Boston Public Radio

Tensions between Iran and the United States intensified in the days following the killing of the Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani by the United States.

WGBH Reporter Adam Reilly and Joanna Weiss of Experience Magazine joined Boston Public Radio to talk national and local politics.

Two owners of local sustainable business ventures joined Boston Public Radio for our weekly news quiz.

The CNN analyst offered her take on Thursday’s killing of Qassem Soleimani.

On Friday, Beat the Press host Emily Rooney shared her list of predictions for 2020.

Former governor and presidential candidate Deval Patrick said that slain Iranian Maj. Gen. Qaseem Soleimani deserved “the worst" on Friday.

An effort backed by the Trump administration to speed up slaughter lines of pigs is facing legal challenges from food workers' unions that argue the new rules will put laborers in danger. Food policy expert Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio Thursday to discuss the new rule, and the workers' safety complaint. "This makes my blood boil. Already the line speeds, the industrial processing allowed in big meat slaughterhouses is hugely dangerous to workers," said Kummer. "They get mad cow brain disease if they're working on the line slicing open brains of pigs and beef and they do, and they have progressive neurological diseases, and meat companies just through them out the door and say, 'We don't owe you any disability.'" The suit challenges the Department of Agriculture's move to eliminate maximum speed guidelines that the agency estimated would provide annual savings in the millions of dollars for large plants. Kummer said this rule expressly throws worker safety out the window in favor of industry benefits. "These new laws friendly to industry increasing line speed, the USDA said we don't care about overload, burnout, physical toll and repetitive stress injury, we're not even going to weigh that in our final rules, we're going to leave that for OSHA," he said. "What they're doing is destroying the health of the workers and even saying flat out, 'We don't care we're going to leave it to OSHA to come in and try and mop up the mess.'" Corby Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrtition Science and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to callers to hear their thoughts on Trump’s choice to not comply with House impeachment proceedings. Media maven Sue O’Connell discussed three LGBT descrimination cases that the Supreme Court heard on Tuesday. CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem discussed President Trump’s decision to pull troops out of northeast Syria, as well as the latest on the House impeachment inquiry. WGBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen reviewed Trinity Rep’s production of “Prince of Providence,” as well as “Homer at the Beach,” a gallery of Winslow Homer paintings on display at the Cape Ann Museum. Listeners phoned in to discuss whether cell phones have any place in theaters and schools. Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam discussed his latest piece, which bemoans a new interior design trend: Judging books exclusively by their covers and using them as decorative objects. Listeners phoned in to give their thoughts on reading in 2019.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to callers to ask: in light of accusations that he solicited sex workers at a Florida spa, is the NFL doing enough about New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft? Author Holly Jackson discussed her new book, “American Radicals: How Nineteenth Century Protest Shaped the Nation.” Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed Sen. Bernie Sanders’ recent heart attack, and the questions it’s raised about whether public officials have an obligation to disclose personal health issues. Attorney General Maura Healey responded to questions from callers as part of her monthly “Ask the AG” series. CNN chief national correspondent John King discussed the latest national headlines, including the House's subpoena of EU ambassador Gordon Sondland following Tuesday morning's canceled deposition.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Shannon O’Brien and Charlie Chieppio discussed the latest national and local headlines, including impeachment news and Ed Markey’s pursuit of an environmental debate against Senate seat rival Joe Kennedy. Charlie Sennott discussed fallout from Hong Kong’s ban on face masks, Boris Johnson’s plan for Brexit, and the U.S.’ decision to pull troops from Northeast Syria. We opened our lines to callers to hear their thoughts on impeachment proceedings. TV guru Bob Thompson discussed CNN’s decision not to air an attack ad by President Trump. He also reviewed Masterpiece’s new series “PRESS", along with "El Camino", the new movie set in the Breaking Bad universe. *All Rev’d Up *hosts Irene Monroe and Emmett G Price III discussed Brandt Jean forgiving his brother’s killer, as well as the passing of actress Diahann Carol. With National Hispanic Heritage Month under way, inaugural poet Richard Blanco read a selection of self-penned poems dealing with Hispanic identity. Boston City Councilor At-Large Michelle Wu discussed her latest report on the benefits of disbanding the Boston Planning and Development Agency.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to callers to hear their thoughts on the latest regarding House impeachment proceedings. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed Mark Zuckerberg’s leaked memo to Facebook employees, where he spoke on the threat of a potential Elizabeth Warren presidency. He also discussed Amazon’s foray into wearable tech. Emily Rooney, host of WGBH News' Beat the Press, joined to give her weekly list of fixations and fulminations. Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung discussed her recent column asking whether affirmative action will ever not be necessary in American schools. NPR Correspondent and writer Aarti Shahani discussed her new memoir “Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares." Callie Crossley, host of WGBH’s Under The Radar, discussed a Dallas judge’s sympathy for former Dallas police officer Amber Guyer following her murder conviction. Actors Will Lebow and Jeremy Webb of “Rozencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” joined us for our weekly news quiz.