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.
1101
Where is Brittney Griner?
The WNBA star has been detained by Russia since mid-February, with no signs of release on the horizon.
27 min
1102
TBD | The Cost of Going Off-Grid
Is there a downside to being entirely energy self-sufficent?
18 min
1103
TBD | Why the Zelensky Deepfake Failed
Even low-quality deepfakes can have an enormous impact.
19 min
1104
Syria Was Putin’s Testing Ground
And now he’s using the same tactics in Ukraine.
23 min
1105
Congress Is In Denial About COVID
Some federal COVID relief funds dry up this week – and it doesn’t look like new funding will be coming anytime soon.
22 min
1106
A Stalemate in Ukraine
An impasse doesn’t mean everyone goes home. It means the world witnesses a stupefying, deadly slog.
21 min
1107
What the Sackler Family Won
The people behind Purdue Pharma and the reckless marketing of OxyContin are about to pay out billions in return for civil immunity.
25 min
1108
TBD | The Startup Delivering Adderall
What happens when you pair the Silicon Valley playbook with prescription drugs?
15 min
1109
TBD | Hong Kong’s Covid Crisis
Why did the city fail to vaccinate its elderly population?
18 min
1110
What It Takes to Get an Abortion in Texas
Pro-choice advocates in the state are up against one of the most extreme abortion laws in the country.
22 min
1111
The Russian Media Crackdown
It’s getting harder for Russians to cut through the noise of state propaganda and censorship.
25 min
1112
What Banning Russian Oil Really Means
The U.S. ban of Russian oil wasn’t supposed to happen. So what led us here?
24 min
1113
The Persistence of Anti-Asian Violence
Faced with government inaction, community organizations are stepping up. But they say they shouldn’t have to.
23 min
1114
TBD | How Minnesota Spied On Protesters
Operation Safety Net was supposed to keep the peace during the Chauvin trial. Did it abuse its power?
17 min
1115
TBD | Putin's Internet Crackdown
The Kremlin is resorting to extreme measures to control the information landscape in Russia.
27 min
1116
On the Ground With a Ukrainian Journalist
“At the moment, I think I still can play an important role here… if I get drafted, I get drafted.”
21 min
1117
The January 6th Case Against Trump
Will the former president be held accountable for efforts to overturn the 2020 election?
23 min
1118
How Zelensky Met the Moment
Before the war, Ukraine’s president was regarded with tentative hope. Now, he’s a symbol of civic nationalism.
23 min
1119
The *New* New Phase of the Pandemic
With fresh guidelines from the CDC, the majority of Americans can now go mask free. Is it ok to stop worrying?
22 min
1120
TBD | When Your Retina Needs a Software Update
What do you do when your bionic eye becomes obsolete?
19 min
1121
TBD | Ukraine’s Information War
How the embattled country took control of the social media narrative.
18 min
1122
Europe’s Refugee Hypocrisy
It’s hard not to notice the stark difference between the treatment of Ukrainian refugees and non-European refugees.
26 min
1123
Putin Alone
A look at Putin’s shrinking inner circle.
23 min
1124
Texas’s Attack on Trans Kids
Goveror Greg Abbott has ordered Child Protective Services to begin investigating gender-affirming care as child abuse.
29 min
1125
President Biden’s First Supreme Court Pick
Why Judge Kentaji Brown Jackson was a strategic nomination.
23 min