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
1201
TBD | Hong Kong’s Covid Crisis
Why did the city fail to vaccinate its elderly population?
18 min
1202
What It Takes to Get an Abortion in Texas
Pro-choice advocates in the state are up against one of the most extreme abortion laws in the country.
22 min
1203
The Russian Media Crackdown
It’s getting harder for Russians to cut through the noise of state propaganda and censorship.
25 min
1204
What Banning Russian Oil Really Means
The U.S. ban of Russian oil wasn’t supposed to happen. So what led us here?
24 min
1205
The Persistence of Anti-Asian Violence
Faced with government inaction, community organizations are stepping up. But they say they shouldn’t have to.
23 min
1206
TBD | How Minnesota Spied On Protesters
Operation Safety Net was supposed to keep the peace during the Chauvin trial. Did it abuse its power?
17 min
1207
TBD | Putin's Internet Crackdown
The Kremlin is resorting to extreme measures to control the information landscape in Russia.
27 min
1208
On the Ground With a Ukrainian Journalist
“At the moment, I think I still can play an important role here… if I get drafted, I get drafted.”
21 min
1209
The January 6th Case Against Trump
Will the former president be held accountable for efforts to overturn the 2020 election?
23 min
1210
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
1211
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
1212
TBD | When Your Retina Needs a Software Update
What do you do when your bionic eye becomes obsolete?
19 min
1213
TBD | Ukraine’s Information War
How the embattled country took control of the social media narrative.
18 min
1214
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
1215
Putin Alone
A look at Putin’s shrinking inner circle.
23 min
1216
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
1217
President Biden’s First Supreme Court Pick
Why Judge Kentaji Brown Jackson was a strategic nomination.
23 min
1218
The Long View on Russia’s Invasion
When it comes to answering Putin’s aggression, looking back might show the way forward.
24 min
1219
TBD | Peter Thiel, Patron of the Populist Right
Why the enigmatic founder and investor is turning his attention to politics full-time.
20 min
1220
TBD | Russia's Other Battlefront
Vladimir Putin has spent years testing an arsenal of cyber weapons against Ukraine.
21 min
1221
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
1222
Putin’s Obsession With Ukraine
The Russian narrative is that the former Soviet state is rightfully theirs.
27 min
1223
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
1224
TBD | The COVAX Fantasy
How a plan to vaccinate the world came undone.
25 min
1225
TBD | "Rampant Racism" at Tesla
What's happening inside Elon Musk's Fremont plant?
18 min