KCRW's To the Point

President Obama says the Gerrymandering of congressional district boundaries allows politicians to pick the voters rather than the other way around. It’s a historical process that’s being legally challenged in several states with potential consequences for this November’s elections.

Millions are expected this weekend in Northern California for the 50th Super Bowl, but it won't be all about party time.  There's new evidence of a long-suspected link between the big game and human trafficking.

Last night's Iowa caucuses helped to clarify the campaigns of both political parties -- but not enough for confident predictions about what's next. We hear about the upcoming challenges for candidates claiming victory — and those perceived to have lost.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that "kids are different," but thousands of juveniles are still being tried as grown-ups. They're often confined with adult prisoners—even when their crimes are not serious or violent. We hear how the war on crime eroded juvenile justice.

Despite mass shootings, including the slaughter of children in Newtown, Connecticut, Congress has refused President Obama's demands for new gun control. This week's executive actions guarantee the issue will be part of a presidential campaign ? for the first time since the year 2000.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are using religious differences to inflame their deep-seated rivalry for power and influence ? creating new instability in the Middle East. We hear what's at stake for the Iran nuclear deal, Syria's civil war, the fight against ISIS ? and America's interests.

The many Republican and Democratic candidates for president are finally about to be subject to the views of prospective voters, not just public opinion polls. The Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary could be crucial in shaping this year's campaign for the White House. 

Mark Zuckerberg has already changed the world we all live in.  Now he wants to change the world that future generations will live in, too.

Each day on our program we bring you a "Talking Point," about issues and events that help define the national conversation even when they're not leading the news. Today, a collection of our favorites.

The gold rush is on for the world's oceans and their resources. They promise not just oil, but precious minerals, potential biofuels, food sources, medical discoveries, and strategic advantages for the world's superpowers. Will this new Blue Economy stress the ocean's already fragile ecosystem beyond its breaking point?

Pharmaceutical start-ups are increasingly using drug patent loopholes to jack up prices on old drugs. It's just one example of the wild west of drug pricing. Unlike Europe and Canada, the US doesn't negotiate the price of drugs or provide caps. Guest host Barbara Bogaev asks whether costs are out of control, and explores what should be done about it.

As college application deadlines loom, parents, educators and mental health professionals are asking if the amped up pressure on kids to get into elite schools has pushed students to the breaking point.

America's crackdown on crime is giving way to concern about the high-cost of mass incarceration. President Obama wants to give Pell Grants for college to inmates in prison ? to find out if higher education makes them less likely to commit new crimes. Researchers say he already knows the answer.

Tech companies claim that analyzing big data can predict crime and help to prevent it. That sounds like science fiction, but police agencies around the country are buying into it ? with federal assistance. Critics say it's science fiction after all ? with the risk of violating civil rights and eroding public confidence. Is it making law enforcement more efficient and more effective or reinforcing the biases that are leading to the erosion of public trust? 

Online shopping is the big story this holiday season? and that means Amazon. We hear how it's become an unstoppable force in ecommerce?and what that means for a changing economy.