

Apple News In Conversation
Apple News
Apple News In Conversation with Shumita Basu brings you interviews with some of the world’s best journalists and experts about the stories that impact our lives. Join us every week as we go behind the headlines.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 2, 2022 • 25min
Rebroadcast: Nikole Hannah-Jones on the 1619 Project and how the legacy of slavery shapes America
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones discusses the 1619 Project, reframing American history around the legacy of slavery. She explores the impact of slavery on America's wealth, the Haitian Revolution's significance, and challenges traditional narratives of patriotism and democracy.

Jun 25, 2022 • 24min
She had an illegal abortion in 1970 — and was charged with manslaughter
Shirley Wheeler, first woman charged for illegal abortion in 1971, discussed in podcast. Story highlights legal uncertainties, challenges faced in getting abortion in 1966, secrecy and risks of illegal abortions in 1970, impact on abortion rights activism, and legal ramifications of abortion and pregnancy outcomes.

Jun 18, 2022 • 28min
There’s a science to happiness. This Ivy League professor has cracked the code.
Yale University psychology professor Laurie Santos, host of The Happiness Lab podcast, discusses evidence-based strategies to improve happiness. Topics include prioritizing personal strengths, expressing gratitude, debunking age-related happiness myths, and factors influencing global happiness rankings.

Jun 11, 2022 • 28min
Are political insiders looking for a Biden backup plan?
Gabriel Debenedetti, National correspondent for New York magazine, talks about the uncertainty surrounding Joe Biden's reelection bid and the Democratic Party's lack of backup plans. They discuss potential successors like Kamala Harris, challenges faced by the party, and the role of age in political leadership. Obama's potential involvement in 2024 and the struggle for strong leadership within the party are also covered.

Jun 4, 2022 • 31min
Why child suicide is on the rise
In April 2021, twelve-year-old Trevor Matthews took his own life. Andrew Solomon, a writer and clinical medical psychology professor, knew Matthews as the friend and former classmate of Solomon’s son, George. For the New Yorker, Solomon writes about the alarmingly high rate of youth suicide, why it's on the rise, and why it’s so difficult to prevent. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Solomon about this issue.
This episode is about suicide — and includes references to sexual abuse. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-talk (8255) or text talk to 741741.

May 28, 2022 • 20min
The school shooting generation
In light of the recent shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, we’re bringing you an episode from our archives. In 1998, a student opened fire at a middle-school dance, killing one teacher and wounding another teacher and two students. Journalist Marin Cogan was a sixth grader there, and she recalls the shock and horror she and her classmates felt. Back then, school shootings were far more rare; kids and educators didn’t have the language or the tools to talk about — much less process — their trauma. For Apple News In Conversation host Duarte Geraldino about coming of age in a world wholly unprepared to deal with the aftermath of mass school shootings.

May 21, 2022 • 23min
The anatomy of Trump’s Big Lie
Investigative journalist Doug Bock Clark uncovers how small untruths snowballed into Trump's Big Lie, with a group of allies trying to prove the election was stolen. From spreading misinformation about ballots in Arizona to the origins of the stolen election myth, the podcast delves into the dangers of perpetuating false claims without evidence.

May 14, 2022 • 30min
What Queen Elizabeth is really like
This year’s Platinum Jubilee marks Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year anniversary on the throne. Journalist Tina Brown has been covering the Crown for decades, and in her latest book, The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor — Truth and Turmoil, she chronicles the British royal family’s struggle to reinvent itself after the Diana years. Below are excerpts from Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu’s interview with Brown.

May 7, 2022 • 30min
How the abortion news threatens the Supreme Court’s credibility
A leaked draft opinion on a Mississippi abortion law suggests that the Supreme Court is ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, a nearly 50-year precedent that protects abortion as a federally guaranteed right. This comes at a time when the Supreme Court is already facing a lot of scrutiny. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu talks with Slate writer and veteran court watcher Dahlia Lithwick about what this leaked opinion means for the future of abortion — and the future of the court itself.

Apr 30, 2022 • 21min
The people who got rich off the pandemic
When COVID-19 hit the United States, some saw it as an opportunity to make a fortune. Individuals and companies with no experience in the production of personal protective equipment made wild claims about what they could provide — and were awarded lucrative government contracts. They never delivered on their promises. ProPublica reporter David McSwane dives into this world of fraudsters and opportunists who profited off of COVID-19 in his new book, Pandemic, Inc.