Show Notes
More than $10 billion is expected to be spent on advertising in this midterm cycle. New York Times reporter Teddy Schleifer joins to explain where the money comes from, how a recent Supreme Court ruling has shifted power back toward party committees, and what voters should watch for in the final two weeks.
Russia freed a retired American schoolteacher, and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff called Putin a “humanitarian” — drawing swift bipartisan criticism. Francesca Ebel, Ukraine correspondent for the Washington Post, explains what the prisoner release and a fresh promise of peace talks actually signal about where negotiations stand, and why Ukraine is heading into a difficult winter.
Nearly a decade after Apu quietly disappeared from ‘The Simpsons’ amid controversy, the character is back — this time voiced by an Indian American actor. The AP’s Terry Tang looks at what the recast means at a moment of growing South Asian political visibility.
Plus, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration must continue providing gender-affirming care to transgender federal inmates, a New Mexico court made a substantial financial ruling against Meta, and America just got its first new national park in six years.
Today’s episode was hosted by Gideon Resnick.
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The Guardian’s Ashifa Kassam takes us inside Europe’s “autumn of discontent.” The Justice Department has charged 28 people in California with election crimes and is seeking to block roughly 20,000 ballots from being counted in the midterm elections despite experts saying noncitizen voting is extremely rare. NPR’s Miles Parks discusses the implications of the move. Federal judges in Washington are being asked to weigh in on details of President Trump’s attempt to make over the capital, and they’re getting increasingly frustrated. Associated Press reporter Gary Fields explains why. Plus, Trump’s $8 billion bailout for farmers, the NASCAR driver diagnosed with CTE, and how a novel piece of infrastructure is saving wildlife in the West. Today’s episode was hosted by Gideon Resnick.
President Trump says he is open to a trilateral summit with Russia’s Putin and China’s Xi to discuss Ukraine without Zelenskyy present. The Wall Street Journal’s Lingling Wei explains what the talks signal to smaller nations.
Voters in Alberta today decide if the province should pursue secession. Leyland Cecco from The Guardian breaks down the long-shot independence referendum.
From Apple News In Conversation: With the 2026 midterms just two weeks away, many Americans are paying close attention not only to races and candidates but to the election process itself. Cook Political Report editor in chief Amy Walter and veteran GOP pollster Patrick Ruffini join Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu to answer questions from our listeners — including why polling has become so hard to trust, how redistricting fights are reshaping races, and what guardrails are in place after results start coming in.
Iranian officials told Reuters they are intentionally ramping up attacks on commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz to drive up energy prices and hurt Republicans ahead of the midterms. Senior correspondent Jonathan Saul breaks down the strategy and how the Trump administration is weighing its response. With less than three weeks until Election Day, Cook Political Report editor-in-chief Amy Walter and veteran Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini join Apple News In Conversation to answer your big questions about the midterms. The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant previews the 2026 WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream. Plus, at least four are dead after a shooting at an Oregon elementary school, authorities are investigating suspicious letters sent to U.S. lawmakers and election officials, and Joni Mitchell is now an American. Today’s episode was hosted by Yasmeen Khan.