Hot Off The Wire

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 25 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees has warned that without immediate deliveries of fuel it will soon have to sharply cut back relief operations across the Gaza Strip. The territory has been blockaded and hit by devastating Israeli airstrikes since Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel more than two weeks ago. The warning came as hospitals in Gaza struggled to treat masses of wounded with dwindling resources. Health officials in the Hamas-ruled territory also said the death toll was soaring as Israeli jets continued striking the territory overnight into Wednesday. The Israeli military said its strikes hit Hamas targets.

ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Otis has slammed into Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane, bringing 165 mph winds and heavy rain to Acapulco and nearby towns. Otis rapidly intensified Tuesday, growing from a tropical storm to a Category 5 monster in 12 hours. The storm then quickly weakened to a Category 4 shortly after making landfall with its maximum sustained winds decreasing to 130 mph. The hurricane is expected to continue to weaken quickly in Guerrero state’s steep mountains. But the 5 to 10 inches of rain forecast, with as much as 15 inches possible in some areas, raises the threat of landslides and floods.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have chosen congressman Mike Johnson of Louisiana as their latest nominee for House speaker. Johnson will face a floor vote Wednesday trying to unify the divided Republican majority. Johnson is the fourth candidate Republicans have nominated to replace Kevin McCarthy. Johnson's nomination came just hours after an earlier pick, congressman Tom Emmer of Minnesota, dropped out amid opposition from Donald Trump. The Republican majority has been without a speaker for three weeks and is desperate to end the chaos and get back to work. Johnson had no opposition on a private tally, but many were absent. Johnson will need almost all Republicans to win the gavel in a floor vote.

BANGKOK (AP) — China said the United States is the “biggest disruptor of regional peace and stability” in the world in a scathing response to a Pentagon report on China’s growing military buildup. The annual report that is required by Congress is one way the Pentagon measures the military capabilities of China, which the U.S. government sees as its key threat in the Asia-Pacific region and America’s primary long-term security challenge. The statement China’s Ministry of Defense issued in response early Wednesday morning called the Pentagon report’s findings false and used it in turn to hit back at the U.S.′ recent actions in helping Israel and Ukraine, as well as its buildup of military installations worldwide.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor for Black filmmakers who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in the 1971 action movie “Shaft” and several sequels, has died. He was 81. Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, says the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy. Roundtree was considered as the “first Black action hero” and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film. At age 28, it was Roundtree’s feature film debut after starting his career as a model.

The Diamondbacks end their two-plus decade World Series drought, the defending champion Nuggets raise a banner and beat the Lakers, Kevin Durant helps the Suns win in his Phoenix debut, and the Kraken rally for an overtime victory against the Red Wings. 

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. CT:

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Health Ministry in Gaza says hundreds of people were killed in the past day as a result of Israeli airstrikes. Israel has been striking Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7. Israel said Tuesday it had launched 400 airstrikes over the past day, killing Hamas commanders, hitting militants as they were preparing to launch rockets into Israel and striking command centers and a Hamas tunnel shaft. The Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, said more than 700 people were killed in the past day, a claim that AP could not independently verify.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have picked Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota as their nominee for House speaker, but there's no guarantee he can win the gavel. In fact, Republicans are no closer to ending the bitter infighting as Donald Trump and hard-liners have rejected the choice. As the GOP whip, Emmer jumped out front in private balloting Tuesday as the top vote-getter among the hodgepodge list of mostly lesser-known congressmen. He won a simple majority of his colleagues behind closed doors but fell far short of the support of almost all Republicans he would need during a House floor vote ahead. It’s been three weeks since Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy as speaker.

ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump’s lead attorney in the 2020 Georgia election case against him is using another attorney’s guilty plea to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the racketeering charges brought against all 19 defendants. Trump attorney Steve Sadow says it's the fourth time Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has dismissed the racketeering charge “in return for a plea to probation." Attorney Jenna Ellis pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony over efforts to overturn Trump’s election loss in Georgia. The Florida resident is the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal with prosecutors. Prosecutors say Ellis helped other lawyers as they lied to Georgia lawmakers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful Haitian gang leader has been charged by U.S. prosecutors with ordering the kidnapping of an American couple, which left a woman dead. The U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Columbia announced a new indictment Tuesday against Vitel’Homme Innocent, the leader of the Kraze Barye gang, in connection with the October 2022 kidnapping in Haiti of Jean Franklin and Marie Odette Franklin. Marie Franklin was shot and killed in the kidnapping. Jean Franklin was held for 21 days. Authorities are offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest. He was previously charged in connection to the 2021 kidnappings of Christian missionaries.

Dozens of US states, including California, New York, Arizona and Indiana are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people’s mental health and contributing the youth mental health crisis by knowingly designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to the platforms. The lawsuit filed in federal court in California also claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law.

DETROIT (AP) — A strike by autoworkers against General Motors is expected to cut the automaker's pretax earnings by $800 million this year, and another $200 million per week after that. That's according to the company’s chief financial officer. And those figures just include factories that are on strike now by the United Auto Workers union. So if more plants are added, the losses will pile up further, CFO Paul Jacobson told reporters. His statements came as GM reported Tuesday just over $3 billion in net income from July through September, a figure that was 7% below a year ago due to lost production from the strike and increased warranty costs. But the results soundly beat Wall Street estimates.

NEW YORK (AP) — A new shot for infants against RSV is in short supply, and U.S. health officials are telling doctors they should prioritize giving the drug to babies at the highest risk of severe disease. The one-time shot is called Beyfortus. It was developed by AstraZeneca and Sanofi. It contains a lab-made antibody that helps the immune system fight off the virus. RSV is a common cause of coldlike symptoms, but it can be dangerous for young children. A seasonal virus, it’s already widely reported in the southern United States and is expected to continue to spread over the next month or two.

Georgetown women’s basketball coach Tasha Butts has died after a two-year battle with breast cancer. The 41-year-old coach was diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer in 2021. She stepped away from coaching Georgetown last month. Georgetown athletic director Lee Reed announced Butts' death on Monday. Her diagnosis inspired the Tasha Tough campaign which has brought awareness and raised money to bring quality care to women who can’t afford it through the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Butts came to Georgetown from Georgia Tech this past April after a long coaching and professional WNBA career.

Reigning AP national player of the year Zach Edey is a unanimous selection on The Associated Press preseason All-America team in college basketball. The big man tested the NBA waters before deciding to play one more season for No. 3 Purdue. Edey is joined by Marquette guard Tyler Kolek, Kansas center Hunter Dickinson, Duke big man Kyle Filipowski and North Carolina forward Armando Bacot. Edey was the consensus national player of the year last season after averaging 22.3 points and 12.9 rebounds while shooting nearly 61% from the field.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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 Oct. 24 at 7 a.m. CT:

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz, one of two Israelis freed by Hamas on Monday, spoke of her captivity. Appearing weak in a wheelchair and speaking softly, Lifshitz told reporters Tuesday that the militants beat her with sticks, bruising her ribs and making it hard to breathe as they kidnapped her. Lifshitz, whose husband remains a hostage, said conditions were kept clean and she received medical care, including medication.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An off-duty pilot riding in the cockpit of a Horizon Air passenger jet tried to shut down the engines in midflight. It happened Sunday on a flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco. The plane diverted to Portland, Oregon, where it was met by law enforcement officers. Alaska Airlines, which owns Horizon, said Monday that the crew reported “a credible security threat related to an authorized occupant in the flight deck jump seat" — one of its pilots, who was off duty. Authorities in Oregon identified the man as Joseph David Emerson. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office says he is being held on 83 counts each of attempted murder and reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft.

