What Next | Daily News and Analysis

A complete recount of ballots from the 2020 election is underway in Maricopa County, where Arizona Senate Republicans still question the results of the general election. There’s no timeline or budget for the manual audit, and election experts say this effort is highly prone to errors.Guest: Andrew Oxford, reporter for the Arizona Republic. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Omar Alshogre survived years of detainment in Syria when he was just a teenager. Now, he’s in the U.S. and is telling his story of survival so you don’t look away.Guest: Omar Alshogre, a Georgetown Student and the Director of Detainee Affairs at the Syrian Emergency Task Force.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The question of Donald Trump’s banned account--to keep it blocked, or reinstate it--is one of the toughest that Facebook has ever faced. But the social network had a plan: punt the decision to its newly minted Oversight Board, a semi-independent “Supreme Court” tasked with making hard decisions about what content stays up, and what comes down. Did that plan just backfire?Guest: Kate Klonick, professor at St. John’s University School of Law HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The question of Donald Trump’s banned account--to keep it blocked, or reinstate it--is one of the toughest that Facebook has ever faced. But the social network had a plan: punt the decision to its newly minted Oversight Board, a semi-independent “Supreme Court” tasked with making hard decisions about what content stays up, and what comes down. Did that plan just backfire?Guest: Kate Klonick, professor at St. John’s University School of Law HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Divorces aren’t usually major news events. But in the case of Bill and Melinda Gates, the state of their union is in the public interest. For the last 20 years, the two have led one of the most influential philanthropic organizations in the world.What happens to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation once its founders are broken up? And what does it say about society’s dependence on billionaires that we even have to ask?Guest: Teddy Schleifer, reporter on money and influence for Recode at Vox.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.

West Virginia was - and still is - decimated by the opioid addiction crisis. Now, one county is fighting to hold drug distributors accountable and get treatment for its residents. Guest: Eric Eyer, senior investigative reporter at Mountain State Spotlight.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance recently announced the end to prosecuting some charges related to sex work, following decisions in other New York City boroughs. But is this policy shift something sex workers actually want? And does it go far enough? Guest: Melissa Gira Grant, staff writer at The New Republic and the author of Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

California Governor Gavin Newsom faces a newly-qualified recall petition, with 1.6 million people saying they want to see an election held over whether the governor should be replaced. But the anger that motivated so many of those signatures now seems to be fading away. Is it enough to save Newsom’s political career? Guest: Guy Marzorati, reporter and producer on KQED’s Politics and Government desk. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a time—back when Steve Jobs ran Apple and Mark Zuckerberg was in his early days as Facebook’s CEO— that Apple and Facebook were friends.. Or, at worst, frenemies. But as the companies grew, so did two competing views of how the internet should work. What led to the rift between Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook? And will Apple’s new privacy rules undercut Facebook’s vision for the internet?Guest: Mike Isaac, tech reporter at the New York Times HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a time—back when Steve Jobs ran Apple and Mark Zuckerberg was in his early days as Facebook’s CEO— that Apple and Facebook were friends.. Or, at worst, frenemies. But as the companies grew, so did two competing views of how the internet should work. What led to the rift between Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook? And will Apple’s new privacy rules undercut Facebook’s vision for the internet?Guest: Mike Isaac, tech reporter at the New York Times HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

India started 2021 with government officials repeatedly declaring victory over COVID-19. But the virus has overrun hospitals and crematoriums, in part due to massive gatherings and a slow vaccination rollout. Guest: Chahat Rana, health reporting fellow at The Caravan magazine. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The national conversation about gun violence in America almost always focuses on mass shootings -- but these events tend to overshadow the more day-to-day violence that makes up the bulk of gun deaths in the U.S. What would our policy conversation look like if more attention was paid to the kind of gun violence that’s most prevalent? Guest: Abené Clayton, reporter for Guns and Lies at the Guardian.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tech workers from the Bay Area happily left their expensive apartments for Lake Tahoe during the pandemic, hoping to get some fresh air and a change of scenery. Towns around the lake soon became "Zoom-towns" -- areas where remote workers moved in and never left, raising prices and driving out longtime residents. Now, locals are fighting back.Guest: Rachel Levin, San Francisco-based journalist.