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

What veterans want you to know about the war with Iran

As the war in Iran enters its second month, the Trump Administration is sending U.S. marines to the region. Without a clear goal for the conflict, many veterans are speaking out, while others say it's necessary. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Apr 01, 202638 min

Could this finally be the year for Texas Democrats?

It’s been more than thirty years since a Democrat won state-wide in Texas. But some think a voter backlash against President Trump’s policies could end that drought and that Democratic nominee for Senate James Talarico, could defeat either of his two Republican challengers, John Cornyn or Ken Paxton in the general election. Or are his chances just a blue mirage? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint...

Mar 31, 202637 min

Could this finally be the year for Texas Democrats?

It’s been more than thirty years since a Democrat won state-wide in Texas. But some think a voter backlash against President Trump’s policies could end that drought and that Democratic nominee for Senate James Talarico, could defeat either of his two Republican challengers, John Cornyn or Ken Paxton in the general election. Or are his chances just a blue mirage? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint...

Mar 31, 202637 min

How to make AI work for us

AI has become unavoidable. It prompts us when we write emails, handles our customer service issues, answers our internet queries. How AI is changing our lives and what we can do to ensure it's actually helping, not harming us. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 30, 202638 min

How to make AI work for us

AI has become unavoidable. It prompts us when we write emails, handles our customer service issues, answers our internet queries. How AI is changing our lives and what we can do to ensure it's actually helping, not harming us. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 30, 202638 min

The Jackpod: Naked to our enemy

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how the Trump administration has eroded the ability of the U.S. to counter the threat of terrorism, even as that threat appears to be growing. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 30, 202635 min

Iran's complex revolutionary history

Many in the West see Iran as a nation defined by a revolution. It’s also one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations that’s withstood centuries of struggle. How Iran’s history affects what’s happening today. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 27, 202635 min

Iran's complex revolutionary history

Many in the West see Iran as a nation defined by a revolution. It’s also one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations that’s withstood centuries of struggle. How Iran’s history affects what’s happening today. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 27, 202635 min

The might and magic of human muscles

Our muscles power us -- from the tissue that pumps blood from our heart to the tiny fibers that give us goosebumps. How exactly do muscles work — and how can we best strengthen them? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 26, 202636 min

Everything you need to know about the Strait of Hormuz

About 20% of the world’s oil supply travels through the Strait of Hormuz. The Iran War threatens to cut it off. The history of the Strait of Hormuz, who controls it and how it became so critical to the global oil supply. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 25, 202637 min

Inside the breakdown of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks

Ali Vaez was involved with the 2015 negotiations that led to the Iran Nuclear Deal. He'll explain why, even as a new deal was tantalizingly close late last month, the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 24, 202636 min

Inside the breakdown of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks

Ali Vaez was involved with the 2015 negotiations that led to the Iran Nuclear Deal. He'll explain why, even as a new deal was tantalizingly close late last month, the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 24, 202636 min

Are we witnessing the death of expertise?

Analyst Tom Nichols says the Trump administration is fundamentally incompetent. And he says there’s been a systematic erosion of expert trust for years — which is dangerous for American democracy. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 23, 202638 min

The Jackpod: The ties that bind

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Russia and how it might explain the administration's agenda. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 23, 202640 min

The Jackpod: The ties that bind

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Russia and how it might explain the administration's agenda. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 23, 202640 min

The 'universal language' of rhythm

Rhythm. It's so much more than the backbone of music – it’s essential to how our brains function. Whether you think you've got it or not, why rhythm is a fundamental part of your everyday life. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 20, 202643 min

Why Trump wants to ‘take’ Cuba

As the war with Iran becomes more entrenched, President Donald Trump now says he thinks he’ll “have the honor of taking Cuba.” What does that mean and what’s at stake? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 19, 202639 min

The view of the Iran war from abroad

U.S. allies say they won't commit military aid to the war in Iran, and some foreign analysts say the U.S. lacks strategy. The view of the war from the international community. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 18, 202636 min

Iran's new leader: 'His father on steroids'

Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei took control after his father's assassination. What we know about the elusive new leader and his vision for Iran. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 17, 202636 min

Israel’s endgame in Iran

Israel and the U.S. are fighting the Iran war together — but they may not have the same goals. What’s Israel’s strategy? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 16, 202637 min

Israel’s endgame in Iran

Israel and the U.S. are fighting the Iran war together — but they may not have the same goals. What’s Israel’s strategy? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 16, 202637 min

How to find glory in the ordinary

Terry Tempest Williams writes about finding beauty in unexpected places, animals, plants, memories and moments. She shows us how to do that in today's increasingly chaotic world. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 13, 202640 min

The Jackpod: The power of example and the example of power

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the moral character of American leaders from George Washington to Donald Trump and what that means for the moral character of the nation. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 13, 202645 min

How big will the Iran war price shock be?

The gas pump is just the first place you’ll pay more because of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. How might commodities, financial markets, fertilizer and food also be impacted? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 12, 202639 min

Why Iran wants a long war

Iran’s strategy, according to experts, is to keep widening the war with the U.S. and Israel and make it last as long as possible. Why? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 11, 202634 min

Is the U.S. fighting a war without rules?

Military rules of engagement exist to specify 'who' and 'what' can be attacked. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. is fighting Iran without "stupid" rules of engagement. So, what rules are American forces following? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 10, 202635 min

Who will profit off of ICE’s new detention warehouses?

The Trump administration has a $38 billion plan to convert commercial warehouses into massive detention centers for people facing deportation. Inside the Trump administration's massive expansion of detention facilities around the country. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 09, 202635 min

Why 'KPop Demon Hunters' is everywhere

'KPop Demon Hunters' is one of the biggest movies on Netflix. It’s also an Oscar nominee that’s spawned chart-topping singles. How K-pop and K-culture became an irresistible global phenomenon. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 06, 202637 min

Why 'KPop Demon Hunters' is everywhere

'KPop Demon Hunters' is one of the biggest movies on Netflix. It’s also an Oscar nominee that’s spawned chart-topping singles. How K-pop and K-culture became an irresistible global phenomenon. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Mar 06, 202637 min
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