
Israel’s endgame in Iran
Israel and the U.S. are fighting the Iran war together — but they may not have the same goals. What’s Israel’s strategy?

Are robo-referees making sports more fair or less fun?
Major League Baseball will add an automated ball-strike system next season. How human judgement is giving way to technology across the sports world, and what that means for players, umpires...

Can public media survive?
The U.S. Congress cut federal funding for public media, shuttering the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. What does that mean for the future of local news across the country?

The history and science behind why we're all vulnerable to brainwashing
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 Israeli government’s true goal in Gaza
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...
Support WBUR

The challenges facing the first-ever American pope
The world's 1.4 billion Catholics have a new pope, Leo XIV. But the church he now leads is far from unified. What does the global Catholic Church want from a...

Are Chinese commercial drones a threat to national security?
The Chinese-owned drone company DJI controls over 75% of the commercial U.S. drone market. Lawmakers say that its presence in the sky threatens American national security.

The Jackpod: Casualties of war
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the causes and consequences of the U.S.’s decade-long war with ISIS and its impact on American democracy.

Surviving in the ruins of northern Gaza
Humanitarian aid for Palestinians in northern Gaza is the lowest it's been in more than a year. People on the ground in Gaza share what, and who, could change the...

The leaders behind the fall of Boeing
Boeing has pled guilty to federal charges related to two deadly 737 MAX crashes. What went wrong in the Boeing C-suite?

Who is responsible for Boeing's decline?
Boeing has pleaded guilty to federal felony charges related to two deadly crashes of 737 Max jets. A detailed look at Boeing's two most recent CEOs, and what went wrong...

How Baltimore reopened its port after bridge collapse
The Port of Baltimore is back in business – 78 days after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River, blocking its shipping lanes. What it took to...

The rise of laser warfare
In April, the U.S. military deployed a pair of high energy lasers to combat enemy drones. Now that the once-imagined weaponry of science fiction is reality, how will it impact...

Inside China's citizen spy network
In China, Big Brother is most definitely watching. Estimates show up to 16 million Chinese citizens -- from university students to taxi drivers -- are political informants for the government.

China’s citizen surveillance network
The Chinese surveillance state is alive and thriving. In fact, up to 16 million Chinese citizens are estimated to be political informants.

Rebroadcast: U.S. military barracks are in shambles. Will the government take action?
A recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office reveals poor living conditions inside military barracks – from mold and exposed sewage, to broken windows, nonexistent HVAC systems and more.

Roundtable: What do ordinary Israelis want from their leaders?
More than six months since the Hamas attack on Israel, dozens of Israelis are still held hostage, over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, and there’s no peace in...

Whistleblowers, an executive shakeup, and the future of Boeing
Last month Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was found dead - an apparent suicide. He’d spent the last 7 years speaking out about Boeing’s declining safety and quality.

Lessons from Poland’s democratic resurgence
For almost a decade, Poland's democracy was in retreat. But last fall, Poland successfully elected a pro-democracy government coalition. What can the rest of the world learn?

U.S. military barracks are in shambles. Will the government take action?
A recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office reveals poor living conditions inside military barracks – from mold and exposed sewage, to broken windows, nonexistent HVAC systems and more.