The Current

<p>Sean (Diddy) Combs is facing life in prison over sex trafficking and racketeering charges, related to elaborate sex parties called "freak-offs” that were allegedly laced with violence and abuse. Combs, also known as Puff Daddy, has pleaded not guilty. Reuters journalist Jack Queen takes us inside the New York courtroom, where Combs’ ex-girlfriend, the R&amp;B singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, delivered graphic testimony about her relationship with the hip hop mogul.</p>

<p>Alex Hutchinson knows all about the thrill of discovery, having ventured deep into the wilderness of far-flung places like Tasmania. In his new book, <em>The Explorer's Gene</em>, the journalist argues that we’re hardwired with that desire to embrace uncertainty and the unknown — and looks at what happens if we stop.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>

<p>If you’ve tried to write an email or opened a blank document recently, some kind of AI assistant has likely offered to polish your words — or even write whole sentences for you. Some advocates argue that generative AI could open up a new frontier in writing, but others warn it’s dulling our creativity and critical thinking for the sake of efficiency.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet has two dozen new faces, but Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the presence of some Trudeau-era ministers looks like “more of the same.” Can Carney reassure Canadians that he’s bringing the change they voted for? Matt Galloway takes the political pulse with the CBC’s Rosemary Barton and Kathleen Petty and the Globe and Mail's Stephanie Levitz.</p>

<p>"Do you agree that the province shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?" That’s the ballot question proposed by the Alberta Prosperity Project, a group pushing for a referendum on Alberta leaving Canada by the end of the year. We look at support for independence in the province — and why the APP says they’re confident that Premier Danielle Smith will eventually join their cause.</p>

<p>Mixed martial arts can count some big-name politicians among its millions of fans, with Donald Trump and Pierre Poilievre attending recent Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts. We dig into the sport’s intersection with politics, and the corners of the sport that seem to be embracing the manosphere, toxic masculinity and, in some cases, far-right figures.</p>

<p>Some schools are offering so-called adulting 101 courses, teaching Gen Zers basic skills like cooking, cleaning or changing a tire. Some social scientists call it “delayed adulthood,” the phenomenon of younger people lacking life skills that past generations took for granted.</p>

<p>Bird populations across North America have fallen by billions over the last 50 years, according to a staggering report from Cornell University. Researcher Amanda Rodewald explains what’s happening, and why common birds like sparrows, blackbirds and finches are suffering the greatest losses.</p>

<p>Are you worried about U.S. tariffs squeezing your retirement investments? Anxious about losing your job? Or afraid that inflation will make it harder to put food on the table? With economic uncertainty fuelling fears of recession, Matt Galloway puts your financial questions to economist Armine Yalnizyan and certified financial planner Shannon Lee Simmons.</p>

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