As It Happens

As It Happens: Friday Edition

Feb. 1, 2019

Full Episode Transcript

Part One

Netherlands church
Finally, a Dutch church has ended a months-long non-stop church service — because it has helped the asylum seekers it was being held to protect. 

Yukon race
The Yukon Arctic Ultra isn't just a cold race, it's a cruel one — but despite the dangers, our guest will take part, and he's trembling with anticipation. 

Buzzfeed quiz teen
Since 2017, a Michigan teen has written hundreds of quizzes for Buzzfeed, for free, but after major layoffs at the website, she feels partly responsible — so she's going off the questionnaire. 

Part Two

El Paso hunger strike
Some detainees at a detention centre in El Paso, Texas have been refusing to eat for weeks — and then staff ended their hungry strike with painful force-feedings. 

From Our Archives: Morton Sobell (obit)
The late Morton Sobell spent decades insisting he'd been framed — before eventually admitting that he had, in fact, been a spy for the Russians. 

Part Three

In 1959, a small plane with two men on board disappeared in Saskatchewan. This week, the mystery was finally solved — after RCMP divers found human remains and what was left of the cockpit in a lake. 

S.N.C. Lavalin
The former CEO of Canadian construction multinational SNC-Lavalin (LAV-ah-lin) pleads guilty for his role in a multi-million-dollar bribe — aimed at securing the contract to build a Montreal super-hospital. 

El Chapo trial
The trial of Mexican drug lord Joaquín Guzmán, a.k.a. El Chapo, wrapped up this week in New York City. Court reporter Amanda Ottaway shares what happened in the courtroom and what the jury will mull over when it begins deliberations next week.

As It Happens was produced this week by:

Jeanne Armstrong
Sarah-Joyce Battersby
Sheena Goodyear
Tracy Fuller
Chris Harbord
Sarah Jackson
Allie Jaynes
John McGill
Kevin Robertson
and 
Kate Swoger

Our technicians this week were Reynold Gonsalves and Mitchell Stuart

The show director is Kevin Ball. The writer is Chris Howden. And our intern is Zahraa Hmood.

John Perry is our senior producer. And the Executive Producer of As It Happens is Robin Smythe

We'd also like to thank some other people who helped us out this week: 

Mary-Catherine McIntosh in Halifax
Susan McKenzie in Montreal
Chris Rands in Ottawa
Keith Hart in Radio Archives, Cathy Ross in the Reference Library, Varad Mehta and Luke Williams — in Toronto
Amanda Margison in London, Ontario, Matt Prokopchuk in Thunder Bay
Suzanne Dufresne in Winnipeg
Paul Dornstauder in Regina
Michael O'Halloran in Calgary
Anne Penman in Vancouver and 
Imogen Birchard in Victoria, B.C.

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