Apple News Today

Today is the date President Biden set as the deadline for states to open up COVID-vaccine eligibility to all adults. Apple News Today host Shumita Basu talks with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy about the significance of this moment. Protesters have gathered in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, every night since Daunte Wright was shot and killed there by a police officer. In the Atlantic, Will Stancil writes that the suburb shares many characteristics with Ferguson, Missouri, where Michael Brown was fatally shot by an officer in 2014. And NPR says Brooklyn Center offers a key example of the disconnect that can emerge between residents and powerful institutions in resegregated communities. Alexei Navalny, a leading critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, may only have days to live. The Wall Street Journal reports that those close to Navalny are sounding the alarm about his deteriorating health and that immediate medical attention is needed. The Washington Post explains that Navalny’s condition and Russia’s refusal to give him proper care is putting a further strain on Putin’s reputation and the country’s relationship with the United States.  Regina Mitchell hosts a popular online cooking class for people living with disabilities. The L.A. Times recently spoke with the chef, who is blind, about how she’s aiming to help give members of this community the confidence and skills to prepare their own food.

CNN reports on a deadly mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. Chicago is reacting to new video of the fatal police shooting of a 13-year-old boy. The Chicago Tribune has a frame-by-frame analysis of the graphic footage. The defense has rested its case in Derek Chauvin’s trial for the killing of George Floyd. In the New Yorker, Harvard law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen explains what’s important to understand about how a jury could see the evidence. President Biden promised he would significantly raise the refugee cap but has yet to do so. The Washington Post explains why he has drawn criticism from human-rights advocates on this issue. In the earliest days of the pandemic, many people rushed to disinfect surfaces. The Atlantic reports on how scientists now believe the coronavirus spreads primarily through the air, not on surfaces, and says this means excessive focus on disinfection is misguided.

Kim Potter, the former officer who killed Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in Minnesota, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter. Writing for the New Yorker, Jelani Cobb notes that Wright’s death is raising questions about the future of police reform. And in Vox, Sean Collins discusses how routine traffic stops can turn fatal for Black Americans. Bloomberg reports on U.S. plans to sanction Russia for election meddling and hacking. President Biden’s infrastructure proposal includes $400 billion in funding for at-home care for seniors. The Wall Street Journal reports on how this would support the country’s growing elderly population. And USA Today looks at why the White House argues that eldercare fits into an infrastructure plan. The pandemic forced courtrooms onto video conference platforms, and remote proceedings may be here to stay. The Atlantic explores what is lost and gained when the justice system moves online. In less than two weeks, Bhutan vaccinated more than 93 percent of its eligible adult population. The Washington Post explains how this small Himalayan country did it.

President Biden is pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan. CNN looks at what the move says about how his administration will navigate a changing world full of new dangers for America. Vox answers key questions about the pause in U.S. distribution of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. A recent rise in consumer prices has sparked debate about how worried we should be about inflation. Vox breaks down what’s important to understand. As the Olympics in Tokyo approaches, some athletes who planned to retire after these games are considering sticking it out for the 2024 event. The Wall Street Journal explains why.

Stat reports on U.S. regulators recommending pausing distribution of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine “out of an abundance of caution,” while they investigate very rare cases of blood clots. American CEOs are doubling down in their fight against legislation they say will restrict voting rights. The Washington Post reports that more than 100 executives recently got together on a conference call to talk about leveraging their influence. And NPR explores the surprising history of political boycotts. Editors of medical journals get to decide what research gets a wide audience, making them some of the most important gatekeepers in medicine. Stat spoke with cardiologist Dr. Raymond Givens, whose investigation has revealed a striking lack of racial and ethnic diversity among editors of these influential publications. Carbon credits have been touted as a way to use market forces to reduce emissions, but an investigation by Bloomberg casts doubt on their effectiveness. French tacos are not tacos as anyone familiar with authentic Mexican cuisine would know them, but the overstuffed panini-burrito hybrids have become a beloved fast food in France. The New Yorker takes an in-depth look at this puzzling creation.

