The Current CBC News & Politics

Jasmin Paris tells us about becoming the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons in Tennessee, one of the most gruelling ultramarathons in the world.

Professional boxer Claire Hafner gets tested every year for signs of head trauma, by researchers studying hits to the head and long-term degenerative brain conditions. But there’s a personal factor for Hafner: she says if there’s evidence of decline, she’ll retire. The CBC’s Katie Nicholson went with Hafner for this year’s testing — and the results. 

A Quebec class action lawsuit is looking to hold 16 pharmaceutical companies responsible for their alleged role in the opioid epidemic. Matt Galloway talks to the lawyer leading the case and asks a pain doctor about how opioids are prescribed now.

Our national affairs panel convenes to break down the federal government’s 2024 budget, which proposes $52.9 billion in new spending over five years.

Author Salman Rushdie was attacked with a knife on a New York stage in 2022, suffering severe injuries and losing his eye. He tells Matt Galloway about the book he’s written to move past the attack and what he intends to do with his “second chance” at life.

The show Bluey is ostensibly for kids, but it’s gained a significant following among adults for the way it handles moments like death and infertility — like in its recent season finale, in which Bluey and her family processed tough emotions about a potential move. Meryl Alper, an associate professor in communication studies at Northeastern University in the U.S., tells us more about this charming blue heeler dog.