Boston Public Radio Podcast

Jeffrey Thielman, president and CEO of the International Institute of New England, on their work resettling refugees and protecting immigrants.David Cash, former regional EPA director for New England, discusses Trump's energy plansShirley Leung on our modern oligarchy, with tech titans on bended knee for Trump.John King on Trump's executive orders

Today:Wrapped up in Trump’s day-one actions were a string of executive orders designed to upend U.S. immigration policy – We talk with Jeffrey Thielman, President and CEO the International Institute of New England. And, David Cash, who until yesterday 11:59 AM headed the New England branch of the Environmental Protection Agency… Now he’s watching Donald Trump do his best to dismantle U.S. climate policy. 

BPR 1/20: The Inauguration & MLK Day Special

Robert Pinsky is a three-time U.S. Poet Laureate, who’s performed alongside Bruce Springsteen and for Lisa Simpson. He joined alongside Berklee professor and bandmate Stan Strickland for Live Music Friday.Ron Mitchell & Breje Williams reflected on MLK’s legacy of activism ahead of MLK dayDiana DiZoglio on efforts to bring transparency to the state legislatureLaTosha Brown,activist & organizer behind Black Voters Matter, on Kamala’s loss, and the path towards equity under Trump 2.0.  

Today: LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter, reflects on the 2024 election, and the need to buckle in for the work of the next four years.And, three-time poet laureate Robert Pinsky joins for Live Music Friday, accompanied by Stan Strickland, ahead of a show at Regattabar in Harvard Square. 

Today:Legendary environmentalist Bill McKibben joins to discuss how the incoming energy secretary refuses to link the rise in wildfires to climate change … And how those fires are reshaping the home insurance industry.And, Boston University professor Anthony Jack studies higher education leadership. He chronicled the vast disparities among Harvard students during pandemic-related campus closures, and argues elite campuses remain very unequal in his new book:  “Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality & Students Pay the Price.”

NBC political director Chuck Todd returns for his Thursday D.C. roundup.Then we ask listeners about a potential TikTok ban. Former secretary of public safety, Andrea Cabral, weighs in on Pam Bondi's AG confirmation hearing, Jack Smith hanging up his hat and other law & order headlines.Environmentalist Bill McKibben returns for his monthly roundup of climate headlines. This week, that's the L.A. wildfires and climate resistance under Trump.Anthony Jack is a professor at Boston University and author of the book “Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality & Students Pay the Price.” He joins us to discuss. Am I the A-hole if I use the ADA stall when I don't have a disability? Callers discuss.

Today:We ask listeners to weigh in on Boston Mayor Michelle Wu not taking maternity leave after becoming just one of very few women to give birth while holding elected office … A source with intimate knowledge of the matter calls in.And, tech guru Andy Ihnatko explains what the end of Tik-Tok would look like, and why thousands of users are flocking to yet another China-owned video sharing app, instead of Mark Zuckerberg’s “Reels.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is not taking a maternity leave, after giving birth to her third child just two days ago. We open the phone lines to hear what listeners think about taking parental leave in a modern, working world. One caller has a lot to say...GBH executive arts editor Jared Bowen discusses the impact of the California fires on Hollywood and the Oscars. Plus, the MFA exhibit "Deep Waters: Four Artists and the Sea."NBC Boston's Sue O'Connell previews Biden's farewell address and discusses why 2025 could be the year of the "Alpha Male." Tech podcaster Andy Ihnatko discusses the imminent TikTok ban and Meta's end of fact checking.Boston Globe advice columnist Meredith Goldstein talks about recent letters about getting over divorce guilt and dealing with a partner lost to conspiracy theories. Plus, the start of a new season of the Loves Letters podcast. Then we open the phone lines to ask listeners how they maintain relationships (or not) with people across the political divide. 

BPR Full Show 1/14: Ask The Attorney General