What Next | Daily News and Analysis

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.


Get more of What Next with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of What Next and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/whatnextplus for access wherever you listen.

Daily News
News Commentary
Politics
651
Congress Wants to Know: Do Aliens Exist?
Three officials say UFOs aren’t just real; in the military, they’re an open secret.
26 min
652
TBD | America’s Downtown Ghost Towns
What happens to those offices when employees don’t “return to work?”
29 min
653
TBD | Washington vs. A.I.
The government's starting to focus on regulating A.I. But have they learned from previous efforts to keep an eye on the tech industry?
24 min
654
Jason Aldean’s “Dog-Whistle Anthem”
How “Try That in a Small Town” outraged the left, tickled the right – and shot up the charts.
24 min
655
Has Netanyahu Lost Control?
From progressive protesters to far-right politicos, Israel’s Prime Minister no longer has his hands on the wheel.
21 min
656
How Far Will Texas Go?
The Justice Department just sued Texas over its plans for the border. Governor Abbott says - “see you in court.”
24 min
657
Climate Change Goes to Court
Can we sue our way out of the climate crisis?
24 min
658
TBD | Why Tech Lays Women Off First
Rounds of layoffs have disproportionately affected women in tech—including those on maternity leave.
27 min
659
TBD | America’s $5 Trillion Grid Problem
The electric grid is the only thing making parts of America habitable this summer. It desperately needs a makeover.
24 min
660
Judging the Supreme Court
Senate Democrats want the Court to adopt a code of ethics. Do the Justices have to listen?
22 min
661
The Indefensible Defense Bill
The National Defense Authorization Act has been drafted into the culture wars.
19 min
662
How Hollywood Shot Itself in the Foot
The paltry wages of the streaming economy made these strikes inevitable.
29 min
663
Thousand-Year Floods, Annually
The floodplain maps are falling out of relevance faster than they can be replaced.
21 min
664
TBD | America’s Killer Car Problem
U.S. infrastructure doesn't prioritize the lives of pedestrians. Why?
32 min
665
TBD | Will UPS Workers Join "Hot Strike Summer?"
It's not just Hollywood—UPS workers may soon be striking too.
29 min
666
QAnon Goes to the Movies
How "The Sound of Freedom" wove conspiracy theories into box office gold.
23 min
667
What Homelessness Is Really Like
A landmark study on the crisis in California.
27 min
668
Can’t Stand the Heat
The smoke, the malaria, the straining infrastructure—it’s all exacerbated by heat.
26 min
669
Can Moms for Liberty Swing an Election?
Their conference drew both protestors and presidential candidates—but what’s the endgame for these moms?
22 min
670
TBD | Is Your Son Watching Andrew Tate?
How one of the biggest misogynists on the internet infected the mindset of a generation of teenage boys.
33 min
671
TBD | Threads vs. Twitter
If your rate limit has been exceeded one too many times, Mark Zuckerberg is here with an alternative.
24 min
672
Is Biden To Blame for the Student Debt Mess?
The administration chose speed over sound, legal footing—and got burned.
24 min
673
Beyond Biden vs. Trump
How a third party—or a fourth or a sixth—could be more than just a spoiler.
24 min
674
Slow Burn: A National Disgrace
What if Anita Hill hadn’t been the only woman who testified against Clarence Thomas?
63 min
675
Justice Roberts Takes Back the Court
Imagine, if you will, a Supreme Court where justices accept lavish, undisclosed gifts from conservative donors: what might their latest term look like?
24 min