On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the role that restrictive zoning laws have played in the shortage of affordable housing in the U.S. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti planned to “inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.” But that’s not what eyewitnesses say and videos show. How can Americans trust an agency that disputes what we see with our own eyes? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

In the 2025 budget bill, Congress created the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program to help struggling hospitals, doctors, and patients in rural America. But rural hospitals are expected to lose three times that through Medicaid cuts in that same budget bill. So, what will it take to keep rural healthcare afloat? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

In Minneapolis, grassroots groups have sprung into action against ICE. They’re protesting, running workshops on constitutional rights, and delivering groceries to people afraid of leaving their homes. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has doubled over the past year -- driven by a massive recruitments campaign. Who the new recruits are and how they’re being trained. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Frank Gehry’s legacy can be seen around the world in the curvaceous and dramatic buildings he designed. How Frank Gehry put awe in American architecture and what we lose without him. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the division between the normative state and the prerogative state and the role that could be playing in the U.S. today. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A former right-wing influencer and tradwife tells all in her new memoir, "This is Not Real Life." From meeting with terrorists, neo-Nazis, political crime rings, to arrests, psychotic breaks and addiction, Lauren Southern shares how the life she thought she wanted ended up almost killing her. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Donald Trump's fixation on Greenland is alienating some Congressional Republicans and American allies. Has Trump's erratic behavior crossed a line? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump says he wants to cap credit card interest at 10%. What it could mean for Americans' credit card debt. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

According to recent reporting, DOGE fell short of its goals to save taxpayers $1 trillion and streamline government processes. So what did we get from the agency? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Polarization pushes people apart. Writer Chloé Valdary says we can heal deepening divisions by treating each other like human beings, not political abstractions. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

One of America’s largest deposits of copper, nickel and cobalt is deep underground near the Boundary Waters in northeastern Minnesota. It’s never been mined. Now, the Trump administration is pushing to change that. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the scourge of price gouging for captive customers at places like airports, concerts and sporting events. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

We tend to associate “brainwashing” with cults and hostages, but author and science historian Rebecca Lemov says it can happen to anyone. Her new book “The Instability of Truth" explores the history and science of brainwashing and what it can teach us with misinformation on the rise. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump says he wants to "take" Greenland. If he does, he will be effectively attacking Denmark, a NATO ally. How Trump's imperialism could destroy one of America's oldest and most important alliances. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Biden Administration's infrastructure act promised more than $1.2 trillion dollars to build up the country. More than five years later, what was built and what never got started? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Many legal experts say the Trump administration's attack on Venezuela broke international law. But Trump doesn’t seem to care. What does that say about the strength of international law? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Last month, President Donald Trump approved the sale of one of Nvidia’s most powerful AI chips to China. Why the president may have done that -- and what it could mean for national security. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the opportunity cost of interventionist foreign policy on social betterment programs in the U.S. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

James Clyburn is one of the most influential Democrats in Congress. His new book “The First Eight" is about the Black South Carolina Congressmen who preceded and inspired him. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

With ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in a New York jail, President Trump says the U.S. will run his country now. The legality, practicality, and morality of regime change in Venezuela. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Humans have been obsessed with fitness for centuries. But how did this fascination start? In the new book “When Fitness Went Global” historian Conor Heffernan examines the rise of physical culture worldwide. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Affordability, inflation, tariffs, jobs -- where does the economy stand now that we’re officially in the new year? On Point’s “money ladies,” Rana Foroohar and Michelle Singletary, are back to help us sort it out. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

If you feel like car headlights have gotten too bright, you’re not alone. The National Highway Traffic Administration receives more consumer complaints about headlight brightness than any other topic. How did this happen? And can we fix it? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A recent study shows that people using AI to write for them experience some negative cognitive effects. Why? Because there's something special about what writing does in your brain. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Austin, Texas was known as a funky, liberal haven in a deep red state. Now, there’s big tech money pouring in and huge growth. How has life changed there? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Trump Administration ordered universities to turn over data to prove they're not considering race in admissions. But education expert Richard Kahlenberg argues that for college admissions to look at merit fairly, they need to look at class. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Geoffrey Hinton is one of the world’s biggest minds in artificial intelligence. He won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. Where does he think AI is headed? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

YouTube turns 20 this year. The platform now hosts 20 billion videos, and lets basically anyone, anywhere on Earth, create, share and watch. How has YouTube changed us? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Acclaimed vocal ensemble Blue Heron performs a celebration of Christmas in 16th century Spain, from mystical motets to vivacious villancicos. The group’s artistic director, Scott Metcalfe, shares insights about each piece. This concert and conversation were recorded at WBUR’s event venue, CitySpace. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Sewing, scrapbooking, sports clubs. Many Gen Z’ers are taking up real-world hobbies as an antidote to doomscrolling. Why hobbies make us happy — and how to get one. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A growing number of young people say their mental health diagnosis is an important part of their identity. But by medicalizing imperfection – could young people be losing what makes them uniquely human? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

An estimated 15,000 churches in the U.S. are likely to close in the next few years. Churches are more than places of worship – they are community centers, shelters, food banks. What's the community impact with church closures on the rise? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The holidays are all about giving, whether it's presents, donations or volunteer work. What's causing the warm glow you feel when you give someone a gift? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint