The Current

Kaitlyn Braun, a pregnant young woman in crisis, takes dozens of birth workers through an escalating series of disasters – rape, baby loss, and even a coma. One by one, the doulas struggle to support her and grieve with her, and even save her life as they’re led down a distressing path. And then the truth comes out.In this six-part true crime series, Sarah Treleaven untangles a complex web of lies and deception to ask who Kaitlyn really is and why she did the things that she did. Cases like these puzzle legal experts and raise intricate moral and ethical questions. This is not your average con. Kaitlyn is not your usual scammer.Kaitlyn's Baby is Season 2 of The Con — a podcast exposing the art of deception — from CBC and the BBC World Service. Season 1 - the critically acclaimed catfishing quest, Love, Janessa, launched in January 2023.Content warning: The latest season of The Con contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault and there is some strong language.More episodes are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/VPyaaH 

It’s been 50 years since two Canadian scientists solved a great mystery: where do monarch butterflies go during winter? But while they unlocked how these tiny creatures fly thousands of kilometres every year, there’s still parts of this natural wonder that we don’t understand. 

The broadcaster Scott Oake lost his son Bruce to a drug overdose more than 10 years ago, and has worked tirelessly since to help other families avoid that same heartbreak. He talks to Matt Galloway about opening a recovery centre named after Bruce, and his new book For the Love of a Son.

Kaitlyn Braun convinced dozens of birth doulas that she was pregnant, claiming she was suffering through an escalating series of disasters: rape, baby loss, and even a coma. Sarah Treleaven tells Galloway about the complex web of lies she untangles in the new CBC podcast The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby.

Matt Galloway talks to people who have travelled to Washington for Donald Trump’s inauguration, in celebration — or in protest — of his second term as president. 

Donald Trump is set to sign as many as 100 executive orders on his first day in office. We discuss the potential fallout if he enacts campaign pledges on mass deportations and tariffs that could devastate Canada’s economy.

The baker Daniel Leader is a pioneer of artisanal breadmaking, but he says his early loaves were more like paperweights. In a conversation from last month, Leader shares what he learned about his craft along the way, and why baking bread can feel like meditation.

New Brunswicker John Batt is the brains behind popular Instagram account @Canada.gov.ca, sharing some wild stories of Canadiana. He shares some of those stories with us, from the band that got Neil Young signed to Motown to a strangely controversial, very delicious pickle known across the Maritimes.

Tik Tok could be banned in the U.S. this weekend, sparking panic among influencers who make their living from the social media app. Journalist Emily Baker White explains why it’s drawn the ire of U.S. lawmakers. 

Jacqueline Simoes lined up for hours in the snow for the chance of registering with a new family doctor coming to Walkerton, Ont. earlier this week. But so did more than a thousand others.

Doctors are proposing a new definition of obesity that goes beyond measuring BMI. We talk to Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam about how the new diagnosis, and drugs like Ozempic, could change the conversation around body size and health.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is expected to go into effect Sunday, with the phased release of hostages and an end to 15 months of Israel’s bombardment in Gaza. Matt Galloway discusses what it will take to sustain the ceasefire with Israeli journalist Amir Tibon and Palestinian-Canadian lawyer Diana Buttu.

Russian President Vladimir Putin once won over George W. Bush by appealing to his  Christianity, and tried to intimidate Angela Merkel with her fear of dogs. The CBC’s Terence McKenna explores how KGB techniques helped his rise to power in the new documentary Putin's Journey.

Hundreds of miners have been trapped in a South African goldmine for months, after entering to excavate illegally. But while police say they refused to surface over fears of arrest, the workers’ families say they were simply too weak to leave after authorities cut off food and water. Journalist Carien Du Plessis explains how this stand-off came about, and why a rescue operation ended abruptly this week with dozens of bodies being pulled from the mine.

The prime minister and premiers said Wednesday that they will do all they can to stop Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs, with only Alberta Premier Danielle Smith refusing to sign the joint statement. We discuss whether a unified Canadian response to the crisis is possible with our national affairs panel: the CBC’s Kathleen Petty, the Toronto Star’s Ryan Tumilty; and The Globe and Mail's Stephanie Levitz.

A growing number of banks and asset managers are pulling out of climate initiatives, designed to gear investment practices towards net-zero goals. What’s driving the exodus, and what will it mean for efforts to curb climate change?

Ashley King woke up blind just a few days after her drinks were tainted with methanol during a night out on vacation in Bali. She’s sharing her story, and warning others of the fatal consequences of methanol poisoning, in a new podcast called Static: A Party Girl's Memoir.

New regulations around drones will soon make it easier for Canadian pilots to take to the skies. We look at how the devices are already used for things like moving organs for transplant between hospitals — and the implications for privacy if more and more flying cameras are buzzing past your yard or balcony.

On Drugs looks through the lenses of history, pop culture and personal experience to understand how drugs have shaped our world. Because even if it’s just caffeine or ibuprofen, there’s a good chance you’re on drugs right now. More episodes of On Drugs are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/e4ovfN

When was the last time you stopped to notice the animal tracks in the snow, or listened for the chirp of a bird in the stillness of winter? Edmonton researcher Holli-Anne Passmore wants people to stop and notice nature, saying that the emotions evoked can improve our sense of well-being.