The Current

The internet blackout in Iran continues, making it hard to capture what is happening inside the country. It's also making it hard for Iranians in Canada to reach family there. We'll hear from some Canadian-Iranians across this country, and we’ll also talk to Gregg Carlstrom, the Middle East Correspondent at The Economist about the latest on this war. 

U.S. President Donald Trump says he foresees a military campaign lasting four to five weeks, but the American end game is still not clear. We hear from Margaret Evans, CBC's senior international correspondent in Jordan, about the latest in the conflict, followed by lawyer and human rights activist Kaveh Shahrooz, who says many Iranians are hoping for regime change, but Trump has sent mixed signals.

The Canadian figure skating star says he understands the pain of athletes — like American skater Ilia Malinin — who feel the weight of the world's expectations on them as they compete. When he fell short of gold in Nagano in 1998, it took him years to recover. But now he's reinvented himself as a race car driver.

The organ donation stories are inspiring and hopeful, but Anita Slominska says they leave out one very important part of the story. When Anita’s sister was in her 20s, she was on a waitlist for a liver transplant and eventually ended up in the ICU, being kept alive by a ventilator in the hopes that a donor would be found. But, that didn't happen. Anita Slominska is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. We talk to her about her new book, about her sister’s story, Other Endings: Organ Transplantation and the Burdens of Hope.

After the United States and Israel struck Iran and killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei we hear what is next for the country, the people, the diaspora and the region.

Mark Carney's visit to India is supposed to "reset" relations and expand trade. There's no question there are plenty of opportunities. It's the world's most populous country with a growing middle class and an appetite for many of the products Canada makes. We speak to Tom Sundher of Sundher Timber Products about why he thinks India offers great opportunities for Canadian softwood producers wary of U.S. tariffs and duties. We also hear from Michael Klauck of Can-Eng Furnaces, about the challenges he faced navigating India's bureaucracy, and actually getting paid. Plus, Vina Nadjibulla of the Asia Pacific Foundation about what Canadians get wrong about India today — and what it would take to strengthen ties. 

The hit Canadian TV show that follows the secret relationship between hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov is everywhere right now. It's prompting conversations online about LGBTQ love and hockey culture. We speak with Matt Kenny, a former competitive hockey player, who had a similar experience to the fictional characters about why the show is striking such a chord with people. Plus Brock McGillis, one of the first male professional hockey players to come out as gay, talks about why he thinks there's still more work to do in making hockey a more inclusive sport.

Mexico is a favourite destination for Canadians, especially this time of year. But the recent violence in Puerto Vallarta, after the death of a notorious cartel boss, has caused some reconsidering trips down south. We’ll talk to a travel consultant on what you should consider before traveling to Mexico.

A young soldier named Kyrylo Chuvak arrives in the Ukrainian countryside after surviving years in Russian captivity. His trauma treatment is documented in a new short film called No Time To Heal. Filmmaker Ksenia Savoskina, whose father was also a patient, says the site shields soldiers from the brutality of war, if only for a short while.

Weak oil prices have meant a dip in resource royalties in Alberta. And Premier Danielle Smith pointed out that higher immigration is another reason. So, the province will hold a number of referendums this October. Albertans will weigh in on nine questions about immigration policy and constitutional issues. And if separatists are successful with their petitioning efforts, a question about whether Alberta should leave the country will be on the ballot as well. To help us unpack these developments, we talk to Kathleen Petty, host of the CBC podcast West of Centre, and Alex Boyd, who reports on Alberta for the Toronto Star.

Most of us give our dreams little thought. Karen Van Kampen wants to change that. Her new book is called "The Brain Never Sleeps: Why We Dream and What It Means for Our Health." Karen takes us on a journey into the dream world, exploring what our dreams reveal about our mental health and how we can work with them to improve our waking lives.

In Renfrew County, near Ottawa, opioid deaths were at an all time high in 2023. That prompted first responders, city officials and outreach workers to band together, to rethink how they were dealing with the crisis. Now, nearly a year into a community care model, opioid deaths have dropped by more than half, and fewer people are ending up in emergency departments. Here's how it works. 

Winnipeg police have launched a campaign called "Just Hang Up" to warn seniors about scams, many of them fooled by artificial intelligence. But experts warn that it's not just older people getting duped out of money. It could happen to anyone, thanks to AI.

With back to back storms, St. John's is digging out. Snow remover Mark Baker has been going full out — about 18 hours daily for more than a week. He'll tell us what it means to face down 100 cm of snow and help residents get back to school and work. 

A platter of cigarettes at Charlie XCX's wedding in Italy last year. Gracie Abrams, Charli XCX, Will Arnett, Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams — all photographed openly smoking cigarettes recently. So is smoking cool again? And what does that mean for smoking rates?

