As It Happens

Canadian officials are in Mexico, hoping to strengthen economic ties. A former Mexican diplomat tells us how the trade tensions with the U.S. makes that friendship more important than ever. She delivered bad news about jobs statistics -- and found herself out of a job. Now, an expert on stats says Congress needs to investigate Donald Trump's firing of the country's top labour statistician. A Democratic Texas lawmaker tells us why she thinks the best way to oppose proposed changes to the congressional map in her state is by leaving the state -- along with her colleagues. We remember Razia Jan who opened a free school for girls outside Kabul. Her friend and colleague says that was risky business, but Ms. Jan somehow made it look easy. A resident of an island in the Bay of Fundy tells us why a local shed filled with hundreds of free books is a symbol of community -- and honours the legacy of a beloved resident. The United States Department of Agriculture is trying to ward off wolves by blasting AC/DC -- and a particularly intense spat from the film "Marriage Story." As It Happens, the Tuesday edition. Radio that objects to the strategy on quarrel grounds.

A new review in the Lancet details what our dependence on plastics is costing human health. And one of the experts behind it hopes countries will heed his warnings ahead of negotiations toward a global plastics treaty. A 150-hectare wildfire bears down on small towns in eastern Newfoundland... and we hear from a councilor for a town where residents have been ordered to evacuate for the third time this summer. Plus...New technology helps scientists uncover the tattoos of a 2-thousand-year-old Siberian mummy. We hear from the author of the study - who just happens to be a traditional tattoo artist himself. As It Happens, the Monday edition. Radio that hopes to leave a lasting impression.

The former QC premier, Jean Charest ... a member of the Prime Minister's council on U.S. relations ... says Canada still has options to fight back against Donald Trump’s new tariffs. Running on empty. An aid worker in Haiti tells us how much worse the situation has become in the capital Port-au-Prince. A Texan who recovered bodies from his property after last month's floods says he feels abandoned by the leaders in his state. In an effort to protect South African rhinos from poachers, scientists take the nuclear option -- by making the animal's sought-after horns radioactive. A New Zealand comedian manages to get a thousand people to show up to watch him fold a fitted sheet. Jose Caballero began his game yesterday in the infield for the Tampa Bay Rays. But by the time it was over, he was signed by the team he was playing against: the New York Yankees.

As tomorrow's tariff deadline looms, with no agreement in sight, the head of Canada’s largest private sector union tells us no deal is better than a bad deal. An online radio station in Yellowknife finally gets the FM license it's been hoping for. A news editor there says that it’s great for his team -- but even better news for his diverse community. A non-profit director calls on European governments to stop a plan to destroy millions of dollars of US-owned contraceptives that were bound for Africa. We remember Jeannie Arsenault, who spent half a century as an organizer, performer and enforcer at a beloved Montreal country/bluegrass open mic night...and whose stature belied her impressive impact. An 88-year-old North Bay resident says it’s time to find a new home for the unique piece she’s featured in her garden for years: a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted carousel that features a pig, a goose, and horses. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that has a colt following.

One day after the UK makes a similar statement, Ottawa announces plans to recognize Palestinian statehood in September. We'll reach Canada's former Ambassador to the United Nations. The head of the Stephen Lewis Foundation tells us what a new million-dollar donation will mean for organizations whose capacity to help was suddenly slashed when the Trump Administration cut billions in USAID funding. A Maui resident tells us he and his neighbours were lucky to avoid any major damage after living through a tsunami warning last night. But that doesn't mean they should be any less prepared next time. A St. John's fire chief tells us about the fires that destroyed two historic fishing stages last night and how it felt to watch them burn, helpless to stop the flames. Canada's 18-year-old swimming sensation Summer McIntosh is chasing five individual golds this week at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Her mother, a former Olympic swimmer herself, tells us what it's like to watch her daughter lean all the way in. A man in Argentina was shocked, outraged and then really, really embarrassed after a Google Street View camera captured him in his yard ... fully naked with his bottom on full display. As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that imagines he'll be happy when the whole incident is in the rearview.

