As It Happens

As It Happens: Friday edition

Friday, May 5, 2017

Full Episode Transcript

Part One

Quebec flood
As the rain continues in Quebec, streets on Montreal's West Island look more like lakes — but despite an imminent evacuation order, our guest has opted to stay put, rather than play the wading game. 

Microbeads study retraction
A recent study suggested tiny "microbeads" were harming fish — but now, that study's been retracted, because there were particular problems how it examined the particulate problem. 

Little Free Library follow-up 
Our guest last night sternly criticized the cute little book-borrowing centres in people's yards called "Little Free Libraries" — but tonight, the founder of the non-profit pumps up the volumes. 

Part Two

UAE iceberg
The United Arab Emirates has a shortage of freshwater — so naturally, it plans to select a choice iceberg in Antarctica, and simply tow it ten thousand kilometres north. 

Afghan death photo
Four years after U.S. Army Specialist Hilda Clayton died in a mortar accident in Afghanistan, her final photograph of the explosion that killed her has been released. 

Part Three

Refugees LGBTQ
Until this week, Canada's refugee board frequently subjected gay asylum seekers to intimate questions about their sex lives. Now, that will change — and lawyer Bashir Khan says it's about time. 

St. Helena update
The British overseas territory of Ascension Island will be without air service for the forseeable future — making it the second British island in the South Atlantic in the past year to be left high and dry. Hazel Wilmot, owner of the Consulate Hotel in Jamestown, shares what this means to the local population. 

Dragonfly study
When female dragonflies are subjected to unwanted advances from male dragonflies, they don't just refuse to get busy — they get totally un-busy — falling out of the air and feigning that they've kicked the bucket. 

Scottish birdwatcher
In Europe, red-winged blackbirds are very rare, so ever since one showed up on a Scottish island, birdwatchers are freaking out. 

As it Happens was produced this week by:

Jeanne Armstrong
Imogen Birchard
Sarah Evans
Katie Geleff
Sheena Goodyear
Chris Harbord
Samantha Lui
Pedro Sanchez
Earvin Solitario
Kate Swoger

and Julian Uzielli.

Our technician is Reynold Gonsalves. The show director is Kevin Ball

Chris Howden is our writer. Our intern this week was Donya Zaiee.

John Perry is the Senior Producer. And the Acting Executive Producer of As It Happens is Nick McCabe Lokos.

We'd also like to thank some other people who helped put the show together this week: 

Mary-Catherine MacIntosh in Halifax
Susan McKenzie in Montreal
Kristin Nelson in Ottawa, Keith Hart at Radio Archives, Laura Carlin and Helen Mann in Toronto
Suzanne Dufresne in Winnipeg
Michael O'Halloran in Calgary
Travis McKewan in Edmonton 
and Anne Penman in Vancouver.

As It Happens will be back again on Monday. Good night, and good weekend.