Hot Off The Wire

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Jan. 20 at 6 a.m. CT:

NEW YORK (AP) — Sixty years ago, the U.S. surgeon general released a report that settled a longstanding public debate about the dangers of cigarettes and led to huge changes in smoking in America. Is it time for a similar report on vaping? Just as there were questions in January 1964 about how the health effects of combustible cigarettes, there’s persisting uncertainty today about the dangers of electronic cigarettes. Some experts say a clarifying report is needed.

NEW YORK (AP) — The cost to overdraw a bank account could drop to as little as $3 under a proposal announced by the White House, the latest move by the Biden administration to combat fees it says pose an unnecessary burden on American consumers, particularly those living paycheck to paycheck. The change could potentially eliminate billions of dollars in fee revenue for the nation’s biggest banks, which were gearing up for a battle even before Wednesday’s announcement. Under the proposal, banks would have to show how much it costs for them to run overdraft services, or instead charge a benchmark fee that could be $3, 6$, 7$ or $14, depending on the final version of the rule.

RIO VISTA, Calif. (AP) — After years of secretly snapping up property for plans to build a new California city, a company backed by Silicon Valley billionaires is taking the pitch to voters. The California Forever company submitted paperwork Wednesday to ask voters on the November ballot to allow them to build the city on now protected agricultural land. The company has ducked scrutiny while snapping up more than $800 million of Solano County farmland in recent years. The plans would include nearly 20,000 homes initially for 50,000 residents and could grow to 400,000 people.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will not sign a proposed ban on tackle football for kids under 12. A bill to gradually phase out tackle football for kids under 12 had passed a legislative committee last week. The bill had to pass the state Assembly by the end of January to have a chance at becoming law this year. But Newsom's pledge not to sign the bill into law effectively ends the proposal's chances. Advocates say the ban would protect kids from the risk of brain injury. But opponents say the ban would have cut off kids from a source of activity and exercise.

PANAMA CITY (AP) — A severe drought that began last year has forced authorities to slash ship crossings by 36% in the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most important trade routes. The new cuts announced Wednesday by authorities in Panama are set to deal an even greater economic blow than previously expected. Canal administrators now estimate that dipping water levels could cost them between $500 million and $700 million in 2024, compared to previous estimates of $200 million. One of the most severe droughts to ever hit Panama has stirred chaos in the 50-mile maritime route, causing a traffic jam of boats and casting doubts on the canal’s reliability for international shipping and raising concerns.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative Supreme Court justices have voiced support for weakening the power of federal regulators, but it's unclear whether a majority would overturn a major 40-year-old decision. Billions of dollars are potentially at stake in front of a court that was remade during Donald Trump’s presidency by conservative interests that were motivated as much by weakening the regulatory state as by social issues including abortion. The court on Wednesday debated whether to overturn a 1984 case colloquially known as Chevron. Courts have relied on the case to uphold regulations, including on the environment, public health, workplace safety and consumer protections. The justices heard cases from New Jersey and Rhode Island.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union presidency is warning that the foundations of democracy will be put to the test during the November U.S. elections. It envisaged a scenario where the longstanding trans-Atlantic alliance could unravel ever more. Belgium currently holds the EU's rotating presidency and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Tuesday that “if 2024 brings us ‘America first’ again, it is really more than ever ‘Europe on its own.’” De Croo also warned that the 27-nation bloc should quickly learn to stand more on its own and that in case former President Donald Trump wins in November, “we should, as Europeans, not fear this perspective. We should embrace it.”

A Tennessee sheriff's deputy found a horse on a highway and helped it to safety.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have externally attached a pig liver to a brain-dead human body and watched it successfully filter blood. The experiment is a step toward one day trying the technique in patients with liver failure. It's also a different spin on animal-to-human organ transplants, which is also known as xenotransplantation. The pig liver was used outside the donated body, not inside. This is part of efforts to better support failing livers, much like dialysis for failing kidneys.

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO will launch next week its biggest war games in decades with around 90,000 personnel set to take part in monthslong military exercises. “Steadfast Defender 24” is aimed at showing Russia that the alliance is determined to defend all of its territory. The exercises come as Russia’s war on Ukraine bogs down. In the months before President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022, NATO began beefing up security on its eastern flank with Russia and Ukraine. It’s the alliance’s biggest buildup since the Cold War. The exercises are meant to deter Russia from targeting a member country. The U.K. plans to send 20,000 troops backed by fighter jets, surveillance planes, warships and submarines.

—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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Jan. 19 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Forecasters say a second storm is expected to sock New York with snow after causing chaos farther south, while the Pacific Northwest could see another round of deadly ice. Friday's forecasts come as storms in the past two weeks have blasted much of the country with winds, snow and subfreezing temperatures that are blamed for at least 45 deaths. In New York, some areas could see up to 5 inches of snow through Friday while on the other coast, Oregon's governor has declared a statewide state of emergency after days of freezing rain and frigid temperatures. On Wednesday, three people died when from a downed power line in Portland.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Opponents of abortion rights will rally in the nation’s capital with an eye on presidential elections that could be heavily influenced by abortion politics. Thousands of protesters are expected on the National Mall for an hour of speeches and a march past the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court. But snow and frigid temperatures are gripping the Washington metropolitan area, which could affect turnout for the march. Friday’s March for Life is the second such event since the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe V. Wade.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Rifts are emerging among top Israeli officials over the handling of the war against the Hamas militant group in Gaza. A member of Israel’s War Cabinet has cast doubt over the strategy for releasing hostages, while the country’s prime minister rejected the United States' calls to scale back its offensive. One of the four members of Israel’s War Cabinet, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, said late Thursday that only a cease-fire deal can win the release of dozens of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. He also said dismissed claims that hostages could be freed by other means as "illusions.” It was Eisenkot's first public statements on the issue, and the latest sign of a growing rift among political and military leaders over the direction of Israel’s offensive.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden has agreed to appear before House Republicans for a private deposition next month, ending months of defiance from the president’s son, who had insisted on testifying publicly. The House Oversight Committee announced Thursday that the two parties have come to an agreement for Hunter Biden to sit for a deposition on Feb. 28. Republicans had been set to advance a contempt resolution against him to the House floor this week but called it off Tuesday to give attorneys additional time to reach an agreement. Hunter Biden’s legal team confirmed news of the agreement Thursday night.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has sent President Joe Biden a short-term spending bill that would avert a looming partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies into March. The House approved the measure by a vote of 314-108, with opposition coming mostly from the more conservative members of the Republican conference. Nevertheless, about half of Republicans joined with Democrats in passing the third stopgap spending measure in recent months. The action came a few hours after the Senate had voted overwhelmingly to pass the bill by a vote of 77-18. The bill extends current spending levels and buys time for the two chambers to work out their differences over full-year spending bills.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi's State Health Officer says even as the state improves some of its poor health outcomes, more of its people die from preventable deaths than residents of any other state. State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney called for state leaders to work with health officials to improve Mississippi’s status as the nation’s unhealthiest state. Edney says Mississippi ranks at the bottom of virtually every health care indicator and at the top of every health disparity. Mississippi ranks worst for infant mortality and leads the nation in firearm deaths. From 2013-2022, Black infants were more likely to die than white infants.