A Canadian activist remembers her friend Awdah Hathaleen. The Palestinian father, teacher and activist ... who helped film the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land" ... was killed in the occupied West Bank this week. Tuktoyaktuk, a hamlet north of the Arctic Circle, is already on the small side. But it's getting even smaller ... and its mayor says climate change is to blame. A group of swimmers is completing the final trip of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald in honour of its crew. One of them tells us about the surreal experience of being in the water above the wreckage. Dan Pelzer kept a record of every single book he ever read ... from 1962 right up until his death. His daughter says reading was a powerful constant in his life. A Manitoba man doesn't know who's been putting up billboards around town announcing he's terrible at fishing, but he's found an impressively charitable angle on their prank. A French resort town is reminding visitors that clothing is not optional once you leave the beach ... with the introduction of fines for those wearing bathing suits or going shirtless in town. As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that encourages travelers to read the fines print.

Not on the best of terms. Member of European Parliament Jörgen Warborn says the bloc’s framework for a trade deal is going to be hard for its member nations to deal with. For whom the bridge tolls. After Prime Minister Carney makes big cuts to tolls on the Confederation Bridge, a Senator from Prince Edward Island who has been pushing for this move for years tells us why it should be just the beginning. You could call it a medical breakthrough. Faced with staffing shortages, a hospital in Yellowknife asks doctors across the country what it would cost to get them up north for a shift in the ER. Not local, but definitely organic. On the anniversary of Bach's death, we hear from a fan of the composer in Little Rock, Arkansas who's playing a special organ performance at his church tonight. And...surely, you joust. We reach a 79-year-old jouster who showed off his skills in an international tournament this weekend in Alberta. As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that's worth a second lance.

Unsafe space. 100s of current and former NASA employees -- including our guest -- are warning the agency’s leadership against budget cuts they say will compromise human safety and undermine NASA’s core mission. A big ask. An Inuit leader tells us Prime Minister Mark Carney has reassured him the government will consult Indigenous communities about projects governed by the controversial "Building Canada Act." But not everyone's as convinced. Worth a shot. Amid a rise in measles in Alberta, the province’s former head doctor tells us why he wants to see more parents vaccinate their kids early -- and why he thinks the Province should be doing more to tackle the outbreak. Top Brass. We pay tribute to Chuck Mangione -- the American flugelhorn player who won over fans with his smooth fashion sense… and his talent for smooth jazz. The picture of fashion. New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham dedicated his life to documenting fashion trends on the city's streets. Now his archives will soon be available for others to look through the many looks he captured. High roller. A Canadian woman retakes her world record title after racing a Victorian-era bicycle, known as the penny farthing, at speeds of more than 41 kilometres an hour. As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that’s glad her story came full circle.

An Ontario justice found five former players of Canada’s world junior hockey team not guilty of sexually assaulting the woman known as E.M. We hear from a legal expert on violence and sports on what the long-term impact of the trial may be. A year after wildfire destroyed her home in Jasper, BC - one resident says she's proud of how far she, her family and her community have come -- but says the toughest battle has been dealing with her insurance company. Age appropriate. A senator says it's high time Canada lowers the federal voting age to 16 -- and one teen tells us why he and his peers should be trusted to vote. Without a trace. A Canadian researcher has created a tool that erases the digital markers that make AI-created deep-fakes identifiable as hoaxes. He says he did it to show how easily bad actors could do the same thing. Pitting them against each other. Okanagan cherries face off against oysters, and Chinook are up against Sockeye, as beloved B.C. icons battle it out to determine which one symbolizes the province best. And... Why the long face? A talented miniature horse is bringing joy to patients in a children' s hospital by "playing" the piano with her face - and we'll soon discover if that joy extends to listeners like you... As It Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that's not above a little horseplay.

