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Canadian YouTubers Nelk, known for staging controversial pranks, recently threw a so-called “bro-test” to fight for gyms to open back up in California, a state still dealing with thousands of new coronavirus cases every day. The event sparked widespread criticism for drawing a crowd of people who weren’t wearing masks. This “bro-test” is part of a larger trend involving influencers ignoring public health rules by having massive parties and group events. Kat Tenbarge is a digital culture reporter at Insider. Today, she explains why some internet stars won’t stop partying during the pandemic, and what it could mean for public health.
On Tuesday, Joe Biden named California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, making history by choosing the first woman of colour to compete on a major party's presidential ticket. Today on Front Burner, Washington Post political reporter Eugene Scott on what Harris brings to the Democratic Party’s ticket, and what it might mean for Biden’s chances against U.S President Donald Trump come November.
Loujain Alhathloul, a Saudi women's rights activist who studied in Canada, has been imprisoned for the past two years. And now, her family, who used to be able to talk to her regularly, hasn't heard from her in seven weeks. Today, the CBC's Michelle Ghoussoub joins us to talk about how Alhathloul became one of the most prominent faces in the struggle for women's rights in Saudi Arabia, what her continued detention says about social reforms under the Saudi regime, and what her family thinks her silence means.
The city of Melbourne, Australia, is currently under some of the world's strictest pandemic lockdown measures. Residents have to be home by 8 p.m., and anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 can expect frequent, unannounced visits by police to ensure they're staying home. Today, on Front Burner, we speak to Melissa Davey, Australian bureau chief for The Guardian, to find out how a country — one that had so quickly flattened the curve early on in the pandemic — is now in the grips of a second wave of COVID-19.
As provinces loosen COVID-19 restrictions, more restaurants are opening back up, in some capacity, all across Canada. Today, we hear from two restaurateurs about what the shutdown meant for their own businesses and how they think the pandemic will change the way we dine-out for years to come. Robert Belcham is the chef and owner of Vancouver’s Campagnolo, Monarch Burger and Popina Canteen. He’s also the president of The Chefs’ Table Society of B.C. and host of the ‘Mise-En-Place’ podcast. Samira Mohyeddin is the co-owner of Banu, an Iranian eatery and commissary in Toronto. She’s also an associate producer at the CBC Radio show The Current.
The explosion near Beirut’s port on Tuesday killed 135 people and injured thousands more, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Officials say 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate was the cause. According to public records, the chemicals were held at the port for six years, despite warnings about the danger they posed. Today on Front Burner, we get a first-hand account of the explosion and aftermath from Hanna Anbar of Lebanon’s Daily Star newspaper, and discuss the challenge of rebuilding in a country already deep in economic crisis.
U.S. President Donald Trump put TikTok on the clock this week. On Monday, Trump said that if Microsoft, or another U.S. company doesn’t take control of the Chinese-owned TikTok by Sept. 15 - he’ll shut down the hugely popular social media app in the U.S. Trump’s administration has expressed concerns about China’s influence and potential to demand data collected from the app - concerns that have also weighed on the diverse communities who use it. Today on Front Burner, MIT Technology Review senior editor Abby Ohlheiser tells us how TikTok users are grappling with the newest threats to their platform, and what’s at stake for them.
Since the start of the pandemic, homeless encampments have multiplied in parks across Canada. City officials are worried about safety and sanitation, and as a result, many have tried to dismantle such camps, with varying degrees of success. That's because some residents are fighting for their right to stay. Today on Front Burner, you'll meet residents of one encampment in Toronto. And, Leilani Farha, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing and global director of the housing advocacy organization The Shift, talks to host Josh Bloch about the complexities of dealing with encampments, and why she thinks there's an opportunity now to make lasting change to Canada's housing crisis.
In September, schools across the country will reopen — many for the first time since the pandemic shut them down months ago. And while provinces have released their plans to keep students and teachers safe, parents are still struggling with whether to send their children to class. Today on Front Burner, Emily Oster, an economics professor at Brown University and author of parenting books like Cribsheet and Expecting Better breaks down what the data says about the risks of opening up schools.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his chief of staff Katie Telford appeared before the House finance committee to answer questions about the government's decision to select WE Charity to run the federal government's $900-million student volunteer program. Earlier this week, WE co-founders Marc and Craig Kielburger also appeared before the same committee. The choice to select WE Charity for the program is also being investigated by the federal ethics watchdog because of Trudeau's ties to the organization. Today on Front Burner, CBC Power & Politics host Vassy Kapelos breaks down the prime minister's testimony, and brings us up to speed on the WE Charity controversy.
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