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.
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From Apple News In Conversation: For the past few years, a campaign against sunscreen has been building — with social-media influencers claiming that sunscreen itself, rather than the sun, is damaging people’s skin and harming their health. The misinformation is working: More than 16 million adults have cut back or stopped using sunscreen because of it. Meanwhile, skin-cancer rates continue to rise. Brian Underwood, beauty and grooming director at Men’s Health and Women’s Health, joins Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to share his reporting on who’s driving this movement, the
It’s been six months since President Trump went to war with Iran. Attempts at regime change, extracting nuclear concessions, and diplomatic talks have failed. The Wall Street Journal’s Alex Ward unpacks why. Americans are angry about AI data centers. And with the midterm elections fast approaching, Molly Hennessy-Fiske with the Washington Post looked at how the dynamic is playing out in Texas. The U.S. Open tennis tournament used to be affordable, but that era is gone. Matthew Futterman with The Athletic explains what changed. Plus, Americans are among the many people missing in Nepal after a
Deadly flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border devastated the region. ABC News reports that experts think they may have been triggered by a glacier collapse. Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion and overhaul how kids use Facebook and Instagram, settling a case brought by nearly every U.S. state. Reuters’s Diana Novak Jones breaks down the new limits on teen accounts. Trump’s new tariffs on Canada are threatening to squeeze voters in Senate battlegrounds like Maine and Michigan ahead of the midterms. Semafor’s Burgess Everett explains the political risk for Republicans. Plus, the CIA director
Country-music legend Dolly Parton has died at 80. The New Yorker’s Lauren Michele Jackson explains how Parton’s warmth and many songs made her beloved across America. A new study found that at least 25% of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had signs of CTE, the degenerative brain disease linked to head trauma. NPR’s Becky Sullivan says the real number could be higher. The Pentagon fired the top editor and the publisher of Stars and Stripes, as well as a reporter, raising questions about the paper’s independence. The Washington Post’s Scott Nover discusses what’s behind the firi
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the U.S.’s plan to further isolate Iran’s economy, which he called “Operation Economic Outcast.” The Wall Street Journal’s Brian Schwartz breaks down the details. Voters in South Carolina are casting ballots today in one of the cycle’s most closely watched primaries: the race to fill the late Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat. Nick Reynolds of the Post and Courier explains what’s at stake. Nearly two weeks after a severe derecho knocked out power across Gary, Indiana, thousands are still waiting for electricity to return. Calvin Davis of Capital B Gary des
A tariff deal with Canada that President Trump said was done collapsed over the weekend after Prime Minister Mark Carney called the terms unfair. The Washington Post’s David Lynch breaks down what happens next. The U.S. is preparing tougher sanctions against Iran, with Trump talking of an “economic D-Day” for Tehran. The Associated Press’s Farnoush Amiri explains how Iran has weathered sanctions for decades. Construction crews are racing to finish Trump’s 90,000-square-foot ballroom before the Supreme Court rules on its legality. The Wall Street Journal’s James Romoser explains the administrat
From Apple News In Conversation: Testosterone prescriptions are at an all-time high in the U.S., and according to a survey by Men’s Health, 70% of men say their levels of the hormone are important to them. This increased attention to T has even reached the Pentagon, which announced mandatory testosterone screenings for troops over the age of 30. Michael Andor Brodeur, a Men’s Health contributor and author of the book Swole, joins Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to explain how testosterone transformed from solely a medical treatment into a cultural obsession — and what that s
President Trump is pushing for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as talks for a nuclear deal with Iran stalls. The Wall Street Journal’s Alex Ward explains why North Korea now negotiates from a position of strength. A personalized mRNA cancer vaccine delayed the return of melanoma in a major clinical trial. Stat News’s Angus Chen breaks down how it trains the immune system to hunt cancer cells. The NFL has long dreamed of going global. The Athletic’s Jayna Bardahl tells us about the scheduling and player buy-in hurdles standing in the way. Plus, a Navy carrier relieved the USS Abr
