To the Point

On this special end-of-the-year edition of To the Point we’re rebroadcasting some of our favorite author interviews from 2013. 

Utah could become the 18th state to permit same-sex marriage, with court cases in 17 other states. Will 2013 be the tipping point for same-sex marriage in America?

Half as many college students major in humanities as did 50 years ago. What's at stake when higher education becomes more career focused and fewer study the humanities?

We look at how the Winter Olympics in Sochi are shaping up, despite construction delays, reports of corruption, and the controversy over Russia's stance on gay rights.

Recent mayoral elections turned on class than race as multi-ethnic coalitions focused on the economy. With further federal help unlikely, are big cities on their own?

Despite talks scheduled next month between Syria's government and rebels, fighting continues and there's concern that the war will finally be decided on the battlefield.

Are sudden pardons a PR move to counter international criticism of Russia's record on human rights, or is President Putin responding to larger forces, at home and abroad?

Bloomberg and the New York Times have been main targets of a crackdown on western journalists in China. What it will mean for what we know about an important world power.

Robots are here to stay: in factories and homes — from real-world battlefields to popular culture. We talk about robotics and the increased interaction of robots with human beings. 

We look at how Washington's first budget agreement in three years brought an end to paralysis, and how long that's likely to last.