The Olympics’ Latest Doping Scandal
Olympic athletes and commentators were stunned this week to learn that 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva will be allowed to compete in Beijing’s Winter Games, despite testing positive in December for a banned substance. The controversy has kicked up raw feelings about Russia’s history of doping and the fecklessness of Olympics officials to apply rules evenly across countries. Guest: Justin Peters, Slate correspondent and the author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet.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.
17 Feb 202226min
A Trump Protege Auditions for 2024
Florida governor, Ron DeSantis has been on a tear promoting hyper-conservative policies – from his “Stop Woke Act” to gerrymandering, he’s shocking even fellow Republicans. Is this his way of preparing for a 2024 presidential run?Guest: Mary Ellen Klas is the Miami Herald Capitol Bureau Chief.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.
16 Feb 202222min
Sarah Palin v. the New York Times
For decades, the press has enjoyed a wide latitude when writing about public figures. But the high legal standard for defamation may be coming in for some scrutiny in the libel suit of Sarah Palin versus the New York Times. Guest: Slate contributor Seth Stevenson. Read his latest coverage of the trial of Sarah Palin v. New York Times. 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.
15 Feb 202224min
Where Does Minneapolis Go Now?
Old wounds are open again in Minneapolis. The city is struggling to investigate a police shooting from earlier this month, when officers carried out a “no-knock” search warrant and fatally shot a 22-year-old Black man in bed. The victim, Amir Locke, was not a suspect in the crime police were investigating. The shooting comes months after city voters rejected a plan to defund the police, and some city officials are struggling to figure out a path forward with a police force that’s been difficult to reform and an electorate that has little appetite for radical change. Guest: Jeremiah Ellison, member of the Minneapolis City 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.
14 Feb 202228min
The Rise of a Fast Fashion Juggernaut
In just a few short years, the Chinese fast fashion company Shein upended the way countless young women shop online. It’s approach could soon shape the way everyone else shops, too. Guest: Louise Matsakis, freelance technology reporterHost: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
13 Feb 202215min
How Safe is the Metaverse?
Facebook’s first crack at the metaverse has a problem: kids. Underage users seem to be flooding Horizon Worlds, potentially putting themselves at risk. Is Meta doomed to repeat Facebook’s mistakes?Guest: Will Oremus, technology news analysis writer for the Washington Post. Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 Feb 202222min
What You Don’t See At The Olympics
As the Winter Olympics unfold in Beijing, a darker reality remains: China’s abuses against the Uyghurs, an ethnic minority in the country’s Xinjiang region. While much of the world remains glued to the sports coverage, Uyghurs in the diaspora are calling on people to pay attention to China's treatment of their family members back home.Guest: Gulchehra Hoja, a Uyghur journalist with Radio Free Asia. 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.
10 Feb 202227min
The Canadian Trucker Revolt
The Ottawa truckers protest is neither exclusive to Ottawa nor strictly composed of truckers. And its supporters are hoping to head to a city near you. Guest: Jesse Brown, editor-in-chief of Canadaland.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.
9 Feb 202223min
