What Next | Daily News and Analysis

In the wake of a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion indicating that Roe v. Wade will soon be a thing of the past, some states are rushing to fortify the right to an abortion within their borders. Nowhere has gone as far as Connecticut, though, which has expanded the field of people permitted to perform abortions and created legal protections for anyone who aids in the procedure. But will it make a difference when abortion will likely soon be outlawed in half the country? Guest: Matt Blumenthal, State Representative for Connecticut’s 147th District.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A conversation with one of the smartest First Amendment lawyers in the country.Guest: Jameel JafferHost: Lizzie O'LearyThanks Avast.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic changed the way abortion care could be provided online. So what happens now?Guest: Dr. Mai Fleming, family medicine physician and Fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health.Host: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Johnny Depp’s defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard is making headlines—not just for the spectacle taking place within the courtroom, but for its implications for victims of domestic violence. In a case of domestic ugliness, is it possible to know the truth? And does trying to uncover it through legal action serve anyone’s best interests?Guest: John Culhane, professor at the Delaware Law School.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Politico published a shocking leak from within the Supreme Court, indicating that a majority of the judges have voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Beyond who leaked the draft opinion, questions remain about what the rollback of the landmark constitutional law will mean for abortion rights in America. Guest: Dahlia Lithwick, Slate courts and law writer and host of the podcast Amicus.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow went viral in April for striking back at an extreme characterization made by a Republican colleague. The video of McMorrow’s speech—viewed over 14 million times—tells a bigger story about how national political rhetoric is affecting local political debates. But is the senator really demonstrating how to reset the terms of debate? Or is she just one more person who went viral for speaking to her echo chamber?Guest: Mallory McMorrow, Michigan state senator representing Grand Oak and the suburbs north of Detroit. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The body of 18-year-old Debanhi Escobar was discovered in late April, inside a water tank in a motel on the outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico—weeks after she went missing. The identity of her killer is still unknown.The case has prompted a national outcry over the Mexican government’s consistent failure to deliver justice for missing women. But femicide in Mexico isn’t new, and past protests haven’t yielded meaningful change. Will this time be any different?Guest: Oscar Lopez, reporter for the New York Times based in Mexico City.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Starlink ever fulfill its promise of connecting the world, especially places left behind by traditional internet? Or will it be just another toy for the rich? Guest: Meaghan Tobin, reporter at Rest of WorldHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twitter is the platform of choice for politicians, journalists, academics, and many other agenda-setters. Twitter influences conversations that take place in newsrooms and statehouses. What happens if the company’s placed in the hands of a pugnacious, provocative plutocrat like Elon Musk?Guest: Will Oremus, tech reporter for the Washington PostHost: Seth Stevenson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People may want to throw their masks in the trash, but in communities with the highest COVID-19 mortality rates, the pandemic is not over.Guest: Dr. Don Garcia, medical director at Clínica Romero in Los Angeles. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal law guarantees that students with disabilities have access to special educators. But widespread teacher shortages mean that these students are often being taught by people without the mandated qualifications – or by no one at all. Guest: Dylan Peers McCoy is an investigative reporter on WFYI’s education team.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How one spokesperson with an itchy Twitter-finger is sparking a moral panic.Guest: Ben Mathis-Lilley, a senior writer at Slate.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carolyn Foote was furious when Republican lawmakers in Texas singled out hundreds of books about race or sexuality for removal from school libraries. So she and a group of other librarians stepped into the fray to push back against what they see as harmful censorship.Guest: Carolyn Foote, former librarian for schools outside Austin, Texas.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia is uncovering new wartime applications for facial recognition technology.Guest: Aric Toler, director of research and training at BellingcatHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we facing down yet another COVID wave right now? Does it matter?Guest: Katherine Wu, staff writer for The AtlanticHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill Browder has been sounding the alarm about Vladimir Putin for decades. Formerly one of Russia’s largest foreign investors, Browder has made it his life's work to expose corruption in the country. Unsurprisingly, he’s one of Putin's personal targets. Browder believes that money is what's really driving the war in Ukraine.Guest: Bill Browder, founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management. Browder ran the largest foreign investment firm in Russia until 2005, when he was kicked out of the country. His new book is Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pro-immigration advocates had high hopes when the Biden administration came to office that some of the harsher policies imposed by Trump would ease. Instead, immigration policy has been a mess inside the White House. The move to rescind Title 42 – a health policy that the Trump administration used to restrict migration at the U.S.