Apple News In Conversation

In 2016, U.S. government officials began reporting a mysterious set of symptoms. They first appeared in Havana, but then showed up in other countries around the world. In a podcast for Vice World News, reporters Adam Entous and Jon Lee Anderson explain everything they’ve learned about what’s now commonly called Havana syndrome, and why the U.S. still can’t explain what causes it. On this week’s episode of Apple News In Conversation, Entous and Anderson discuss their reporting with host Shumita Basu.

New Yorker staff writer Michael Schulman has been an Oscar enthusiast for decades. He’s even memorized every acceptance speech ever given by Meryl Streep. Now he’s out with a new book called Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears. It’s a deep dive into key moments in the Oscars’ history that signaled shifts in the culture and industry. Schulman spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about this evolution — and what to watch for at this year’s awards.

Jeff German was a legendary reporter in Las Vegas known for holding power to account. He was killed last September, and a local official has been charged with his murder. After German’s death, the Washington Post reached out to the Las Vegas Review-Journal — where he had worked since 2010 — offering reporting resources to help finish the work still sitting on his desk. The story the Post ultimately took on was assigned to reporter Lizzie Johnson. Johnson spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about completing German’s unfinished work — and honoring his legacy.

There’s no such thing as a “miracle pill” for weight loss. But for many people who’ve struggled with their weight, drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro come pretty close. These medications — some of which were originally developed to treat diabetes — have been flying off the shelves, but a number of experts are concerned they could be misused. On Apple News In Conversation, health reporter Julia Belluz breaks down how these drugs work, who they’re for, and how they are impacting conversations about obesity, weight loss, and stigma. 

Recent economic indicators point to a relatively healthy U.S. economy. That’s despite an economic slowdown caused by the pandemic, inflation, a wacky housing market, and fears of a recession. On Apple News In Conversation, Vox senior correspondent Emily Stewart breaks down how we got here and what government officials need to do now to keep the economy trending in the right direction.

When it comes to love and money, the old adage is true: Opposites do attract. But with that can come a lot of disagreements over how to spend and save. In the latest episode of Apple News In Conversation, host Shumita Basu speaks with Wall Street Journal reporter Julia Carpenter about the challenges couples face when managing their finances — and what experts say about how to more successfully build wealth together.

Every day, nearly 200 Americans die from a fentanyl overdose. This synthetic drug represents the latest phase of the decades-long opioid epidemic that began with prescription pain pills. Scott Higham is part of a team of reporters at the Washington Post that investigated the crisis — and the government failures that led us here. Higham spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the Post’s investigation.

The Supreme Court is expected to soon hand down a ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, a case that could end affirmative action in college admissions. But professor Evan Mandery says we’re talking about the wrong issue. In his new book, Poison Ivy: How Elite Colleges Divide Us, Mandery explains how top schools disproportionately favor wealthy white students — and why that’s dangerous. Mandery spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the problem with elite colleges today and how to make them better.

When Bitcoin was first created, it was believed to be an untraceable form of currency. This promise attracted tons of bad actors — and it turned out to be untrue. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with journalist Andy Greenberg about his new book, Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency. Greenberg lays out how U.S. authorities used cryptocurrency tracing to take down some of the most prolific criminals on the dark web.

The majority of NFL players are Black. So how is it possible that the league has only had 20 Black head coaches since 1990 — compared to 154 white coaches? The glaring disparity is at the center of an ongoing lawsuit against the NFL brought by former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores. Washington Post reporter Michael Lee talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about this persistent problem — and how the NFL needs to change, fast.