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities say two cargo ships have collided in the North Sea off the German coast and one vessel apparently sank. One sailor died and four are missing. Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said the ships, Polesie and Verity, collided early on Tuesday morning about 22 kilometers, about 14 miles, southwest of the island of Helgoland. One of the ships, the British-flagged Verity, is believed to have sunk. Two sailors were rescued. Vessels supporting the rescue effort included a cruise ship that has doctors on board and could treat people if needed.

DENVER (AP) — A former National Security Agency employee from Colorado has pleaded guilty to trying to sell classified information to Russia. Under a plea agreement approved by a federal judge on Monday, prosecutors agreed to not ask for more than about 22 years in prison for 31-year-old Jareh Sebastian Dalke if he follows the terms of the deal. He will be sentenced in April, but the judge will ultimately decide the sentence. The Army veteran faces up to a possible life sentence for allegedly giving the information to an undercover FBI agent who prosecutors say Dalke believed was a Russian agent.

The Rangers are going to the World Series, the Diamondbacks and Phillies are going to a game 7 in the NLCS, Kirk Cousins leads the Vikings to a win, and Giannis Antetokounmpo agrees to an extension with the Bucks. Correspondent Chuck Freimund reports.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 23 at 4 p.m. CT:

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross says Hamas militants have released two hostages it had been holding captive in the Gaza Strip. It was the second time the group has freed hostages seized in its bloody Oct. 7 cross-border incursion into Israel. The hostages were identified by Israeli media as Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper of the Israeli kibbutz of Nir Oz. A U.S. official said Monday that Washington has advised Israel to delay a possible ground invasion to allow more time to try and secure the release of more hostages. Palestinian officials and witnesses say heavy airstrikes across Gaza demolished buildings, killing hundreds of people.

DETROIT (AP) — Investigators say they have identified several people of interest in the fatal stabbing of a Detroit synagogue president. Authorities found 40-year-old Samantha Woll’s body outside her home early Saturday. Detroit Police Chief James E. White said during a news conference Monday that Woll attended a wedding Friday night and left the celebration around 12:30 a.m. He says there was no sign that anyone forced their way into her home. He says investigators have identified a number of people of interest, but that they believe a suspect acted alone. Woll led the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue. Police have repeatedly said they found no evidence that her killing was motivated by antisemitism.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says the dozens of U.S. technology hubs President Joe Biden is announcing will help communities across the country become centers of innovation critical to its competitiveness. Biden is designating 31 technology hubs that reach 32 states and Puerto Rico. The tech hubs are designed to help spur innovation in industries concentrated in these areas and to create jobs. The Democratic president announced the tech hubs Monday. The tech hubs are the result of a process the Commerce Department launched in May for cities to share $500 million in grants. The hubs tie into Biden's economic message that people should able to find good jobs wherever they live.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A man who was living in a tent in the woods has been convicted of murder in the fatal shooting of a retired New Hampshire couple who were out for a walk. After deliberating for a day and a half, the jury on Monday found 27-year-old Logan Clegg guilty of second-degree murder in the April 2022 killings of Stephen and Djeswende Reid. They were killed while walking on a trail near their apartment in Concord. Clegg lived near the trail. He was arrested in Vermont in October 2022. His lawyers said he left the state because he was hiding from police due to a probation violation, not because of the Reids’ deaths. Clegg faces up to life in prison.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey has returned to a New York City federal court and entered a not guilty plea to a charge alleging he conspired to act as an agent of the Egyptian government. The Democratic former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee entered the plea on Monday. Menendez stepped down from his powerful post on the Senate committee after he was criminally charged last month with other conspiracy counts. Those charges allege Menendez and his wife accepted bribes from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for his assistance. Menendez has vowed to prove his innocence.

MILLEN, Ga. (AP) — A body found wrapped in plastic inside a Georgia dumpster 35 years ago has been identified as that of a South Korean woman. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Monday that they used DNA analysis to determine that 26-year-old Chong Un Kim was the person whose body was discovered in rural Millen in February 1988. Kim died from asphyxiation, but it’s unclear whether someone killed her or who dumped her body. Investigators say Kim lived for several years in Hinesville, 70 miles south of Millen. Her body was found wrapped with plastic inside a suitcase. Investigators say Kim had been dead four to seven days when her body was found.

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — A decade after swimming nonstop for more than two straight days from Cuba to Florida, Diana Nyad has returned to the Key West beach where she completed her epic journey. Nyad and her former support team helped mark the swim's 10th anniversary Sunday by helping return a rehabilitated sea turtle to the Atlantic. Nearly 2,000 people had lined the beach on Labor Day 2013 to welcome Nyad as she came ashore after swimming for 52 hours and 54 minutes across the Florida Straits from Havana — a distance of 111 miles. She succeeded on her fifth attempt at the age of 64.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Federal authorities have unsealed charges against four men in the theft earlier this year of more than 2 million dimes from a tractor-trailer that had picked up the coins from the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. Authorities have said the driver was bound for Miami on April 13 when he pulled into a parking lot to sleep. They say thieves raided the truck overnight, stealing a portion of the $750,000 in dimes — a shipment weighing six tons. The heist left thousands of coins scattered over the lot. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports four defendants face conspiracy, robbery, theft of government money and other charges that were unsealed Monday.

The United Auto Workers union has once again escalated its strikes against Detroit Three automakers, this time adding a factory that makes Ram pickup trucks for Stellantis. The union says in a statement that 6,800 members walked out Monday morning at the Sterling Heights, Michigan, Assembly Plant, a huge profit center for the company. The move came just three days after union President Shawn Fain reported progress in talks with General Motors and Stellantis but said the companies will have to make better offers. No progress was reported with Ford. The union went on strike Sept. 15 at one assembly plant from each company. About 40,800 workers are now on strike against all three automakers.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The United States has renewed a warning that it would defend the Philippines in case of an armed attack after Chinese ships blocked and collided with two Filipino vessels in the South China Sea. Philippine diplomats summoned a Chinese Embassy official in Manila on Monday for a strongly worded protest following Sunday’s collisions off Second Thomas Shoal, which is also claimed by China. No injuries were reported but the Philippine ships reported damage. China has blamed the Philippines for the collisions saying the vessels were carrying construction materials to strengthen the Philippine outpost at the shoal. The Philippines and other neighbors of China have resisted Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims over virtually the entire South China Sea.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Anti-abortion groups seeking to build opposition to a reproductive rights measure in Ohio are messaging heavily around a term for an abortion procedure that hasn’t been legal in the U.S. for over 15 years. The opposition campaign and top Republicans increasingly reference partial-birth abortions in ads, debates and public statements. The abortion opponents say partial-birth abortions are an imminent threat if voters approve the constitutional amendment Nov. 7. Partial-birth abortion is a non-medical term for a federally prohibited procedure known as dilation and extraction. Abortion rights group Pro-Choice Ohio says talk of partial-birth abortions is a scare tactic. Constitutional scholars say the amendment would not override the existing federal ban if Ohio voters approve it.

Patty Loveless, Bob McDill and Tanya Tucker were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday in Nashville. 

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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 Oct. 23 at 7 a.m. CT:

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin say the United States is ready to protect American forces or personnel in the Middle East should the Israel-Hamas war escalate as they expect. The two men say they expect the war will escalate through proxies for Iran. Blinken says the U.S. doesn't want to see escalation but he adds “we're ready for it." The pair of top U.S. officials delivered the warnings as the war that followed a deadly Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel entered its third week. The U.S. State Department has ordered all non-essential personnel at the embassy in Iraq to leave the country because of the heightened tensions in the region.

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy spoke of the current disarray in the House to elect a new speaker on NBC's "Meet the Press."

 NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is returning to Manhattan federal court to enter a not guilty plea to a conspiracy charge alleging that he acted as an agent of the Egyptian government even as he chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Menendez was scheduled to appear before Judge Sidney H. Stein on Monday afternoon. The Democrat stepped down from his powerful post on the Senate committee after he was criminally charged last month with other conspiracy charges. Those charges alleged that he and his wife accepted bribes from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for the senator's assistance. He has vowed to show his innocence.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Venezuelans became the largest nationality arrested for illegally crossing the U.S. border last month, replacing Mexicans for the first time on record. Figures released Saturday also show that September was the second-highest month for arrests of all nationalities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says arrests for the government’s budget year ended Sept. 30 topped 2 million for the second year in a row. Venezuelans were arrested nearly 55,000 times by the Border Patrol after entering from Mexico in September. That's more than double the number from August and well above the previous monthly high of about 34,000 arrests in September 2022.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An ambitious 2021 agreement by more than 140 countries and territories to weed out tax havens and force multinational corporations to pay a minimum tax has been weakened by loopholes and will raise only a fraction of the revenue that was envisioned, a tax watchdog backed by the European Union has warned. The landmark agreement, brokered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, set a minimum global corporate tax of 15%. The idea was to stop multinational corporations from using accounting and legal maneuvers to shift earnings to low- or no-tax havens. Those havens are typically places like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands where the companies actually do little or no business.

The Rangers and Astros are going to the limit, the Eagles win a matchup of division leaders, the Browns, Patriots and Falcons win close ones and the Chiefs and Ravens win again. Correspondent David Schuster reports.

NEW YORK (AP) — In a movie match-up almost as unlikely as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese took on Taylor Swift in cinemas over the weekend. And while the box office belonged for a second time to “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” got off to a strong start in Apple Studios’ first major theatrical gambit. After a record-breaking opening weekend of $92.8 million, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” took in an estimated $31 million over the weekend from 3,855 locations, according to AMC Theaters. “Killers of the Flower Moon” debuted with $23 million, marking the third best opening for the 80-year-old Scorsese. The $200-million film is the largest production yet from Apple Studios.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Film and TV actors are still on strike in what has become the longest walk-off in their history. The strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists hit its 100th day on Saturday, while writers are busy back at work after ending their strike. The actors' union and studios announced Saturday that negotiations will resume Tuesday. Their talks abruptly ended Oct. 11 when studios walked away from the negotiating table saying the two sides were too far apart to go on. The prolonged strike means films and TV shows will remain sidelined indefinitely, and it's already starting to affect the upcoming awards season.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — There isn’t much Cher hasn’t done in her career. She’s achieved EGOT status. She’s the only artist to have a No. 1 song in each of the past six decades. She's even got her own gelato business, Cherlato. But a Christmas album? That’s new territory. Her new first album in five years, the appropriately titled “Christmas,” releases Friday. On “Christmas,” Cher enlists an all-star list of collaborators. There’s Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, Darlene Love, Michael Bublé, and even the rapper Tyga. She also discussed 25 years of “Believe,” artificial intelligence technology, and whether she's ready to act again.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Rolling Stones celebrated the release of their first collection of new original songs in 18 years with a club gig in Manhattan before a few hundred invited guests. The rock legends performed seven songs Thursday, four of them from the new “Hackney Diamonds” disc. The album is out Friday. But they had time for a few favorites. “You might be familiar with this one,” singer Mick Jagger said before Keith Richards began the opening riff to “Jumpin' Jack Flash,” instantly trumping the thousands of bar band versions attempted in the 55 years since its release. Only this time, the band at the bar was the Rolling Stones.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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. 

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

This week Bruce Miller and I discuss the latest movie from Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Listen to the latest episode of Streamed & Screened here. 

This week’s top headlines include:

Those stories and more from The Associated Press. But first, Bruce Miller and I talk about family-friendly Halloween programs such as the Netflix hit “Wednesday” during the latest episode of Streamed & Screened. 

— Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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 Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. CT:

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli government said Hamas militants on Friday freed two Americans -- Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie, who had been held hostage in Gaza since militants rampaged through Israel two weeks ago. The pair, who also hold Israeli citizenship, were the first hostages to be released of the roughly 200 abducted. Hamas said it was releasing them in an agreement with the Qatari government for humanitarian reasons. Relatives of other captives welcomed the release and appealed for others to be freed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have dropped Jim Jordan as their nominee for House speaker in a private meeting. This comes after Jordan failed Friday in a third try for the speaker's gavel. Digging in for a fight Jordan had said at the Capitol that Congress needs “to get to work for the American people.” But Jordan lost ground as opposition deepened. GOP lawmakers had been warning the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump that no threats or promises could win their support. More than two dozen centrist Republicans revolted over the Ohio congressman's nomination and the hardball tactics being used to win them over. Some have received death threats.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional chaos and opposition will be a hurdle for President Joe Biden as he pushes for $105 billion in funding for Israel, Ukraine, border security, humanitarian assistance and countering China. Friday's announcement follows Biden's Oval Office address the night before, when he made the case for deepening U.S. support for its allies in the midst of two wars. National security adviser Jake Sullivan says the Democratic president's budget request "is critical to advancing America’s national security and ensuring the safety of the American people.” But the chances of progress on Capitol Hill are in doubt because of political resistance and Republican infighting that has left the House of Representatives at a standstill.

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — Authorities say a Maryland judge who was shot to death in the driveway of his home had presided over the divorce case of a man now identified as a suspect in the killing. Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said Friday that authorities are “actively working” to apprehend Pedro Argote in the shooting of Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson. Wilkinson was 52. He was found with gunshot wounds around 8 p.m. Thursday outside his Hagerstown home. Wilkinson was taken to Meritus Medical Center, where he died. Albert says the 49-year-old Argote was still at large and should be considered “armed and dangerous.” Albert said the judge had given custody of Argote’s children to his wife at a hearing earlier Thursday - and that was the motive for the killing.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium’s justice minister has resigned after it was discovered that Tunisia was seeking the extradition last year of an Islamic extremist who shot dead two Swedes and wounded a third this week. Abdesalem Lassoued was fatally shot after gunning down the men with a semiautomatic rifle on Monday night. The attack forced the lockdown of more than 35,000 people in a soccer stadium where they had gathered to watch Belgium play Sweden. Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne said Friday that Tunisia had sought the shooter's arrest last year, and that through a “monumental error” Belgian authorities had failed to act upon the demand.

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial judge has threatened to hold the former president in contempt. This raises the possibility of fining or even jailing Trump because a disparaging social media post about a key court staffer remained visible for weeks on his campaign website after the judge had ordered it deleted. Judge Arthur Engoron said Friday the website’s retention of the post was a “blatant violation” of his order requiring Trump to immediately delete the message. The gag order also barred personal attacks on members of the judge's staff. The judge didn't immediately rule on sanctioning Trump. The post was removed from the website late Thursday after Engoron flagged it to Trump’s lawyers. A Trump attorney calls the post’s presence online an unintentional oversight.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Gale-force winds and floods have struck several countries in Northern Europe as the region endures more heavy rain that forecasters say will continue into the weekend. At least three people have been reported dead, two in Scotland and one in England. A plane in the north of England steered off the runway amid worsening conditions. The U.K.’s weather forecaster issued a new “red” warning for parts of eastern Scotland for further flooding throughout Saturday. The winds are expected to hit hardest in the eastern part of Denmark’s Jutland peninsula and the Danish islands in the Baltic Sea.

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas judge has ruled that Infowars host Alex Jones cannot use bankruptcy protection to avoid paying more than $1.1 billion to families who sued over his conspiracy theories that the Sandy Hook school massacre was a hoax. U.S. District Judge Christopher Lopez of Houston issued the ruling Thursday. It's another defeat for Jones in the wake of juries in Texas and Connecticut punishing him over spreading falsehoods about the nation’s deadliest school shooting. Financial documents filed by Jones say his present net worth is around $14 million. Jones says he is over $1 million in debt personally and has little money to pay the Sandy Hook families.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Film and TV actors are still on strike in what has become the longest walk-off in their history. The strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists hits its 100th day on Saturday, while writers are busy back at work after ending their strike. There is no end in sight for actors. Their talks abruptly ended Oct. 11 when studios walked away from the negotiating table saying the two sides were too far apart to go on. The prolonged strike means films and TV shows will remain sidelined indefinitely, and it's already starting to affect the upcoming awards season.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A lawyer speaking for the former Southern California street gang leader charged with killing Tupac Shakur in 1996 says he sees key weaknesses in the murder case in Las Vegas. Attorney Ross Goodman told reporters Thursday that police and prosecutors have no gun, no car and "no witnesses from 27 years ago.” Goodman told a judge he's close to being hired to represent Duane “Keffe D” Davis, and the judge reset arraignment for Nov. 2. Goodman told reporters that Davis will plead not guilty and seek release from jail pending trial. Davis was arrested Sept. 29 in a Las Vegas suburb. He's accused of orchestrating the drive-by shooting that killed Shakur and wounded rap music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight.

CVS Health is pulling from its drugstore shelves some cough-and-cold treatments that contain an ingredient that has been deemed ineffective by doctors and researchers. The company said it will remove a small number of products that contain phenylephrine as the only active ingredient. CVS also said it will still sell “many other oral cough and cold products to meet consumer needs.” A company spokeswoman declined to elaborate on how many products will be removed. CVS Health runs more than 9,000 stores. Representatives of its national rival, Walgreens, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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 Oct. 20 at 5:45 a.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Addressing the nation from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden has made his case for major U.S. backing of Ukraine and Israel in a time of war. He said Thursday night that support is “vital for America's national security.” The speech was an opportunity for Biden to argue that the United States has an obligation to help in both places, as well as for him to lobby lawmakers for the money to do so. The administration plans to request billions of dollars for additional military assistance for Israel and Ukraine. Biden also wants more money for Taiwan's defense and for managing migrants at the southern border with Mexico.

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — Police say a Maryland circuit court judge was fatally shot in the driveway of his home. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said Judge Andrew Wilkinson was found around 8 p.m. Thursday at the home in Hagerstown and taken to a hospital, where he died. The sheriff’s office is investigating the fatal shooting.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Army private who fled to North Korea before being returned home to the United States last month has been detained by the U.S. military. That's according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the charges have not been publicly announced. The officials say Pvt. Travis King is facing charges including desertion and possessing sexual images of a child. The eight counts against King are detailed in a charging document seen by the AP. King’s mother, Claudine Gates, said in a statement that her son should be “afforded the presumption of innocence.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fifty years after the 1973 Arab oil embargo, the current crisis in the Middle East has the potential to disrupt global oil supplies and raise prices. But don’t expect a repeat of the catastrophic price hikes and long lines at the gasoline pump, experts say. The head of the International Energy Agency said the latest Israel-Hamas war is “definitely not good news” for oil markets already stretched by cutbacks in oil production from Saudi Arabia and Russia and expected stronger demand from China. Benchmark crude traded above $91 a barrel Thursday, up from $85 the day before Hamas attacked Israel, killing hundreds of civilians.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Refusing to drop out, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is telling GOP colleagues he is still running for House speaker. But he says he would back a temporary speaker for several months until January as he works to shore up support to win the gavel himself. However, neither plan seems viable at the moment after Jordan failed on two ballots, and no immediate third vote is planned. Jordan delivered his message Thursday at a closed door meeting of Republicans at the Capitol, according Republicans familiar with the meeting and insisting on anonymity to discuss it.

Arizona and Houston win in MLB’s postseason, Jacksonville tops New Orleans on Thursday Night Football, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is under investigation, and a busy night in the NHL.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. CT:

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continue and Israel’s defense minister has told troops to be ready for a ground assault on the Palestinian territory, although he has not said when that will begin. More than 1 million Palestinians, roughly half of Gaza’s population, have fled homes in the north and Gaza City after Israel told them evacuate. The airstrikes early Thursday continued across the entire territory, including in areas in the south that Israel had declared “safe zones.” The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that limited humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza from Egypt following a request from U.S. President Joe Biden.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will deliver only the second Oval Office address of his term on Thursday night to make the case for U.S. backing of Ukraine and Israel in a time of war. The speech will be an opportunity for Biden to argue that the United States has an obligation to help in both places, as well as for him to lobby lawmakers for the money to do so. The administration plans to request billions of dollars for additional military assistance for Israel and Ukraine. Biden also wants more money for Taiwan's defense and managing migrants at the southern border with Mexico. The funding request, which is to be formally submitted on Friday, is expected to be around $100 billion.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Refusing to drop out, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is telling GOP colleagues he would back a temporary U.S. House speaker for several months until January as he works to shore up support to win the gavel himself. But after failing twice to win the gavel, no third vote is planned. Jordan delivered the message at a closed door meeting of Republicans at the Capitol, according Republicans familiar with the meeting and insisted on anonymity to discuss it. The Republican majority is considering an extraordinary plan to give the interim Speaker Pro-tempore Rep. Patrick McHenry more powers to reopen House and conduct crucial business. But Jordan's hardline backers don't like that idea.

ATLANTA (AP) — A former federal prosecutor says Sidney Powell’s guilty plea in the case over efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 loss in Georgia is a “significant win” for the district attorney prosecuting the former president and others. Former U.S. Attorney John Fishwick says Powell “was at ground zero of these allegations.” Powell pleaded guilty Thursday to six misdemeanors accusing her of conspiring to intentionally interfere with the performance of election duties. Powell will serve six years of probation. Powell has agreed to testify truthfully against her co-defendants at future trials. Powell was charged alongside the Republican ex-president and 17 others with violating the state’s anti-racketeering law. Most of the others have pleaded not guilty.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two U.S. officials tell The Associated Press that a military base in southern Syria where U.S. troops have maintained a presence to train forces as part of a broad campaign against the Islamic State group was attacked by drones on Thursday. One official say one drone was shot down, but another caused minor injuries. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter before an official announcement about the incident. The attacks follow similar drone strikes over the past few days against U.S. and coalition bases in Iraq amid simmering anger in the region after an explosion at a Gaza hospital killed hundreds of people.

Michigan says it has been notified by the NCAA that football program is being investigated for allegedly stealing signs. The university said it is cooperating with the investigation. The conference provided no further details, only to say that it had notified Michigan’s upcoming opponents about the investigation. The second-ranked Wolverines play at Michigan State on Saturday. The NCAA does not have rules specifically against stealing signs but does prohibit in-person advanced scouting of opponents and also does have bylaws prohibiting unsportsmanlike activities.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Federal regulators on Thursday approved the expansion of a natural gas pipeline in the Pacific Northwest over the protest of environmental groups and top West Coast officials. The project aims to expand the capacity of the Gas Transmission Northwest pipeline by about 150 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The pipeline runs more than 1,300 miles through Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The owner of the pipeline, TC Energy, says the project is needed due to growing demand. It’s opposed by environmental groups and officials including U.S. senators, governors and attorneys general from Washington, Oregon and California. Those officials say the pipeline expansion would undermine their states’ climate goals to reduce emissions.

