Apple News Today

Joshua Barbeau lost his fiancée, Jessica, nearly a decade ago. For Joshua, getting over her death felt impossible. He was still grieving when he came across a website that allowed him to feel like he was communicating with Jessica again — by creating a customized, A.I.-powered chatbot. San Francisco Chronicle journalist Jason Fagone spoke with Shumita Basu about how the Jessica bot helped Joshua process his grief. This is a preview of that conversation. Listen to the full episode on Apple News In Conversation.

Advocates want Biden to go further than his plan to allow 100,000 Ukrainian refugees into the U.S., Politico reports. NPR speaks to people who escaped other conflicts. The Washington Post uncovers text messages showing Ginni Thomas urged the White House to pursue unrelenting efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The New Yorker asks whether Thomas, wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, is a threat to the Supreme Court. Nearly half of the nominees for acting Oscars this year played real people. Vox looks at why this has been a proven path to winning. The Ringer explores whether the return of unvaccinated Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving to his home court could change the balance of power in the NBA.

CNN lays out five key questions for Biden's diplomatic trip to Europe, as the war in Ukraine rages. Brittney Griner met with U.S. officials for first time since her detainment in Russia began. ESPN has details. Moscow’s stock market partially reopened after a monthlong shutdown. CNBC has coverage of its early trading, including some wild swings. Vox explains what we learned from Judge Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing. The Washington Post details how retired Americans on fixed incomes are having trouble paying basic bills as inflation cuts into household budgets. New findings show that climate change is making pollen season longer and more intense, as explained in Fast Company. The Manhattan prosecutor who resigned over a stalled Trump probe says the ex-president committed felonies. The Washington Post has the story. Time remembers Madeleine Albright, a trailblazing secretary of state.

The Wall Street Journal explains why Russia’s attack on Ukraine is causing the cost of food in many countries to skyrocket. Ketanji Brown Jackson’s experience as a Supreme Court clerk two decades ago suggests that much of the current court will be familiar to her, a longtime SCOTUS-watcher writes in the Atlantic. He was the last Afghan finance minister before the Taliban took over. Now he’s an Uber driver in America. The Washington Post tells his story. This is the first March Madness where college athletes can strike licensing deals. Some are scoring six-figure hauls, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

The Wall Street Journal breaks down the ongoing Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman nominee to the Supreme Court.   Bloomberg Businessweek reports that Russians are fleeing their country, leaving behind homes, savings, and cars because they say the Russia they once knew is becoming unrecognizable. Masha Gessen also writes about this exodus for the New Yorker.   Billions of dollars have been invested in developing COVID vaccines and doing other COVID research — and the funding will pay scientific and medical dividends for decades. Kaiser Health News explains.   The Washington Post has the latest updates on the conflict in Ukraine.   A rescue team is searching the area where a Boeing jetliner crashed in southern China yesterday. Reuters has the story.   Dangerous storms are forecast for parts of the U.S. over the next few days. Multiple tornadoes have already touched down in Texas and Oklahoma, where USA Today is reporting that tens of thousands of people were without power this morning. 

Can sanctioning Russian oligarchs influence Putin’s actions in Ukraine? Bloomberg Businessweek asks an oligarch, in an exclusive interview. As Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis deepens, its young people are stepping up. National Geographic tells their stories. Russia’s war on Ukraine has dramatically increased the price of nickel. The Atlantic looks at how some Americans are now hoarding coins. NPR lays out what to expect in the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. Tales from March Madness: ESPN has the story of number 15 seed Saint Peter’s, which pulled off another upset in the men’s tournament. And USA Today covers Lauren Jensen, who carried Creighton to its first Sweet 16 by beating her old team.

Every weekend on Apple News Today, we’ve been bringing you interviews with some of the best journalists and experts. But now we’re changing things up a bit — and don’t worry, it’s good news. Apple News In Conversation is becoming its own podcast. Our latest episode is with Jon Stewart, and on it we talk about his new show on Apple TV+, ‘The Problem With Jon Stewart.’ This is a preview of that conversation.   Plus: If you want to hear more from Jon Stewart, we’re also bringing you a bonus episode from his podcast. The episode is called “Jon Talks Climate: It Gets Heated.”

China can influence Russia, but no one should get their hopes up about Beijing being able to stop the war in Ukraine, Time argues. Recent bomb threats against historically Black colleges and universities are only the latest in a long, violent American history of attempts to keep Black people out of classrooms. The Atlantic lays out why, while ABC News examines what the White House and Congress are doing to address the threats. People have very little legal protection against weight-based discrimination in the workplace. Bloomberg Businessweek looks at moves to change that. Sleep experts tell the Washington Post that a Senate bill to make daylight saving time permanent gets it wrong. They want standard time all year. A Vox graphic shows what it would be like if American stopped changing its clocks. And Road & Track looks into how lack of sleep can lead to dangerous driving.

The Washington Post highlights the museums, libraries, and galleries in Ukraine that are rushing to protect the country’s history, culture, and artifacts from Russian attacks. Vox has key details from a data analysis of Texas primary voting, which shows the impact of restrictive new ID requirements. The state of Tennessee is taking over the finances of a small town, claiming a history of mismanagement. Local leaders say race is a factor. The Tennessee Lookout has the story. CNBC explains what the Fed’s rate hike means for your personal finances.

Ukraine’s president pleaded for more U.S. help in a virtual address to Congress. ABC News covered his speech. Journalist Jason Rezaian was held hostage in Iran. He writes in the Washington Post about why he’s so concerned for the WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was arrested in Russia. One year after the murders targeting spas in Georgia, Asian American women say they feel increasingly unsafe. CNN looks at efforts to tackle the problem. CNN reports on rising COVID infection and hospitalization numbers in Europe that hint at a new danger the U.S. may face soon. NPR looks at White House concerns around running out of money to cover COVID tests and vaccines. The U.S. tried making daylight saving time permanent in the 1970s. Washingtonian looks at how much people hated it.