As It Happens: The Friday Edition
Part One
Raif Badawi freed
After ten years in prison, a Saudi blogger has been freed — and one of his longtime lawyers tells us Raif Badawi's release is proof that even Saudi Arabia can be swayed by public opinion.
Sackler testimony
We'll speak with a woman who finally got to confront members of the Sackler family with the story of how Purdue Pharma's drugs derailed her life — and her son's.
Former Finnish PM
Finland's former Prime Minister says western countries may still be underestimating how far Vladimir Putin will go in pursuit of his vision for his country — because he once underestimated the Russian president himself.
Part Two
Russian tech exodus
A tech entrepreneur from Moscow tells us he can't fathom why so many of his fellow citizens believe Putin's propaganda — but the president's crackdown on information has inspired him to leave.
Texas trans investigations
A Texan mother tells us she's sending her trans child out of state because she fears they could be taken away under a government order to investigate gender-affirming medical care as "child abuse."
Part Three
Egypt food shortages
As Putin's invasion of Ukraine rages on, people are feeling the effects as far away as Egypt — where our guest says the war has begun affecting the price of bread and other daily staples.
Longest car restored
A New Jersey man who spent years restoring the world's longest car — complete with a putting green, helicopter pad, and swimming pool — says you really have to see it to believe it. And driving it is a whole other story.
As It Happens was produced this week by:
Sarah Cooper
Katie Geleff
Sheena Goodyear
Chris Harbord
Sarah Jackson
Mehek Mazhar
Kate McGillivray
Niza Nondo
Kevin Robertson
and Kate Swoger.
Our technician is Reynold Gonsalves. The show director is John McGill. .
Our writer this week was Chloe Shantz-Hilkes. Austin Webb 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 out this week:
Mary-Catherine MacIntosh in Halifax
Nancy Russell in Charlottetown
Susan McKenzie in Montreal
Paul MacInnis in Ottawa
Frankie Fiorini, Samantha Lui, Jonathan Ore, Alex Redekopp, Ben Shannon, Luke Williams and Brandie Weikle — all in Toronto
Suzanne Dufresne in Winnipeg
Allison Dempster in Calgary
James Evans in Edmonton
Anne Penman in Vancouver
and Megan Thomas in Victoria.
As It Happens will be back again on Monday. Good night, and good weekend.