Hot Off The Wire

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 new show “Goosebumps” and other family-friendly movies and shows for Halloween.

Listen to the latest episode of Streamed & Screened here. 

This week’s top headlines include:

Those stories and more from The Associated Press. 

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 Oct. 7 Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel igniting a war that has led to thousands of dead Israelis and Palestinians. 

As the conflict in Israel continues to heat up in Gaza, Jaime Holguin with The Associated Press held an in depth discussion with AP's news director for Israel, Palestine and Jordan Josef Federman to help explain the situation.

In a second segment, Matthew Levitt with The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explains the history and focus of Hamas.

—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. 13 at 5:40 a.m. CT:

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military has told some 1 million Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory. That's an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of an expected ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group. The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse would be calamitous. Hamas dismissed it as a ploy and called on people to stay in their homes. The militant group staged a shocking and brutal attack on Israel nearly a week ago and has fired thousands of rockets since.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Steve Scalise has ended his bid to become House speaker after failing to secure the votes to win the gavel. Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision. Next steps are uncertain as the House is essentially closed while Republicans try to elect a speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy from the job. Scalise says the Republican majority “still has to come together and is not there.” He had been working furiously to secure the votes after being nominated by a majority of his colleagues, but after hours of private meetings over two days it was clear many other Republican lawmakers were not budging from their refusal to support him.

SMYRNA, Ga. (AP) — Police say a person suspected of fatally shooting two people northwest of Atlanta died by suicide while fleeing officers. The Cobb County Police Department says their major crimes unit is investigating a double homicide that happened Thursday near a dental office in Smyrna. Police say their preliminary investigation suggests that a person approached the business and then shot and killed two people who were known to that person. Law enforcement say the suspected shooter then fled in a vehicle and that when police located the vehicle and tried to stop it, the person died by suicide. No further information was immediately released.

STOCKHOLM (AP) — An official says a ban on gasoline and diesel-fueled cars from a commercial district of Stockholm’s downtown in 2025 will be the first for a European capital. Lars Strömgren, the city council member for the Greens who’s in charge of the Swedish capital’s transportation told the Associated Press Thursday the ban will take effect in a 20-block area of shops, pedestrian walkways and a few homes in order to curb pollution, reduce noise and encourage use of electric vehicles. Many European capitals have restrictions on gasoline and diesel cars, but Strömgren says Stockholm’s complete ban would be a first. The idea is to create an “environmental zone” where only electric vehicles will be allowed.

U.S. stocks slipped as the clamps tightened on Wall Street from rising yields in the bond market. The S&P 500 fell 0.6% Thursday, breaking a four-day winning streak. The Dow lost 173 points, and the Nasdaq composite gave back 0.6%. A weak auction for long-term Treasury bonds drove yields up across the bond market. Yields had already been climbing following a report showing inflation was a touch higher last month than expected. Higher yields can knock down stock prices, all else equal. Oil prices eased after zigzagging through the day.

The Phillies advance to the NLCS, Patrick Mahomes leads the Chiefs to a win, the status of the Browns' Deshaun Watson is in question and a wild ending to a college football game. Correspondent Chuck Freimund reports.

DALLAS (AP) — Walt Garrison, who led the Big 8 in rushing for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, won a Super Bowl as a fullback with the Dallas Cowboys and competed as a rodeo cowboy, has died. He was 79. The NFL team said on its website Thursday that Garrison died overnight. It did not give a cause of death. A fifth-round draft choice out of Oklahoma State, the 6-foot, 205-pound Garrison played nine years in Dallas and retired in 1974 as the No. 3 rusher and No. 4 receiver in franchise history. But it was Garrison’s rodeo career — which he called his first love — that made him the ultimate cowboy. He also was a longtime spokesman for U.S. Tobacco and its Skoal smokeless brand.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. CT:

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israel military pulverized the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip with airstrikes, prepared for a possible ground invasion and said Thursday its complete siege on the territory would remain in place until Hamas militants freed some 150 hostages taken during a grisly weekend attack. A visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with shipments of U.S. weapons, were a powerful green light to Israel to drive ahead with its retaliation in Gaza. But international aid groups warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis. Israel has halted deliveries of food, fuel, medicine and electricity to Gaza’s 2.3 million people and prevented entry of supplies from Egypt. The war has claimed at least 2,700 lives on both sides.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Steve Scalise has been unable to sway enough skeptical Republican colleagues to support him for speaker, and the anger and frustration is growing in the House. Republicans went behind closed doors for another long meeting Thursday, but there's no resolution is in sight. Even though Scalise won the majority party's nomination during a private meeting Wednesday, he finding that some of fellow Republicans are reluctant to back him in a floor vote. Scalise must peel off more than 100 votes, mostly from those who back chief rival Jim Jordan. Jordan says he's longer in the running and has tossed his vote to Scalise. But many hard-liners taking their cues from Donald Trump have dug in for a prolonged fight.

PRINCETON, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say a suspect has been arrested after five drug task force officers were shot and wounded while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton. A news release from Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck says the officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect Thursday morning. The man, who was injured in the incident, was taken away for treatment after his arrest several hours later. The sheriff says the extent of his injuries wasn't immediately known. The officers’ injuries were not life-threatening. The area is about 50 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The acting Social Security commissioner says a 3.2% increase in benefits next year “will help millions of people keep up with expenses." The increase announced Thursday is far less than this year’s historic boost and reflects moderating consumer prices. The Social Security Administration says the average recipient will get more than $50 more per month. The AARP estimates $59 per month. About 71 million people including retirees, disabled people and children receive Social Security benefits. This year’s cost-of-living adjustment was 8.7%, triggered by record-high inflation pushing up costs of consumer goods. The cost-of-living adjustments have a big impact for people like 83-year-old Louisiana resident Alfred Mason, who says “any increase is welcomed."

