The Current

A new study suggests crows can count out loud, adding to research that shows they can make tools, remember faces and even hold funerals. What else might they be capable of?

Donald Trump is the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. What happens next, and what might that verdict mean for November’s election?

The weight loss medication Wegovy is now available in Canada, at a cost of about $400 a month, indefinitely. Some advocates say the drug should be covered by provincial pharmacare plans — but not everyone thinks that’s a good idea.

Josh Gibson is now Major League Baseball’s all-time best hitter, after the MLB integrated stats from the previously excluded Negro Leagues — where Gibson played from 1930 to 1946. Matt Galloway talks to his great grandson Sean Gibson about what that recognition means.

Nelson Mandela led the African National Congress to power in 1994, but the party’s 30-year majority could come to an end in a historic election this week. We hear why economic inequality has eroded loyalty for the party that many say freed South Africa from apartheid.

An entire herd of about 75 Black Angus cattle was stolen from a farm in Quebec last week. Geoff Morrison, creator of TV series Farm Crime, talks us through how criminals could even pull off a heist that big — and where those cattle might go.

Would you pay $1,000 for a pair of jeans that look like you had a bathroom accident? Or wear jundies or janties — jeans so short and tight they look like underwear? We hear why trends in denim are having a weird moment, and what that tells us about work, class and style.

The jury is set to deliberate in Donald Trump's hush money trial. The Washington Post’s Devlin Barrett takes us inside a wild trial that is already having political ramifications.

Dozens of Palestinians were killed by an Israeli airstrike on Rafah Sunday, just days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its military offensive there. Matt Galloway talks to Ahmad Abualjedian, who has family in Rafah; and asks Bob Rae, Canada's ambassador to the UN, where global diplomacy goes from here.

A new study suggests that hospitals with at least 35 per cent female surgeons and anesthesiologists had better patient outcomes, including fewer deaths, following surgery. 

We talk to a surgeon and an anesthesiologist about getting more women in the operating room.

Catheryne Langford spent 165 days sailing around the world — in a race that didn’t allow GPS. The Quebecer shares what it was like to rough it on the open sea, showering in buckets of seawater and relying on an old-fashioned sextant for navigation.

Carlo Acutis is set to become the first millennial saint. We hear about the miracles attributed to the 15-year-old who died in 2006, and why his story is resonating with Catholics.

Sonia and Guy d'Artois were part of a hidden force that parachuted into occupied France to help fight the Nazis during the Second World War. Nahlah Ayed tells the story of their love affair — and their mission behind enemy lines — in her new book The War We Won Apart.

Tech writer Shira Ovide says that Google’s new AI-powered search tool has returned some laughably inaccurate results, including instructions to drink plenty of urine if you’re trying to pass a kidney stone. She explains what the push for AI means for finding reliable information online.

The pro-Palestinian encampment at McMaster University in Hamilton has ended after protesters and the school agreed terms. Matt Galloway talks to encampment spokesperson Caleb Smolenaars about how they reached a compromise when other universities and protesters are at an impasse.

Howard Cohen ran in the first Ottawa marathon in 1975 — and has completed every single marathon since. The 74-year-old doctor tells us about keeping up his streak, even after a long night spent delivering a baby.

The remains of an unknown soldier have been returned to Newfoundland from France, more than 100 years after the First World War. We talk to veteran Berkley Lawrence and historian Frank Gogos about why it means so much to bring him home.

Mairlyn Smith has had four concussions and struggled with each recovery. But things changed when her most recent injury brought new medical advice. We hear about the evolving science around concussions, and why traditional advice may have actually hurt patients.

Will a public service strike derail your vacation plans? Matt Galloway talks about the looming strike, the carbon tax and foreign interference with our national affairs panel: CBC’s Catherine Cullen, the Toronto Star’s Stephanie Levitz and the National Post’s Ryan Tumilty.

Gangs have controlled most of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince for three months, pushing thousands out of their homes. Matt Galloway speaks with the CBC’s Paul Hunter, who just returned from the country; and Martine St. Victor, a Haitian in Montreal.

