Apple News Today

The Texas Tribune reports on how local Republicans are focusing on mental health, not guns, after the latest deadly shooting. The Wall Street Journal looks at how Biden and lawmakers are trying to break the impasse on raising the debt ceiling before a potential default. Will Wilkerson blew the whistle on Truth Social. Now he works at Starbucks. The Washington Post tells his story. Forbes looks into why international airfare is so high ahead of summer. The Wall Street Journal explains why you should renew your passport quickly. And the Atlantic reports on how booking a hotel online these days became such an excruciating experience.

Clarence Thomas had a child in private school. GOP donor Harlan Crow paid the tuition. ProPublica investigates. Meanwhile, Washington Post reporting reveals that a conservative judicial activist directed fees toward Thomas’s wife, urging “no mention of Ginni.” Biden secured trillions of dollars in domestic legislation. The Wall Street Journal looks at how the administration is taking on the challenge of spending it. As the NBA playoffs continue, the Ringer looks at the key numbers in the Celtics–Sixers matchup.

Nearly 30 years ago, James Bernard Belcher was sentenced to death for raping, strangling, and drowning 29-year-old Jennifer Embry. Recently, he was given a second chance: a resentencing, this time with new evidence unearthed by a mitigation specialist. These life-history investigators seek to contextualize a defendant’s violent crimes, often by surfacing childhood traumas. On the latest episode of Apple News In Conversation, host Shumita Basu spoke with Maurice Chammah, a reporter for the Marshall Project, about shadowing one specialist as she excavates Belcher’s past in a bid to spare his life. Below are excerpts from the interview.

ProPublica investigates how blocked train crossings are forcing kids to crawl under trains to get to school. A scientist widely viewed as the godfather of AI is quitting Google and warning of the technology’s dangers. He spoke to the BBC. A 40-year hunt for lost ‘Jeopardy’ tapes is over. And the champion on them is finally telling her story to the Ringer.

The Federal Reserve will announce its next move and its view on the economy today. Some forecasters say a recession is more likely following recent data and bank failures. CNBC has a preview of the Fed’s statement. Politico reports on a Senate hearing on ethics concerns at the Supreme Court that revealed some bipartisan agreement that justices could do more on the issue. On World Press Freedom Day, Apple News has a collection of stories highlighting the challenges journalists face around the world. FIFA is threatening not to broadcast the Women’s World Cup in some European countries unless media companies pay more for the rights. ESPN reports. Meanwhile, CNBC has the story of an entrepreneur who used her life savings to open a bar in Oregon that only plays women’s sports. It’s thriving.

Biden invited congressional leaders to a debt-ceiling meeting after the Treasury Department warned that the U.S. could default as soon as June 1. Politico has the story. Hollywood writers are striking after talks with producers fail to reach an agreement. The Los Angeles Times reports. Patients who fear losing their voices can now save and re-create them with help from AI. The Washington Post explains how. A new California gold rush, fed by heavy rain? Geologists tell SF Gate why they’re wary.

A manhunt is underway in Texas after a gunman killed five people. The Houston Chronicle is on the story. The Washington Post has an analysis of data on recent incidents where people have shot neighbors or strangers during everyday misunderstandings. There’s a conservative campaign to rewrite child-labor laws. The Washington Post investigates. A new project aims to fight mosquito-borne illness with more mosquitos. Freethink explains how it would work. The fashion world is watching to see if Karl Lagerfeld’s cat makes history by walking the red carpet at the Met Gala. The Wall Street Journal has the story.

The workers who cleaned up the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico say they have serious health problems as a result. And, they say, the company is making it hard to get compensation. The Guardian is telling their stories. According to aid workers on the ground, the situation in Sudan is worsening, as fighting between rival forces makes it unsafe to help civilians. Time Magazine has more. A top couples therapist joins us on In Conversation to talk about the relationship insights she wishes more people knew.

The Showtime documentary series Couples Therapy allows viewers to watch real-life therapy sessions. Couples hash out their conflicts and challenges with Dr. Orna Guralnik as their guide. Guralnik is a psychoanalyst who prompts people to examine their instincts, listen to their partners, and do some deep self-discovery. Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu spoke with Guralnik about her approach to therapy — and her relationship advice. This is a preview of that conversation.

Montana Republicans voted to ban a transgender lawmaker from the state legislature’s floor. The Daily Montanan reports. A judge halted a Missouri order that would have limited access to transgender health care. The Missouri Independent has more. Vox explains what happens to shows and movies when Hollywood writers go on strike. Allergy season is here and climate change is making it worse. NBC News tells us why.