What Next Plus
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.
401
Why Tuition’s So Damn High
State schools across the country are trying to raise their rankings no matter the cost—because students foot the bill.
21 min
402
TBD | Digital Life After Death
Is the ghost of your online life destined to haunt your friends and family?
23 min
403
TBD | How Crypto Fails Sex Workers
Why sex workers turned to crypto, and how crypto turned on them.
22 min
404
Who Failed Hawaii?
Did an aging electrical grid, a failed warning system, or an overstretched fire department contribute to the deadliest American wildfire in a century?
18 min
405
Fani Willis Takes on Trump
How bluster became a criminal conspiracy to disenfranchise Black voters.
22 min
406
The Trials of Hunter Biden
Searching for straight answers in the legal turmoil that surrounds the president’s son.
21 min
407
Trump’s Spiraling Legal Fees
With every indictment, Trump gets another fundraising boost—and another huge legal expense.
19 min
408
TBD | Tech's Mask Off Moment
Richard Hanania exposes ugly truths about the power and politics of the tech industry.
26 min
409
TBD | Can Smart Guns Save Lives?
Is a gun only you can shoot really safer than a regular firearm?
26 min
410
Justice for the Gilgo Beach Murder Victims
All these years later, questions remain about whose disappearance gets investigated—and whose families are left to wonder.
24 min
411
Haiti’s Kidnapping Crisis
Though the international response has been slow, Kenya has offered help.
18 min
412
Judges on the Trump Trials
How Judges Aileen Cannon and Tanya Chutkan will preside.
26 min
413
Florida Public Schools' New Anti-Woke Partner
How right-wing propaganda made it into Florida classrooms.
23 min
414
TBD | Another Summer of COVID
COVID infections are up this summer - again. But it's hard to tell just how bad it is.
25 min
415
TBD | Tesla's Big Lie
Elon Musk’s most recent scandal may upend the way we think of an electric future.
26 min
416
It’s Hot as Hell. Why Are Pools Closed?
Americans are hot,sweaty, and eager to learn how to swim. But public pools across the country are closed.
22 min
417
U.S. vs Trump
It’s the first indictment to tackle the former president’s alleged attempts to interfere in the 2020 election—and cover it up.
22 min
418
After the Strike
Winning a new contract was the end of the strike. The fight is still ongoing.
22 min
419
Congress Wants to Know: Do Aliens Exist?
Three officials say UFOs aren’t just real; in the military, they’re an open secret.
26 min
420
TBD | America’s Downtown Ghost Towns
What happens to those offices when employees don’t “return to work?”
29 min
421
TBD | Washington vs. A.I.
The government's starting to focus on regulating A.I. But have they learned from their previous tech regulation woes?
24 min
422
Jason Aldean’s “Dog-Whistle Anthem”
How “Try That in a Small Town” outraged the left, tickled the right – and shot up the charts.
24 min
423
Has Netanyahu Lost Control?
From progressive protesters to far-right politicos, Israel’s Prime Minister no longer has his hands on the wheel.
21 min
424
How Far Will Texas Go?
The Justice Department plans to sue Texas over a recent escalation at the border. Governor Abbott says - “see you in court.”
24 min
425
Climate Change Goes to Court
Can we sue our way out of the climate crisis?
24 min