What Next

Daily news and analysis from Slate.

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About the Show

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.

Host

  • Mary Harris is the host and managing editor of What Next, Slate's new daily news podcast. She has reported throughout the public radio system, for NPR, Marketplace, and WNYC.

SCOTUS Reviews Affirmative Action … Again

With three Trump appointees on the court, the end might be near for race-conscious admissions.

Should You Panic Over America’s Test Scores?

What lower test scores are telling us—and what they can’t.

When Child Protective Services Gets It Wrong

How a lack of due process makes an already-stressful situation worse.

The True Origins of the U.K.’s Political Mess

Rishi Sunak is inheriting a party and country that can only manage the decline.

Is Fetterman’s Disability Anyone’s Business?

The problems with “push-up contest” politics.

How DeSantis Redrew Florida’s Map

The governor’s new map obliterated a majority Black district and triggered a wave of lawsuits, but it’s still in place for the midterms.

What Happened to Kanye West?

The superstar rapper, now known as Ye, has found a comfortable spot in high-powered conservative circles.

GOP to Cities: Drop Dead

Republicans dismiss America’s cities as “cesspools”—and their legislation is starting to match their rhetoric.

Five Years of #MeToo

What has changed and what hasn’t, in Hollywood and beyond.

An American Surgeon in Wartime Ukraine

Why one volunteer doctor keeps going back into countries wrecked by Russian bombs.

How Bad Is the Economy Going to Get?

Fed chairman Jerome Powell’s going after inflation aggressively—what’s it going to cost us?

How Is Herschel Walker Still in This?

Are voters desensitized to all this dirty laundry?

Roger Stone’s Jan. 6

Hearings will likely reopen with evidence from a Danish documentary on—and personal text messages from—the longtime GOP operator.

Putin Is in a Dangerous Spot

Why the latest phase of Russia’s war in Ukraine could make him act rashly.

Congress Can’t Quit the Stock Market

Why House Democrats whiffed on a popular bill to restrict members of Congress from owning and trading stock.

The Baby Formula Crisis Is Still Happening

Regulators were told of concerns at a major manufacturing hub months before they took action.

What Venezuelan Migrants Are Fleeing

A fifth of Venezuela’s population has fled the country in the last decade. Many are seeking asylum in the U.S.

Does the NBA Have a Bully Problem?

Owners who act badly can expect sympathetic treatment and a departure that’s more or less on their terms.

What Iranian Protesters Need Now

In past years, Iran’s ruling elite have shrugged off protests as a result of economic hardships imposed by the West. Will this time be different as demonstrators set their hijabs on fire—striking at a core pillar of Iran’s repressive regime?

What’s Up With the Midterms?

Usual forecasting methods might not apply when you have to consider Trump endorsements, the Dobbs decision, and some very unique candidates.