Apple News In Conversation

Every year, hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. are removed from their homes and placed in foster care by child-protective services. But is this the best way to protect our kids? Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Dorothy Roberts, author of the book ‘Torn Apart,’ who argues that America’s child-welfare system does more harm than good — and needs to be abolished.

Katy Tur’s parents were trailblazers in the journalism world. In the ’80s and ’90s, they revolutionized the breaking-news model, literally flying over the competition in their own chopper to capture Los Angeles’s biggest stories — from Madonna and Sean Penn’s wedding to the 1992 L.A. riots. Katy Tur grew up to be a journalist herself — she’s now an anchor on MSNBC — and she writes about her life in her new memoir, Rough Draft. In an interview with Apple New In Conversation host Shumita Basu, Tur discusses her unusual childhood and the direct line from the model of journalism her parents created to the rise of Donald Trump.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.