Loading summary
Narrator
Hey there, it's Shemitha. I've got a quick request for you. If Apple News Today is an essential.
Shemitha Basu
Part of your morning routine, follow the.
Narrator
Show in Apple Podcasts. And if you have another 30 seconds.
Shemitha Basu
Leave us a rating and a review too.
Narrator
It helps other people find our show and it helps us know what you like about it.
Shemitha Basu
Thanks.
Narrator
Good morning. It's Tuesday, September 2nd.
Shemitha Basu
I'm Shemitah Basu.
Narrator
This is Apple News Today. On today's show, Xi, Putin and Modi.
Shemitha Basu
Unite to send a message to Trump.
Narrator
And the world how the administration is using the sue and settle strategy in Texas and another CEO is caught behaving.
Shemitha Basu
Badly in the crowds.
Narrator
But first to Afghanistan and the aftermath.
Shemitha Basu
Of Sunday night's catastrophic earthquake that's left at least 800 people dead and injured, upward of 2,800 people, figures that are expected to to rise.
Narrator
Entire villages in the eastern province of.
Shemitha Basu
Kunar have been flattened, and it's going to take days for humanitarian workers to uncover the sheer scale of destruction in the mountainous regions. Here's a translated interview with one local resident speaking to the BBC.
Local Resident
Nearly 95% of our village is destroyed. We have many martyred and wounded people in every household. Five to 10 people are injured Muslims listening to help us for the sake of Allah. We have lost our houses. Any kind of help will be good for us.
Narrator
Samira Syed Rahman from Save the Children.
Shemitha Basu
Spoke to the German network DW and said aid agencies are struggling to get to impacted areas.
Aid Agency Representative
The earthquake that took place in the middle of the night and the subsequent aftershocks that hit this region have led to landslides and have closed off many roads, making it extremely difficult for humanitarian actors to be able to reach the people.
Narrator
The Taliban has asked the world for help, but many Western donors are now.
Shemitha Basu
Wary of the country's repressive government.
Narrator
The US Once the country's biggest provider.
Shemitha Basu
Of aid, has pulled its financial support.
Narrator
And the Trump administration terminated over $1.7.
Shemitha Basu
Billion in aid contracts for programs in Afghanistan.
Narrator
It has expressed its condolences after the.
Shemitha Basu
Earthquake, but so far has yet to pledge support.
Narrator
The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction reported recently that the system for.
Shemitha Basu
Delivering aid to Afghanistan was broken c widespread corruption and misuse of the money that reached the country.
Narrator
Western pullback of aid is a severe.
Shemitha Basu
Blow to the ordinary people of Afghanistan at a moment like this.
Narrator
Prior to the Taliban taking over, as much as 80% of the government's public.
Shemitha Basu
Expenditure came from foreign donors.
Narrator
And Afghanistan is a country vulnerable to earthquakes. Its Last one in 2023 killed around 1,400 people. But Shireen Ibrahim from the International Rescue.
Shemitha Basu
Committee told CNN that the country's capacity to support its only gotten worse since.
Aid Agency Representative
What has really changed is our ability to respond at scale and at the speed that we need. The coordination mechanisms are there, the actors are on the ground. We clearly are trying to pull together whatever we have in terms of resources, but the scale is unmatched by the resources that we need.
Narrator
Analysts have warned that women and girls.
Shemitha Basu
Could be at even greater risk.
Narrator
The Afghanistan branch of the aid group.
Shemitha Basu
CARE told the BBC the Taliban has limited health services to women.
Narrator
The BBC's Yogita Lamaya told the network that could make foreign donors even less.
Shemitha Basu
Likely to provide support given the Taliban's.
BBC's Yogita Lamaya
Policies, particularly its restrictions on women. Even at the air base today, we could not film women. We were told not to film women at the hospital as well. And that's why, you know, while we were able to see them, we haven't been able to reflect them in our pictures. So when you look at the restrictions that they've imposed on women, it's unlikely that, you know, there will be many donors who will think twice or will not want to give funds to this country while the tha Taliban is running it.
Narrator
Even before the earthquake, the country was.
Shemitha Basu
Already in a dire position. Three quarters of its provinces are facing severe or catastrophic drought, and the UN had warned of an unprecedented hunger crisis.
Narrator
Right now, agencies are warning that the.
Shemitha Basu
Danger is not yet over, with the potential for flash flooding and aftershocks still to come.
Foreign Correspondent
Foreign.