WASHINGTON (AP) — Measures of U.S. inflation barely declined in September, evidence that consumer price increases are grinding lower at a gradual pace. Consumer prices rose 0.4% from August to September, below the previous month’s 0.6% pace. Year-over-year inflation was unchanged last month from a 3.7% rise in August. And underlying inflation declined a bit: So-called core prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs, climbed 4.1% in September from a year earlier, down from a 4.3% pace in August. That is the smallest such increase in two years. Economists pay particularly close attention to core prices because they provide a good signal of inflation’s likely future path.

President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kyrgyzstan on a rare trip abroad for the Russian leader who was indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Ukraine. It's the first time this year that Putin has traveled outside Russia and Russian-held territories of Ukraine. Earlier this year, he visited the partially occupied Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson, as well as the annexed Crimean Peninsula. In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin over the deportation of children from Ukraine. Countries that have signed and ratified the Rome Statute, which created the ICC, are now bound to arrest him if he sets foot on their soil. Kyrgyzstan isn't a signatory of statute.

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — The Danish wind energy company Orsted has put up a $100 million guarantee that it will build New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm. But it will lose that money if the project is not operating by Dec. 2025 — a year after the deadline approved by state utility regulators. New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities approved an agreement Wednesday with Orsted under which the company would forfeit that money if the project is not up and running within 12 months of a series of deadlines previously set by the board. The guarantee money is required under terms of a tax break New Jersey granted Orsted in July.

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors in New York City have rewritten their indictment against U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and his wife to charge them with conspiring to have him act as an agent of Egypt and Egyptian officials. The superseding indictment filed in Manhattan federal court Thursday accuses Menendez of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The new charge comes just weeks after the Democrat and his wife were accused of accepting bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen who wanted the senator's help and influence over foreign affairs. Messages left Thursday with Menendez’s Senate staff and attorney haven't been returned.

MIAMI (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of betraying him just before the U.S. killed a top Iranian general in 2020. That's a break from the Republican 2024 presidential field’s uniform support of Israel as it responds to Hamas’ deadly attack. Trump's comments at a Florida rally Wednesday were quickly denounced by one of Netanyahu’s allies and several Republicans who oppose Trump. Trump claims Israel pulled out of assisting in the 2020 airstrike that killed the Iranian general the night before it happened. Trump says Netanyahu “let us down.” A member of Netanyahu's Likud Party accused Trump of spreading propaganda and said Israelis “don't have to bother with him.”

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union significantly escalated its walkout against Detroit's Three automakers by going on strike Wednesday at the largest and most profitable Ford plant in the world. The union's president on Thursday threatened escalation at Jeep maker Stellantis. In a surprise move, 8,700 members left their jobs at Ford's Kentucky truck plant in Louisville Wednesday evening. The plant makes profitable heavy-duty F-Series pickup trucks and large SUVs. UAW President Shawn Fain says the union has waited long enough to bargain for a fair contract. Ford called the strike expansion “grossly irresponsible” and said it has made strong wage and benefit offers.

The hypnotic “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” film is a near exact replica of her blockbuster concert performance, which recaps all 10 of her studio albums across 17 years of recorded work. For those who’ve managed to snag tickets to the Eras Tour, it offers the ability to relive the experience. For those who didn’t attend, it’s a chance to test expectations versus reality, writes The Associated Press' Maria Sherman. But for everyone, it is the opportunity to have every seat in the house transform into the best seat in the house, up close and personal footage from every vantage point.

—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. 12 at 6:50 a.m. CT:

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military is preparing for a possible ground operation in Gaza but political leadership has not yet decided on one. Lt. Col. Richard Hecht briefed reporters Thursday as the latest Israel-Palestinian war rolled into a sixth day of fighting since Hamas launched its attack. In a sign of U.S. support for Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was traveling to Israel for meetings.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Strike talks have broken off between Hollywood actors and studios. The alliance of studios and streaming services that negotiates with actors says the two sides are so far apart in their contract talks that there is no point in continuing. The actors union slammed what they called “bullying tactics” from their opponents. Negotiations resumed last week for the first time since the actors went on strike in July. The studios say the deal they offered was as generous as the one that ended the writers strike last month. Actors called that misinformation, saying the offer was nowhere near as generous as described.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Strike talks have broken off between Hollywood actors and studios. The alliance of studios and streaming services that negotiates with actors says the two sides are so far apart in their contract talks that there is no point in continuing. The actors union slammed what they called “bullying tactics” from their opponents. Negotiations resumed last week for the first time since the actors went on strike in July. The studios say the deal they offered was as generous as the one that ended the writers strike last month. Actors called that misinformation, saying the offer was nowhere near as generous as described.

ATLANTA (AP) — Police say a woman is in custody after she allegedly stabbed three people at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. They said in a statement on Facebook that officers encountered a woman armed with a knife outside of a security checkpoint Wednesday afternoon. Police say she stabbed another woman and a police lieutenant who tried to take her into custody. Another officer tackled and disarmed her before arresting her. Police say the woman had also stabbed a taxi driver who had transported her to the airport. Authorities say all the victims were alert and conscious and were being treated at a hospital.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A player in California has won a $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot, ending a long stretch without a winner of the top prize. The winning numbers drawn Wednesday night were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball 10. Before someone won the giant prize, there had been 35 consecutive drawings without a big winner.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service says Microsoft owes the U.S. Treasury $28.9 billion in back taxes, plus penalties and interest. That was revealed by the company Wednesday in a securities filing. That figure, which Microsoft disputes, stems from a long-running IRS probe into how Microsoft allocated its profits among countries and jurisdictions in the years 2004 to 2013. Critics of that practice, known as transfer pricing, argue that companies use it to minimize their tax burden by reporting lower profits in high-tax countries and higher profits in lower-tax jurisdictions. Microsoft said it will appeal the decision within the IRS, a process expected to take several years. The company's shares dropped slightly in aftermarket trading, falling $1.42 to $331.

