Slate News

Johnny Depp’s defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard is making headlines—not just for the spectacle taking place within the courtroom, but for its implications for victims of domestic violence. 

In a case of domestic ugliness, is it possible to know the truth? And does trying to uncover it through legal action serve anyone’s best interests?

Guest: John Culhane, professor at the Delaware Law School.

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In a special episode for Slate Plus members, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern for in-depth analysis of the stunning leaked draft opinion from Justice Samuel Alito in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization, the abortion case that is poised to overturn 50 years of jurisprudence and Roe v Wade.

Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show.

Podcast production by Sara Burningham

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This week, Politico published a shocking leak from within the Supreme Court, indicating that a majority of the judges have voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Beyond who leaked the draft opinion, questions remain about what the rollback of the landmark constitutional law will mean for abortion rights in America. 

Guest: Dahlia Lithwick, Slate courts and law writer and host of the podcast Amicus.

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 episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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This week, Politico published a shocking leak from within the Supreme Court, indicating that a majority of the judges have voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Beyond who leaked the draft opinion, questions remain about what the rollback of the landmark constitutional law will mean for abortion rights in America. 

Guest: Dahlia Lithwick, Slate courts and law writer and host of the podcast Amicus.

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 episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.

Taffy Brodesser-Akner, journalist and author of the novel turned soon-to-be television show, Fleishman Is in Troublejoins Felix and Emily to talk about the 1990 dark comedy The Bonfire of the Vanities. They get into why Emily hated this movie, the differences between the movie and the book, and all the racism. Plus, there’s some behind-the-scenes industry talk.

Email: [email protected]

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

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Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow went viral in April for striking back at an extreme characterization made by a Republican colleague. The video of McMorrow’s speech—viewed over 14 million times—tells a bigger story about how national political rhetoric is affecting local political debates. But is the senator really demonstrating how to reset the terms of debate? Or is she just one more person who went viral for speaking to her echo chamber?

Guest: Mallory McMorrow, Michigan state senator representing Grand Oak and the suburbs north of Detroit. 

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The body of 18-year-old Debanhi Escobar was discovered in late April, inside a water tank in a motel on the outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico—weeks after she went missing. The identity of her killer is still unknown.

The case has prompted a national outcry over the Mexican government’s consistent failure to deliver justice for missing women. But femicide in Mexico isn’t new, and past protests haven’t yielded meaningful change. Will this time be any different?

Guest: Oscar Lopez, reporter for the New York Times based in Mexico City.

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 episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The body of 18-year-old Debanhi Escobar was discovered in late April, inside a water tank in a motel on the outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico—weeks after she went missing. The identity of her killer is still unknown.

The case has prompted a national outcry over the Mexican government’s consistent failure to deliver justice for missing women. But femicide in Mexico isn’t new, and past protests haven’t yielded meaningful change. Will this time be any different?

Guest: Oscar Lopez, reporter for the New York Times based in Mexico City.

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 episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

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

Can Starlink ever fulfill its promise of connecting the world, especially places left behind by traditional internet? Or will it be just another toy for the rich? 

Guest: Meaghan Tobin, reporter at Rest of World

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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Black Twitter has grown into a community where jokes, memes, and activism flourish. But with Elon Musk taking over, many users fear the most vital conversations will be silenced. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Omar Wasow, a pioneer in online culture, and the co-founder of the BlackPlanet social network. They discuss what Musk’s definition of free speech and his record on race could mean for the future of Black Twitter, and whether it’s time to leave the platform.

Guest: Omar Wasow, assistant professor of politics at Pomona College

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis

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