Narrator
Let'S turn now to a gathering of world leaders yesterday, one with a.
Shemitha Basu
Very selective invite list.
Narrator
At a major summit held in Tianjin, China, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime.
Shemitha Basu
Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were seen together sharing laughs, cozying.
Narrator
Up and appearing to send a message.
Shemitha Basu
To the world that they will stand shoulder to shoulder.
Narrator
As Bloomberg put it, the three leaders seem to be offering up an alternative.
Shemitha Basu
World order, challenging, as they see it, US Dominance on the world stage.
Narrator
It's rare to see all three men together in one place, and the inclusion of Modi especially could precipitate a big.
Shemitha Basu
Shift in global power politics.
Philom Khan
Suddenly we're seeing a radical realignment in terms of how India connects with new allies and old allies.
Narrator
Philom Khan is the China and Indo.
Shemitha Basu
Pacific affairs correspondent at Politico.
Narrator
He says this meeting comes at a crucial time for India, which is currently.
Shemitha Basu
Dealing with harsh criticisms and high tariffs from Trump.
Philom Khan
India and the US Relationship has got very rocky and very frosty over tariffs and the Trump administration's treatment of India and particularly interpretations on the India side that the Trump administration has scorned Prime Minister Modi.
Narrator
Trump imposed tariffs as high as 50%.
Shemitha Basu
On India and said after Monday's meeting that Modi offered to drop tariffs to zero for US Goods imported to India.
Narrator
This is a stark reversal of US.
Shemitha Basu
Indian relations, which had improved in recent years as the US Increasingly saw India as part of its strategy to prevent China from becoming more dominant.
Narrator
That said, Kine notes, tensions with China.
Shemitha Basu
Haven'T completely gone away and the photo.
Narrator
Ops don't tell the whole story.
Philom Khan
India has a very long and very tortured relationship with China over its disputed border. India is not suddenly going to drop everything and throw in with Beijing because they don't see China as that type of country, that they can actually undertake a close and trustworthy relationship for the long term.
Narrator
Meanwhile, for China, the opportunity to widen.
Shemitha Basu
The rift between the US and the rest of the world over unpopular and often chaotic economic policies gave President Xi.
Narrator
The chance to argue to the world that Beijing is on a stronger foot.
Shemitha Basu
As a global power.
Philom Khan
This is a symbolic propaganda coup that just landed in his lap. I mean, this is a real gift because in the immediate aftermath of this trade spat between the US And India, Xi Jinping is welcoming Modi as a close friend and comrade, and the optics are everything.
Narrator
Tomorrow, China continues its global show of.
Shemitha Basu
Power with a military parade that will.
Narrator
Be attended by Putin and North Korean.
Shemitha Basu
Leader Kim Jong Un.
Narrator
This all comes as Putin shows little.
Shemitha Basu
Sign of compromise in Ukraine peace talks and continues to barrage Kyiv with intensive strikes.
Narrator
Kine points out the show of unity.
Shemitha Basu
From nations either directly or indirectly supporting Russia's invasion is telling.
Philom Khan
We have North Korean troops and munitions that are being targeted at Ukraine's territory, Ukrainian troops. We have Vladimir Putin willing to throw endless numbers of troops at Ukraine, and we have China essentially being a supplier of dual use items that allow the war to continue. So when you look at that optic, the photograph or the video images of those three leaders, you're looking at a future that is really dark in the sense that there is no accountability and there are no guardrails. These countries are pursuing a conflict and there's no one stepping in to stop them.
Narrator
Let's move now to Texas, where Republican Governor Greg Abbott approved a divisive new.
Shemitha Basu
Gerrymandered congressional map on Friday designed to.
Narrator
Potentially give Republicans as many as five.
Shemitha Basu
More seats in the midterm elections next year. Though it's already facing a number of legal challenges.
Narrator
Abbott shared a video of the moment.
Shemitha Basu
He signed it into law on his desk.
Reporter Bob Garrett
Texas is now more red in the.
Narrator
United States Congress, Remember President Trump pushed.
Shemitha Basu
Texas Republicans to redraw the map to help him retain control of Congress through the rest of his term.
Narrator
His Department of Justice threatened Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton with legal.
Shemitha Basu
Action if they didn't pursue a new map, according to reporter Bob Garrett in a joint investigation for ProPublica and the Texas Tribune.
Narrator
This was part of a legal strategy.
Shemitha Basu
The administration has testing for months.
Reporter Bob Garrett
This fit a pattern we were seeing this summer already with the Trump administration in Texas of using lawsuits or the threat of lawsuits in friendly venues and with friendly defendants to erase laws or policies that Trump wanted to erase.
Narrator
Legal experts told Garrett the tactic effectively allows the administration to work with state leaders to sidestep lawmakers and try to force the political outcomes it wants. The doj, the White House, Paxton and.
Shemitha Basu
Abbott all declined to comment on this reporting.
Narrator
Now, Garrett points out Trump is not.
Shemitha Basu
The only president to use this strategy.
Narrator
The Obama administration took a similar approach, encouraging liberal groups and Democratic state attorneys general to file lawsuits against the epa.
Shemitha Basu
Which legal experts say led to rapid adoption of stricter environmental regulations, regulations that Congress might not have passed otherwise.
Narrator
But legal experts told Garrett Trump's version.
Shemitha Basu
Of this so called sue and settle strategy has been far more aggressive and expansive.
Reporter Bob Garrett
We had a state law being erased by a sue and settle strategy and it puts at risk the agreement that underlies sort of our system where if you lose, you sometimes accept that you lose and try again later. In this case, if you lose, we don't accept it and we find another way to win fast.
Narrator
The case he's talking about there involves.
Shemitha Basu
The Texas DREAM Act, a law that.
Narrator
Guaranteed in state tuition at public colleges.
Shemitha Basu
And universities to students who lived in.
Narrator
Texas for three years and graduated from a Texas high school, even if they.
Shemitha Basu
Weren'T permanent residents or US Citizens.
Narrator
It had consistent bipartisan support and the.
Shemitha Basu
Support of most major groups representing Texas businesses.
Narrator
Previous efforts to change it in the.
Shemitha Basu
Republican controlled state legislature, including this year, went nowhere. But in June, the DOJ filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the.
Narrator
DREAM act in a district with only.
Shemitha Basu
One judge, a Trump appointee. Paxton joined the suit rather than defend the DREAM act, which would normally be the AG's role, and the judge quickly agreed to declare it unconstitutional.
Reporter Bob Garrett
Within six hours. This 24 year old law, signed by Republican Governor Rick Perry and passed by many Republican lawmakers, was erased after that.
Narrator
Victory in Texas, the Justice Department used.
Shemitha Basu
The same strategy to target immigrant tuition benefits in Kentucky, Minnesota and Oklahoma.
Narrator
Oklahoma agreed to end its benefits.
Shemitha Basu
Officials in the other states are pushing back.
Narrator
Before we let you go, a few.
Shemitha Basu
Other stories we're following.
Narrator
There are 1.2 million fewer immigrant workers.
Shemitha Basu
In the U.S. according to New government.
Narrator
Data, which showed a big decline between.
Shemitha Basu
January and the end of July, CBS News reports.
Narrator
The figures include immigrants without legal status.
Shemitha Basu
And some who were legal residents.
Narrator
The numbers are the latest illustration of.
Shemitha Basu
The effect Trump's crackdown on immigration is having on the economy and the workforce.
Narrator
Immigrants make up roughly 20% of workers.
Shemitha Basu
With about 45% doing farming, fishing and forestry. Another 30% work in construction and 24% are service workers, according to Pew Research Center.
Narrator
Pew also notes that it's not clear.
Shemitha Basu
Whether the decline is due to enforcement action, self deportation or other factors.
Narrator
One labor economist told the Associated Press, immigrants contribute to at least 50% of.
Shemitha Basu
Job growth in the US and with.
Narrator
The influx across the border essentially stopped.
Shemitha Basu
There'S been a huge impact on the ability to create jobs.
Narrator
President Trump says he will honor former.
Shemitha Basu
New York mayor and personal lawyer Rudy.
Narrator
Giuliani with the country's highest civilian honor.
Shemitha Basu
The Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Narrator
He announced this yesterday.
Shemitha Basu
The same day 81 year old Giuliani was released from the hospital following a car crash, Giuliani suffered fractured vertebra after being rear ended while traveling as a passenger near Manchester, New Hampshire.
Narrator
His friend told the New York Times.
Shemitha Basu
That he was in high spirits after they spoke. In recent years, Giuliani has faced mounting legal and financial problems, especially over his false claims about the 2020 election. He declared bankruptcy two years ago and was disbarred from practicing law in New York last year after being indicted in Arizona and Georgia in cases connected to the 2020 election.
Narrator
And finally, the US Open's biggest controversy.
Shemitha Basu
So far has not been on the court, but in the stands. The millionaire CEO of a Polish paving.
Narrator
Company went viral after a video showed.
Shemitha Basu
Him snatching a signed hat that a.
Narrator
Player was attempting to give to a.
Shemitha Basu
Young boy who appeared shocked and upset.
Narrator
At first, the executive doubled down, posting on social media that if you were.
Shemitha Basu
Faster, you would have it. But perhaps inevitably, he has now apologized and said that he made a grave mistake. In the midst of emotions and the.
Narrator
Player, Camille Majak, has now met with.
Shemitha Basu
The child and gifted him some merch. And after this and that now infamous moment at a Coldplay concert, executives might.
Narrator
Want to take note.
Shemitha Basu
Seems like you're always being watched, even in the crowds.
Narrator
You can find all these stories and.
Shemitha Basu
More in the Apple News app.
Narrator
And if you're already listening in the News app right now. We've got a narrated article coming up next.
Shemitha Basu
New York magazine gets inside the Kennedy family in crisis as it's largely liberal.
Narrator
Dynamics struggles to work out how to.
Shemitha Basu
Respond to their most powerful member. If you're listening in the podcast app, follow Apple News Narrated to find that story. And I'll be back with the news tomorrow.
Episode: How an earthquake devastated Afghanistan
Host: Shumita Basu
Date: September 2, 2025
This episode of Apple News Today, hosted by Shumita Basu, primarily focuses on the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan, detailing its immediate humanitarian impact and the difficult global response. The episode also covers geopolitics as world leaders Xi, Putin, and Modi hold a high-profile summit, shifts in US-India relations, the implications of new political maneuvering in Texas, updates on immigration and the workforce, and a viral controversy at the US Open. The tone is urgent, empathetic, and analytical, providing listeners with both firsthand accounts and expert commentary.
Disaster Overview (00:54–01:22)
Local Voices & Humanitarian Struggle (01:22–02:02)
International Aid Crisis (02:06–03:28)
Aid Challenges and Vulnerable Groups (03:28–04:24)
Aftershocks and Ongoing Risk (04:24–04:36)
A Show of Unity (04:40–05:19)
Changing World Order (05:19–06:12)
Cautious Optimism and Underlying Tensions (06:12–07:03)
Wider Implications: Ukraine and Beyond (07:36–08:40)
Redistricting and Its Political Ramifications (08:40–09:15)
Legal Tactics: 'Sue and Settle' (09:29–10:58)
Case Study: The Texas DREAM Act (10:58–11:57)
Rudy Giuliani to Receive Medal of Freedom (13:19–14:07)
US Open Viral Incident (14:10–14:49)
| Timestamp | Speaker/Source | Quote | |-----------|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:22 | Local Resident | “Nearly 95% of our village is destroyed. We have many martyred and wounded people in every household… Any kind of help will be good for us.” | | 01:46 | Samira Syed Rahman (Save the Children) | “It’s extremely difficult for humanitarian actors to be able to reach the people.” | | 02:31 | Shemita Basu (paraphrasing US Inspector General) | “The system for delivering aid to Afghanistan was broken: widespread corruption and misuse of the money.” | | 03:08 | Shireen Ibrahim (IRC) | “The scale is unmatched by the resources that we need.” | | 03:47 | Yogita Lamaya (BBC) | “Even at the air base today, we could not film women. …There will be many donors who will think twice.” | | 04:59 | Shumita Basu | “They will stand shoulder to shoulder.” | | 05:42 | Philom Khan (Politico) | “India and the US relationship has got very rocky and very frosty over tariffs.” | | 07:03 | Philom Khan | “A symbolic propaganda coup that just landed in his lap.” | | 08:08 | Philom Khan | “You’re looking at a future that is really dark in the sense that there is no accountability and there are no guardrails.” | | 10:50 | Bob Garrett | “If you lose, we don’t accept it and we find another way to win fast.” | | 13:09 | Labor economist | “Immigrants contribute to at least 50% of job growth in the US.” | | 14:49 | Shumita Basu | “Seems like you’re always being watched, even in the crowds.” |
This episode paints a sobering picture of humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan amid political and logistical obstacles, underscores the shifting global power balance as major leaders convene in China, interrogates controversial legal strategies in US politics, and notes the deepening impacts of immigration enforcement. Throughout, the host and contributors maintain a factual yet empathetic tone, drawing connections between headline events and their deeper global significance.