NEW YORK (AP) — The remains of a Long Island man killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11 have been identified more than two decades later. New York City's medical examiner announced Thursday that John Ballantine Niven is the 1,650th victim whose remains have been identified from the deadliest act of terrorism on American soil. The 44-year-old Oyster Bay resident was an insurance executive who worked at the trade center complex. Roughly 40 percent of the 2,753 people killed in the attack have yet to have their remains identified. But city officials have been using advanced DNA analysis to identify more remains.

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Families of the children and teachers killed in the Uvalde, Texas, school massacre are renewing demands for criminal charges after a scathing Justice Department report again laid bare numerous failures by police during one of the deadliest classroom shootings in U.S. history. In the report released Thursday, federal officials detail “cascading failures” by police in responding to the 2022 massacre of 19 students and two teachers, They include officers waiting more than an hour to confront and kill the gunman, and repeatedly giving false information to grieving families about what happened. It is up to local prosecutors to determine whether criminal charges should be filed.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri activists are throwing support behind a constitutional amendment to restore abortion rights while also allowing the procedure to be restricted in later stages of pregnancy. The group Missourians for Constitutional Freedom committed Thursday to an amendment that would let lawmakers restrict or ban abortions after fetal viability, except when needed to protect the health of the woman. The campaign had also considered a proposal without the option for viability laws. The announcement comes amid divisions within abortion-rights advocates over whether the procedure should be regulated after fetal viability. A competing Missouri amendment proposed by a Republican would allow abortions in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A proposed ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors has been approved overwhelmingly by the Republican-led South Carolina House. The measure would bar health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty-blocking drugs and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18 years old. It goes next to the state Senate. The 82-23 vote comes as Republican-led statehouses nationwide are restricting transgender people’s access to health care, sports leagues and bathrooms that align with their identity. Also in Missouri, a House committee on Wednesday was debating a slate of anti-transgender legislation, even though Republican legislative leaders have said LGBTQ+-related bills are not a top priority this session.

The Thunder put an end to the Jazz winning streak, the Knicks win behind a big night from Jalen Brunson, on the ice the Oilers continue their winning ways while three players scored hat tricks in victories for their teams, and a Top Ten men's college basketball team loses to an unranked opponent. And Ohio State is expected to hire former Texans head coach Bill O'Brien as offensive coordinator.

BERLIN (AP) — Arnold Schwarzenegger was stopped for hours by customs at Munich Airport after entering Germany with a luxury watch that was potentially to be auctioned at a charity event. A customs spokesperson said Thursday that the former movie star and California governor was stopped for a routine check after arriving Wednesday. Schwarzenegger was able to leave after about 2½ hours. Goods over the value of 430 euros, or $467, that will stay in the European Union have to be declared, and some must have a duty paid. German daily Bild reported that the watch made for him by Audemars Piguet was worth about 20,000 euros. The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative said the watch was likely to be auctioned and would be properly reported.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate fell this week to its lowest level since May, welcome news for prospective homebuyers facing rising home prices and intense competition for relatively few properties on the market. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage dropped to 6.6% from 6.66% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.15%. The decline, which follows two weeks of increases, brings the average rate down to the lowest level it’s been in since late May, when it was 6.57%. Still, the average rate remains sharply higher than just two years ago, when it was 3.56%.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week fell to its lowest level in more than a year, underscoring the resilience of the labor market amid elevated interest rates. Jobless claim applications fell to 187,000 for the week ending Jan. 13, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s the fewest since September of 2022. Overall, 1.81 million Americans were collecting jobless benefits during the week that ended Jan. 6, a decline of 26,000 from the previous week. Weekly unemployment claims are viewed as representative for the number of U.S. layoffs in a given week.

NEW YORK (AP) — More than a half a million beds sold at retailers like Walmart and Wayfair are under recall because they can break during use, which has resulted in dozens of injuries. The recall impacts several different models and sizes of upholstered low profile standard and platform beds from Home Design, Inc. The furniture wholesaler says it has received 128 reports of these beds breaking, sagging or collapsing when used, including 36 unspecified injuries to date. Both Home Design and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are urging consumers with the now-recalled beds to stop using them immediately — and contact the company for a free repair kit.

HYDERABAD, India (AP) — India’s newest airline says it will buy 150 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, in the first major announced sale for the manufacturer since a panel blew out of another Max model in midflight earlier this month. Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube announced the order of the Boeing 737 Max 10 and 737 Max 8-200 planes at an airshow in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. He says the airplanes will increase the airline’s total Boeing orders to 226. It currently operates a fleet of 22 Boeing 737 Max 8 planes. None of the planes are the same model as the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 on which a door plug blew out earlier this month, leaving a hole in the plane.

—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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Jan. 18 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Authorities says a power line fell on a car in Portland, Oregon, killing three people and injuring a baby during an ice storm that turned roads and mountain highways treacherous in the Pacific Northwest. In a statement, the fire department said a large branch fell on the power line, causing it to crash down onto the car. Authorities say they believe the victims were electrocuted after they got out of the vehicle. Swaths of southwest Washington and northwest Oregon were under warnings earlier Wednesday for as much as an inch of ice. The National Weather Service said freezing rain could possibly return to the region Thursday and Friday.

Federal officials have briefed a congressional committee on their investigations into a jetliner that lost a panel of its fuselage in midflight this month and revealed that airlines have inspected 40 identical Boeing planes. The Federal Aviation Administration said it will review information from those inspections of Boeing 737 Max 9 jets while it develops a maintenance process before letting the planes carry passengers again. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, and FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker spent two hours briefing members of the Senate Commerce Committee in Washington on Wednesday as questions continue to swirl around how the panel of an Alaska Airlines jetliner had gotten blown off while traveling 16,000 feet above Oregon.

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medics say an Israeli airstrike on a home killed 16 people, half of them children, in the southern Gaza town of Rafah. Israel's military is striking targets in areas of the besieged territory where it has told civilians to seek refuge. Meanwhile, there's been no word on whether medicines that entered the territory Wednesday as part of a deal brokered by France and Qatar have been distributed to dozens of hostages held by Hamas. More than 100 days after Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7 attack, Israel continues to wage one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history. The war has rippled across the region, threatening to ignite a wider conflict.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is going to North Carolina to highlight $82 million in new investments that would connect 16,000 households and businesses to high-speed internet. Biden’s reelection campaign is making winning North Carolina and its 16 electoral votes one of its top priorities in this year’s presidential election. The Democrat narrowly lost the state in 2020 by 1.34 percentage points to then-President Donald Trump, the current Republican front-runner in what will likely be a political rematch in 2024. Biden is scheduled to speak in the state capital of Raleigh on Thursday afternoon. The Democrat plans to stress he's connecting poorer communities and businesses to the digital economy.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Biden administration has finalized approval of $1.1 billion to help keep California’s last operating nuclear power plant running. The funding is a financial backbone of the plan to keep the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant producing electricity until at least 2030. An earlier agreement to close the reactors by 2025 was voided by the Legislature in 2022 at the urging of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom says the power is needed to ward off blackouts amid a changing climate. Environmentalists argue California has adequate power without the four-decade-old reactors that they call a safety risk.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A meeting between President Joe Biden, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other officials highlights the precarious nature of the complex talks to unlock aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. Negotiations hinge on lawmakers' abilities to enact tougher measures at the U.S.-Mexico border. While Biden’s national security team sought to underscore the importance of unlocking Ukraine funding, Johnson is pushing the White House and Senate negotiators on immigration measures that go beyond what Biden is willing to accept. Still, an optimistic-feeling Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says that the prospects of a border deal are “a little bit greater than half now.”

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Another Republican presidential debate has been canceled after Nikki Haley’s refusal to participate in any forum that doesn’t include ex-President Donald Trump. CNN announced Wednesday its Sunday debate is off. ABC and WMUR-TV a day earlier called off their Thursday debate. Haley says she'll only take part in debates if Trump is onstage. The cancelations mean for the first time in years there won't be an on-the-ground face-off ahead of New Hampshire’s primary next week. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had committed to take part in more debates. But Trump has skipped all of the GOP debates thus far, so Haley’s participation had been the deciding factor in whether they would go on.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are foreshadowing elements of their defense in the criminal case charging him with illegally retaining classified documents. They say in a motion filed Tuesday that they will dispute prosecutors’ allegations that the estate where the records were stored was not secure. The defense team also said in a wide-ranging court filing that they are seeking communication between the Justice Department prosecution team and associates of President Joe Biden in hopes of advancing their claims that the classified documents case is “politically motivated” and designed to harm Trump's 2024 campaign.

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans stepped up their spending at retailers in December, closing out the holiday shopping season and the year on an upbeat tone and signaling that people remain confident enough to keep spending freely. Retail sales accelerated 0.6% in December from November’s 0.3% increase. Because spending by consumers accounts for nearly 70% of the U.S. economy, the report suggested that shoppers will be able to keep fueling economic growth this year. Among last month’s overall retail purchases, sales at stores that sell general merchandise rose 1.3%. Sellers of clothing and accessories reported a 1.5% increase, as did online sellers. By contrast, furniture and home furnishings businesses declined 1%, reflecting a struggling housing market.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two Republican legislators have filed a resolution aimed at initiating impeachment proceedings against Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham over her emergency public health orders suspending the right to carry firearms in some public places in Albuquerque. The resolution from Reps. Stefani Lord of Sandia Park and John Block of Alamogordo accuses the governor of violating her oath to uphold the state and federal constitutions. It’s unclear whether the resolution will go far in the state House, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 45 to 25. Lujan Grisham invoked the orders last year in response to a spate of shootings that killed children. They have since been challenged in the courts.

The NBA is in mourning, the Bucks are routed without Giannis, the Pacers and Raptors make a big deal, UConn plays like a top-ranked team, and Mike McCarthy will stay on as Cowboy coach. Also, Pascal Siakam is getting traded to the Pacers from the Raptors, according to an AP source.

NEW YORK (AP) — Steely Dan, R.E.M., Timbaland, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Steely Dan finally get into the hall despite being a staple of classic rock with songs like “Reelin’ in the Years,” “Do It Again” and “Hey Nineteen.” R.E.M. are behind such alt-rock hits as “Losing My Religion” and “Everybody Hurts." And Nashville hitmaker Lindsey helped write “Girl Crush” for Little Big Town and “Jesus, Take the Wheel” for Carrie Underwood. The induction ceremony for the class of 2024 will be held on June 13 in New York City.

LONDON (AP) — Kensington Palace says the Princess of Wales has been hospitalized after undergoing planned abdominal surgery and will remain at the private London Clinic for up to two weeks. Buckingham Palace revealed moments after news of Kate's hospitalization was released on Wednesday that King Charles III would undergo a “corrective procedure” next week for an enlarged prostate. The palace said the king’s condition is benign. The palace says the 75-year-old monarch has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate “in common with thousands of men each year.” The former Kate Middleton is expected to return to public duties after Easter. The 42-year-old future queen was admitted to The London Clinic on Tuesday.

—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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Jan. 17 at 7 a.m. CT:

Medicine is en route to Gaza after Qatar and France mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas. The deal to supply both the hostages held by Hamas and Gaza residents comes more than 100 days into a conflict that shows no sign of ending. A senior Hamas official said Wednesday that for each box of medicine provided to the hostages, 1,000 boxes would be sent for use by Palestinian civilians. Gaza’s Health Ministry says the Palestinian death toll from the war has surpassed 24,000 people. In Israel, around 1,200 people were killed during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war and saw some 250 people taken hostage by the militants.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Pacific Northwest is hunkering down after predictions of ice and freezing rain that could continue a weekend storm toll of damage and deaths. Parts of southwest Washington and western Oregon are under an ice storm warning through Wednesday morning. That includes the three largest Oregon cities, Portland, Salem and Eugene. Freezing rain is forecast in the Seattle area. Schools are closed, bus service curtailed and warming shelters open in Oregon. The forecast came as much of the United States coped with bitter weather that in some places put electricity supplies at risk. Another day of record cold temperatures swept much of the Rockies, Great Plains and Midwest on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has invited the top four congressional leaders and other lawmakers to the White House on Wednesday as members have struggled to reach agreement on aid for the Ukraine war. Republicans have insisted on pairing it with their own demands for securing the U.S. border. A bipartisan group of negotiators in the Senate have been working for weeks to find an agreement that would provide wartime money for Ukraine and Israel and also include new border policy that is strong enough to satisfy Republicans in both chambers. The talks appeared to slow last week as senators said significant disagreements remained.

ATKINSON, N.H. (AP) — Donald Trump has scored a record victory in the Iowa caucuses and said Tuesday that he wants another big win in New Hampshire. Voters in the New England state get their turn Jan. 23rd to decide just how competitive the Republicans’ nominating fight will be as the former president continues to dominate his party.

PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say four men have been found dead Tuesday at a Southern California home but there's no immediate word on the cause of their deaths. Los Angeles County firefighters were sent to a home in Palmdale, a desert community north of Los Angeles, at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. They found four men down at the home and called sheriff's deputies. The men were pronounced dead at the scene.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s population fell by 2 million people in 2023 in the second straight annual decrease as births dropped and deaths jumped. The government's statistics bureau said Wednesday that the total population was 1.4 billion last year. The number of deaths rose by 690,000 to 11.1 million, more than double last year’s increase. Demographers were expecting a rise in deaths in the early part of last year because of the sudden lifting of China’s COVID-19 restrictions in late 2022. The number of births fell for the seventh year, reflecting a fall in the birth rate that is a long-running economic and societal challenge for China.

NEW YORK (AP) — The prospect of a JetBlue-Spirit Airlines merger has taken a major hit in court. A federal judge on Tuesday sided with the Biden administration and blocked the $3.8 billion deal to combine the two carriers. The judge ruled that JetBlue’s purchase of Spirit, the nation’s largest low-cost airline, would harm competition — and increase prices for air travelers as a result. Meanwhile, JetBlue has maintained that it needs such a deal to compete with industry rivals. JetBlue and Spirit say they are considering whether to appeal the decision. But the ruling could also open the door for Frontier Airlines to make another attempt to buy the Florida-based Spirit.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is expected to soon announce plans to redesignate Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen as a specially designated global terrorists. That's according to two people familiar with the White House decision and a U.S. official. The move comes as the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The group says it’s attacked the ships in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The three people familiar with the decision were not authorized to comment and requested anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of the expected formal announcement. The Red Sea attacks have already caused significant disruptions to global trade.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Federal Reserve official said he's increasingly confident that inflation will continue falling this year back to the Fed’s 2% target level, after two years of accelerating price spikes that hurt millions of American households. The official, Christopher Waller, an influential member of the Fed’s Board of Governors, noted that inflation is slowing even as growth and hiring remain solid — a combination that he called “almost as good as it gets.” Waller’s remarks follow recent comments from other senior Fed officials that suggest the central bank remains on track to cut its benchmark short-term interest rate this year. In December, the Fed’s policymakers collectively forecast that they would cut their rate three times in 2024.

DENVER (AP) — Court documents show the shooter who killed five people and endangered the lives of over 40 others at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs plans to plead guilty to new federal charges. A plea agreement made public Tuesday would allow the defendant to avoid the death penalty. The documents show Anderson Aldrich made a deal to plead guilty to 50 hate crime charges and 24 firearm violations. Aldrich previously was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to five state charges of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder — one for each person at Club Q during the November 2022 attack.

Just three games were contested in the NBA Tuesday night and all three were high scoring, four games on the collegiate level involving top ten teams, eight games in the NHL and NFL news off the field. Also, Eagles center Jason Kelce intends to retire after 13 NFL seasons, the NBA fined Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown $50,000 after his outburst against an official, and New York Knicks owner James Dolan faxes a lawsuit.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has allowed a court order to take effect that could loosen Apple’s grip on its lucrative iPhone app store, and potentially affect billions of dollars in revenue a year. The justices rejected Apple’s appeal of lower-court rulings that found some of Apple’s app store rules for apps purchased on more than 1 billion iPhones constitute unfair competition under California law. Even so, Apple proposed a plan in court documents that would preserve most of its app store commissions, even when consumers use alternative payment options. The rejected appeal stemmed from an antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games, maker of the popular Fortnite video game.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has passed up a chance to intervene in the debate over bathrooms for transgender students, rejecting an appeal from an Indiana public school district. Federal appeals courts are divided over whether school policies enforcing restrictions on which bathrooms transgender students can use violate federal law or the Constitution. In the case the court rejected without comment on Tuesday, the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an order granting transgender boys access to the boys’ bathroom. Legal battles over transgender rights are ongoing across the country. At least nine states are restricting transgender students to bathrooms that match the sex they were assigned at birth.

—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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Jan. 16 at 7 a.m. CT:

Former President Donald Trump has won Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis coming in second. Trump’s victory on Monday night gives him a strong start in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination as the contest moves to New Hampshire, which votes in eight days. And DeSantis’ runner-up finish over former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley gives him a badly needed dose of momentum. With an estimated 10% of ballots remaining to be counted, DeSantis leads Haley by approximately 2,300 votes, or about 2 percentage points. With votes reported in all but one of Iowa’s 99 counties, Haley isn’t doing well enough anywhere to catch DeSantis, based on the number of outstanding votes.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Dangerously cold temperatures are affecting much of the Rockies, Great Plains and Midwest, with wind chills below minus 30 degrees being recorded in many parts of the central U.S. More than 85,000 U.S. homes and businesses were without power early Tuesday, the bulk of them in Oregon after widespread outages that started Saturday. Classes were canceled Tuesday for students in Portland and other major cities including Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Fort Worth, Texas, across New England and in the Washington, D.C., region. The storms and frigid temperatures affected everything from air travel to NFL playoffs games to Iowa’s presidential caucuses, and were also the cause of several deaths around the country.

JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Navy SEALs seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry from a ship bound for Yemen’s Houthi rebels in a raid last week that saw two of its commandos go missing. That's according to a U.S. military statement Tuesday. The raid marks the latest seizure by the U.S. Navy and its allies of weapon shipments bound for the rebels who have launched a series of attacks now threatening global trade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden over Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The seized missile components included types likely used in those attacks.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A trio of shows, led by the HBO drama “Succession,” have dominated the 75th Emmy Awards. “Succession" won six awards, including best drama series. FX’s “The Bear” won best comedy and won several acting honors, while the Netflix limited series “Beef” won five trophies at Monday’s ceremony. “Beef” stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong made history for Asian American performers, while Quinta Brunson’s win for comedy was the first for a female Black actor in more than 40 years. The Emmys celebrated its 75th edition with numerous cast reunions and nostalgic cues throughout the night, with host Anthony Anderson and his mother keeping the show moving briskly toward an on-time ending.

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is suspending his 2024 Republican presidential campaign and endorsing former President Donald Trump. His exit comes after finishing a distant fourth in Iowa's caucuses, behind Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Ramaswamy had previously called Trump the “best president of the 21st century” even as he tried to convince Republican voters that they should opt for “fresh legs” and “take our America First agenda to the next level.” The wealthy political outsider also modeled his own bid after Trump’s 2016 run. His decision to drop out is the latest confirmation that the former president still dominates Republican politics.

The NFL Divisional playoffs are set for next weekend after the Bills and Buccaneers, Bill Belichick interviews with the Falcons, and Draymond Green returns for the Warriors. 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams has entered the NFL draft. The Heisman Trophy winner is leaving USC after two prolific seasons. Williams is widely considered the favorite to be the No. 1 selection in the draft, which begins April 25.

ATLANTA (AP) — Communities across the nation have been celebrating the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday with acts of service, prayer services and parades. But with the November presidential election as a backdrop, some events on Monday took on an overtly political turn. In Atlanta, Liz Cheney spoke at the the annual commemorative service at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King served as pastor. The former U.S. Representative who served on the U.S. House Committee that investigated the Jan. 6 insurrection, had especially harsh words for Trump. She referred to him only as “a former president” and said he “threatens the foundations of our nation and everything Dr. King persevered to save.”

Iranian sniper rifles. AK-47s from China and Russia. North Korean-built rocket-propelled grenades. Anti-tank rockets secretly cobbled together in Gaza An Associated Press analysis of more than 150 videos and photos taken in the three months of combat since Hamas launched its Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel shows the militant group has amassed a patchwork arsenal from around the world – much of it smuggled past a 17-year blockade aimed at stopping just such a buildup. Hamas declined to discuss who has been providing its weapons or how they were snuck into Gaza but acknowledged it has scoured the globe for the means to fight Israel.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he's eager to return to the Pentagon after being released from a hospital where he was treated for complications from surgery for prostate cancer he kept secret from President Joe Biden. Austin was released Monday and is expected to work from home as he recovers. The 70-year-old Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Dec. 22 and underwent surgery to treat cancer detected earlier that month. Austin developed an infection and was hospitalized Jan. 1. Biden found out Jan. 4. Austin's lack of transparency has triggered reviews on procedures for when a Cabinet member must transfer decision-making authorities to a deputy, as Austin did.

CHICAGO (AP) — A plane taxiing for departure clipped another aircraft at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Sunday evening, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. No injuries were reported, both planes were of Boeing design, and the FAA will investigate the incident. The left wing tip of Flight 11 from All Nippon Airways, a Japanese airline, struck the rear of Delta Air Lines Flight 2122 on Sunday around 6:30 p.m. Boeing is facing increasing scrutiny following mechanical failures and the subsequent grounding last week of its Boeing 737 Max 9 model — a different model than the planes involved in Sunday's collision. It was not immediately clear what caused the incident on Sunday and whether it was related to a manufacturing flaw.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Houthi rebels have fired a missile, striking a U.S.-owned ship just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. Monday's attack on the Gibraltar Eagle came less than a day after Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired an anti-ship cruise missile toward an American destroyer in the Red Sea. The Houthis later claimed the attack that further escalated tensions gripping the region after American-led strikes on the rebels. The rebel group's attacks have roiled global shipping, amid Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as they target a crucial corridor linking Asian and Mideast energy and cargo shipments to the Suez Canal onward to Europe.

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — The anti-poverty organization Oxfam International says the world could have its first trillionaire within a decade. The group on Monday released an annual assessment of global inequalities timed to the World Economic Forum's gathering of political and business elites at the Swiss ski resort of Davos. Oxfam says the fortunes of the five richest men have spiked by 114% in real terms since 2020, when the world was reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. They are Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Bernard Arnault and his family of luxury company LVMH, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Oracle founder Larry Ellison and investment guru Warren Buffett. By contrast, Oxfam says nearly 5 billion people have been made poorer since the pandemic.

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Iceland’s president says the country is battling “tremendous forces of nature” after molten lava from a volcano consumed several houses in the evacuated town of Grindavik. President Gudni Th. Johannesson said in a televised address late Sunday that “a daunting period of upheaval has begun" on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest. A volcano on the peninsula erupted for the second time in less than a month on Sunday. Authorities had ordered residents to leave the fishing town of Grindavik hours earlier. Scientists said Monday that the eruption appeared to be subsiding. But it was too soon to declare the danger had passed. Iceland’s Meteorological Office said “it is difficult to estimate how long this eruption will last.”

—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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

A dangerous Arctic blast will continue sweeping across the U.S. and prolong a bitter cold that has set record-low temperatures in parts of the country and threatens to further disrupt daily life, including an NFL playoff game and the first-in-the-nation presidential nominating contest in Iowa.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have fired an anti-ship cruise missile toward an American destroyer in the Red Sea. The American military says a U.S. fighter jet shot the missile down in the latest attack roiling global shipping amid Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attack on Sunday marks the first U.S.-acknowledged fire by the Houthis since America and allied nations began strikes Friday on the rebels following weeks of assaults on shipping in the Red Sea.

TOKYO (AP) — Some schools have reopened and limited garbage collection has resumed in Japan’s northcentral region of Noto that was hit by the deadly New Year’s Day earthquake. Monday's developments were signs of slight improvement in the devastation that thousands of people still face in the area. The magnitude 7.6 earthquake on Jan. 1 left 222 people dead and more than 20 are still missing.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — UNICEF says almost 100,000 children in Afghanistan direly need support, three months after earthquakes devastated the west of the country. A 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook Herat province on Oct. 7 and a second strong quake struck the same province days later, leaving more than 1,000 dead. 

