As It Happens

Just as the NBA begins its new season, federal officials announce dozens of arrests in a sweeping gambling investigation that includes allegations of mob involvement. A Ukrainian journalist rushed to a kindergarten near her home earlier this week, after sirens alerted her there’d been a Russian strike. She describes seeing smoke everywhere. An ex-boxer in BC fights off a mother grizzly bear -- and lives to tell the tale. If you’re inclined to ask an AI chatbot for advice, the Dutch Data Protection Authority has some advice for you: Don’t ask it who to vote for. Soft Cell defined the sound of eighties pop with 'Tainted Love'. A musician tells us about meeting one half of that duo -- the late Dave Ball -- outside a record store -- and the collabs that came next.At only 8 and 10 years old, siblings and baseball superfans Meredith and Hugo Fu explain how they got their start in sports reporting...and landed interviews with Blue Jays stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kevin Gausman. As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that gives minor leaguers major props. 

Canada's financial-crimes watchdog levies its heaviest fines ever against a crypto currency exchange -- but a journalist tells us that, knowing what he knows, it's going to be tough to collect. A spokesperson for the largest UN agency providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians says she's hopeful that today's advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice will help her colleagues get back to life-saving work in Gaza and the West Bank. The fallout from a jewel theft at the Louvre throws the French government into damage-control mode -- but the mayor of central Paris tells us he's still holding out hope some of the artifacts could be recovered. When an enormous manta ray ends up in a tuna net, it's bad for the creature and the crew. So now fishermen and scientists have created a new kind of safety net.We'll talk to an athlete who'll be representing Canada at the upcoming Pickleball World Cup; she says she was sour on the sport at the beginning, but now she relishes it. Monday's worldwide outage didn't just disrupt banking and email -- it also disrupted the sleep of people whose smart beds went haywire.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that knows sometimes technology just makes mattress worse. 

Ottawa is giving new and shockingly long wait time estimates for immigration applications to be processed -- and to those waiting, it feels like Canada is rolling out the unwelcome mat. The man behind "Operation Inflation" shares the very serious reasons he has for dressing up American protesters in very silly inflatable costumes. A Connecticut museum celebrates the omnipresent, underappreciated ant. Not thrilled? Our guest insists they're the ant-tithesis of dull. Work has begun on Donald Trump's new White House ballroom -- and one historian says it's not just an offense to the Presidential residence, but to the intentions of the Founding Fathers. A Blue Jays fan had the night of his life last night when he caught the pivotal home run ball. He says the ball came down, but he sure hasn't.Radio legend Ira Glass reveals that he listens to other podcasts at twice the usual speed -- and believes we should all put our best foot fast-forward.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that would never engage in double-talk.

When Amazon's cloud service crashed, it disrupted everything from social media sites and games to businesses and Blue Jays tickets. A cybersecurity expert tells us that's a downside of so few companies being in charge of so much. The host of one of Italy's top investigative journalism programs is targeted with an explosive device -- but his editor says the team will keep reporting on organized crime regardless. Officials at the Louvre are struggling to explain how thieves were able to stage a daytime heist with some basic tools -- and get away with irreplaceable, historic jewelry less than ten minutes.A new study suggests that telling parents to expose their babies to peanuts was good advice -- and may have lowered the rates of potentially lethal peanut allergies. Bangers from our adolescence still seem more significant than anything we've heard since -- and now, researchers have calculated the point in our teenage years they call the "reminiscence bump".As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that knows some jams you can't get out of.

Bestselling author John Irving is about to publish a sequel to one of his biggest books. But he won't be promoting it in one of his biggest markets -- because of Donald Trump. John Bolton is the latest Trump critic to be indicted on federal charges. He's accused of sharing classified information while working on a book. But a former US attorney says there might be more to this case -- than revenge.One of the physicians behind a new Ontario standard for menopause care says it doesn't get half as much attention as it should for something that affects half the population. Trailblazing activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy spent her life carving out a safe space for fellow Black trans women. One of her many adopted trans daughters says she's forever indebted to the woman who changed her life.A new study into how toads managed to spread across large parts of the world millions of years ago found the key is what most of us thought it was: the poisonous glands behind their eyes. For the 30th year in a row, a band of mysterious pranksters have stuck a pumpkin on a clock tower at the University of Montana and vanished -- like their equally mysterious pumpkin-piercing forebears.As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that guesses they've faded into obscurity -- emphasis on "skewer". 

