With many parts of Canada under extreme heat warnings this week, it’s hard not to think about what took place in B.C. five years ago when 619 people died from the heat. Those deaths included Melanie Cheng’s cousin, Beverley. Melanie is now calling for more action to better protect communities in the future.PLUS:Snail mail is back! Why people will pay to receive physical letters An actor who sold his avatar to TikTok speaks out against "predatory" contractsA new musical about the Canadian women who were furniture factory workers by day and championship ball players by nightWhy Canada's loon is the hot new backup singer

PLUS:Former U.S. soccer player charts a history of sportswashing, from Mussolini to TrumpA Manitoba Pride group turned a vandalized billboard into a successful protest campaignCory Doctorow's new book challenges us to think about AI before it's too latePalestinian architect curates an exhibit based on what his family lost in the NakbaRiffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz.

How scientists overcame the challenge of 16 host cities spread across three climatic zones. PLUS: Mechanical AI humanoids may bump human labourers off the line sooner than you thinkReviewing Toy Story 5, the latest installment in a beloved 30-year-old franchiseWhat a super-charged El Niño could mean for geopoliticsBecky Toyne’s 2026 list of the best summer readsRiffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz.

Also, Elon Musk is now the world's first trillionaire.PLUS:Why changing teens' relationship with social media requires a culture shift, not a banHow ugly, alienating office spaces became the star of the hit horror movie BackroomsSerena Williams’ return to tennis has sparked a conversation about the use of GLP-1 drugs in sportsHow unmanned drones could change wildfire season in CanadaRiffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz

Emina Kapo is braced for an emotional and bittersweet match between her two countries on June 12, and promises the Bosnian diaspora will party whatever the result. PLUS:What countries can learn from Ukraine's innovative combat styleA new documentary explores IKEA's alleged ties to Romania's 'Timber Mafia' Examining the unfolding drama at 60 Minutes The new book from the author of Hamnet is another rich historical fiction, but should you read it?Riffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz

An economist says the price at the pumps has little to do with war or market forces PLUS:One Canadian's story of being captured and detained by Israeli forces on board a Gaza-bound flotillaWhy ads for burgers, cars and vacations have disappeared from Amsterdam's streetsHow comedian Scarlet Chen turned cultural whiplash into comedy goldRiffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz

Why local discussions about data centres are becoming more contentious.PLUS:How fungi thriving in scorched earth could help landscapes recover from wildfiresWhy strippers in Montreal are taking labour action on one of the busiest weekends of the yearInside the vast scam centres of Southeast Asia -- and the human trafficking schemes that help them runRiffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz.

Meet the Muppet designer who created Montreal's beloved mascot, Youppi!PLUS:It’s been a huge week for the PWHL. So why are the games so hard to find on TV?Comedian Matt Lieb says Israel’s campaign to win Eurovision speaks volumes about state propagandaIt’s not your imagination; stolen food really does taste betterAmerican military historian says hubris leads to failed campaigns, from Vietnam to IranRiffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz.

PLUS: Jessi Cruickshank’s bid to get women back out dancing — and back home in time for a good night’s sleepThe latest adaptation of Orwell’s Animal Farm is an animated film with fart jokesWhy thousands in the UK want their government to cut ties with tech giant PalantirWhy aren't we tallying the environmental cost of war?Riffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz.

How Sudan became the world's forgotten conflict.PLUS:The moment Buffalo Sabres fans stepped up to sing the Canadian national anthemMore countries look to move off fossil fuels as the Iran war squeezes fuel suppliesIn his 19th season with the Stratford Festival Tom McCamus brings two iconic characters to the stageCelebrated operatic tenor Russell Thomas reflects on unrequited love as he returns to the COCRiffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz.