News Wrap: New trial begins for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny

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• Judy Woodruff:

  In the day's other news: A new trial began for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at a prison where he's already jailed for parole violations. He now faces charges of fraud and contempt of court.

  But, at today's proceedings, Navalny refused to back down.

• Alexei Navalny, Russian Opposition Leader (through translator):

  I'm not afraid of the decision of the court, Russia's Federal Security Service, the prosecutor's office or everyone else. I'm not afraid, because I consider it humiliating to be afraid of all this. It's bad to live and accept all this.

• Judy Woodruff:

  Navalny's allies say that he could get another 15 years in prison if he's convicted and that the Putin government wants to keep him locked up for as long as possible.

  The families of nine victims in the Sandy Hook school shooting agreed today to settle with gun manufacturer Remington Arms for $73 million. The company made the rifle used to kill 20 first-graders and six teachers in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012. The families sued over the weapon's marketing.

  We will take a closer look later in the program.

  Britain's Prince Andrew will settle a sexual abuse lawsuit filed by an American woman, Virginia Giuffre. Court documents say that he's agreed to make a substantial donation to Giuffre's charity for victims' rights. The prince has denied that she was trafficked to him as a teenager 20 years ago by the late Jeffrey Epstein.

  In — in Canada, rather, Ottawa's police chief resigned today, amid criticism for failing to end protests over pandemic restrictions. Truckers have tied up the city for more than two weeks. Meanwhile, the border crossing at Coutts, Alberta, reopened after protesters left voluntarily. Police also said the blockade of a border crossing near Emerson, Manitoba, is ending.

  Back in this country, the U.S. Senate narrowly confirmed Robert Califf to lead the Food and Drug Administration. The vote was 5046, with most Democrats in favor and most Republicans opposed. Both sides pointed to his previous stint as FDA commissioner under President Obama.

• Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT):

  As FDA commissioner during the Obama administration, Mr. Califf showed blatant disregard for the unborn and for the health and safety of women and girls when he weakened safety and reporting requirements for a dangerous chemical abortion drug.

• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA):

  I urge all of my colleagues to give families across the country the peace of mind and give the hardworking staff at the FDA the experienced, Senate-confirmed leadership it needs by joining me in confirming Dr. Califf today and working with him and the FDA to continue protecting families across our country.

• Judy Woodruff:

  The FDA has not had a permanent commissioner in more than a year.

  A former Minneapolis police officer accused of violating George Floyd's civil rights testified in his own defense today in st. Paul, Minnesota. Tou Thao is one of three men accused of failing to prevent Floyd's murder. He testified that his job was crowd control, so he did not intervene as Floyd was pinned by the neck.

  A federal jury in New York has rejected Sarah Palin's libel suit over a New York Times editorial. Today's verdict came a day after the judge ruled against Palin. He found that she failed to prove that The Times acted maliciously when it wrongly linked her statements to a mass shooting. The former Alaska governor said today she is disappointed.

  Her lawyer said they are considering an appeal.

  Ken Turke, Attorney for Sarah Palinl: These aren't the kind of decisions you're going to make overnight. If I had to guess, do I think we will appeal some issues relating to this process, yes. But we will have further on that down the road.

  You know, when you will find out is when we file a notice of appeal.

• Judy Woodruff:

  The New York Times said the verdict reaffirms that public figures should not be allowed to use libel suits to intimidate news organizations.

  A new federal report finds sea levels along America's coastlines could rise as much in the next 30 years as they did in the entire 20th century. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects increases of up to a foot as the planet warms. Along the Gulf Coast, the rise could be a foot-and-a-half.

  In economic news, the U.S. Labor Department reports that inflation at the wholesale level jumped 9.7 percent in 2021. But that didn't seem to be a drag on Wall Street today. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 422 points, 1 percent, to close at 34988. The Nasdaq rose 348 points. That's 2.5 percent. The S&P 500 added 69. That's 1.5 percent.

  And at the Winter Olympics, Russian Kamila Valieva took the lead in the women's individual figure skating competition after the short program. The 15-year-old was allowed to compete, despite a positive drug test last December. The International Olympic Committee says that, if she medals, there will be no ceremony until her case is resolved.