Apple News Today

NPR looks at what Russia’s role in the Syrian civil war tells us about its strategy of targeting civilians during conflict.  The U.S. and its allies may have slapped economy-cratering sanctions on Russia, but some Ukrainian activists say it’s not enough. The Washington Post explains the kind of backup Ukraine is calling for.  Over the past week, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become a household name across the world. The Wall Street Journal shares what you need to know about the man standing up to Putin.

The Washington Post recaps Biden’s first State of the Union address. And Vox analyses what the war in Ukraine tells us about the limits of U.S. power abroad.

The L.A. Times has the latest updates from Ukraine, including the bombardment of Kharkiv, its second-largest city.    The Ukrainian government is recruiting volunteers to join an “I.T. army” to carry out cyberattacks on Russian sites. Wired has the story.    The State of the Union address typically highlights domestic achievements. The Washington Post explains why this year’s is likely to be different.   Bloomberg News talks with Jack Sweeney, a 19-year-old famous for creating a Twitter account that tracks Elon Musk’s private jet. Now he’s doing the same for the planes of Russian oligarchs.

Ukrainian civilians, many with no military training, are taking up arms to defend their country. The Washington Post explains how President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s willingness to defy Vladimir Putin and document it on social media has turned him into a national hero.  The Guardian and the Wall Street Journal report that newly announced sanctions on Russian financial institutions are poised to interrupt the country’s economy and undercut its ability to do business globally. Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing Ukraine. Business Insider and The Globe and Mail look at how the warm welcome Ukrainians are receiving from neighboring countries compares to the treatment of migrants and refugees from the Middle East and Africa.

This week, Russia launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine — beginning what could be the largest war in Europe in decades. Apple News Today host Shumita Basu spoke with New Yorker editor David Remnick, a longtime expert on Russia, about how we got here and what this war means for the U.S. and the rest of the world.

The Wall Street Journal reports on how attacks on Ukraine’s capital by Russian forces have intensified. World leaders are condemning Vladimir Putin’s actions. The New Yorker looks at why his attack on Ukraine may qualify him a as war criminal under the Geneva Conventions. Bloomberg looks at how China is being very quiet about what it thinks of Russia’s invasion. The Atlantic argues that the war in Europe may make it more likely that China will try to seize control of Taiwan by force.

Russian forces invaded Ukraine by land, air, and sea. Reuters and BuzzFeed News report on the biggest assault by one state against another in Europe since World War II. Two Manhattan prosecutors resigned from an investigation into Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal explains how this raises questions about the future of the years-long probe. Texas’s child-welfare agency says it will investigate instances of transgender youth receiving gender-affirming health care as possible child abuse. The Houston Chronicle has the story.

CNBC explains how an invasion of Ukraine might disrupt supply chains and drive up your grocery bill. States are placing new restrictions on what schools can teach about race and gender issues. The Washington Post speaks with teachers who have begun censoring themselves as a result. Romance scams reached an all-time high last year. In Cosmopolitan, a woman tells the story of how she saved her grandmother from one. There’s one factor that makes you more likely to fall for a scam, no matter your age, income, or education level. AARP tells us what it is. A 16-year-old just made history by beating the world’s top chess player. CNN has the story.

Players from the women's national soccer team have settled their equal-pay lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation for $24 million. ESPN has the story. As Russian military forces threaten Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal explains how Putin’s larger goal is unraveling the post–Cold War agreements that humiliated his country. NBC News reports on how new voting rules in Texas are confusing some people, raising fears that many mail voters won’t have their ballots counted. Bloomberg Businessweek looks at how investors are seeing potential profits in helping low-income people sue companies accused of environmental damage. The Washington Post highlights the magic of today’s date, 2-22-22, and some of the ways people are marking it.

CNN analyzes why a potential meeting with Putin presents huge risks for Biden. Autocrats, not terrorists, are increasingly holding Americans captive abroad. The New Yorker reports on this trend. NPR has the story of a 16-year-old who wanted to get vaccinated against COVID — and had to hide it from his parents. The data shows Americans going out more and more — but not yet to offices. The Wall Street Journal breaks down why most people who have the choice are still working from home.