

As It Happens
CBC
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 12, 2025 • 1h
How an arrest in the Charlie Kirk murder looks from campus
A former FBI agent who teaches at the university where Charlie Kirk was killed talks about the arrest of a suspect today -- and what he'll say to his students when they return to campus next week.All five former world junior players who were acquitted of sexual assault are cleared to return to the NHL. A sports lawyer -- and sexual assault survivor -- says the league is walking a very fine line.When a South African man discovers he can not take his wife's last name, the couple go to court -- and force their country to get a handle on their preferred handle. It warmed the cockles of his heart. More than that, it kick-started the cockles of his heart -- and for that, a BC man who suffered a cardiac arrest will always be grateful to the friend who saved his life with CPR. A beloved octopus at a California aquarium named Ghost is in the final days of her life cycle and dedicating those to eggs that will never hatch.Food writer Mark Bittman says he's never felt more fulfilled than he is by his latest project, which offers fine dining at different prices for different customers -- and cheaper for those who leave nearby. As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that figures: there escargots the neighbourhood.

Sep 11, 2025 • 1h 4min
Debating Charlie Kirk and worrying about America’s future
A college student who debated Charlie Kirk on his campus tour says a lot of the popular right wing activist's beliefs crossed a line -- but his death is inarguably wrong. Detractors have said the privately-financed "Enhanced Games" are a "clown show". But a British swimmer says he's eager to see how far sanctioned doping can take athletes like him. As Prime Minister Mark Carney unveils the first of his "nation-building" projects, mining industry leaders are hopeful the first initiatives will pave the way for all-weather road infrastructure in the north.Scientists are amazed at the remarkable diversity of dancing peacock spiders -- and turn to an analysis of what's known as dark DNA to help untangle things. A mechanic in Texas tells us about the moment his pet pigeon went missing -- and how local police helped him track down the beloved, blind bird named Kevin.Rick Astley shares the story of hearing his 1987 hit "Never Gonna Give You Up" in a Tokyo toilet that, oddly, was entirely dedicated to him and his music. As It Happens, the Thursday Edition. Radio that hopes the song is a Number One and Number Two hit.

Sep 10, 2025 • 51min
What’s at stake when Mark Carney meets with Danielle Smith
Prime Minister Mark Carney spends his last days before heading back to Parliament talking about "nation-building" projects with his caucus -- and with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony isn't at the International Criminal Court to hear evidence of his war crimes. Our guest was born into his militia -- and says there's no justice until he's made to face his crimes. Hong Kong lawmakers reject limited rights for some same-sex couples. An advocate tells us he's disappointed -- but still certain progress will be made...eventually.A pastor in Rochester, New York explains how her community sent ICE agents packing, when they tried to arrest a group of roofers working on a house. The creatures who live near the ocean floor aren't typically known for being cute -- but a new species of bumpy snailfish is the sweetest thing in salt water. Remembering the Japanese racehorse Haru Urara, who became a national inspiration because of her remarkable consistency on the track -- where she lost 113 consecutive races. As It Happens, the Wednesday Edition. Radio that knows some heroes are larger-than-life -- and some are mare mortals.

Sep 9, 2025 • 1h 1min
We reach a student caught in Nepal’s crackdown on protests
Tens of thousands of young people in Nepal push back hard when the government threatens to ban social media -- but our guest says what they're really fighting for -- is fundamental change. Israel's surprise attack on Hamas officials in Qatar surprises and outrages world leaders -- and terrifies a journalist, who was sheltering with his family a few hundred meters away.With more unhoused people living in encampments in Barrie, Ontario, the mayor declares a state of emergency -- and explains why he thinks that's the right call. Some people from Annapolis County, Nova Scotia were given the green light to return home today, after weeks of uncertainty caused by wildfires -- but one woman tells us the decision isn't that simple.He was in "Jaws: The Revenge", and he's also won 2 Oscars. Michael Caine is unpredictable -- as he's just proven yet again, by refusing to stay retired at 92.A Kentucky woman tells us about giving emergency CPR to a patient she discovered in a dumpster: a dangerously drunk baby raccoon.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that's glad she seized a wasted opportunity.

