Apple News In Conversation

This week, the New Yorker was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for its podcast In the Dark, which is featured in this episode from our archives. On Nov. 19, 2005, a group of U.S. Marines killed 24 men, women, and children in Haditha, Iraq. It would become known as the Haditha massacre and set off one of the largest war-crimes investigations in American history. But, ultimately, no one was convicted of these killings. The latest season of the New Yorker’s podcast In the Dark explores what happened in Haditha and how the U.S. military justice system often fails to hold its members to account. Host Madeleine Baran spoke with Apple News In Conversation’s Shumita Basu about this expansive investigative reporting. Listen to the full interview on Apple Podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

In 2020, dozens of young women from a small Long Island, New York, community discovered violent and sexualized manipulated images of themselves on a deepfake-porn site. Local police found themselves ill-equipped to handle the case, but some of the victims did their own sleuthing. Their quest for justice is featured in Bloomberg Businessweek’s podcast Levittown. Reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy sat down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about the rise of generative AI and how it’s found its way into the darkest places on the web.

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

Millions of Americans cannot afford housing despite working full-time jobs. They live in cars, shelters, or extended-stay hotels and often don’t qualify for assistance programs. Journalist and anthropologist Brian Goldstone follows five Atlanta families who are stuck in this cycle in his new book, There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America. Goldstone reveals how these parents and children are prevented from securing housing by steep rents, red tape, and predatory schemes. He spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about how this crisis arose and ways to address it.

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

The Trump administration is upending college campuses across the U.S. In recent weeks, the White House has launched investigations into dozens of the nation’s top universities, accusing them of antisemitism and threatening to freeze major federal grants if the schools don’t end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and make other changes to address the administration’s claims. Michael S. Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, sat down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about how these moves endanger academic freedom and how schools are pushing back against the federal government.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

Last month the Trump administration deported, without due process, 238 Venezuelan migrants to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. The White House says that these people have ties to a Venezuelan gang but has provided little evidence to support this claim. Most of them do not have criminal histories. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu sat down with New Yorker staff writer Jonathan Blitzer, who has covered immigration for more than a decade, to discuss the possible implications of these deportations and the muted resistance to the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

For more than a century, Johnson & Johnson has billed itself as one of the most trusted companies in American history. But, in a stunning investigation, journalist Gardiner Harris documents decades of misconduct and malfeasance by the health-care conglomerate. Harris’s book, out April 8, is called No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson. He spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about why he says the company has “knowingly contributed to the deaths and grievous injuries of millions” through products including baby powder, a fentanyl patch, and a cancer drug. Johnson & Johnson has denied many of these allegations.

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2025

This year, Elon Musk and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency have swept through federal agencies — ingesting data, enacting mass firings and cuts, and causing confusion among federal workers. Reporters Leah Feiger and Zoë Schiffer, along with their colleagues at Wired, recently spoke with over 150 sources, including current and former federal employees, about DOGE’s inner workings. Feiger and Schiffer sat down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to discuss their story, “Inside Elon Musk’s ‘Digital Coup,’” which was selected as Apple News’s March Story of the Month. 

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2025

Brian Kelly, founder of the Points Guy, has made a career out of helping people travel using credit-card points and frequent-flyer miles. His readers have taken trips across the globe, flown first class, and stayed in five-star hotels — all using rewards. Kelly is out now with a new book, How to Win at Travel, which details travel advice that goes beyond points and miles. He spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about ways to make your next trip easier and more affordable.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

The U.S. military is the most powerful and lethal in the world. But several branches of the armed forces have failed to meet their recruiting goals in recent years. That has some experts concerned about whether the country would be prepared to defend itself in the event of war. In a recent piece for the New Yorker, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Dexter Filkins writes about the state of the military today. He spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the roots of this recruitment crisis, how the current administration plans to address it, and what it could mean for American security in the future.

