Senate Democrats and Republicans struck a deal to avert a government shutdown over DHS funding, although a short lapse is still expected before the House returns on Monday. In this week’s Apple News In Conversation , The Atlantic’s Caitlin Dickerson explores what deadly clashes between protesters and ICE could mean for the agency. President Trump said he is nominating Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve. The AP has the details. During a national uprising in Iran, the government ...
Jan 30, 2026•18 min
The Federal Reserve voted to keep rates steady on Wednesday. Bloomberg looks into the decision. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about Venezuela. NPR reports on how Rubio faced intense scrutiny over U.S. involvement in the country. Some of the people convicted then pardoned for their part in the Jan. 6 attack want financial penalties they paid to the government returned. The Washington Post ’s Beth Reinhard joins to discuss what emboldened th...
Jan 29, 2026•15 min
U.S. Border Patrol “commander at large” Gregory Bovino was removed from his position following the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The Atlantic ’s Nick Miroff joins to unpack Bovino’s demotion and ICE’s larger recruiting push. A man from Cuba recently became the third detainee at a single Texas facility to die in ICE custody. Michael Biesecker of the Associated Press discusses the case. TikTok experienced serious technical difficulties just as its new ownership group took control. The Ver...
Jan 28, 2026•15 min
Changes are coming to immigration operations in Minnesota after President Trump said he and Governor Tim Walz had a productive phone conversation. Politico reports that border czar Tom Homan will take over operations, while the top Border Patrol commander is being demoted . As calls for accountability for the immigration agents who shot and killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good grow, prosecutions might be hard to come by. Jack Queen of Reuters breaks down the longstanding protections in place that s...
Jan 27, 2026•15 min
Immigration agents shot and killed a second person in Minneapolis on Saturday. The Wall Street Journal ’s Mariah Timms joins to discuss what’s happening on the ground as tensions escalate. Congressional leaders are reacting to the latest shooting in Minneapolis. CNBC reports on how a government shutdown is now more likely as a result. The Associated Press reports a growing number of Republicans are also calling for a larger investigation into the incident. A brutal winter storm has left several ...
Jan 26, 2026•16 min
From Apple News In Conversation : New Yorker staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert has been reporting on climate and the environment for more than 25 years. In her work, she captures both the awe-inspiring beauty of the natural world and the unsettling truth about what humans are doing to it. Her latest book, Life on a Little-Known Planet: Dispatches From a Changing World , is a collection of essays from her decades-long career. Kolbert spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the ...
Jan 24, 2026•24 min
ICE detained a 5-year-old boy at a school in suburban Minneapolis, prompting outrage from the community. Minnesota Public Radio ’s Elizabeth Shockman joins to talk about the apprehension, and how the Trump administration is defending it. Crime across the country seems to be dropping at fast pace. Henry Grabar of The Atlantic discusses why. On Oscar-nomination day, the vampire film ‘Sinners’ broke the record for most nominations by a single movie. Variety ’s Clayton Davis breaks down this year’s ...
Jan 23, 2026•16 min
There are signs of a possible deal on Greenland, after a dizzying 24 hours at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The Wall Street Journal details how it happened, and Fox News gets reaction from NATO’s secretary general. Record-breaking cold and messy winter weather is expected to hit a large swath of the country in the coming days. Bloomberg ’s Lauren Rosenthal joins to discuss what’s in store and how to prepare. After protests that killed more than 3,000 people, some Iranians say t...
Jan 22, 2026•14 min
The Supreme Court hears oral arguments today in a case involving President Trump’s attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Chris Rugaber of the Associated Press joins to discuss how it could affect the central bank’s future. A jury in Texas will decide if an officer who responded to the mass school shooting in Uvalde can be held responsible for his alleged inaction. The Wall Street Journal ’s Elizabeth Findell breaks down the case. Gen Z is having a tough time breaking into the job m...
Jan 21, 2026•14 min
President Trump said his renewed efforts on taking over Greenland are partially tied to him not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. The Wall Street Journal ’s Kim Mackrael joins to discuss how European leaders are responding. Polls show Democrats with a lead over Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. Patrick Marley of the Washington Post explains how Trump is attempting to alter how the midterms are conducted. A proposal for a one-time tax on California’s billionaires has spurred infightin...