Iran says Israel was responsible for a blackout at its Natanz nuclear site. Bloomberg and CNN report on an event that’s raising stakes for the U.S. in the region. A Black man died after being shot by police in suburban Minneapolis yesterday, adding further tension in a community that’s already on edge. The Washington Post reports on the incident. And USA Today previews the week ahead in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former officer accused of killing George Floyd. Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama made history this weekend as the first man from an Asian country to win the Masters. ESPN has his story. Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, voted overwhelmingly against joining a union. The Wall Street Journal reports on where the organized-labor fight could go from here. An auction house in Madrid was ready to sell an obscure old painting for a little less than $2,000 when it got word it might be a Caravaggio worth tens of millions. The Guardian tells the story of an art-world mystery.

Apple News Today is bringing you a special Saturday episode, featuring the first chapter from “The Line,” a new investigative podcast from Apple TV+. In 2017, during the Battle for Mosul in Iraq, a young ISIS fighter is taken prisoner and brought to the SEALs of Alpha Platoon, SEAL Team 7. The prisoner dies in their custody—and the SEALs from Alpha Platoon accuse their chief, Eddie Gallagher, of war crimes. The accusations are one more scandal in the SEAL community, which is hurting after nearly two decades of war. What is happening to the Navy SEAL? In 2018, a group of Navy SEALs broke ranks and accused their chief, Eddie Gallagher, of murder—sucking them all into the biggest war crimes trial in a generation. Did a Navy SEAL cross the line in Iraq? Dan Taberski (“Running from COPS”) takes you inside that courtroom for the first time, peeling back the curtain on how America wages its wars now and revealing the story that the media covering the trial blew right past. Through intimate conversations with over 50 special operators, the series explores just how blurred the line between right and wrong has become in the forever wars—and what that’s doing to the hearts and minds of those we send to fight them. An Apple original podcast produced by JigSaw productions. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, has died at 99. The Washington Post and the Guardian look back at his life. Today concludes the second week of testimony in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer accused of murdering George Floyd. NBC spoke to Floyd’s nephew about the experience of rewatching his uncle’s death during the trial. And Vox explains why the trial is retraumatizing Black Americans. Brazil and India are making headlines as COVID-19 cases and deaths there grow. The Washington Post looks at what is fueling Brazil’s surge. And Bloomberg reports that it’s difficult to know if new variants are behind India’s case increase because the country is not doing thorough genetic-sequencing. When a group of Navy SEALs accused their chief, Eddie Gallagher, of murder, it shined a spotlight on the secretive force. A new investigative podcast by Apple, The Line, explores the accusations against Gallagher, the subsequent trial, and what the story says about problems in SEAL culture. A subatomic particle is challenging one of the most watertight theories in science. National Geographic has details about an experiment that could transform our understanding of how the universe works.

The Biden administration is telling Texas to pause a highway expansion that activists say would displace more than a thousand homes and businesses in Black and Hispanic communities. Politico explains why the intervention is such a big deal. And NPR looks at how road projects have been used for decades to isolate, displace, and marginalize communities of color. China has become the first major economy to create its own digital currency. The Wall Street Journal explains what this means and how it could impact American security. Amanda Mull at the Atlantic explores how the beauty industry is preparing for a boom this summer from Americans eager to look good when they leave lockdown. Yahoo Answers is shutting down after 15 years. The Verge reflects on why so many people loved it. And BuzzFeed lists some of the funniest questions posed.

For years, China has been forcing ethnic minorities from the Xinjiang region into what it calls political-reeducation camps. The New Yorker provides an in-depth look at the harsh conditions in these camps through the experience of one woman who escaped to tell her story. More and more Americans are falling behind on car payments. The Wall Street Journal reports on an emerging crisis. Billions of cicadas will soon crawl out of the ground and loudly swarm across parts of the country. The Washington Post lays out the facts about these unusual insects. The pandemic has caused yet another product shortage: ketchup packets. The Wall Street Journal explains why prices have risen by 13 percent and what that means for your fries.