Apple News Today

Two developments are transforming the U.S. pandemic debate

<p>As COVID-19 vaccine production ramps up in America, some state governors are lifting pandemic restrictions even as the CDC warns against reopening too fast. <a href="https://apple.news/A2TVapwsAQcWibOPgOuUw4Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> looks at the tension between state and federal leaders.</p> <p>After the deep freeze, <a href="https://apple.news/Af75iJFk-Sva9QTlCzTWAoA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> explains how many Texans, and people in nearby states, are still dealing with damage done to water supplies.</p> <p>Shipping companies are using James Bond&ndash;like measures to protect COVID-19 vaccine shipments, including armed guards, panic buttons, and kill switches. <a href="https://apple.news/A8-A2NgZcQ2OK3OZQw74zrA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Bloomberg Businessweek</a> has the story.</p> <p>Germans have coined more than 1,200 new words to describe living in the pandemic. The <a href="https://apple.news/Aqm9la6U-TyidxQh85sKB1g?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> reviews this jawbreaking lexicon.</p>

Maybe America’s love for pro sports is wildly exaggerated

<p>Today, the Supreme Court will hear two election-law cases that may decide the fate of the landmark Voting Rights Act. <a href="https://apple.news/ARo6_f2UlSxivBHNPjPYZ6w?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a>&rsquo;s legal expert Ian Millhiser breaks it all down.</p> <p>Some of the the biggest pro sporting events have seen big drops in ratings during the pandemic. In the <a href="https://apple.news/Ar1WVML9mQ46sadB0ZsmS0Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Atlantic</a>, Jemele Hill argues that Americans aren&rsquo;t as crazy about sports as we&rsquo;ve been led to believe.</p> <p>Should Washington, D.C., become the 51st state? The <a href="https://apple.news/AQTRjQwZcTUqgt9WJdNls6w?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> reports that lawmakers in at least nine states have taken formal steps to either support or oppose D.C. statehood. The <a href="https://apple.news/AlMrpotOvQt2hzuYuNbotUg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Post</a> also answers key questions about this debate.</p> <p>It&rsquo;s time to get to work on your taxes. Like so many other things, the pandemic has made the process even more complicated. <a href="https://apple.news/AWJRWhAj5QqD0bi_vSKbPIg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Apple News</a> has a guide to this very unusual tax season.</p>

The sexual-harassment allegations against Governor Cuomo

<p>Two former aides have accused New York governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. <a href="https://apple.news/AxzqPTaELSLS7va64jzSxng?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NBC News</a> has the latest on the allegations, his response, and the coming investigation.</p> <p>More and more civilians are taking part in tactical-training courses in which they learn how to shoot to kill. Rachel Monroe recently took some of these courses, typically taken by law enforcement and military personnel, and wrote about her experience for <a href="https://apple.news/A4_BywWIfQ_64vuyPuZmYNQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wired</a>.</p> <p>On top of treating people with COVID-19, doctors and nurses are also working day and night to stop misinformation spreading online. The <a href="https://apple.news/A0F1MfqycRrGjyDlk38-w6g?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> has the story.</p> <p>In his new book, <em>A World Without Email</em>, computer scientist Cal Newport looks at what scientific research says about why email makes us miserable and how to change for the better. The <a href="https://apple.news/A9kH-U6Q_SBSmuI_WV9iArw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">New Yorker</a> has an excerpt<em>.</em></p>

Trump speech to kick off fight for the GOP’s soul

<p>The Conservative Political Action Conference&nbsp;features the biggest stars in the GOP &mdash; the people who might lead the party in the future. <a href="https://apple.news/AVI6tMbCgTfy7R8SHotMzwA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> reports that this year, it&rsquo;s still all about Donald Trump. A <a href="https://apple.news/AjEA2UWQWRqerNKZ7lJrKWw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> analysis says potential Republican presidential candidates will have to decide whether to run as Trump Ultra, Trump Lite, or Trump Zero.</p> <p>President Biden is making important new moves in the Middle East, launching airstrikes against Iran-backed militias and shifting to a new diplomatic approach with Saudi Arabia. <a href="https://apple.news/AJvg2JTXKSIul8FixEuTl7A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> looks at the state of play in Iran, while the <a href="https://apple.news/A6HZd9eK8T8qJ61Y-CA7WaA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> covers the Saudi developments.</p> <p>The Philippines is offering nurses to European countries in exchange for vaccines. <a href="https://apple.news/Aq9YCVRYGQoKiUHNiPy7dmg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vice</a> reports that many nurses don&rsquo;t appreciate being treated as tradable commodities.</p> <p>The Golden Globes are Sunday night, and this year there&rsquo;s controversy involving race, power, and ethics. The L.A. Times reports on how the organization that gives out the awards is under scrutiny for its <a href="https://apple.news/ADqnJaYBaTsC4hpJlhejWPQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">lack of diversity</a> and <a href="https://apple.news/ATiP85hAVQUunDt9aX8bymg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">accusations of bad conduct</a>.</p>

South Dakota AG refuses to step down after deadly crash

<p>Tomorrow, an FDA advisory committee meets to review the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and decide whether to grant it emergency authorization. Brown University School of Public Health dean Dr. Ashish Jha explains to <a href="https://apple.news/AoI4_K2-oTlWeHYQQxFy52w?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> why he&rsquo;s telling his family to take it if that&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s offered.</p> <p>The pressure is rising for South Dakota&rsquo;s top law-enforcement officer to step down after he hit and killed a man while driving last September. Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg said he thought he struck a deer. The <a href="https://apple.news/AMztFv-PaS2iIiApeJ2XzbA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Sioux Falls Argus Leader</a> lays out the facts and the unanswered questions.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>There&rsquo;s a huge difference between the generational wealth of white Americans versus people of color, with significant implications for retirements. The <a href="https://apple.news/AmvsJ5hBFSOamdZNS0WWRpQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> analyzes a quarter century of data and finds the gap is getting wider and wider.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>The <a href="https://apple.news/AqurvbkaeTDu0lX04yUj2pQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Athletic</a> explores the growing popularity of virtual sports-cards and why some are selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece.</p>

How Capitol security failed to stop the insurrection

<p>For the first time since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, key officials who were in charge of security that day have testified before Congress. The <a href="https://apple.news/Anb2rImDcS5mfBIhH7Bpfxw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> reports that one big question raised at the hearing was whether domestic terror is taken as seriously as foreign threats.</p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/AueB5Yp45QJKspmix75akPA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> reports on Democratic claims of a double standard for Biden cabinet nominees that affects women and people of color.</p> <p>Online coaches are pushing the idea that positive thinking can help people &ldquo;manifest&rdquo; their way into making more money. <a href="https://apple.news/A6z-DCmWLSzyvHsgik73t7g?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Cosmopolitan</a> reports that women, who&rsquo;ve been hit especially hard by the pandemic, are the main target.</p> <p>Fast-food companies are cutting less-popular items to streamline their menus during the pandemic. The <a href="https://apple.news/AVqBmMOIJRpKMDWVTJNEpiA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> highlights the elaborate campaigns people are mounting online to bring back personal favorites.</p>

Rich countries corner global vaccine supply

<p>International agreements are to make sure all countries have equitable access to vaccines. But <a href="https://apple.news/AB29m54cdQ2aEIvEiIMbxFQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> argues that the U.S. and other wealthy countries need to do more. One obstacle to fair distribution is price transparency: <a href="https://apple.news/AKzg1KT0YTue03OPbVHpYvA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> looks at why many developing countries are paying much higher prices for doses.</p> <p>Since Election Day, at least six Facebook employees have resigned while calling out the company&rsquo;s leaders for failing to address the spread of misinformation and hate speech on the platform. <a href="https://apple.news/AquBlVvlVSQe9iIXX5MM63A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">BuzzFeed News</a> reports on former employees who say Facebook&rsquo;s leadership is working against its own content-moderation policies.</p> <p>In 1955, Black teen Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, 10 months before Rosa Parks got national attention for a similar act of civil disobedience. Colvin spoke with <a href="https://apple.news/AhSesZkUsTiurP1xYl80Qkw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> for a new series called &ldquo;History Refocused.&rdquo;</p> <p>Yesterday, electronic-music duo Daft Punk announced they&rsquo;re calling it quits. <a href="https://apple.news/AgbwzcLdTRYaXl2jb4MsgyA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">GQ</a> takes a look at the iconic group&rsquo;s influence on music and culture. And the <a href="https://apple.news/AMWcFDcKgSWugk2pnc63I3w?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">L.A. Times</a> looks at their 10 greatest moments.</p>

How America can learn from its pandemic mistakes

<p>The United States is near half a million deaths from COVID-19, the most in the world. <a href="https://apple.news/AaPqdeO3gQZ2Vt-Rh_WI9qA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> writes that while this crisis has exposed some of the deepest flaws in our public-health system, it has also revealed possibilities for improvements going forward.</p> <p>Merrick Garland, who was previously snubbed for a Supreme Court seat, has been tapped by President Biden for the role of attorney general. <a href="https://apple.news/ADiVU9N2lSEqhR-5KXWG2dg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> breaks down Garland&rsquo;s legal background. And the <a href="https://apple.news/AkubN5nQQQt2whtFiiQulnA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Guardian</a> explains that he will be taking over the Department of Justice during a difficult moment.</p> <p>The freezing conditions that left millions of Texans without electricity and safe drinking water also impacted migrants on the border. The <a href="https://apple.news/A6ochrxDZSVi6IvlhL6XDYA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Guardian</a> reports on the dangers for those seeking to enter the U.S. And the <a href="https://apple.news/Aj1r4k0MURAi21pQ--3xO6A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> looks at Biden&rsquo;s immigration moves so far.</p> <p>Online learning means college students have new opportunities to cheat while taking tests from home. <a href="https://apple.news/A3sO0uxoORpSh62cZIxUg_g?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Forbes</a> reveals how some are using an online service called Chegg to access answers on demand.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p>

The political fallout from the winter energy crisis in Texas

<p>The blackouts in Texas have led to significant political fallout. <a href="https://apple.news/AT9eNXPc_Rg6k0U-oHDJ8uQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNBC</a> looks at the claims politicians are making and the facts about the outage.</p> <p>Many Republicans are working to make upcoming elections a referendum on reopening schools. Political reporter Dave Weigel writes for the <a href="https://apple.news/AE9nC7WLiS5iafahBh7k8Mg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> on why the GOP sees this issue as a key way to speak to suburban voters.</p> <p>In one small Brazilian city, an unusual experiment is taking place that may provide key insights about how to bring the pandemic to an end. The <a href="https://apple.news/AszvXbtjLQh6dDdvDKIRrqQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> has the story about this first-of-its-kind study.</p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/A6jR9OhNFSNOjNEKXVFH20A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">New York Magazine</a> is out with a profile of rising-star director Chlo&eacute; Zhao, whose film <em>Nomadland</em> comes out today.</p>

U.S. life expectancy falls by entire year as pandemic rages

<p>The crisis is not over in Texas, as power outages and brutal weather continue to have a broad impact. The Texas Tribune looks at how people are suffering from <a href="https://apple.news/AteAcmQzsT7arBEDD1ZM3XQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">food shortages</a> and the <a href="https://apple.news/A4JNa5FSQS36Qb3DnPVkcLw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">loss of clean drinking water</a>.</p> <p>Life expectancy in America dropped by an entire year over the first six months of 2020. <a href="https://apple.news/A6aiXgU3KRFiuKpZmTWl9OA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Bloomberg News</a> looks at new CDC data that captures some the realities of the pandemic in hard numbers, including large racial disparities.</p> <p>Even after the economic crisis has ended, certain jobs will probably be gone for good. The <a href="https://apple.news/AIVsGgcEgTM6BNP0lbO6iyw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> explains why this is happening and what it means for the future of the U.S. economy.</p> <p>NASA is preparing to land a rover on Mars. <a href="https://apple.news/AMNAar5ExSyGMfFMysgTDRg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> explains how this high-stakes, complex mission is supposed to work.</p>

Are New York and California turning on their governors?

<p>New York governor Andrew Cuomo and California governor Gavin Newsom drew praise early in the pandemic but have recently come under criticism. <a href="https://apple.news/AqFZOyTKPRiONgdrmHcUq6Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Bloomberg News</a> looks at why their popularity has taken a turn for the worse. And the <a href="https://apple.news/A0JIArGApSPCpDMThx26HNg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> looks at the impact on Cuomo&rsquo;s approval ratings.</p> <p>Conservative organizations raised hundreds of millions of dollars to support baseless challenges to the presidential election results. The <a href="https://apple.news/AJfZR1jfZS2uAQZCKYc4zUQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> has the story of one major donor who wants his money back.</p> <p>Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures are gripping many parts of the United States. Texas is having a particularly hard time, in part because of its strained power grid. <a href="https://apple.news/ASzNbT9iIThu7S-tdb7dcjg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> explains what&rsquo;s gone wrong with the grid and why the state wasn&rsquo;t more prepared.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>Researchers are increasingly convinced of the therapeutic effects of spending time outside. The <a href="https://apple.news/AJBdt7-U9Q6KzSrw1hxnjwA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> explains why some believe two hours a week in nature could be the new 10,000 steps per day.</p>

Have we turned a corner on COVID-19? Not yet.

<p>For the first time in months, average new daily coronavirus infections have fallen below 100,000 in the United States. The <a href="https://apple.news/AQ8wHqlSDTgmDMYltbB2NlA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> looks at possible reasons for this decline. And <a href="https://apple.news/A-XiWwB6gQA6vCYNCfGhlkA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> speaks with an epidemiologist who warns that the country still has a long road ahead.</p> <p>A <a href="https://apple.news/AZWZBsoiCRQ-Seybr-FQCIQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Marshall Project</a> investigation into the use of police dogs finds a city where they are regularly unleashed against Black teens.</p> <p>A record-breaking wave of extreme cold has turned deadly and is threatening COVID-19 vaccination progress. <a href="https://apple.news/A-k6ywA1iSvCcNI6TZp8OZw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">USA Today</a> looks at the impact.</p> <p>Even with bars closed and no parade, folks in New Orleans are finding ways to celebrate Mardi Gras. The <a href="https://apple.news/ALfYeEBi9RfivyhattTxluQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> describes how some residents are decorating their homes as parade floats, in the first &ldquo;Yardi Gras.&rdquo;</p>

Trump’s legal challenges are just getting started

<p>Donald Trump was acquitted by the Senate for a second time this weekend, but his legal troubles may just be beginning. <a href="https://apple.news/AhIxpcQekTi-1b1IOyBwFmQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> has a roundup of his post-impeachment legal challenges. And <a href="https://apple.news/ARiUP9jDDRQ-hDGCWsbBkow?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> looks at recent developments in Trump investigations in Georgia and New York.</p> <p>Today, former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala becomes the first African and first woman to lead the World Trade Organization. <a href="https://apple.news/AN1KVMwDWTLe-bI4198i-SA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> breaks down the challenges she is facing during a tumultuous period of global trade. And Okonjo-Iweala tells <a href="https://apple.news/AIArFAKREQJijKhEnmnSZZw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Time</a> that among her biggest priorities will be the role of the WTO in combating climate change and addressing the coronavirus pandemic.</p> <p>Attacks against Asian Americans are on the rise, including in the San Francisco Bay Area. <a href="https://apple.news/AByIoR-35TumXATVvfTsTTg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> spoke with the executive director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, which has documented nearly 3,000 incidents of attacks against anti-Asian from across the country since the pandemic began last March. And <a href="https://apple.news/Aq8CkRA1DSt60KsBPCOKk_Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NBC News</a> reports on recent actions by the Biden administration to tackle this issue.</p> <p>In 2019, Taylor Swift announced that she would rerecord and rerelease her back catalog. On Friday, she dropped her new version of &ldquo;Love Story,&rdquo; and the song has already topped the U.S. iTunes chart. The <a href="https://apple.news/AHESw3gKPREuofwohTpohOQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Atlantic</a> explains why this enterprise is such a savvy business move.</p>

Trump’s team makes his case

<p>Today, Donald Trump&rsquo;s defense team make their case in the Senate impeachment trial. <a href="https://apple.news/AXIb8a79kQ4i-HNOLdiz9FQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Axios</a> breaks down the arguments we can expect to hear. The <a href="https://apple.news/A7d30bsGaTcyQGeZ4rNDIaA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> explores the history behind Trump&rsquo;s First Amendment defense. And the <a href="https://apple.news/A14gbnnp7Q1m_Yr7FcmmLDQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Hill</a> says many Republicans have already signaled that their minds are made up.</p> <p>Two companies that make voting machines have filed multimillion-dollar antidefamation lawsuits against the likes of Fox News and Rudy Giuliani. The <a href="https://apple.news/A8FLbaXoJQYyu7ppPt0B3oQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> explains how repeated falsehoods about voting irregularities have damaged trust in these companies.</p> <p>Indian prime minister Narendra Modi wants to give 300 million people a COVID-19 vaccine by mid-summer. <a href="https://apple.news/AZ4Isz7HuRmCGx0C_oQIw1Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> reports that the plan is being called the biggest and most ambitious vaccination drive in the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>Today, Donald Trump&rsquo;s defense team make their case in the Senate impeachment trial. <a href="https://apple.news/AXIb8a79kQ4i-HNOLdiz9FQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Axios</a> breaks down the arguments we can expect to hear. The <a href="https://apple.news/A7d30bsGaTcyQGeZ4rNDIaA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> explores the history behind Trump&rsquo;s First Amendment defense. And the <a href="https://apple.news/A3MAHjAfoQMS_J9_EU_Uyqw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Hill</a> says many Republicans have already signaled that their minds are made up.</p> <p>Two companies that make voting machines have filed multimillion-dollar antidefamation lawsuits against the likes of Fox News and Rudy Giuliani. The <a href="https://apple.news/A8FLbaXoJQYyu7ppPt0B3oQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> explains how repeated falsehoods about voting irregularities have damaged trust in these companies.</p> <p>Indian prime minister Narendra Modi wants to give 300 million people a COVID-19 vaccine by mid-summer. <a href="https://apple.news/AZ4Isz7HuRmCGx0C_oQIw1Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> reports that the plan is being called the biggest and most ambitious vaccination drive in the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>The pandemic has been a huge motivator for people to declutter their homes and give away old household items on free-stuff forums. The <a href="https://apple.news/AzwRu4nmwQcifzESt5uNn0w?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> writes about the wide variety of items posted on these pages.</p>