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Masks are crucial to stopping the spread of COVID-19, especially indoors and during prolonged close contact. But after a year of the pandemic, evidence is growing that it’s time to rethink rules on wearing masks outdoors. Guest: Shannon Palus, senior editor at Slate.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neither of them was in the driver’s seat. This is not the first crash in which Tesla’s “autopilot” feature has likely played a role. Should we really be trusting this technology?Guest: Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke UniversityHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neither of them was in the driver’s seat. This is not the first crash in which Tesla’s “autopilot” feature has likely played a role. Should we really be trusting this technology?Guest: Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke UniversityHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The country remains divided over the January 6th Capitol riot. The division is reflected in voter surveys, news coverage, and millions of social media posts. But the tension is also on display in small, idiosyncratic communities who realized some of their own were at the Capitol attack and may have cheered it on. Guest: Matthew Rosenberg, reporter for the New York Times. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After just 10 hours of deliberation, jurors found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty in the murder of George Floyd. This is what happened inside the courtroom and out on the streets.Guests: Jon Collins, criminal justice reporter at MPR News.Aymann Ismail, staff writer at Slate.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden administration is under no illusions that Russia President Vladimir Putin can be a willing partner of the U.S. But what tools remain to check Putin’s ambitions?Guest: Josh Keating, senior editor at Slate and the author of Invisible Countries. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a police officer shoot when a suspect’s hands are up? To understand this, it helps to examine police training, and the predominant lesson that many young officers receive: Any encounter could be your last. Guest: Michael Sierra-Arévalo, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like countless venture-funded start-ups before it, Substack is “disrupting” the media industry. The newsletter service is siphoning off high-profile talent with a promise of independence and bigger paychecks. But the platform’s influence might reach far beyond the media. Will Substack change the way we think about online creators and their audiences? Can it create a new kind of relationship between them?Guest: Charlie Warzel, writer of Galaxy Brain HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like countless venture-funded start-ups before it, Substack is “disrupting” the media industry. The newsletter service is siphoning off high-profile talent with a promise of independence and bigger paychecks. But the platform’s influence might reach far beyond the media. Will Substack change the way we think about online creators and their audiences? Can it create a new kind of relationship between them?Guest: Charlie Warzel, writer of Galaxy Brain HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal officials have recommended halting distribution of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, citing rare but potentially severe blood clots. Now, health officials are trying to find out whether or not the clots are connected to the vaccine, creating confusion and sometimes panic for recipients. While the process may seem backwards for some, others say it’s science working the way it’s supposed to. Guest: Tara Haelle, science journalist and author.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Davis Land, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz and Carmel Delshad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Republicans are smart to lean in on “cancel culture” as a campaign issue to unite voters. Dan Pfeiffer of Pod Save America says Democrats have the power to make that a losing strategy for the GOP.Guest: Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of Pod Save America.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How one theory about COVID-19’s origins went from the fringes to the mainstream -- and why it just might be plausible.Guest: Alina Chan, postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Derek Chauvin stands trial for the murder of George Floyd, prosecutors are determined to show the justice system is going to work in this case. Beyond the courtroom, the future of Minneapolis’s relationship with its police department is an open question.Guest: Jon Collins, class and criminal justice reporter at Minnesota Public Radio.