The family of a man convicted of a murder he didn't commit was shocked when ICE detained him again -- before he was even allowed to leave the prison where he'd been held for decades. Doctors Without Borders announces it is closing its emergency center in Port-au-Prince -- and the head of MSF's mission there tells us it means Haitians are losing one of their last lifelines. The mayor of a Louisiana town at the heart of a U-S Supreme Court battle says people who want to redraw the current electoral maps should check their moral compass. Obstetrics may soon be on hold at a Kamloops hospital where all seven OBGYNs announced their resignations -- citing inadequate support for women's healthcare.  A friend and protegee of the late Drew Struzan tells us just what it was about his iconic movie posters that were so unique and inspired such pure excitement.A story that will take your broth away: the disquieting tale of a cat that contributed a dead mouse -- tail and all -- to its foster family's pot of soup. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that's always stirring up trouble.  

The mayor of Brampton says it's just more proof that Ottawa has to get tough in U.S. trade negotiations. Israel has released hundreds of detainees, but a Palestinian pediatrician arrested in Gaza nine months ago is still in Israeli custody. An advocate for Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya tells us he's far from alone. Months of dry weather are forcing a Nova Scotia farmer to make some tough decisions -- and she's not sure how much longer she can keep up the struggle to keep some of her animals.We were all deeply impressed by the rat-shaped impression on a Chicago sidewalk. But now, a researcher who dug into the Chicago Rat Hole tells us he's confident a different rodent made the indent.A Saskatchewan woman was shocked when something smashed into her windshield out of a clear blue sky. But she was way past shocked when she realized it was a fish. German police -- and soon, you -- are confused to discover that someone turned a train compartment into a chicken coop, complete with straw, and left three chickens on board.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that brings you the inside coop. 

An unlikely collection of news organizations from across the political spectrum say new limits on their access to the Pentagon are a bridge too far. And our guest says he can no longer do his job properly. A Palestinian analyst says he's cautiously optimistic that the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas can hold -- despite the difficult road ahead.A Northern Ontario First Nation leader declares a state of emergency as drug-fueled violence continues to rock local communities.A Newfoundland mayor pitches his small town as a new home for a group of beluga whales facing the prospect of euthanasia at a defunct amusement park.Derrick the donkey didn't seem made for international stardom, but he's taking his new record as the world's tallest donkey in stride.We reach the winner of a Pennsylvania art contest that sees competitors make sculptures out of scrapple -- which is a mush made of pork scraps.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that keeps you in the gloop.

Celebrations broke out in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square today as twenty hostages held captive for more than two years were finally set free. Our guest describes the relief of seeing them returned – and the kinds of hugs she knows are being shared.Ireland introduces a basic income program for musicians and artists after the success of a pilot version. We hear from an artist who says it’s a good start -- but far from picture perfect.Canadian Peter Howitt is among the economists honoured with this year's Nobel Prize. He says his passion for the field all started with a high school job in Guelph, Ontario.It took years for scientists to complete analysis of an ancient marine fossil. But now they are sharing the news that it's actually a new species –- and they've given it a pretty cool name: the sword dragon.After a Pennsylvania cat stows away on a family trip -- we revisit our interview with a woman who made it all the way through airport security -- before her cat made it out of the bag.Researchers have documented the dramatic lengths some bats will go to to track down and devour birds – all while remaining airborne.As It Happens, the Monday edition… radio that warns they could be a flight risk.

As the Toronto Blue Jays' playoff journey continues, the owners of the bakeshop "Wanda's Pie in the Sky" reminisce about ins-pie-ring Joe Carter's World Series-winning home run in '93 -- with their coconut cream pie.A former federal prosecutor is disgusted that the U.S. Department of Justice has laid charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James -- who brought civil charges against Donald Trump. A UN aid worker in Gaza says now that a ceasefire is in place, Israel needs to open the floodgates immediately to get desperately needed food and supplies into the strip. Two years after a Wyoming librarian was fired amid a dispute over keeping challenged books on the shelves -- a big settlement has her feeling vindicated.A former Loyola Chicago basketball player remembers Sister Jean -- the team chaplain who counselled him and many other players through trials and tribulations both on and off the court.LA Lakers fans thought LeBron James was teasing retirement, but he was just teasing a new brandy endorsement -- so now everyone's angry, and one fan is suing. As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that hears no cheers, just booze.

