Boston Public Radio

When news broke that a novel coronavirus which was first discovered in China was spreading it was reminiscent of the plots of some novels Dr. Robin Cook has written.

Economist Jonathan Gruber criticized President Trump's push for a payroll tax cut, and also called for the government to stimulate the production of a vaccine.

Theaters and museums have to find the balance between public safety and the success of their organizations.

"We're using ideological filtering, not science filtering," said medical ethicist Arthur Caplan.

Kayyem praised Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker for declaring a state of emergency due to coronavirus.

According to CNN's John King, it may depend on how the delegate lead shakes out.

Today:Boston Foundation president and CEO Lee Pelton discusses the organization's new ONE+ Boston mortgage program for low-income home buyers, and threats at the national level to the work nonprofits do.And, NBC Sports Boston anchor/reporter Trenni Casey discusses the soccer situation in the city, from stadiums to emerging teams.

Trenni Casey discussed the NCAA fining Ohio State & Michigan for a melee that broke out at their game on SundayLee Pelton of the Boston Foundation discussed ONE+ a new program focused on racial wealth disparities in the state; and TBF's housing report card.Jared Bowen discussed Luca Guadagnino's newest film with A24, "Queer"; and the box office success of Gladiator II.Sue O'Connell discussed brain rot, the Oxford University Press's word of the year

Today:Sue O’Connell fills in for Margery. We talk with two local mayors – of Salem and Attleboro – about the historic drought conditions in the state. And, Amherst College’s Ilan Stavans discusses the president-elect’s threat of day-one mass deportations.

We're back from Thanksgiving. To start the show we ask listeners what they think about President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter. GBH News Analyst Charlie Sennott discusses the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and Ukrainian president Zelensky saying he that he would cede Ukrainian territory for an end to the violence.Amherst college professor Ilan Stavans talks about Trump's tariff conversation with Mexico President Sheinbaum and lessons from the Chinese Exclusion Act on mass deportation.Mayors Dominick Pangallo (Salem) & Cathleen DeSimone (Attleboro) discuss how drought conditions across the state have impacted their respective cities.Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discusses the Shaws & Star Market merger and record spending on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Then we open up the phone lines to ask listeners about online shopping.

Today:Senior Foreign Correspondent for FRONTLINE, Martin Smith, is out with an sweeping, two-hour documentary on China’s rise to global superpower, Xi Jinping advancing their goals by means necessary.And, we talk with BSO Conductor and music director Andris Nelsons, who’s celebrating a milestone 10 years with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. And for the first time on our show, he’s joined by the BSO’s new CEO and President, Chad Smith.