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

Last year, media mogul Rupert Murdoch tried to wrest control of his family trust — and the future of his massive news conglomerate — away from three of his children in favor of his eldest son, Lachlan. The bitter court battle that followed strained the family to the breaking point and prompted his youngest son, James, to share his story, for the first time, with Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins. Coppins’s article was selected as Apple News’s February Story of the Month, and he spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about James’s challenging relationship with his father and the war for the Murdoch media empire.

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2025

The Ultimate Fighting Championship and the sport at its center, mixed martial arts, have exploded in popularity in recent years — and President Donald Trump is a fan. Trump and UFC CEO Dana White are also close friends, and have been for decades. For a story in Rolling Stone, Jack Crosbie details how the two have helped each other rise. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Crosbie about the integral link between Trump’s America and the UFC.

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2025

One month into his second term, President Trump has made a lot of big moves quickly, from pardoning 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters and attempting to stop all foreign aid to ordering mass firings of federal employees. These actions have triggered a flurry of challenges in the federal courts. Beyond each individual case, a larger picture is forming of the executive office pushing the limits of its power. Ankush Khardori, a former federal prosecutor and senior writer for Politico Magazine, talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about how Trump could fundamentally alter the balance between our three branches of government — not only for himself but for future presidents.

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2025

Saturday Night Live has churned out dozens of unforgettable stars — from Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy to Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig — but the biggest force behind the show is executive producer Lorne Michaels. Ahead of SNL’s 50th anniversary, Susan Morrison, author of Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about Michaels’s unique management style and singular eye for comedy. 

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2025

In at least 6% of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cases, the eggs come from donors — and that number is growing. The scarcity and value of human eggs have given rise to a flourishing global industry already worth billions of dollars. A new investigation in Bloomberg Businessweek reveals how this sprawling and largely unregulated market is ripe for exploitation. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with senior reporters Susan Berfield and Natalie Obiko Pearson about the stories of the women behind this booming business. Listen to the full interview on Apple Podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2025

The social-media grounds are shifting. In recent weeks, there have been major developments at platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Meanwhile, more and more experts are raising alarm bells about the harms of social media on society and our mental health. To understand how we got here and what might come next, Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Nicholas Carr, author of the book Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart, who has been writing about the human consequences of technology for decades.

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025

The militia movement in America has a long, embattled history — and President Trump ushered in a new chapter with his sweeping grant of clemency to the more than 1,500 people charged for their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. ProPublica reporter Joshua Kaplan sat down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about the message these pardons send and the insights of a unique source who secretly infiltrated and climbed the ranks of militia groups in America.

Transcribed - Published: 23 January 2025

The Apple Original series Severance takes place in a world where people can split their memories in two — and create completely separate selves for inside and outside the workplace. It was a hit when it debuted in 2022, and in the season finale the characters’ “innies” and “outies” collide in a shocking cliff-hanger. In the three years since, fans have been waiting for — and sharing their theories about — what might happen next. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu sat down with executive producer and director Ben Stiller and star and executive producer Adam Scott to talk about the new season, out on Apple TV+ Jan. 17.

Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2025

Forty-five million people in the U.S. — about one in six adults — owe a total of $1.7 trillion in student-loan debt. Canceling some of these federal loans has become a flash point in modern American politics. In a new book, Burdened: Student Debt and the Making of an American Crisis, Ryann Liebenthal traces the origins of the student-loan system and breaks down how it works today. Liebenthal spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about ways to address this trillion-dollar problem.

Transcribed - Published: 9 January 2025

This is an episode from our archives. Esther Perel is the relationship expert many couples dream of scheduling a session with. Her podcast, Where Should We Begin? With Esther Perel, offers the next best thing. In it, she helps couples work through their issues, often providing insights that are relevant to other relationships. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Perel about how she approaches her work, the challenges of modern love, and how to resolve conflict.

Transcribed - Published: 2 January 2025

This is an episode from our archives. Elizabeth Keating didn’t realize how little she knew about her mother’s life until after she had died. A trained anthropologist, Keating decided to develop a guide for interviewing and recording loved ones’ histories before it’s too late. Her book The Essential Questions: Interview Your Family to Uncover Stories and Bridge Generations offers a blueprint for these conversations along with thought-provoking questions. On Apple News In Conversation, Keating shares what this process can teach us about ourselves and our families with host Shumita Basu.

Transcribed - Published: 26 December 2024

After the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban came to power and quickly began stripping women and girls of their rights. With the support of Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and actor Jennifer Lawrence, Afghan filmmaker Sahra Mani gathered footage from women activists fighting against this oppressive regime. The resulting documentary, Bread & Roses, is now available on Apple TV+. Mani and Yousafzai joined Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about the bravery of the women in the face of Taliban rule and the urgent need for the international community to act.

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2024

The separation of migrant families by the Trump administration is one of the most controversial policies in modern American history. It began in mid-2017 but was only acknowledged publicly about a year later. In 2020, NBC correspondent Jacob Soboroff came out with a book on the subject called Separated: Inside an American Tragedy. Most recently, Soboroff teamed up with Academy Award–winning filmmaker Errol Morris to make a documentary, also called Separated, based on the book. Morris and Soboroff spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about how this policy was carried out and what it might look like under the new Trump administration.

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2024

Taylor Swift requires no introduction. She recently became the first artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year four times. Her Eras Tour, the highest-grossing music tour ever, ends this month. Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield, who has been covering Swift since the beginning of her career, is out with a new book on the star, Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music. Sheffield talks with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about Swift’s gift for storytelling, her expansive fan base, and how she’s empowered a whole new generation of artists.

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2024

This is an episode from our archives. Holiday spending is expected to reach record levels this year. That makes for a lot of packages — and a lot of returns, donations, and junk. On Apple News In Conversation, host Shumita Basu speaks with The Atlantic’s Amanda Mull, who reveals the strategies retailers use to get you to buy more stuff and what you can do to have a more sustainable holiday season. Listen to the full interview on Apple Podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2024

This is an episode from our archives. Holiday spending is expected to reach record levels this year. That makes for a lot of packages — and a lot of returns, donations, and junk. On Apple News In Conversation, host Shumita Basu speaks with The Atlantic’s Amanda Mull, who reveals the strategies retailers use to get you to buy more stuff and what you can do to have a more sustainable holiday season. Listen to the full interview on Apple Podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2024

Even before the divisive presidential election, family estrangement was on the rise. Now, as holiday gatherings approach, many people are grappling with difficult family dynamics. Psychologist Joshua Coleman, the author of Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties & How to Heal the Conflict, talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about how to navigate strained relationships and what steps you can take to bridge divides.

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2024

Sharon Horgan has spent decades creating hilarious TV and compelling women characters at every stage of life. In the BBC comedy Pulling, she captured the confusion of early adulthood. Young parenthood was the subject of Amazon Prime’s Catastrophe. And HBO’s Divorce, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, focused on the dissolution of a marriage. Her latest project, Bad Sisters, premieres its second season this week on Apple TV+. Horgan sits down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about bringing realistic women onscreen, the delicate balance of writing comedy and drama, and why menopause might be the most challenging life stage of all.

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2024

Along with Donald Trump’s win this week, Republicans took control of the Senate and are favored to secure the House. To break down the forces behind this rightward shift, Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Atlantic staff writer George Packer. They discuss what the election results reveal about the country and the change many Americans want to see.

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2024

Along with Donald Trump’s win this week, Republicans took control of the Senate and are favored to secure the House. To break down the forces behind this rightward shift, Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Atlantic staff writer George Packer. They discuss what the election results reveal about the country and the change many Americans want to see.

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their closing pitches to voters ahead of Election Day. In this final week, Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu sat down with New York Times chief White House correspondent Peter Baker and New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser. The married political reporters are also authors of the book The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017–2021. They reflected on this moment in the campaign, the two contrasting visions for America the candidates are presenting, and what a victory for either Harris or Trump could mean for the country.

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2024

Since former President Trump lost the 2020 presidential race, he and his supporters have been spreading the false claim that the election was stolen and that the U.S. is rife with voter fraud. This has been disproven in court many times, but the rhetoric has had a real effect on the country — from the January 6 attack on the Capitol, to election-rule changes, to general distrust around the voting process. Votebeat’s Jessica Huseman is one of the leading reporters on voting in the U.S. She talks with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the lies being spread about our voting system and explains why Americans can feel reassured that this election will be safe and fair.

Transcribed - Published: 24 October 2024

In the past month, two major hurricanes hit the southeastern United States, causing hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in damage. Journalist Porter Fox warns that this is only the beginning. Fox, who has been reporting on climate change for more than a decade, has published a new book, Category Five: Superstorms and the Warming Oceans That Feed Them. He spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about how human-induced climate change is fueling increasingly larger and more dangerous storms — and how we can turn the tide.

Transcribed - Published: 17 October 2024

Democratic candidates for office have historically relied on support from Latino voters. But recent elections and polling show that this crucial voting bloc is starting to move further to the right. In her new book, Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America, journalist Paola Ramos explores the forces behind this shift. She spoke to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about what all of this could signal for the 2024 election.

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2024

One year ago, Hamas militants killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 people hostage. Since then, Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, including more than 16,000 children. Most recently, the conflict expanded into Lebanon, and Iran fired missiles into Israel. Vox senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about where things stand now, the devastating human toll of the war, and how the conflict could evolve.

Transcribed - Published: 3 October 2024

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, nearly half of states in the U.S. have banned or heavily restricted abortion, leaving millions of people without access to this procedure. Caroline Kitchener covers abortion for the Washington Post and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting in 2023. Kitchener talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the impact of abortion bans on people’s lives and the role this issue is playing in the 2024 election.

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2024

On November 19, 2005, a group of U.S. Marines killed 24 men, women, and children in Haditha, Iraq. It would become known as the Haditha massacre and set off one of the largest war-crimes investigations in American history. But, ultimately, no one was convicted of these killings. The latest season of the New Yorker’s podcast In the Dark explores what happened in Haditha and how the U.S. military justice system often fails to hold its members to account. Host Madeleine Baran spoke with Apple News In Conversation’s Shumita Basu about this expansive investigative reporting.

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2024

When it comes to QAnon and other conspiracy theories, there’s no one type of person who is most vulnerable. And those who get sucked in can quickly become unrecognizable to their loved ones. Jesselyn Cook, the author of The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family, talks to Apple News In Conversationhost Shumita Basu about how QAnon has shattered lives across the political spectrum and the tools that can work to pull family and friends back out of the rabbit hole.

Transcribed - Published: 12 September 2024

Every day, 10,000 people turn 65 in America. With unpaid family members bearing the brunt of the work and an already-stressed care workforce, the U.S. faces huge challenges to support the elderly. Labor organizer and author Ai-jen Poo talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about how America can give everyone a chance to have the aging experience they deserve.

Transcribed - Published: 5 September 2024

This is an episode from our archives. Growing up, Jennifer Senior thought her mom was an only child. But when she was 12 years old, she learned her mom had a sister, named Adele, who was institutionalized as a baby. Adele had spent almost her entire life separated from her family. Decades later, in 2021, Senior reconnected with her aunt and uncovered the dark history of institutionalizing children with intellectual disabilities. Senior wrote about her aunt’s story in The Atlantic and spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about her experience.

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2024

This week, Democrats rallied around their new ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. It was a remarkable sign of unity for a party that settled on their new nominee just four weeks ago and has been riding a wave of voter enthusiasm. But can this energy last? And what will it take to win the White House in November? Apple News editor Gideon Resnick attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and talked to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about where the race with Trump stands now and what the Harris campaign sees as its path to victory.

Transcribed - Published: 23 August 2024

The Darién Gap is one of the most dangerous migrant routes in the world and the only way to get to the U.S. from South America by land. But despite the risks, more and more people — including children — are braving the 70-mile stretch of harsh terrain. Atlantic staff writer Caitlin Dickerson and photographer Lynsey Addario recently made the trek with several families to show just how treacherous it is on the ground. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Dickerson about what she saw — and how U.S. immigration policy has created more risks for people every step of the way.

Transcribed - Published: 15 August 2024

Nancy Pelosi is one of the most powerful people in U.S. history. She was first elected to Congress in 1987 at the age of 47 and went on to become the first woman speaker of the House in 2007. She is known as a shrewd politician with an outsize influence over the Democratic Party and the country. Her new book, The Art of Power, details some of the biggest moments in her career. Pelosi sat down with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to talk about the 2024 race for the White House, American politics today, and her legacy.

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2024

The United States’ food system is fundamentally broken. We produce food that is optimized for profits, not quality. A lot of it is also detrimental to our health. And the way we produce it does huge harm to the planet. Best-selling author Mark Bittman has been a leading voice in food and policy for decades. He talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the serious problems with how our food is made and sold — and offers solutions to improve the system.

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2024

The 2024 Paris Olympics are finally here, with two weeks of jaw-dropping, mind-blowing athleticism by some of the world’s GOATs. NBC’s Rebecca Lowe is covering the Olympics — and talks with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the athletes on Team USA, what they’re up against, and the most exciting storylines of this summer’s Games.

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2024

Following the Republican National Convention, the GOP has never been more confident about the chances of Donald Trump winning in November. Atlantic staff writer Tim Alberta, who has spent months talking to Trump insiders, breaks down his campaign’s strategy and why so much could change between now and the election.

Transcribed - Published: 19 July 2024

The U.S. surgeon general recently recommended that all social-media platforms come with a warning label alerting parents and young people of their risks. Meanwhile, some schools are moving to ban phones altogether. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu talks to psychologist Mitch Prinstein, an expert in adolescent development, about what we actually know about the effects of social media on kids’ brains — and his compassionate advice for navigating smartphone use in your family.

Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2024

This is an episode from our archives that was originally published in July 2023. Millions of people in the U.S. are living in areas with dangerous levels of heat — and a growing death toll. In a new book, The Heat Will Kill You First, reporter Jeff Goodell warns that heat is pushing us into a new climate era, with dire implications for individuals, society, and our planet. Goodell spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the changes we need to make today and the reasons he still has hope for the future.

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2024

Guest-hosted by Sam Sanders: Reality shows — like Survivor, The Bachelor, and Love Is Blind — are some of the most-watched TV series in the U.S. But how much “reality” is actually being shown? In her new book, Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV, New Yorker staff writer Emily Nussbaum reveals how this industry came to be and takes people behind the scenes of some of the top reality series. Nussbaum speaks with guest host Sam Sanders about the most surprising aspects of this divisive genre.

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2024

Guest-hosted by Sam Sanders: Social media, constantly seeing ourselves on Zoom, and other modern technologies are inspiring people to change their faces and bodies at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, we have more access than ever before to medical procedures to modify our appearances. That combination is resulting in a plastic-surgery frenzy. To understand the science behind how our brains process beauty, guest host Sam Sanders talks to Neelam Vashi, an associate professor of dermatology at Boston University’s medical school who has studied the connection between social media and cosmetic surgery. Then, Elise Hu, the author of Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture From the K-Beauty Capital, offers tips on how to navigate a world of ever-fleeting beauty trends.

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2024

A year after two historic Hollywood strikes, America’s entertainment industry is in crisis. Box-office numbers are way down, there are roughly 20% fewer jobs than before the pandemic, and just a handful of companies now control virtually everything we watch. Franklin Leonard, the founder of the Black List, is a Hollywood insider and an industry disrupter. He talks to guest host Sam Sanders about how TV and filmmaking need to change.

Transcribed - Published: 14 June 2024