Loneliness has been called a public health crisis, but it’s also a workplace one. Julie McCarthy, a University of Toronto professor who reviewed more than 200 studies, says loneliness at work isn’t just about feeling sad. It affects engagement, productivity and even performance. As companies rethink hybrid work and return-to-office mandates, we explore what it really means to design workplaces for belonging, not just output.

We've all waited in an online queue to get a table at a busy restaurant or buy concert tickets for our favourite big artist. But what about waiting to see a doctor at the emergency room? A hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, ON., is offering their patients just that --and staff say it's cut their patient wait times in half. We speak with Dr. Stephen Smith, an ER physician and the vice president of medical affairs at the Sault Area Hospital, who came up with the idea after a family vacation at Disneyworld.

As some provinces look to change or remove class size caps, experts are divided on whether it's the right choice. Research shows smaller class sizes have minimal affect on student achievement - but is that giving us a full picture? The teaching style, and curriculum being taught might be a better indicator of whether class sizes are impacting students at school. 

OpenAI banned the Tumbler Ridge school shooting suspect’s ChatGPT account months before the attack, but didn’t alert police. On Tuesday Canada’s AI minister summoned the company’s safety team to Ottawa to explain its reporting protocols. Emily Laidlaw, a cybersecurity law expert and Canada Research Chair at the University of Calgary, joins us to explain who decides when AI companies escalate threats — and whether that threshold should be written into law.

As President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union, two people who voted for him reflect on their choice. Indiana contractor Pablo Payan says he made a mistake. But masonry, Jon Palaima still thinks Trump is the best of two bad options. 

There's been backlash against Amazon's Ring doorbells after the company put out a commercial showing how footage from their devices can help find lost pets. Kristen Thomasen is the University of Windsor's Chair in Law, Robotics, and Society and she talks about why people should feel concerned about their privacy in their own neighbourhoods and what further guardrails need to be in place around surveillance technology

Why is it so hard for us humans to come to grips with what it means to be conscious? We talk to bestselling author Michael Pollan about how scientists have tried, and often failed, to unlock the mysteries of consciousness, whether plants could be considered conscious, and why he believes that we need to "defend" human consciousness against those who may try to simulate it with computers and AI. 

1 in 40 Canadian adults live with OCD. But work being done at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto is making life for some of those people a little easier. We hear from two people about their journey with OCD and how treatment helped, and why OCD is a mental disorder that deserves our attention. 

Mexico is reeling and Canadians are stranded after the Jalisco New Generation Cartel retaliates for their leader El Mencho’s death. 

The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled on Friday that the majority of Donald Trump's tariffs are unconstitutional. We’ll talk about what that decision means, and how it’ll affect Canada with Josh Gerstein, senior legal affairs reporter for Politico, and Carlo Dade, the Director of International Policy and the New North America Initiative at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary.

Puerto Vallarta is a favourite vacation destination for Canadians. But yesterday, that region of Mexico exploded into violence after a cartel leader was killed during a clash with military special forces. The state of Jalisco remains under a “code red” status today. We speak with CBC's Jorge Barrera in Mexico City about the latest situation, and what Canadians there need to know.

The Prime Minister is pledging to buy 70 percent of the country's military gear here at home within a decade. That's promising news for Canadian companies like Kraken Robotics. But experts say the change won't be easy. We speak with Bernard Mills, the executive vice-president of defence of Kraken Robotics, a marine technology company founded in Newfoundland, David Perry, president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute think tank, and Erin O'Toole, the former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, a veteran of the Canadian armed forces, and a distinguished fellow specializing in international trade at the Hudson Institute. 

We all feel guilt at some point in our lives, and for all kinds of reasons. It seems natural to feel guilty for what we've done, or not done, or should be doing. But can guilt be good for us? Chris Moore, the author of “The Power of Guilt: Why We Feel It and Its Surprising Ability to Heal,” tells us why he thinks guilt has an "image problem.”

Take a listen to Matt's conversations with Canadian Olympians Piper Gilles, Paul Poirier and Mikaël Kingsbury

Canada's men's curling squad may be the bad boys of these Olympics but they have also been a big part in the pandemodium for the sport. Social media is ablaze with new curling fans and it has become the darling of this Olympic games. Hear how long time curlers are feeling about both the buzz and the finger.

As conditions in Cuba continue to deteriorate, the country is facing fuel shortages, blackouts, and a decline in tourism, while pressure from the United States intensifies. We hear from a Canadian traveller who has just returned home, a reporter in Cuba, and an economist on what could happen next.

Parents and experts have claimed for years that social media is addictive and damaging to children's mental health. Now, a lawsuit against Meta and YouTube in L.A. wants to prove big tech knew about these risks.Advocates are calling this Big Tech's "Big Tobacco's moment" because the outcome of the trial will set a precedent for thousands of other cases, could result in billions of dollars in payouts, and changes to how social media platforms are allowed to operate.

Norway has taken a different approach to youth sports - and it seems to be paying off at the Winter Olympics. How centering joy rather than competition is keeping kids playing and what Canada might be able to learn from this system.

Our national affairs panel: Stephanie Levitz, senior reporter with the Globe and Mail and Rosemary Barton, CBC's chief political correspondent, take us through what the loss of another MP means for the Conservative party, and what the gain means for the Liberals

Andrew Mountbatten-Windson is currently in police custody. Andrew, brother of King Charles, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office for his connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The latest on that story from CBC’s senior international correspondent.

An unprecedented judgment declared Aboriginal title over privately held land, not far from the Metro Vancouver area. It has stirred a divisive debate in British Columbia around reconciliation and legal commitments to First Nations.

Team Canada goes for gold against the US for the fifth straight winter Olympics. It's best on best hockey in a new era of women's sport, with the PWHL seeing many of these athletes compete together. What's at stake-- and what it means to young women coming up in the game.

Matt Galloway goes to the last migrant camp in Mexico City. With Donald Trump shutting the US border, migrants searching for a better life have been left in limbo — do they keep going north, return home, or stay in Mexico? Hear from the people living here, including a mother of a two-day-old baby, about what the future holds.

Mexico City has hosted the World Cup twice before — now they’re sharing the stage with Canada and the United States. Hear how people are getting ready. Plus from a Mexican Canadian soccer star hoping to make Canada’s squad.

Canada and Mexico are crafting a new friendship in light of a very different United States. Hear how business leaders in both countries are working together. Plus Mexico's former permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva and deputy foreign minister during the original NAFTA negotiations talks about this new normal. 

This summer CUSMA gets a reset, and with Donald Trump setting a new tone with Canada and Mexico who knows what the negotiations will hold. Luis Rosendo Gutierrez is Mexico's deputy secretary for international trade and will play a key role in the CUSMA renegotiations. He tells Matt Galloway how Mexico is approaching this US administration and how he sees his country’s partnership with Canada.

This is a city in a moment of change. It is the hot new travel spot, tourists are pouring in daily. Expats and digital nomads are also snapping up real estate in the ‘nice’ parts of town. But this popularity comes with a cost. Locals are being pushed out, some by price others by physical force and criminal threats. Hear how a city going global comes with a cost.  

Chinese EVs are coming to Canada. It is a done deal. Mexico has had them for years. Hear the impact these vehicles have had on not just the automotive industry but on driver’s wallets. Plus Matt Galloway gives one a test drive through the wild Mexico City streets.

In the wake of the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a mother from another community is finding ways to honour her neighbours. Plus, political and faith leaders on how the community grieves and supports one another.

The godmother of punk says she never had a choice when it came to being an artist — it was her calling from the moment she first laid eyes on a Picasso in a Philadelphia gallery. She talks about creating through loss, listening to omens and reliving her childhood, in new memoir Bread of Angels.

Team Canada is gaining momentum after securing their first gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy — but what’s the deal with this curling controversy? Team Canada’s Chef de Mission Jennifer Heil is here. Plus, Olympic favourites and bronze medal winners, figure skaters Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.

Pressure is mounting to allow Russian athletes compete at the Olympics under the Russian flag. Reporter Georgi Kantchev with Wall Street Journal is in Italy, he'll take us through what the International Olympic Committee has been saying. We'll also hear from Bruce Berglund, historian and author, about how Russia has used sport as a political tool.

In her new book How My Dog Saved My Life, former CBC producer Cate Cochran tells 30 Canadian stories of dogs who have changed everything for their humans, saving their lives literally and figuratively. We'll meet some of these remarkable canines, including a black lab and golden retriever mix named Foreman who's trained to provide medical assistance for his owner, Sinead Zalitach. Sinead was born with an extremely rare congenital condition called Parkes Weber syndrome and Foreman is so attuned to her that he knows she's in trouble before she does.

Mechanical shop teacher Jarbas Noronha told his students to barricade the door and prepare to flee out of the garage, if the shooter made it inside. He kept them calm while they got frightening messages about the attack unfolding outside their classroom.

More details are emerging about the mass shooting in B.C. that left nine people dead. We get an update on the shooter. And a town resident describes the pain people in Tumbler Ridge are feeling and the kindness and patience they need, in the absence of answers. Plus, we hear from two people who offer trauma care in the wake of school shootings, to help us all begin to process this unthinkable tragedy