On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

Since taking office, President Trump’s wealth has grown by at least $1.4 billion. There have been overseas real estate projects, a Trump phone that doesn’t exist and a Trump-branded cryptocurrency. Conflicts of interest or corruption? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Omer Bartov was born on an Israeli kibbutz, grew up committed to Zionist ideals, and is now professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University. But in his new book, Bartov argues that Zionism has changed and he can no longer support it. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Scientists have taken the largest ever image of the Milky Way. The image shows spectacular detail of our home in the universe, and offers scientists a color-coded guide to some of the most mysterious corners of our galaxy. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Republican Party has a highly sophisticated online and social media operation. Meanwhile Democrats focus on their traditional political talking points. Could the Dems take a page out of the GOP's messaging playbook? Democratic influencer Emily Amick sure thinks so. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has questions about how money is being raised for the  Democratic National Committee and Democratic candidates and how that money is being spent. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

You’ve heard the phrase "think outside the box." But what if constraints and limitations actually make us happier and more creative? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Dictators and authoritarian leaders often plaster their faces across the country they control. Is this happening in the United States? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Supreme Court will soon rule on who gets to decide when a product needs a cancer warning – and who can sue if they’ve been exposed. At the center of the highly politicized debate is America’s most successful weedkiller, Roundup. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

History was made in this year’s London marathon when two runners broke the iconic two-hour barrier. Was it the shoes? The nutrition? The training? These specific elite athletes? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Political partisanship is one way to measure how the Supreme Court justices think about how their rulings affect the nation. SCOTUSblog editor Sarah Isgur says another, she believes more important way, has to do with their tolerance for change, with the justices ranging from order-loving institutionalists to true chaos agents. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation h...

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on “the unedifying spectacle of self abasement” from the Moscow show trial of the 1930s, to present-day confirmation hearings for Trump nominees. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

More than half of men under 50 in the U.S. have an open online sports book. Public health experts warn it's easier than ever to get addicted to gambling. Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins spent a year exploring the world of sports betting, and why the pastime is particularly bad for young men. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump is directing the Justice Department to treat beliefs like "anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, or anti-Christianity" akin to domestic terrorism. Can the president criminalize beliefs? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

In 1998, the FDA required folic acid be added to breads and pastas but not corn masa, a staple in Latino communities. Folic acid is known to prevent neural tube birth defects.  So, states like California and Alabama are now passing their own mandates. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

There’s a new word floating around Silicon Valley and the AI world: 'tokenmaxxing.' It means consuming as many units of AI as possible and often racking up multibillion dollar bills. What’s driving this behavior? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Dean Ball was a top adviser on AI for the Trump White House. He authored its AI policy. But now he says the way the Trump administration is strong-arming tech companies is a foundational threat to the nation. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Senior editor Dorey Scheimer has a message about this week’s Jackpod and a special ‘behind the scenes’ episode of On Point. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Why do American kids love chicken nuggets and applesauce, but hate broccoli and brussels sprouts? In her new book “Picky," Helen Veit explores how American children became the fussiest eaters in history. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A handful of states from California, Pennsylvania to Maine have tried to adopt a more rehabilitative Scandinavian prison model. But such models have failed to be replicated at large scale. Why? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A mysterious condition can push your blood alcohol level sky-high — even if you haven’t had any drinks. What causes auto-brewery syndrome — and what are the legal and medical implications? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Several federal judges have issued opinions saying the Trump administration is flouting the rule of law and the principles of democracy. How effective has the bench been in checking executive power? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Donald Trump is no stranger to an internet feud. But now, he’s taken on a whole new adversary: the Catholic Church. What impact will it have on the country’s Catholic electorate? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how authoritarians have co-opted their military and valorized its dead over living experience in the officer corps. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

An accent doesn’t just tell someone where you are from – but who you are – your cultural background, race, age and class. How the way we talk tells people more than we think. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On stage before an enthusiastic audience of around 900 Seattleites, Mayor Wilson talks with Meghna about housing and homelessness, and also about what it’s like to be a Democratic Mayor in the time of President Donald Trump. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint