Slate News

The psychedelic renaissance is here. But not everyone’s on board. Guest: John Semley Host: Sonari Glinton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon , and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Edmund Lee of the New York Times to discuss why it’s so hard to understand what inflation actually is, why Goldman Sach’s Marcus and other digital banks just aren’t working, and the surprising sale of Reorg for a cool $1.3 billion. In the Plus segment: Elon Musk selling tons of his Tesla stock.   Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Ho...

The quality of dignity is not strained. Judge Victoria Pratt presided for years over Municipal Court in Newark, New Jersey. Her experiences form the foundation of her book, The Power of Dignity: How Transforming Justice Can Heal Our Communities . In the third of Amicus’ summer season of big-picture conversations, Dahlia Lithwick and Judge Pratt explore what everyone, up to and including Supreme Co...

Crypto mining is booming in Texas. Will the power grid be able to handle it? Guest: Russell Gold Host: Sonari Glinton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and Juliette Kayyem discuss the Mar-a-Lago search; the Inflation Reduction Act; and Caitlin Dickerson’s article investigating how separating families at the border became U.S. policy. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Caitlin Dickerson for The Atlantic: “ An American Catastrophe: The Secret History of Family Separation ” Juliette Kayye...

New abortion restrictions following the repeal of Roe v. Wade have turned some reproductive care into a criminal liability. After a traumatic ectopic pregnancy, one Texas woman is wondering whether state laws delayed her diagnosis and treatment, ultimately leaving her with a ruptured fallopian tube.  Guest: Fatima Abdelwahab of Houston, Texas. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for...

After decades of dragging their feet on action to slow climate change, the Senate passed what is modeled to be the most impactful climate policy yet. What’s in the Inflation Reduction Act, and how did Democrats finally get the mercurial Joe Manchin on board? Guest: Robinson Meyer , staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the newsletter The Weekly Planet . If you enjoy this show, please consider...

Afghan women and LGBTQ+ people immediately felt the impact of the Taliban’s return to power last year. But journalists trying to tell their stories could face intense and even violent backlash from the extremist group—like what happened to Lynne O’Donnell.  Guest: Lynne O’Donnell , columnist at Foreign Policy and former Afghanistan bureau chief for Agence France-Presse and the Associated Press. If...

With an ongoing labor shortage, companies turn to third-party labor brokers to fill jobs. But with little oversight and a surge of immigrants, the line between “ recruiter” and “ trafficker” gets blurred as vulnerable children are sent to work in dangerous conditions.  Guest: Mica Rosenberg , national immigration reporter for Reuters. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Pl...

It makes intuitive sense for companies that develop a technology to hold its intellectual property rights. But in the case of vaccines and medical treatments, IP laws slow down manufacturing and distribution and give private companies the power to make huge decisions that affect public health globally. Guest: Zain Rizvi, researcher for advocacy group Public Citizen, specializing in pharmaceutical...

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the merging of HBOMax and Discovery+, a new study on the effect of abortion restrictions on women’s wages, and people paying to be on podcasts .   In the Plus segment: Lobster rolls .     Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US has been in a housing shortage for decades. Can it ever be fixed? Guest: Conor Dougherty Host: Emily Peck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and Heather McGhee discuss the primaries and Kansan voters’ defense of abortion; Alex Jones on trial; and Annie Lowrey’s story of surviving pregnancy in the United States.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Sam Adler-Bell for The New York Times: “ The Violent Fantasies of Blake Masters ” Jason Beeferman for The Texas Tribune: “ How San...

In the primaries of purple states like Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, Trump-backed, far-right candidates have been getting a boost from a surprising source: the Democrats. Calculating that it will give their party the edge in general elections, local and national Dems have spent thousands elevating extremists. But will the strategy pay off?  Guest: Jim Newell , senior politics writer for Sla...

Known as the “Merchant of Death,” Viktor Bout illegally ferried weapons, diamonds, and even UN peacekeepers around the world. The man who wrote the book on Bout thinks it’s time to send him home, if it can free Brittney Griner. Guest: Douglas Farah , co-author of Merchant of Death: Money, Guns, Planes and the Man Who Makes War Possible. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate...

Following a 2017 state supreme court decision, the right to an abortion is recognized by Kansas’s state constitution. But with some suspect scheduling and seemingly deliberately confusing language, citizens of Kansas are voting today on whether to return control over reproductive healthcare to the state’s deeply Republican legislature.    Guest: Stephen R. McAllister , former U.S. district attorne...

Like many families during the Trump years, the Reffitts fought about politics. But not many families had a son calling the FBI on his father. Now Guy Reffitt is facing a 15-year sentence for domestic terrorism for his actions on Jan. 6 while his loved ones pick up the pieces. Guest: Ilya Marritz , senior reporter at WNYC, co-host of the Wondery podcast “ Will be Wild ”. If you enjoy this show, ple...

Researchers have untangled a world of illicit trade that threatens ecosystems and endangers species. Guest: Dr. Alice Hughes , Richard Stewart Host: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the merits of the Inflation Reduction Act and Larry Summers’ role in moving it along, the low GDP numbers, and a listener question about corporate landlords.   In the Plus segment: This week’s Slate piece on the sham that is college financial aid .       Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

In the second of Amicus’ Summer Series of interviews that step out of the day to day of jurisprudence to look at justice and the Supreme Court through a wide-angle lens, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by actor and playwright Heidi Schreck. Schreck created and starred in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award - nominated “What the Constitution Means to Me” and is a fierce advocate for abortion rights. Togeth...

In buying One Medical, Amazon is primed to be your doctor. Are they disrupting health care, or just collecting more data? Guest: Rebecca Pifer Host: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the surprise deal for climate legislation, new January 6th revelations, and the deadliest road in America.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Carol D. Leonnig, Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey and Spencer S. Hsu for The Washington Post: “ Justice Dept. Investigating Trump’s Actions In Jan. 6 Criminal Probe ” Carol...

Adoption is often invoked as an alternative to abortion. But looking back at how adoption worked before Roe v. Wade —and looking at how it works now—the option is cold comfort for many people facing unintended pregnancies.  Guest: Ann Fessler , author of The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade . If you enjoy this...

The “Respect for Marriage Act” protects same-sex marriages nationwide and already has bipartisan support. If put to a vote in the Senate, it seems likely to pass. So why aren’t Democrats making it a priority? Guest: Mark Joseph Stern , senior writer at Slate. 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...

The American southwest is in a megadrought. Water levels in lakes are dropping, threatening the local environment as well as agriculture, hydroelectric power, and the people living there. As global temperatures rise, it could be a preview of worse things to come.  Guest: Dr. Jason Smerdon , ocean and climate physicist, and Lamont research professor at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columb...