NEW YORK (AP) — Longtime Syracuse basketball coach and Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim is becoming a member of the media. Boeheim spent 47 years coaching the Orange but was replaced by associate head coach Adrian Autrey after last season. He told Syracuse.com he’s negotiating a deal with ESPN and also expects to do radio work for Westwood One late in the season. Boeheim finished second only to Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski with 1,015 career victories. He frequently had an antagonistic relationship with reporters while guiding the Orange to 35 NCAA Tournaments, five Final Fours and the 2003 national championship.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pentagon report on China’s military power says Beijing is on track to significantly increase its nuclear weapons arsenal by 2030 and is “almost certainly” learning lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine about what a conflict over Taiwan might look like. The annual report from the Defense Department also warns that China may be pursuing a new intercontinental missile system using conventional arms that, if it were fielded, would allow Beijing to threaten conventional strikes against targets in the continental United States as well as Hawaii and Alaska. The report comes as the latest Israel-Hamas war has forced the U.S. military to prioritize the Middle East, instead of pivoting to the Pacific.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Communities across the U.S. are confronting a new vaping problem: how to get rid of millions of disposable e-cigarettes that are considered hazardous waste. The devices contain nicotine, lithium and other materials that cannot be reused or recycled. Under federal law they also aren’t supposed to go in the trash. With little federal guidance, local officials are finding their own ways to dispose of e-cigarettes collected from schools, colleges and vape shops. In Monroe County, New York, officials have shipped thousands of e-cigarettes to an industrial incinerator more than 1,000 miles away. Vaping critics say the industry has skirted responsibility for the environmental impact of its products.

SAN MATEO, Calif. (AP) — Playing video games has long been a challenge for many people with disabilities, since the traditional controllers for the PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo can be difficult or even impossible to maneuver when a person has limited mobility. Losing the ability to play doesn’t just mean the loss of a favorite pastime — it can also exacerbate social isolation for a community that already experiences it at far higher rates than the general population. Sony’s new Access Controller, developed with input from accessibility consultants, aims to change that.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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 Oct. 19 at 6:40 a.m. CT:

Israel has agreed to allow Egypt to deliver limited humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip while the Israeli military keeps up its airstrikes on the Palestinian territory. More than 1 million Palestinians, roughly half of Gaza’s population, have fled homes in the north and Gaza City after Israel told them evacuate. The airstrikes early Thursday continued across the entire territory, including in areas in the south that Israel had declared as “safe zones.” President Joe Biden will deliver an address from the Oval Office on Thursday discussing the war as well as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Refusing to drop out, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan has brought the House speaker’s race to a stalemate. The hard-fighting ally of Donald Trump has been unable to win the gavel but he and his far-right allies won’t step aside for a more viable GOP nominee. On Thursday, the House is tentatively set to convene in the afternoon for Jordan to try again.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) — A Marine has been killed in a homicide at Camp Lejeune and a second Marine is being held on suspicion of being involved. A statement from the North Carolina base says authorities took the Marine into custody about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday after an incident that occurred in a barracks room earlier in the evening. The statement called the death a homicide and described the other Marine as a suspect but didn’t provide any other details, including how the Marine died.

PARIS (AP) — France’s government is threatening prison terms and heavy fines for callers who make fake bomb threats after a rash of false alarms forced the evacuation of 15 airports and cancellation of 130 flights and shut the doors of Versailles Palace three times in five days. French officials suggested that young people and children may be responsible.

HELSINKI (AP) — Telecom gear maker Nokia says it's planning to cut up to 14,000 jobs worldwide, or 16% of its workforce, as part of a push to reduce costs following a plunge in third-quarter sales and profit. The Finnish wireless and fixed-network equipment provider said Thursday that the planned measures are aimed at reducing its cost base and increasing operational efficiency “to navigate the current market uncertainty." Nokia says it's aiming to lower its cost base by between 800 million euros and 1.2 billion euros by the end of 2026. That's set to lead to a reduction from 86,000 employees now to between 72,000 and 77,000 during that time period.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A group of former U.S. diplomats and representatives of resettlement organizations has asked Pakistan not to deport thousands of Afghans who have been waiting for U.S. visas under an American program that relocates at-risk Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban rule. The appeal in an open letter on Wednesday came weeks after Pakistan announced a crackdown on migrants living in the country illegally, including 1.7 million Afghans, telling them to return to their home countries by Oct. 31 to avoid mass arrest and expulsion. On Thursday, authorities in Pakistan said illegal migrants must leave before the crackdown starts.

The Astros take Game 3 of the ALCS, the Aces now have a pair of WNBA championships, the Red Wings and Senators each score six to cop victories, and Roger Goodell is good to go three more years as NFL Commissioner.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The trial of a Fugees rapper, who was convicted in multimillion-dollar political conspiracies, stretched across the worlds of politics and entertainment. Now the case is touching on the tech world with arguments that his defense attorney used an “experimental” artificial intelligence program to write his closing arguments. Prakazrel “Pras” Michel argued this week that use of the generative AI program was one of a number of errors his previous attorney made a trial for which he was “unqualified, unprepared and ineffectual,” according to a motion for new trial his new lawyers filed this week.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 18 at 4 p.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Jim Jordan has failed to win the vote to become House speaker on a crucial second ballot. Next steps are uncertain as Republican lawmakers float other options. The hard-edged ally of Donald Trump appears to have no path for the gavel. But Jordan vowed to stay in the race. A surprisingly large and diverse group of 20 Republican lawmakers rejected his bid on Tuesday, then 22 on Wednesday. Many view Jordan as too extreme for the powerful speaker's job, second in line to the president. Some holdout Republicans are talking with Democrats about an extraordinary plan to give a temporary speaker more power to reopen the House.

President Joe Biden is in Israel on an urgent mission to keep the Israel-Hamas war from spiraling into a broader regional conflict. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that limited humanitarian aid will be allowed into Gaza following a request from Biden. The president's visit comes after hundreds of Palestinians were reported killed in an explosion at a Gaza hospital the night before. Hamas blamed the blast on an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military blamed a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants. The Associated Press has not independently verified any of the claims or evidence released by the parties.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has imposed sanctions on a group of people and firms based in Iran, China, Hong Kong and Venezuela, tied to the development of Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs. The Wednesday penalties come as the United Nations’ restrictions on Iran missile-related activities under a Security Council Resolution are set to expire, as well as the E.U. restrictions on Iran ability to obtain nuclear and conventional arms.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The net worth of the typical U.S. household grew at the fastest pace in more than three decades from 2020 through 2022, while relatively low interest rates at that time made it easier for households to pay their debts. Wealth for the median household — the midpoint between the richest and poorest households — jumped 37% during those three years, the Federal Reserve reported, to nearly $193,000. (The figures are adjusted for inflation.) The increase reflected primarily a jump in home values and higher stock prices and a rise in the proportion of Americans who own homes and stocks.

PARIS (AP) — Reporters Without Borders says a Taliban court in Afghanistan has released a French-Afghan journalist held for 284 days and cleared him of espionage and other charges. The press freedom group said it is now working to quickly reunite Mortaza Behboudi with his wife, Alexandra, in Paris. The group’s secretary general called the journalist's release “the end of a painful ordeal." Behboudi was arrested on Jan. 7, two days after he arrived in Afghanistan as part of a reporting assignment. Behboudi was awarded the Bayeux Prize for War Correspondents last year for a series of reports about life in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong man who was shot by police during pro-democracy protests in 2019 has been sentenced to 47 months in prison on charges of rioting, assaulting a police officer and perverting the course of justice. Tsang Chi-kin was the first known victim of police gunfire during the months-long protests. After he was released on bail, he tried to seek asylum at the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong but failed. He then hid in various locations in the city before being rearrested in July 2022. The judge said Tsang’s sentence reflected the court's determination to safeguard public order.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The chief suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway has admitted he killed her and disposed of her remains in the sea. Joran van der Sloot’s confession comes as part of a plea deal with prosecutors on extortion charges. Joran van der Sloot pleaded guilty Wednesday to trying to extort money from Holloway’s mother in exchange for revealing the location of her daughter’s body. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for extortion and wire fraud but is not charged in Holloway’s death or disappearance. U.S. Judge Anna Manasco said she considered van der Sloot’s confession to Holloway’s murder and destruction of her remains in her sentencing decision.

