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.
The Haitian-born filmmaker takes Nil inside a theatre festival in Port-au-Prince that's been happening for more than twenty years...in the face of earthquakes, hurricanes, cholera, presidential assassinations, and gang warfare. It's a triumph of artistry against all odds -- and it inspired his new documentary, "At All Kosts."
This episode of As It Happens covers several topics including GM production cuts in Oshawa, the controversy around Brazil's potential red soccer jerseys, a study on a sea lion's rhythm abilities, remembering singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, Canmore's new livability tax on vacation homes, and researchers releasing axolotls into the wild. Lana Payne, president of Unifor, discusses the impact of the GM cuts, while a Brazilian sports journalist explains the red jersey controversy. Peter Cook shares his findings on Ronan the sea lion, and the Mayor of Canmore defends the new tax.
Plus: Erin O’Toole on how Mark Carney needs to approach Donald Trump (and what he thinks about Pierre Poilievre’s future).
Plus: A village in England unites around an abandoned couch. We hear from the photographer who inspired the community to put the "love" in loveseat. Also: Conservative MP Greg McLean on what Mark Carney’s government needs to do to work with Alberta.
This episode of As It Happens discusses the recent Canadian election results with Liberal, Conservative, and NDP representatives, analyzing party performances, leadership challenges, and future strategies. It also covers voting issues in Nunavik, a gull screeching championship, and a measles outbreak, providing a comprehensive look at current events and diverse human-interest stories. Interviews with key figures offer insights into political dynamics and public health concerns.
Plus: A B.C. pilot tells the story of his harrowing crash into the Sea of Cortez near La Paz, Mexico. Also: Evidence from an archaeological site in Britain reveals the gnarly death of an ancient gladiator. And yes, there were lions involved.
According to the Taliban, Manizha Bakhtari no longer represents Afghanistan abroad. But that hasn't stopped the country's one-time top diplomat in Austria from keeping the doors of its embassy in Vienna open and now her efforts are the subject of the new documentary, The Last Ambassador. Nil Köksal sits down with Bakhtari and director Natalie Halla on the eve of three Canadian screenings.
Plus: Judy Kurtz from The Hill prepares for a White House Correspondents Dinner unlike any other. Also: Nearly four years after the Lytton wildfire wiped out most of her village, Mayor Denise O'Connor gives a tour of her new home.
Plus: After scientists created "olo" -- a colour they say no one else can see, artist Stuart Semple created "yolo". And he says it can be yours for a small price. Also: We remember tireless B.C. drug and addiction advocate Trey Helton.
Plus: Nil reaches Nardwuar the Human Serviette, who’s snagged more interviews with Canadian political leaders during this campaign than anyone. Also: Up until 2015, academics at Oxford drank wine out of a chalice made from the human skull -- likely that of an enslaved woman. Archeologist Dan Hicks uncovered that history and says it's now his goal to make sure this woman is given back her dignity and humanity.
This episode covers a range of topics including the upcoming papal conclave, a Supreme Court case involving a children's book with LGBTQ+ themes, and a quicksand rescue that led to romance. It also discusses the publication of Joan Didion's private diaries, the migration of painted lady butterflies, and a non-profit relocating due to tariffs. Finally, the episode features Autumn Peltier on Indigenous rights and a fight to save a controversial fountain in San Francisco.
Plus: Did the search for extraterrestrial life just take a huge leap? We reach Cambridge University’s Nikku Madhusudhan to explore the possibility. Also: As spring struggles to break through, we bring you the late, great Fireside Al Maitland’s reading of Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Giant.
Plus: Game, Set and Match medieval style. We hear about Australian efforts to revive Real Tennis, a move to bring the sport back to it’s Henry VIII roots. Also: A special edition of As It Happened, diving into the archives for some “new discoveries”.
Plus: At the San Diego zoo, elephants go viral when video captures their touching and fascinating reaction to an earthquake. Also: Filmmaker Sepideh Farsi on the death of her new documentary’s subject: 25 year old Gazan photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Plus: A Michigan bookstore gets a lot of unexpected help moving its entire inventory. Also: Ahead of the inaugural game of the new Northern Super League, founder and soccer star Diana Matheson tells Nil it's been years in the making to get to the first professional women's soccer game ever played on Canadian soil. But now that we're here, she knows Canada is ready.
