News that’s not afraid of fun. Meet people at the centre of the day’s most hard-hitting, hilarious and heartbreaking stories — powerful leaders, proud eccentrics and ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. And plenty of puns too. Hosted by Nil Köksal and Chris Howden, find out why As It Happens is one of Canada’s longest-running and most beloved shows. (Ahem, we literally helped make the beaver a national symbol.) New episodes Monday to Friday by 7:30 pm E.T.
Selling a stake in the world’s most popular sporting event
50 min
Despite near-universal condemnation from the rest of the soccer world, the head of FIFA has yet to back down from a controversial plan to sell off a stake in the World Cup. With all eyes on cross-border trade, U.S. officials reject the automated inspections used on some Canadian rail lines. And Canada's human inspectors are applauding that rejection. Scientists in China conclude that extremely spicy food might act as a temporary pain reliever. But at least one guest from our archives would likely disagree. Alberta borrows the zero-tolerance approach its used for rats and hogs — and sends some furry new recruits in to keep invasive bivalves out of the province. A northern B.C. lacrosse team was all set to compete in the provincial championships this week — only to have the rug pulled out from under them at the last minute. At an international conference, the U.S. State Department displays a map of Africa that has the countries in the wrong place — putting the "nation" in "indignation". As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that serves up a continental dog's breakfast.
Was a Canadian intern at NATO actually a spy?
50 min
A CBC investigative reporter identifies the Canadian accused of using an internship at NATO headquarters to get some hands-on experience in the field of espionage. Wildfires on the island of Crete have killed two firefighters, and reduced homes to ashes. I'll talk to a hotelier who helped evacuate his community over the course of a very tense night. Health Canada drops certain questions for sperm donors that critics have long found invasive and discriminatory — not to mention unscientific. Archaeologists celebrate the discovery of the last missing piece of a cannon that exploded during the American Revolution — which took careful planning and plenty of patience. A Toronto live music institution survived a brush with a wrecking ball. Now, our guest is part of a group that wants to make sure Sneaky Dee's is permanently protected. Just...don't call it a dive bar. Over the course of his recent stay in an Australian town, a colossal, destructive elephant seal named Neil was an agent of pure chaos — and now we know how much that chaos cost. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that warns every outdoor object in that town: your fate is seal.
The Conservative case against Carney’s bridge deal
49 min
When it comes to the Gordie Howe Bridge, a Conservative MP says Prime Minister Mark Carney has gone too far — and conceded too much to Donald Trump. The manager of a Florida restaurant is forced to suspend some of his Haitian employees, after their work permits aren't extended. He says that's left them, and him, in a troubled state of limbo. A fisherman finds a message in a bottle in a New Jersey wetland — and then finds the woman who wrote it more than 50 years ago, and learns the story behind it. For 28 years, the late Michael Coyle spent his spare time working on a search-and-rescue team in BC; a fellow volunteer says he was exactly who you'd want with you in the mountains. We'll pay tribute to the late Irish musician and actor Glen Hansard — who starred in the movie "The Commitments," and approached his music with a singular commitment. A one-star online review said a Massachusetts whaling museum had the, quote, "worst aquarium ever." Now, the museum has gone viral — for putting that insult on its merchandise. As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that has seen lousy aquariums — and tanks, but no thanks.
This stink is finally coming off this Newfoundland town
54 min
For decades, St. Mary's, Newfoundland and Labrador has been plagued by the terrible odour of fermenting fish sauce in a defunct factory. Now, cleanup has begun at last. A lot of people are still unaccounted-for after a major earthquake rocks Japan. Our guest is there — and he says that, for many of his neighbours, this is terrifying déjà vu. Musician Barney Bentall tells us about the emotional moment when he pulled out his guitar to play for the firefighters trying to save his BC ranch from an approaching wildfire. The FIFA World Cup is over, but the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is in full swing. A Kenyan sports reporter tells us now is a great time for the world to pay attention to African women’s soccer. A large collection of KFC memorabilia is now up for auction, including Colonel Sanders’ own day planner where he kept a conspicuous list of eleven herbs and spices. One of which our guest...will reveal. The good news is Chinese scientists make a "living" dress that can repair itself; the bad news is it's made from a fungal parasite that could one day bring about the end of the world. As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that reflects: we'll always have Paris...itic fungus.
