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
1651
What Happened on the Cruise Ships
And why it’s taken weeks for Carnival cruises to bring their ships in.
25 min
1652
How Sioux Falls Became a Hot Spot
A single pork plant is responsible for a large portion of South Dakota’s confirmed cases of COVID-19.
17 min
1653
Democrats’ Plan to Win the Senate
Somehow, politicians are still campaigning.
20 min
1654
What’s Happening in Florida’s Nursing Homes?
Local journalists are fighting for every scrap of data they can get.
26 min
1655
TBD | Can the U.S. Really Track the Coronavirus?
Widespread contact tracing will be critical for preventing a resurgence of the coronavirus.
20 min
1656
What Will Summer Be Like?
We’re in this for the long haul.
23 min
1657
20 Years of Failing to Prepare
Washington doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to handling pandemics.
25 min
1658
Where’s My Check?
The first individual coronavirus bailouts are expected this week. That won’t be enough.
22 min
1659
What America's Biggest Nursing Union Wants
Here’s how COVID-19 exacerbates the tension between hospital administrators and its workers.
17 min
1660
TBD | The Limits of Coronavirus Predictions
Can mathematical models chart the course of this pandemic?
16 min
1661
Seasick: How the Coronavirus Upended the Navy
“Military readiness” is no match for COVID-19.
24 min
1662
Why COVID-19 Hits Black America Hardest
Chicago’s mayor says the numbers are “breathtaking.”
25 min
1663
The Fight Over Wisconsin’s Election
Partisanship plus the coronavirus means chaos.
24 min
1664
Where Social Distancing Is Impossible
“The virus doesn’t move at the pace of government.”
23 min
1665
TBD | Risking Your Life for $8.71
While much of the country shelters indoors, Instacart workers have found themselves on the front lines of COVID-19. Who’s keeping them safe?
18 min
1666
Jerry Falwell Jr. vs. the Coronavirus
Liberty University’s Trumpian response to the coronavirus.
20 min
1667
Should You Be Wearing a Mask?
A simple question with a complex answer.
19 min
1668
“It’s Every Man for Himself”
How one Florida mayor is trying to protect her city from COVID-19.
22 min
1669
What New York City Did Wrong
Health experts and politicians looked for a definitive sign that this outbreak would be serious. It came too late.
23 min
1670
TBD | Where Are All the Tests?
Here’s why America isn’t ready for widespread testing.
22 min
1671
When Your Doctor Gets COVID-19
A shortage of protective equipment leaves doctors exposed. What happens when they get sick?
25 min
1672
Does 1918 Even Apply Here?
There’s a pattern to most historic pandemics. Coronavirus might be different.
19 min
1673
How to Hold an Election During a Pandemic
COVID-19 will test our election infrastructure like never before.
25 min
1674
Can Congress Save the Economy?
A nearly $2 trillion dollar coronavirus rescue package hangs in the Senate’s balance.
18 min
1675
WN TBD: Big Tech Eyes the Pandemic
Silicon Valley’s biggest players have been trying to break into health care for years. The coronavirus may provide an opportunity.
20 min