.As It Happens, the Monday edition. Radio that understands that some people just can't handle the Booth.

    George Floyd's cousin won't let his death be in vain

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 59:09


    It's been five years since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. His cousin tells us she won't stop fighting to make sure his death leads to lasting change.Shreya Mishra Reddy was fulfilling a dream by attending Harvard -- but now that the Trump administration wants to bar international students, she has no idea what will become of her, or her expensive education.Can't teach a new Kat old tricks. A lot of Americans say it's time to say goodbye to the Democrats' old guard -- emphasis on "old". And 26-year-old online personality Kat Abughazaleh is ready to be the life of the party.Making history and prehistory. Almost forty years after a father and daughter discovered a fossil in British Columbia, it's officially recognized as a new genus and species.Doing the rounds. People put a lot of things on bagels, but only the late Judith Hope Blau put smiley faces on them -- and the resulting artworks made her the family breadwinner.And...he was just lying there, and then Prow! In Norway, an off-course container ship runs aground and nearly smashes into Johan Helberg's cottage, sending the neighbourhood into a panic -- except Johan Helberg, who sleeps through it.As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that assumes by now he's been to hull and back.

    Friend mourns Israeli couple shot dead in Washington

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 65:59


    Two young staffers from the Israeli Embassy are shot on the street in Washington DC; a friend of one of the victims says Sarah Lynn Milgrim was a bright light – and her loss is devastating.A Canadian nurse in Gaza says more and more malnourished children are being brought to her hospital – so the territory needs a lot more aid shipments, and it needs them now. Weeks after the federal election, a Newfoundland and Labrador riding is still awaiting the results of a recount; the candidates tell me how they're dealing with the suspense.The man who coached Canadian basketball star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in high school reflects on the new NBA MVP.Newfoundland and Labrador writer Michael Crummey tells us he's known for weeks that he'd won a major literary award -- but it still hasn't sunk in. And, the semi-colon may be on the decline, but your love for it is not! We'll hear from the listeners who called in to show their support for precise punctuation.As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that celebrates a victory for comma sense.

    Is joining the U.S. missile defense system the right call?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 60:24


    President Trump has big plans for the "Golden Dome" and he says Canada wants in. Former Minister of National Defence David Pratt tells us it actually is about time that Canada bolstered its missile defence.A woman looking to sell her charming country home in Ireland tells us why she decided go with a lottery approach -- which the winner will end up purchasing for an investment of about 9 bucks.Canada has never had a successful domestic car company of its own -- but one industry leader says it's past time to take the idea for a test drive.Climbers summited Everest today using a new method that allowed them to do it in days, instead of the usual weeks. A veteran mountaineer says they're missing the point.The Chicago Sun-Times is called out for a "summer reading" list that includes novels that don't exist -- generated, it may not surprise you, by AI. And, water voles are endangered in Wales -- but by feeding them sparkles so they poop out sparkles, scientists see a glimmer of hope.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that assures you the sparkles are safe -- so it's no-harm dung.

    Chess master takes on 143,000 people – all at once

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 61:38


    Magnus Carlsen may be the world's greatest chess player -- but a game against 143,000 simultaneous opponents didn't offer him the easy win he may have expected.The leaders of France, Britain and Canada threaten action against Israel if it doesn't lift its restrictions on aid, and end its military offensive in Gaza. A former Canadian ambassador tells us what that might accomplish -- if anything. In response to a water crisis in a small village in Nunavik, the mayor declares a state of emergency. She tells us how thirsty residents are coping.Trump says Qatar's offer of a free, lavishly appointed jumbo jet is a nice gesture from an ally -- but new reporting suggests there's more to the story.The best things in life are three. An Ontario woman was shocked to find two female robins and a male co-parenting in a single nest on her front porch -- a family she has dubbed the Avian Sister Wives. And, a new study finds the puzzling, peculiar punctuation mark is getting less popular all the time -- to the point where it may have been sentenced to death.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that watches the collapse of the dot-comma bubble.

    UK/EU trade deal leaves some in the fishing industry gutted

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 81:31


    Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone today at length, but one analyst says what he saw wasn't so much progress toward a ceasefire, but the U.S. President failing to stand up to Russia.Eighty years after his father's plane was shot down over Dorset, the son of a Canadian Flying Officer killed in the Second World War tells us how he pieced together the details of that day -- and how he's commemorating them now.A Vancouver art student tells us why she wanted to take portraits of others who, like her, spent time in foster care.An English historian explains how he liberated an original version of the Magna Carta from obscurity, after discovering it deep in the Harvard Law School archives -- because it was believed to be a copy.Fifty years after "Jaws" made the waters around Martha's Vineyard seem very scary, a long-distance swimmer is braving them, to show that sharks deserve our friendship, not fear.As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that just hopes things don't get too chum-my.(Plus: A bonus episode of "As It Happened: The Archive Edition" featuring stories about surprising and incredible journeys.)

