On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

Private equity firms are buying up more local small businesses, from dentists to pest control companies to veterinarians. What does this mean for consumers? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Congress has said it wants to take better care of military veterans, but the country has a $7.3 trillion debt for it as of last year. How to pay for the care veterans, and their families, deserve. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Millions are turning to AI chatbots for friendship, romance and even therapy. It's easy to understand the convenience of AI companionship. But what are we sacrificing in exchange for that comfort? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Blown out buildings. Destroyed aircraft. Exploded munitions. Iran has done massive damage to the U.S. military in the Persian Gulf. A close look into how much of the U.S. military presence is destroyed. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty puts America’s $40 trillion national debt into perspective and looks into some seemingly straightforward ideas to address it. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

AI-generated political ads flooded TV and social media this midterm cycle. Roughly half of them used likenesses of real candidates. Most didn’t disclose they used AI. What does this mean for the future of truth in elections? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

All 435 districts in the House, and 33 seats in the Senate were up for election during these midterms. Now that voting is over, will there be incentives to compromise, or political paralysis in the new Congress? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

he midterm elections have been focused on who will control Congress, but voters have also been weighing in on who will control their state in 36 gubernatorial races and over 140 ballot initiatives. A breakdown on the down ballot races and issues. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Since last year, the U.S. military has killed 240 people from Latin America while bombing alleged drug smuggling boats. With cocaine prices falling globally, whether the killings are deterring drug traffickers or just changing how drugs reach American streets. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Cornell Seven case has reignited the debate over whether fraternities should be allowed on college campuses at all. How to find the line between enriching community support and a system that might institutionalize harmful behavior. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty looks back at a time when social values played a bigger role in American political life and hears a call for that ahead of this year’s midterms. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

In her sweeping follow-up to "Pachinko," author Min Jin Lee zooms in on learning centers, or hagwons, in the South Korean diaspora. "American Hagwon" examines whether education can really deliver a perfect life. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

From running tabletop exercises, to citing Civil War-era laws protecting voters, state election officials are on guard against threats; and not just from abroad. What state officials are doing to protect the midterms from federal government interference. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Inequality, inflation, gas prices are all on the rise. Economist Isabella Weber argues the way to solve America's affordability crisis is to change how we think about economics. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Congress passed the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act with a bipartisan vote. This month, President Trump waived those sanctions. Why many legislators, policymakers and military strategists are saying the president betrayed U.S. interests. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Israel goes to the polls in a razor-close election. What the results will mean for the trajectory of the war with Iran, ongoing conflict in Gaza and the West Bank and the future of U.S.-Israel relations. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on why Sen. Bernie Sanders’ proposal for Medicare for All warrants more scrutiny than it's getting in progressive political circles. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

AI company Anthropic says you can no longer be "abusive or cruel" to its model, Claude. And Claude itself will decide what counts. Many in the AI world say that's a dangerous mistake. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

North Carolina voters will help decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Join Meghna Chakrabarti for a special -- and spicy -- conversation live from Greensboro, N.C. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Cornell University is at the center of a rape allegation that has raised difficult questions about how we talk about consent, sexuality and justice. Do we have the right language to have these discussions? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A number of Senate races are too close to call -- defying expectations and upsetting established political affinities within certain states. What does this say about the midterms and the direction of American politics? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Pentagon is rethinking America's nuclear weapons strategy – including lowering the barrier for their use in the battlefield. Why national security analyst Joe Cirincione says this could spark a new nuclear arms race. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty looks into the impact that AI is having on the job market for Gen Z graduates and the difference that choice of college major can make. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

President Trump's war on Canada is intensifying -- from high tariffs and import bans to public personal attacks. How Canadians view Trump's trade war -- and the future of U.S.-Canada relations. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The South is the fastest-growing region in the U.S., with states like Georgia and Texas seeing a surge of younger and more diverse people. Experts say that could mean generational political shifts in the Sun Belt. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

More than 20% of all farmland in Iowa is owned by someone, or some company, out of state. That's pushing land prices up, and it's becoming a major issue in the governor's race. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

AI is solving some of the toughest math problems in the world, including ones that have stumped mathematicians for decades. What it means for human ingenuity when there are no more hard problems left to solve. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Marine archaeologist Sean Kingsley has explored more than 350 shipwrecks -- from pirate ships in the Bahamas to British India Steam Navigation ships off the coast of Ireland. We ask him what discoveries he’s made so far and what else he hopes to find. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on why Democrats need to embrace the "sticky symbolism" of billionaire private jets. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A more diverse distribution of money and power could potentially benefit people of all ages. But to get there, what steps can we take toward intergenerational justice? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Since 2017, the number of CEOs in their late 60s has doubled for Fortune 500 companies. What happens when our country’s most powerful business leaders don’t retire? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The Baby Boomer generation holds most of the country’s wealth. The top 10% of Boomers have some $55 trillion in assets. What effect does that lopsided wealth have on our economy and society? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Old voters dominate the ballot box in local, primary, and at times, national elections. They ensure issues like Social Security and Medicare drive the national conversation. How strong is this group's sway on electoral politics in the U.S.? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Older Americans control more political power and wealth than ever before. It's the topic of a special series from On Point all this week -- starting with America's aging politicians. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty brings historical context to analysis that President Trump’s war with Iran has no realistic off-ramp. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Historian Beverly Gage hit the road to learn about our country's history. She visited more than 300 historic sites -- from museums and battlefields to roadside attractions. What she learned about how America honors its history. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

After spending 8 years running focus groups with voters, the former Republican operative and Never-Trumper says she knows not only how voters think but why they vote the way they do. *** 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

El Niño has become an annual global climate phenomenon. But this year, scientists are warning of a record-setting 'super' El Niño. What that could mean for the weather everywhere on planet earth. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

The UK abolished the slave trade more than 200 years ago. But the wealth it created still shapes the country today. A new database reveals the businesses, families and monarchs enriched by slavery. And it’s forcing a reckoning in the UK that's long overdue. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on why the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has set its Doomsday Clock at 85 seconds to midnight, its highest estimate of the likelihood of global catastrophe. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Social media. Streaming. Swiping. Today, it's normal to reach for our phones when we're bored. But researchers say passive boredom like scrolling is not the kind of boredom that sparks creativity. How can we reclaim boredom in the digital age? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

An ever-warming world, rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers — it’s easy to despair over the climate crisis. But scientist Tim Lenton says not every tipping point leads to doom. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Family estrangement – cutting ties with a parent, grandparent, or sibling – is often seen as at odds with the meaning of family as we know it. Sociologist and author Rin Reczek says it’s time to rethink what family means and what we expect from it. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

153 million U.S. drivers' licenses were hacked and put up for sale on the Dark Web. That's more than half of all licensed drivers. How that happened and what it says about who's doing what with our data. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

What did the Jurassic world actually sound like? Using fossils and AI, scientists have reconstructed the calls of insects that lived alongside the dinosaurs. The result is the closest we've ever come to hearing prehistoric Earth. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty looks into the devotion of white evangelical Americans to Donald Trump and the power of political Christianity. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Ecologist Kullu Suryawanshi has spent 20 years tracking one of the most elusive animals in the world, deep in the mountains of Asia. What has he learned about snow leopards and the humans that share their home? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Top AI researchers and leaders worry AI is developing too fast. But critics argue the U.S. can't risk to slow down in its AI race with China. So, what might a slowdown look like and who would enforce it? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

A Virginia mom let her 5-year-old son take a walk alone in her gated community. The authorities found out and now she’s on Virginia's child abuse and neglect registry. Who decides what's in a child's best interest. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint