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.
501
TBD | Stephen King on Why He's Not Paying Twitter
The horror writer dishes on his confusion about Twitter, Elon Musk, and more.
9 min
502
Fighting for the Right to Die
Her state didn’t allow terminally-ill patients the choice to end their lives—but Vermont did.
23 min
503
The Ballad of Tucker Carlson
How Fox’s most popular host followed his audience - until he was fired.
21 min
504
Beyond Stand Your Ground
How “self-defense” laws create a shoot-first mentality.
23 min
505
Why Evan Gershkovich Went to Russia
His latest appeal was rejected. What happens now?
22 min
506
TBD | "Crap Apps": Why Weather Apps Suck
Why our smartphone forecasts are so mercurial.
21 min
507
TBD | Will A.I. Close Off the Internet?
As A.I. companies are sucking up as much data as they can to train their systems, social platforms are starting to put their most valuable resource behind a paywall.
22 min
508
So Fox News, What Did We Learn?
With an audience this big—and fiercely loyal—who needs the truth?
23 min
509
Dianne Feinstein's Last Stand
Can the Democrats afford to let the California senator finish her term?
21 min
510
Fox News Goes to Court
Can Dominion prove “actual malice”?
28 min
511
He Couldn’t Teach ‘Slavery Was Wrong.’ So He Quit.
More teachers are quitting as a wave of restrictive legislation targets the nation’s educators.
25 min
512
TBD | Will Banning Social Media Help Kids?
What the science says about Utah’s social media ban for teens.
29 min
513
TBD | How Gamers Leaked Classified Pentagon Docs
How highly classified documents from the Pentagon ended up in a small Discord server.
30 min
514
Do Abortion Pills Actually Need FDA Approval?
A judge has revoked FDA approval of mifepristone. But the FDA could fight back - in more ways than one.
22 min
515
Narcan Over the Counter
How the emergency overdose treatment came to be—and came to be so necessary.
25 min
516
Tennessee’s House Divided
Days of public protest, open shouting from the Rotunda, and expulsions that broke on color lines.
27 min
517
Clarence Thomas’s Friends in High Places
Who is Harlan Crow and why is he the justice’s vacation benefactor?
26 min
518
TBD | Why Flying Is So Bad Now
A series of near misses, antiquated tech and a shortage of airline employees are exposing the cracks in our air travel system.
28 min
519
TBD | Wait, TikTok Has a Sister App?
While TikTok is in Washington’s crosshairs, Bytedance has been quietly pushing out Lemon8, a new social media app that promises to marry Instagram and Pinterest. Will it stick?
24 min
520
How Scared Should Trump Be?
No president has been indicted before, but Alvin Bragg isn’t in totally unprecedented legal territory.
23 min
521
Preventing Preventive Care
A federal judge has blocked a key provision of the ACA—who will step up to save it?
21 min
522
Wisconsin’s High-Stakes Supreme Court Race
How a down-ballot race could swing abortion rights, the House majority - even the 2024 presidential contest.
25 min
523
Trump Heads to Court
After a history-making indictment, the nation turns its attention to a Manhattan courtroom.
21 min
524
TBD | Seeking Asylum Via App
CBP’s glitchy smartphone app leaves desperate people searching for instructions, wifi and even phones to use it.
33 min
525
TBD | When A.I. Denies Your Health Care
A predictive algorithm tucked into Medicare Advantage plans is routinely denying coverage for patients, leaving them with little recourse.
26 min