Apple News In Conversation

She had schizophrenia for decades — then suddenly she didn’t

<p>When Christine was 9, her mother began having delusions that upended their family&rsquo;s life. Her mother was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia, but treatments had no effect. Nearly two decades later, after she started medication for cancer, her psychosis suddenly vanished. In the <a href="https://apple.news/A2Ins4MUySuCgfcBalXzT_g" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>New Yorker</em></a>, staff writer Rachel Aviv tells this remarkable story &mdash; and what it reveals about how schizophrenia is diagnosed and treated. The piece was selected as an Apple News Story of the Month. Aviv spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about how evolving science is challenging long-held beliefs about schizophrenia and its causes.</p>

Why recovering from addiction is so hard in America

<p>Hundreds of thousands of Americans seek help for opioid addiction each year, but too often, they&rsquo;re met with a rehab system that fails them. Many programs operate with little oversight, prioritizing profit over care, while proven medications remain out of reach. Shoshana Walter, author of <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/rehab/id6736621430" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Rehab: An American Scandal</em></a>, spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about what actually works in treating addiction &mdash; and why even well-intentioned programs so often fall short.</p>

Rebroadcast: How “real” is reality TV?

<p><em>This is an episode from our archives.</em><br /><br />Reality shows &mdash; like <em>Survivor</em>, <em>The Bachelor</em>, and <em>Love Is Blind</em> &mdash; are some of the most-watched TV series in the U.S. But how much &ldquo;reality&rdquo; is actually being shown? In her book <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/cue-the-sun/id6473575370" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV</em></a>, <em>New Yorker </em>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.</p>

How Sudan’s collapse exposes America’s fading global power

<p>When Sudan&rsquo;s civil war broke out in 2023, two military factions violently dismantled the country&rsquo;s infrastructure, causing devastation for civilians. Now millions face famine, sexual violence, and mass displacement as international aid has dwindled after U.S. funding cuts. <a href="https://apple.news/AaZefClF6SGa579nvHDuVcg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Atlantic</em></a> staff writer Anne Applebaum and photojournalist Lynsey Addario traveled to Sudan to report on the crisis. Applebaum sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to talk about what she saw on the ground, and what Sudan&rsquo;s war reveals about the collapse of the liberal world order.</p>

The hidden agenda behind “no tax on tips”

<p>&ldquo;No tax on tips&rdquo; is a provision in President Trump&rsquo;s new tax-and-spending bill that promises a tax break for tipped workers. But nearly 40% of these workers don&rsquo;t earn enough to pay federal income tax and won&rsquo;t directly benefit from the policy. In his latest piece for the <a href="https://apple.news/Amj-DKRXlTq-XyPNgeYNrMw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>New Yorker</em></a>, contributing writer Eyal Press explains how the &ldquo;no tax on tips&rdquo; proposal originally came from the National Restaurant Association &mdash; known to some labor advocates as &ldquo;the other NRA&rdquo; &mdash; a powerful industry lobby that has long fought against raising wages. Press spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about how the association has shaped labor laws behind the scenes, and why a policy that looks like a win for workers might actually serve their bosses instead.</p>

How one state became a blueprint for Trump’s immigration crackdown

<p>The immigration landscape in the U.S. has shifted dramatically since President Trump began his second term. ICE raids and arrests have surged&nbsp;&mdash; including among migrants without criminal records &mdash; leaving detention facilities overflowing and families in crisis. NPR senior immigration correspondent <a href="https://apple.news/AvIWl55-uT9iRptBHd6GZSA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jasmine Garsd</a> has been reporting from Florida, a state that has taken the lead in advancing Trump&rsquo;s agenda. She sat down with<em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to share what she&rsquo;s seeing on the ground &mdash; and why Florida offers clues of what&rsquo;s to come for the rest of country.</p>

She wanted to be a mother. She was forced to put her son up for adoption.

<p>Maternity homes are resurging in the post-<em>Roe</em> era. These facilities are meant to provide temporary housing and other services to pregnant people in need. But many are rooted in restrictive Christian ideology &mdash; and some former residents say they were coerced into placing their babies for adoption. In the new Wondery podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/liberty-lost/id1815337795" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Liberty Lost</em></a>, journalist T.J. Raphael investigates this system through the story of one teenager, Abbi Johnson. Raphael joins <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to share what she uncovered and what Johnson&rsquo;s experience reveals about adoption and reproductive choice in America.</p>

“There’s no good way to kill somebody”: what the death penalty looks like in America

<p>Public support for the death penalty has been slowly declining in America. But under President Trump, executions have spiked. In her recent piece, &ldquo;<a href="https://apple.news/Av9jDG-vZTamozsbIhEqRXQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Inside America&rsquo;s Death Chambers</a>,&rdquo; <em>Atlantic</em> staff writer Elizabeth Bruenig describes witnessing five executions &mdash; including two failed attempts &mdash; and what those experiences taught her about justice, mercy, and redemption. Bruenig spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about her reporting and her own experience as the relative of a murder victim.&nbsp;</p>

How tech is transforming parenthood (for better or worse)

<p><em>New York Times</em> critic Amanda Hess has spent years writing about the internet, technology, and culture. But when she became pregnant, and then a new parent, she was surprised by how much tech infiltrated &mdash; and tried to optimize &mdash; every aspect of her life. In her book <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/second-life/id6618121954" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age</em></a>, Hess chronicles that experience. She sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to talk about the promises and pitfalls of parenting technology, and the tools that actually helped her family.</p>

“We are living in a new Gilded Age”: how the billionaire class came to power

<p>Americans have a long history of obsession with the ultrarich, from Carnegie and Rockefeller to Bezos and Musk. And today, the gap between the rich and the poor&nbsp;is bigger than ever as the billionaire class has ascended to new heights. In his new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-haves-and-have-yachts/id6741071687" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Haves and Have-Yachts</em></a>, <em>New Yorker</em> staff writer Evan Osnos explores the extravagant lifestyles of the wealthy and their outsize influence on politics. He sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to talk about this unique moment &mdash;&nbsp;when billionaires are both resented and envied by the public &mdash;&nbsp;and what it means for the rest of us.</p>

Rebroadcast: “There is a government cover-up around UFOs. It’s just not the one that you think.”

<p><em>This is an episode from our archives. Since we published this episode, the </em>Wall Street Journal<em> released a </em><a href="https://apple.news/A3wQu62yETEuzhMtfzntGiQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>report</em></a><em> that the Pentagon purposely spread disinformation about UFOs, at times to protect secret military operations.</em></p> <p>Have we been visited by extraterrestrial life? And how much does the government really know when it comes to UFOs? Garrett Graff&rsquo;s latest book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/ufo/id6445638086" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government&rsquo;s Search for Alien Life Here &mdash; and Out There</em></a>, investigates these questions and more. The national-security reporter recently sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to share his findings.</p>

What happens when private equity takes over your hospital, your house, and your job

<p>Private equity has become one of the most powerful &mdash; and least understood &mdash; forces in the American economy. In recent decades, firms have taken over everything from retail chains to hospitals to housing &mdash; often with little risk to themselves and with real consequences for workers and communities. In her new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/bad-company/id6670789017" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream</em></a>, journalist Megan Greenwell breaks down how this industry is quietly reshaping American life. Greenwell sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to share the stories of people pushing back against these entities to protect their jobs, their families, and their homes.</p>

Inside the high-speed production of ‘F1 The Movie’

<p>Formula 1 is the highest level of motorsport, with cars hitting speeds of over 200 miles per hour and teams making split-second, high-stakes decisions behind the scenes. Now the drama of this sport is coming to the big screen, with the new Apple Original film <a href="https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/f1-the-movie/umc.cmc.3t6dvnnr87zwd4wmvpdx5came" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>F1 The Movie</em></a>, starring actors Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, in theaters June 27. Director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer wanted to make it the most authentic car-racing movie possible, and they shot real F1 races, incorporating those scenes into the film. They sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu to talk about bringing the world of F1 to life.</p>

An FBI agent went undercover in America’s extremist groups. Here’s what he learned.

