What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Shutting Down and Finding Out

Isn’t a government shutdown supposed to be a crisis? The Republicans, in control of the White House, Congress and Supreme Court haven’t taken steps to end it on their own, and the ship may have already sailed on the only real ask from the Democrats. So what now?

Guest:  Jonathan V. Last, editor at The Bulwark.

Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. 


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Indicator from Planet Money - The new language of AI tech workers

It’s hard for young tech workers to find a job, even with the AI buildout bonanza. This has spawned a curious worldview that fears AI is coming for our jobs and a drive to be at the top of the AI food chain. This, tech writer Jasmine Sun believes, is revealed in the emerging dialect of Silicon Valley tech workers.   

Today on the show, San Francisco slang. Jasmine Sun takes us on a tour of high-agency 996ers and NPCs to see what it could mean for our present and our future.

Related episodes: 

No AI data centers in my backyard!


How much is AI actually affecting the workforce?


For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Short Wave - What Works – And Doesn’t – For Hair Loss?

People may think of hair loss as a guy thing. But by some estimates, half of all women experience hair loss in their lifetime. And when your social media algorithm gets a whiff? Good. Luck. There are some solutions out there based in science, but not every remedy works for every person — or every type of hair loss. (Yes, there are different types. And the type you have matters!) So today, pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin guest hosts the show to talk about causes of hair loss and how to figure out which treatments may be best for you. 


Interested in more science behind your health? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.


Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Global News Podcast - Face to face with IS prisoners in Syria

The BBC visits camps and a prison in north-eastern Syria where Islamic State fighters and their families are being held. The caliphate has been regrouping in the vacuum left by the collapsed Assad regime. Also: Victory for President Javier Milei's party in midterm elections in Argentina; tensions rise as another US warship joins those floating off the coast of Venezuela; two arrested in connection with the Louvre jewel heist; India and China resume direct flights; mechanics take on Tesla in Sweden; and the importance of rebuilding Gaza's heritage sites.

It Could Happen Here - Caribbean Roundtable

James is joined by Andrew and Michael Paarlberg to discuss the Trump administration’s campaign of drone strikes against boats in the Caribbean and the regional response.

Sources:

https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/the-caribbeans-zone-of-peace-under-threat-a-conversation-with-david-abdulah/

https://newsday.co.tt/2025/10/20/trinidad-and-tobago-stands-firm-with-us-on-regional-security/

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

array(3) { [0]=> string(150) "https://www.omnycontent.com/d/programs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/78d30acb-8463-4c40-a5ae-ae2d0145c9ff/image.jpg?t=1751824393&size=Large" [1]=> string(10) "image/jpeg" [2]=> int(0) }

Good Bad Billionaire - John Fredriksen: Tanker king

Norwegian shipping magnate John Fredriksen once owned the world’s largest fleet of oil tankers. He made billions shipping goods round the globe and was unafraid of high-risk deals. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how Fredriksen began as a ship broker, then dabbled in oil trading, before entering the most profitable part of the oil trade – ship owning. Once known for rowdy parties and sending his ships into war zones, he reformed his reputation after an oil spill made him pioneer improved industry safety standards. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires.

To contact the team, email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

The Source - Meals on Wheels faces funding cuts

The anti-hunger program Meals on Wheels San Antonio is facing a growing number of challenges. The need for its services continues to grow with inflation driving up the cost of food and government cuts to SNAP, while federal funding is also being slashed.array(3) { [0]=> string(20) "https://www.tpr.org/" [1]=> string(0) "" [2]=> string(1) "0" }

The Source - Monday with the mayor: Did councilmembers cross the line in boosting support for Prop B?

Opponents of Proposition B have filed an ethics complaint alleging that several members of the San Antonio City Council used their town hall events to advocate for the measure rather than providing an even-handed forum. We'll get a response on the controversy from San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones.array(3) { [0]=> string(20) "https://www.tpr.org/" [1]=> string(0) "" [2]=> string(1) "0" }