The newest online sensation is walking backwards, but does moving in reverse push people towards better health? As part of our series Well Founded, Galloway speaks with bio-mechanist Janet Dufek, who has been studying this type of exercise for more than two decades.

Four years after the murder of George Floyd, his uncle Selwyn Jones talks about his continuing fight for racial justice.

Have you ever responded to those spam texts offering jobs? Toronto Star reporter Alex Boyd did — she tells us what happened next.

The U.S. Justice Department is suing Ticketmaster and its parent company LiveNation, alleging that the company has created a monopoly that drives up ticket prices and hurts artists.

The Fifth Estate’s Mark Kelley explores Jennifer Hillier-Penney’s mysterious disappearance from Saint Anthony, N.L., in the documentary Finding Jennifer.

Many seniors are turning to cannabis for recreational or medicinal use — but a new study suggests some are ending up in the ER with accidental cannabis poisoning. Matt Galloway speaks with Dr. Nathan Stall about how to help seniors reduce the risk and enjoy the benefits.

An international court has unanimously agreed that excessive greenhouse gases can cause irreversible harm to small island nations. Payam Akhavan, lead counsel representing the island states, explains the significance of this ruling.

Writer Claire Cameron loves being outdoors, but a skin cancer diagnosis changed her relationship with life outside. She tells us what changed after doctors said her ideal exposure to the sun would be none.

We talk to Heather Hansen, co-author of Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone, about what can be gained from finding positivity in solitude.

One person died after extreme turbulence caused a Singapore Airlines flight to drop 6,000 feet in a single minute. Atmospheric scientist Paul Williams explains why turbulence is becoming more severe — and why climate change is playing a role.

An investigation has found that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance before the 2021 Olympics — but were still cleared to compete by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Several of those swimmers went on to win medals, and that’s not sitting well with some competitors heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics. Matt Galloway speaks with Travis Tygart, the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, and Ross Wenzel, the general counsel for WADA.  

A shooting that injured Slovakia's pro-Russia Prime Minister Robert Fico has highlighted the divide in Europe over the Ukraine war. Political economist Sona Muzikarovaexplains the rift between east and west. 

Scientists have been using tiny sensors to track animals as they migrate and interact, to learn more about the natural world. This network of communication is helping scientists uncover the hidden world of animals.

Skin cancer rates are rising in Canada, but a shortage of dermatologists means some don’t see specialists for months. Matt Galloway speaks to Dr. Christian Murray, an associate professor in dermatology at the University of Toronto; and medical student Madeleine Crawford, who led a study to see if AI can accurately screen for skin cancer.

The International Criminal Court has requested arrest warrants for top Israeli and Hamas officials. We ask Brian Finucane, a former advisor to the U.S. government, what this means for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the ongoing violence in Gaza.

Canadian hockey legend Cassie Campbell-Pascall looks back at the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s inaugural season, as the puck drops on the first ever Walter Cup final.

Some scientists are asking if bioengineering endangered animals’ genes could save them from extinction. Guest host Rebecca Zandbergen hears more about genetic rescue efforts to bring endangered species back from the brink.

The poet Molly Peacock turned to her art after the death of her husband. Alisa Siegel's documentary, What Can a Widow Be?, explores how Peacock found a way to not only cope but find a sense of freedom in her grief. Credit: The Widow’s Crayon Box by Molly Peacock. Copyright (c) 2024 by Molly Peacock. With permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ed Yong has “birder derangement syndrome,” a condition that’s entirely made up but may be familiar to other birding enthusiasts. The science writer tells Matt Galloway how the joy of birding saved him from pandemic burnout and radically changed how he interacts with nature.

Extreme climate change — consecutive years of drought, floods and cold winters — is taking a heavy toll on farmers’ crops. We hear how farmers are adapting to these devastating challenges.

