Shows / Apple News Today
Apple News Today
Join Shumita Basu every weekday morning as she guides you through some of the most fascinating stories in the news — and how the world’s best journalists are covering them.
Episodes
Apple News TodayHarris picks Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for VP
Harris picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. USA Today reports on his political record. Global markets reeled, but economists say…
Apple News TodayStuck in space? Not according to Boeing and NASA
One of the Americans not released in last week’s prisoner swap involving multiple countries is teacher Marc Fogel, who was sentenced to 14 years in a…
Apple News TodayThe secretive prisoner swap driven by a relentless mom
U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich have been freed from Russian custody in one of the most complicated prisoner swaps in…
Apple News TodayTrump spins lies about Harris’s racial identity
Catherine Lucey of the Wall Street Journal explains how presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is looking to capitalize on renewed energy within the…
Apple News TodayThe origins of JD Vance’s “childless cat ladies” worldview
The assassination of Hamas’s political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, is deepening fears of an all-out war in the Middle East. CNN has more. JD Vance’s…
Apple News TodayU.S. gymnastics’ abuse scandal isn’t over
The San Francisco Chronicle reports on what’s known about the arson suspect accused of starting the Park Fire, why it burned so quickly, and why many…
Apple News TodayHow America’s driest state could solve its water problem
A six-week abortion ban takes effect in Iowa today. It’s one of the most restrictive bans in the country. KCUR has the story. After multiple attacks this…
Apple News TodayIt’s way too easy to make fentanyl. Here’s why.
Reuters reporter Maurice Tamman discusses the year he spent investigating how easy it is to buy the ingredients to make fentanyl. CNN on what’s known…
Apple News TodayHarris is vetting VPs. But do vice presidents really matter?
USA Today looks at Harris’s potential VP picks, and Apple News editor Gideon Resnick talks about her decision’s possible impact on the race. Inside…
Apple News TodayNew vending machines sell bullets in grocery stores
Netanyahu’s visit to Washington comes at a challenging moment for Israel and an uncertain time for its relationship with the U.S. Ben Samuels of Haaretz…
Apple News TodayHow Harris is taking control of the Biden campaign
Politico reporter Eugene Daniels on how Kamala Harris is converting the Biden campaign into her own. American physicians Feroze Sidhwa and Mark Perlmutter, who…
Apple News TodayBiden gets out, Harris steps up, Trump pivots. Now what?
Biden ended his reelection bid and backed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Reuters has details. The Atlantic looks at the problems Biden’s…
Apple News TodayWhat was new and what was the same in Trump’s speech
The Wall Street Journal covers Trump’s convention speech. And WSJ reporter Alex Leary explains how Trump won back control of the GOP. The Washington Post…
Apple News TodayThe mysterious health crisis plaguing a small Texas town
CNN reports that Nancy Pelosi told Biden that polls show he cannot win, and ABC says Chuck Schumer privately urged him to step aside. The Washington Post…
Apple News TodayWhy Biden allies say he’s not getting the full picture
The Wall Street Journal’s Annie Linskey reports on how some Democrats fear time is running out to change course before Biden gets the nomination…
Apple News TodayWho is J.D. Vance? What to know about Trump’s running mate.
The Wall Street Journal has what to know about Trump’s pick for running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance. The Atlantic’s David Graham explains Judge…
Apple News TodayNew questions after the Trump assassination attempt
Apple News has a collection of the best coverage and analysis of the shooting. Wall Street Journal senior political correspondent Molly Ball discusses how the…
Apple News TodayTexans planned for the heat — but not the chaos. Plus, what to know about kids and social media, and a big weekend in soccer
Half a million people will remain without power until next week following Beryl’s trail of destruction across Houston. In the area’s brutal summer…
Apple News TodayThe family secret that upended Alice Munro’s legacy, world leaders brace for a potential Trump return, and more
Washington Post reporter Emily Rauhala has the story of how fears of a Trump victory have NATO leaders looking to lock in support for Ukraine — and the…
Apple News TodayInside a controversial new organ-donation technique, Democrats grapple with Biden’s candidacy, and more
Semafor reporter Joseph Zeballos-Roig explains what Democrats are looking for from Biden, amid questions about the president’s campaign. NPR reports on…
Apple News TodayThey lived on Mars for a year. Sort of.
Hannah Knowles of the Washington Post reports on how Democrats are focusing attacks on Project 2025, a right-wing policy blueprint that’s being pushed by…
Apple News TodayWhy one country just introduced a six-day workweek, and more Democrats call for Biden to drop out of the campaign
ABC News has details on growing calls from congressional Democrats for Biden to step aside as a candidate. KFF Health News reporter Jazmin Orozco reports on…
Apple News TodayIs it time to ban fireworks? Plus, the drama in the world of competitive hot-dog eating.
In The Atlantic, law professor Nicholas Bagley looks at a set of recent Supreme Court decisions that have fundamentally reshaped power in Washington. Outside…
Apple News TodayHow the Supreme Court’s Trump ruling rewrote what it means to be president, wine’s dinosaur connection, and more
The Supreme Court dealt a blow to prosecution of Trump by ruling that he has broad immunity. The Wall Street Journal’s Jess Bravin has the story. NPR…
Apple News TodayHow Biden’s changing course after a bad debate, Simone Biles wins another Olympic spot, and more
Evan Osnos of the New Yorker discusses the Biden campaign’s attempts to manage the fallout from the president’s debate performance. The American…
Apple News TodayShould Democrats be worried after last night’s debate?
Reuters has a recap of the first presidential debate, from Biden’s shaky performance to Trump’s barrage of falsehoods. Ari Saperstein of the Blind…
Apple News TodayA potential Alzheimer’s breakthrough, what to watch in the first Biden-Trump debate, and more
Evan Osnos of the New Yorker describes what he’ll be watching for in tonight’s presidential debate. AI is exhausting the power grid. Tech firms are…
Apple News TodayWhy everything’s about to get a lot more expensive, NBA teams consider drafting LeBron James’s son, and more
The surgeon general declared gun violence a public-health crisis. Stat reporter Annalisa Merelli analyzes the move’s potential effects. Intensifying…
Apple News TodayWhy scientists fear a second Trump term, how $4 bought an ancient Mayan artifact, freedom for Julian Assange, and more
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is flying back to Australia after a 12-year legal battle. CNN explains what to know about his U.S. plea deal. Maxine Joselow…
Apple News TodayThe fastest woman in the world
The Wall Street Journal spoke to older voters about why they’re supporting Biden against Trump, while the Washington Post looks into how some younger…
Apple News TodayHear contenders for song of the summer. Plus, the real reason so many people are getting cosmetic surgery.
Some Democrats are trying to repeal the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that they worry could be used by the GOP to restrict abortion nationwide. Washington Post…
Apple News TodayWhy the Christian right is going after divorce. Plus, the PB&J worth nearly $1 billion.
The Wall Street Journal explains how a heat dome creates dangerous, record-breaking temperatures. Vox’s Anna North looks into plans on the Christian…
Apple News TodayThe “Grandmother of Juneteenth” reflects on her legacy, Biden’s tightrope on immigration, and more
Biden offered a citizenship path for spouses of Americans in a sweeping election-year immigration move. Reuters has details. Dov Lieber of the Wall Street…
Apple News TodayInside one of America’s deadliest cities, and why some say FEMA isn’t doing enough about extreme heat and wildfires
Should FEMA recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters? The Los Angeles Times examines the issue. St. Louis Public Radio reports on the…
Apple News TodayWhy big concerts are getting canceled, a quest for the perfect mango, and more
NPR explains why the Supreme Court struck down the Trump-era ban on bump stocks for rifles. And the Wall Street Journal highlights notable cases of the…
Apple News TodayMaking sense of Elon Musk’s $45 billion pay package, what’s next now that the era of peak film and TV is over, and more
Elon Musk convinced Tesla investors to back his pay package. USA Today has more. Paris wanted an AC-free Olympics. Visiting nations had other plans. Washington…
Apple News TodayWhy some major retailers are finally starting to cut prices, tension inside the Supreme Court, and more
Some big retailers are lowering prices. New York magazine looks at why. Jess Bravin of the Wall Street Journal explains how the Supreme Court’s strains…
Apple News TodayThe political and personal fallout of Hunter Biden’s conviction, and Sandy Hook survivors graduate
Hunter Biden was found guilty of federal gun violations. Matt Viser of the Washington Post explains what the verdict means — and what’s next…
Apple News TodayDo voters care about Trump’s conviction? New election polling reveals what’s changed — and what hasn’t.
NBC News looks at what the first polls after Trump’s conviction show — and what they don’t. And the Washington Post has more takeaways from…
Apple News TodayWhat you need to know about COVID this summer, and how one dad’s quest to be a better father became a TV show
USA Today reports on the impact of the end of a program that provided free COVID vaccines. CNN has details from the Israeli operation that rescued four…
Apple News TodayFormer Trump adviser Steve Bannon ordered to prison, and Pat Sajak’s final spin on ‘Wheel of Fortune’
A judge ordered former Trump adviser Steve Bannon to surrender by July 1 to serve a four-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress. The Wall Street…
Apple News TodayZombie second mortgages are returning to threaten many American homes. Is yours at risk?
Zombie second mortgages are coming to life, threatening thousands of Americans’ homes. NPR tells you what to know. Damage to the Gaza pier was another…
Apple News TodayDebunking stereotypes about birth order
The Wall Street Journal’s Sadie Gurman explains how Attorney General Merrick Garland has handled investigations into Trump, Biden, and Biden’s son…
Apple News TodayWhy do we dream? Here’s what modern science says.
The Washington Post’s Dan Diamond explains what we learned from Dr. Fauci’s testimony to Congress on COVID. Shan Li of the Wall Street Journal…
Apple News TodayBiden’s ceasefire plan puts pressure on Netanyahu
The Wall Street Journal explains why Biden’s ceasefire push in Gaza faces tough obstacles. NPR reporter Ximena Bustillo has the story of what’s…
Apple News TodayWill Trump go to prison? How will his supporters react? And more questions answered.
Donald Trump is the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, after a jury found him guilty on all 34 counts in his New York criminal trial. The…
Apple News TodayComparing Biden and Trump on Netanyahu and Gaza
Ben Samuels from Haaretz compares Trump’s recent comments on Israel to those from Biden. NPR explains how groups that register voters are feeling…
Apple News TodayWhat to watch as jurors consider Trump’s fate
It’s not just guilty or not guilty. Politico looks at all the possible outcomes of the Trump trial. Washington Post journalist Dana Hedgpeth on the…
Apple News TodayWhy voters have become so partisan about the economy
Biden is getting no credit for the current economic boom in America. Annie Lowrey explores why in The Atlantic. Washington Post reporter Mary Beth Sheridan…
Apple News TodayU.S. sunscreen is years behind the world. Here’s why.
New York Magazine writer Zak Cheney-Rice describes how in Atlanta, the George Floyd demonstrators are being prosecuted as gang members. And the activists of…
Apple News TodayUnpacking the controversies around Justice Alito
Justin Jouvenal from the Washington Post explains why calls are growing for Justice Alito to recuse himself from January 6 and 2020 election cases. TV and film…
Apple News TodayScarlett Johansson, others say their voices are being copied
An increasing number of actors are accusing AI companies of re-creating their voices without permission. CNN has the story of a new lawsuit. NPR Ukraine bureau…
Apple News TodayWhat to know as Trump’s hush-money trial nears its end
Prosecutors rested their case in Trump’s criminal trial in New York. CNN has details. Red Lobster has filed for bankruptcy protection. The Wall Street…
Apple News TodayWhat’s next after the death of Iran’s president
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister died in a helicopter crash, creating fresh uncertainty as the country’s hardline clerical…
Apple News TodayHow two decades of same-sex marriages changed the U.S.
Twenty years after America’s first same-sex marriages, data shows the effects of the practice on marriage as a whole have been largely positive. The Wall…
Apple News TodayHow Trump’s criticism of judges triggers violent threats
A Reuters investigation found that when Trump criticizes trial judges, his supporters respond with posts urging violence. The Wall Street Journal looks at how…
Apple News TodayIsraeli whistleblowers allege abuse of detained Palestinians
CNN speaks with Israeli whistleblowers who describe brutal conditions at a shadowy detention facility for Palestinians. Vermont lawmakers passed a bill that…
Apple News TodayInside Rafah’s “horrifying” health crisis
Doctors and nurses at one of the last functioning hospitals in Rafah tell NPR that months of Israeli military operations and border closures have devastated…
Apple News TodayDon’t expect Trump’s political fate to be decided by courts
Politico reporter Josh Gerstein explains why Trump’s political fate likely won’t be decided by the courts. Atomic veterans are on the verge of…
Apple News TodayWhat Biden’s Rafah “red line” could mean for the war in Gaza
Biden’s “red line” in Gaza is an invasion of Rafah. What will that mean if Israel follows through with the attack? The Guardian’s…