The Diamondbacks and Astros are advancing, the Phillies are a game closer to moving on, the Blackhawks get a big game from David Pastrnak among NHL’s schedule, and the Aces win Game 2 of the WNBA Finals.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — An independent panel has downgraded five Level I violations lodged by the NCAA against Kansas and basketball coach Bill Self. That effectively ends a long saga that began with a 2017 FBI investigation into college basketball corruption. Kansas will be required to remove its 2018 Final Four banner and vacate wins from the 2017-18 season in which Silvio De Sousa, a player central to the case, participated. The case against the Jayhawks hinged on whether representatives of the apparel company Adidas were considered boosters when two of them arranged payments to prospective recruits. Self served a school-imposed four-game suspension last season.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 11 at 4 p.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department says the number of U.S. citizens confirmed to have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war has risen to 22. That’s an increase from the 14 who’d been confirmed dead on Tuesday. U.S. citizens also are among the estimated 150 hostages captured by Hamas during its shocking weekend assault on Israel, which has left at least 2,200 people dead on both sides. President Joe Biden is seeking to connect the attacks directly to decades of antisemitism and violence endured by Jews around the world. He is set to meet with Jewish leaders later Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The speaker of the House is normally elected every two years, in January, when the House organizes for a new session. A new election can be held if the speaker dies, resigns or is removed from office. What's going on now in Washington is the first time an election is being held after the removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker. Republicans on Wednesday nominated Majority Leader Steve Scalise as their nominee for speaker. Now the race is on to secure the 217 votes he'll need on the House floor to win the gavel. But nearly half the GOP conference in the closed-door vote supported Rep. Jim Jordan, the Judiciary Committee chairman who was backed by Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials regarded the U.S. economy’s outlook as particularly uncertain last month, according to minutes released Wednesday, and said they would “proceed carefully” in deciding whether to further raise their benchmark interest rate. Such cautious views are generally seen as evidence that the Fed isn’t necessarily inclined to raise rates in the near future. Economic data from the past several months “generally suggested that inflation was slowing,” the minutes of the Sept. 19-20 meeting said. The policymakers added that further evidence of declining inflation was needed to be sure it would slow to the Fed’s 2% target.

KFAR AZZA, Israel (AP) — An Israeli village that was attacked by militants lies in ruin, not far from the border with Gaza. On the streets of Kfar Azza, the bodies of militants lie scattered between the shells of burned-out cars. Walls and doors of what used to be neatly kept stucco homes are blasted wide open. As bags holding the bodies of slain residents await identification, the smell of death hangs thick in the hot afternoon air. The Israeli military led a group of journalists, including an Associated Press reporter, on a tour of the village Tuesday, a day after retaking it from what they said was a group of about 70 Hamas fighters.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Apartment Association says President Joe Biden's proposed rule to ban hidden and bogus junk fees could end up increasing the cost of rental housing. The association's CEO says policymakers should understand that layering additional regulations will “harm the affordability and availability of rental housing,” hurting the people they seek to protect. Biden says the Federal Trade Commission's junk fee ban proposed Wednesday will help families and “honest” businesses by unmasking the total cost of concert tickets, hotel rooms and utility bills. The Democratic president has made the removal of junk fees a priority. Biden administration officials says the additional costs can mislead people and waste their time.

NEW YORK (AP) — Movie theaters are readying for an onslaught like they’ve never seen before beginning Friday when “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” debuts. The concert film compiled from several Swift shows at Southern California’s SoFi Stadium is expected to launch with $100 million, or possibly much more. “The Eras Tour” heralds something new and potentially game-changing in the movie industry. Swift and Beyoncé are two of the biggest stars on the planet and are both heading into cinemas, the latter in December. These are first-of-their-kind deals made directly with AMC Theaters that circumvent Hollywood studios and, for now, leave streamers waiting on the sidelines.

Jada Pinkett Smith and husband Will Smith have lived what she says are “completely separate lives” since 2016. Pinkett Smith made the revelation in a interview with Hoda Kotb. The prominent Hollywood couple married in 1997 and have addressed separations and marital troubles. But never this specifically. Though it’s not a legal divorce, Pinkett Smith told Kotb in a clip released Wednesday that it is essentially a divorce without papers. Smith and Pinkett Smith share two children, Willow and Jaden, as well as a son, Trey, from Smith’s first marriage. Representatives for the actors did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Less than a year after leading the New Jersey Devils to their best regular season, coach Lindy Ruff has been signed to a multi-year contract extension. Terms were not immediately available. General manager Tom Fitzgerald announced the signing on Wednesday, a day before the Devils opened the 2023-24 season at home against the Detroit Red Wings. Devils managing partner David Blitzer said the extension was well deserved. The young Devils won 52 games and posted 112 points last season, both franchise records. New Jersey made the playoffs for the first time since 2018 led by the young superstar Jack Hughes.

The NHL sent a memo to teams last week clarifying what players can and cannot do as part of theme celebrations this season, including a ban on the use of rainbow-colored stick tape for Pride nights. The updated guidance reaffirms on-ice player uniforms and gear for games, warmups and official team practices cannot be altered to reflect theme nights, including Pride, Hockey Fights Cancer or military appreciation. Players can voluntarily participate in themed celebrations off the ice. Previously the NHL had decided not to allow teams to wear any theme jerseys for warmups after a handful of players opted out last season.

—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. 11 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

Residents in Gaza are facing an imminent loss of electricity as fuel supplies run dangerously low in the sealed-off territory. Israeli airstrikes left entire neighborhoods demolished Wednesday, and hospitals in the Gaza Strip are struggling to treat the injured with dwindling medical supplies. The war has claimed more than 2,200 lives on both sides and is expected to escalate. The weekend attack that Hamas said was retribution for worsening conditions for Palestinians under Israeli occupation has inflamed Israel’s determination to crush the group’s hold in Gaza. Foreign governments are tallying their dead and missing as the latest Israel-Palestinian war stretches into its fifth day.

