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
1301
Is It Time for Democrats to Panic?
Cutting through the hype around Virginia’s governor’s race.
21 min
1302
White Supremacy on Trial in Charlottesville
Previous trials have gone after individuals; this one’s going after a movement.
27 min
1303
A Rust-Belt City Might Elect a Socialist
India Walton would be the first socialist mayor around the country in over half a century.
25 min
1304
How Long Can Mark Zuckerberg Be King?
Facebook can’t dominate the internet of the future if it’s widely considered to be indifferent to human suffering.
28 min
1305
TBD | Why Are Bots Buying Sneakers?
When algorithms start buying up products, there’s something wrong with the system.
22 min
1306
Why I Quit Advising Kyrsten Sinema
The Arizona senator is notorious for ignoring her constituents. Five members of her Veterans Advisory Council have had enough.
26 min
1307
Is Bill Gates to Blame for Lagging Vaccinations?
The billionaire’s love of intellectual property could be limiting vaccine supply.
22 min
1308
The Afghans Who Got Out
They had to be lucky to flee their country. Once in the U.S., they face a wall of bureaucracy and new customs.
21 min
1309
A Brazen Kidnapping in Haiti
Abductions aren’t new to Haiti, where armed gangs now have more power than national police.
27 min
1310
TBD | Honey, I Sold the House to Zillow
Why are tech companies flipping houses?
16 min
1311
How Immunity for Cops Ends
Not with a bang but with a whimper.
27 min
1312
Is Trump Still On Virginia’s Ballot?
Both candidates for governor can’t escape his shadow.
27 min
1313
How Should We Remember Colin Powell?
Untangling the former general’s complicated legacy.
28 min
1314
No One's Got Mail
Is the post office’s demise a foregone conclusion?
23 min
1315
TBD | The Return of Hacktivism
Massive data dumps from inside Twitch and Epik may signal a new era in the world of moralistic hacking.
19 min
1316
The Strike That Could Paralyze Hollywood
Workers are fed up with the long hours and low pay.
19 min
1317
Is Someone Brain-Zapping American Operatives?
...maybe.
19 min
1318
When Airbnb Takes Over Your Neighborhood
Short-term rentals are hollowing out places like Galveston, Texas.
21 min
1319
TBD | Will the Facebook Whistleblower Make a Di...
Frances Haugen thinks we’re talking about Facebook all wrong.
21 min
1320
Congress Plays Chicken
Democrats and Republicans agree on the debt ceiling. Why won’t they do anything?
25 min
1321
Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic?
With bold social welfare programs, our chances are better.
24 min
1322
Democrats’ Gerrymandering Dilemma
Do you forfeit the game just when you’re taking the lead?
21 min
1323
The Supreme Court Confronts Its Critics
As the justices watch their public polling numbers drop, they insist that they’re not political hacks. Do you believe them?
28 min
1324
TBD | What Instagram Does to Teens
A leaked internal report concludes, “we make body issues worse for one in three teen girls.”
19 min
1325
The Vaccine Holdouts in the NBA
Players are getting penalized for being unvaccinated. That’s not stopping some high profile holdouts.
21 min