<p>In his 22-year career in the FBI, undercover agent Scott Payne infiltrated some of the most dangerous criminal and extremist groups in America, from a motorcycle gang called the Outlaws to a white-supremacist group known as the Base. Payne shares his firsthand case accounts of gathering intelligence and stopping illegal activity in his memoir, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/code-name-pale-horse/id6469529888" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Code Name: Pale Horse; How I Went Undercover to Expose America&rsquo;s Nazis</em></a><em>. </em>His story is also featured on the latest season of the <em>Slate</em> podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/white-hot-hate-agent-pale-horse/id1591461032" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>White Hot Hate</em></a>. Payne sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to talk about some of his most harrowing moments on the job and the growing threat of extremism in the U.S.</p>

Rebroadcast: How Taylor Swift changed the music industry forever

<p><em>Taylor Swift recently announced that she bought back the master recordings of her first six albums, ending a yearslong ownership battle. In light of this news, we&rsquo;re bringing you an episode from our archives about Swift&rsquo;s career, megastardom, and legacy.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>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. <a href="https://apple.news/A3nFtjqN1QrmVlEeAzKSCCA"><em>Rolling Stone</em></a>&rsquo;s Rob Sheffield, who has been covering Swift since the beginning of her career, is out with a new book on the star, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/heartbreak-is-the-national-anthem/id6472271953"><em>Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music</em></a>. Sheffield talks with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about Swift&rsquo;s gift for storytelling, her expansive fan base, and how she&rsquo;s empowered a whole new generation of artists.</p>

Why a 25-cent pill is being sold to cancer patients for nearly $1,000

<p>When <em>ProPublica</em> health-care reporter David Armstrong was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, he began taking a lifesaving drug called Revlimid. When he learned that each pill of this medication is sold for nearly $1,000 but costs drug companies only cents to make, he went on a quest to uncover the reasons behind its shocking price tag. Armstrong sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to talk about his <a href="https://apple.news/ATKPlgJFmSV6qNJCo0bjbVA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">investigation</a> into Revlimid&rsquo;s origins and what it reveals about prescription-drug pricing in America.</p>

How Joe Biden’s inner circle hid his cognitive decline

<p>Throughout his presidency, Joe Biden faced questions about his age and his health, so much so that he ultimately ended his 2024 reelection campaign. In a new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/original-sin/id6742062691" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Original Sin: President Biden&rsquo;s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again</em></a>, journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson reveal the true extent of Biden&rsquo;s declining cognitive health, and the lengths his inner circle took to conceal it from the public. Tapper and Thompson spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about their reporting and what it means for Biden&rsquo;s legacy.</p>

How toxic chemicals quietly took over our lives

<p>Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, are found in virtually every corner of the world, including in most people&rsquo;s bodies. These synthetic compounds have been linked to a wide range of health issues &mdash; from infertility to cancer to neurological problems &mdash; even at low levels of exposure. In a new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/they-poisoned-the-world/id6736963203" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals</em></a>, investigative journalist Mariah Blake lays out how these toxic chemicals became so ubiquitous. Blake spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about a group of unlikely activists&nbsp;fighting back against those responsible and offers practical tips to protect yourself.<br /><br /><p><em>For some resources recommended by Blake, go to the&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.nsf.org/consumer-resources/articles/pfas-drinking-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>National Science Foundation</em></a><em>&rsquo;s page on PFAS in drinking water.</em></p>

Rebroadcast: They killed 24 people, including children. No one was ever held responsible.

<p><em>This week, the</em> New Yorker<em> was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for its podcast</em> In the Dark<em>, which is featured in this episode from our archives.</em><br /><br />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<em> New Yorker</em>&rsquo;s podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-dark/id1148175292" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>In the Dark</em></a> 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 <em>Apple News In Conversation</em>&rsquo;s Shumita Basu about this expansive investigative reporting. Listen to the full interview on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053?i=1000670053849" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Podcasts</a>.</p>

How one small town battled a deepfake-porn criminal

<p>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 <em>Bloomberg Businessweek</em>&rsquo;s podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/levittown/id1802010242" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Levittown</em></a>. Reporters Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to talk about the rise of generative AI and how it&rsquo;s found its way into the darkest places on the web.</p>

They work full-time jobs. Why are they homeless?

<p></p> <p>Millions of Americans cannot afford housing despite working full-time jobs. They live in cars, shelters, or extended-stay hotels and often don&rsquo;t qualify for assistance programs. Journalist and anthropologist Brian Goldstone follows five Atlanta families who are stuck in this cycle in his new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/there-is-no-place-for-us/id6504841282" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America</em></a>. Goldstone reveals how these parents and children are prevented from securing housing by steep rents, red tape, and predatory schemes. He spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about how this crisis arose and ways to address it. Listen to the full interview on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053?i=1000704749512" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Podcasts</a>.</p> <p><em>Correction: A previous version of this episode misstated when the federal minimum wage was last raised. We have removed that line from the interview. The last federal minimum-wage raise was in 2009, not the 1990s.</em></p>

The White House is going after universities. This college president is speaking out.

