Apple News Today

When 52-year-old Larry Driskill was questioned by Texas Ranger James Holland in 2015, he thought he was helping police solve a cold case. But within 24 hours, Driskill confessed to a murder he says he didn’t commit. He’s now in prison. Maurice Chammah spent a year looking into this case and others like it for the Marshall Project. He spoke to Apple News Today host Duarte Geraldino about the techniques used by law enforcement that can result in false confessions.

The Wall Street Journal reports on rising tension amid new accusations over Russian troop movements and possible ceasefire violations inside Ukraine. USA Today explains what a false flag operation is and why the West says Russia may launch one. A Texas jury found a former Los Angeles Angels employee guilty of supplying the drugs that led to the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. The L.A. Times has been following the case. The Texas Tribune looks into Corbevax, the low-cost, patent-free vaccine that could be key to protecting more people in the developing world from COVID. Middle schoolers launched a tiny vessel from New Hampshire in 2020. They thought it was lost. It was found in Norway 462 days later. CNN has the story.

U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson has accused sports authorities of a double standard in how she and Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva were treated after positive drug tests. The IOC denies the claim, the Guardian reports. Deadspin argues that the handling of Valieva’s situation is setting a dangerous precedent. Texans are racing to get early appointments for abortions to get ahead of the six-week deadline set by the state’s restrictive law. The Washington Post looks at how clinics were unprepared for the influx. The suspension of avocado imports from Mexico highlights how the country’s cartels are violently targeting its farmers. Prices in the U.S. are expected to jump. Eater has the story. Lots of people can’t stand cold weather — including, as Sports Illustrated discovers, many Winter Olympians.

Families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims won a rare settlement with a gun company. The Trace explains how the victory could be a template for suing gunmakers. The Guardian reports on Prince Andrew's settlement with Virginia Giuffre in the sexual-assault case she brought against him. The case highlighted his connection to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. George P. Bush was once seen as a potential president, like his uncle and grandfather. Now he’s facing an uphill race in Texas. Texas Monthly explains how Donald Trump may get the last laugh. NBC News has details of a breakthrough transplant that put one patient’s HIV into remission, and how it may be able to cure other people in the future.

Russia’s military says it’s pulling some troops back from near the Ukrainian border. NBC News explains why it’s not immediately clear if the move will de-escalate tensions. The Trump Organization’s longtime accounting firm says nearly 10 years of the company’s financial statements are unreliable. CNN covers the latest big development in the fraud probes of the business. Home births became more popular during the pandemic. Time explores the reasons why. Vox looks at a pilot program that’s trying something unusual to keep people from going back to prison: giving them money with no strings attached. A Harvard Business School class aims to teach managers to be happy. The Wall Street Journal describes how it’s proven especially popular during the pandemic.

CNN reports that the possibility of a diplomatic solution to escalating tensions between Russia and the West are slipping away. Over the weekend, foreign embassies withdrew staff from Ukraine, airlines suspended flights, and the U.S. urged its citizens to leave the country.    Thousands of Black employees at Tesla are suing the company over racism and harassment claims. The Los Angeles Times has the story.    Cosmopolitan explains what you need to know about trials that are underway for a new form of male birth control.    Romance is usually on display during the ice-dancing competition at the Olympics. The Wall Street Journal asks whether that’s something athletes should really be comfortable with.

When host Alex Trebek died in 2020, Jeopardy’s future was unclear. Could the game show continue to be successful without him? So far, the answer is yes. Claire McNear, a reporter at The Ringer and the author of Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider’s Guide to Jeopardy!, spoke with Apple News Today host Shumita Basu about all things Jeopardy — from superfan online message boards to game strategy to Trebek’s legacy. 

Tensions are rising along the U.S.–Canada border, where protests against pandemic restrictions have now blocked a third crossing. CNN spoke with some of the demonstrators.    The Washington Post explains how the move by a number of Democrat-led states to lift mask mandates reflects a changing political landscape.   The International Testing Agency has confirmed that Russian figure-skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned substance weeks before she competed in the Winter Games. An expedited hearing will determine whether she can continue to take part. Business Insider has the story.    Super Bowl LVI will mark the first time that more than 100 million Americans can legally bet on the game. Bloomberg Businessweek looks at a new era of sports betting. 

Anonymous sources at the National Archives and Records Administration tell the Washington Post that the agency is asking the DOJ to investigate Trump’s handling of White House records.   Jury selection is underway in the hate-crimes trial of Ahmaud Arbery’s murderers. As Vox explains, the government will need to prove that Arbery’s death was motivated by racial animus.    Sixteen young people in Montana are taking the state to court over climate change. They allege that its energy policies are infringing on their right to a clean and healthy environment. NBC News has the story.   At the Winter Games, NBC Sports reports that Chloe Kim and Nathan Chen won gold medals for Team USA. And ESPN has the latest on reporting that a Russian figure skater tested positive for a banned drug.

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell criticized the Republican National Committee for censuring lawmakers participating in the January 6 investigation. USA Today reports on a growing divide in the GOP.     The Justice Department seized more than $3.6 billion in bitcoin last week that had been stolen by hackers — its biggest financial seizure ever. The Wall Street Journal looks at the couple who were arrested for attempting to launder the cryptocurrency haul.   Convoy protests in Ottawa are putting the city at the center of the far-right movement against vaccine mandates. As the demonstrations stretch into their second week, Politico explores how they’re disrupting trade along the U.S–Canada border.    Charles Dickens was a great writer, but one with terrible penmanship. The Guardian highlights the Dickens Code, a contest that asks people around the world to help decipher the Victorian-era author’s handwriting.