    What it's like to work on SNL for 50 years

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 65:27


    I'll talk to the man who has served as the head carpenter for "Saturday Night Live" since the very first episode -- on the eve of his very last episode. The trial of five ex-world junior hockey players accused of sexual assault is thrown into disarray once again, as the judge discharges the jury for a second time.A doctor who ran for his life when wildfires hit Los Angeles this year tells us the aftermath hasn't been easy -- so he set up a clinic to help others and, in some ways, himself. He put on more than a happy face. A member of the original cast of the classic musical "Annie" remembers composer Charles Strouse -- for the joy and vulnerability he put into every song. Students at Vancouver Island University are hard at work baking up a single Nanaimo bar -- that's more than 21 meters long and weighs over 450 kilos. And, a couple in England promised to build a storage facility for horse semen, but just built a house instead. And now their lie is going to get that house knocked down.As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio thinks they should have just built up an equine cellar.

    We call an aid worker feeding starving residents in Gaza

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025 65:48


    An aid worker says new air attacks and dwindling food supplies are making life even worse for Gazans, but she's still finding a way to put on a brave face for her two kids.As Manitoba struggles to deal with deadly wildfires, the reeve of one hard-hit area tells us it hasn't been easy, but a massive outpouring of support has given him hope.A British bank analyst is sentenced to 10 years in prison in Saudi Arabia, and his own lawyer tells us she hasn't been told exactly what her client has been accused of.We hear from a Labrador woman who ended up stuck on a remote highway in a snowstorm – in May – and decided her best bet was to just start walking. The service we knew as "HBO Max" and then came to know as "Max", now requires us to come to know it as "HBO Max" again.And, a British conservationist tells us about the plan to bring elk -- which we call moose -- back to the UK, after an absence that's lasted thousands of years.As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that tells Britain: don't just stand there -- make yourself mooseful.

    Home prices surged on his watch. Now he's housing minister

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 60:27


    A political commentator says he's shocked that Gregor Robertson has been appointed Canada's federal minister of housing -- because he couldn't get the housing crisis under control when he was Vancouver's mayor.Canada's first-ever Indigenous Minister of Indigenous Services, Mandy Gull-Masty, tells us a cabinet post was never a job she imagined having -- but has big plans now that she's in the role.After the Taliban bans chess, a player who fled Afghanistan for safety in Belgium says he won't let the game he loves die in his homeland.As fires burn through parts of Manitoba, one man describes his family's dramatic escape.Producers uncover the long lost pilot episode of Thomas the Tank Engine TV show and put it up online, for fans longing to see how the show got itself on track.And, new research reveals that flamingos aren't passive feeders, but "super feeding machines" -- that use their bills to create a vortex that sucks up their shrimpy prey.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that moves in for the krill.

    Will Carney's new cabinet bring actual change to Canadians?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 64:57


    Longtime Liberal minister Steven Guilbeault talks to us about today's cabinet appointments, and what his present company means for Canada's future. British Columbia is making the case that American health care workers worried about Donald Trump should relocate to Canada. A nurse from Texas tells us things are unsettling, so she's considering resettling. Honda delays its multi-billion-dollar EV plant in Alliston, Ontario. The town's mayor tells that –- auto industry troubles aside – he believes the project just needs some time to recharge. New research into WIFW – which, of course, stands for "water-inducted finger wrinkling", reveals some analog truths about our digital appendages.A group of Finnish Eurovision fans are driving a sauna to Switzerland for this year's contest. One tells us getting people to grab a towel and join them is proving to be no sweat. And, one of the world's largest snails is filmed for the first time doing something with its neck that makes the hairs on ours stand on end – laying an egg. As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that provides full-throated support.

    Hamas releases Israeli-American hostage after 584 days

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 64:28


    There is celebration as the last living American hostage in Gaza -- 21-year-old Edan Alexander -- has been released by Hamas. A close friend of the family describes their elation. After the US and China agree to put tariffs on hold for 90 days, a supply chain expert tells us that's great -- but a suspension isn't the same as a solution.A sociology organization decides to move some sections of its upcoming conference north of the border -- because some Canadian members refuse to travel to the US. A Soviet-era spacecraft was meant to land on Venus spent more than 50 years trapped in Earth's obit -- until this weekend, when it finally came crashing down. Somewhere.The Professional Women's Hockey League breaks a record for the longest game, as Montreal and Ottawa battle their way into quadruple overtime. A fan who was there tells us how she survived the five-and-a-half hour match.And, it's the end of the end of the world as we know it. Scientists reveal that the universe will decay billions and billions of years earlier than they previously thought -- meaning the end of the world is merely billions and billions and billions of years away.As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that greets you with open armageddons.

