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
976
TBD | Let’s Talk, Chatbots
ChatGPT is better than any chatbot that came before it.
28 min
977
Can Iran's Protest Movement Survive?
After criticizing the Iranian regime, rapper Toomaj Salehi is in prison, under threat of execution. Will thousands of protesters face his fate?
25 min
978
What It Took for a Red State to Pause Executions
After string of botched lethal injections in Alabama, capital punishment’s days may be numbered.
26 min
979
The Last Senate Race
What’s still-to-be decided by Warnock vs. Walker in Georgia.
23 min
980
Out of Afghanistan
After escaping the Taliban, refugees must navigate America’s bewildering bureaucracy.
27 min
981
TBD | Big Tech’s Boogeymen In Washington
Is the most aggressive antitrust team in decades capable of reining in Silicon Valley?
34 min
982
TBD | Twitter's Vulnerabilities, Exposed
Elon's Twitter had its first test against bad actors from a foreign country. It didn't go well.
26 min
983
China’s Revolt Against “Zero COVID”
Three years of intense lockdowns is proving to be too much—for the people and the party.
24 min
984
It Isn't Time to Negotiate in Ukraine...Yet
As Russia and Ukraine settle into a winter stalemate, they still aren’t ready to try diplomacy.
21 min
985
Is This the End of College Rankings?
Law schools are leading the exodus from U.S. News & World Report’s “beauty contest.”
27 min
986
Hakeem Jeffries’ House
Progressives hoping for a big shift from the Pelosi era shouldn’t hold their breath.
22 min
987
TBD | The Trap of Buy Now, Pay Later
They're billed as a safe alternative to credit cards. But only if you use it responsibly.
30 min
988
Ticketmaster's Swift Meltdown
The trouble with Ticketmaster began long before the Eras Tour, with a grunge band’s defiance and a controversial decision from the U.S. Department of Justice.
29 min
989
Why Outlawing Slavery Won't Outlaw Slavery—Yet
State ballot initiatives took aim at an exemption written right into the 13th Amendment.
22 min
990
The Real Danger of Fentanyl
The problem has little to do with illegal immigration.
25 min
991
TBD | The End of the Tech Boom
After decades of growth, tech companies are now focusing on profits.
27 min
992
TBD | The Case Against Climate Reparations
There’s a great moral argument. Practically, it falls apart.
29 min
993
The Shiny New Target for Political Spending
Whether it's allowed or not, partisan politics—and all the money that entails—have come to judicial races.
18 min
994
Will SCOTUS Take Native Children Away From Thei...
Brackeen v. Haaland could impact everything from child adoption to tribal land rights to native sovereignty.
25 min
995
How New York Democrats Blew It
The road to potentially losing the House of Representatives started with an overreaching redistricting map of the Empire State.
26 min
996
The Far Right’s Alarming Rise in Israel
Palestinians in Israel brace as Benjamin Netanyahu returns to lead a hard-right coalition government.
24 min
997
TBD | Is This The Cryptocalypse?
How will the demise of the second-largest crypto exchange affect the industry?
28 min
998
TBD | Senator Chris Murphy on Elon's Acquisitio...
Why he asked the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review Saudi Arabia's considerable stake in Twitter.
17 min
999
Did Trump Crash the Red Wave?
Republicans made gains in the midterms but fell well short of expectations. Why?
24 min
1000
What Texas' Attacks on Trans Healthcare Did to ...
When Governor Abbott directed the state to investigate gender-affirming care as child abuse, trans kids and their families had to decide if Texas could still be home. Many left.
25 min