<p>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&rsquo;s top&nbsp;universities, accusing them of antisemitism and threatening to freeze major federal grants if the schools don&rsquo;t end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and make other changes to address the administration&rsquo;s claims. <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-student/id6459880449" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michael S. Roth</a>, the president of Wesleyan University, sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu to talk about how these moves endanger academic freedom and how schools are pushing back against the federal government.</p>

He’s a makeup artist seeking asylum. Why was he targeted by ICE?

<p>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. <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu sat down with <a href="https://apple.news/AFCml-X3dSLq-kbmNLnrBbw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>New Yorker</em></a> 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&rsquo;s immigration agenda.</p>

The dark side of Johnson &amp; Johnson

<p>For more than a century, Johnson &amp; 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&rsquo;s book, out April 8, is called <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/no-more-tears/id6526465580" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson &amp; Johnson</em></a>. He spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about why he says the company has &ldquo;knowingly contributed to the deaths and grievous injuries of millions&rdquo; through products including baby powder, a fentanyl patch, and a cancer drug. Johnson &amp; Johnson has denied many of these allegations.</p>

Inside Elon Musk’s digital government takeover

<p>This year, Elon Musk and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency have swept through federal agencies &mdash; ingesting data, enacting mass firings and cuts, and causing confusion among federal workers. Reporters Leah Feiger and Zo&euml; Schiffer, along with their colleagues at <a href="https://apple.news/AYoL6iYsJQLyqsv6CCKjUtg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Wired</em></a>, recently spoke with over 150 sources, including current and former federal employees, about DOGE&rsquo;s inner workings. Feiger and&nbsp;Schiffer&nbsp;sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu to discuss their story, &ldquo;<a href="https://apple.news/AYoL6iYsJQLyqsv6CCKjUtg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Inside Elon Musk&rsquo;s &lsquo;Digital Coup,&rsquo;</a>&rdquo; which was selected as Apple News&rsquo;s March Story of the Month.&nbsp;</p>

A travel expert’s secrets for inexpensive luxury trips

<p>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 &mdash; all using rewards. Kelly is out now with a new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/how-to-win-at-travel/id6503703617" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>How to Win at Travel</em></a>, which details travel advice that goes beyond points and miles. He spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about ways to make your next trip easier and more affordable.</p>

What’s behind the U.S. military’s recruitment crisis?

<p>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 <a href="https://apple.news/AcIUB51f4R16D9GBkP-hGcA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>New Yorker</em></a>, Pulitzer Prize&ndash;winning journalist Dexter Filkins writes about the state of the military today. He spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>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.</p>

Inside the Murdoch family’s succession drama

<p>Last year, media mogul Rupert Murdoch tried to wrest control of his family trust &mdash; and the future of his massive news conglomerate &mdash; 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 <a href="https://apple.news/AAmiUA1GCSeGGZJNOcO4ZiA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Atlantic</em></a> staff writer McKay Coppins. Coppins&rsquo;s <a href="https://apple.news/AAmiUA1GCSeGGZJNOcO4ZiA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">article</a>&nbsp;was selected as Apple News&rsquo;s February Story of the Month, and he spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about James&rsquo;s challenging relationship with his father and the war for the Murdoch media empire.</p>

How this brutal sport took over America — and helped elect Donald Trump

<p>The Ultimate Fighting Championship and the sport at its center, mixed martial arts, have exploded in popularity in recent years &mdash;&nbsp;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 <a href="https://apple.news/AG5DnIRFSQqaFIuxmTR3oMg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Rolling Stone</em></a>, Jack Crosbie details how the two have helped each other rise. <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu spoke with Crosbie about the integral link between Trump&rsquo;s America and the UFC.</p>

How much power does a president have?

<p>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 <a href="https://apple.news/As0ZqUb4oTK-55ItVh6_yPw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Politico Magazine</em></a>, talks to <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about how Trump could fundamentally alter the balance between our three branches of government &mdash; not only for himself but for future presidents.</p>