MARRAKECH, Morocco — United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the war between Israel and Hamas militants poses “additional concerns” to the American economy, but she still expects inflation can be contained without causing a recession.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has joined a meeting of more than 50 defense leaders from around the world to make a personal pitch for military aid. Political support in the U.S. for the war has been lagging and allies are under pressure to send weapons to bolster Israel in its war with Hamas. It is the first time Zelenskyy has attended the NATO meeting in Brussels person. His presence underscores growing concerns about cracks in what has been staunch international backing for Kyiv in its war against Russia’s invasion, and worries that Ukrainian forces haven’t made measurable progress in the counteroffensive as winter closes in. The new Mideast war has complicated matters and has created competition for weapons and funding.

High school students’ scores on the ACT college admissions test have dropped to their lowest in more than three decades, showing a lack of student preparedness for college-level coursework, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test. Scores have been falling for six consecutive years, but the trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in the class of 2023 whose scores were reported Wednesday were in their first year of high school when the virus reached the U.S. The average ACT composite score for U.S. students was 19.5 out of 36. Last year, the average score was 19.8.

Dorothy Hoffner, a 104-year-old Chicago woman whose recent skydive could see her certified by Guinness World Records as the oldest person to ever jump from a plane, has died. Hoffner’s close friend, Joe Conant, says she was found dead Monday morning by staff at the Brookdale Lake View senior living community. Conant says Hoffner had an amazing energy and “she just kept going.” On Oct. 1, Hoffner made a tandem skydive at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois, that could land her a world record. Conant says he's working to ensure that Guinness World Records certifies Hoffner posthumously as the world’s oldest skydiver.

NEW YORK (AP) — A new indictment filed Tuesday charges U.S. Rep. George Santos with stealing the identities of donors to his campaign and then using their credit cards to ring up tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges. Prosecutors say some of that stolen money ended up in his own bank account. The 23-count indictment replaces one filed earlier against the New York Republican charging him with embezzling money from his campaign and lying to Congress about his wealth, among other offenses. Santos told reporters at the U.S Capitol he had no comment on the superseding indictment.

The Rangers advance to the ALCS, awaiting the winner of the Twins-Astros series, one of the Vikings' top receivers will be out for a while with an injury, and the much-anticipated debut of Blackhawks center Connor Bedard includes an assist and a victory.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is confirming that U.S. citizens are among the hostages captured by Hamas in this weekend’s attack on Israel and he condemned the militant group for “sheer evil” for its shocking multipronged attack on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of civilians have been killed, including at least 14 American citizens. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation on the ground. Biden outlined the actions he and other allies have taken to support Israel in the aftermath of the attack and expressed his horror about “sickening” reports of torture inflicted by militants on innocent civilians.

The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, says it is trying to take action on a flood of posts sharing graphic media, violent speech and hateful conduct about the latest war between Israel and Hamas. X says it’s treating this crisis with its highest level of response. But outside watchdog groups and a European Union official say misinformation about the war abounds on the platform that billionaire Elon Musk bought last year. Musk himself has recommended unreliable accounts posting about the war. And his job cuts since taking over Twitter last year have left fewer people responsible for taking action on posts that violate the platform's policies.

TORONTO (AP) — General Motors and the union representing Canadian auto workers have reached a tentative contract agreement, ending a strike that began just after midnight. About 4,300 striking workers at two GM factories and a parts warehouse will return to work Tuesday afternoon and will vote on the three-year deal later. Lana Payne, president of the Unifor union, said in a statement that, when faced with the strike, GM had no choice but to follow a pattern agreement reached earlier with Ford. GM said it reached the three-year agreement around 1 p.m. Tuesday after workers went on strike at the Ontario facilities. GM said the deal recognizes employee contributions with significant pay and benefit increases and additional job security.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The White House is condemning a violent crash at the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco that ended with police fatally shooting a man. The man created a chaotic scene Monday when he rammed a car into the consulate’s lobby. A White House official said Tuesday that U.S. government officials have been in contact with Chinese foreign ministry officials in the aftermath of the crash. The official was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. San Francisco police had not released the driver’s identity or a possible motive as of Tuesday morning.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former baseball MVP Steve Garvey is joining the race to succeed the late California Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The Republican Garvey gives his party a splash of star quality on the ballot in a heavily Democratic state where the GOP hasn’t won a U.S. Senate race in 35 years. Garvey signaled in a video that he would lean toward the political center, saying: "I never played for Democrats or Republicans or independents. I played for all of you.” As a Republican, he starts as a longshot. Democrats hold every statewide office. Leading candidates include Democratic U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff.

NEW YORK (AP) — Evidence shown at former President Donald Trump's New York civil business fraud trial shows that he signed a 1994 document that gave the true size of the New York penthouse that was listed later as far larger on his financial statements. The evidence appeared in an email attachment shown during testimony Tuesday from Allen Weisselberg, the former finance chief of Trump’s company. James’ lawsuit alleges that Weisselberg engineered Trump’s financial statements to meet his demands that they show increases in his net worth and signed off on lofty valuations for assets despite appraisals to the contrary. Trump denies any wrongdoing.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.73 billion after no one matched the game’s six numbers and won the giant prize. The winning numbers announced Monday night are: 16, 34, 46, 55, 67 and the Powerball 14. There has been no winner for 35 consecutive drawings. The scarcity of Powerball jackpot winners reflects the game’s long odds of 1 in 292.2 million. The $1.73 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, with annual checks over 30 years. Most jackpot winners opt for cash, which for the next drawing Wednesday night would be an estimated $756.6 million.

MOSCOW (AP) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia on espionage charges, has lost an appeal to be released from jail, meaning he will stay behind bars at least until Nov. 30. Gershkovich was arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting trip in late March. The 31-year-old U.S. citizen and his employer deny the allegations, and the U.S. government declared him to be wrongfully detained. Russian authorities have not provided any evidence to support the espionage charges. Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB.

In an AP interview, Matthew Levitt with The Washington Institute for Near East Policy explains the history and focus of Hamas.

—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. 10 at 7 a.m. CT:

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are packed into United Nations shelters as Israeli warplanes pound the tiny territory of 2.3 million people after their Hamas militant rulers launched an unprecedented weekend attack on Israel. Israel says it takes pains to avoid civilian casualties as it targets Hamas militant sites. But its military has also bombed multi-story family homes in crowded residential neighborhoods. Palestinians say there is no real escape in Gaza, which has been under a suffocating 16-year blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt. When war breaks out, as it has four times since the Hamas militant group seized power in 2007, even U.N. facilities that are supposed to be safe zones risk becoming engulfed in the fighting.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden has been interviewed as part of the special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents. Spokesperson Ian Sams says Biden was voluntarily interviewed at the White House on Sunday and Monday. The investigation is being led by special counsel Robert Hur, who's looking into the improper retention of classified documents from Biden's time as vice president. The documents were found in Biden's Delaware home and a private office he used after he left public office. Attorney General Merrick Garland earlier this year appointed Hur to oversee the politically sensitive matter to avoid conflicts of interest.

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s longtime finance chief is set to testify as the former president’s civil trial enters its second week. Allen Weisselberg is also a defendant in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit. Weisselberg is expected to testify Tuesday about his role in preparing Trump’s annual financial statements, including conversations they had while finalizing the documents used to make deals and secure loans. James’ lawsuit alleges Weisselberg engineered Trump’s financial statements to meet his demands they reflect increases in his net worth and signed off on lofty valuations for assets. Trump attended the first three days of the non-jury trial last week but is not expected to return Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Federal Reserve officials have suggested that the central bank may leave interest rates unchanged at its next meeting in three weeks. That's because a surge in long-term interest rates has made borrowing more expensive and could help cool inflation without further action by the central bank. Since late July, the yield, or rate, on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note has jumped from around 4% to about 4.8%, a 16-year high. The run-up in the yield has inflated other borrowing costs and raised the national average 30-year mortgage rate to 7.5%, a 23-year high. Business borrowing costs have also risen as corporate bond yields have accelerated.

Joby Aviation is working to develop electric-powered aircraft that will take off and land like a helicopter but fly like a small plane. Battery technology is helping Joby and other startups that are developing eVTOLs – short for electric vertical takeoff and landing. The company's biggest shareholder is Toyota, and it has a partnership with Delta Air Lines. Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt says the company is the realization of a longtime dream of his to make a better way for people to get from one place to another.

The National League Division Series took center stage in Major League Baseball's playoffs, Monday Night Football saw the Raiders defense steal the show, and the NHL season begins today. 

The NFL’s ongoing push for worldwide exposure got another boost when organizers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics delivered a proposal to put flag football on the program when the Summer Games return to the United States for the first time in 32 years. The International Olympic Committee will vote on the proposal at meetings in India that begin later this week. Also on the LA proposal were baseball and softball, which have been bouncing on and off the program for decades; lacrosse; squash; and cricket. Flag football involves 5-on-5 action in which players tackle their opponents by stripping flags off belts worn by all players. It is viewed as a less-violent, faster-paced version of the game that has captured imaginations in the U.S. for decades.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. CT:

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel increased airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and sealed it off from food, fuel, and other supplies in retaliation for a bloody incursion by Hamas militants, as the war’s death toll rose to nearly 1,600 on both sides. Hamas also escalated on Monday, pledging to kill captured Israelis if attacks targeted civilians without warnings. In the war’s third day, Israel was still finding bodies from Hamas’ stunning weekend attack into southern Israeli towns. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy the militants’ “military and governing capabilities.”

The U.S. State Department said Monday that at least nine American citizens have been killed in the weekend Hamas attacks on Israel, raising the toll from four.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has reversed an earlier announcement that it was “immediately” suspending aid for Palestinian authorities and instead said it would urgently review such assistance in the wake of the attacks on Israel by Hamas. A terse European Commission statement said late Monday that “there will be no suspension of payments” at the moment. It came five hours after EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi had said that all payments from the development program for Palestinians be “immediately suspended. All projects put under review. All new budget proposals … postponed until further notice.” No immediate explanation for the reversal was given.

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Claudia Goldin, a Harvard University professor, was awarded the Nobel economics prize for research that helps explain why women around the world are less likely than men to work and to earn less money when they do. Fittingly, the announcement marked a small step toward closing a gender gap among Nobel laureates in economics: Out of 93 economics winners, Goldin is just the third woman to be awarded the prize and the first woman to be the sole winner in any year. Her award follows Nobel honors this year in medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and peace that were announced last week.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — How much is Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago worth? That’s now a point of contention after a New York judge ruled that the former president exaggerated the Florida property’s value when he said it is worth at least $420 million. In siding with New York in the state’s lawsuit accusing Trump of grossly overvaluing his assets in business transactions, Judge Arthur Engoron found that Trump consistently exaggerated Mar-a-Lago’s worth. He compared Trump’s estimate to the Palm Beach County tax appraiser’s recent valuations of about $20 million. But Palm Beach real estate agents strongly disagree. They think Mar-a-Lago would easily fetch hundreds of millions and a bidding war could push the price over a billion.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy launched an independent run for the White House. Kennedy declared independence from the Democratic Party in Philadelphia on Monday. He spoke of a “rising tide of discontent” in the United States and said he wants to make a “new Declaration of Independence” from corporations, the media and the two major political parties.

NEW YORK (AP) — Lexington Candy Shop has had a line outside for over a year since a TikTok of its Coke float went viral. The owner of Fatima's Grill parlayed his viral fame into an expansion. When a smaller restaurant unexpectedly goes viral on TikTok or other social media, the sudden demand can be overwhelming. Owners have to adapt on the fly, revamping operations to quickly serve a crush of people. But savvy business owners who are able to adapt can parlay newfound fame into a lasting boost for their business. Just ask Dominique Ansel, who created a craze with the Cronut a decade ago, before the term “going viral” was widely used.

On this week's AP Religion Roundup, those who don't identify with a religion or religious groups are on the rise across the United States.

