Happening Today: Roger Stone, FaceTime Bug, Opioids, ‘Black Panther,' Kate Hudson

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Trump Confidant Roger Stone to Face Federal Judge in DC

After a publicity-filled weekend spent asserting his innocence and slamming investigators, Donald Trump confidant Roger Stone will appear before a federal judge who may look to muzzle him as the case moves forward. Stone faces an arraignment in Washington and is expected to plead not guilty to charges that he lied to lawmakers, engaged in witness tampering and obstructed a congressional investigation into possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. Though most defendants facing charges tend to stay quiet for fear of inflaming prosecutors or a judge, Stone has opted for a different tack since his pre-dawn arrest in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Stone staged an impromptu news conference outside a Florida courthouse, made the rounds on weekend television and repeatedly mocked the probe on an Instagram account, including with a cartoonish-image of Mueller as a bowtie-wearing butler holding a tray with a hamburger roll — but no meat in between.

Apple FaceTime Bug Lets You Hear People Who Haven't Answered

There's a FaceTime bug that lets you hear through someone else's iPhone, even if they haven't answered your phone call. It was previously reported on Twitter by user Benji Mobb and covered by 9to5Mac. CNBC tested it and verified that it's a real bug. I tried placing a video call to my editor from my iPhone using Apple's FaceTime app. Then, before he picked up, I used the menu option to add somebody else to the call and, as 9to5Mac's directions state, I added myself to the call. Suddenly, I could hear my editor, even though he never picked up. We continued having a conversation while his phone only gave him the option to answer. There was no indication that the call had already gone through. This bug seems to rely on the FaceTime Group Call feature, since you're trying to add another person to the call. Group FaceTime launched last year.

Feds Tackle Opioid Epidemic, But Is It Helping?

President Trump has declared the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency and urged prosecutors to seek the death penalty against drug dealers. Congress has provided targeted grants for treatment, recovery and prevention and made numerous policy changes to help people struggling with addiction get access to services. From the National Institutes of Health to Veterans Affairs and the Agriculture Department, government agencies are deploying their own specialized skills. Still, the addiction crisis will not easily release its grip on the nation, even as progress is made providing resources and improving coordination. Some 47,600 Americans died of opioid overdoses in 2017, according to federal numbers. That's more than die as a result of traffic crashes. Opioid deaths were 13 percent higher compared to 2016, up a notch in a 20-year onslaught. It's too early to say for sure, but experts are watching a potential indicator that opioid overdose deaths may be peaking.

Ahead of Oscars, 'Black Panther' to Return to Theaters

Fresh off of its win at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, "Black Panther" is heading back into theaters. Disney announced Ryan Coogler's Oscar nominee will play for free Feb. 1-7 at 250 participating AMC theaters to celebrate Black History Month. Disney also said it will give a $1.5 million grant to support the United Negro College Fund. This is the second time "Black Panther" has been re-released since it opened in February 2018. For a day in November, it played for free in art house theaters nationwide. "Black Panther" won best ensemble at the SAG Awards, the guild's top prize. The film, which grossed more than $700 million at the domestic box office, is nominated for seven Oscars including best picture.

Kate Hudson Explains Her Comment on 'Genderless' Parenting

Actress Kate Hudson took to Instagram to address confusion about her recent comment that she is taking a "genderless" approach to raising her 3-month-old daughter Rani. “Recently someone asked me something along the lines of, if having and raising a girl is different from boys,” Hudson wrote. “My response was simple. Not really. The whole click bait tactic of saying I’m raising my daughter to be ‘genderless’ is silly and frankly doesn’t even make sense.” Comments were disabled on the post. Rani is Hudson's only daughter and her first child with boyfriend Danny Fujikawa. Her two sons, Bingham Bellamy, 7, and Ryder Robinson, 15, are from previous relationships.