MOSCOW (AP) — The lower house of Russia’s parliament has approved a bill revoking the ratification of a global nuclear test ban treaty, a move Moscow described as putting it on par with the United States. The State Duma lawmakers voted unanimously to revoke the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty on Wednesday. The bill will now go to the upper house, the Federation Council, which is expected to support the legislation. The bill was introduced to parliament following a statement from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who warned earlier this month that Moscow could revoke its 2000 decision to ratify the treaty to “mirror” the stand taken by the United States, which has signed but not ratified the nuclear test ban.

NEW YORK (AP) — A new report says that crash and fatality rates among drivers under 21 have fallen dramatically in the U.S. during the past 20 years but young drivers are still the riskiest group behind the wheel. Using data from 2002-2021, a non-profit group of state highway safety offices says that fatal crashes involving a young driver fell by 38%, while deaths of young drivers fell even more, by about 45%. The report from the Governors Highway Safety Association acknowledges that young people are driving less than they were 20 years ago, but it highlights several other reasons for the improvement, including the phasing in driving privileges.

FORT MILL, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina hot pepper expert who set a world record for the hottest pepper a decade ago is at it again. Ed Currie has officially broken the record with Pepper X, a crossbreed of the Carolina Reaper, which was Currie's old record holder. Pepper X is hotter than pepper and bear sprays, coming in at 2.69 million Scoville units, the scientific measurement for a pepper's hotness. A regular jalapeno registers around 5,000 units and a habanero, the record-holder about 25 years ago, usually tops 100,000. The Guinness Book of World Records lists the Carolina Reaper at 1.64 million units. Currie said he ate a Pepper X and felt the heat for three-and-a-half hours.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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 Oct. 18 at 6:50 a.m. CT:

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — President Joe Biden says an explosion at a Gaza Strip hospital appears to have been caused by the “other team,” not Israel. Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his assessment was based on information he's seen. He did not go into detail. Biden spoke during an urgent meeting with Netanyahu in Israel on Wednesday. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says an Israeli airstrike caused the destruction at the hospital. The Israeli military denied involvement and blamed a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group. That group has also denied responsibility.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is moving quickly to confirm Jacob Lew as ambassador to Israel, holding a hearing on his nomination. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing Wednesday comes as President Joe Biden visits the region to reinforce U.S. support for Israel and try to ease tensions in its new war with Hamas. The White House has told lawmakers it could soon request between $90 billion and $100 billion for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. That's according to four people familiar with the conversations. Lew was a Treasury secretary under President Barack Obama. Lew was nominated by Biden last month after Ambassador Tom Nides left the post in July.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Having lost the first vote to become House speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan will try a decisive second ballot. Wednesday's House vote will test whether the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump can win over the holdouts or if his bid for the gavel is collapsing, A surprisingly large and diverse group of 20 Republican lawmakers rejected his bid on Tuesday. Many view Jordan as too extreme for the powerful speaker's job, second in line to the president. The combative Jordan made a plea for colleagues to “stop attacking each other.” But some holdout Republicans are talking with Democrats about an extraordinary plan to give a temporary speaker more power to re-open the House.

LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk’s social media platform X has begun charging a $1 fee to new users in the Philippines and New Zealand. It's a test designed to cut down on the spam and fake accounts flourishing on the platform formerly known as Twitter. The company said late Tuesday that it's started trying out the annual subscription method for new and unverified accounts. The program, dubbed Not a Bot, won’t apply to existing users. It’s not clear why it only applies to New Zealand and the Philippines or why those countries were chosen. The company said it's "not a profit driver.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS plans to invite a select group of taxpayers across 13 states to try out the agency’s pilot electronic free file tax return system, beginning this January. Facing intense blowback from private tax preparation companies that have made billions from charging people to use their software — if successful, the introduction of a government-run option could upend the industry and fundamentally change the way taxpayers interact with IRS. The agency, which is working on implementing state filing into its pilot, estimates that hundreds of thousands of taxpayers will participate in the limited rollout of the program for the 2024 filing season.

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans showed their steadfast resilience and kept spending in September even as they grappled with higher prices, interest rates and a host of other headwinds piling up. Retail sales rose 0.7% in September, more than twice what economists had expected, and close to a revised 0.8% bump in August, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Retail sales in August were inflated after gasoline prices spiked, however. That was not the case in September when gas prices began to ease. Excluding sales from gas and autos, retail sales rose 0.6%. September’s uptick in retail sales, the sixth consecutive monthly gain, reflects how the U.S. economy has remained resilient despite attempts by the Federal Reserve to cool spending and hiring.

The Phillies are off to a terrific start in the National League Championship Series, while today, the Rangers try to continue their winning ways in the ALCS, an NFL rookie's season may be ending sooner than planned, and the Sabres need overtime to defeat the Lightning. Correspondent Bruce Morton has more.

Britney Spears wrote that she had an abortion while dating Justin Timberlake more than 20 years ago. That's according to a peek inside her hotly anticipated memoir published Tuesday in People magazine. She wrote in an excerpt from “The Woman In Me” that she wouldn't have got the abortion but “Justin was so sure he didn't want to be a father." Representatives for Timberlake did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The AP has not been able to independently review a copy of the “The Woman in Me.” The book will be published Oct. 24.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Special prosecutors say they're seeking to recharge actor Alec Baldwin in the 2021 fatal shooting on a movie set in New Mexico by presenting evidence to a grand jury. New Mexico-based prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis said Tuesday they’ll present evidence to a grand jury within two months. They said “additional facts” have emerged in the shooting on the set of the Western movie “Rust” that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. A coproducer of the film, Baldwin was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on the set outside Santa Fe when the gun discharged, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin’s attorneys say they're prepared to answer any charges in court.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have rejected congressman Jim Jordan for House speaker on the first ballot. More voting is expected Tuesday as the staunch ally of Donald Trump works to shore up support and seize the speaker's gavel. Clearly, not all Republicans are ready to elevate Judiciary Committee Chairman Jordan to the center seat of U.S. power, second in line to the presidency. Twenty Republicans voted against Jordan. Some are still upset over Kevin McCarthy's sudden ouster as speaker two weeks ago. With Trump's backing, a win for the Ohio congressman would show just how far the GOP’s once far-right flank has moved into the party’s mainstream.

Hamas says hundreds of people have been killed in an airstrike on a hospital in Gaza City, after intensifying bombardments near towns in southern Gaza rattled civilians where Israel had ordered them to take refuge. One attack on a refugee camp in central Gaza killed a top Hamas commander. Thousands of people trying to escape Gaza are gathered in Rafah, which has the territory’s only border crossing to Egypt. Mediators are pressing for an agreement to let aid in and refugees with foreign passports out. The U.S. hopes to break the deadlock with President Joe Biden set to head to Israel, Jordan and Egypt on Wednesday.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Authorities in the Belgian capital shot and killed a Tunisian national hours after they say he gunned down three Swedish soccer fans, killing two of them. Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for Monday night's attack in Brussels, which happened not far from where Belgium's men's soccer team was hosting Sweden in a European Championships qualifier. Acting on a tip, authorities say they tracked the attacker to a cafe, where they shot and killed him. A federal prosecutor says the man posted a video online in which he claimed that he had killed three Swedish people and said the Quran was “a red line for which he is ready to sacrifice himself.”

