Slate News

Anna North, senior correspondent at Vox who writes the Kids Today newsletter, explores how youth sports transformed into a high-cost, adult-driven industry. She traces the shift from community rec leagues to private, competitive circuits. Topics include parental pressure to invest for college, commercialization by private equity, time and financial burdens, injury risks from specialization, and the toll on kids' mental health.

Justin Peters, Slate correspondent covering the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics and author, offers reporting and commentary on the politics and spectacle of the Games. He discusses athlete political statements and the U.S. response. He compares past protest backlash to today. He explains IOC enforcement choices and warns how a 2028 U.S. Games could be politicized.

This week: Alphabet announced a rare 100-year bond issuance.  Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck, explain the calculation the tech giant is making here and how the market responded to the move. Then, an analysis from the NY Fed has concluded that most of the burden of Trump’s tariff hikes is on US households and the hosts debate the possible pros – and obvious cons – of this sneaky tax hike. And then, Felix goes deep on one of his favorite topics: why knockoffs aren’t so bad. In the Slate Plus episode: What’s up with the new Ferrari design? Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrea Pitzer, journalist and historian of concentration camps, and Linus Chan, law professor and detainee-rights attorney, join to unpack mass detention. They discuss the warehouse conversion of facilities, legal tweaks that hollow habeas corpus, rapid transfers that hide detainees, and local tactics to block and document expanding detention networks.

Brian Beutler, political journalist and founder of Off-Message, weighs in on whether Donald Trump ever truly owned culture. He traces a moment when MAGA seemed culturally dominant and then maps how influencers, backlash to pressure on entertainers, and moments like the Bad Bunny controversy shifted the tide. Short, incisive takes on timing, social media, and cultural power.

Chris Van Hollen, Democratic senator from Maryland focused on energy and oversight, outlines his 'Power for the People' bill. He discusses preventing consumers from subsidizing data centers and creating enforceable rules for grid hookups. He also talks about ICE funding fights, local immigration disputes, and the future direction of his party.

This week, live from Sixth & I in Washington DC to celebrate 20 years of the Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing with AG Pam Bondi and the Trump administration’s violations of constitutional rights with guest Rep. Jamie Raskin, how Trump’s assaults on DC have radically transformed the city, and patriotism at the Olympics.For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David answer questions from the live audience at Sixth & I in Washington, DC to celebrate 20 years of the Political Gabfest. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily Bazelon talks with author Curtis Sittenfeld about her short story collection, “Show Don’t Tell.” They discuss the recurring themes of the book from troubled marriages and middle age to the passage of time, and characters who are navigating moments of racial privilege and prejudice. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Nina Porzucki Research by Emily DittoYou can find the full Political Gabfest show pages here. Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen. Find out more about David Plotz's monthly tours of Ft. DeRussy, the secret Civil War fort hidden in Rock Creek Park.   Follow@SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfestSlate Political Gabfest on Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/Gabfest/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democrats have a list of demands and reforms they want implemented before continuing to fund the Department of Homeland Security. But  DHS doesn’t really need their approval to keep going.Guest: Garrett Graff, journalist, historian, author of Doomsday Scenario.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah London, an attorney leading multidistrict litigation against Uber, speaks about the $8.5M jury verdict for a rider who was raped. She outlines systemic failures in Uber’s reporting and risk-scoring, the hidden safety data riders never see, and why this legal win could force industry-wide reforms. Practical fixes and precedent-setting impacts are highlighted in short, clear takes.

Mark Fischbach (Markiplier), a YouTuber-turned-filmmaker who self-financed and starred in Iron Lung. He talks about the film’s surprise box-office rise and what signaled its momentum. He reflects on shifting from instant online feedback to long-form filmmaking. He discusses industry perceptions of creators and plans to keep making movies.