On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

In a conversation recorded at the WBUR Festival, Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks frankly about the threats he sees to public health under the Trump administration and the “severe intimidation” of scientists at the NIH. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A personal message from Meghna Chakrabarti about why The Jackpod is taking a short break. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

You’ve heard of 'mom brain.' But how do men’s brains change when they become fathers? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Trump Administration wants more Americans to have babies. It's proposing a $5,000 "baby bonus," among other policies. Would this fix the nation's historically low birth rate? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Sam Altman has been called the face of Artificial Intelligence. To many, he remains an enigma. Wall Street Journal reporter Keach Hagey has the inside story on the rise of Sam Altman and his impact on our future. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got what he wanted this weekend after the U.S. bombed Iran. But Netanyahu says its goals in Iran have not yet been fully achieved. So, what are Israel’s goals in Iran? And what role does the U.S. still play? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The late William F. Buckley, Jr. is one of the most important figures of the American right. How did the erudite and dapper Yale man pave the way for President Donald Trump? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Recently, On Point explored how Hong Kong has changed five years after China passed its so-called national security law and vastly diminished protest and free speech in Hong Kong. Our colleagues at WBUR’s podcast Endless Thread also took a look at this law. Specifically, how it changed how people in Hong Kong interact digitally — on social media, and in text messages. What happens to online speech...

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the current budget bill will add $3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade. On Point wraps up a weeklong exploration of what Trump's budget bill tells us about government spending and our financial future. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the connections and correlation between President Trump, his most loyal supporters and the popularity of the Fox News Channel. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will increase defense spending to over $1 trillion for the first time in U.S. history. But will it actually improve U.S. national security? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Republicans are proposing significant changes to food assistance, which could impact supplemental nutrition programs for older adults, school lunches and the agriculture industry. What will the cuts mean for hunger and nutrition in the U.S.? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is really about one big thing: Taxes. Some conservative economists say it also shows a striking shift in Republican tax policy. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The 'One Big Beautiful Bill' is making big changes to health care. Getting rid of automatic enrollment to the ACA, cutting premium assistance, adding work requirements for Medicaid. What the budget bill means for health care. *** 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

Between 2019 and 2020, nearly 2 million people took to the streets of Hong Kong to fight legislation that could give Chinese authorities the power to criminalize dissent. It's been 5 years since China passed the so-called national security law. How has Hong Kong changed? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how political activist Christopher Rufo became one of the most influential voices in conservative politics today. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

American companies are being targeted by foreign spies, ransomware groups and even fake job applicants from North Korea. One cybersecurity firm speaks out about the threats they're seeing and how they're combating them. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Trump administration is clamping down on foreign students who want to attend American universities – and the schools that admit them. What that could mean for innovation and enterprise in the U.S. and around the world. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The White House is demanding that ICE make 3,000 arrests per day – and it's pulling in agents from the FBI and the DEA to help. How Trump's push for mass deportations is reshaping U.S. law enforcement. *** 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

Trump’s space-based missile defense system. Could it protect the country against a nuclear attack, or is it technically impossible? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how the impact of AI in the 21st century could be more disruptive to the workforce than mass production was in the 20th century. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Israel's government recently voted to ramp up the war in Gaza. A food blockade starved Gazans for months. And critical voices internationally, and within Israel itself, are rising. What do Israel’s government and its people want now in Gaza? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Running tests on lab rats, mice and other species is an integral part of biomedical research. Now, some say artificial intelligence and other technologies could soon make the practice obsolete. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint