Hot Off The Wire

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 2 at 7:15 a.m. CT:

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has posted a $175 million bond in his New York civil fraud case, halting collection of the more than $454 million he owes and preventing the state from seizing his assets to satisfy the debt while he appeals. That's according to a court filing made public Monday. A New York appellate court had given the former president 10 days to put up the money after a panel of judges agreed last month to slash the amount needed to stop the clock on enforcement. One of Trump’s lawyers says, "He looks forward to vindicating his rights on appeal and overturning this unjust verdict.”

An aid group says an Israeli airstrike on its workers in Gaza killed at least seven people, including several foreigners. The World Central Kitchen, the food charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, said early Tuesday that the seven killed include citizens of Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom and a U.S.-Canada dual citizen. It did not provide a breakdown and said at least one Palestinian was also killed. It said the workers were in the process of delivering desperately needed food aid that had arrived by sea on Monday when they were struck late that evening. Israel has said it is investigating the incident.

HELSINKI (AP) — A 12-year-old student has opened fire at a secondary school in southern Finland, killing one and seriously wounded two other students. Police said the suspect was later arrested. Heavily armed police cordoned off the lower secondary school, with some 800 students, in the city of Vantaa, just outside the capital, Helsinki, on Tuesday morning.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Officials say the U.S. Coast Guard has opened a temporary alternate channel for vessels clearing debris at the site of the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The federal on-scene coordinator said in a statement Monday that it is “an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore."

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google has agreed to purge billions of records containing personal information collected from more than 136 million people in the U.S. surfing the internet through its Chrome web browser. The move comes as part of a settlement in a lawsuit accusing the search giant of illegal surveillance. Although Google isn't paying consumers any money in the case, estimates made in court records pegged the value of the privacy controls at $4.75 billion to $7.8 billion.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.09 billion after no one matched the latest numbers. 

In other headlines:

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 1 at 7:45 a.m. CT:

BALTIMORE (AP) — Crews continue the complicated and meticulous operation of removing the steel and concrete from the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Meanwhile, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the state is seeking answers to what happened.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Traffic is moving only intermittently after a stretch of California’s scenic Highway 1 collapsed during an Easter weekend storm, forcing closures and stranding motorists near Big Sur. The collapse on the coastal route occurred amid rain Saturday afternoon near Rocky Creek Bridge south of Monterey.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Police say a man was killed and five other people were injured during a shooting inside a Nashville, Tennessee, restaurant. The city's police department says the shooting around 3 p.m. Sunday began within minutes of the male suspect’s arrival when the suspect and the man who died got into an argument that “significantly escalated within moments.”

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s military has withdrawn from Gaza’s largest hospital after a two-week raid. The military said it killed some 200 militants and detained hundreds more. Palestinian residents said the troops left behind several bodies and a vast swath of destruction Monday. The military has described the raid on Shifa Hospital as a major battlefield victory in the nearly six-month war.

MANGWE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A new drought has left millions facing hunger in southern Africa as they experience the effects of extreme weather that scientists say is becoming more frequent and more damaging. That's especially the case for the world's poorest countries and most vulnerable people. Just months ago, the region was drenched by deadly tropical storms and floods.

In other headlines:

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 30 at 6 a.m. CT:

Each Saturday Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include:

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 28 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

BALTIMORE (AP) — The largest crane on the Eastern Seaboard is arriving by barge so crews can begin removing the wreckage from the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says the crane can lift up to 1,000 tons. It will be used to clear the channel in order to resume the search for four workers who remain missing and reopen the key shipping route. Another crane is also on the way. Moore says “the best minds in the world” are working on plans to remove the twisted metal and concrete remains of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. It was struck early Tuesday by a cargo ship and quickly fell into the river.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are more worried about legal immigrants committing crimes in the U.S. than they were a few years ago, a change driven largely by increased concern among Republicans. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Democrats continue to see a broad range of benefits from immigration. Overall, about 4 in 10 Americans say that legal immigration to the U.S. is beneficial to the economy and culture, but that sentiment is down since 2017. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say that immigration is an important issue for them personally.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The top United Nations court has ordered Israel to take measures including opening more land crossings to allow food, water, fuel and other supplies into Gaza to tackle crippling shortages in the war-ravaged enclave. The International Court of Justice issued two new so-called provisional measures in a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of acts of genocide in its military campaign launched after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas. Israel stringently denies it is committing genocide and says its military campaign is self defense. Thursday’s order came after South Africa sought more provisional measures, including a ceasefire, citing starvation in Gaza. Israel urged the court not to issue new orders.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's armed forces say Moscow launched a large-scale attack on energy infrastructure Friday, with a mass barrage of 99 drones and missiles hitting regions across the country. Ukraine's Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, said air raid warnings across the country continued through the night as the strike targeted 10 separate regions. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine in recent days, launching several missile barrages on the capital Kyiv and hitting energy infrastructure across the country in apparent retaliation for recent Ukrainian aerial attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod. Such sporadic attacks, however, have been common throughout the war.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Haiti now needs between 4,000 and 5,000 international police to help tackle “catastrophic” gang violence which is targeting key individuals and hospitals, schools, banks and other critical institutions, the U,N, rights expert for the conflict-wracked nation says. Last July, William O’Neill said Haiti needed between 1,000 and 2,000 international police trained to deal with gangs. Today, he said, the situation is so much worse that double that number and more are needed to help the Haitian National Police regain control of security and curb human rights abuses. O’Neill spoke at a news conference Thursday launching a U.N. Human Rights Office report.

In other headlines:

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 28 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

BALTIMORE (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says the cargo ship that crashed into and collapsed a bridge in Baltimore underwent “routine engine maintenance” in port beforehand. U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said at a news conference Wednesday that authorities had been informed that the ship was going to undergo the maintenance. He added that they were not informed of any problems. The ship collided into a support pillar early Tuesday, causing the span to buckle into the river. The bodies of two of six workers who plunged into the water were recovered earlier in the day. The others are presumed dead.

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say four people have been killed and seven have been hurt when a man went on a stabbing rampage across multiple locations in a northern Illinois community. Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd says that a suspect is in police custody and has been questioned over Wednesday's attacks.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Former Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut has died, according to his family. He was 82 and died Wednesday of complications from a fall. Lieberman nearly won the vice presidency on Democrat Al Gore's ticket in the disputed 2000 White House race. Eight years later, he came close to joining the GOP ticket as John McCain’s running mate. The Democrat-turned-independent stepped down from the Senate in January 2013 after 24 years.

President Joe Biden is announcing new steps to protect consumers who buy short-term health insurance plans that critics say amount to junk. A new rule finalized by the Democratic president's administration will limit short-term health insurance to just three months. 

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza (AP) — An international team of doctors was prepared for the worst before visiting a hospital in central Gaza. The doctors were nevertheless stunned by the gruesome impact that Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children. One toddler died from a brain injury caused by an Israeli strike. His cousin, an infant, is still fighting for her life. These gut-wrenching casualties were described to The Associated Press by Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care doctor from Jordan. She was part of a seven-doctor team that recently finished a two-week stint in Gaza, whose hospitals have been devastated by the war that began on Oct. 7.

In other headlines: 

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 27 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

All six workers missing after a Baltimore bridge collapsed are presumed dead and the search for their bodies has been suspended until Wednesday morning. The Maryland State Police superintendent said Tuesday evening that the search and rescue mission was transitioning to one of search and recovery. The workers were part of a construction crew repairing potholes on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when it was struck by a cargo ship that had lost power early Tuesday.

The Israeli military says around 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel on Wednesday morning. Hezbollah took responsibility for the launches and said they were in response to an Israeli airstrike on a paramedic center linked to a Lebanese Sunni Muslim group in south Lebanon that killed seven of its members overnight. 

TOKYO (AP) — Health supplement products believed to have caused two deaths and sickened more than 100 people have been ordered to be taken off store shelves in Japan. The products from Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., billed as helping lower cholesterol, contained an ingredient called “benikoji,” a red species of mold.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Someone in New Jersey overcame the odds Tuesday night and won the $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot, breaking a winless streak that dated to last December. The numbers drawn were: 7, 11, 22, 29, 38 and the gold Mega Ball 4. 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A lawyer for Sean “Diddy” Combs says the search of his properties in Miami and Los Angeles were “a gross use of military-level force.” The public statement Tuesday is the first from the music mogul's team since his properties were raided Monday as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation. The criminal investigation is a major escalation in the scrutiny of the hugely influential hip-hop producer and executive.

NEW YORK (AP) — Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s are getting together over breakfast. The doughnut chain and the fast food giant unveiled plans on Tuesday to offer Krispy Kreme products at McDonald’s locations across the United States.

In other headlines:

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 26 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

BALTIMORE (AP) — A container ship has rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore, causing it to snap in a few places and plunge into the river below. Several vehicles fell into the chilly waters, and rescuers were initially searching for at least seven people. Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace says two people were pulled from the waters under the Francis Scott Key Bridge, one in serious condition. According to video posted on social media, the cargo ship appears to have crashed into one of the bridge’s supports during the middle of night when traffic would be expected to be lighter. The vessel caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in its first abortion case since conservative justices overturned the constitutional right to an abortion two years ago. At stake in Tuesday's arguments is the ease of access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year. Abortion opponents want the justices to ratify an appeals court ruling that would limit access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortions. The election-year decision is expected by early summer. The practical consequences could be dramatic, possibly halting mail delivery of mifepristone, reducing when in pregnancy it can be used and ending increasingly popular telehealth visits at which the drug can be prescribed.

MOSCOW (AP) — A Moscow court has ordered Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to remain in jail on espionage charges until at least late June. The 32-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested in late March 2023 while on a reporting trip and has spent nearly a year behind bars. Gershkovich and his employer have denied the allegations, and the U.S. government has declared him to be wrongfully detained. His arrest in the city of Yekaterinburg rattled journalists in Russia, where authorities have not detailed what, if any, evidence they have to support the espionage charges.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations Security Council issued its first demand for a cease-fire in Gaza, with the U.S. angering Israel by abstaining from the vote. Israel responded to Monday's vote by canceling a visit to Washington by a high-level delegation in the strongest public clash between the allies since the war began. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the U.S. of retreating by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of hostages held by Hamas. The resolution was approved 14-0 by the 15-member council after the U.S. decided not to use its veto power.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS is warning taxpayers that they may be leaving more than $1 billion on the table. The federal tax collector said Monday that roughly 940,000 people in the U.S. have until May 17 to submit tax returns for unclaimed refunds for tax year 2020, which total more than $1 billion nationwide. The average median refund is $932 for 2020. Texas, California, Florida and New York are states with the largest amount of people potentially eligible for these refunds. The IRS advises taxpayers to request their forms from their employer or bank or order a free wage and income transcript at IRS.gov.

In other headlines: 

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 25 at 7:30 a.m. CT:

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump may be about to find out how New York state aims to collect over $457 million that he owes in his civil business fraud case. After state Attorney General Letitia James won the judgment, she opted not to enforce it during a legal time-out for Trump to ask an appeals court for a reprieve from paying up. That period ends Monday, though James could decide to allow Trump more time. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has been trying to avoid having to post a bond for the entire sum in order to hold off collection while he appeals. Courts so far have said no.

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s hush money case in New York is set for a crucial hearing this week. A judge will weigh on Monday when the former president will go on trial. Trump has pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records, but prosecutors say Trump did it as part of an effort to protect his 2016 campaign by burying stories of an extramarital affair. Jury selection was set to start Monday but was postponed after the recent delivery of thousands of pages of records from a previous investigation. Trump’s lawyers want the case dismissal or at least delayed for three months. Prosecutors say there’s little new material in the trove.

MOSCOW (AP) — Four men accused of staging the Russia concert hall attack that killed more than 130 people have appeared before a Moscow court showing signs of severe beatings. All four were charged with terrorism. One appeared to be barely conscious during Sunday's hearing. Court statements say two of the suspects accepted their guilt in the assault, though the men’s condition raises questions about whether they were speaking freely. The authorities formally charged the men with committing a group terrorist attack resulting in deaths. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Moscow's Basmanny District Court ordered that the men, all of whom are citizens of Tajikistan, be held in pre-trial custody until May 22.

In entertainment news, the latest on honors for Kevin Hart, and Actress Cameron Diaz and her musician husband, Benji Madden, say they are “blessed and grateful” to have welcomed a baby boy — Cardinal Madden — to their family.

In other headlines:

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 22 at 6 a.m. CT:

Each weekend Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include:

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 21 at 6 a.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials signaled that they still expect to cut their key interest rate three times in 2024 despite signs that inflation was surprisingly high at the start of the year. Yet they foresee fewer rate cuts in 2025, and they slightly raised their inflation forecasts. The policymakers forecast that stronger growth and inflation above their 2% target level would persist into next year. As a result, they suggested that interest rates would have to stay slightly higher for longer. Chair Jerome Powell noted that inflation has cooled considerably from its peak. But, he added, “inflation is still too high, ongoing progress in bringing it down is not assured and the path forward is uncertain.”

