The Current

Memes and videos mocking AI and robots as "clankers" are having a moment. It's funny, but also reveals our anxiety about tech made to seem increasingly human, not to serve us, but to make a profit, says journalist Clive Thompson, author of Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World.

Canadians lost a staggering $647 million to fraud last year. And a lot of those scams involve money taken fraudulently from Canadians' bank accounts and investments. Melissa Plett was scammed out over more than $14,000. She tells us what happened and shares her warnings for other Canadians. Then we talk to technology journalist and analyst Carmi Levy who says banks can do more to protect your money — and to reimburse you if you've been scammed.

Her mother Mary's death left acclaimed Indian writer, author of The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy feeling "unanchored in space with no coordinates," even though she'd often been a target of Mary's wrath. Roy talks to Matt Galloway about her new memoir, "Mother Mary Comes to Me," revealing their fraught relationship, and how her mother's trailblazing character influenced Roy's writing.

Ukraine says several thousand children have been forcibly deported by Russia since the start of its full scale invasion in 2022. Parents, Ukrainian authorities, and NGOs have been trying to track down these missing children because some have been given new Russian names and passports.

Nairobi native Ibrahim Lwingi is scared for his life and he's not the only one. Decisions being made in the White House, halfway across the world, threaten to turn his world on its head. The proposed cuts to the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEPFAR by the Trump administration had many in the international community rattled. CBC's James Chaarani met with Ibrahim Lwingi — and others like him — in Nairobi, Kenya for this documentary, “Everything to Lose.”

The House is back and so is our national affairs panel. CBC's chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton, Ryan Tumilty of the Toronto Star and Stephanie Levitz of the Globe & Mail weigh in on what to expect this fall. Pierre Poilievre will be back in the House after reclaiming a seat and Prime Minister Mark Carney has made some big promises – will he be able to deliver? Plus, there's a budget on the horizon, and the Liberals need a dance partner.

In the days since Charlie Kirk's fatal shooting, the political rage in the US is HIGH. We examine how some are using Kirk's death to push further division in the US and beyond - while others look to turn the temperature down. And we ask is Canada immune from this kind of political rhetoric?

The military is off its target to have women represent 25% of the armed forces by 2026. We speak to a new recruit who joined the Air Force earlier this year about her experiences as well as Charlotte Duval Lantoine from the Canadian Global Affairs Institute about why women might be cautious about joining up.

Is asking chatGPT to give you an idea for your high school assignment cheating? Is teaching AI prompts in an English class a good use of time? These are the questions students and teachers are wrestling with as generative AI becomes a part of learning. But without clear guidelines in many school boards across the country, many are left trying to figure it out as they go, begging the question, what is the role of AI at school?

Globe and Mail columnist Marsha Lederman has been writing, trying to understand what happened on October 7, the subsequent war, and its ripple effects through Canadian society. She speaks with Matt Galloway about her new book, October 7th: Searching for the Humanitarian Middle.

The prominent conservative activist was shot and killed yesterday, at an event he was hosting at Utah Valley University. The 31 year old had built a massive following on social media, and his group Turning Point USA has been credited with ensuring Donald Trump's return to the White House. What happened, and how political violence continues to escalate across America.

After 16 speed cameras were vandalized in one night in Toronto, Ontario's premier says it's time to get rid of the "tax grab" devices. But Globe and Mail columnist Marcus Gee says they're more needed than ever, as drivers seem to become more reckless.

For the first time since the war in Ukraine began, NATO has shot down Russian drones over its own territory. Nearly 20 drones crossed into Poland, prompting Prime Minister Donald Tusk to warn his country is closer to war than at any time since WW2. Moscow insists it didn't mean to strike Poland, but many experts call the move deliberate and a provocation designed to test the alliance's resolve.

From the tallest dog to the longest fingernails, the heaviest onion to the smallest waist, the Guinness World Records have been cataloguing and celebrating all of life's superlatives for seven decades. We explore the history and persistence of this phenomenon and speak to a restaurant owner chasing the title of longest beef kebab.

Hamas says 5 of its members were killed in an attack in Doha that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says was in retaliation for a deadly shooting at a Jerusalem bus stop on Monday as well as the October 7th attacks. With Hamas leadership in Doha to discuss a ceasefire deal proposed by the U.S before the attack, where do talks stand now? We'll also hear from Karim Abushbak. His parents and his sisters recently fled the bombing in Gaza City. Now, after months of waiting, the Canadian permanent residents have approval from Ottawa to leave Gaza by September 17 - they just have to make it out alive.