The Wild Card games in the NFL continue to live up their name with two more games Sunday, players and coaches are coming and going on the collegiate level and a wild finish in the NBA. Also, J.J. McCarthy is entering NFL draft, skipping his senior season after leading Michigan to a national title.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS says it has collected an additional $360 million in overdue taxes from delinquent millionaires. The collection happens as IRS leadership tries to promote the latest work it has done to modernize the agency with Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act funding.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a new twist in the abortion access fight, congressional Republicans are trying to block a Biden administration spending rule that they say will cut off millions of dollars to anti-abortion counseling centers. The rule would prohibit states from sending federal funds earmarked for needy Americans to so-called “crisis pregnancy centers,” which counsel against abortions.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — The U.S. Homeland Security Department says Texas denied federal agents access to a stretch of border when they were trying to rescue three migrants who drowned. The federal government’s account came hours after U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar said the Texas Military Department and Texas National Guard “did not grant access to Border Patrol agents to save the migrants” Friday night.

NEW YORK (AP) — A lawyer for a columnist who last year won a $5 million jury award against Donald Trump for sex abuse and defamation says the former president's recent behavior shows he'll try to “sow chaos” when a new jury considers if he owes even more in damages. The attorney, Roberta Kaplan, asked a judge Friday to take strong measures to ensure Trump can't taint a jury that will consider whether columnist E. Jean Carroll should get more money.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Fox News has stopped running MyPillow commercials in a payment dispute with chief executive and election denier Mike Lindell. Fox says it would be happy to accept MyPillow ads again once their account is paid. Losing Fox was just the latest in a series of financial and legal setbacks for Minnesota-based MyPillow and Lindell, who continues to propagate former President Donald Trump’s lies that the 2020 election was stolen.

Winter storms and cinema closures in North America didn’t dampen the opening weekend for “Mean Girls.” The Paramount release was adapted from the Broadway musical and the 2004 Tina Fey movie. Fey returned to write and co-star in the new film. According to studio estimates Sunday, it earned $28 million in its first three days in theaters.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — They're four months late, but the Emmys have finally arrived. The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on Monday night, hosted by Anthony Anderson and airing on Fox. The Television Academy has ranked the 75 Most Impactful Television Moments. At the top of the list released Friday is the 1969 Apollo moon landing. It also includes Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech from 1963 and the Beatles' first appearance on American TV in 1964. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Someday soon, someone will be walking down the street proudly carrying a ludicrously capacious bag, bought for a ludicrously capacious price. The voluminous Burberry tote is one of the most famous props used on “Succession,” the famed HBO saga of the Roy family dynasty, and it sold at auction Saturday for $18,750. But the priciest item was a set of pink index cards containing Roman Roy’s eulogy notes for his father’s funeral that went for $25,000.

NEW YORK (AP) — “The Honeymooners” star Joyce Randolph, who played Ed Norton’s sarcastic wife Trixie, has died. She was 99. Randolph died of natural causes Saturday night at her home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, her son Randolph Charles told The Associated Press Sunday. She was the last surviving main character of the beloved comedy from television’s golden age of the 1950s.

Quaker Oats has expanded a December recall of more than 40 products that may be contaminated with salmonella. Two dozen additional types of granola bars, cereals and snack foods are now being recalled. The foods could be tainted with the bacteria that can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain. In rare cases, salmonella infections can lead to hospitalization and death. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not confirmed any illnesses related to the products.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A federal lawsuit alleges that the bodies of two men who died while incarcerated in Alabama prisons were missing organs when returned to their families. Brandon Clay Dotson died in a state prison in November. His family filed a federal lawsuit last month against the Alabama Department of Corrections. 

JERUSALEM (AP) — The White House says “it’s the right time” for Israel to scale back its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, even as Israeli leaders vow to intensify their operation against the territory’s ruling Hamas militant group. The U.S. comments on Sunday exposed the growing differences between the close allies on the 100th day of the war. 

In this week's religion roundup, a secret tunnel under a synagogue sparks a brawl with police, and the "Book of Clarence" offers a creative take on the time of Christ.

—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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the weekly bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, where we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment. 

I’m Terry Lipshetz, Managing Editor of the National Newsroom at Lee Enterprises and your host. Subscribe to Hot Off The Wire through Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss daily news updates.

As always, be sure to check out our latest episode of Streamed & Screened, a podcast dedicated to movies and television. 

Listen to the latest episode of Streamed & Screened here. 

This week’s top headlines include:

Those stories and more from The Associated Press.

— Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Jan. 13 at 6 a.m. CT:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Meta says it will start hiding inappropriate content from teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook. That includes posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. The social media giant based in Menlo Park, California, said in a blog post Tuesday that while it already aims not to recommend such “age-inappropriate” material to teens, now it also won’t show it in their feeds, even if it is shared by an account they follow. Meta’s announcement comes as the company faces lawsuits from dozens of U.S. states for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis.

LONDON (AP) — The World Economic Forum says false and misleading information supercharged with cutting-edge artificial intelligence is the top immediate risk to the global economy. In its latest Global Risks Report, the organization says misinformation and disinformation as the most severe risk over the next two years. The report also says an array of environmental risks pose the biggest threats in the longer term. The report was released Wednesday ahead of the annual elite winter gathering next week of CEOs and world leaders in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos. It’s based on a survey of nearly 1,500 experts, industry leaders and policymakers

Earth shattered global annual heat records last year and it's flirting with the warming threshold that nations wanted to stay within to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. That's according to Copernicus, the European climate agency, which reported Tuesday that 2023 was 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.66 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. That's just a whisker below the 1.5-degree threshold nations agreed to try to stay within at the Paris climate talks in 2015. And Copernicus said this January is on track to be so warm that the world will go past that 1.5-degree threshold for the first time over a 12-month period. Climate scientists say it's imperative that humans continue trying to hold down warming.

DETROIT (AP) — The top U.S. telecommunications regulator is asking automakers how they plan to protect people from being stalked or harassed by partners who have access to vehicle location and other data. In a letter sent Thursday to nine large automakers, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel asks for details about connected car systems and plans to support people who have been harassed by domestic abusers. Nearly all new vehicles have features that use telecommunications to find cars in parking lots, start the engine remotely, and even connect with emergency responders. The letter asks automakers for details about the services and whether they have policies in place to remove access to connected apps and other features if a request is made by someone who is being abused.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — While electric vehicles are gaining the lion’s share of the attention for carbon-neutral technology at CES 2024, hydrogen energy has snuck its way back into the conversation thanks to two automotive giants. Hyundai signaled that it could work towards aiding a “hydrogen society” by expanding into energy production, storage and transportation. Meanwhile, automotive supplier Bosch Mobility plans to launch its first hydrogen combustion engine this year. Still, there was also a robust lineup of EV announcements from big name brands. Honda premiered two concept vehicles for a new global electric vehicle series. And Kia introduced a trio of electric vans that can quickly swap body modules from cargo haulers to taxis and other purposes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Black, white, Hispanic and Asian adults in the U.S. largely agree that the government should focus on the economy and foreign policy issues in 2024. But recent polling shows that views diverge on some high-profile topics, including racism and immigration. That's according to two recent polls by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and AAPI Data. About 7 in 10 adults across backgrounds name economic issues. Black adults are less likely than others to call immigration a top priority. White adults are especially likely to name issues related to politics.