President Trump nominated White House aide Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the FDA, which has lacked a permanent leader for months. The Washington Post’s Rachel Roubein explains why some senators are already raising doubts. Trump paused steep tariffs on Canadian imports hours before they were set to take effect. The Wall Street Journal’s Gavin Bade breaks down what happened. The U.S. is casting a shadow over Brazil’s presidential race. Reuters’s Manuela Andreoni discusses how incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Trump ally Flávio Bolsonaro are gearing up for a tight contest. Plus, U.S. nat
ABC and its parent company, Disney, sued the FCC over its early review of ABC’s broadcast licenses. NPR’s David Folkenflik explains what’s at stake. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has paused construction of a border-wall project inside Big Bend National Park after receiving bipartisan backlash. Carlos Morales for NPR breaks down the issue. Iran’s hardline leaders used a two-month ceasefire with the U.S. to secretly prepare for a wider war, reshuffling military leadership and arming allies across the region. The Wall Street Journal’s Benoit Faucon discusses Tehran’s plans. Plus, Democratic
Meta is back in court, facing allegations from four states that Instagram and Facebook are designed to hook kids and harm their mental health. Gerrit De Vynck of the Washington Post breaks down the case. A Florida primary is testing how redistricting has reshaped Black political power. Claire Heddles of the Miami Herald explains why Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s run in a historically Black district has divided Democrats. Airlines are pushing back against ICE’s growing presence at their gates. The Wall Street Journal’s Andrew Tangel details how a wave of arrests is creating new tensions. Plus
President Trump ordered the Navy to swap modern electromagnetic catapults for older steam power on its carriers. The Associated Press’s Konstantin Toropin explains why the change would be a huge undertaking. Congress remains gridlocked on regulating AI, even as lawmakers quietly turn to chatbots for everything from speeches to legislation. The Washington Post’s Anna Liss-Roy breaks down the murky rules governing AI use on Capitol Hill. A wave of American tourists is overwhelming cities across Europe. The Wall Street Journal’s Rachel Ensign discusses what’s fueling the wanderlust, and why local
Military families say service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln are enduring mold, food shortages, and deteriorating mental health during an extended deployment tied to the war in Iran. MS Now’s Priya Sridhar explains what families are describing, and why lawmakers are demanding answers. It’s been a year since President Trump sent the National Guard to Washington, D.C. NOTUS’s Martin Austermuhle breaks down the mission’s mounting cost, and tells us what locals make of troops becoming a fixture in the city. Hollywood just wrapped its first $4 billion summer since the pandemic. Variety’s Re
David Crowley pulled off a remarkable comeback to win Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor. Vox’s Benjy Sarlin discusses what the tight race reveals about the party’s divide ahead of the midterms. Nearly 30 years after Tupac Shakur’s murder, a Las Vegas jury will hear the case against a man accused of orchestrating it. The Washington Post’s Hannah Knowles breaks down the trial. The Los Angeles Lakers are getting new owners just 14 months after their last sale. The Athletic’s Dan Woike explains the deal. Plus, why Karoline Leavitt is leaving her post as White House press secretary, Colom
The Secret Service secretly moved President Trump onto an alternate plane after officials deemed an Iranian threat credible. The Washington Post’s Dan Lamothe breaks down what happened Former Marine Robert Gilman returned home after four years in a Russian prison, following a U.S. appeal and a pardon from Vladimir Putin. Reuters’s Steve Holland explains the circumstances surrounding the release. Lake Mead hit its lowest level on record, threatening water for millions across the Southwest. USA Today’s Trevor Hughes discusses the impact of a standoff between states over access to the Colorado Ri
Automated license-plate cameras are drawing bipartisan backlash from residents and lawmakers. Politico’s Liset Cruz explains how privacy concerns are uniting the left and right. A chaotic Wisconsin primary comes to a close today, as Democratic leaders scramble to stop democratic socialist Francesca Hong from winning the nomination for governor. The Associated Press’s Scott Bauer breaks down her rise and the party’s alarm. As wildfires intensify worldwide, countries that once relied on each other for help are finding it harder to share resources. Inside Climate News’s Nick Kusnetz explains why
Iran laid out its demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but says talks won’t restart until the U.S. “makes amends.” The Wall Street Journal’s Alex Ward explains why this standoff could be harder to resolve than the last. A parasite outbreak tied to lettuce has rattled shoppers, costing farmers who are plowing under hundreds of thousands of pounds of romaine each week. The Wall Street Journal’s Amira McKee explains why demand hasn’t recovered. Extreme drought has pushed Puerto Rico into rolling 48-hour water shutoffs across San Juan. The Washington Post’s Stella Canino-Quiñones breaks dow
From Apple News In Conversation: Peak tick season is here — and the fastest-growing tick-borne illness in the country is alpha-gal syndrome, a condition that causes an often-severe allergy to red meat and other animal products. It’s primarily spread by lone-star ticks, once confined to the Southeast but now found as far north as Maine and Michigan. The syndrome can trigger a range of reactions — from hives to anaphylaxis — and at least one death has been attributed to it. New Yorker staff writer Burkhard Bilger, who has reported on the syndrome’s rise, joins Apple News In Conversation guest ho
The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment. The Washington Post’s Anna Liss-Roy explains why the case could redefine congressional power over pardoned witnesses. Six months after Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance from her Arizona home, investigators are no closer to finding her. The Wall Street Journal’s Valerie Bauerlein breaks down the missteps that stalled the case. There are growing questions over the U.S. military’s munitions stockpile. Reuters’ Mike Stone explains the fallout. Plus, Sen. Mitch
Cyberattacks have hit water systems in at least a dozen states, with intelligence officials pointing to Iran. Reuters’ A.J. Vicens explains what’s known. Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary delivered a major win for the party’s progressive wing. Politico's Samuel Benson explains what Abdul El-Sayed’s victory means for the party in November. President Trump says a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could come this week, but it’s not the deal he wants. The Wall Street Journal’s Benoit Faucon breaks down a possible Iran-Oman agreement. Plus, the CDC gets its first permanent director in nearly a
President Trump publicly criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping vandalism charges tied to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation. The Washington Post’s Dan Diamond explains what went wrong. Authorities in Spokane, Washington, charged a suspect with arson in one of three wildfires that have forced more than 60,000 evacuations and destroyed hundreds of homes. MyNorthwest reports federal help is on the way to aid fire victims. Millions of Americans have lost SNAP benefits since new eligibility rules took effect last year. NPR reports bigger cuts to the food-assistance progra
Voters head to the polls in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, a race that could shape control of the chamber. The Atlantic’s Russell Berman explains how a progressive candidate and an establishment favorite are battling over Israel policy and electability in a key battleground. RFK Jr. is defending the administration’s measles response and says families should vaccinate their kids. The Wall Street Journal’s Liz Essley Whyte breaks down the pressures he’s facing behind the scenes. Baltimore is overhauling 911 to send social workers, not police, to certain crisis calls. WYPR’s Scott Maucione
President Trump said the U.S. brokered a deal for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to leave Gaza, but neither side has moved on it yet. The Washington Post’s Michael Birnbaum explains why. Wall Street firms can now pay up to $100,000 a month for early access to Trump’s Truth Social posts. The Wall Street Journal’s Caitlin Ostroff breaks down the edge this new service gives investors — and the insider-trading concerns it’s raising. Tens of thousands of migrants rushed into the Spanish territory of Ceuta in North Africa last week, only to be turned away almost immediately. Reuters’s Victoria Walde
From Apple News In Conversation: This year, the U.S. has seen more than 270 mass shootings — and firearms remain the leading cause of death for American children and teens. But solutions appear largely out of reach. New York Times reporter Mike McIntire, a gun owner himself, traces how we got here in his new book, Ricochet: Guns, Greed, and the American Way of Violence. McIntire talks to Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene about the surprising origins of the Second Amendment, how an obscure Democrat helped turn the National Rifle Association into a powerful lobby, and paths to r
The U.S. economy saw a surprising slowdown, but the picture is more complicated. Courtenay Brown from Axios explains. White House priorities are hitting a wall in the Senate, deepening a rift between President Trump and Majority Leader John Thune. Semafor’s Burgess Everett tells us why the math doesn’t add up for Trump’s agenda. A court-ordered review found serious failures in medical care at California’s largest ICE detention center. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Ko Lyn Cheang breaks down the findings and what detainees say they’re enduring inside. Plus, the father of a high-school shooter wa