From celebration to sorrow in Berlin
51 min
One person is dead after a van attack at a Pride event in Berlin. A gay off-duty police officer who was there tells us that hate is growing in Germany — and he hopes fear will not win. An Ontario emergency room doctor tells us she and her colleagues are totally drained; in fact, her new study finds the burnout rate for Canadian ER physicians is as high as it was during the worst of the pandemic. A "fire cloud’ threatens to destroy several communities in southwest France; a resident tells us that the day he was forced to evacuate, the sky looked like Pompeii. Chefs love a gas stove — but a scientist tells us that, if you have asthma, you're better off switching to electric. A new study suggests bird songs share certain recognizable motifs, even across species and around the world. One of the researchers tells us he listened to thousands of hours of birdsong to reach this conclusion — and he's still not sick of it. A Polish man spends a record length of time covered head-to-toe in snow — and now his competition is shaking. Although to be fair, so is he. As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that's not sure why he did it — but I'm sure he had a perfectly good freezin'.
Winner of ‘Nobel Prize for math’ on the threat posed by AI
50 min
We hear from the first Canadian-based winner of the prestigious Fields Medal about why he's leaving academia to work for the safety department of OpenAI. With their new blockade, Houthi rebels add the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to the list of conflict-clogged waterways in the Middle East — and our guest warns that's increasing pressure on the region. Cuts to USAID left millions of people around the world without vital support — and an advocate in Nepal says that's forced many of her colleagues to turn to sex work just to survive. Five years after it was shut down, a beloved Los Angeles landmark will welcome moviegoers once again — thanks in part to our guest's campaign to save L.A.'s Cinerama Dome. Two of Spain's World Cup heroes make a triumphant return to their hometown to receive the traditional reward: their own weight in local tomatoes. As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that has words of praise for any champ with a lot of tomatoes: arrabi-attaboy!
This four-foot-six woman is Matt Damon’s Odyssey stunt double
49 min
Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson tells us how he and his colleagues are reacting to the Prime Minister's plan to deal with Donald Trump's 50% tariff threat. Despite her diminutive size, Canadian Devyn Dalton was the perfect stunt double for Matt Damon in The Odyssey. She shares her perspective on the epic — and on the now-viral clip of him praising her muscular arms. For the first time in almost a decade, Indigenous Arctic leaders are gathering in person for the Inuit Circumpolar Council's General Assembly, and the Council’s outgoing chair tells us how they're handling new challenges from the south. We hear from a Newfoundland singer who rolled with it when the pop star Kesha jumped on stage at her pub gig. A primatologist says we could learn a thing or two about keeping the peace from chimps and bonobos — who reduce conflict before stressful events by kissing and cuddling. As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that believes it ain't bonobody's business if they do.
Is Windsor-Detroit bridge deal compromise or capitulation?
50 min
The deal to open the Gordie Howe Bridge at last may not be as good for Canada as the Prime Minister has suggested — and tensions are rising on both sides. A new study finds construction and trade workers make up a disproportionate amount of opioid deaths in Ontario. A former labourer and opioid user tells us what led him and his colleagues to use drugs on and off the job. Donald Trump's new tariff threats target a puzzling range of products from hockey sticks to honey; the founder of an Indigenous-owned cosmetics brand says she was shocked to find lipstick on the list. An archaeologist tells us about rediscovering the remains of five Egyptian princesses — and says she now believes they were talented fighters who wielded the weapons they were buried with. When Luverne, Minnesota needed a tourism boost, a local nonagenarian’s nutcracker collection helped inspire them to build what they believe to be the world’s largest nutcracker. As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that takes you back to where it all pecan.