A non-fighting chance. After Hamas and Israel raise hopes for a lasting peace deal, we'll speak with an Israeli survivor of the October 7th attack -- and a Palestinian sheltering with his family in Gaza. Both tell us that the U.S.-brokered peace deal has given them reason to feel optimistic for the first time in two years.A Dutch cargo ship that was stranded in the Franklin Strait for more than a month is now afloat again; a maritime expert tells us how you get a 172-metre-long vessel off the rocks.Nearly two weeks after a wildfire forced them to evacuate, people are heading back to King’s County, Nova Scotia. And our guest says while he's grateful for the help he got- there's nothing quite like putting your feet up, in your own home. The battle-scarred remains of King Richard The Third were discovered beneath a parking lot years ago -- and now, new research reveals the monarch faced the grim hardship of severe gum disease.Undetectable, in search of the delectable. The Washington Post's food critic retires -- and shares the secrets of how he used the art of disguise to get the real scoop on the restaurants he reviewed.  As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that puts the "neat-o!" in incognito.

The French government is in chaos yet again after the country's latest Prime Minister resigns abruptly. Even veteran political experts aren't sure what will come next, but our guest says one thing is clear: "ego issues" are to blame.A human rights watcher tells us about a devastating aerial attack on a candlelit gathering in Myanmar -- and what the military government's airpower suggests about the trajectory of the civil war. They're not from Eswatini, and had never been to Eswatini -- but tonight, we speak to a lawyer representing two deportees who were sent to the tiny kingdom of Eswatini, where they're in a maximum security prison. When students at a high school in Maine get detention, they can sit in a classroom -- or they can go for a hike. The teacher who started the program says it helps students to walk a mile in their shoes.An Ontario photographer tells the magical tale of his encounters with an incredibly rare beaver whose existence was foretold in the Canadian prophecies -- a beaver that is entirely white.James Bond fans are badly shaken and stirred to action when a streaming service puts up photos of their hero's movies -- in which his trademark pistol has been Photoshopped out.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that enters the arms erase.

It sure seemed like today's high-stakes meeting between the Prime Minister and the U.S. President went well -- but we'll ask an international trade consultant what he thinks. The U.S. government shutdown is threatening an essential food aid program for low-income families. A mother of three says she's rationing her supplies -- and hoping that the uncertainty ends soon. She was convicted of mischief for her role in the Ottawa protests -- but Tamara Lich's lawyer says his client is relieved today's sentencing didn't end with more jail time.We'll pay tribute to longtime CBC broadcaster and former “As It Happens” host Dennis Trudeau; a colleague says he had a voice that sang through the radio. An astronomer in Italy recalls the moment he received some unusual data and learned that a rogue planet was devouring gas at a record-breaking rate. You'd expect to hear that the runners in a recent ultramarathon ran a lot. You would not expect -- or want -- to hear they had to visit ten Taco Bells during the race -- and eat at nine of them. As It Happens, the Tuesday edition. Radio that assumes they hurled themselves across the finish line. 

Oregon's Secretary of State tells us nobody there of any political stripe wants the president to send in the National Guard -- so the state is doing everything it can to prevent that.We'll hear how people inside the CBS newsroom are reacting to the announcement that a firebrand media critic known for criticizing outlets like theirs will now be their boss. The late forensic scientist Edward T. Blake's work on DNA testing changed criminal trials and helped exonerate wrongfully convicted people. A rural newspaper editor tells us about the small army of volunteers who are making sure readers still have access to local news during the Canada Post strike. Connor McDavid signs a contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers -- and whatever that contract contains, Superfan Magoo can barely contain himself. A new trial project will see toilet paper from sewage transformed into glucose -- but the utility swears that sugar won't be used in any food products.As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio gives new meaning to en sweet bathroom.

