On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti - podcast cover

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

Get ready for your aha moment: Every weekday, host Meghna Chakrabarti pierces your news bubble to expose the whole story. Getting answers to the questions that need to be asked, examining our history and the human condition. No topic is too complicated or off the table. It’s all On Point.
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Episodes

The Jackpod: The founders’ worst fears

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the corrupting influence of the president’s power to wage war, and the failure of the 1973 War Powers Resolution to check that power. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 06, 202641 min

The Jackpod: The founders’ worst fears

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the corrupting influence of the president’s power to wage war, and the failure of the 1973 War Powers Resolution to check that power. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 06, 202641 min

The one thing driving U.S. job growth

The U.S. added some 130,000 jobs in January. Almost all of those jobs were in just one sector: Health care. Why aren’t jobs growing anywhere else? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 05, 202634 min

Why regime change in Iran isn't so simple

U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader along with other top Iranian security officials. But Iran experts say that the Islamic Republic will not fall so quickly. What to know about the deep-rooted infrastructure of the Iranian regime. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 04, 202634 min

The Trump administration's war against legal immigration

The Trump administration is publicly cracking down on illegal immigration. Behind the scenes, the White House is also fighting a war against legal immigration. How the administration is working to grind immigration to a halt. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 03, 202634 min

Why the Pentagon wants AI without guardrails

A very public contract dispute exposes the ethical debate over how the U.S. military should use AI going forward. Anthropic vs. the Pentagon and what it means for U.S. citizens. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 02, 202635 min

What really happened to Amelia Earhart?

Legendary aviator Amelia Earhart and her plane vanished in 1937. Today, explorers are still venturing into the unknown to solve the mystery of her disappearance. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 27, 202635 min

The Jackpod: Hold the tiger

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the lack of justification for, and potential consequences of, a U.S. military strike in Iran. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 27, 202640 min

The Epstein class: What the files reveal about the global elite

Politicians, top business leaders, high-ranking professors, royalty. A select network of global ultra-elites, and how they paved the way for Epstein himself. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 26, 202634 min

Celebrating Ramadan while living in fear

Muslims around the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan. But for immigrant communities in the U.S., those celebrations are being tempered by fears of ICE. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 25, 202635 min

Where are Ukraine's abducted children?

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russian forces in the past four years of war. They have been placed in Russian re-education camps, adopted by Russian families, or sent for military training. What will it take to get them back? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 24, 202636 min

A stress test for the midterms

President Trump wants congress to pass the SAVE Act, requiring would-be voters to prove they are citizens. He’s called for Republicans to nationalize voting and even mused that the midterms should be canceled. What that all means for the midterms. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 23, 202636 min

Why you can't get that jingle out of your head

We all know jingles – those catchy tunes that have advertised products for decades from candy to car insurance. But how do they work, and more importantly, are they having a comeback? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 20, 202639 min

The Jackpod: Two cheers for the filibuster

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the threat to voting rights posed by the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship to vote. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 20, 202630 min

How to change a memory

Neuroscientist Steve Ramirez sees memory as a way to time travel. But what if we could edit our memories? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 19, 202633 min

Inside PragerU’s conservative push into American classrooms

PragerU is a conservative video giant. It’s produced more than 2,000 videos that it says promote American and Judeo-Christian values. Now its content is approved in 10 states’ school systems. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 18, 202633 min

The Epstein files' lingering questions

Three million documents were released from the DOJ’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The release identifies numerous rich and powerful men as Epstein associates. But critics say the release is simply not enough. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 17, 202634 min

How America sees itself through film

The National Film Registry names 25 movies each year that showcase the range and diversity of American filmmaking. How those movies reflect – and have shaped -- America’s history and culture. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 16, 202635 min

Brainwaves: How does a brain stay healthy?

You might think a healthy brain starts and ends in your head – but there are miles and miles of neuron fibers that connect your brain with nearly every corner of your body. Why a healthy brain needs a healthy body. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 13, 202631 min

The Jackpod: Don’t exhaust your indignation

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on who stands to benefit from the so-called Dmitriev package, a reported $12 trillion economic cooperation proposal between the U.S. and Russia. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 13, 202642 min

Brainwaves: What happens between life and death?

A tunnel. A bright light. Reuniting with deceased loved ones. Many people who have near-death experiences have remarkably similar stories. Why? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 12, 202633 min

Brainwaves: Is AI actually thinking?

The rate at which artificial intelligence is able to replicate human behavior has increased in recent years. Does that mean it's thinking like us? In the third episode of "Brainwaves," what artificial intelligence teaches us about our own capacity for thought. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint...

Feb 11, 202632 min

Brainwaves: Are you in there?

Consciousness is how we are able to feel, dream and imagine. And yet -- scientists haven't figured out how consciousness definitively works. What we know, what we don’t and what that tells us about our brains. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 10, 202634 min

Brainwaves: Why is the brain such a mystery?

The brain is the organ that makes us who we are. It’s our conduit between reality and thought. But somehow, we’ve only scratched the surface in understanding how the brain actually works. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 09, 202634 min

What if the polio vaccine becomes optional?

The head of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel recently said he thinks vaccines for polio and measles should be optional. A fact-check of the Trump administration’s latest moves against mass vaccination. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 06, 202639 min

The Jackpod: America’s golden age

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on Americans whose recent violent encounters with immigration agents have changed them and their families. Several of them spoke at a recent forum organized by congressional Democrats. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 06, 202643 min

Lessons for the U.S. in 'China’s quest to engineer the future'

How can a lawyerly society and an engineering society learn from each other? And what’s at stake if they fail? Author Dan Wang set out to answer those questions about the U.S. and China. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 05, 202631 min

Does America's new national security strategy actually put 'America First'?

The Trump Administration has now published its National Security Strategy and its National Defense Strategy. They present an ideological shift in U.S. foreign policy that deprioritizes defending Europe and dilutes focus on China. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 04, 202635 min

Inside the AI surveillance state

From your online browsing habits to traffic cameras on your commute, data about you is everywhere. And with AI, companies can gather, store and share detailed information about you faster than ever. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 03, 202636 min

What happened to shame in politics?

Shame is a powerful feeling that can keep behavior in check. So what happens when political leaders feel no shame at all? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Feb 02, 202634 min
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