A Canadian lawyer representing small island states most affected by climate change calls it an "extraordinary day" after a major ruling by the UN's highest court. Rare protests in Ukraine call out new legislation that brings some of the country's anti-corruption bodies under the president's control. An Alberta woman describes seeing her infant daughter suffer from a case of measles. She's sharing her story in the hopes that more parents will vaccinate their kids. South Australia's Premier tells us why the state's near-total ban on political donations is the only real solution to the undue influence of money in politics -- and says other democracies should follow suit. Elvis Evolution promised ticket holders a performance by a life-sized, AI-powered hologram of Elvis himself. But what they delivered was ... definitely not that. And... Balancing the scales. Big snakes get all the attention. So we're pleased to tell you the world's tiniest known snake has been spotted in Barbados, after almost two decades in hiding. As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that's not afraid to hiss and tell.

A mom in Gaza tells us she can only provide one meal a day for her and her four children -- and she says that makes her one of the lucky ones as more than a dozen people die of starvation in the last 24 hours. We hear from a reporter who uncovered a pattern of nightmare scenarios involving the premature collection of organs, following changes to the organ-donation system in the U.S. The entire staff of a human rights group in El Salvador flees the country, after their high-profile colleague is arrested and put in prison. Ozzy Osborne ... lead singer of Black Sabbath... has died. A lifelong fan tells us about meeting the heavy metal icon at his last concert just weeks ago. Late night host John Oliver offered to re-brand a minor league baseball team. We hear from the former team president of the Erie SeaWolves about how it feels to head up the new Erie Moon Mammoths. A whiff of controversy permeates the Toronto Transit Commission as fare inspectors are rebranded as Provincial Offences Officers -- or POOs, for short. As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that hopes they uncover the responsible potty.

The report’s author - from Human Rights Watch - tells us she wasn't prepared for what she heard from detainees. As the US president and commerce secretary continue to push Canada to open its markets, a dairy farmer tells us why she’s worried her industry -- and supply management -- may face concessions. A Calgary couple out for a weekend hike has a frightening face-off with a wild animal .... we'll hear their first hand account. Pianist Nicholas McCarthy, tells us about the thrill of being the first one-handed pianist in decades to perform "Piano Concerto for the Left Hand" at London's Royal Albert Hall. Golden oyster mushrooms are vibrant, tasty and potentially deadly -- if you are one of the many native fungi in the forests where the invasive species is taking over. As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that always seeks the morel high ground.

Newcomer candidate Sarah Spanier introduces herself to voters in the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, where she'll be facing off against the Conservative Party leader next month. A lawyer working with undocumented families in Los Angeles explains how she’s helping parents prepare for the possibility that they’ll be deported without their kids. A friend remembers a refugee who fled Ghana for Canada, and was killed by a stray bullet while waiting for the bus in Hamilton, Ontario. A Rwandan opposition leader who spent eight years in prison is back behind bars, but her son says her fight for democracy will continue. And a new art exhibit invites people to explore the sounds of lakes and rivers by connecting them to bodies of water via old-fashioned rotary phones.

A reporter describes the scene -- and tells us about her conversations with family members looking for relatives. A BC hereditary chief who was at today's meeting with the Prime Minister tells us Mark Carney said nothing to convince him that Ottawa will respect Indigenous rights. Brazil is poised to make it a lot easier for companies to get permits to operate -- which opponents say will be devastating for the environment. Only a few talented dolphins have figured out how to hunt using a sea sponge in their beaks. A scientist tells us what it's like to see them swim by with blobs on their snouts, like circus clowns. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that's afraid this story is a bit on the nose.

Justice Julie Blackhawk ruled that the pre-removal risk assessment failed to consider the current conditions for gender-diverse people in the U.S., a decision that could open the door to gender-diverse people who fear persecution. Israel launches airstrikes on Damascus as sectarian violence engulfs southern Syria. Our guest says she's lost contact with her parents, who live there, in the midst of a conflict they want no part of. After weeks of anti-government protests in Kenya -- and the deaths of dozens of protesters -- an opposition leader tells us it's time for the country's president to resign. An artist and historian explains his quest to convert a Greyhound bus into a museum celebrating the history of African-American migration -- a history that includes his own family's journey. A scientist reveals the identity of a collaborator who's led to the discovery of two new viruses: his pet cat Pepper -- who not only catches small wild mammals harbouring them, but delivers them to his door.

