What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Ransomware attacks--when hackers break into digital systems, encrypt files, and demand payment to unlock them, isn’t new. But 2020 has seen an explosion in the frequency of these hacks, which are often targeted at schools and hospitals. Who is behind this recent spate of attacks? And is there anything schools and hospitals can do to protect themselves?Guests:Jessica Beyer, teacher at Baltimore County Public SchoolsDave Uberti, cyber security reporter at the Wall Street JournalHostLizzie O’Leary  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last month, multiple drug companies have announced highly effective vaccines for the coronavirus. But getting everyone vaccinated will be a challenge - not just logistically, but also from a PR standpoint. With distribution on the horizon, how can we build vaccine trust?Guest: Heidi Larson, director of the Vaccine Confidence Project and author of Stuck: How Vaccine Rumors Start -- and Why They Don't Go Away.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 assasination of a top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has made a difficult situation even harder for the incoming Biden administration. Re-entering the Iran nuclear agreement was already going to be an uphill battle. Now, as tensions mount, only a big swing might save the day.Guest: Trita Parsi, co-founder and Executive Vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and author of Losing an Enemy & Treacherous Alliance.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janet Yellen’s is a name most Americans will recognize, even if they’re not quite sure why. She’s the former chair of the Federal Reserve and the former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, and now, she’s been nominated to serve as Joe Biden’s Treasury Secretary. If confirmed, Yellen will assume her new role during one of the greatest economic crises in a century. How would she guide Biden through the storm?Guest: Jordan Weissman, 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.

North Dakota has the highest COVID-19 case rate in the country. As infections spiked, contact tracers struggled to keep up. Eventually, their bosses told them to stop trying. Guest: Kailee Leingang, a nursing student and contact tracer in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Hyde Park store owner supported his neighborhood through a pandemic this spring. The favor was returned during a summer of protests. But this winter will be tough.Guest: Eric Williams, owner of The Silver Room.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, and Elena Schwartz, with help from Frannie Kelley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2020 election has a lot of Democrats asking: What happened? As it turns out, it’s a question one outgoing member of Congress has been asking herself, too.Guest: U.S. Representative Donna Shalala, Democrat from Florida. 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 last bout of the fight for the U.S. Senate runs through Georgia. And this time, no one has any reason to pull punches. Guest: Greg Bluestein, reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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 Joe Biden takes office in two months, the federal government will take on a new stance in its fight to contain the coronavirus. The broad strokes of that strategy have been outlined in debates and on campaign websites, but now the real work begins.Two weeks ago, the president-elect appointed a team of 13 advisers to answer some key questions. How can the new government win the trust of the 73 million Americans who voted for Donald Trump? What would a national mask mandate look like? How will the different vaccines be distributed?A member of President-elect Biden’s COVID-19 council takes us behind the scenes.Guest: Celine Gounder, member of the Joe Biden’s COVID-19 Advisory Board, and host of the American Diagnosis and Epidemic podcasts.HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Joe Biden takes office in two months, the federal government will take on a new stance in its fight to contain the coronavirus. The broad strokes of that strategy have been outlined in debates and on campaign websites, but now the real work begins.Two weeks ago, the president-elect appointed a team of 13 advisers to answer some key questions. How can the new government win the trust of the 73 million Americans who voted for Donald Trump? What would a national mask mandate look like? How will the different vaccines be distributed?A member of President-elect Biden’s COVID-19 council takes us behind the scenes.Guest: Celine Gounder, member of the Joe Biden’s COVID-19 Advisory Board, and host of the American Diagnosis and Epidemic podcasts.HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.