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
1351
How to Hold an Election During a Pandemic
COVID-19 will test our election infrastructure like never before.
25 min
1352
Can Congress Save the Economy?
A nearly $2 trillion dollar coronavirus rescue package hangs in the Senate’s balance.
18 min
1353
WN TBD: Big Tech Eyes the Pandemic
Silicon Valley’s biggest players have been trying to break into health care for years. The coronavirus may provide an opportunity.
20 min
1354
Italy's Message From the Future
“Did you think you were invincible? Did you think the virus would behave in a different way in America?”
18 min
1355
How Long This Could Last
The woman who used to advise the White House on pandemic preparedness tells us what to expect.
19 min
1356
We Still Have to Talk About Elizabeth Warren
This one hurts.
18 min
1357
Can Our Economy Handle This?
Congress is dithering while the Fed tries to prevent a financial disaster.
20 min
1358
An ER Doctor Prepares for the Worst
Hospitals are bracing for a surge in coronavirus cases, even as tests remain elusive.
15 min
1359
WN TBD: What If They Close All the Schools?
As the coronavirus spreads across the country, many schools are considering moving their classes online. For many, that’s not a realistic option.
15 min
1360
If Prisoners Could Vote
People behind bars weigh in on American politics.
22 min
1361
What the World Left Behind in Syria
Assad’s latest violent attempt to wrest control over the country has left millions of displaced Syrians with nowhere to go.
22 min
1362
Will the Coronavirus Tank the Economy?
A combination of volatile oil markets and the coronavirus could spell trouble.
20 min
1363
Donald Trump Wants Your Digits
The 2020 election will be decided, in part, by who can collect the most data.
22 min
1364
WN TBD: Did the Internet Doom a Pregnancy?
The real-life cost of online misinformation.
19 min
1365
How Biden Made His Comeback
And why so many black voters went for him.
21 min
1366
He Saw the Coronavirus Coming
It was only a matter of time.
17 min
1367
Who’s Left Standing for Super Tuesday?
Moderate Democrats launch a unity effort as Sanders defends his lead.
19 min
1368
Is The Border Patrol Accountable to Anyone?
The Supreme Court seems to be stepping aside.
20 min
1369
WN TBD: Did Money Corrupt an A.I. Utopia?
OpenAI was supposed to democratize the race to build artificial intelligence. Then profits got in the way.
17 min
1370
Can Bernie Beat Trump?
Older voters may hold him back.
20 min
1371
The Toxic Combo Behind Colorado’s Police Shootings
Police in Colorado shoot a person a week, on average. Drugs and guns have a lot to do with that high number.
22 min
1372
Did Bill Barr Break the Justice Department?
The attorney general is dismantling reforms that date back to the Watergate scandal.
22 min
1373
Why Republicans Always Win
A closer look at ALEC, the conservative organization created to (dominate state legislatures and) beat unions at their own game.
16 min
1374
WN TBD: Inside Facebook’s Supreme Court
The social network spent a year building its own version of an independent judiciary. Can it succeed?
19 min
1375
Will a Union Spoil Bernie’s Chances in Nevada?
The caucuses are becoming a curveball for Democrats.
16 min