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Mark Garrison, Narrating: Good morning! It's Thursday, February 22nd.
I'm Mark Garrison, in for Shumita Basu.
This is Apple News Today.
Coming up, the death of a non-binary teenager
raises questions about anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Oklahoma,
concerns about Chinese hacking have the U.S. government
planning to spend billions to replace cargo cranes,
and Major League Soccer is back.
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But first, let's take a quick look at some other stories in the news.
We're seeing some of the first impacts of the Alabama Supreme Court
ruling that frozen embryos created through IVF are legally children.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
is suspending IVF treatments
while it considers the legal repercussions.
Alabama IVF patient Jasmine York told "CBS" about how frustrating
the ruling is after spending years and thousands of dollars
trying to get pregnant.
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Jasmine York: I'm angry. I'm sad. I'm just a whole slew of things.
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Garrison, Narrating: Boeing has removed the head of its 737 Max program.
The move comes after a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines flight in midair.
Last month, the FAA blocked Boeing from expanding its 737 Max production line
while its manufacturing is under review.
In Israel, the military's top lawyer said some troops in Gaza
are under investigation for criminal offenses
and other misconduct.
That includes the destruction of property, looting, abuse
and excessive force.
The announcement comes amid international criticism
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over civilian deaths and mass property destruction.
The death of a non-binary teenager in Oklahoma is raising questions
about the impact of laws targeting LGBTQ+ youth.
16-year-old Nex Benedict died earlier this month,
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one day after a fight in the girls bathroom of a high school.
There's a lot that's unclear about what caused Nex's death.
Police say they're waiting for autopsy and toxicology results
before they decide whether to refer the case
to prosecutors for potential charges.
Nex's grandmother, who's adopted Nex,
said Nex was bullied by students for more than a year.
It started a few months after Republicans passed a law
that required public-school students to use bathrooms that matched the sex
on their birth certificates.
Nex's grandmother told "The Independent" that Nex told her
they were knocked down during the fight and hit their head.
Nex had multiple bruises and scratches.
Their grandmother says
Nex was suspended from school for two weeks.
Nex reportedly wrote in text messages that they were feeling dizzy,
nauseous and might've had a concussion.
Nex later collapsed and stopped breathing, and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Oklahoma legislators have been pushing to pass even more laws
that affect the LGBTQ+ community.
This year, they've already proposed more than 50 anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
That's more than any other state, according to the ACLU.
The head of Oklahoma schools has been a vocal critic of LGBTQ+ rights.
And he has ties to a conservative activist
who posts anti-LGBTQ+ content on social media.
Chaya Raichik has millions of followers,
and has frequently criticized teachers and administrators
who've supported LGBTQ+ issues.
And Raichik has posted about Nex's school before.
Threats of violence often happen around the country after her posts.
"NBC News" tracked nearly three dozen threats
against schools, libraries, hospitals and businesses,
which came after posts on her social media accounts.
Raichik isn't accused of making threats herself,
and says she doesn't support violence against the people
she talks about in her posts.
But law enforcement says that those posts
appear to have inspired various bomb threats.
These are hoaxes that scared children and families,
and wasted the time and money of law enforcement.
Local LGBTQ+ advocacy groups say Nex's death should serve as a wake-up call
about the impact of laws that target the community.
And that regardless of what's ultimately learned
about exactly how Nex died,
abuse of Nex, because of their identity, played a role.
The co-founder of Rural Oklahoma Pride told a local "Fox" affiliate
about why it's important to remember Nex.
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Bryan Paddack: We're going to light a candle. In both memory and showing support.
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Not only for that person, but for that person's family,
as well as all the other lives that have been affected.
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Garrison, Narrating: New leaked documents from a hacking firm linked to the Chinese government
show how state military and intelligence groups
are carrying out large-scale cyber attacks against foreign governments and companies.
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The documents provide one of the most-detailed looks yet
at the Chinese network of hackers who exploit sensitive information
for the state's gain.
Recently, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in Congress
that China could launch cyberattacks against critical U.S. targets,
including water and power supplies.
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Christopher Wray: China's hackers are positioning on American infrastructure
in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm
to American citizens and communities
if and when China decides the time has come to strike.
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Garrison, Narrating: "The Wall Street Journal" reports on an unusual potential threat
to the American economy.
The Biden administration believes that Chinese-made cargo cranes
that operate in U.S. ports could be hacked.
The cranes are designed to be controlled remotely.
And there's concern China could exploit that to sabotage shipping,
which would damage the economy.
Or that China could use sensors inside the cranes to spy
on the movement of American military hardware through ports.
It's a major concern, because cargo cranes made in China
account for nearly 80% of ship-to-shore cranes in American ports.
Security around shipping is such a concern
that the Biden administration is investing $20 billion in port security.
That includes new cranes that are made in America.
China's embassy in the U.S. calls the idea that Chinese-made cranes
are a national security risk "paranoia."
But the U.S. government is taking it seriously.
Replacing the Chinese cranes will take time.
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The Pentagon has already started changing shipping practices
to avoid these cranes.
Finally, the MLS season is now underway,
starting with a victory by Lionel Messi's Miami
over Salt Lake City last night.
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This is Messi's first full season in the league.
And the team, part owned by David Beckham, has signed up other big stars too.
Taylor Twellman, lead analyst for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV,
talked about how strong Miami is looking.
Taylor Twellman: They're going to be the team to watch
mainly because of the pedigree of the players
but more so people are very curious in a league built on parity,
can you buy yourself a championship?
I think that makes it a very intriguing watch.
Garrison, Narrating: Twellman says the quality of play throughout the league
is hitting a new level.
Twellman: I think a season where everyone's trying to start a little bit faster,
a little bit quicker, a little bit stronger than in years past.
But now as the league gets more competitive,
as owners spend way more money than they're used to,
I think, historically, this league's going to change now because of that.
Garrison, Narrating: Messi is 36 years old, nearing the end of his career.
The big question for Miami fans, is having Messi enough
to bring home the MLS Cup?
Twellman: The answer's yes. The answer's yes, 100%.
You put Messi on any team in major league soccer,
that team's winning games.
Garrison, Narrating: You can follow the whole MLS season, and other major sports and teams,
using Apple Sports.
It's a new, free app just out this week.
It'll give you access to real-time scores, stats, and more.
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Get it by searching for Apple Sports in the App Store.
And if you're listening to us in the Apple News app right now,
we've got a Narrated Article coming up next.
The New Yorker profiles Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz.
The staunch Trump supporter has become one of the most prominent
and divisive figures in the GOP.
Chaos and controversy have followed Gaetz over the years,
including alleged sexual misconduct involving teenage girls,
which he's denied.
"The New Yorker" looks at how he manages to keep so many
of his supporters sticking with him.
If you're listening in the Podcasts app, follow Apple News+ Narrated
to find that story, and I'll be back with the news tomorrow.
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