Apple News In Conversation

Malala Yousafzai on women’s resistance under Taliban rule in Afghanistan

<p>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, <a href="https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/bread--roses/umc.cmc.76dp605jvw9didum9xrra5hvc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bread &amp; Roses</em></a>, is now available on Apple TV+. Mani and Yousafzai joined <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> 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.</p>

How one of Trump’s harshest policies started out under the radar

<p>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 <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/separated/id6478543828" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Separated: Inside an American Tragedy</em></a>. Most recently, Soboroff teamed up with Academy Award&ndash;winning filmmaker Errol Morris to make a documentary, also called <a href="https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/separated/umc.cmc.4esc4qr4ywzvatredoc2w2x31" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Separated</em></a>, based on the book<em>.</em> Morris and Soboroff spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about how this policy was carried out and what it might look like under the new Trump administration.</p>

How Taylor Swift changed the music industry forever

<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/AHtfR614dQCuKfciNo4SeEg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><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" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><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>

Rebroadcast: Why we keep buying stuff we don’t need

<p><em>This is an episode from our archives.</em><br /><br />Holiday spending is expected to reach record levels this year. That makes for a lot of packages &mdash; and a lot of returns, donations, and junk. On <em>Apple News In Conversation</em>, host Shumita Basu speaks with <a href="https://apple.news/ToeaQ_L_NQPCFBus3ZQ7O4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Atlantic</em></a>&rsquo;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 <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-news-in-conversation/id1577591053?i=1000676135109" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Podcasts</a>.</p>

Why more people are cutting ties with family

<p>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 <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/rules-of-estrangement/id1499290626" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties &amp; How to Heal the Conflict</em></a>, talks to <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about how to navigate strained relationships and what steps you can take to bridge divides.</p>

She writes women who feel real. Her work is shaking up TV.

<p>Sharon Horgan has spent decades creating hilarious TV and compelling women characters at every stage of life. In the BBC comedy <em>Pulling</em>, she captured the confusion of early adulthood. Young parenthood was the subject of Amazon Prime&rsquo;s <em>Catastrophe</em>. And HBO&rsquo;s <em>Divorce</em>, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, focused on the dissolution of a marriage. Her latest project, <em>Bad Sisters</em>, premieres its second season this week on Apple TV+. Horgan sits down with <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> 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.</p>

Why Americans bet on Donald Trump — again

<p>Along with Donald Trump&rsquo;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, <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu spoke with <a href="https://apple.news/AoB6m7BQIRnu5zuJ9-IIrZw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Atlantic</em></a> staff writer George Packer. They discuss what the election results reveal about the country and the change many Americans want to see.</p>

How a Harris or Trump win would change America

<p>Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their closing pitches to voters ahead of Election Day. In this final week, <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu sat down with <em>New York Times </em>chief White House correspondent Peter Baker and <em>New Yorker </em>staff writer Susan Glasser. The married political reporters are also authors of the book <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-divider/id1601350040" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017&ndash;2021</em></a><em>. </em>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.</p>

The truth behind one of the biggest political lies

<p>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 &mdash; from the January 6 attack on the Capitol, to election-rule changes, to general distrust around the voting process. <a href="https://apple.news/ABVdSY2T0SPSEbrABQbe59w" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Votebeat</em></a>&rsquo;s Jessica Huseman is one of the leading reporters on voting in the U.S. She talks with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>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.</p>

Hurricanes are deadlier than ever. It doesn’t have to be this way.

<p>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, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/category-five/id6478102643" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Category Five: Superstorms and the Warming Oceans That Feed Them</em></a>. He spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about how human-induced climate change is fueling increasingly larger and more dangerous storms &mdash; and how we can turn the tide.</p>

Why this crucial voting bloc is inching to the right

<p>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, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/defectors/id6474948896" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America</em></a>, journalist Paola Ramos explores the forces behind this shift. She spoke to <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about what all of this could signal for the 2024 election.</p>

What to know about the Israel-Hamas war, one year in

<p>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. <em>Vox</em> senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp talks to <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about where things stand now, the devastating human toll of the war, and how the conflict could evolve.</p>

What a post-Roe America looks like now — and how the election could change it

<p>Since the overturning of <em>Roe</em> v. <em>Wade</em>, 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 <a href="https://apple.news/AsH1VveGfQ6SFBkSa0NIHMw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Washington Post</em></a> and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting in 2023. Kitchener talks to <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about the impact of abortion bans on people&rsquo;s lives and the role this issue is playing in the 2024 election.</p>

They killed 24 people, including children. Why was no one held responsible?

<p>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<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.</p>

Why our loved ones believe political conspiracy theories — and ways to repair the damage

<p>When it comes to QAnon and other conspiracy theories, there&rsquo;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 <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-quiet-damage/id6452501843" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family</em></a>, talks to <em>Apple News</em> <em>In Conversation</em>host 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.</p>

Living longer should be a gift. Why doesn’t it feel that way?