Was Ontario ready for this year’s wildfires?
50 min
After more than a week of catastrophic wildfires across Northwestern Ontario, the province’s minister of emergency preparedness responds to criticism that her government was not prepared for this emergency. A former Alberta representative to Washington says Canada shouldn't meekly give in to Donald Trump's tariffs, or angrily retaliate — but do a third thing, which she'll explain. It took 48 hours before Alberta issued an amber alert in the disappearance of an autistic boy; our guest says that's clear evidence that it's time for new rules about emergency alerts. A political opponent who was once jailed by Daniel Ortega responds to the Nicaraguan President's pledge to end elections in his country, once and for all. Anita LeBrun was shocked to learned her nursing home couldn't serve her alcohol. So she campaigned to get a state law changed — and now the drinks are on her. You can buy a piece of the New Jersey field where the FIFA World Cup final was played — but a local lawmaker thinks the whole deal is a sod state of affairs. "As It Happens," the Tuesday edition. Radio that's a turf act to follow.
Her unique connection with the UK’s new leader
51 min
Andy Burnham is sworn in as the latest British Prime Minister, and our guest says the way he helped bring her abducted daughter home — is proof that he's the right person to lead her country. A group representing Iranians in the US has filed a new lawsuit alleging the American government worked with the Iranian regime to fast-track the deportation of asylum seekers. Two First Nations in Ontario have been destroyed by wildfires in less than a week. Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler describes the scale of the loss. Ontario Premier Doug Ford responds to new tariff threats by US President Donald Trump over lousy air quality south of the border, because of Canadian wildfires. A nurse in Michigan describes the experience of contracting cyclospora — the parasite that has caused thousands of nasty cases of diarrhea in the US. She tells us it’s unlike anything she’s ever treated — or lived through herself. Researchers ask birdwatchers to stop using technology to "enhance" pictures of their avian discoveries —because it's messing with science. As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that has no time for cheep tricks.
The White House doles out “financial death penalty”
50 min
The Trump administration takes aim at the International Criminal Court, and a Canadian judge who works there. One of her friends says she's paying a professional and personal price for doing her job. A wildfire forced them to evacuate this week -- and now, members of Whitesand First Nation are anxiously waiting to hear what's become of their community. After his son died fighting for Ukraine, a New Brunswick is launching an organization to help other families of foreign fighters who've been captured, killed -- or gone missing. In the UK, Labour eagerly turns the page on the disastrous Keir Starmer era by confirming Andy Burnham as the new leader of the party -- and soon, the country. A technology reporter embarks on an investigation of the author who published a biography of her that was written by AI -- a book that's nothing more than a slop in the face. Our guest was overwhelmed to finally see -- and smell -- an elusive monkey that lurks in Congolese rainforests, pursing its bright-orange lips and emitting a unique and unavoidable odour. As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that does the funky monkey.
Was Ontario prepared for a more serious fire season?
42 min
Ontario is asking the federal government to be ready to help with wildfire evacuations -- but a volunteer emergency coordinator says the province should have been more prepared for this level of destruction. A former official with the Ukrainian government tells us why she's joined widespread protests, after Volodymyr Zelensky removes a defence minister who's been pivotal in the war against Russia. Hungarian lawmakers vote to remove the president, previously appointed by Viktor Orban. The former head of Hungary's supreme court says that move is problematic, but necessary. There's been a lot of discussion as the Assembly of First Nations convened for meetings in Ottawa -- and National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says clean drinking water and wildfires were at the top of the agenda. A TV reporter in Los Angeles was on the air when she felt something with a lot of legs land on her and start climbing; she'll tell us how to stay calm when that something is a giant cockroach. An elderly woman in Florida did not request a license plate with a suggestive combination of letters and numbers -- and she's worried that other drivers might make it a big honking deal. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that believes she's got a little too much on her plate.