“They would’ve killed Mike Pence”: impeachment day 2

<p>Yesterday, House impeachment managers revealed new information about the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The <a href="https://apple.news/AMPfuyOxITxeH59zdevUhkw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> has key takeaways, including previously unseen footage of the attack.</p> <p>Can businesses pay their employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine? <a href="https://apple.news/AZ8ZVnmeYRCKktig8B4Y2Hg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Bloomberg Law</a> spoke with employment attorneys who explain why this is a legal grey-area.</p> <p>Several state lawmakers across the country have introduced legislation to stop schools from referencing the New York Times&rsquo; 1619 Project. <a href="https://apple.news/Al9G8z1DOTE-KYJiYffC7-A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">USA Today</a> and the 19th break down what&rsquo;s in these bills and the debate about teaching American history.</p> <p>Players and fans of Major League Baseball have wondered for years if changes in the way the balls are constructed were leading to more home runs. <a href="https://apple.news/ArBPVEXH2QPGnaGfgdJ5HBA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Sports Illustrated</a> speaks to a scientist who acquired balls from a clandestine network inside MLB, sliced them open, and found some interesting tweaks to their design.</p>

To understand Trump’s impeachment trial, start with April 7

<p>On day two of Donald Trump&rsquo;s impeachment trial, <a href="https://apple.news/Au2QaV5OxQbi6PvJAUvneMA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> has a detailed timeline of events, showing the groundwork that led to the Capitol insurrection was laid far in advance.</p> <p>A dysfunctional sense of smell is common for people with COVID-19. Many are still struggling with it months after first getting sick. The <a href="https://apple.news/AMI0m792xS--CU0h13z-wuQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">L.A. Times</a> spoke with patients who are suffering and the doctors and scientists who are trying to help.</p> <p>The internet might be able to predict breakups months in advance. The <a href="https://apple.news/AGN88Wv_iTcOfCsf-SoK50Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Times of London</a> wrote about a study analyzing online posts and how the language people used subtly changed just before their relationships ended.</p>

What it’s like to face a $1 million COVID hospital bill

<p>Former president Donald Trump&rsquo;s lawyers will argue the Senate cannot constitutionally try him now that he is out of office. J. Michael Luttig, a former federal appeals court judge, agrees with this impeachment argument in a <a href="https://apple.news/A2HUS1IStRPyKS0RgmY9czA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> piece. Chuck Cooper, a top conservative lawyer, offers a counterargument in the <a href="https://apple.news/Aje41x5uJQKq5IVi11yHIlQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a>.</p> <p>Patricia Mason got sick with COVID-19 in March last year. She is now out of the hospital and dealing with the aftermath, including part of a medical bill that topped $1 million. The <a href="https://apple.news/AFd6dU-KoTrOxfOdx7HHIpw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">L.A. Times</a> brings us Mason&rsquo;s story.</p> <p>Several states are allowing more people to gather indoors. <a href="https://apple.news/Ak83Oqpd1RlC0pZqHxhF-AA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">ProPublica</a> spoke with scientists who explain why they think this is a bad idea.</p> <p>A series of class-action lawsuits is focusing on whether products use real vanilla flavoring. The <a href="https://apple.news/ACAyy8x80QOiJ4T_QLiE8wg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> has the story of vanilla getting its day in court.</p>

The arguments for and against convicting Trump

<p>The impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump starts tomorrow. <a href="https://apple.news/A1MSA2P2eQR2H2bWToSjQ6A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> has a preview of arguments each side will make. In the <a href="https://apple.news/A3Ayh8X8lRWGcioFEiXBtBw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">New Yorker</a>, Harvard law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen lays out the trial&rsquo;s risks for Democrats.</p> <p>President Biden says pandemic school-closures are a &ldquo;national emergency.&rdquo; The <a href="https://apple.news/AjDMT6hmwSzGD2mu4VRlFSQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Houston Chronicle</a> looks at how Texas schools are considering extra weeks of class to help students catch up. <a href="https://apple.news/AC-0RoO_iQhuHxagY90w7hg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">HuffPost</a> explains how parents of children with disabilities are especially concerned about their children falling behind.</p> <p>Democrats are proposing expanded childhood tax credits. The <a href="https://apple.news/Aun0FWuZ-TZuwBgG1XSdqQw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> breaks down their plan.</p> <p>Tom Brady led Tampa Bay to a win over Kansas City, the quarterback&rsquo;s seventh Super Bowl win. <a href="https://apple.news/ABw0YKayEQguAIRwAylZpKw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">USA Today</a> football columnist Mike Jones examines Brady&rsquo;s impact.</p>