-Mexico border is now further dividing Democrats. Guest: Tyler Moran, former deputy assistant to President Biden and senior advisor for migration. Moran co-founded the Immigration Hub and has 20 years of experience developing and implementing immigration policy. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Morgan Davis saw his job as an investigator in the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as a calling. As a transgender man, he joined the child welfare agency to be the advocate he never had while growing up. But Davis eventually quit, following Governor Greg Abbott’s order to investigate the families of transgender children. While Abbott’s order is currently paused due to an injunction, many families are still left in limbo due to open cases – and other child welfare workers are handing in their notices.Guest: Morgan Davis, investigator at the Travis County office of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden Administration recently announced a new policy aimed at cracking down on ghost guns—homemade weapons without serial numbers, making them harder to trace. But with gun violence on the rise, will this particular move make a meaningful difference?Guest: David Chipman, senior policy advisor at Giffords, a gun violence prevention organization. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did Intuit build its TurboTax empire?Guest: Justin Elliott, reporter for ProPublicaHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Musk's bid to take Twitter private a genuine attempt to mold the social network in his image? Or is he just going to have some fun, make some money, and walk away?Guest: Felix Salmon, host of Slate Money and chief financial correspondent for AxiosHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the French presidential election five years ago, Marine Le Pen lost badly to Emmanuel Macron. Now, Le Pen is back for a rematch—and this time, polls are pretty tight. Guest: Henry Grabar, staff writer at Slate. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company are at odds over a controversial Florida law dubbed “don’t say gay,” which would limit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. While DeSantis is a big supporter of the legislation, Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek eventually came out against it, vowing to work to repeal the law and setting up a showdown between the governor and the entertainment giant.Guest: Mary Ellen Klas, Capitol bureau chief for the Miami Herald in Tallahassee, Florida.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pennsylvania’s got a U.S. Senate seat up for grabs, and the primary is shaping up to be a showdown between moderate, establishment candidates and those on the fringes of each party. Guest: Jonathan Tamari, national political writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the experience of living in his car years ago helped reporter Ethan Ward focus his coverage of homelessness and housing in Los Angeles. Guest: Ethan Ward, unhoused communities reporter for KPCC and LAist.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The rideshare company's founder once called taxis “evil.” Now, Uber might need them to survive.Guest: Preetika RanaHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The rideshare company's founder once called taxis “evil.” Now, Uber might need them to survive.Guest: Preetika RanaHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With 9.1% ownership of Twitter—and a board seat—Elon Musk is the new master of Twitter's future. Why did the wealthiest man in the world just take over the world's most influential platform?Guest: Ranjan Roy, writer of the Margins newsletterHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a speech before the United Nations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of the worst war crimes since World War II. But whether there will be accountability on the international stage is a separate question—especially with Russia sitting permanently on the UN Security Council. How difficult would it be to prove war crimes have in fact been committed in Ukraine? And even if they were, would Putin ever actually be punished? Guest: Stephen Rapp, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues in the Office of Global Criminal Justice under President Obama.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Few were betting that a group of workers on Staten Island could win union recognition at their Amazon warehouse. Now that they’ve done it, can they replicate this win at other shops across the country? And what will the nation’s largest unions do to help Amazon workers join the labor movement?Guest: Steven Greenhouse, senior fellow at the Century Foundation and author of Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Congress loosened the rules around school lunch programs, and approved additional funding to help schools provide more meals to more kids. But those allowances are set to expire on June 30th, leaving schools desperate for help as they anticipate a future of less funding and less flexibility. Guest: Helena Bottemiller Evich, senior food and agriculture reporter at POLITICO.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has become an avatar of the Republican far-right. But that has its downsides. It makes you a target. But Greene isn’t running scared. Guest: Charles Bethea, staff writer at the New Yorker. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For nearly a decade, Margrethe Vestager has led Europe's efforts to rein in big tech. One newspaper article described Vestager as putting the fear of God into Silicon Valley. How is she thinking about fairness in tech in 2022?Guest: Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe fit for the Digital Age Host: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt spend over a decade building relationships with the most powerful Democrats in America?Guest: Alex Thompson, reporter at Politico Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is having a moment. The alliance dates back to the early years of the Cold War, and ever since, it has seesawed in and out of favor with Western leaders. But now, as Russia continues to wage its attack on Ukraine, NATO has assumed some of its old relevance.Guest: Mary Elise Sarotte, professor of Historical Studies at the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. She’s also a research associate at Harvard University's Center for European Studies. Her most recent book is Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is a fervent right-wing activist. She was also a supporter of the attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, as evidenced by a batch of texts shared with the congressional committee investigating January 6th. The Ginni Thomas texts create a conflict of interest for Justice Clarence Thomas as he hears cases pertaining to the insurrection. But the Supreme Court is not expected to do much to dispel notions of bias. Why?Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer covering courts and the law for Slate.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After more than 70 weeks on the Billboard U.S. Hot 100, Dua Lipa and her song “Levitating” have run into trouble: two separate copyright complaints claiming the pop star ripped off other artists in writing her hit. These aren’t the first lawsuits to test the boundaries of what counts as plagiarism in the musical realm; and if either suit succeeds, it will have far-reaching consequences for creativity in the industry.Guest: Jeremy Orosz, associate professor of music theory at the University of Memphis.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In February, WNBA star Brittney Griner was arrested at an airport near Moscow for allegedly possessing hash oil in her carry-on luggage. She’s been held in a Russian prison ever since — and a court recently extended her detention until May 19. Why is Russia pursuing charges so vigorously against an American basketball player with a large Russian fanbase? And how long could it be until Griner gets to go home?Guest: Meredith Cash, sports reporter for Insider.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Going off-grid can seem appealing in lots of ways. But are there consequences if everyone unplugs from the system? Are there costs we haven’t considered?Guest: Ivan Penn, renewable energy correspondent for the New York TimesHost: Seth Stevenson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FBI warned that Russia would use deepfakes to support its invasion of Ukraine. Are they missing the real threat?Guest: Noah Giansiracusa, professor of math and data science at Bentley University.Host: Seth Stevenson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia’s indiscriminate shelling of civilian targets in Ukraine is eerily reminiscent of its involvement in the war in Syria, where the goal was to crush civilian morale amid an uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. How did top global powers allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to be successful in Syria? Are there signs that he’ll enjoy similar success now, in Ukraine? Guest: William Wechsler, senior director of the Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The White House and Senate Republicans are at an impasse when it comes to passing a $15 billion pandemic relief package. And there are growing concerns about money running out for COVID-19 response essentials like tests, therapeutic treatments and vaccines.This week, some of those pandemic relief federal funds will start drying up. What does that mean for America's state of pandemic readiness – especially if another wave is on the horizon?Guest: Dan Diamond, national health and policy reporter at The Washington Post. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been more than three weeks since Russia declared war on Ukraine. Here’s how each country is preparing for the next brutal stage of this conflict.Guest: Fred Kaplan covers national security for Slate and is the author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A very strange bankruptcy case is coming to a close. Its settlement hinges not on payments rendered or bills neglected, but on the pain of millions of American families who slid into the jaws of the opioid crisis. Now, the people who set off the crisis are about to settle their debts. Guest: Brian Mann, reporter on addiction for NPR.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In just two years, the mental-health startup Cerebral has grown to operate in 50 states, registered more than 200,000 patients, and reached a $4.8 billion valuation. Has it prioritized growth over patient care?Guest: Caleb MelbyHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hong Kong's zero-COVID policy got enviable results, but inadvertently set the stage for disaster. What will it take to change course?Guest: Dr. Karen Grépin, Associate Professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong KongHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, the Texas Supreme Court handed down a decision: Abortion providers can no longer sue state medical licensing offiicials to challenge Texas’ six-week abortion ban. Senate Bill 8, as it’s known, went into effect six months ago with ongoing legal battles in local, state and federal courtrooms. As abortion access is further restricted in the state, abortion rights advocates are doing everything they can to continue their work – including flying women out of state to get care – while navigating geographic constraints at the southern border.Guest: Cathy Torres, organizing manager for Frontera Fund, an abortion fund for the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russian state propaganda has kicked into overdrive as its war on Ukraine continues. State news depicts Ukrainians as the aggressors and the Kremlin’s military as a heroic force. In times like these, how can Russians get accurate information?Guest: Kevin Rothrock, managing editor of the English side of Meduza and host of the podcast “The Russia Guy.”If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the U.S. ban on Russian oil correlates with rising prices in the U.S., it’s still subject to a global market that was on the upswing anyway. In the long run, could the rising prices, whether the result of the ban or not, actually help accelerate decarbonization efforts and move the U.S. to more sustainable forms of energy?Guest: Robinson Meyer, staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of the newsletter The Weekly Planet, and a co-founder of the COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In early 2020, reports of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders began to go up. More alarming is that two years later, the attacks don’t seem to be going anywhere. Why, after so much time passed, hasn’t the story changed? Guest: Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director of the Asian American Federation.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.