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the start of the pandemic, usage of apps like BetterHelp and Talkspace has skyrocketed. These apps might make mental health care more accessible, but are the products they sell really the same as therapy?Guest: Molly Fischer, features writer for the Cut at New York MagazineHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the start of the pandemic, usage of apps like BetterHelp and Talkspace has skyrocketed. These apps might make mental health care more accessible, but are the products they sell really the same as therapy?Guest: Molly Fischer, features writer for the Cut at New York MagazineHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In February 2020, Karlin Chan began a group called the Chinatown Block Watch to patrol his New York City neighborhood and act as a “visual deterrent” to anti-Asian attacks. One year and one pandemic later, Chan’s Block Watch is still patrolling the streets, and taking an expansive view of what it means to keep the community safe.Guest: Karlin Chan, founder of the Chinatown Block Watch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michigan is currently home to 13 of the worst performing metro areas when it comes to the coronavirus. They recently surpassed 10,000 new cases and their curve has “gone vertical”. With vaccine distribution ramping up across the country, is the Michigan surge a warning for the rest of the country? Guest: Abdul El-Sayed, host of America DissectedSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, President Biden rolled out an ambitious infrastructure plan that relies on increased taxes on corporations to fund big changes to America’s infrastructure. His plan goes beyond putting pavement on the ground, and lays out a different vision for what "infrastructure" really means.Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, The New York Times reported that Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz was under investigation by the Justice Department over his relationships with women recruited online for sex, and whether he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz gained national attention for his trollish, Trumpian antics and fiery loyalty to the then-president. What happens if the Trump playbook doesn’t work for the 38-year-old congressman? Guest: Jeff Weiner, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Editor for the Orlando Sentinel Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI is Slate’s new podcast about internet culture. It’s a show for people who have a healthy relationship with the internet, made by people who really, really don’t. It’s hosted by Slate’s Madison Malone Kircher and Rachelle Hampton. Twice a week they’ll explore what’s trending at the top of your feeds, investigate the ghosts of internet past, and help you sound like the smartest person in your group chat.In the episode you’re about to hear, they take you on an all-access tour of Clubhouse, the invite-only audio app that already has millions of users, including everyone from Elon Musk and Drake to Oprah and Joe Rogan. Madison somehow ends up taking a shower with hundreds of other users? The app also doesn’t allow people to record and publish audio, so this episode will probably get them banned.If you like what you hear, or you want to be the first to know whether Madison gets kicked off Clubhouse, subscribe to ICYMI wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are at least 17 different “vaccine passport” initiatives underway in the United States. And leaked documents reveal that the Biden administration fears that “a chaotic and ineffective vaccine credential approach could hamper our pandemic response by undercutting health safety measures, slowing economic recovery, and undermining public trust and confidence.” Without coordination, a chaotic and ineffective approach seems likely. So, what can, and what should, the Biden administration do to avoid this outcome? And what are the risks and rewards of coordinating an effort that divides Americans along the lines of vaccination status?Guest: Dan Diamond, health policy and politics reporter for the Washington PostHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are at least 17 different “vaccine passport” initiatives underway in the United States. And leaked documents reveal that the Biden administration fears that “a chaotic and ineffective vaccine credential approach could hamper our pandemic response by undercutting health safety measures, slowing economic recovery, and undermining public trust and confidence.” Without coordination, a chaotic and ineffective approach seems likely. So, what can, and what should, the Biden administration do to avoid this outcome? And what are the risks and rewards of coordinating an effort that divides Americans along the lines of vaccination status?Guest: Dan Diamond, health policy and politics reporter for the Washington PostHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Los Angeles’s Echo Park Lake is home to swan boats, running trails and space for members of it’s rapidly gentrifying community to gather during the pandemic. Up until last week, it was also home to over 100 people living in tents on the west side of the park. The encampment became the focal point of LA’s housing affordability crisis when the housed members of the Echo Park neighborhood called for it to be cleared. Guest: Benjamin Oreskes, metro report for the Los Angeles Times. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most kids in the country aren’t back to school in any way we’d recognize as normal. Republicans have noticed. Now, they’re launching a few trial balloons this year to see if “reopen the schools” can become their next winning campaign slogan.Guest: Edward-Isaac Dovere, staff writer at the Atlantic. Read his story, “Democrats Are Failing the Schools Test.”Dovere is the author of the forthcoming book, Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats’ Campaigns to Defeat Trump. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Houston residents and elected officials are trying to stop the largest urban highway project of their lifetimes -- one that would clear out more than 1,000 homes in primarily Black and Latin neighborhoods and, they say, introduce additional flooding and health risks. Now, residents have a powerful new ally in Washington: the Biden administration. The fate of I-45 may tell us something about what 21st-century infrastructure will look like. Guests: Tomaro Bell, Houston resident and community leader, and Oni Blair, executive director of LINK Houston. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has become a Republican celebrity for his notably lax coronavirus policies, keeping the state mostly open during the pandemic. But in Miami Beach, tourists are using the lack of restrictions to their advantage, exposing the difficulty of managing a world that isn’t quite done with COVID-19, but desperately wants to be. Guest: Verónica Zaragovia, healthcare reporter at WLRN. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in April 2020, AstraZeneca was hailed as a frontrunner in the race to get an effective vaccine to market. A year later, after a series of trial pauses, communication blunders, and PR problems, the vaccine is on the cusp of FDA approval. By all accounts, the company succeeded in making a safe, effective vaccine. So why has there been so much confusion about its rollout?Guest: Peter Aldhous, science reporter at Buzzfeed NewsHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in April 2020, AstraZeneca was hailed as a frontrunner in the race to get an effective vaccine to market. A year later, after a series of trial pauses, communication blunders, and PR problems, the vaccine is on the cusp of FDA approval. By all accounts, the company succeeded in making a safe, effective vaccine. So why has there been so much confusion about its rollout?Guest: Peter Aldhous, science reporter at Buzzfeed NewsHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colorado Rep. Tom Sullivan counts the number of Fridays since his son was killed in the Aurora theater shooting in 2012. The latest mass shooting in Boulder, which left 10 people dead, was yet another reason Sullivan says he’s continuing his quest to curb gun violence in the state.Guest: Colorado State Rep. Tom Sullivan.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After four years of President Trump’s harsh immigration policies, many advocates for Central American migrants welcomed a change in administration. But after two months in office, President Biden has given a clear message to people arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border: “don’t come.” Still, thousands of people, including an increasing number of unaccompanied children, are making the trek and forcing Biden to face his first big immigration test.Guest: Adolfo Flores, national security for immigration correspondent at Buzzfeed.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Residents of Jackson, Mississippi, were left without water for weeks after a deep freeze hit the south, bursting pipes and forcing people to rely on bottled or collected rain water. But even though the water is back on, Jackson’s next water crisis might not be so far off.Guest: Nick Judin is a reporter at the Mississippi Free Press. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On March 16, a white gunman killed eight people - six of them Asian-American women - during shootings at three different spas in Georgia. The shooter claims he was driven by a “sex addiction,” but his actions fall into a complicated legacy where race, sex, and the fetishization of Asian women all intersect. That legacy is now in full view as the nation grapples with this latest tragedy and a rise in anti-Asian violence. . Guest: Lisa Hagen is a reporter for WABE in Atlanta and the co-host of No Compromise, a podcast about a grassroots movement for gun rights.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Facebook’s failure to contain the spread of dangerous misinformation is no secret. For years, the company has pledged publicly to fix the problem. But in the wake of the Capitol riots, it’s clear that there’s more work to be done. So, why isn’t the social media giant using its powerful AI to contain hate and lies?Guest: Karen Hao, senior AI reporter at MIT Technology ReviewHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Facebook’s failure to contain the spread of dangerous misinformation is no secret. For years, the company has pledged publicly to fix the problem. But in the wake of the Capitol riots, it’s clear that there’s more work to be done. So, why isn’t the social media giant using its powerful AI to contain hate and lies?Guest: Karen Hao, senior AI reporter at MIT Technology ReviewHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo faces calls to resign over accusations of sexual harassment and allowing a toxic workplace culture to persist. But to the people who know him best, it’s unlikely the governor will ever bow to those demands. Guests: Jimmy Vielkind, Wall Street Journal reporter covering New York politics & government.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed crucial gaps in the public health system, including the government’s inability to gather data quickly and accurately. After a year of lockdowns and isolation, a return to life resembling normalcy is in sight, but how will we know when we get there? Guests: Alexis Madrigal, co-founder of The COVID Tracking Project, and staff writer at The Atlantic.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to the past year, we’ve all lost something -- or someone. Time with friends and family. A job. A loved one. But when we think about the 530,000 people in the U.S. who died because of COVID-19, the magnitude makes it hard to see the individuals. Today, we remember one loss, out of many.Guests: Alicia Montgomery, executive producer of podcasts at Slate, and her cousin, Yvonne Tilghman.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.