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.

News
851
How This Trump Trial Is Different
The making of a federal case.
23 min
852
The Liberal Case Against Affirmative Action
Can a “class-based” approach be fairer and make for more diversity on campus?
26 min
853
TBD | Are You Ready For A.I. Generated Actors?
The future actors are worried about may be waiting in the wings.
29 min
854
Amicus: Did John Roberts Really Just Save Votin...
The surprise opinion in voting rights blockbuster Allen v Milligan, from a court in search of a new center (and some respect).
27 min
855
TBD | Is Crypto Toast?
Lawsuits against two of the biggest crypto exchanges show exactly what the SEC thinks of the industry.
30 min
856
After They Testified: The Drag King Who Loves P...
A drag performer and lip-syncer speaks their own truth to Texas lawmakers.
24 min
857
How Putin’s Chef Became Putin’s Butcher
The Wagner Group has been crucial to Russia’s war in Ukraine — but now, its leader says the Russian military is targeting… them.
23 min
858
Can the Feds Lower Your Rent?
The housing crisis is a nationwide, local problem.
25 min
859
Do Work Requirements Work?
The debt ceiling deal will make getting government benefits harder for a growing, vulnerable population.
21 min
860
TBD | Tech’s Newest Trillion Dollar Company
Nvidia’s valuation has ballooned off the back of A.I. hype, putting it in league with companies like Apple and Alphabet. Are they here to stay?
20 min
861
TBD | When Your Childhood Was Their Content
The first generation to grow up with their entire childhood documented on social media is coming of age—and wondering how to get some privacy.
24 min
862
After They Testified: The Trans Pharmacist Who ...
Gwen Herzig went to the legislature to share her medical expertise on trans health care. What came next was humiliating.
24 min
863
New Sex Abuse Charges Roil the Catholic Church
What the Illinois AG’s report says about where the church is now.
20 min
864
Covering the Supreme Court
The press has to see the Roberts court for the political body it is—and report accordingly.
26 min
865
Decoder Ring: Why You Can’t Find a Damn Parking...
Parking is a mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. We can get ourselves out of it.
34 min
866
TBD | The Trouble With TikTok Songs
Sped-up versions of songs are siphoning off already-paltry streaming revenues.
18 min
867
TBD | Tweetering on the Glass Cliff
Is Elon Musk’s CEO pick set up to fail?
20 min
868
DeSantis Makes It Official
He’s got a proven track record winning both elections and battles in the culture war. He just isn’t Donald Trump.
23 min
869
Republicans' Stealth Plan to Ban Abortions
How a 150-year-old law could give anti-abortion activists the win they’re still chasing.
18 min
870
The Navajo Fight for Water
As states struggle to divvy up the Colorado River, the federal government has another obligation to fulfill.
19 min
871
How the Next Pandemic Starts
If we keep encroaching on wild animals’ habitats, we’ll catch what they’re catching.
23 min
872
TBD | A Tipping Point for Digital Tipping
Why exactly are self-service checkouts asking us to pay more?
28 min
873
TBD: Why Sports Are All in on Betting
The tech that turned sports gambling from an illegal vice to an inescapable cash cow.
24 min
874
North Carolina’s Rush to Restrict Abortion
Its time as a regional outlier in reproductive freedom ends with an overridden veto.
23 min
875
The Roots of Latino White Supremacy
When race cuts across ethnicity.
21 min