CHANDLER, Arizona (AP) — President Joe Biden is celebrating an agreement to provide Intel with up to $8.5 billion in direct funding and $11 billion in loans for computer chip plants around the country. Biden talked up the investment in the political battleground state of Arizona and called it a way of “bringing the future back to America.” The funding will support computer chip plants in Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico and Oregon. It's a cash infusion the government says should help the U.S. boost its global share of advanced chip production from zero to 20%. The Democratic president often says not enough voters know about his economic policies and they'd support him if they did.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is grinding on but next steps are uncertain. Without strong support from within the Republican ranks to impeach the president, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has signaled an interest in another direction. Republicans have yet to find hard evidence of presidential wrongdoing by Biden. But Rep. James Comer pushed ahead at Wednesday’s hearing as he's eyeing potential criminal referrals of alleged Biden family wrongdoing to the Justice Department. It would be a largely symbolic step, but would potentially open the door to prosecutions by a future administration. But the president's son Hunter Biden declined to appear after having testified privately in a deposition earlier this month.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Department of Corrections has penalized a county jail for depriving an inmate of food and water for more than two days as punishment after he smeared feces in his cell and refused to clean it up. The department ordered that the Otter Tail County Jail in Fergus Falls must transfer all of its current inmates to new facilities by the close of business Thursday. The jail can keep new inmates no more than 72 hours, excluding holidays and weekends, until the state approves. Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons expressed regret Wednesday and said his staff will follow the state’s orders.

HAMBURG, N.Y. (AP) — The owner of an 34-year-old alligator seized by conservation officers near Buffalo is fighting for its return. Tony Cavallaro says the reptile he named Albert is a gentle giant he treated like family and who lived in a custom addition in his house. Officers a week ago sedated and seized the more than 11-foot, 750-pound alligator. State environmental officials say Cavallaro’s license to keep Albert had expired in 2021, and that he'd let children and others pet him, which is illegal. Cavallaro says he's received an outpouring of support for the alligator's return.

The billionaire philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott announced Tuesday she would give $640 million to more than 360 organizations in response to an application process she launched last year. The award is more than double the amount that she initially promised in an open call for applications. The selected organizations will receive grants of $2 million or $1 million. Previously, Scott and her team have selected organizations and provided them with large, unrestricted gifts. Scott has shaken up philanthropic giving since 2019 when she began giving away the fortune she came into after divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

NEW YORK (AP) — The American Kennel Club says French bulldogs are still the United States’ most commonly registered purebreds. The new standings were released Wednesday. Some say they make Frenchies the nation’s most popular canine. But is it a coup to be celebrated? Longtime fans say au contraire. They worry about what popularity is doing to the breed. The rankings are derived from puppies and other dogs that were added to the AKC's registry last year. The club is the United States’ oldest dog registry. After Frenchies, the most common AKC breeds were Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, German shepherds and poodles.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — U.N. agencies have warned that waste from electronics is piling up worldwide while recycling rates remain low and are likely to fall even further. The agencies are referring to “e-waste,” which is defined as discarded devices with a plug or battery, including cellphones, electronic toys, TVs, microwave ovens, e-cigarettes, laptop computers and solar panels. It does not include waste from electronic vehicles. In a new report released Wednesday, the U.N.’s International Telecommunications Union and research arm UNITAR said nearly 62 million tons of “e-waste” was generated in 2022. They said some contained hazardous elements like mercury, as well as rare Earth metals coveted by tech companies. It’s on track to reach 82 million tons by 2030.

OSO, Wash. (AP) — Friday marks 10 years since the side of a mountain collapsed, raced across a river and buried an entire neighborhood in rural Washington state, killing 43 people in the nation’s worst landslide disaster. Since then, young alder trees have colonized the scarred landscape and a new memorial offers perspective on the scope of the loss. The federal government has advanced a national strategy for researching and understanding the dangers landslides pose. But the sort of trauma that engulfed Oso after the slide struck on March 22, 2014, is likely to afflict more and more people as climate change intensifies storms and catastrophic wildfires, destabilizing soil and increasing risk.

Major League Baseball has its curtain raiser, the NCAA basketball tournament is now at 64 teams, eight games are on the NBA schedule and three games are on the NHL slate.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.