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.
1
The Volunteers Taking on ICE
The Harbor Area Peace Patrol attempts to protect undocumented neighbors in southern California, one parking lot at a time.
24 min
2
Where Sports Betting Got Us
Just when you think it’s all apps, the Mafia pops back into the picture.
26 min
3
Shutting Down and Finding Out
The government shutdown now enters its fourth week. Will Democrats finally play hard ball?
24 min
4
TBD | Did The Trump Administration Censor Speech?
Anti-ICE posts and apps flourished online. The Trump administration had them taken down.
28 min
5
Bonus: The Scariest Halloween Costume
Which kind of chainsaw wielding maniac are YOU going as?
28 min
6
TBD | The AWS Outage is Only the Beginning
Why a mesh of cloud services and undersea cables make for a very delicate web.
28 min
7
Is the Peanut Allergy Dead?
Researchers reversed long-standing guidance about giving kids peanuts. It worked – a lot.
22 min
8
Why So Many Racist Group Chats?
From the chats to the policy proposals, no one’s hiding that the goal is a whiter America.
23 min
9
The Trump Doctrine in Latin America
Why Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado made sure to thank the president.
29 min
10
Are Democrats Already Fumbling a Win?
What weird state-wide races in Virginia tell us about 2026.
29 min
11
TBD | Why Bands Are Leaving Spotify
Xiu Xiu explains their decision to leave the streaming platform following Daniel Ek's investments in defense tech.
17 min
12
TBD | The Discourse: So…A.I. Is a Bubble Right?
No one knows what the product actually is, nor how to monetize it, but there's a chance it's propping up our entire economy.
16 min
13
TBD | Inside the MAGA Content Mill
How to make a city full of inflatable frog suits look like it needs the National Guard.
23 min
14
He Wrote About Anti-Fascism—Then Fled the Country
How a book Mark Bray wrote in 2017 led to death threats and Bray relocating his family to Spain.
31 min
15
Time for a Blue-State “Soft Secession”?
If the federal government is deadset on punishing states run by Democrats, what options do those states have?
22 min
16
Everything’s Coming Up Bari
Is Weiss perpetually on the rise, or is media coming down to her level?
25 min
17
Amicus | Dear Justice Kavanaugh, “I’m American,...
Why Brett Kavanaugh’s unconstitutional freestyling on racial profiling just landed all of us in deep trouble.
48 min
18
TBD | A.I. for Cops
Silicon Valley wants your police department to use artificial intelligence. Do you?
24 min
19
Bonus: SchadenFriday: Portland Puts A Frog On It
Looking for the silver-linings in a Portlandic “war zone.”
20 min
20
TBD | The People Suing ICE
How is the agency using spyware? They’re going to court to find out.
21 min
21
The People Joining ICE
As much of the government faces layoffs, slashed funding, and a shutdown, ICE’s budget has been tripled, and they’re casting a wide net for new recruits.
23 min
22
Inside the Portland “War Zone”
They blew up the Chicken Man in Portland last night…
26 min
23
Is the Gaza Deal Real?
Donald Trump’s premature announcement demonstrated just how much leverage he has over the situation.
26 min
24
When You’re A Justice They Let You Do It
Conversion therapy, racial redistricting, the president’s power to fire anyone he wants—are the conservatives lining ‘em up to knock ‘em down?
27 min
25
TBD | Saudi Arabia Gets into EA’s Games
What state investment in the video game company means for the industry.
20 min