<p>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 <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-age-of-dignity/id1473548057" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">author</a> Ai-jen Poo talks to <em>Apple News In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about&nbsp;how America can give everyone a chance to have the aging experience they deserve.</p>

Rebroadcast: Her family had always kept one relative a secret. She set out to uncover the truth.

<p><em>This is an episode from our archives.</em><br /><br />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&rsquo;s story in <a href="https://apple.news/AOhyVHf7YT46EVdIY63FbPw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Atlantic</em></a> and spoke with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about her experience.</p>

Inside the strategy to get Kamala Harris to the White House

<p>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 <em>In Conversation</em> host Shumita Basu about where the race with Trump stands now and what the Harris campaign sees as its path to victory.</p>

The scariest 70 miles

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.

What Nancy Pelosi wants for America — and what she’s done to get it

<p>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, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-art-of-power/id6484320103" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Art of Power</em></a>, details some of the biggest moments in her career. Pelosi sat down with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu to talk about the 2024 race for the White House, American politics today, and her legacy.</p>

How America’s food is making us sick

<p>The United States&rsquo; 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 <a href="https://bittmanproject.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mark Bittman</a> has been a leading voice in food and policy for decades. He talks to <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about the serious problems with how our food is made and sold &mdash; and offers solutions to improve the system.</p>

The GOATs to watch at the Paris Olympics

<p>The <a href="https://apple.news/TKLrmq8dkSgOQOchItCi2FA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>2024 Paris Olympics</strong></a> are finally here, with two weeks of jaw-dropping, mind-blowing athleticism by some of the world&rsquo;s GOATs. NBC&rsquo;s Rebecca Lowe is covering the Olympics &mdash; and talks with <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about the athletes on Team USA, what they&rsquo;re up against, and the most exciting storylines of this summer&rsquo;s Games.</p>

How Trump became the GOP’s savior in chief — and the strategy to bring him back to the White House

<p>Following the Republican National Convention, the GOP has never been more confident about the chances of Donald Trump winning in November. <a href="https://apple.news/AJUSjT5ckTlWi9FP1dqV2bQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Atlantic</em></a> staff writer Tim Alberta, who has spent months talking to Trump insiders, breaks down his campaign&rsquo;s strategy and why so much could change between now and the election.</p>

Kids feel anxious. Parents feel hopeless. Why it’s so hard to limit social-media use.

<p>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.<em> Apple News In Conversation</em> 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&rsquo; brains &mdash; and his compassionate advice for navigating smartphone use in your family.</p>

How to survive this summer’s unbearable heat

<p><em>This is an episode from our archives that was originally published in July 2023.</em><br /><br />Millions of people in the U.S. are living in areas with dangerous levels of heat &mdash; and a growing death toll. In a new book, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-heat-will-kill-you-first/id6444250725" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Heat Will Kill You First</em></a>, 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 <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>host Shumita Basu about the changes we need to make today and the reasons he still has hope for the future.</p>

Inside the making of reality TV

<p>Guest-hosted by Sam Sanders: 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 new 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>

The real reason so many people are getting cosmetic surgery

<p>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&rsquo;s medical school who has <a href="https://www.bu.edu/articles/2024/study-shows-correlation-between-social-media-use-and-cosmetic-procedures/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">studied</a> the connection between social media and cosmetic surgery. Then, Elise Hu, the author of <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/flawless/id6443314811" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture From the K-Beauty Capital</em></a>, offers tips on how to navigate a world of ever-fleeting beauty trends.</p>

Why TV and movies are getting worse

<p>A year after two historic Hollywood strikes, America&rsquo;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 <a href="https://blcklst.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Black List</a>, is a Hollywood insider and an industry disrupter. He talks to guest host Sam Sanders about how TV and filmmaking need to change.</p>

What we know about the allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs

<p>An explosive lawsuit against hip-hop mogul Sean &ldquo;Diddy&rdquo; Combs, filed by his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, has prompted an avalanche of accusations and eyewitness accounts of his violent behavior. A new, deeply reported feature from <a href="https://apple.news/AXEQIOZrfSciGeuR0WyNJ9g" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Rolling Stone</em></a> is one of the most extensive accounts yet of allegations against Combs &mdash; detailing decades of alleged physical and sexual abuse from his days in college to the heyday of his label, Bad Boy Records, and beyond. Guest host Sam Sanders talks with reporters Cheyenne Roundtree and Nancy Dillon about what they learned from witnesses &mdash; and how Combs&rsquo;s accusers are seeking justice.</p>

If you could choose another version of your life, would you?

<p>Guest-hosted by Sam Sanders:&nbsp;The new Apple TV+ series<em> Dark Matter</em> tells the story of Jason Dessen, a man who is abducted into an alternative version of his own life. The show is based on a book by best-selling science-fiction writer Blake Crouch. <em>Apple News In Conversation </em>guest host Sam Sanders spoke to Crouch and two stars of the show, Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly, about regret, the existence of the multiverse, and how the internet has all of us leading multiple lives.</p>