She was the first marine biologist to film a giant squid in its habitat. . Edie Widder is a pioneering marine biologist who believes the light in the dark ocean may actually be a form of communication. She has dedicated her life to understanding the phenomenon known as bioluminescence. And she is one of the few people in the world who has been to the deepest 'twilight zone' of the ocean using tiny submersibles. Matt talks to Widder about her quest to capture the bioluminescence on video along with Tasha Van Zandt, director of a new documentary about Widder's life and work. A Life Illuminated is screening as part of the Toronto International Film Festival.

The latest wellness-branded must-haves for young people can contain dangerous amounts of caffeine. The drinks are raising concern from experts about the health risks that go with them like anxiety, heart palpitations and trouble sleeping. Now, England is moving to ban energy drinks for people under 16 — should Canada do the same?

Gurinder and Ravinder Sidhu were excited to welcome their third baby in June. That excitement turned to fear and then grief after Ravinder died from sepsis shortly after her son's birth. Gurinder joins us to talk about how he believes the nurses and doctors didn't act fast enough to treat his wife — and even ignored their pleas for help. And why he's calling for better sepsis care so no other family has to go through what he is enduring. Then two experts talk about why Canada desperately needs a sepsis strategy. An estimated one in eighteen deaths in Canada are from sepsis, many of which Fatima Sheikh, a PhD candidate at McMaster University, and Dr Kali Barrett, a critical care physician and affiliate scientist with the Health Systems and Policy Research Collaborative Centre at UHN, say are preventable.

A US soldier Lynsey Addario covered in Afghanistan called her "hard as woodpecker lips". Over the last 25 years, Addario has covered every major conflict and won some of the most prestigious awards in journalism. She's also lost friends and colleagues and survived two kidnappings. Matt Galloway talks to the award-winning photojournalist about what it really takes to do her work, why the risks are worth it to her, and how she's managed to navigate marriage and motherhood at the same time. Lynsey Addario is sharing her story in a new documentary called 'Love + War' that's screening as part of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Gambling logos, ads and chatter are everywhere during hockey broadcasts, despite the harms that can come with betting. Raffaello Rossi of the University of Bristol has the numbers on just how much we were exposed to sports betting during the Stanley Cup playoffs. He hopes that Canada will eventually follow the lead of the UK and other European nations and bring in strict regulations.

"The Canadian sports system is in crisis." That was the message from Justice Lise Maisonneuve, head of Future of Sport in Canada Commission, which released 71 preliminary recommendations that aim to address a number of issues, including mental, physical and sexual abuse in sports. We also speak to former elite athlete and abuse survivor, Amelia Cline, who says the ball is now in the Fed's court to act.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is under fire for upending American healthcare and undermining vaccine science. At a Senate hearing last week, he faced a barrage of criticism from both sides of the aisle. And former leaders of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are urging action, warning Kennedy is threatening the health of every American. Dr. Mandy Cohen, former CDC Director, joins us to talk about why she and eight other former leaders of the top U.S. health agency are calling for urgent action to protect public health in America. And the fears are being felt by doctors in Canada. Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease doctor from Alberta, talks about how she's seeing Kennedy's influence undermine faith in vaccines in her province.

Ken Dryden is best known for his hockey career, but his memoir The Class: A Memoir of a Place, a Time, and Us, tells the story of living in post-war Canada — through the lens of his high school graduating class. Ken Dryden died of cancer last week, at the age of 78. We revisit his conversation with Matt Galloway.

Giorgio Armani was one of the most recognizable names in fashion. Jeanne Beker shares stories of who he was as a person and the legacy he leaves behind after his death. And what happens at Vogue now that Anna Wintour steps down as editor-in-chief?

Major Canadian employers are investing in fancy office spaces and paying a premium to get in-demand workers back to in-person work. But many workers still aren't sold on getting out of their pajamas and into hard pants . We hear from a commercial real estate expert about rising demand for top tier office spaces, and a recruiter who says major employers are paying top dollar for experienced staff — if they will come to work in person.

For Inuit elders in Nunavut aging in their community is what they want. For years — elders were relocated south, to receive care. But now members of the community are leading the charge for a new elders residence to be built in the next few years here.

It feels like tipping culture has gotten way out of hand. We used to be tipping once or twice a week at restaurants and cafes — and now, we're being asked to tip every day, from getting our oil changed to self-serve cafeterias. There's a growing number of Canadians frustrated about the state of tipping right now, and some people are wondering — why do we still tip?

A California family says ChatGPT acted as a “suicide coach” for their teenage son, Adam Raine, in a lawsuit filed against Open AI and and its CEO Sam Altman. Adam turned to ChatGPT initially for help with schoolwork. What developed was a disturbing and dark relationship, hidden from his parents. New York Times technology reporter Kashmir Hill talks about meeting Adam's parents and the troubling exchanges they found between ChatGPT and their son. We also hear from Meetali Jain, the tech lawyer who helped file the lawsuit and is on a mission to hold big tech accountable.