—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. 9 at 7 a.m. CT:

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he's ordered the Ford carrier strike group to sail to the Eastern Mediterranean to be ready to assist Israel after the surprise attack by Hamas that has left more than 1,000 dead and thousands wounded on both sides. Meantime, a U.S. official says preliminary reports indicate that at least four American citizens were killed in the attacks and an additional seven were missing and unaccounted for. The USS Gerald R. Ford and its approximately 5,000 sailors and deck of warplanes will be accompanied by cruisers and destroyers in a show of force that is meant to be ready to respond to anything, from possibly interdicting additional weapons from reaching Hamas and conducting surveillance.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said authorities would cut electricity to Gaza and block the entry of food and fuel there as part of a “complete siege” he ordered.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has drawn a parallel between Russia’s invasion of his country and the Hamas militant group’s incursion into Israel, saying only “rules (and) international law” can ensure peace around the world.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A senior Taliban delegation is visiting western Afghanistan's Herat province in the aftermath of the powerful earthquake that killed at least 2,000 people and flattened entire villages. Saturday’s magnitude 6.3 quake hit a densely populated area in Herat and was followed by strong aftershocks. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes to strike the country in two decades. A statement from Kabul said the Taliban-appointed deputy prime minister for economic affairs and his team will visit the quake-affected region on Monday to deliver “immediate relief assistance” and ensure “equitable and accurate distribution of aid." The quake also trapped hundreds and people have been digging with their bare hands and shovels to pull victims from under the rubble.

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Nobel economics prize has been awarded to Claudia Goldin, a professor at Harvard University, for research that has advanced the understanding of the gender gap in the labor market. Hans Ellegren, secretary-general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announced the award Monday in Stockholm. Goldin is only the third woman to win the prize. Ellegren says Goldin “was surprised and very, very glad” upon hearing she received the award. Goldin has studied 200 years of women’s participation in the workplace, showing that despite continued economic growth, women’s pay did not continuously catch up to men’s and a divide still exists despite women gaining higher levels of education than men.

In this week's entertainment update: Rapper 21 Savage can now legally travel outside the United States and plans to make his international performance in his native London. Singer Maxwell will hose a cruise in February and has another album in the works. Lucinda Williams is heading back on tour three years after suffering a stroke. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s decision to insert himself into the chaotic race to replace Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker will serve as a test of the former president’s sway with lawmakers as he works to win a second term. Trump first volunteered to serve as an interim candidate. Then he offered Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, one of his closest allies in Washington, his “Complete & Total Endorsement!” Jordan's path to victory is complex, and he is facing at least one other candidate, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who's also on good terms with Trump. It’s unclear whether anyone has enough votes to win the gavel.

NECOCLI, Colombia (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has capped off a four-day trip to Latin America by calling for a “right to work” for migrants in the United States. He spoke Saturday during a visit to Necocli, the northern Colombia city where thousands of migrants start the perilous trek across the Darien Gap jungle into Panama, as they head for the U.S. Adams says countries in the region need to “come together” to find solutions to the immigration crisis being felt across the Americas as well as in cities in the United States, including his own. He is urging the U.S goverment to find pathways for migrants and asylum seekers to work legally in the United States.

The NFL's two undefeated teams remain undefeated, the Chiefs shake off Travis Kelce's injury, the Rangers slam the Orioles to go up 2-0 while the Twins knot up their ALDS with the Astros, and Georgia still tops the AP poll.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “The Exorcist: Believer” took possession of the weekend box office with a North American opening of $27.2 million. According to studio estimates Sunday, the latest sequel to the 1973 horror classic was a runaway No. 1 in its opening weekend for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions, but it still fell short of expectations with no other new releases with which to compete. Last week’s top film, “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” was a distant second, with $11.8 million, and has earned $38.9 million after two weekends. Another horror sequel, “Saw X,” was third for Lionsgate Films, with $8.2 million.

—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 upcoming concert films from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, as well as some of the great concert movies of all time.

Listen to the latest episode of Streamed & Screened here. 

This week’s top headlines include:

Those stories and more from The Associated Press. 

Those stories and more from The Associated Press. But first, Bruce Miller talks about the genius that is Taylor Swift 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. 6 at 2 p.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s employers added 336,000 jobs in September, an unexpectedly robust gain and the largest monthly rise since January, evidence that many companies remain confident enough to keep hiring despite high interest rates and a hazy outlook for the economy. President Joe Biden tied his economic policies to the report. Last month’s job growth jumped from a 227,000 increase in August, which was revised sharply higher. The economy has now added an average of 266,000 jobs a month for the past three months, a streak that could make it more likely that the Federal Reserve will raise its key rate again before year’s end as it continues its drive to tame inflation. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.8%, not far above a half-century low. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio to succeed Kevin McCarthy as House speaker. Trump says Jordan was a star long before making his journey to Washington, D.C., representing Ohio’s 4th Congressional District. Trump wrote on his Truth Social site early Friday the Republican congressman “will be a GREAT Speaker of the House” and has his "Complete & Total Endorsement!” Jordan is the House Judiciary Committee chairman and a longtime Trump defender. Trump had earlier said he would be open to serving as interim leader if Republicans couldn’t settle on a successor following McCarthy’s stunning ouster. Jordan is one of two leading candidates maneuvering for speaker along with Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

Imprisoned activist Narges Mohammadi has won the Nobel Peace Prize. She has campaigned for women’s rights, democracy and against the death penalty in Iran for years. The 51-year-old has kept up her activism despite numerous arrests. She has remained a leading light for nationwide, women-led protests, sparked by the death last year of a 22-year-old woman in police custody. Those demonstrations grew into one of the most intense challenges ever to Iran’s theocratic government. The chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the prize Friday in Oslo. She said it was a recognition of the work of a whole movement in Iran. Mohammadi is the 19th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the second Iranian woman.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A massive health care strike over wages and staff shortages is heading into its final day without a deal between industry giant Kaiser Permanente and the unions representing the 75,000 workers who picketed this week. The three-day strike will officially end on Saturday morning. Workers are scheduled to return to their jobs in Kaiser’s hospitals and clinics that serve nearly 13 million Americans. The two sides did not have any bargaining sessions scheduled after concluding their talks midday Wednesday. Union officials and Kaiser representatives say they both want an agreement.

