Slate News

Elon Musk has been promising fully self-driving Teslas to the public for years and the beta version of Full Self-Driving is already in over 300,000 cars. But as a recent recall attests, the software still isn’t ready to take the wheel—and Musk himself may be a big reason why.  Guest: Faiz Siddiqui , tech reporter for the Washington Post Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider...

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the rescue of Credit Suisse. They also break down the politics behind federal deposit insurance, and what will come out of this week’s Congressional hearings about TikTok. Podcast production by Patrick Fort. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick talks with Andrew Weissmann, former lead prosecutor in Robert S. Mueller’s Special Counsel’s Office and former Chief of the Fraud Section in the Department of Justice from 2015 - 2019. Together, they tackle the tangled web of investigations into the former President, and the trajectory of possible indictments. And Andrew helps us hone in on some crucial detai...

To most of its 150 million American consumers, TikTok is a fun app. To some creators, TikTok is a job and their platform. But to members of the US government, TikTok is a national security risk. As the fight over TikTok’s future comes to Capitol Hill this week, what’s next for the embattled social media platform? Guest: Emily Baker-White , senior writer, tech reporter at Forbes Host: Lizzie O’Lear...

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Trump’s announcement he expects to be arrested; what ChatGPT means for the world; and interview Rachel Donadio, contributing writer for The Atlantic , about the unrest in France. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Rachel Donadio for The New York Times: “ Macron May Keep the Presidency, But Le Pen Has Already W...

Despite his campaign promises, President Biden has signed off on the Willow Project, an $8 billion plan to extract 600 million barrels of oil from public lands in Alaska. But how useful might this 30-year project be with the country continually prioritizing electric energy? Guest: Ben Lefebvre , energy reporter at Politico.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate...

Since last summer, it’s been difficult to fill an Adderall prescription. The shortage is driving some people to try other ADHD medications—causing shortages of those medications too—while others are sourcing their medication on the “gray market.”  Why is such a common drug nowhere to be found? And why has the FDA been so mum on the subject?  Guests:  Ike Swetlitz , health journalist for Bloomberg...

The Atlanta Police Foundation’s $90 million police training facility, a mock-urban space with a nightclub, convenience store, and even homes, has drawn the ire of police reform activists, environmentalists, and even advocates for the homeless. The months-long effort by forest-dwelling protesters to prevent the construction of this facility has left an advocate dead, a state trooper shot, 35 indivi...

This weekend, former President Trump warned supporters on Truth Social he could be arrested on Tuesday, and called for them to “TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” Although it’s unclear whether Trump is facing imminent arrest, many observers believe legal proceedings focused on Trump’s “hush money” payment to Stormy Daniels suggest an indictment is coming soon. How strong is this case, and how likely is it tha...

Using just what you’ve posted to social media, generative A.I. can create a “puppet version” of your voice—one that’s close enough to scam your family into paying thousands in, say, bail money. And imitating public officials to create “deep fakes” who say whatever they’re told is even easier.  Guest: Pranshu Verma , tech reporter for the Washington Post. Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show...

John Dickerson talks with author  Chris Miller  about his new book,  Chip War: The Fight for The World’s Most Critical Technology .   They discuss how semiconductor chips became so important, why everyone is so dependent on Taiwan for chips, and what lessons China can glean from what’s happening in Ukraine. Tweet us your questions  @SlateGabfest  or email us at  gabfest@slate.com . (Messages could...

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers  dive into the drama in the banking world. They discuss the fallout of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and its subsequent government takeover. They also take some listener questions about SVB! Felix, Emily and Elizabeth also discuss Credit Suisse, and how government policy may change for banks that are “too big to fail”.  In the Plus...

The economy is doing well almost every but in tech, where headlines about layoffs have been replaced with news about Silicon Valley Bank’s demise. The collapse of “the central artery for the tech industry” looks like the end of an era. Where do venture capitalists, start-ups—and the industry writ large—go now? Guest: Priya Anand , reporter at Bloomberg covering venture capital and start-ups. Host:...

David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the Silicon Valley Bank bailout with David Leonhardt; Ron DeSantis coming out against aid to Ukraine; and free speech fights at elite law schools. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: William Saletan for The Bulwark: “ The Ukraine Untruths of Disingenuous DeSantis ” Ken White for The Popehat Report: “ Hating Everyone Every...

Colleges are dropping the SAT as a requirement in their admissions process, citing studies that what the test measures best is simply how well you’ve prepared for the test. But the question at the heart of the matter remains: how do you create a fair and equitable college admissions process? And can a test-optional system help foster a more equal playing field when there’s still so much inequality...

The downfall of Silicon Valley Bank marks the second largest bank collapse in American history.  Why and how did SVBgo under? Where were the regulators? And how do we stop this from happening again? Guest: Annie Lowery ,staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Give People Money . If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads...

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has made anti-trans legislation a trademark of her term, but singling out trans people—and those who provide them medical care—comes at a cost to the state and its residents. It left the tiny rural town of Webster with only one physician. Guest: Mayson Bedient, a family medicine and gender-affirming care specialist in Fargo, North Dakota If you enjoy this show, please...

Judy Heumann devoted her life to advocating for Americans with disabilities and was a fixture at protests, sit-ins, and activist meetings, eventually becoming a presidential advisor. After passing away at 75, her work continues through her friends and those she fought for.  Guest: Sandy Ho , founder of Disability and Intersectionality Summit and disability policy researcher. If you enjoy this show...

The online dating world can be brutal and repetitive—just the kind of thing you might want to automate. But, in one tech writer’s experience, artificial intelligence isn’t ready to make real connections—at least, not without a lot of help. Guest: Heather Tal Murphy , covers business and technology at Slate Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slat...

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by political analyst Michael Podhorzer (ex AFL-CIO, now newly-minted substacker). Michael was one of the all-hands-on-deck responsible for shoring up the 2020 election against subversion, he’s a political data geek,  and for Amicus’s purposes - he’s someone with a fascinating take on the Supreme Court , and all the ways we fail to truly understand it. Hear why Michael doe...

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by American Banker national editor Kevin Wack to discuss all things banking, including retail banking, why it’s so difficult to switch banks and why neobanks aren’t more successful. They also discuss the Wells Fargo fake accounts scandal.   In the Plus segment: the lead up to the Silicon Valley Bank downfall.   Podcast producti...

Just weeks before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a Nebraska woman and her daughter were charged with performing an illegal abortion, thanks to information that law enforcement uncovered by going through their Facebook accounts.  Guest: Johana Bhuiyan , senior reporter on tech and surveillance for The Guardian Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Sl...

David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign, the end of pandemic-era medicaid & food security protections, and the many legal fights over medication abortion. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show Hannah Dreier and Kirsten Luce for The New York Times: “ Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S. ” Jef...

For all of his success, Steven Spielberg has a spotty record at the Oscars. He’s been nominated 22 times, but he’s only won three. Is it a curse?  This Sunday could mark a shift for the King of Hollywood’s five decades in the industry. And with The Fabelmans this year, it’s personal.  Guest: Michael Schulman , New Yorker staff writer and the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sw...

The New York Times published an exposé on immigrant children illegally employed to do dangerous jobs across the country. To one U.S. representative, it’s not just a labor issue; it’s symptomatic of the larger problems in the immigration system. Fixing it, then, will require once again taking up the fight to overhaul immigration.  Guest: Rep. Hillary Scholten , U.S. representative from Michigan’s 3...