Democrats strip Marjorie Taylor Greene from committees

<p>Democratic Senators moved ahead on a COVID-relief bill without Republicans in an overnight session. The <a href="https://apple.news/AKql2MbVWTWq4UwQ2sAnHUA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> has key details.</p> <p>House Democrats voted to strip Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments. <a href="https://apple.news/ArbQkryh6Rl24dEk1g_S6MQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> explains how each political party is navigating this moment.</p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/A1qYHUFzMSlmrKr75wQrzjw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> and <a href="https://apple.news/AbMs0zkakSey832zjaMTnUg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">USA Today</a> look at current data and guidance related to COVID-19 vaccinations and pregnancy.</p> <p>Russia&rsquo;s announcement that its COVID-19 vaccine, called Sputnik V, is highly effective, was met with some skepticism in the international community. The <a href="https://apple.news/AcHZq-xF9Qv-Uu1Xi0hujrA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">New Yorker</a>&rsquo;s Joshua Yaffa reports on the vaccine&rsquo;s development and impact.</p> <p>The Super Bowl is Sunday and the stadium will be mostly empty because of pandemic concerns. <a href="https://apple.news/AFq2nVXHDQueD2jxE2qA7iA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Adweek</a> explains why the situation is a camera crew&rsquo;s dream, and says it could mean one of the best at-home viewing experiences ever.</p>

Roadblocks emerge in Democratic drive for $15 minimum wage

<p>Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 is a key measure in Democrats&rsquo; pandemic-stimulus package, which they are aiming to pass through budget reconciliation. <a href="https://apple.news/AFxGNb4hVRjqnNZZUGAwhtA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> breaks down why that may or may not be possible.</p> <p>More information is coming out about the people who participated in the Capitol insurrection and the forces that influenced them. In his latest piece for the <a href="https://apple.news/AlAX3w1UjT-yNTnXyTa_Q7A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">New Yorker</a>, Ronan Farrow profiles rioter Rachel Powell and how she became radicalized over a short period of time.</p> <p>The <a href="https://apple.news/AgJgo3xb3SyGciHT6WvdZtw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> spoke with ordinary investors who lost money following investment tips from Reddit on GameStop and other stocks. And in the <a href="https://apple.news/AQnqpv4BSRb6MSx602pXXoQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Atlantic</a>, Derek Thompson says that while individual traders may have thought they were sticking it to Wall Street, that&rsquo;s not what really happened.</p> <p>Danielle Cohen writes for <a href="https://apple.news/AoC9-WgE7SlGwaUQP6HC_KA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">GQ</a> about a recent trend of including pictures of COVID-19 vaccination cards in dating-app profiles. And <a href="https://apple.news/AZfhn2uwvRdaZ3IXNlyXJ8A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> explains why the Better Business Bureau advises against posting pictures of these cards online.</p>

The Capitol rioters reveal a new type of American extremism

<p>Democrats are moving forward to pass a COVID-19 relief bill through a process known as &ldquo;budget reconciliation.&rdquo; <a href="https://apple.news/A4nWFlMZUT1-WaF_ml7QTUg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> explains how it works.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>On the campaign trail, Biden promised a major overhaul of Trump&rsquo;s immigration policies. But <a href="https://apple.news/A__0A90TNRE-uQv8XoXeZrg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">L.A. Times</a> reporter Molly O&rsquo;Toole writes that Biden&rsquo;s early actions on immigration focus on reviewing Trump policies, and don&rsquo;t yet undo all of them.</p> <p>A new analysis by counterterror experts in the <a href="https://apple.news/Az1gmEoMgRk2WVI_cvIQKpw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Atlantic</a> finds the Capitol riot was the product of a new kind of American extremism.</p> <p>Nobel Peace Prize nominations are in the news. <a href="https://apple.news/AjvPZjcTmQwGGjdo6FV96Ag?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> explains why it&rsquo;s surprisingly easy to get nominated.</p>

Is it worth worrying about the national debt during COVID?

<p>Republicans say Biden&rsquo;s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus proposal will add too much to the national debt. <a href="https://apple.news/AE7LrtwXnSoygyE8Hz8yg8Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> explains how the debate over debt is shifting. Many Wall Street investors and economists now say big spending is needed to help the economy and national debt concerns can wait.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/AbEFGgVyVSWirhMP_-336VA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> reports on the challenges Republicans face in figuring out the best way to deal with congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and her history of making racist comments and promoting conspiracy theories.</p> <p>COVID-19 deaths are creating a generation of orphans. <a href="https://apple.news/A0Yfmy6zoRqa3C1qHichGWA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NBC News</a> looks at the struggles of young people who have lost parents.</p> <p>The Super Bowl is marking the pandemic by paying tribute to heroes. <a href="https://apple.news/ALZ19hgtKR6K1eShjDl0wAg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> reports on Amanda Gorman, who will celebrate people who have made a difference by reciting a poem. And <a href="https://apple.news/AiI_Iwxn3QFO7bYhhmo4AOQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">People Magazine</a> reports that the NFL is also giving 7,500 tickets to health-care workers who&rsquo;ve been vaccinated.</p>