Plus: Boston Globe reporter Billy Baker investigates a shockingly violent woodpecker terrorizing Rockport, Mass. Also: It was no surprise that Paige Beuckers was picked first overall at last night's WNBA draft -- least of all to Gary Knox, a dad who just happened to be at the right place at the right time and predict her stardom way back in 2013, when she was in the sixth grade.
This episode of As It Happens covers several important stories, including the case of a man wrongly deported to El Salvador and the political fallout, campaign dirty tricks involving Liberal staffers in Canada, and a look into the creation of miniature pubs in Edinburgh. It also addresses the impact of war in Ukraine, the dangers faced by trans artists in the US, a golfer's major win, and ancient tax evasion.
Plus: Canadian Will Nediger writes his name in the history books -- in pen -- by taking second-place at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Also: Nil talks to Paul Wells about what the veteran political journalist thinks of the campaign so far, and what he’s looking for in the weeks ahead.
Plus: A French presidential hopeful says migrants could be deported to Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, islands off the coast of Newfoundland. Also: Alasdair Spark says he’s solved the mystery of that deeply creepy (and conspiracy theory-provoking) final scene in The Shining.
Plus: We follow up with the starting pitcher for one of two absolutely terrible teams who both ended epic losing streaks this week. Also: The mother of an Indigenous woman killed by police in New Brunswick tells us about her efforts to effect change in policing -- and about how one police chief on the other side of the country has responded.
Plus: A conversation with Fred Armisen about the late, great Blondie Drummer Clem Burke. Also: The editor of a low German newspaper tells us about his visit to a measles-afflicted Mennonite community in Texas... and about his efforts to get through to its residents.
Plus: Baseball YouTuber Dan Sarmiento of Enjoy The Show breaks down an epic match up between two of the worst teams ever. Also: Drumheller, Alberta is home to the world's largest replica dinosaur. And its owners say they plan to take it down. But a local food truck owner is launching a rebellion, hoping to save Tyra.
On the other hand: It's boom time for the maker of Louisville Slugger baseball bats, thanks to a fad that’s taking the sport by storm. Also: With Jordan's Principle funding up in the air, the Council for Yukon First Nations is forced to halt crucial community services. And the executive director tells us it's heartbreaking for the people she serves.
Plus: We'll hear from a pair of nonagenarians who have been exchanging the same birthday card with one another twice a year for eight decades. Also: Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey takes us inside the Canadian decision making on a tariff response.
Plus: Hooters declares bankruptcy, prompting a writer to remember an awkward…but ultimately sweet…experience. Also: The Norwegian Refugee Council's Secretary General Jan Egeland calls on the international community to end its "chronic neglect" of displaced people in eastern Congo.
Plus: Canadian-born author Jonathan Stanley on the overwhelming response to a stranger’s viral Tiktok of him alone at a table, trying to sell his book. Also: A Norwegian football club draws attention with it’s – apparently not April Fool’s related – stunt of offering its Man of the Match a whole bunch of eggs.
Plus: Yet another aging McDonald’s causes a stir…this time in Leeds. We meet the man obsessed with the imperfection of its sign. Also: A conversation with Turkey's Enes Hocaoğulları. The activist and organizer is one of the young people central to the anti-government uprising happening in the streets.
Plus: The Neal Brothers challenging journey to produce an all-Canadian corn chip. Also: A conversation with Democratic Congresswoman Julie Johnson. She's introducing legislation to condemn the use of an unsecured communications app by Trump administration officials - even if it's unlikely to have the votes to pass.
Plus: Mixed feelings in BC as the “McBarge”, a relic of Expo 86, begins sinking into the Fraser River. Also: Just a few months after opening, the demand for a Halal Food Bank in London, Ontario is already outpacing expectations. The director of the food bank tells us he's playing catch up.
Plus: A historian investigates thousands of missing Scottish archival documents…and finds a suspect in Canada. Also: The first woman to be the curator of mycology at the New York State Museum says it's emotional to work on an exhibit about 19th century mycologist Mary Elizabeth Banning ... and give her some of the recognition she deserved when she was alive.