Foreign workers are protesting Prince Edward Island’s plan to reduce the number of immigrants it nominates for permanent residency, a change the province says is necessary to reduce pressures on housing and health care. Guest host Rebecca Zandbergen speaks to one of the protestors and Dan Kutcher, mayor of Summerside, P.E.I.

When Manitoba farmers realized they had a massive surplus of potatoes, they decided to give them away — all 5.4 million kilograms of them. We hear about the incredible logistics of moving that much food, and what it meant to the people who need it at food banks and charities.

The U.S. plans to slap 100 per cent tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China — and some want Canada to follow suit. We hear why North American automakers are concerned — and what it all means for consumers.

Ontario is planning tougher penalties for impaired drivers, up to a lifetime licence suspension for incidents involving death. We look at the devastating impact of impaired driving, which increased 16 per cent in the province last year. 

A creeping wildfire forced Marina Barnes to evacuate Fort McMurray, Alta., on Tuesday, days after starting a new job in the city. She tells us what it was like to be forced to flee.

Some Alberta farmers are turning to water trading in the face of devastating droughts. The CBC’s Joel Dryden explores the secretive market where water rights are bought and sold.

Being told you have cancer is traumatic enough, but imagine getting that news in the hallway of a crowded ER department, or over the phone from a doctor you don’t know. It’s a scenario some doctors say is becoming more common. 

Canadian short story writer Alice Munro has died, aged 92. Matt Galloway talks to those who knew the Nobel Prize winner both as a friend and a master of her craft.

Scientists say they’ve discovered a kind of phonetic alphabet used by sperm whales, bringing us a step closer to understanding the building blocks of whale communication.

Massive wildfires are already forcing people from their homes across Canada, in part fuelled by “zombie fires” that have been simmering under the snow all winter. Matt Galloway asks what this season might hold, and whether Canadians must learn to live with a new normal.

Women's professional basketball is coming to Toronto, with a new team expected to start play in 2026. We talk to former professional player Christine Hyde and 15-year-old player Amaya Robinson about what this means for the sport and the next generation of players.

Fancy some oysters with kiwi? Cauliflower and grapes, seasoned with nutmeg? Chefs are experimenting with AI to find unusual flavour combinations. But do the results pass the taste test?

Apple’s new iPad ad has gotten a bruising backlash. Author David Sax explains why creative people in particular are outraged.

Narendra Modi is expected to win a third term as India’s prime minister, even as allegations swirl that his government played a role in assassination plots around the world. The CBC's Salimah Shivji explores what’s at stake in her new podcast, Modi’s India: Understood.

Health-care workers face immense pressure in Canada’s understaffed and overcrowded emergency rooms. But while they care for us, who cares for them? Matt Galloway visits a Toronto hospital to hear how staff are supporting each other through often traumatic work.

The CBC’s Brittany Greenslade brings us the latest from the trial of Jeremy Skibicki, who has admitted to killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg.

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert says Israelis should take to the streets to stop a ground invasion of Rafah, and argues that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more interested in protecting his own government than saving the lives of the hostages.

Jonathan Eig’s biography of Martin Luther King Jr. has won a Pulitzer Prize. Eig spoke to Matt Galloway last year about telling the story of a complicated man, from his incredible successes to his deep personal struggles.

When writer Jia Tolentino was pregnant, she tried to hide the news from her phone — hoping to stop eavesdropping apps from alerting companies that would try to sell her stuff. She tells Matt Galloway how that went, and how you too can try to escape the surveillance economy. 

For years, players have been too afraid to talk about it. But now, the truth about a broom that almost destroyed curling is finally coming out. In Broomgate: A Curling Scandal, semi-professional curler and fully professional comedian John Cullen (Blocked Party) is exposing the unbelievable, never-before-told scandal that rocked the sport of curling. Yes, curling. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/AFwEGvQC

Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in again this week, adding a fifth term to his 24 years in power. We look at Putin’s vision for Russia and the wider region, and how the Kremlin's disinformation strategy tries to influence opinion around the world.

More than a trillion cicadas from two separate broods are emerging together for the first time since 1803. The noisy insects will blanket parts of the U.S. for months — and entomologists are pretty excited. 

