Boston Public Radio

Our weekly news quiz featured Shakespearean shenanigans.

When Botham Jean’s brother Brandt took the stand at the sentencing of his brother’s killer Amber Guyger, he had an unusual request for the judge. On the stand, Brandt forgave Guyger for killing his brother, and asked the judge if he could hug her. The judge allowed it.

Harvard's admissions process passes muster in federal court, but isn't perfect, Reville said.

Roosevelt introduced sweeping progressive policies with his New Deal. Can today's progressives do the same around climate change?

MGH employees do more than take care of patients — they also sing!

The civil rights organization wants more information about potential civil rights violations.

Retired federal judge Nancy Gertner on a growing number of whistleblowers claiming top DOJ officials said the department could ignore numerous court orders. Is this the new normal under President Trump, and what does it say about our courts’ ability to check the powers of the executive? Former Boston Globe editor, now head of BU Journalism, Brian McGrory on more news of Steward Health CEO Ralph de la Torre – a bankruptcy case alleges he and other executives defrauded the company of over $200 million, leading to the hospital chain’s collapse. We get Brian’s take on that and other media news.Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther explains how a drop in international tourists — namely proud Canadians boycotting Trump policies — is hurting the U.S. economy. And we’ll get his no-holds-barred review on live music at Logan airport. Mass League of Community Health Centers' CEO Michael Curry discusses how the tragic nursing home fire in Fall River is prompting a closer look at how the state regulates those facilities. Plus, he talks about the public health impacts of Trump’s war on DEI.

Today:We’ll start with Live Music Friday, from Irish folk band Solas performing for us ahead of the Lowell Folk Festival.And, Massachusetts Congressman Jake Auchincloss joins us with MIT economist Jon Gruber – making the case for new cities -- as in, we need to build a lot of housing, and quickly, if we’re going to get ourselves out of the housing crisis.

Local woman, coyote wrangler and NBC10 Boston's Sue O'Connell guest hosts with Jim.Julie Millican, Vice President of Media Matters, joins for this week’s edition of Press Play media analysis. Irish folk band Solas performs ahead of this weekend's Lowell Folk Festival. We also talk with festival founders Seamus Eagan and Winnie Hogan, plus executive director Lee Viliesis.GBH's Callie Crossley discusses a protest on Nantucket against Vice President JD Vance, WBZ layoffs, Trump’s latest push to prevent “woke AI," new Obama conspiracy theories and reflections on the death of Hulk Hogan and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Rep. Jake Auchincloss and MIT economist Jon Gruber join to talk about their recent essay called “The Case for New Cities."

Today:Omer Bartov is the Dean’s Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University. He joins us to discuss his view that Israel’s ongoing actions in Gaza constitute genocide.Then GBH CEO Susan Goldberg stops by studio 3 to update us on the impacts of losing federal funding.

BPR Full Show 7/24: The Towel Wasting Family