    We call a journalist who escaped house arrest in Russia

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 66:40


    Running for coverage. A Russian journalist flees house arrest and a possible prison sentence, and escapes to France. She tells us leaving her loved ones behind was the only way to break free.Dishonourable discharges. Rae Timberlake has served their country in the U.S. Navy for 17 years. But as the Trump administration begins its removal of a thousand trans troops, they don't feel like their country is serving them.Out of office replies. I'll talk to Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai about his surprise resignation announcement; he tells us that, when it comes to his children, it's time to make up for lost time.Disaster aria. A new opera sets a horrendous case of wrongful conviction to music. The composer behind "The Central Park Five" tells us its themes have a whole new resonance right now.  I get where they're coming from. No one knows what to call people from Chelsea, Quebec -- and the mayor tells us the city's 150th anniversary is the perfect time for residents to decide how to identify themselves.  And, indubitably, unreservedly sorry, not sorry. A UK researcher reveals that the more uncommon and sesquipedalian vocabulary you utilize in an apology, the more sincere it will seem.As It Happens, the Friday edition. Radio that never cuts a long sorry short.

    When the Pope was just Robert, an 8th grade classmate

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 58:52


    Holy smoke. A Canadian Catholic tells us what it was like to stand with thousands in St Peter's Square when the white smoke billowed -- and waited to hear the first words of the first American Pope.Well, the first except for the pretend American Pope, chosen by university students in Chicago recently, in a re-creation of the Conclave of 1492. The history prof behind it explains the powerful lesson in that exercise. And: the Young Pope. We hear from a childhood friend of the boy known as Robert Prevost -- long before he became Pope Leo the Fourteenth. It's kind of a big deal. The UK becomes the first country to hammer out a new trade agreement with the White House. An expert in business diplomacy tells us it won't be so easy for Canada.  Getting his message across. The sister of a murder victim used artificial intelligence to generate a victim impact statement from her late brother. She tells us she believes he would have offered his killer the forgiveness she can't.  The bleat goes on. Sheep are still by far the dominant population in New Zealand -- but a new count reveals that humans are closing the gap. Slowly, and slightly. As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that puts people behind baa-ers.

    For Italian tech workers, the conclave meets fantasy sports

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2025 60:19


    Flight from fight response. After India attacks Pakistan and Pakistan authorizes "corresponding action", a journalist in Kashmir tells us the threat of escalation has people unsure what to do or where to go.Search me. American authorities in a Washington state border town inspect cars and question drivers heading toward Canada. A local lawyer says that might destroy whatever was left of the town's cross-border business. Spyware and tear. An Israeli cyber-intelligence firm is ordered to pay more than 2-hundred and 30 million Canadian in damages, for surveilling hundreds of WhatsApp users.Your chance to pontiff-icate. While the conclave is in session, Italians are guessing who the next Pope will be -- by playing a fantasy-league game called "Fantapapa". A true sensation about real sensations. A graduate student in Finland wins this year's "Dance Your PhD" contest with a powerful performance about the science behind sensations such as burning, cooling, and tingling.And...villain the blanks. A British woman is given tens of thousands in compensation, after her colleagues filled out a Star Wars-related personality test on her behalf -- and declared her a "Darth Vader".As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that survives a near-Darth experience. 

    Carney says Canada's 'not for sale'. Will Trump back off?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 66:07


    Face to face, but not quite eye to eye. Former Canadian ambassador to Washington Frank McKenna says that, despite his bluster about the 51st state, when Mark Carney visited the White House, the president seemed to respect the prime minister.  From bad to worse to worse. The head of a British charity supporting Palestinians tells us he's trying to stay hopeful, despite Israeli plans that promise to make life for civilians in Gaza even more dangerous. Zero compromise on zero tolerance. As cardinals gather in Rome to choose a new Pope, a survivor of sexual abuse tells us now has to be the time for the Catholic church to make things right.It's a free country; well, right now, it's a free province. But we hear from activist Dennis Modry who says Alberta should be its own country -- and is confident a referendum would deliver just that verdict.The needles and the damage undone. During the NHL playoffs, an Edmonton Oilers fanatic is crocheting emotional support chickens for her fellow stressed-out fans -- in the hopes that her handiwork will unknit their brows. Thrust into the limb-light. We'll cuttle up with the cuttlefish -- which science suggests is using its many flexible arms to communicate in some kind of sign language.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that's also available as a cephalopodcast. 

    An Oscar-winning producer on tariffs and Hollywood North

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 61:57


    Plus: The father of Luke and Brayden Schenn on what it's like to see your sons face off in double overtime. Also: An expert on human and machine learning tells us why Minecraft made the perfect test case for his team's theories about how human beings learn and adapt -- and what makes us uniquely good at both.

    Special Episode: Joseph Hillel

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 28:23


    The Haitian-born filmmaker takes Nil inside a theatre festival in Port-au-Prince that's been happening for more than twenty years...in the face of earthquakes, hurricanes, cholera, presidential assassinations, and gang warfare. It's a triumph of artistry against all odds -- and it inspired his new documentary, "At All Kosts."

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