Who could get stimulus checks and how big they might be

<p>Ten Republican senators are proposing a $600 million plan as an alternative to President Biden&rsquo;s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. The <a href="https://apple.news/APnr_NJJWTguONdk39iROpg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> explains the debate over stimulus checks. And the <a href="https://apple.news/AlFmh8txuSoyv7UyBN5A-DA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> cites research that says wealthier families barely spent the money they got from the earlier stimulus.</p> <p>The Biden administration is running into early obstacles as it pursues its vaccine-rollout goals. <a href="https://apple.news/A5vRSGUxuQ1SMS7VgJutt3Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> breaks down how those challenges may set back the pandemic response.</p> <p>Myanmar&rsquo;s military has seized power and detained the country&rsquo;s democratically elected leader, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. <a href="https://apple.news/AK_UhNHWMTPiQTXji-h5qBA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Bloomberg News</a> reports on the first foreign-policy crisis of the new Biden administration.</p> <p>Scientists are tracking the synchronized rotation of a group of faraway planets. And it turns out their movements make interesting music. <a href="https://apple.news/AvuEvdK_ZQQ-tDgIGPSPtYA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Forbes</a> explains.</p>

Why it’s so hard to book vaccine appointments

<p>By the end of this week, President Biden will have signed more than three dozen executive actions. <a href="https://apple.news/A91Cmj74mQdqIHsigloEpxg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Reuters</a> analyzes growth in the use of presidential executive orders and assesses their impact.</p> <p>COVID-19 vaccine appointments are in short supply and high demand &mdash; and glitchy sign-up procedures in some areas are making them hard to get. The <a href="https://apple.news/Am0c7671jSk2qXh9ENSYjlg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> has a guide to how to get a vaccine in every state. The <a href="https://apple.news/AAoRa9PkARZyCjIe6FE8uGQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Guardian</a> details how signing up is proving especially challenging for older Americans. The <a href="https://apple.news/AVZBmWbykTDaTrGqSvNWVRA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> spoke with a legendary vaccinologist who has been shocked at how hard it&rsquo;s been to get himself vaccinated.</p> <p>The <a href="https://apple.news/A9xDvHnidTiS7-Rk_aUFD1g?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> highlights 15 personal-finance lessons to take away from the pandemic.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>Groundbreaking Black actor Cicely Tyson has died at 96. The <a href="https://apple.news/AMUYg-EA1RPSosHY8gd-U6A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Hollywood Reporter</a> looks at her award-winning career. <a href="https://apple.news/ApfCCmuniR3q3iQG1y8g5WA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> recently interviewed Tyson about her memoir.</p>

Biden seeks to restore Obama’s health-care legacy

<p>The Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration&rsquo;s signature accomplishment, has survived four years of attempts to gut it. <a href="https://apple.news/AuWP_O1wYT9WOqc1q50vPAQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> reports on how President Biden, now president, is moving to bolster the law. And <a href="https://apple.news/AkTprq8taS7OqZ35mTH0dmA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Quartz</a> breaks down what Democrats could get done on health care with a slim majority in Congress.</p> <p>GameStop stock rose 1,555% in a month. That is definitely not normal. <a href="https://apple.news/A7klgVm6URcOPZszke4t1Ow?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> explains how it happened.</p> <p>Protests in India are escalating as farmers rally against a recent change to agriculture laws. The <a href="https://apple.news/ASOGmQKzDRaKTNTfwAIqolA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> looks at what&rsquo;s behind these protests and their potential political impact.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>Soon it won&rsquo;t just be astronauts in space. <a href="https://apple.news/AjanTWHVGTYKA1q5DbrtHAw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> covers the first private mission to the International Space Station, which carries a $55 million per person price tag.</p>

The Democrat who could make or break Biden’s climate agenda

<p>President Biden has big plans to tackle climate change. The <a href="https://apple.news/AeDh1wAYfRo-Elql3ckWb_g?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> profiles West Virginia senator Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat who could make or break Biden&rsquo;s climate agenda.</p> <p>A tiny detail in the global supply chain is having a big impact on COVID-19 vaccine distribution. <a href="https://apple.news/AQUhbqH15TaKi4wVeEtrawA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Reuters</a> explains why a shortage of a special syringe is making the vaccine rollout harder.</p> <p>The Boston Globe is now allowing people to petition to have information about themselves removed or added to old stories about minor crimes or transgressions. The <a href="https://apple.news/AdeGigrRlRdi4z-aTCO7X7Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> explains why the Globe and other news outlets are addressing how past coverage may have hurt people of color.</p> <p>An Oklahoma lawmaker has introduced a bill to create a hunting season for Bigfoot. And <a href="https://apple.news/A-WObLuuiSXOXrv4GokEMzA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Fox News</a> reports that he is getting criticism from believers and nonbelievers alike.</p>