ATLANTA (AP) — Bomb threats and false reports of shootings at the homes of public officials, state capitols and courthouses have surged in recent weeks, including some connected to court cases against former president Donald Trump. Judges presiding over cases against him in New York and Washington have been targeted, as well as the Justice Department special counsel handling the federal charges against him. Multiple other public officials across the political spectrum as well as state capitols and courthouses around the country have also been targeted. The FBI said Thursday it takes the widespread increase in threats seriously and every hoax threat puts people at risk and wastes government resources.

About 21 million children are likely to receive food benefits this summer through a newly permanent federal program. Thirty-five states, all five U.S. territories and four tribes opted into the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer, known as Summer EBT. Families at or below 185% of the federal poverty line will receive $120 per child total during the summer months. Some states that opted out say there wasn't enough time to implement the program.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Cesareans are surging in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, which has one of the world’s highest rates. More than half of babies born in the territory are now delivered via surgery compared with only 32% on the U.S. mainland. That's according to a federal report released Wednesday. Medical experts say reasons behind the surge in Puerto Rico vary and include the island’s crumbling health care system. One doctor says ob-gyns prefer to schedule a cesarean to ensure they will have all the medical personnel required for a birth. The World Health Organization recommends a cesarean rate of between 10% to 15%.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s parliament has passed a landmark ban on production and sales of dog meat, as public calls for a prohibition have grown sharply over concerns about animal rights and the country’s international image. Some angry dog farmers say they plan to challenge the bill’s constitutionality and hold protest rallies, a sign of continued heated debate over the ban. The bill would make slaughtering, breeding and sales of dog meat for human consumption illegal from 2027 and punishable by 2-3 years in prison. It doesn’t provide any penalties for eating dog meat. Most South Koreans think dog meat should be banned, and a majority no longer eat it.

—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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Jan. 12 at 7:30 a.m. CT:

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have vowed fierce retaliation for American and British strikes against them, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel’s war in Gaza. The bombardment was launched in response to a recent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea. The Houthis said Friday that the strikes killed at least five people and wounded six. As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, it forced the world to again focus on Yemen’s years-long war.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An approaching storm is expected to deliver snow to Portland, Oregon, a city more accustomed to winter rain. It’s one of a number of sprawling storms bringing everything from what the National Weather Service called “life-threatening wind chills” in South Dakota to the possibility of tornadoes in the South. School and flights were canceled in advance in parts of the South and Midwest. Republican contestants campaigning ahead of Monday’s Iowa caucuses were contending with a blizzard warning covering most of the state. Advocates are particularly worried about homeless people as well as older residents who might be snowed or iced in, especially in the Pacific Northwest, where the winters are typically mild.

MULLAN, Idaho (AP) — Two men were rescued after being caught in an avalanche in the Idaho backcountry, while a third man was believed to be dead. The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office says a rescue began shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday when law enforcement received a GPS alert of a possible fatality in an avalanche near Stevens Peak close to the Montana border. The sheriff’s office says authorities established communications and located two men caught in the avalanche. A discussion with the men led authorites to believe a third man had perished. Authorities called off the search Thursday and planned to resume looking for the deceased man on Friday. The Idaho search came a day after an avalanche hit a ski resort near Lake Tahoe in California, trapping several people and killing one.

CORONADO, Calif. (AP) — A U.S. Navy helicopter has crashed into a Southern California bay during a training exercise. Authorities say all six crewmembers survived. A Navy spokesperson says the MH-60R Seahawk crashed in the waters of San Diego Bay shortly after 6:30 p.m. Thursday. A safety boat was on hand and the crewmembers were taken in for medical evaluations. The Navy says it isn't aware of any critical or life-threatening injuries. The crash site was in Coronado, across an inlet from San Diego. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 75th Emmy Awards will include cast reunions and recreations of classic moments from a dozen iconic shows throughout television history. The ceremony's executive producer Jesse Collins tells The Associated Press that the shows will include “All in the Family,” “Cheers,” "Martin," “The Sopranos,” “Game of Thrones” and “Grey's Anatomy.” The first such moment will come within the first 10 minutes of Monday night's show, and they'll be spread throughout the Fox telecast hosted by Anthony Anderson. Collins says it's a way of honoring the history of television, and most of the stars taking part are eager to do it.

LONDON (AP) — Burberry, the London-based luxury goods fashion house, lost around 10% of its market value on Friday after it warned that profits this year would be lower than anticipated. It said wealthy shoppers, particularly in the Americas, tightened their belts during the crucial Christmas trading period. The company said its recent trading had been hit by a continued “slowdown in luxury demand” after rises in the cost of living and interest rates around the world. Burberry’s profit warning was its second in three months. In November, it warned that its sales growth was lagging behind targets due to pressure in the luxury market.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Six-time NFL champion Bill Belichick has agreed to part ways as the coach of the New England Patriots, bringing an end to his 24-year tenure as the architect of the most decorated dynasty of the league’s Super Bowl era. Belichick became just the third coach in NFL history to reach 300 career regular-season wins, joining Hall of Famers Don Shula and George Halas. Belichick trails only Shula for the record for victories by a coach. But this season, finishing with a 4-13 record, was Belichick’s worst in 29 seasons as an NFL head coach.

NEW YORK (AP) — Barred from giving a formal closing argument, Donald Trump wrested an opportunity to speak in court at the conclusion of his New York civil fraud trial. He unleashed a barrage of attacks in a six-minute diatribe Thursday before being cut off by the judge. Trump is accused of inflating his company's financial statements in order to get better deals on loans and insurance. He called the proceedings “a fraud on me." The day began with authorities responding to a bomb threat at the judge’s house. They found nothing amiss. The judge indicated he'll rule by the end of the month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will send an unofficial delegation comprised of former senior officials to Taiwan shortly after the self-governed island holds an election for a new president this weekend. The move carries the risk of upsetting Beijing in an already-fragile bilateral relationship. A senior administration official confirmed the plan on Wednesday without offering more details. The official says such a face-to-face meeting is the “most effective way” to engage the new Taiwanese government and convey U.S. policy in the region for peace and stability. Beijing claims that Taiwan is part of China and vows to unify with it eventually. The Chinese oppose any official contact between the U.S. and Taiwanese governments.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Israel is insisting at the United Nations’ highest court that its war in Gaza is a legitimate defense of its people, in response to accusations it is committing genocide against Palestinians. Instead, it says it is Hamas militants who are guilty of genocide. Israel described the allegations leveled by South Africa as hypocritical and said that one of the biggest cases ever to come before an international court reflected a world turned upside down. On Friday, Israel defended its air and ground offensive in Gaza as a legitimate response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. On that day, militants stormed through Israeli communities, killed some 1,200 people and took around 250 hostage.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose for the second time in as many weeks, climbing to its highest level in four weeks. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose to 6.66% from 6.62% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.33%. The latest increase follows a nine-week string of declines at the end of last year that lowered the average rate after it surged in late October to 7.79%, the highest level since late 2000. Still, the average rate remains sharply higher than just two years ago, when it was 3.45%.

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — For 17 years, Sean Hodgson was best friends with the man who would commit Maine's deadliest mass shooting. Hodgson and Robert Card were both Army reservists. Hodgson watched Card unravel, becoming increasingly angry and paranoid. Knowing Card had access to guns and wouldn't get help, Hodgson texted an Army supervisor that he feared Card would snap and commit such a shooting. Now, in his first interview, Hodgson exclusively tells The Associated Press it was the hardest thing he's ever done. He says officials should've done more to intervene. An independent review for law enforcement calls Hodgson alarmist. But he says given his relationship with Card and history in threat detection, he should've been taken seriously. Army officials wouldn't comment, citing pending investigations.

BOSTON (AP) — Online retailer eBay has agreed to pay a $3 million fine to resolve criminal charges over employees who harassed a Massachusetts couple by sending live spiders, cockroaches and other disturbing items to their home. The Justice Department charged eBay in a criminal information with stalking, witness tampering and obstruction of justice on Thursday. The employees already were prosecuted more than three years ago in the scheme to intimidate David and Ina Steiner. The Massachusetts U.S. attorney’s office says eBay has entered a deferred prosecution agreement that could result in the charges against the company being dismissed if it complies with certain conditions. Ebay CEO Jamie Iannone called the company’s conduct in 2019 “wrong and reprehensible.”

The best CES products pierce through the haze of marketing hype at the Las Vegas gadget show to reveal innovations that could improve lives. The worst could harm us or our society and the planet in such “innovatively bad” ways that a panel of self-described dystopia experts has judged them “Worst in Show.” The third annual contest that no tech company wants to win announced its decisions Thursday and faults a number of well-known brands including BMW, Amazon, Instacart and Sennheiser.

—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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Jan. 11 at 7:30 a.m. CT:

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced off in the first one-on-one debate of the 2024 election cycle, while former President Donald Trump held a town hall at the same time. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who didn't qualify for the debate, dropped out of the race Wednesday in a late effort to blunt Trump's momentum heading into Iowa.

Donald Trump is returning to court for closing arguments in his New York civil fraud trial. The former president had been planning to deliver his own summation Thursday, but a judge nixed that. Judge Arthur Engoron was initially keen on the idea but yanked permission after Trump’s lawyer missed a deadline for agreeing to limits on his remarks.

President Joe Biden’s son is headed back to court for an arraignment on federal tax charges filed after the collapse of a plea deal that could have settled the case against him. Hunter Biden is expected to plead not guilty on Thursday to felony and misdemeanor tax offenses.

The United Nations' top court has started hearings over allegations that Israel's war with Hamas amounts to genocide, which Israel strongly denies. South Africa is asking the International Court of Justice to order an immediate suspension of Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Iowa Republicans will likely confront temperatures dipping below zero degrees Fahrenheit next week when they kick off the 2024 election cycle. The record-breaking forecast could complicate candidates’ hopes of making their own history in the state's leadoff presidential caucuses. The candidates are publicly expressing optimism that their supporters will show up no matter how bad the weather is. 

Republicans have taken the first step toward holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena, hours after the president’s son made a surprise visit to Capitol Hill. The House Oversight and Judiciary committees each passed contempt charges against the younger Biden with unanimous Republican support and all Democrats opposed. 

The IRS is still too slow to process amended tax returns, answer taxpayer phone calls and resolve identity theft cases, according to an independent watchdog within the agency. The organization sent a report to Congress Wednesday that says while there is “cautious optimism” for the agency, the backlog of unprocessed amended returns has quadrupled from 500,000 in 2019 to 1.9 million in October last year. 

Nick Saban decides to retire as head coach at Alabama, the Seahawks move on from Pete Carroll as coach, Jayson Tatum's big finish leads the Celtics to victory over the Timberwolves, Kawhi Leonard gets a new deal to stay with the Clippers, and a pair of top 5 college basketball teams get upset.

Police in South Florida say a man fatally shot a 30-year-old Buffalo Bills fan during an altercation near Hard Rock Stadium after the Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins in the final regular season game. Miami Gardens police say Dylan Brody Isaacs and his friends had an altercation with a driver a few blocks from the stadium as they were returning to their vehicle after Sunday's game. 

Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías won’t be charged with a felony after his arrest in September on suspicion of domestic violence. A charge evaluation worksheet from the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office says Urías was arguing with his wife when he “pushed (her) against a fence and pulled her by the hair or shoulders.” However, the document says, “Neither the Victim’s injuries nor the Defendant’s criminal history justify a felony filing.” 

Google says it has laid off hundreds of employees working on its hardware, voice assistance and engineering teams as part of cost-cutting measures. The company said the moves were made as Google aims at “responsibly investing in our company’s biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead.” 

Listened to more music last year? You’re not alone. Luminate’s year-end report finds that the global music industry surpassed 4 trillion streams in 2023. That's a new single-year record. Global streams are also up 34% from last year, reflective of an increasingly international music marketplace. Stateside, three genres saw the biggest growth in 2023: country, Latin and world, a catchall that includes J-pop, K-pop and Afrobeats. As for the Taylor Swift of it all, Luminate found that Time’s 2023 Person of the Year made up 1.79% of the U.S. market, accounting for 1 in every 78 U.S. on-demand audio streams.

—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.

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