People around the world are mourning the death of the supercentenarian -- who started his remarkable career as a runner in his eighties. Excavation begins at the site of one of Ireland's former mother-and-baby homes -- where hundreds of infants were buried in an unmarked grave. And our guest helped bring the truth to light. A data leak put thousands of Afghans at risk, including many who worked with British forces. But journalists weren't allowed to talk about a secret resettlement -- until today. An evolutionary biologist talks about discovering two warring species of ants living peacefully within the same plant in Fiji -- and says it's the plant that makes it work. For two decades now, a dentist in Seattle has been getting emails meant for the Tooth Fairy. She tells us about the love and worry in those notes -- and how she responds. As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio with a strong molar compass.

A fire burning near Pikangikum First Nation in Ontario has knocked out the electricity -- making a bad situation worse for people waiting to evacuate. Chief Paddy Peters tells us this wouldn't have happened if the government had given more warning. A new UN report suggests hundreds of people in Gaza have been killed over a six-week span at or near aid-distribution sites. Our guest says that leaves Palestinians there in an impossible situation. A librarian tells us that Alberta's new rules governing school libraries will rob young people of access to books that speak to their experience. Two years after England's famed Sycamore Gap tree was felled by vandals, an installation featuring a large section of the trunk has been unveiled.

U-S President Donald Trump threatens Canada -- again -- with another tariff hike. Even as the two countries are talking at the negotiating table. The president of an organization representing Canadian manufacturers says his members are already hurting -- but hope for a deal springs eternal. Critics say Alberta’s new policies for school libraries are simple book-banning -- but the province’s education minister tells us he's trying to protect kids from explicit content. 35 years after the start of what's commonly known as the Oka Crisis, Mohawk activist and artist Ellen Gabriel reflects on the police and military siege on her community. The Kanehsatà:ke Nation negotiator says that siege was a moment of awakening for Canada, and Indigenous people -- but that far too little has changed since. Regardless of blistering heat or blistering blisters, our guest is trying to become the first woman to walk from the southernmost tip of South America to the top of North America. As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that warns: she does tend to ramble.

The head of UNAIDS says it is painful -- and cruel -- to watch life-saving progress erode because of Donald Trump's abrupt cuts to funding. She tells us there are solutions, but they'll only work if countries like Canada step in to fill the void. Amid the immigration crackdown in the U.S., one Quebec border crossing sees a surge in asylum applications. A woman who works with news arrivals from Haiti tells us about the fears of the families showing up at her door. Researchers in California develop a new underwater microscope and our guest says it's already bringing fragile coral ecosystems into focus -- in their natural habitat -- instead of a lab. After a Newfoundland couple stuck a message in a bottle, they didn't think about it much -- until it ended up in the hands of another couple, all the way across the Atlantic Ocean, 13 years later. Heathrow Airport sets out to capture the magic of the airport by commissioning a subtle soundtrack that incorporates the sounds of the airport, to be played on repeat at the airport. Chimpanzees in Zambia appear to be sticking grass in their ears as a kind of fashion trend -- which they may have learned from humans. And also: in their rumps. Which it appears they taught themselves. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that salutes them for blades-ing a trail.

After a barrage of drone attacks from Russia, a Ukrainian MP in Kyiv calls a timely renewal of support from the U.S. "a matter of pure survival." Choked by wildfire smoke, a Manitoba Cree community works to get its most vulnerable people out to safety. But their deputy chief tells us that won't happen until his people have somewhere safe to go. Toronto is considering new colour-coded signage to alert prospective renters to bad landlords. A tenant advocate explains why she thinks that public shaming could help. How the threat of American tariffs on Asian imports is already shrinking profits for the independent grocers who serve immigrant communities in the US. When he lost his sight, a young man in San Francisco man immediately set out to be the best blind skateboarder around. Two years after his death, the city is honouring his legacy. Bodyguards protecting the prime minister of Sweden are potentially endangering the prime minister of Sweden -- by posting their runs to a fitness app, repeatedly revealing exactly where he is. As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that knows if you forget where the PM is, his guards will jog your memory.