Federal authorities say a broken rail caused a train derailment that collapsed a bridge over a Colorado highway. The National Transportation Safety Board announced the preliminary findings Tuesday. The steel bridge built in 1958 collapsed Sunday when 30 cars from a BNSF train hauling coal derailed while crossing over Interstate 25 north of Pueblo. The 60-year-old driver of a semitrailer truck that was passing beneath the bridge was killed. I-25 is the main north-south route through Colorado. It’s expected to remain closed for several more days as crews clear piles of coal and other debris from the site.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The National Toy Hall of Fame is celebrating its 25th anniversary with more public participation in the induction process. The Hall of Fame Tuesday announced that one extra toy will be inducted this year, chosen by fans, from among five toys that have been finalists multiple times. On that list are the Fisher-Price Corn Popper, My Little Pony, PEZ, the pogo stick, and Transformers. Fans can cast one vote per day through Oct. 24 on the National Toy Hall of Fame website. The winner, along with the other inductees, will be revealed Nov. 9. They will join past winners including the jump rope and teddy bear on permanent display.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s political fundraising machine is raking in donations at a prodigious pace, but he’s spending tens of millions of dollars he’s bringing in to pay attorneys to deal with the escalating costs of the various criminal cases he is contending with as he moves further into the 2024 presidential campaign. Contributions to Trump's Save America political action committee are also being used to pay for lawyers who represent co-defendants and potential witnesses in several of the cases, which include civil lawsuits against the former president. Federal Election Commission records show that Save America has paid nearly $37 million to more than 60 law firms and individual attorneys since January 2022.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division after receiving reports of incidents where vehicles may not have used proper caution around pedestrians in roadways. The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation said that the reports involve automated driving system equipped vehicles encroaching on pedestrians present in or entering roadways, including crosswalks. This could raise the risk of a vehicle striking a pedestrian, which could result in severe injury or death.

A clinical trial is recruiting thousands of volunteers to try to figure out if 3D mammograms are better than standard 2D imaging for catching advanced cancers. The trial includes a large number of Black women who face disparities in breast cancer death rates. The study has enrolled nearly 93,000 women from several nations and 32 U.S. states. The newer 3D technique has been around for a decade, but there’s never been conclusive evidence that 3D is better than 2D at detecting advanced cancers. Previous studies did not randomly assign patients to a screening method, the gold standard for research.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A volleyball shoe startup is bringing attention to colleges' multi-million-dollar contracts with athletic apparel companies and terms that prevent athletes from wearing other brands. Nebraska volleyball player Harper Murray is an ambassador for Avoli. She said she would prefer to wear Avoli shoes in practices and competition. She can't because of Nebraska's contract with adidas. Ramogi Huma is head of the advocacy group College Athletes Players Association. He said healthy and safety could be compromised if an athlete is unable to wear a brand that fits better. Huma said it also limits an athletes' NIL earning potential.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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 Oct. 17 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

Palestinians are describing intense bombardments early Tuesday near two towns in southern Gaza, where Israel had ordered civilians to seek refuge. Details of causalities in the Khan Younis and Rafah areas were not immediately available. Thousands of people trying to escape Gaza are gathered in Rafah, which has the territory’s only border crossing to Egypt. Mediators are pressing for an agreement to let aid in and refugees with foreign passports out. The U.S. hoped to break a deadlock with President Joe Biden set to head to Israel and Jordan. Aid workers warned that life in Gaza was near complete collapse because of the Israeli siege that followed a Hamas attack on Israel.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans will try to elect a top Donald Trump ally, Rep. Jim Jordan, as the new House speaker. The House is scheduled to vote Tuesday in what could be a showdown for the gavel. Not all Republicans are ready to elevate Jordan, the firebrand Judiciary Committee chairman to the center-seat of U.S. power, second in line to the presidency. Some are still upset over Kevin McCarthy's sudden ouster as speaker two weeks ago. But with Trump's backing, Jordan is close to having enough support. It would show just how far the GOP’s once far-right flank has become the party’s mainstream.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced he is limiting shelter stays for migrant families with children to 60 days in the city’s housing system. Monday's move to tighten the rules comes as the Democratic mayor seeks to ease the pressure a city system overwhelmed by the arrival of more than 120,000 international asylum seekers in this past year. Authorities said they will begin sending 60-day notices to migrant families with children in shelters, though they could reapply for housing if they're unable to find a new place to live. The mayor's office says more than 60,000 migrants currently live in city shelters, many of them without the legal ability to work.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Data in the FBI's annual crime report released Monday shows that violent crime across the U.S. decreased last year, dropping to about the same level as before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. But property crimes rose substantially. Violent crime dropped 1.7%, and that included a 6.1% decrease in murder and non-negligent manslaughter. While violence waned, property crimes jumped 7.1%. The biggest increase was in motor vehicle thefts, which rose 10.9%. Some law enforcement agencies failed to provide data. A change in collection methods in compiling 2022 numbers helped, and the FBI says the new data represents 83.3% of all agencies covering 93.5% of the population. By contrast, last year’s numbers were from only 62.7% of agencies, representing 64.8% of Americans.

The Rangers remain unbeaten in the MLB post season, the Phillies win the opener of the NLCS, Cowboys bounce back with a win, and Kansas is number one in college basketball.

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins have announced Kim Ng is leaving the team after three seasons as general manager. The 54-year-old Ng became the majors’ highest-ranking woman in baseball operations and the first female GM in the four major North American professional sports leagues in a groundbreaking hire in November 2020. The Marlins exercised their team option for her to return for the 2024 season, but Ng declined her mutual option. Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman announced her departure on Monday.

Cricket is an Olympic sport again. Flag football gets in for the first time. Five sports have been finally added to the 2028 Los Angeles Games by the International Olympic Committee. Baseball-softball, lacrosse and squash have also been included on the program. All five cleared a final hurdle Monday from the Olympic body’s full membership. The slate of sports was proposed by Los Angeles officials one week ago and recommended by the IOC executive board on Friday. Cricket has been elevated to Olympic status for the first time since 1900 in one of the hotpots of the sport, Mumbai, where the IOC is holding annual meetings while India hosts the sport’s World Cup.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. CT:

More than a million people have fled their homes in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected Israel invasion that seeks to eliminate Hamas’ leadership after its deadly incursion. Aid groups warn an Israeli ground offensive could hasten a humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces positioned themselves along Gaza’s border and drilled for what Israel said would be a broad campaign to dismantle the militant group. A week of blistering airstrikes have demolished neighborhoods but failed to stop militant rocket fire into Israel. The war that began Oct. 7 has become the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides, with more than 4,000 dead.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says in a social media post he'll appeal a narrow gag order imposed on him in his 2020 election interference case in Washington. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan's Monday order bars the Republican presidential candidate from making statements targeting prosecutors, possible witnesses and the judge’s staff. The judge says the former president can’t mount a “smear campaign” against prosecutors. Monday’s order marks a milestone moment in the federal case that accuses Trump of illegally conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Special counsel Jack Smith’s team had raised alarm about a barrage of Trump statements disparaging prosecutors, the judge and prospective witnesses.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A proposed court settlement prevents the government from policies to separate migrant parents from their children at the border for eight years. The agreement announced Monday also provides families that were split under the Trump administration with temporary legal status and short-term housing aid. If approved by a judge, the settlement between the Biden administration and the American Civil Liberties Union would at least temporarily prohibit the type of “zero-tolerance” policy on illegal immigration under which former President Donald Trump separated thousands of families. Trump hasn't ruled out such an effort if elected president next year.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (AP) — LinkedIn said Monday it is laying off hundreds of workers. The Microsoft-owned career network is cutting about 668 roles across its engineering, product, talent and finance teams. The job cuts follow another more than 700 layoffs LinkedIn announced in May, as well as thousands more this year from parent company Microsoft. LinkedIn keeps growing and said its annual revenue surpassed $15 billion for the first time in the fiscal year that ended in June.

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) — Natural wine is gaining a following in the U.S. even as overall wine sales drop. Natural wine has no definition, but it's usually made with organic grapes and fermented naturally, with no additives. The result is wines that are earthy, savory and less predictable than many of the wines churned out by big producers. But natural wine needs to overcome some hurdles that may be hampering its growth. Unlike organic wine that must be government certified, natural wine has no set definition in the U.S. It’s not easy to find, since most natural wines don’t have the word “natural” on their labels. Still, many winemakers say the natural movement isn't about rules, and they want the freedom to add ingredients if it will improve taste.

LONDON (AP) — A lawyer for Donald Trump has told a London judge that the ex-president plans to prove that a “shocking and scandalous” report by a former British spy was wrong and harmed his reputation. Trump has sued the company founded by Christopher Steele, who created a dossier in 2016 that contained rumors and uncorroborated allegations about Trump that erupted in a political storm just before his inauguration. Trump is seeking damages from Orbis Business Intelligence for allegedly violating British data protection laws. Steele’s company is seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed during two days of hearings at London’s High Court.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford called on autoworkers to come together and end a monthlong strike that he says could cost the company the ability to invest in the future. In a rare speech during contract talks in Dearborn, Michigan, Ford said high labor costs could limit future investments. The great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford said that will cost many jobs and America will also lose. The company is near an impasse with the United Auto Workers union, which walked out at targeted Detroit Three factories on Sept. 15.

A new study finds that the medicine in the diabetes drug Mounjaro helped people with obesity or who are overweight lose at least a quarter of their body weight. That's about 60 pounds on average. The people also did three months of intensive diet and exercise. A group of people who also dieted and exercised, but got dummy shots instead, lost weight initially. But they regained some. The study results were published Sunday. The drug is called tirzepatide. It is under review to treat obesity in the U.S. A decision is expected later this year.

On this week's AP Religion Roundup, fear and anger dominate Jewish and Muslim reactions after the Hamas attack in Israel and the war in Gaza.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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 Oct. 16 at 7 a.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is considering a trip to Israel in the coming days but no travel has been finalized, a senior administration official said Sunday. It would be a powerful symbol of sympathy and support following the brutal attack by Hamas.

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians in besieged Gaza are crowding into hospitals and schools. They are seeking shelter and running low on food and water ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive following more than a week of punishing airstrikes launched in response to a deadly Hamas rampage. More than a million Palestinians have fled their homes in Gaza in the past week. As the enclave’s food, water and medicine supplies dwindled, all eyes were on the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, where trucks carrying badly needed aid have been waiting for days as mediators press for a cease-fire that would allow them enter Gaza and allow foreigners to leave.

CHICAGO (AP) — Authorities say a 71-year-old Illinois man has been charged with a hate crime, accused of fatally stabbing a young boy and seriously wounded a woman because of their Islamic faith and the Israel-Hamas war. The Will County Sheriff’s Office says in a statement that the man was in custody Sunday and is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Authorities say they found the woman and child repeatedly stabbed Saturday morning at a home southwest of Chicago. The sheriff's office says the woman was hospitalized with multiple stab wounds and is expected to survive.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors and lawyers for former President Donald Trump are heading to court to argue over a proposed gag order aimed at reining in his diatribes on likely witnesses and others in his 2020 election interference case in Washington. Special counsel Jack Smith’s team has accused Trump of using increasingly incendiary rhetoric to try to undermine the public’s confidence in the justice system and taint the jury pool. Trump’s defense has called the gag order proposal an unconstitutional effort to “silence” his political speech as he campaigns for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. It's unclear whether U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan will issue a ruling Monday.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Major U.S. pharmacy chain Rite Aid says it has filed for bankruptcy and obtained $3.45 billion in fresh financing as it carries out a restructuring plan while coping with falling sales and opioid-related lawsuits. Rite Aid said it would also close “underperforming” stores. Rite Aid, which owns Bartell Drug, is among the companies that has faced lawsuits over the opioid epidemic. It said the head of a financial advisory firm, Jeffrey Stein, was appointed CEO as of Sunday, replacing interim CEO Elizabeth Burr. In 2022, Rite Aid settled for up to $30 million to resolve lawsuits alleging its pharmacies contributed to an oversupply of prescription opioids.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Jim Jordan becoming House speaker would help cement the far right’s takeover of the Republican Party and trigger conflict with Democrats over the size and scope of government. A Jordan speakership would also come with political baggage heading into next year’s election. The Ohio congressman has such a reputation as a political brawler that former House Speaker John Boehner once said he’d never met someone “who spent more time tearing things apart.” Jordan is a favorite of former President Donald Trump. But Jordan's path to the speakership is by no means certain. Jordan will need support from nearly every House Republican in a chamber they narrowly control.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee raised more than $71 million for his reelection in the three months ending Sept. 30, a strong indication that party donors remain united behind him going into a 2024 race that may feature a rematch with Donald Trump. Sunday’s announcement follows the president’s campaign and party saying they’d raised slightly more, $72-plus million in the 10 weeks between the official announcement he was seeking reelection on April 25 and the end of the second quarter on June 30. The campaign also said Democrats have $91 million in cash on hand, the highest-ever total by a Democrat at this point in an election cycle.

Actor Suzanne Somers, who's best known for playing Chrissy Snow on the U.S. TV sitcom “Three’s Company,” has died. She was 76. Her family said in statement that Somers had breast cancer for over 23 years and died Sunday morning. Her immediate family members were with her in Palm Springs, California, and had been planning to celebrate her 77th birthday on Monday. Somer's most famous acting role came with “Three’s Company.” That ABC network sitcom aired from 1977 to 1984, though Somers' participation ended in 1981. On “Three’s Company,” she played the ditzy blonde opposite John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt.

Unbeatens are no longer in the NFL as the last two teams with unblemished records tasted defeat for the first time, a placekicker had a field day over in London, Baseball's post season resumed with game one of the American League Championship Series and the WNBA Championship series will continue into next week. 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fran Drescher said Thursday that she is baffled and disappointed that Hollywood studios abruptly broke off talks this week with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The actors guild president told The Associated Press that she did not understand why negotiations collapsed but that these bargaining tactics will not weaken the actors guild’s resolve. The studios announced Wednesday that they had suspended contract negotiations, saying the gap between the two sides was too great to make continuing worth it, despite an offer they said was as good as the one that recently ended the writers strike.

Piper Laurie, the strong-willed, Oscar-nominated actor who performed in acclaimed roles despite at one point abandoning acting altogether in search of a “more meaningful” life, has died. She was 91. She received Academy Award nominations for three very different films: The 1961 poolroom drama “The Hustler”; the film version of Stephen King’s horror classic “Carrie,” in 1976; and the romantic drama “Children of a Lesser God,” in 1986. She also appeared in several acclaimed roles on television and the stage, including in David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks” in the 1990s.

Movie theaters turned into concert venues this weekend as Swifties brought their dance moves and friendship bracelets to multiplexes across the country. The unparalleled enthusiasm helped propel “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” to a massive, first place debut between $95 million and $97 million in North America, AMC Theaters said Sunday. In just three days, it’s already surpassed the total $73 million in domestic earnings of “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.” And if it comes in on the higher end of projections when totals are released Monday, it could be the biggest October film opening ever.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer 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 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.