What if feels like up close to Ontario’s wildfires
44 min
Enormous wildfires have engulfed parts of Northwestern Ontario; a wilderness guide tells us about his escape, and worries about the fate of the lodge where he works. MPP Sol Mamakwa says the devastation is unimaginable – and that First Nations communities in the path of the fire have been hit especially hard. An Edmonton man who survived a deadly gas explosion caused by a car crash tells us why he went back inside his building, knowing he might not come back out. When cats lick each other, it's mass adorbs, but a new study suggests it’s not always a sign of love – it's sometimes just another form of cattiness. While visiting for the World Cup, Scottish fans fell in love with Boston and vice versa -- and now, the city of Glasgow is joining the affectionate pile-on by sending an affection pylon. A Florida restaurant is encouraging the hunt for invasive snakes by accepting Burmese pythons as currency – and in return, serving you a pizza topped with snake bits. As It Happens, the Wednesday edition. Radio that’s always time well serpent.
U.S. politician’s case for ending the booze boycotts
40 min
A U.S. Congressman wants Quebec to lift its restrictions on U.S. wine sales in the province. We’ll ask him how he recommends Canada should fight back against the tariffs enacted by his Commander-in-Chief. For the second time in a week, U.S immigration agents shoot and kill a driver -- and later say that neither of the men were actually who they were after. More than 150 years ago, Newfoundlanders saved a Scottish stowaway who was found walking barefoot on the sea-ice. Now, his great great grand-daughter has visited the island to say thank you Washington State’s attorney general tells us why he thinks the courts are the best place to try to stop the mega-merger between Paramount and Warner Brothers Later this year, 80 athletes will descend on an IKEA in England -- and run a marathon entirely inside the store. Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland returns home with a World Cup souvenir: a taxidermied raccoon hugging a bottle of booze. We’ll talk to the Dallas store owner who sold it to him. As It Happens, the Tuesday edition. Radio that discovers one man’s trash panda is another man’s treasure.
Will violence put an end to Toronto’s street festivals?
49 min
After the deadly shooting at a street festival in Toronto, a local business owner tells us she's angry about the violence and worried that fear could end a beloved community event. Gibraltar finally removes 118-year-old border controls – allowing free movement between Spain and the British Territory at last. The mayor of Windsor, Ontario says the compromise agreement to get the Gordie Howe bridge open is a masterclass in how to calm the waters with the Trump administration. After Sony announces it soon won't produce physical discs for new Playstation video games, a Canadian game store owner tells us he’s not ready to let that happen without a fight. A Toronto ice-cream shop attracts lineups for its lobster-flavoured gelato -- which reminded us of an interview with the Texas-based pioneers of popular crustacean-themed desserts. Can the eight-legged tardigrade eke out another victory -- or will the common earthworm reclaim its title as The Guardian's invertebrate of the year? As It Happens, the Monday edition. Radio that knows we can't enter this contest -- because they won't let our backbone slide.
Escaping Spain’s deadly wildfires
47 min
A woman in Spain tells us about the terrifying moment when what appeared to be dust hanging in the air turned out to be flames nearing her doorstep – and the mad rush to get her and her friends to safety. An official in rural Manitoba says she and her colleagues had to knock on people’s doors to warn them of incoming flooding because the cell service in her region is so bad. And she says it’s about time that reality changed. As our guest watched a woman and her car get swallowed up in a slough, he jumped in – and set about trying to get her to safety. The UK offers a posthumous pardon to Ruth Ellis – the last woman ever executed there. Her granddaughter tells us about the long fight to set the record straight. When a B.C. man saw a horse trapped on a bridge, he thought it was dead. But quickly realized there was a chance to save it. As long as Norway stays alive in the FIFA World Cup, Norwegian fans will keep doing their now-famous “viking row” chant. But our guest refuses to – and is downright fed up, saying Vikings did not row across the Atlantic... they sailed. As It Happens, the Friday Edition, radio that admires his ability to respectfully bow out.