Sep 8, 2025 • 56min
Is the world ready for a wearable, AI “friend”?
A new wearable A-I pendant called Friend -- which is meant to be your friend -- has turned out to be more of a frenemy at best. A tech writer tells us about his toxic relationship with it.Russia unleashes its largest-ever drone attack on Ukraine. A shaken teacher in Kyiv tells me about how he escaped from his apartment building, when it became a target. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate in eastern Pakistan; a reporter there describes the apocalyptic extent of this year's monsoon-season flooding. The '80s rock group Foreigner makes things awkward, by RSVP-ing as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding band, even though they weren't invited in the first place.Toronto is in a cat-and-mouse game with vandals who have cut down a speed camera seven times now. A local tells us a second camera pointed at that first camera hasn't made a bit of difference.Growth opportunity. Scientists uncover a clue to the evolutionary origins of the thing protrudingfrom the forehead of a ratfish -- a fleshy, bulbous appendage equipped with teeth and used, disturbingly, during mating.As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that warns you not to click on this attachment.

Sep 5, 2025 • 59min
Mark Carney gives the industry an offramp from electric cars
The Prime Minister pauses a plan that would have forced automakers to hit minimum sales levels for electric vehicles. An insider says that's great for the industry -- despite being bad for the environment. After yesterday's deadly knife attack, Manitoba MLA and Hollow Water First Nation band member Ian Bushie tells us how his community is bearing up against the unbearable. A bipartisan group of politicians calls for change, after Florida’s wildlife agency allowed a giant manta ray to be yanked out of its habitat and sent to a marine park on the other side of the world.A newly discovered portrait of the enigmatic Earl of Southampton has a heart on the back that's been covered over with a black spear -- suggesting a certain playwright might have been played wrong. We'll introduce you to a 50-year-old Edmonton woman who just set a world land-speed record -- travelling at well over 200 kilometers an hour on a motorcycle.A man named Mark Zuckerberg is suing another man named Mark Zuckerberg for repeatedly booting him off Facebook for "impersonating a celebrity". As It Happens, the Friday Edition. Radio that fears this is just the tip of the Zuckerberg.

Sep 4, 2025 • 1h
“Queen of Canada” and members of her cult arrested
RCMP raid the Saskatchewan compound of the self-proclaimed Queen of Canada and arrest 16 people including the queen herself. An investigative journalist tells us about the impact the cult has had on its neighbours. Herd immunity. Facing chaos at the CDC, a group of US states forms its own coalition to make vaccine recommendations, saying the federal agency has become a, quote, “political tool.” The late Giorgio Armani revolutionized fashion by emphasizing simplicity and elegance. A longtime fashion journalist pays tribute to the influential Italian designer and his unique sense of classic style.Members of the “Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage” club happily brave the depths of ponds to remove trash. The 85-year-old founder tells us it may be gross -- but it's an exhilarating adventure. A wildlife vet in New Zealand wants to vaccinate the critically endangered, flightless, waddling parrot called the kākāpō against bird flu. But that despite their earthbound girth, the problem is catching them. In a late-night interview, an Academy Award-winning actor casually tells the world that his name isn't actually pronounced "Denzel" at all.As it Happens, the Thursday edition. Radio that knows your stress falls when you know where the stress falls.

Sep 3, 2025 • 1h 4min
Maple leaves on US goods: Hamilton shopper sounds the alarm
Darren Bent, Mayor of Conception Bay South, discusses a shocking water crisis in his town, emphasizing urgent infrastructure needs. Kathy Cosi from Dalhousie University highlights the chaos of a faculty lockout affecting students. Shopper Brenda Nichols raises concerns about 'maplewashing,' exposing mislabeled products that confuse consumers about their origins. The conversation touches on the importance of transparency in food sourcing and supports local farmers while advocating for clearer labeling.

Sep 2, 2025 • 1h 1min
A desperate search through difficult terrain
Rescuers are still searching for survivors after the deadly earthquake in Afghanistan -- which an aid worker says was only the first of several potential disasters to come. We'll speak to one of the growing number of Israeli army reservists who are refusing to take part in further military action in Gaza -- risking jail time in the process.We knew Anna Wintour would be stepping aside after nearly 4 decades -- and now we know who Vogue Magazine has named as its head of editorial content.A friend and fellow actor remembers Graham Greene -- who helped transform the roles Indigenous actors play on the stage and screen.As students return to school, one long-serving veteran of education is leaving. We'll bid a fond farewell to the humming, humble and illuminating overhead projector. One candidate for mayor of New York thinks he can win by promoting his literal pet project: colonies of feral cats to wage war on the city's rodent underworld.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that guesses his heart is in the rat place. *In this episode, we mistakenly referred to Graham Greene's birthplace as The Six Nations Reserve in Grand Falls, Ontario. It is in fact in Grand River, Ontario. We regret the error.

Sep 2, 2025 • 23min
Special Episode: Linden MacIntyre on An Accidental Villain
The award-winning author and investigative journalist sits down with Nil Köksal in the As It Happens studio to discuss his new book, An Accidental Villain: A Soldier’s Tale of War, Deceit and Exile.


