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.


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Daily News
News Commentary
Politics
1126
How Zelensky Met the Moment
Before the war, Ukraine’s president was regarded with tentative hope. Now, he’s a symbol of civic nationalism.
23 min
1127
The *New* New Phase of the Pandemic
With fresh guidelines from the CDC, the majority of Americans can now go mask free. Is it ok to stop worrying?
22 min
1128
TBD | When Your Retina Needs a Software Update
What do you do when your bionic eye becomes obsolete?
19 min
1129
TBD | Ukraine’s Information War
How the embattled country took control of the social media narrative.
18 min
1130
Europe’s Refugee Hypocrisy
It’s hard not to notice the stark difference between the treatment of Ukrainian refugees and non-European refugees.
26 min
1131
Putin Alone
A look at Putin’s shrinking inner circle.
23 min
1132
Texas’s Attack on Trans Kids
Goveror Greg Abbott has ordered Child Protective Services to begin investigating gender-affirming care as child abuse.
29 min
1133
President Biden’s First Supreme Court Pick
Why Judge Kentaji Brown Jackson was a strategic nomination.
23 min
1134
The Long View on Russia’s Invasion
When it comes to answering Putin’s aggression, looking back might show the way forward.
24 min
1135
TBD | Peter Thiel, Patron of the Populist Right
Why the enigmatic founder and investor is turning his attention to politics full-time.
20 min
1136
TBD | Russia's Other Battlefront
Vladimir Putin has spent years testing an arsenal of cyber weapons against Ukraine.
21 min
1137
The Anti-Government Blueprint in California
A takeover of local government in Shasta County, California could set a blueprint for far-right groups nationwide.
27 min
1138
Putin’s Obsession With Ukraine
The Russian narrative is that the former Soviet state is rightfully theirs.
27 min
1139
The Path to the Sandy Hook Settlement
A deft legal strategy led to the largest payout by a gun manufacturer in a mass shooting case.
24 min
1140
TBD | The COVAX Fantasy
How a plan to vaccinate the world came undone.
25 min
1141
TBD | "Rampant Racism" at Tesla
What's happening inside Elon Musk's Fremont plant?
18 min
1142
The Olympics’ Latest Doping Scandal
A Russian figure skater’s drug test has the international sports world spiraling.
26 min
1143
A Trump Protege Auditions for 2024
Why the Florida governor’s blitz of conservative proposals and policies matters right now.
22 min
1144
Sarah Palin v. the New York Times
The judge plans to dismiss this case. So why isn’t it going away?
24 min
1145
Where Does Minneapolis Go Now?
A city councilman struggles to balance his own desire for radical policing reform and an electorate that’s not so sure.
28 min
1146
TBD | The Rise of a Fast Fashion Juggernaut
Shein isn’t just changing the fast fashion industry. It’s changing the way Americans shop.
15 min
1147
TBD | How Safe is the Metaverse?
For early adopters, there’s a dark underbelly to Meta’s new world.
22 min
1148
What You Don’t See At The Olympics
The shiny China presented during the games masks years of human rights abuses against the country’s Uyghur minority.
27 min
1149
The Canadian Trucker Revolt
Why are hundreds of semi-trucks parked outside of the Canadian parliament?
23 min
1150
When Planned Parenthood Burns Down
The brick-and-mortar space isn’t the only thing that needs to be rebuilt.
25 min