The Decibel

When it comes to one economic indicator, Canada is lagging behind one of the U.S.’s poorest states: Alabama. And while GDP per capita is an imperfect metric of wealth, Globe reporter Tim Kiladze went down to Alabama and found that there are some things the state has done that are worth taking note of.

Tim joins the show to share what he saw down south, explore the criticisms of GDP per capita and respond to the reaction his reporting has generated.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney finished his trip to India this week, marking the start of what he says is a new partnership between the two countries. The relationship between Canada and India has been tense for years, with allegations of Canadian election interference from India and accusations against Indian government agents over the killing of a Sikh-Canadian activist.

The Globe’s senior parliamentary reporter Steven Chase is on this trip with Carney to India. Today he tells us why this reset in relations is so important for the Canadian government, what deals came out of it, and how Carney makes sense of the trip given the ongoing concerns with India.

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Since the U.S. and Israel first struck Iran on Saturday, energy prices have been on the rise. Oil prices are up around 13 per cent, and LNG – liquefied natural gas – is up around 75 per cent. 20 per cent of the world’s oil and LNG pass through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a passageway between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea that is effectively being blocked by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Eric Reguly is The Globe and Mail’s European Bureau Chief. He joins the show to talk about the role energy plays in the war in Iran, and how the reverberations are being felt far beyond the Middle East.

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The U.S. and Israel are continuing attacks on Iran for the fourth day. Iran’s leadership has been devastated, hundreds have been killed and retaliatory attacks have been launched against Israel and neighbouring nations. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on Iranians to topple the theocratic government that has held power for 47 years.

Thomas Juneau, professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, joins The Decibel to discuss why this is an existential war for the Islamic Republic, what calculations the U.S. and Israel are making and how this could be the beginning of a larger and longer war.

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You can listen to the first episode of this three-part series here.

GLP-1 medications to treat diabetes, obesity and several other illnesses have exploded in popularity since Ozempic was approved for use in Canada back in 2018. Ozempic and Wegovy, the GLP-1s which contain semaglutide, are the third-most prescribed drug in Canada, and by far the best-selling one.

Chris Hannay, The Globe’s business of health reporter, will explain why the introduction of generic semaglutide will mean lower prices and more options for Canadians. And we’ll explore access to these drugs with The Globe’s health reporter Kelly Grant on who gets their GLP-1 covered by their insurance – and who doesn’t.

Plus, Globe audio producer Kasia Mychajlowycz leads us on a journey to understand just how the virtual pharmacies advertised all over her social media feed are vetting people who want Ozempic prescriptions.

The next episode and final episode of Skinny, Inc. is next Monday, March 9.

You can contact the National Eating Disorders Information Centre at their toll-free hotline at 1-866-NEDIC-20 or visit their website.

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