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In the latest edition of our monthly challenge That's Puzzling!, host Piya chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master Peter Brown. Playing along this week are Ottawa listener Liz Inrig, and Loren McGinnis, host of The Calgary Eyeopener.

This coming week marks three years since the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic. After the lifting of restrictions many people are still working to rebuild relationships. A decades-long scientific study on human happiness found relationships are the key to a happy life. Dr. Robert Waldinger joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about the findings of the study.

Legendary Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent died Saturday, February 25 at the age of 92. Fellow Newfoundlanders Mark Critch and Mary Walsh who both acted with Pinsent and called him a friend, join host Piya Chattopadhyay to share personal and professional memories of him and to talk about his legacy on and off the screen and stage. 

One year since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the conflict is drawing more of the world in, including China. Global affairs analyst and Atlantic Council senior fellow Michael Bociurkiw joins host Piya Chattopadhyay from Kyiv to discuss what the global landscape looks like one year into the war, and what we should make of China's actions.

Launched back in 1966, Soul Magazine wasn’t just the first national outlet to publish articles about Black funk, soul and disco musicians in the United States. It helped move that music from the fringes and into the mainstream. Matt Jones tells the story of Soul and its lasting cultural impact.

On the heels of the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards nominations on Wednesday, we revisit our conversation with Sort Of star and co-creator Bilal Baig. The CBC show received 15 nominations on Wednesday, including best series, best directing, best writing and a best lead performer nod for Baig in the television comedy category for their portrayal of Sabi, a queer, non-binary millennial navigating life, love and their Pakistani family dynamics. Baig reflects on the accolades the show has received, why it resonates with all kinds of people, and how they are managing life in the spotlight.

Alla Melnychuk, a Ukrainian refugee, settled in St.John's, Newfoundland about seven months ago after fleeing the violence of the war. She was expecting a difficult transition, but resettling was made easier when she found an artistic community that welcomed her. Alla is a classically trained pianist, and when she met Newfoundlander Maria Cherwick — a classically trained violinist — they hit it off. The Sunflower Duo was born. We hear how their shared love of music helped Alla put down roots in her new hometown.

From the final report on the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to flying objects – what does the week that was tell us about our government's ability to respond to crisis? Journalists Susan Delacourt and Matt Gurney join Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about that, and the other big issues playing out in Ottawa this week.

Ukraine's museum workers are in a battle to save their country's heritage and history. In addition to protecting artifacts and cultural sites, they're documenting and cataloging the present-day realities of war. Milena Chorna shares the stories of her community, which is standing on guard to protect Ukraine's past, present and future.

Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with Viktoriia Zabiian and Anna Dobrovolskaya about keeping up the fight for human rights in Ukraine and Russia, respectively, as the one-year mark of the war in Ukraine approaches.

In his four years as president of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado Quesada helped turn his small, Central American nation into a global leader in fighting climate change. He joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about his work... and challenges more developed countries like Canada to follow his lead.

The federal government pitched a $196.1 billion deal – including $46.2 billion in new spending – to help Canada's ailing healthcare system this past week. But is it the cure-all Canada needs? Colleen Flood, a University of Ottawa professor, joins Piya Chattopadhyay to help demystify the dollars, the plan and the politicking.

The death toll is mounting as people in Turkey and Syria approach a week since multiple devastating earthquakes struck the region. BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet joins Piya Chattopadhyay from Turkey to discuss the situation on the ground, and the political fallout for the region and the world.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss his mission to make our place in the cosmos make sense, and why the response to the pandemic should have been cause to celebrate the very best of what the scientific method can offer.