Slate News

After his character, Kang the Conqueror, was set up to be the big villain of the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jonathan Majors was dismissed from the franchise after being found guilty of reckless assault and harassment. Guest: Michael Schulman, staff writer for 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.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In September, Brittany Watts had a miscarriage at her home in Ohio. Prosecutors are now charging her with “abuse of a corpse,” a felony that could result in up to a year in prison. When does a miscarriage become a felony? And could the anti-abortion movement be using this case as a step towards achieving “fetal personhood”?Guest: Mary Ziegler, law professor at UC Davis and author of Roe: The History of a National Obsession.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 University is wrapping up its first semester following dramatic cuts to undergraduate and graduate programs. Its president calls the “restructuring” an effort to better focus on majors like medicine, nursing, and business – degrees that will lead directly to lucrative jobs. But what is a degree really for? And how do you decide when a diploma is “worth it?”Guest: Michael Powell, staff writer 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 ancient times, hundreds of years before the dawn of history, director Rob Reiner gave the world a band named Spinal Tap. No one knows who they were or what they were doing … except for legendary designer Paula Scher, the mind behind 40 years of music artwork and branding. She chats with Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers about the true stories that inspired the classic mockumentary.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Jared Downing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda Mull, staff writer at The Atlantic, discusses the rise of online sales returns, the labor-intensive process of dealing with unwanted items, the decision-making tree that determines the fate of each returned product, and the excessive waste generated through liquidation. She argues for a fundamental shift in retailer business models to reduce waste significantly and offers tips for being a more mindful online consumer.

Going through airport security is a legal requirement. Is it fair for a private company to interject itself in that process—and cut to the front of the line?Guest: David Zipper, visiting Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, focused on mobility, cities and technology.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 TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers speculate on the Federal Reserve’s surprising new interest rates, whether Starbucks’ store closings are anti-union, and the financial machinations of Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani. In the Plus segment, Felix and Emily hash it out over the usefulness of the UN’s climate change conference. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Jared Downing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week, the Texas Supreme Court said Kate Cox couldn’t have an abortion.Cox’s doctors had diagnosed the fetus with Trisomy 18, an almost certainly fatal genetic condition. On top of that, there were concerns about whether or not Cox would be able to have children again in the future if she continued with this pregnancy. None of this was enough for nine judges in Texas to allow Cox to have an abortion.Cox’s story isn’t unique. Amanda Zurawski almost died after a Texas court said she couldn’t have an abortion. Today, she’s the lead plaintiff in Zurawski v. State of Texas. She joins Amicus this week to show the real, human effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Zurawski is joined by one of the lawyers representing her in the case, Jamie Levitt.In this week’s Amicus Plus segment, Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern talks about another made-up case that this time, won’t make it to SCOTUS. Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fast-fashion titan Shein is preparing for its initial public offering, even as questions of sustainability and labor practices linger. Guest: Jordyn Holman, business reporter covering the retail industry and consumerism for The New York TimesIf 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 TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the free-speech controversies that are roiling college campuses since the war in Gaza began; the questions related to Trump cases that the U.S. Supreme Court will answer; and the latest high-profile abortion case coming out of Texas that has real-life and political consequences.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Hannah Natanson and Susan Svrluga for The Washington Post: Harvard President Claudine Gay to remain after antisemitism testimonyMichelle Goldberg for The New York Times: At a Hearing on Israel, University Presidents Walked Into a TrapElad Simchayoff @Elad_Si on X Danielle Allen for The Washington Post: We’ve lost our way on campus. Here’s how we can find our way back.David French for The New York Times: What the University Presidents Got Right and Wrong About Antisemitic SpeechSantul Nerkar and Jonah E. Bromwich for The New York Times: How the Israel-Hamas War Tore Apart Public Defenders in the BronxMichael Barbaro and Nicholas Confessore for The Daily: Antisemitism and Free Speech Collide on CampusesZah Montague and Tracey Tully for The New York Times: Education Dept. Is Investigating Six More Colleges Over Campus DiscriminationMark Sherman and Eric Tucker for AP: Special counsel Jack Smith asks the Supreme Court to rule quickly on whether Trump can be prosecuted and Mark Sherman: Supreme Court will hear a case that could undo Capitol riot charge against hundreds, including TrumpBob Dylan on YouTube: Bob Dylan – Idiot Wind (Official Audio)Robert Legare and Robert Costa for CBS News: Investigators accessed Trump White House cellphone records and plan to use them at trial, special counsel saysSabrina Tavernise for The Daily: The Woman Who Fought the Texas Abortion BanCarter Sherman for The Guardian: US abortion rates rise post-Roe amid deep divide in state-by-state accessKate Zernike for The New York Times: Texas Judge Says Doctors Can Use ‘Good Faith Judgment’ in Providing AbortionsHere are this week’s chatters: John: One Line A Day: A Five-Year Memory Book and James Barron for The New York Times: Bob Dylan Sings, and Talks, on These Tapes From 62 Years Ago Emily: Sydney Lupkin and Danielle Kurtzleben on All Things Considered: The Supreme Court will decide the fate of abortion pill mifepristoneDavid: Paul Schwartzman for The Washington Post: With sports teams primed for move to Va., downtown D.C. frets its future and City Cast: Work with us.Listener chatter from Margaret in Jersey City: Chair Watch on Facebook For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about Why Are So Many American Pedestrians Dying at Night?by Emily Badger, Ben Blatt, and Josh Katz for The New York Times and Why pedestrian deaths in the US are at a 40-year high by Marin Cogan for Vox. See also Political Gabfest: “The World Is Burning” Edition and Vision and night driving abilities of elderly driversby Nicole Gruber, Urs P Mosimann, René M Müri, and Tobias Nef.In the next Gabfest Reads, John talks with Brad Stulberg about Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.