Gulf states back in the crosshairs
42 min
A professor in Doha tells us what the latest escalation between Iran and the US means for him and other civilians in the region -- where American military bases, and the communities that surround them, are under fire again. Two weeks after earthquakes did catastrophic damage to Venezuela, thousands are still unaccounted for. Our guest says he’s doing his best to support survivors through a heartbreaking situation. Donald Trump backtracks on his threat to cut off trade with Spain over its NATO contributions -- but a Spanish politician says people there are still feeling a little defensive. At the NATO summit, Prime Minister Mark Carney gets a surprising gift from Turkey’s president -- and he's afraid it overshadows his offering of maple syrup. Rocker Suzi Quatro remembers her late friend Bonnie Tyler – a larger-than-life performer who eclipsed many of her contemporaries. United Airlines argues that just because you've paid for a window seat doesn't mean you'll have a seat by the window -- but that doesn't sit well with a judge. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that assures you: having no window is actually quite paneless.
IOC lifts Russia suspension and Ukrainian athletes respond
47 min
Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych grapples with the IOC's decision to clear the way for the Russian Olympic Committee to make a full return to the Games. With the truce in ashes and the worst exchange of strikes since June, an Iranian-Canadian shares his fears for friends and family, and tells us what he's hearing from them. For 18 months, Israel has detained a Palestinian pediatrician without charge and now the doctor says he believes he'll die in prison. An Israeli advocate tells us about the effort to free him — and more than a dozen other Gazan physicians. Rogers shutters six radio stations across Canada. We'll hear from Calgary Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner who says the stations were integral parts of the community...and transcended politics. Wearing his trademark garbage can on his head, perennial British candidate Count Binface tells us he's no has-bin — and he's ready to kick Nigel Farage to the curb. A new actor arrives on "General Hospital" and British comedian John Oliver is as surprised as anyone to find himself on the classic soap opera, getting slapped. As It Happens, the Wednesday edition. Radio that's tried to get on soaps — but knows it's easier said than dun-dun-dunnnnn.
What Mark Carney can accomplish as NATO meets
52 min
NATO leaders are meeting in Turkey — and Canada's former NATO ambassador says important priorities are being put on hold, while placating the American President tops the agenda. An Edmonton doctor helped save a life at a basketball game — and wound up getting billed for his trouble. Prominent Democrats pull support for Senate nominee Graham Platner, after an accusation of sexual assault. One former supporter tells us why this was the last straw. After Lionel Messi leads his team to another World Cup victory, a fan in Bangladesh explains why his country is full of hardcore Argentina fans. A team of engineers struggles to get the lid off an enduring mystery: why do pickles glow when they're electrified? The ultra rich are installing "snow rooms" in their homes and yachts — in which snow actually falls from the ceiling. But they're not the only ones who might find that kind of chilling. As It Happens, the Tuesday edition. Radio that will be there when all hail breaks loose.
FIFA and Trump: "The whole world is burning"
43 min
After Donald Trump called the head of FIFA, the soccer body reversed a suspension that would have kept an American star on the bench tonight. A Belgian sports journalist says there's outrage on and off the pitch. After a hard-fought competition, Germany beats out South Korea to win a multi-billion dollar contract to outfit Canada with new submarines. An Oregon teenager tells us about the thrift store find of a lifetime: paying three dollars for a warm-up jacket worn by basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain. 160 acres of Crown land is given back to a Mohawk community in Quebec. Kahnawà:ke Grand Chief Cody Diabo explains the process they're calling "rematriation". English soccer fans visiting the U.S. for the FIFA World Cup discover baseball in Atlanta -- and develop a love for one centerfielder that really comes out of left field. Researchers are stunned, after toiling to prove that a species of bats chows down on birds - only to discover that an artist had revealed that exact truth in a painting from the 17th century. As It Happens, the Monday edition. Radio that knows you can't have a bird with a good batting average -- but you can have a bat with a good birding average.