Researchers say choking and rough sex are being normalized for teenagers, and parents can’t assume their kids haven’t been exposed to the risks. Experts say many teens are getting their sex education from pop culture, memes and hashtags like #ChokeMeDaddy.

A council in northern England is ditching apostrophes from street signs, to avoid problems with computer systems. Matt Galloway talks to punctuation expert Florence Hazrat about the uproar from locals and our ever-evolving grammar.

A long-running feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar has spiralled into accusations of pedophilia and sex trafficking. We unpack the beef — and the speculation about whether a shooting at Drake’s Toronto mansion this week is related.

TD Bank Group is being investigated in the U.S. over allegations that its services were used to launder millions of dollars in fentanyl money. Finance reporter Christine Dobby tells us more.

The Reddit forum “Am I The Asshole” has become a hugely popular place for people to share their real-life conflicts, asking other users to be the judge. Social psychologist Daniel Yudkin says AITA offers us valuable insight into modern morality — and challenges some of what traditional philosophy tells us about right and wrong. 

Jim and Sue Waddington took their first whitewater canoe trip in their 70s, in order to reach the real-life location of a painting by J.E.H. MacDonald. The couple has spent decades following clues all over Canada to find the vistas that inspired iconic works from the Group of Seven.

A Vancouver hospital recently brought in a top chef to overhaul the meals that one patient described as “anonymous mush.” We hear why healthier, tastier food can be a vital part of recovery.

Hamas accepted a ceasefire deal Monday, but Israel rejected the proposal and escalated its bombardment in Rafah. We look at what happens next, as negotiations continue.

Matt Galloway talks to political journalist Paul Wells about his new book Justin Trudeau On The Ropes, which explores the prime minister’s fight for power — and why he might be facing his toughest odds yet. 

Statistics show women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with a mood disorder. In her new book, All In Her Head, Misty Pratt explores the gender gap in mental health and argues the system is failing women. 

The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is finally up and running. Matt Galloway talks to Trans Mountain Corp. CEO Dawn Farrell about the $34 billion price tag, how environmental concerns should be addressed, and who might take it off the federal government’s hands.

A new CBC podcast unpacks the 2015 scandal that rocked the genteel sport of curling. Comedian and former competitive curler John Cullen hosts Broomgate: A Curling Scandal.

For the first time, an orangutan has been documented using medicinal plants to treat its own wound. We talk to one of the scientists who observed the great ape’s fascinating behaviour.

The poet Molly Peacock turned to her art after the death of her husband. Alisa Siegel's documentary, What Can a Widow Be?, explores how Peacock found a way to not only cope but find a sense of freedom in her grief. Credit: The Widow’s Crayon Box by Molly Peacock. Copyright (c) 2024 by Molly Peacock. With permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Four people were killed, including an infant and two grandparents, after police chased a suspect at high speed against traffic on an Ontario highway this week. We look at what goes into police decisions to engage in high-speed pursuits like this.

The CBC’s Sarah Leavitt brings us the latest from the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University, where a rival Israeli protest was held Thursday; public opinion researcher Dahlia Scheindlin explains the political mood inside Israel; and the WHO’s Nyka Alexander describes the dire conditions in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians fled to escape Israel’s airstrikes but now face a possible ground incursion.

In recent weeks, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been kicked out of question period for calling the prime minister a “wacko,” hinted at using the notwithstanding clause to crack down on criminals, and visited a controversial convoy-style camp protesting the carbon tax. How are these events playing with voters? We ask our national affairs panel: the CBC’s Catherine Cullen, the Toronto Star’s Stephanie Levitz, and the National Post’s Ryan Tumilty.

Arielle Johnson has a PhD in the science of flavour and says knowing the basic building blocks of taste can help any cook create something delicious. She talks to Matt Galloway about her new book, Flavorama. 

A Fifth Estate documentary, Whose Police?, investigates a special RCMP unit created to police protests around natural resource projects in B.C. Critics say this public force is protecting the interests of private industry. 

