Apple News Today

The Washington Post explains how the Ukraine capital’s outgunned defenders have kept Russian forces at bay. And it has a story about a woman who’s trying to get back into the besieged city of Mariupol to help her trapped family. The Hill explains why many states are flush with tax revenue, two years after the onset of the pandemic. Marine plastic pollution is a big problem — and, Vox argues, some efforts to deal with it may actually be doing more harm than good. The NCAA is making new moves to address inequities between the women’s and men’s basketball tournaments. A USA Today columnist says it’s a start — but that much more needs to be done.

Foreign fighters including Americans were at a military training facility in Ukraine when it was hit by a Russian missile strike. They tell BuzzFeed News what it was like — and provide exclusive video. The Wall Street Journal introduces us to more of the foreigners signing up to join Ukraine’s fight against Russia. They left one war and wound up in another. Yemenis, Afghans, and Syrians flee Ukraine. The Washington Post has their story. Heard about the truck-driver shortage during the pandemic? Time explains why the problem is not what you think — and why the rush to train new drivers could have terrible consequences. Tom Brady says he’s reversing his retirement decision and returning to the NFL for a 23rd season. ESPN has details, while USA Today lays out how the Super Bowl champ’s surprise move made a half-million-dollar sports collectible practically worthless.

During the trans-Atlantic slave trade, an estimated 12.5 million people who were enslaved traveled from Africa to the Americas, on 36,000 voyages. Roughly a thousand of these vessels sank, but only a few have ever been found. National Geographic explorer and diver Tara Roberts spoke with “Apple News Today” host Duarte Geraldino about her experience identifying and documenting the remains of slave-ship wrecks — and how she’s hoping to honor the lives of these people who have been all but forgotten by history.

Attacks on Ukrainian civilians are highlighting the country’s position as a major destination for couples seeking surrogate mothers. The Atlantic has the story. Communities have spent billions of dollars settling police-misconduct claims over the past decade. A Washington Post data analysis finds that thousands of officers who were repeatedly accused of wrongdoing were linked with multiple payouts. Time details how Hong Kong became China's biggest COVID-19 problem. It’s time to change the clocks again. The Washington Post dispels five myths about daylight saving time. ESPN breaks down everything you need to know about the labor deal that’s ending Major League Baseball’s lockout.

A hotline helps Russians find out if family members in the military have been killed in Ukraine. It’s run by the Ukrainian government. CNN has the story. Bloomberg Businessweek explains why the next big legal fights over abortion access may center on mifepristone, a pill that can end pregnancies. The Wall Street Journal looks at what’s inside Biden’s new executive order on cryptocurrency and why it moved markets. If you’ve rented a car from Hertz, there could be a warrant out for your arrest. USA Today has stories of people whose lives were disrupted when they were accused of stealing rental cars that they say they returned.

BuzzFeed News has the story of a Ukrainian doctor whose professional ethics mean he must treat Russian soldiers who invaded his country. NPR reports on how Russia is arresting anti-war protesters by the thousands. The first January 6 defendant to go to trial has been found guilty on all counts. BuzzFeed News explains how the verdict could influence the next moves for hundreds of other people charged in the attack. The Biden administration is banning Russian energy imports. CNN looks at the key details of the move, and analyzes how shutting off Russian oil has the U.S. rethinking its relationships with other resource-rich countries, including those America has sought to isolate or avoid.

The Kremlin spent decades improving its business ties to the West. The Washington Post shows how the invasion of Ukraine destroyed that progress in days. War videos from Ukraine, including very graphic ones, are overwhelming Americans’ social-media feeds in a way that few foreign stories do. The New Yorker examines the impact. The Hill reports on Biden’s planned visit to Texas to focus on “burn pits,” military-waste-disposal fires blamed by many veterans for devastating health problems. CBS News looks at how he addressed this issue in his State of the Union speech. The Athletic explains why it’s a big deal that the NFL slapped a strict suspension on a player who placed bets on games. And USA Today looks at pro football’s long, complicated relationship with betting. On International Women’s Day, Apple News has special collection of stories recognizing trailblazers and game changers, the extraordinary women reshaping the world.

As the death toll rises in Ukraine, family members are struggling to bury their loved ones amid relentless shelling and danger. The Washington Post has the story. Gas prices are getting higher as Western countries consider banning Russian oil imports. The Wall Street Journal has details on a rare U.S. meeting with Venezuelan officials about possibly lifting oil sanctions on their country. Reuters reports on U.S. diplomats who are working to secure release of a basketball player detained by Russia.

NATO member states have been clear they will not directly intervene in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But many Ukrainians are calling on the West to do more. Apple News Today host Duarte Geraldino talks with Ukrainian activist Daria Kaleniuk, who is urging NATO allies to declare a no-fly zone over Ukraine. In response, cohost Shumita Basu speaks with Vox senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp, who says any type of military intervention by the West would be catastrophic and could trigger a nuclear attack from Russia.

A Vox reporter lays out the risks of setting up a no-fly zone over Ukraine, and warns that doing so would be tantamount to going to war with Russia.  The New Yorker looks at Russia’s attempts to ban its remaining independent media outlets over their coverage of the war in Ukraine. And Reuters reports on why the EU banned two state-controlled Russian media outlets from broadcasting within its borders.  The Courier-Journal explains why the world will be watching Oksana Masters as the Paralympics get underway. She is the most decorated athlete on the U.S. roster — and was born in Ukraine.