What to know about the new COVID-19 variants

<p>New variants of COVID-19 are emerging. The <a href="https://apple.news/ATpWdORJ5Q0yQ1SEILD55PA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> breaks down what we know so far about them.</p> <p>A new analysis from <a href="https://apple.news/AWVkn8gUbR42HfLfJAwImUQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> looks at 135 fatal police shootings of unarmed Black people, and finds that many of the officers involved took part in multiple shootings. Few faced charges.</p> <p>New moves to change voting rules could have major impact on future elections. <a href="https://apple.news/AZoNZBddGTPKrtpaUCgUg1A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> reports on Republican attempts to alter state election laws. And <a href="https://apple.news/ASypYBVm8TlStWAsTEcl2zw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">New York Magazine</a> looks at how Democrats may try to make changes at the national level.</p> <p>The <a href="https://apple.news/AQrECrBxRSbKQNn8TGzXLfA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">L.A. Times</a> profiles Nia Dennis and what&rsquo;s behind her viral new gymnastics routine, which features music by popular Black artists.</p>

McConnell’s big gamble with Trump impeachment

<p>President Biden has promised that 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses will be administered in his first 100 days in office. But, according to analysis by <a href="https://apple.news/A1JN0MHceRaCXDl2JNbUg0g?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Bloomberg News</a>, the U.S. was already more or less meeting that goal in the final days of the Trump administration. Fareed Zakaria argues in the <a href="https://apple.news/A307cszVdRgei-vOdj_svkA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> that Biden&rsquo;s current goal is far too modest.</p> <p>Russians in more than 100 cities took to the streets this weekend in solidarity with jailed activist Alexei Navalny. For <a href="https://apple.news/Acfa3joFRQMOUq4tJqwKP0Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Al Jazeera</a>, Leonid Ragozin looks into what he may be hoping to achieve.</p> <p>For the first time, a woman will be officiating at the Super Bowl. <a href="https://apple.news/AmF_c4bViQH2NjZkMET8ZHA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">ESPN</a> reports on Sarah Thomas.</p>

Where does the GOP go without Trump in the White House?

<p>Many Republicans are asking where the party goes after the Trump presidency. <a href="https://apple.news/AGcPIGyz4QY6MXGUomKMQlA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Time</a> looks at the internal debate and how the impeachment trial factors into it.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p> <p>America&rsquo;s income gap is widening during the pandemic. <a href="https://apple.news/AKriWiH02T3O_AstcnHAZfw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Bloomberg News</a> explains why moves to deal with the economic slowdown are working out especially well for the richest Americans.</p> <p>COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the U.S. faces problems with inconsistent distribution and wasted doses. <a href="https://apple.news/ASqxaKwf3SyiK7Piytvuaiw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NBC News</a> reports on how states are dealing with delays and shortages. <a href="https://apple.news/AqIOmgOyESHiGF84wyxSXxA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">ProPublica</a> looks into wasted doses and the difficulty of tracking them.</p> <p>With every new administration, the Oval Office gets a little makeover. The <a href="https://apple.news/AOKCgmfQTTwuy3G8oXjCV9A?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a> looks at the political symbolism behind President Biden&rsquo;s design choices.</p>

President Biden moves quickly to undo Trump’s legacy

<p>With over 400,000 Americans dead from the coronavirus, Joe Biden inherits a country with no clear plan to contain the pandemic. <a href="https://apple.news/AfasqoB-tTFKApwXPrLpvCg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CBS News</a> has details on a second round of executive orders aimed at providing targeted relief. And <a href="https://apple.news/A31y9zcNZSFKyKnXQwKpRxg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">CNN</a> takes a look at what it&rsquo;s going to take to jumpstart a national vaccination plan.</p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/As8Xg5EYwQJWzs9IVz6Mk2Q?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Politico</a> reports on ongoing negotiations over how to run an evenly split Senate. And, in the <a href="https://apple.news/ATxL6rodkQL6u--cs4IK6vQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Washington Post</a>, former Senate leaders Trent Lott and Tom Daschle explain how they worked things out the last time the chamber had a 50-50 split.</p> <p>For the <a href="https://apple.news/Akegset87RxCdLlRkrxzSow?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">New Yorker</a>, Robin Wright lays out the seven pillars of President Biden&rsquo;s foreign policy.</p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/AQ6geh3V0TwuJaC2ZacfesA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> breaks down Biden&rsquo;s proposal to drastically overhaul U.S. immigration law.</p><p>For the <a href="https://apple.news/Akegset87RxCdLlRkrxzSow?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">New Yorker</a>, Robin Wright lays out the seven pillars of President Biden&rsquo;s foreign policy.</p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/AQ6geh3V0TwuJaC2ZacfesA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Vox</a> breaks down Biden&rsquo;s proposal to drastically overhaul U.S. immigration law.</p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/AxcP37DLuRbG0ykgHlZAczw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">USA Today</a> looks at the first U.S. case of COVID-19, confirmed one year ago this week. And in the <a href="https://apple.news/AxndbtxFPSSya3wbUiawdMw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Atlantic</a>, Zeynep Tufekci and Jeremy Howard ask why high-quality masks are still so hard for Americans to find.</p>