Calgary is in the throes of a contentious public hearing on new zoning rules, which has pitted the rights of property owners against the push to create much-needed housing. The CBC’s Scott Dippel talks us through what’s become a charged and emotional debate.

Ben Johnson maintains he was the victim of sabotage after a positive doping test stripped him of his Olympic gold medal in 1988. Matt Galloway talks to Johnson and Mary Ormbsy — author of World's Fastest Man* — about why they think the runner was mistreated as the scandal unfolded.

A new study has looked at 600 conservation efforts around the world — and found that nature conservation is working. We talk to the study’s co-author, Stephen Woodley, about finding hope in these efforts to protect biodiversity.

A Loblaws boycott kicks off Wednesday, led by consumers angry about high food prices. Matt Galloway asks an organizer what she hopes the boycott will achieve; and looks at what Canada could do to encourage greater competition and a better deal for consumers.

The Current visits a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of British Columbia, one of several that have sprung up at universities across Canada and the U.S. 

Lucy Lawless high-kicked her way to fame in ‘90s cult show Xena: Warrior Princess, but her new documentary Never Look Away focuses on photojournalist Margaret Moth, a “warrior princess in real life.” Lawless talks to Matt Galloway about the globetrotting war correspondent’s life of sex, drugs and punk music — and whether she’d ever sign up for a Xena reboot.

B.C. is recriminalizing the use of drugs in public places, a year into a pilot project that allowed possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. We look at what that means in an opioid crisis that has claimed more than 14,000 lives in the province.

A Quebec road development threatens the habitat of the tiny western chorus frog — but now, scientists at Montreal's Biodome are hoping they have a solution.

The Trans Mountain pipeline is expected to begin expanded operations this week, after years of tension between environmentalists and the oil and gas sector — a conflict that played out in communities along the pipeline’s route. The CBC’s Erin Collins travelled along TMX to find out how people living there feel about it now.

IUDs are a common form of contraception, but women say the extreme discomfort of having one inserted — without any sedative — is often downplayed or dismissed. Some women are filming and sharing that procedure on social media, in a call for better pain management.

A new scientific declaration argues that bees, snakes and a broad array of animals experience consciousness. We talk to the declaration’s co-author Kristin Andrews about what that means, from our relationship with nature to what's for dinner.

The UN human rights office has called for an investigation into possible war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza, following the discovery of hundreds of bodies in mass graves at two hospitals. We talk to UNHCR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Ottawa is hosting negotiations to hammer out a global treaty on plastic pollution, which is showing up in every corner of the earth — and even in human blood and breastmilk. Guest host Mark Kelley asks Nestle’s Jodie Roussell what her company is doing to curb the problem; and talks to scientist Pete Myers about what role consumers can play.

Ontario will bar employers from asking staff for sick notes, in an effort to decrease the administrative burden on doctors and give them more time with patients. Dr. Cathy Risdon says doctors face a lot of paperwork that’s necessary but doesn’t do much to help patients.

Steve Burgess loves to travel, but he also sees how tourists are taking a toll on the places they visit. He joins us to discuss his new book, Reservations: The Pleasures and Perils of Travel.

The federal government’s buyback program for assault-style firearms has hit a snag: Canada Post is refusing to collect the banned guns, citing safety concerns for its employees. We look at what Ottawa can learn from countries like Australia, which implemented a large-scale gun buyback program after a mass shooting in the 1990s.

NASA’s Voyager 1 started sending gibberish back to Earth a few months ago, after almost 50 years of communication from deep space. This week the space agency announced they’d fixed an error — at a distance of 24 billion kilometres. Astronaut Chris Hadfield talks to Matt Galloway about how they did it and what Voyager means to us here on this pale blue dot. 

Neuroscientist John Kounios has been studying the brains of jazz musicians, hoping to better understand the concept of flow. He tells us what he learned about flow, the state where a person becomes so immersed in an activity that time and complexity melt away.