Hamas responds to the U.S. President's peace proposal -- and says it agrees to some aspects of it, including the release of all Israeli hostages. For the first time in more than a millennium, a woman will lead the Church of England. A London vicar says Sarah Mullally is the perfect person to heal a divided church. Young people flood the streets of Morocco, expressing their anger over health care, education and unemployment -- and one activist tells us they won't stop until they see concrete action.His soul is as dark as his feathers; and now a black swan nicknamed "Mr. Terminator" has been exiled from an English town after terrorizing the local swans -– not to mention our guest, who had to capture him.The owner of a New Jersey theme park is selling off his herd of animatronic dinosaurs -- and, like his stegosaurus, interest is seeing some major spikes. Hit me with your nest shot. New research has found that birds all over the world issue the same call warning each other about cuckoos -- which lay their eggs where they're not wanted.As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that can't play you the whole warning call -- just an exchirpt.

A deadly attack at a Manchester synagogue shakes the Jewish community – and our guest, an Anglican bishop who lives nearby. He tells us how he plans to support his neighbours through a dark time.Canadians thinking of heading to the U.S. may want to move a little slower. That's the subtle messaging from Ottawa, where Global Affairs has officially, and quietly, updated its travel advisory for our southern neighbour.As the federal government moves forward with its firearm buy-back program, some gun owners in Cape Breton are sharing their frustrations.Canadian rugby star Sophie de Goede reflects on Team Canada’s incredible run at the Rugby World Cup – and on tackling her own challenges.Thousands of devotees descend on a small town in West Virginia to celebrate the legendary creature known as Mothman – and to shine a light on its many mysteries. A couple of firefighters in Maryland express their dissatisfaction with baseballs flying in from a neighbouring field with professional courtesy - by flooding the field with their firehose.As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that would have covered this story earlier -- but we were swamped.

We remember Jane Goodall, who spent her life working to protect the home of the chimpanzees she helped the world fall in love with. Alberta's premier revives the promise of a new oil corridor to the coast -- and an industry leader says, this time, all the right players are aligned to make it happen.A retired U.S. Navy captain says unequal fitness standards for men and women in combat roles don't exist -- and she doesn't know why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doesn't know that.For years, the century-old remains of a woman found in a Saskatoon well went unidentified. Now, police know who she was, thanks in part to some of her descendants -- who only just learned her story.A paleontologist says he experienced a "perfect moment" when he realized he was looking at an incredibly rare fossil of an incredibly old leech.Startling new research reveals the reason so many of us have "innie" belly buttons -- and the theory that our guts have their own gut instincts causes stomach upset in the world of science.As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that's well-versed in navel battles.

The Taliban imposes an Internet blackout on Afghanistan -- a move one Afghan women's rights activist says is as horrifying as when the regime returned to power in the first place. A Jewish activist says everyone on the international flotilla attempting to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza is on high alert, waiting to be intercepted -- but he still hopes to arrive in time for Yom Kippur.Hundreds of U.S. military leaders gathered today to hear Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's vision for the troops. A retired lieutenant general tells us he doubts the message was well-received.A growing number of companies are opting for a "no-shoes" policy in the workplace -- giving employees new and old a chance to get their feet wet.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that believes this shows callous disregard.

On the 5th annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Nil Köksal speaks with the author about her memoir 'Children Like Us.' As the child of a Métis birth mother with Anishinaabe, Cree and European ancestors and the adopted child of a Mennonite father and Ukrainian convert mother, Brittany Penner's family life can best be described as "complicated." But those complications are what make her memoir searingly beautiful and utterly unique.

The U.S. President names himself the head of an international transitional body he's calling the Board of Peace -- as he presents his latest ceasefire plan for Gaza. A longtime Middle East negotiator tells us what he believes will actually happen.As Canada moves forward with changes to Jordan's Principle, one organization warns that a nutrition program in Yukon is going unfunded -- so kids there will go hungry. A local church is destroyed, four congregants are dead and people in Grand Blanc, Michigan are trying to understand why a gunman chose their community. A neighbour tells us he's not sure how anyone will ever be able to feel safe again.A longtime colleague tells us about Dr. Balfour Mount -- the Montreal doctor who pioneered palliative care, and found purpose in helping patients achieve the best deaths possible.This year's winner of New Zealand's Bird of the Year competition will rip your heart out -- literally, if you're small enough or it's hungry enough.Every year, the winner becomes a celebrity -- but this time, there was also a family reunion after an ash tree on a busy street in Glasgow was named "UK Tree of the Year". As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that reminds contestants: the winner is always tall -- so flat tree will get you nowhere.