Canada's public education system has been recognized globally for decades, ranking in the top 10 countries according to the Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA. But, since 2006, this country has seen its overall scores drop in all three areas: reading, science and especially math — leaving experts, and parents, worried. In The Current's new series, Learning Curve, we are taking a closer look into what's leading to this drop — and can our education system be improved for everyone involved.

Politicians and industry both in Canada and afar have their sights on the arctic. For the Inuit who have called this place home for centuries, there's real concern on what the future holds. Natan Obed is the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and acting President of Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada and Jeremy Tunraluk is the president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated. They speak with Matt Galloway about their dreams for this place and its people and why “the colonial days are over - and it is time for Nunavut to be included.”

Google is one of the first big tech companies to go public with how much energy it takes to use its AI tools.. AI's carbon footprint is big - so how does Canada balance the energy guzzler with AI sovereignty?Tech reporter Casey Crownhart digs into the massive electricity demands of an AI future, and what it means for the climate. Plus, we talk with Phil Harris, President and CEO of Cerio, and Kate Herland of the Canadian Climate Institute, about what Canada can do to make AI data centres here more sustainable.

Librarians are relieved the province has paused its order to remove sexually-explicit titles, which swept up Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale, but some parents say some books need to be banned and the government should act. John Hilton-O'Brien , Executive Director of Parents for Choice in EducationLaura Winton, board member of Library Association of Alberta, join host Matt Galloway.

People who read the fiction of Miriam Toews might think they know a fair bit about her life story. She's written about sister relationships, suicide, and her conservative Mennonite upbringing. Now her highly anticipated new memoir does away with the mirror of fiction — shining a light on why she writes, and the power of family.

Inuit leaders and communities speak about everything from Arctic Soverienty, food insecurity, and an ongoing suicide crissis, in a special edition of The Current from Nunavut. This is a hard place to live, but also a beautiful and joyful one, and it's having a moment. Hear from artists and youth about hope for the future and sharing Inuit knowledge and culture with global audiences.

Many small communities across the country are struggling to survive, as people age and their children chase big city life. Powell River, B.C. is trying to keep its own numbers up with the help of a conductor who's worked with some of the world's biggest orchestras. In her documentary War and Peace, the CBC's Liz Hoath hears from locals who say Arthur Arnold is bringing a lot more than music to their town of 13,000 people

The PSYOPS that the US has been carrying out in Greenland could easily come to Canada and we are woefully unprepared. That's according to author Stephen Marche. He says that trade negotiations and boycotts and national pride are not enough. He says everything from manipulating US elections, to sending spies overseas to mandatory military service - should be on the table. Stephen Marche's books include The Next Civil War, and The Last Election and he's also host of a new podcast called Gloves Off .

Prime Minister Mark Carney is back from Europe, where he pitched new trade deals and military projects. But back home, he faces Pierre Poilievre's return to Parliament, a trade fight with Donald Trump, and pressure to deliver on housing and nation-building projects. Our national political panel — Ryan Tumilty of the Toronto Star, CBC's Aaron Wherry, and Kathleen Petty from West of Centre— weigh in on what Carney accomplished abroad and what's at stake this fall.

Do you silently judge someone who says “less” when they mean “fewer”? Do you have very strong feelings about the Oxford comma? You may want a word with Ellen Jovin. For years, the author of Rebel with a Clause has been setting up a folding table on the street to talk to people about grammar which she says can actually bring us together in divisive times.

Managing money is always challenging, and it's even trickier when you're a teenager. In her new book Making Bank, Money Skills for Real Life, certified financial planner Shannon Lee Simmons offers advice for teens: from budgeting and saving for things you enjoy, to dealing with the constant wave of influencers trying to sell them something.

The UN says famine has officially taken hold of Gaza city, with more than half a million people starving. Aid groups say starvation is spreading because of war, blocked aid, and the collapse of health systems. We hear from Joel Onyeke of Save the Children about what families are enduring on the ground. And CBC senior international correspondent Margaret Evans joins us from Jerusalem to talk about growing protests inside Israel, mounting settler violence in the occupied West Bank, and the latest on a ceasefire proposal.

Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov says doctors shouldn't just focus on diseases or sick body parts, but get to know the person behind the patient. He talks to Matt Galloway about his mission to improve the doctor-patient experience for all of us.

U.S. President Donald Trump has deployed National Guard troops onto the streets of Washington, D.C., saying it's necessary to tackle crime. Now he's warning Chicago could be next. His critics say it's unconstitutional and a power grab move that creates a militarized environment without solving the root causes of crime. Martin Austermuhle, a journalist with The 51st, a local Washington, D.C. news outlet, talks about what life is like in the capital with National Guard troops on the ground. Then Illinois Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García and Ed Yohnka of the ACLU of Illinois weigh in on Trump's threats to send the National Guard into Chicago.