HOUSTON (AP) — Attorneys for a condemned Texas killer say drugs he is to be injected with next week were exposed to heat from a fire and have asked a federal judge to stop his execution. They allege in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that extreme heat and smoke from the August fire at a prison unit made them unsafe. The Texas attorney general’s office denies the claim. It says testing done after the fire shows the drugs “remain potent and sterile.” Jedidiah Murphy is scheduled to be executed Tuesday. He was condemned for a fatal October 2000 shooting during a carjacking.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State election officials and privacy advocates are raising alarms about a push by several conservative groups to gain access to state voter rolls. One goal is to create free, public online databases of registered voters so other groups and individuals can take it upon themselves to try to identify instances of potential fraud. Election officials say the lists could find their way into the hands of malicious actors. They also say voters could be disenfranchised, either through intimidation or canceled registrations. Some of the groups pushing for access have ties to allies of former President Donald Trump. They say access to the data is essential to make sure officials maintain accurate voter rolls.

A United Nations report says that storms, fires and other extreme weather events led to more than 43 million displacements involving children between 2016 and 2021. The UNICEF report says that in some areas, like the Horn of Africa, the equivalent of nearly half of all children were uprooted during over that period. The report says the threat will worsen as climate change intensifies. In Africa and Asia, the biggest factors forcing families from their homes were floods and storms. In wealthier nations like the U.S. and Canada, wildfires were a major problem. The report says slower disasters like droughts can be hard to track and their impacts are likely underreported.

GENEVA (AP) — A unique 2030 World Cup is set to be played in Europe and Africa with the surprising addition of South America. The deal will allow FIFA to open the men’s soccer tournament with a 100th birthday party in Uruguay. FIFA reached an agreement between soccer’s continental leaders to accept a bid spearheaded by Spain and Portugal, which had already grown to include Morocco as co-host earlier this year. The agreement also includes South American countries Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, who will host a game each. The deal still needs formal approval at a meeting of FIFA's member federations. FIFA also opened bidding for the 2034 World Cup, with only member federations from Asia and Oceania eligible. Saudi Arabia immediately entered that contest.

—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. 5 at 5:35 a.m. CT:

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Imprisoned activist Narges Mohammadi has won the Nobel Peace Prize. She has campaigned for women’s rights, democracy and against the death penalty in Iran for years. The 51-year-old has done her work despite facing numerous arrests and spending years behind bars for her activism. The chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the prize Friday in Oslo. She said it was a recognition of the work of a whole movement in Iran. Authorities arrested Mohammadi after she attended a memorial for a victim of violent 2019 protests. She is the 19th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the second Iranian woman.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is officially backing Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the pugnacious House Judiciary Committee chairman and longtime Trump defender, to succeed Kevin McCarthy as House speaker. “Congressman Jim Jordan has been a STAR long before making his very successful journey to Washington, D.C., representing Ohio’s 4th Congressional District,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site shortly after midnight Friday. “He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!” The announcement came hours after Texas Rep. Troy Nehls said Thursday night that Trump had decided to endorse Jordan for the role.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump have asked a judge to dismiss the Washington federal election subversion case against him. The lawyers argued Thursday the Republican is immune from prosecution for actions they say were taken in his official role as president. The motion amounts to the most pointed attack on the federal case charging Trump with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The Trump lawyers' motion says prosecutors can't argue that "Trump’s efforts to ensure election integrity, and to advocate for the same, were outside the scope of his duties.” Prosecutors are expected to contest the motion.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Biden administration is going to resume deporting migrants to Venezuela. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, speaking in Mexico City Thursday, cited the new measure as one of the “strict consequences” the Biden administration is pairing with the expansion of legal pathways for asylum seekers. The process is expected to begin shortly, two U.S. officials tell The Associated Press, though they did not provide specific details on when the flights would begin taking off. The resumption of deportation comes not long after the administration increased protected status for Venezuelans who arrive to the U.S., so if someone arrived to the U.S. before July 31 of this year, but not after, they’d be eligible for protections.

NEW YORK (AP) — The father of a toddler who authorities say died of fentanyl poisoning at a New York City day care center said he had hoped to have a photo of his son’s kindergarten graduation in four years. Otoniel Feliz cried as he held up a photo of his son Nicholas Dominici, who died after he and three other young children were sickened at their Bronx day care center. District Attorney Darcel Clark says Grei Mendez, Felix Herrera Garcia and Carlisto Brito were arraigned on charges including murder on Thursday. An attorney for Mendez says she is not guilty. Messages seeking comment were left with attorneys for the other two defendants.

GRANADA, Spain (AP) — European Union leaders have pledged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy their unwavering support. On Friday, they will face one of their worst political headaches on a key commitment — how and when to welcome debt-laden and war-battered Ukraine into the bloc. The 27-nation EU has said since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022 that at the end of the war it will work steadfastly on “lasting unity” that will eventually translate into Ukraine's membership in the wealthy bloc. For a nation fighting for its very survival, that moment cannot come quickly enough. For the bloc itself, that remains to be seen.

BEIJING (AP) — A typhoon is heading toward southern China and Hong Kong after bringing record-breaking winds and leaving one dead in Taiwan. Typhoon Koinu is weakening Friday as it heads west across the South China Sea toward China’s Guangdong province. The China Meteorological Administration forecasts it will turn to the southwest in waters off the coast by Sunday. Ferry service was suspended in parts of Guangdong province, and the city of Guangzhou canceled some flights and trains. One person was killed by flying glass Thursday in the Taiwanese city of Taichung, and more than 300 others were injured around the island.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A first-of-its-kind assessment says whales, dolphins and seals living in U.S. waters face major threats from the warming ocean temperatures, rising sea levels and decreasing sea ice associated with climate change. Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration examined more than 100 stocks of American whale and dolphin species and found more than 70% are vulnerable to threats such as loss of habitat and food due to impacts of warming waters. The impacts also include loss of dissolved oxygen and changes to ocean chemistry. Advocates for marine mammals say the study is evidence that management of the animals must adapt to save them.

An all-time NFL great dies, his former team snaps a double-digit losing streak, an ex-Big Ten football coach files a nine-figure lawsuit against his former school, the NCAA rules a college football star eligible, an MLB team’s general manager steps down amid an investigation and an NBA star commits to play for the U.S. at the Olympics. Correspondent Gethin Coolbaugh has the latest in sports.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. CT:

NEW YORK (AP) — A man who wounded 10 people in a rush-hour subway shooting in New York City last year has been sentenced to life in prison. Frank James was sentenced on Thursday. He pleaded guilty to terrorism charges earlier this year for the April 2022 mass shooting. His attorneys requested a reduced sentence of 18 years, pointing to the lack of fatalities as evidence James didn’t intend to kill anyone. Federal prosecutors say James spent years carefully planning the subway shooting in order to “inflict maximum damage at the height of rush hour.” They said the fact that no one was killed was “miraculous.” Before the shooting, James posted dozens of videos online under the moniker “Prophet of Doom.”

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s health minister says a drone attack that hit a packed military graduation ceremony in the central city of Homs has killed 80 and wounded 240. Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabash says civilians, including children, and military personnel are among those killed Thursday. He says there are concerns the death toll could rise further as many of the wounded were in serious condition. In an earlier statement, Syria’s military said drones laden with explosives targeted the ceremony crowded with young officers and their families as it came to an end. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The war-torn country’ is now in its 13th year of conflict.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says the U.S. military shot down an armed Turkish drone that came within 500 meters of American troops in northeastern Syria. It was a rare use of force by one NATO member against another. Air Force Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, called it a “regrettable incident” and said U.S. troops were forced to go to bunkers for safety as Turkey bombed targets nearby. He says U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Turkish counterpart about the incident Thursday and underscored the importance of close coordination between their two countries to prevent risks to U.S. forces or to the mission to defeat Islamic State militants in the region.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The former University of Southern California gynecologist charged with sexually assaulting numerous students has died. Attorney Leonard Levine said Thursday that George Tyndall was found dead in his home Wednesday. Tyndall was in his mid-70s and was awaiting trial on 35 criminal counts of sexual misconduct between 2009 and 2016 at the university’s student health center. He had pleaded not guilty and was free on bond. While the coroner’s office will do an autopsy, Levine said there is “no evidence of foul play or suicide.” The university agreed in 2021 to an $852 million settlement with more than 700 women who made accusations against Tyndall.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is in talks to make a trip to Capitol Hill next week. A potential visit would come as Republicans work to decide who should be the next speaker of the House following Kevin McCarthy’s ouster. Three people familiar with the talks disclosed them to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Thursday ahead of a formal announcement. Some on the far right have floated the idea of Trump as a speaker candidate, perhaps on an interim basis. Trump has said he is focused “totally” on his campaign to return to the White House, but says, “If I can help them during the process, I would do it."

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Nobel Prize in literature has been awarded to Norwegian author Jon Fosse. The permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy announced the prize Thursday in Stockholm. The academy says the prize is for Fosse's “innovative plays and prose, which give voice to the unsayable.” Fosse is a master of spare Nordic writing in a sprawling body of work ranging from plays to novels and children’s books. One of his country’s most-performed dramatists, Fosse said he had “cautiously prepared” himself for a decade to receive the call. He is the author of 40 plays as well as novels, short stories, children’s books, poetry and essays.

BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Police say a man has been accused of stalking a woman in New York via his small airplane, flying out of an airport in nearby Vermont. Sixty-five-year-old Michael Arnold appeared in court Wednesday in Bennington, Vermont. He was arrested Tuesday as he was driving into the William H. Morse State Airport in town. Police say his single-engine Cessna 180 was at the airport and he had been flying from there. Arnold, of Manchester, New Hampshire, had been served with a temporary order of protection from a court in Saratoga, New York, in May. It said he had to “cease and desist from flying any and all aircraft."

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump's lawyers have asked a judge to postpone his Florida classified documents trial until after next year’s presidential election. The lawyers say they haven't received all the records they need to prepare Trump's defense. The trial on charges of illegally hoarding classified documents at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is among four criminal cases the Republican ex-president faces. The trial is scheduled for May 20, 2024. The defense lawyers argued in a motion late Wednesday a postponement is necessary because of scheduling conflicts and because of what they say are delays in obtaining and reviewing the classified records cited in the indictment. Prosecutors deny delaying the production of evidence in the case.

WASHINGTON (AP) — AT&T and Gallaudet University have developed a football helmet for quarterbacks who are deaf or hard of hearing. The innovation allows a coach to call a play on a tablet from the sideline that then shows up visually on a small display screen inside the quarterback's helmet. Gallaudet, which competes in Division III, was cleared by the NCAA to use the helmet in its game on Saturday at home against Hilbert.

CHICAGO (AP) — Former Northwestern University football coach Pat Fitzgerald is suing the school for $130 million, saying his alma mater wrongfully fired him in the wake of a hazing and abuse scandal that has engulfed the athletic department. The announcement by Chicago-based attorneys Dan K. Webb and Matthew R. Carter on Thursday comes nearly three months after Fitzgerald was suspended and then fired after 17 years. Webb said that Fitzgerald would also be seeking additional money for “infliction of emotional distress,” future lost income and punitive damages. He said the suit in Cook County Circuit Court is against the university and its President Michael Schill.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Sunday, Habitat for Humanity's 2023 annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Week Project kicked off on the President's 99th birthday. Country legends Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood hosted. They tell the Associated Press they've built alongside the Carters at many recent work projects with the exception of this one. Jimmy Carter has been in hospice care since February 2023. They say they're keeping one of the former president's traditions going — giving jobs quickly to anyone who looks like they're standing idle. Brooks adds that the construction site offers unexpected musical inspiration. He jokes that one can "pick up some good old hammer tracks here.”

—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.