As It Happens: The Thursday Edition
Note: Due to a technical issue, the audio for tonight's show is temporarily unavailable. We appreciate your patience — please check back again tomorrow.
Part One
Coronavirus: quarantined reporter
As the World Health Organization declares a global emergency, we speak to a BBC reporter in Beijing living in quarantine in his apartment. He says one of the world's biggest cities looks like a ghost town.
Trump impeachment
One of U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyers is arguing that abuse of power is not an impeachable offence. Former Democratic Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman says that idea is not only offensive. In her words, it's "flabbergastingly stupid".
New aurora borealis
Scientist Minna Palmroth discovers a new type of Northern lights with the help of a group of aurora chasers in Finland. She'll tell us why she got shivers the first time she saw the images.
Part Two
Brexit: British Member of European Parliament
Green Party M.E.P. Alexandra Phillips says she's devastated to be leaving Brussels — and out of step with her Brexit Party colleagues, who are celebrating this week's split.
Murdered mummy
Archaeologist Eileen Murphy is shocked to discover that a young woman who was mummified in ancient Egypt didn't die of natural causes at all.
Part Three
Howard University art
Patricia Turner Walters has spent years amassing a huge collection of African-American art — including early works from painters who went on to do big things. And now she's donating millions of dollars worth of it to a university with a very special connection for her.
Pencil crayon guitar
Retired teacher Bryan Rosychuk in Edmonton painstakingly built a guitar out of hundreds of pencil crayons he collected at Goodwill — and when his sharp work was complete, he gave the instrument to the charity. He'll tell us why completing the project was like giving birth to an elephant.