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
1526
Larry Kramer Wouldn't Be Quiet
How Kramer's uncompromising activism is a lesson for this moment.
22 min
1527
Remembering RBG
Justice Ginsburg’s theory of change was a slow one.
25 min
1528
Grief, Comedy, and COVID
Dying from the coronavirus isn't funny. Laurie Kilmartin is.
23 min
1529
Teaching Is Hell Right Now
“Remote learning” was hard. “Hybrid learning” is worse.
19 min
1530
A History of Violent Protest
Big structural change in America doesn’t happen without violence.
26 min
1531
He Saw the Coronavirus Coming
Where this pandemic originated, and how we can prevent the next one.
20 min
1532
Finally, a Deal
Is it perfect? No, of course not.
24 min
1533
Could the U.S. Have Stopped Russia’s Hack?
Security experts have called for a clear cyber warfare policy for decades. The U.S. still hasn’t worked one out.
20 min
1534
A Republican in Georgia on the Party's Civil War
And why this internecine fighting shouldn’t surprise you.
22 min
1535
What Is ICE After Trump?
There’s zero chance President-elect Joe Biden will abolish ICE. Can he transform it?
23 min
1536
Florida’s Fight for COVID Data
Ron DeSantis appears to be in denial about the extent of the pandemic and what his administration could do to minimize viral spread.
22 min
1537
TBD | Was This Google Ethicist Fired for Doing ...
A leader in the field of ethical AI was abruptly let go by the search giant.
20 min
1538
Who Gets the Vaccine First?
The answer: it depends.
19 min
1539
TBD | Everybody Sues Facebook
This isn’t the first antitrust suit against a big tech company, but it is the most ambitious.
20 min
1540
What if the U.S. Just Didn’t?
America has an opportunity to take a back seat and embrace global collaboration.
23 min
1541
What Does the Teachers Union Want?
It’s actually pretty simple.
22 min
1542
How Cherokee Nation Is Beating Back COVID
Pandemic preparation done right.
23 min
1543
The NFL vs. COVID-19
A “rub some dirt in it” approach to the pandemic.
23 min
1544
TBD | How Hackers Hold Schools for Ransom
When classes move online, hackers see an opportunity.
20 min
1545
Making a Vaccine Go Viral
How do we get people to trust this thing?
20 min
1546
Biden’s Window of Opportunity With Iran
A nuclear scientist’s assassination started a ticking clock.
20 min
1547
Can Janet Yellen Save the Economy?
The progressivism of Biden’s choice for Treasury secretary.
22 min
1548
A Contact Tracer on Her Overwhelming Job
“What scares me is -- what are we going to be left with?”
25 min
1549
A Small Business Finds Opportunity In Crisis
One Chicago retailer tries to turn his boutique into a beacon of hope.
22 min
1550
A House Democrat Reflects on Her Defeat
“We pounded them on covid and they pounded us on socialism.”
28 min