Jan 20, 2026•16 min
From Apple News In Conversation : In January 2025, catastrophic wildfires tore through Los Angeles, destroying entire neighborhoods and leaving devastation that continues today. MS NOW senior reporter Jacob Soboroff reported live from the blaze in his hometown of Pacific Palisades — and is now out with a new book, Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America’s New Age of Disaster , a deeply reported account of the chaos and enduring fallout. Soboroff sat down with Apple News In Conversatio...
Jan 17, 2026•25 min
President Trump met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House. The Wall Street Journa l’s Vera Bergengruen breaks down what happened at the meeting. As ICE enforcement continues in Minnesota, residents have taken to the streets in community patrols to track the movement of agents. Madison McVan of the Minnesota Reformer explains how efforts to deter ICE have grown since the shooting of Renee Good. Ticket prices for the upcoming men’s World Cup have reached exorbit...
Jan 16, 2026•16 min
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot caused global outrage after it flooded X with sexually explicit images. Raphael Satter of Reuters joins to discuss how the photos proliferated so quickly — and what governments are doing about it. The Trump administration is halting all immigrant visas from 75 countries. The Washington Post ’s David Nakamura explains how the move fits into Trump’s larger immigration crackdown. After two years of no formal education, the children of Gaza City have returned to makeshift clas...
Jan 15, 2026•15 min
President Trump said help is on the way to Iran as protesters face a brutal government crackdown. The Atlantic ’s Arash Azizi explains what might come next for the Islamic Republic. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are set to meet with representatives from Greenland and Denmark in Washington. The Wall Street Journal ’s Max Colchester breaks down what’s at stake for both sides. AI data centers have brought together a diverse set of opposition. Evan Halper of the Washingt...
Jan 14, 2026•15 min
After the shooting of Renee Good, officials and the public have called for greater accountability for ICE agents. Julia Ainsley of NBC News explains how changes at DHS have made that difficult. The Supreme Court hears oral arguments today that could have big implications for transgender athletes. USA Today ’s Maureen Groppe breaks down the case. Starter homes used to be a cornerstone of the real-estate market, but no longer. The Washington Post ’s Julie Weil joins to discuss how would-be first-t...
Jan 13, 2026•15 min
Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. In response, Powell issued an extraordinary public rebuke. The Wall Street Journal has the latest. As many as 500 people have died in Iran during two weeks of protests and unrest. Jon Gambrell of the Associated Press joins to discuss the crackdown on demonstrators and why Trump has opened the door on taking action against Tehran. Tens of thousands took to the streets of Minneapolis to protest the p...
Jan 12, 2026•17 min
From Apple News In Conversation : The recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela has raised many questions about what’s actually driving the Trump administration’s aims in the region. To break down what’s known — and unknown — about this unprecedented action, Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu talked with New Yorker staff writer Jonathan Blitzer, who has been reporting on immigration and foreign policy for years. They discuss how Venezuela became a target of the current administration...
Jan 10, 2026•28 min
Federal agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection shot two people in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday. ABC News has the latest. Meanwhile, Minnesota officials say they were shut out of the investigation into the killing of a woman by ICE. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller usually sticks to domestic policy issues. In this week’s Apple News In Conversation , Jonathan Blitzer of the New Yorker discusses why Miller is wading into Trump’s plans in Venezuela. In the aftermath of the k...
Jan 09, 2026•15 min
An ICE officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday. The Minnesota Star Tribune ’s Sofia Barnett explains why local and federal authorities have conflicting views of what happened. The White House is continuing to assert control over Venezuela’s oil resources. Bloomberg ’s Kevin Crowley joins to discuss why pulling oil out of the country might be harder than expected. The federal government issued new dietary guidelines and an updated food pyramid. Stat ’s Sarah Todd breaks down t...
Jan 08, 2026•15 min
Health-care subsidies that millions of Americans depend on for insurance have officially expired. The Washington Post ’s Peter Whoriskey joins to discuss how some families are dealing with the sudden rise in costs. A person on the crypto-betting site Polymarket won $400,000 wagering that Nicolás Maduro would soon be out as Venezuela’s leader. Alexander Osipovich of The Wall Street Journal explains why the timing of the bets might be suspicious. Doctors are seeing a surge of patients with serious...
Jan 07, 2026•13 min
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife appeared in a Manhattan courtroom Monday. Eric Tucker of the Associated Press breaks down the charges and how the case compares with that of another deposed Latin American leader. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani immediately turned to signing executive orders to kick off his term. The City ’s Katie Honan joins to discuss how he’s managing his first days in office. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he will not seek a third term. The Minnesota St...
Jan 06, 2026•15 min
President Trump said the U.S. is in charge in Venezuela after American forces carried out strikes in the country and captured President Nicolás Maduro. ABC News reports on big questions that remain over how the U.S. will carry out its agenda. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of interim president over the weekend. The New Yorker ’s Jon Lee Anderson joins to discuss why opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado is being sidelined. Secretary of St...
Jan 05, 2026•13 min
From Apple News In Conversation : This is an episode from our archives. Martinus Evans did not have an easy start to running. Weighing over 300 pounds, he set out to finish a marathon after a doctor told him to “lose weight or die.” He writes about his running journey in his book, Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run . In this week’s episode of Apple News In Conversation , Evans talks with host Shumita Basu about the lessons he’s learned from being a “back-of-the-pack...
Jan 03, 2026•25 min
This episode from our Apple News In Conversation archives is our most-listened-to interview of the year. It was originally published in June 2025. 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, Code Na...
Dec 27, 2025•28 min
It’s the first holiday season since President Trump’s tariffs came into effect. NBC ’s Kayla Steinberg explains why some shoppers received a big surprise on their online orders. Congress left Washington for the holidays after one of the least productive years in modern history. NPR ’s Barbara Sprunt breaks down the factors that have caused the stagnation. Former ICE officials say families are being detained for prolonged periods of time to speed up deportations. Anna Flagg of the Marshall Projec...
Dec 23, 2025•14 min
The Department of Justice released a trove of heavily redacted documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The Atlantic ’s Charlie Warzel explains why they left many people unsatisfied. The U.S. military pursued a third oil tanker near Venezuela after taking previous action against two other ships. Benoit Faucon of the Wall Street Journal breaks down the latest escalation in the region. Some conservatives say they will support a run by Vice President JD Vance in the 2028 presidential election if he en...
Dec 22, 2025•15 min
From Apple News In Conversation : The end of the year is a moment to reflect on the art and culture that stood out. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu sat down with two culture critics — Sam Sanders, the host of The Sam Sanders Show on KCRW, and Anne Helen Petersen, creator of the podcast and newsletter Culture Study — to break down their top releases. They talk about the music, film, and TV they loved most in 2025. Plus, our listeners share their own picks for this year’s can’t-miss s...
Dec 20, 2025•32 min
Police say the man suspected of carrying out the deadly mass shooting at Brown University is dead. NBC News reports on how he is also suspected of the killing of a professor at MIT. A Russian envoy is set to meet with U.S. officials over the weekend in Miami for talks on ending the war in Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal ’s Max Colchester explains why many European leaders are now preparing their citizens for a potential conflict with Russia. Trump has issued more executive orders in 2025 than h...
Dec 19, 2025•15 min
In a prime-time address, President Trump said the economy has vastly improved since he took office. The Washington Post ’s Jacob Bogage joins to discuss why everyday Americans don’t feel the same way. Trump wants a former county clerk who was convicted of tampering with voting machines freed from prison. Yvonne Wingett Sanchez of The Atlantic explains why that’s unlikely. A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Hall in Washington, D.C, has been replaced by one of civil-rights ...
Dec 18, 2025•16 min
House Republican leadership says there will be no vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire. Politico ’s Jordain Carney joins to discuss why the GOP hasn’t been able to rally behind a health-care strategy. Funeral services for some of the Bondi Beach victims were held in Sydney, and an alleged gunman has been charged with 59 offenses. The Washington Post reports on why the black flag of ISIS keeps showing up at scenes of immense violence. Authorities in Rhode Island ...
Dec 17, 2025•14 min
