On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

Las Vegas is in a tourism slump. Hotel occupancy and air travel are down, and many local hospitality employees are experiencing layoffs or cuts in their hours. What's driving this downturn, and can Sin City bounce back? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on a concept that explains an anomaly in today’s economic news: retail sales are up while other key economic indicators are down. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

From leased property to defense contracts, private space companies have become fully intertwined with public infrastructure. But not everyone’s sold on how intertwined these systems have become. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Elon Musk says xAI has one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. It’s located in Memphis, Tennessee and it’s called Colossus. But neighborhood residents say Colossus belches colossal pollution. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Today, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is known as a conservative juggernaut. But that hasn’t always been the case. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump has issued an Executive Order requiring the Justice Department to prosecute people for burning the American flag. But the Supreme Court has ruled flag burning is free speech. What the debate reveals about the value of national symbols. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

If you have ever found yourself dealing with a threatening person, and instead of fleeing them, you flattered – that’s called fawning. Psychologist Ingrid Clayton on the psychology behind this self-preservation strategy. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the U.S. vote against a UN resolution backing a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Heritage Foundation says it will "identify and target" Wikipedia editors over alleged bias. What does that mean for Wikipedia’s future? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Congress has overhauled the federal student loan system, including big changes on borrowing caps and loan restrictions. Education experts say this will up the demand for private loans. So, what does that mean for student borrowers? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump's order to attack a Venezuelan boat on drug smuggling suspicions has alarmed some Republican lawmakers. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Charlie Kirk helped shape conservative politics over the last decade. His assassination raises a question for all Americans: Can anything turn back the rising tide of political violence in America? *** 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

The Jackpod is on hiatus this week. But in the meantime: Send us topics or ideas you want to hear on The Jackpod via the On Point VoxPop app. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

For decades, kids in St. Louis County caught crawdads in Coldwater Creek, made mudpies, went swimming -- and were exposed to nuclear waste. Hear the story of how St. Louis became a dumping ground for radioactive waste generated by the Manhattan Project. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The trucking industry, and more broadly the freight industry, still hasn't fully recovered from the business impacts of COVID. What's behind that? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

River Selby served as a hotshot – an elite wildland firefighter. Selby shares the reality of the life and work of firefighters trying to save America’s western forests. And how despite fire seasons getting longer and longer, fewer people want to join hotshot crews. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

One in 31 American children have autism spectrum disorder, according to the CDC. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has vowed to find the cause. But experts are skeptical. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Humvee is an American military icon. Yet the Department of Defense has announced the vehicle’s retirement. What does this say about our shifting military priorities? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on President Trump’s marathon cabinet meeting, how his cabinet addresses him, and what that says about his presidency. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump demanded cuts from private businesses. Blacklisted major law firms. And threatened companies to invest more in America. The uncertain legal landscape for U.S. businesses today. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

AI is doing students’ homework, writing their essays -- and probably replacing a lot of their future jobs. Is it time to rethink what schools are for? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Blight says President Donald Trump is attacking American history and scholarship for political ends. Blight says it’s time for historians to fight back. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

AI is playing a larger role in the job hunting and hiring process. It helps job seekers fine-tune their resumes and cover letters, and employers winnow down applicants. But the new technology isn’t getting it all right. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A bonus episode in our series "Falling Behind: The Miseducation of America's Boys." Dr. Kevin Simon, attending pediatric psychiatrist at Boston Children’s Hospital, shares his experience and expertise in a conversation recorded on stage at WBUR CitySpace. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint