Hot Off The Wire

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April May 6 at 7:15 a.m. CT: JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli army has ordered some 100,000 Palestinians to begin evacuating from the southern city of Rafah in Gaza. That signals that a long-promised ground invasion there could be imminent and would further complicate efforts to broker a cease-fire. The looming operation in Rafah has raised global alarm and Israeli’s closest allies have warned against it. Weekend commencement ceremonies largely went off without many disruptions, although one death was reported at Ohio State after a spectator fell from the stands. HOUSTON (AP) — Floodwaters have closed some Texas schools after days of heavy rains pummeled the Houston area and left hundreds of people in need of rescue. Authorities say a 5-year-old boy died after riding in a car that was swept away in fast waters. NEW YORK (AP) — Witness testimony in Donald Trump’s hush money trial is set to resume. That will set the stage for an even deeper dive into the events and people involved in what prosecutors have said was a scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by buying and burying negative stories about the candidate. Russia's Defense Ministry says it plans to hold drills simulating the use of tactical nuclear weapons. The announcement Monday came days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine. WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — It's six months before Election Day, and Joe Biden and Donald Trump are locked in a presidential rematch. The race is highly in flux as many voters are only just beginning to embrace the reality of the 2024 contest. In other news: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April May 4 at 6 a.m. CT: Each Saturday Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted May 3 at 6:45 a.m. CT: BEIRUT (AP) — Hamas says it's sending a delegation to Egypt as soon as possible to continue talks in the latest sign of progress in the fragile cease-fire process. The group’s supreme leader Ismail Haniyeh said Thursday he had spoken to Egypt’s intelligence chief and Hamas negotiators would travel to Cairo "to complete the ongoing discussions with the aim of working forward for an agreement.” LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police have arrested nearly 2,200 people during pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks, sometimes using riot gear, tactical vehicles and flash-bang devices to clear tent encampments and occupied buildings. Torrential rain is causing flooding in the Houston area. Officials on Thursday ordered some residents along a river to leave and are telling others they may wind up stranded. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont says the major traffic artery linking New England with New York will be closed for days around the area where a tanker fire damaged a bridge over Interstate 95. NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump will return to court as his hush money trial enters its 11th day. Friday will cap a frenzied second week of witness testimony. Lawyer Keith Davidson concluded his testimony Thursday after more than six hours on the stand over two days. WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS says it's taken steps to address a wide disparity in audit rates between Black taxpayers and others filers. And the agency is more closely examining the returns of larger numbers of wealthy people and major companies. In other news: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted May 2 at 7:15 a.m. CT: LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police have removed barricades and begun dismantling a pro-Palestinian demonstrators’ encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles. Thursday morning’s law enforcement action comes after officers spent hours threatening arrests over loud speakers if people did not disperse. PHOENIX (AP) — Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is following through on promises to undo a long-dormant law that bans all abortions except those done to save a patient’s life. A signing ceremony was scheduled for Thursday on a bill to repeal the state's near-total abortion ban. NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump faces the prospect of additional sanctions in his hush money trial as he returns to court for another contempt hearing followed by testimony from a lawyer who represented two women who have said they had sexual encounters with the former president. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A senior Ukrainian military official says the situation on the front line in eastern Ukraine is worsening but local defenders are so far holding firm against a concerted push by Russia’s bigger and better-equipped forces. NEW YORK (AP) — Duane Eddy, a pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as “Rebel Rouser,” “Forty Miles of Bad Road" and “Cannonball” helped put the twang in early rock ‘n’ roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless other musicians, has died at age 86. ROME (AP) — A European court has upheld Italy’s right to seize a prized Greek statue from the J. Paul Getty Museum in California. The European Court of Human Rights rejecting the museum’s appeal on Thursday and ruled that Italy was right to try to reclaim an important part of its cultural heritage. The court determined that Italy’s years-long efforts to recover the “Victorious Youth” statue were not disproportionate. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted May 1 at 7 a.m. CT: Dueling groups of protesters have clashed at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over and broke up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school. JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with Israeli leaders in his push for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas to impress on them that “the time is now" for an agreement that would free hostages and bring a pause in the nearly seven months of war. BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy has gone into effect, and some doctors are concerned that women in the state will no longer have access to needed health care. A subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson is now proposing paying approximately $6.48 billion over 25 years as part of a settlement in the U.S. to cover allegations that its baby powder containing talc caused ovarian cancer. WESTMORELAND, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say one person died when a tornado ripped through the small northeastern Kansas city of Westmoreland and destroyed houses, RVs and outbuildings. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is challenging patents on 20 brand-name drugs, including the blockbuster weight-loss injection Ozempic. Tuesday's announcement is part of a wider effort by the Biden administration targeting pharmaceutical industry practices that contribute to high prices. In other news: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 30 at 7 a.m. CT: NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University in New York has limited campus access to students and essential employees after dozens of protesters took over a building. They barricaded the entrances and unfurled a Palestinian flag out of a window in the latest escalation of demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war. Israel and Hamas are negotiating a cease-fire agreement meant to free hostages and bring some relief to the Palestinians in the besieged enclave. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Four officers trying to serve a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and four other officers were wounded in a shootout in North Carolina. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said the officers killed the suspect outside the Charlotte home Monday after he fired on them. NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s hush money trial will resume with testimony from the third prosecution witness, Gary Farro, a banker who helped Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen open accounts. LONDON (AP) — King Charles III is returning to public duties with a visit to a cancer treatment charity, beginning his carefully managed comeback after the monarch’s own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months. SHANGHAI (AP) — The first scientist to publish a sequence of the COVID-19 virus in China staged a sit-in protest outside his lab after authorities locked him out of the facility. It's a sign of the Beijing’s continuing pressure on scientists conducting research on the coronavirus. Zhang Yongzhen wrote in an online post Monday that he and his team had been suddenly notified they were being evicted from their lab. LONDON (AP) — London police say a man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and two police officers on Tuesday in the east London community of Hainault before being arrested. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 29 at 7:30 a.m. CT: SULPHUR, Okla. (AP) — Small towns in Oklahoma are beginning a long cleanup after tornadoes flattened home and buildings and killed at least four people, including an infant. The damage Monday was extensive in the community of Sulphur, where a weekend tornado crumpled many downtown buildings and sheared the roofs off houses across a 15-block radius. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said hospitals across the state reported about 100 injuries, including people apparently cut or struck by debris. White House officials said President Joe Biden spoke to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Sunday and offered the full support of the federal government. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Protests are roiling college campuses across the U.S. as upcoming graduation ceremonies are threatened by disruptive demonstrators, with students and others sparring over the war in Gaza and its mounting death toll. About 275 people were arrested on Saturday at campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St. Louis, pushing the number of arrests nationwide to nearly 900 since April 18. Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah have killed at least 22 people, including six women and five children. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday begins his seventh diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Police in Kenya say at least 40 people have died after a dam collapsed in the country’s west. The floodwaters swept through houses and cut off a major road. HOUSTON (AP) — The Rolling Stones are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. They kicked off their latest tour Sunday night at Houston’s NRG Stadium. The sexy tennis drama “Challengers” won the box office this weekend with $15 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The film was considered a test for Zendaya's star power on her own outside of supporting roles in big brands like “Spider-Man” and “Dune.” SAN DIEGO (AP) — A pair of giant pandas will soon make the journey from China to the U.S., where they will be cared for at the San Diego Zoo. It's all part of an ongoing conservation partnership between the two nations. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 27 at 6 a.m. CT: Each Saturday Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 26 at 6:30 a.m. CT: U.S. poultry producers will have to reduce salmonella bacteria in certain chicken products to very low levels to prevent food poisoning. That's according to a new rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The rule says salmonella is a contaminant in frozen breaded and stuffed raw chicken products — like frozen chicken cordon bleu or chicken Kiev that appears to be fully cooked but isn't. Those products have been linked to more than 200 illnesses since 1998. The rule is a first step to curb salmonella poisoning, which causes more than 1.3 million infections each year. The University of Southern California has canceled its main graduation ceremony and dozens more students were arrested on other campuses as protests against the Israel-Hamas war continued to spread. USC announced the cancellation of its May 10 ceremony Thursday. College officials across the U.S. are worried the protests could disrupt commencement ceremonies next month. NEW YORK (AP) — Defense lawyers in Donald Trump’s hush money trial are poised to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election. David Pecker returns to the witness stand Friday for the fourth day as defense attorneys try to poke holes in his testimony, which has described helping bury embarrassing stories Trump feared could hurt his campaign. BEIJING (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials in Beijing. He warned of the dangers of misunderstandings and miscalculations as the United States and China butted heads over a number of contentious bilateral, regional and global issues. NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. births fell last year. It was the lowest count in more than 40 years. A little under 3.6 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2023, about 76,000 fewer than the year before. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the provisional statistics on Thursday. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 25 at 7:15 a.m. CT: AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — With graduations looming, student protesters continue to double down on their discontent of the Israel-Hamas war on campuses across the country as universities, including ones in California and Texas, have become quick to call in the police to end the demonstrations and make arrests. Police peacefully arrested pro-Palestinian student protesters at the University of Southern California Wednesday evening without incident. The arrests came hours after police at a Texas university aggressively detained 34 demonstrators. It was the latest clash between law enforcement and those protesting the Israel-Hamas war on campuses nationwide. ISTANBUL (AP) — A top Hamas political official has told The Associated Press the Islamic militant group is willing to agree to a five-year truce with Israel and that it will lay down its weapons and convert into a political party if an independent Palestinian state is established along pre-1967 borders. Khalil al-Hayya made the comments Wednesday amid a stalemate in months of cease-fire talks. But it's unlikely Israel would consider such a scenario. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is taking up former President Donald Trump's bid to avoid prosecution over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. Trump and his legal team are putting to the test the foundational belief that no one is above the law, not even the president. The Supreme Court hears the case Thursday. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A technical problem caused aviation authorities in Norway to temporarily close the airspace over the south of the country, leading to significant delays at Oslo airport. The state-owned airport operator said the airspace was gradually reopened after more than three hours, but delays would continue throughout the day. NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. births fell last year. It was the lowest count in more than 40 years. A little under 3.6 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2023, about 76,000 fewer than the year before. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the provisional statistics on Thursday. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 24 at 7:15 a.m. CT: WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has passed $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars. The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday after the House had approved the package Saturday. Biden is expected to quickly sign the legislation and start the process of sending the money to Ukraine. The legislation would also send $26 billion in wartime assistance to Israel and humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza, and $8 billion to counter Chinese threats in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific. Also passed Tuesday was legislation that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that’s expected to face legal challenges and disrupt the lives of content creators who rely on the short-form video app for income. NEW YORK (AP) — What began last week when students at a New York Ivy League school refused to end their protest against Israel’s war with Hamas has turned into a much larger movement. Students across the nation set up encampments, occupied buildings and ignored demands to leave Tuesday. Protests against Israel’s war with Hamas had been bubbling for months. They kicked into a higher gear after more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia University’s upper Manhattan campus were arrested last week. Dozens more protesters have been arrested at other campuses since. Many now face charges of trespassing or disorderly conduct. TOKYO (AP) — Japan's public broadcaster says smoke was seen coming from an All Nippon Airways plane as it landed safely at Shin Chitose airport in northern Japan. NHK television says the ANA flight was carrying about 200 people, and no injuries were reported when it landed Wednesday. It says the smoke, coming from the wing area, subsided when the engines stopped. Tesla’s first-quarter net income plummeted 55%, but its stock price surged in after-hours trading Tuesday as the company said it would accelerate production of new, more affordable vehicles. The company said it made $1.13 billion from January through March compared with $2.51 billion in the same period a year ago. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 23 at 7:30 a.m. CT: NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University’s main campus will switch to hybrid learning for the rest of the semester amid protests over Israel’s war with Hamas that have roiled colleges across the U.S. University officials announced the move late Monday after more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia’s New York City campus were arrested last week. Students have protested against Israel’s war in Gaza at many campuses. That includes New York University a few miles south of Columbia. An encampment there swelled to hundreds of protesters, and police began to make arrests Monday night. A police spokesperson said he did not know how many NYU protesters had been arrested. NEW YORK (AP) — The National Enquirer's former publisher is expected to return to the stand in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial as testimony continues in the first-ever criminal trial against a former U.S. president. David Pecker was the first and only witness Monday following opening statements. Prosecutors say Pecker worked with Trump and Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, on a “catch-and-kill” strategy to buy up and then spike negative stories during the 2016 campaign. Testimony resumes Tuesday. It's the first of Trump's four indictments to go to trial and the first criminal trial against a former U.S. president. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is returning to Washington to vote on $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Lawmakers on Tuesday are taking the final steps in Congress to send the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk after months of delays and contentious internal debate over how involved the United States should be abroad. The $61 billion for Ukraine comes as the war-torn country desperately needs new firepower and as Russian President Vladimir Putin has stepped up his attacks. Soldiers have struggled to hold the front lines as Russia has seized the momentum on the battlefield and forced Ukraine to cede significant territory. PARIS (AP) — French police have evicted migrants from a makeshift camp in Paris a few steps away from the Seine River. It's the latest operation in what aid groups call a campaign of “social cleansing” ahead of the Summer Olympics. Around 30 teenage boys and young men from West Africa were awakened by police officers and urged to pack their tents and belongings. The operation came days after police carried out a large-scale eviction at France’s biggest squatter camp. Such evictions happen every spring. But aid groups say these efforts are intensifying ahead of the Olympics. Paris police say the operation was carried out for security reasons. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health and weather officials are unveiling a new color-coded system to warn Americans about heat danger, and it will set magenta as the most dangerous level. The National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used Earth Day on Monday to explain the new online heat risk system. It combines meteorological and medical risk factors with a seven-day forecast that’s simplified and color-coded for a warming world of worsening heat waves. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 22 at 8 a.m. CT: NEW YORK (AP) — Opening statements in Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial are set to begin. The statements expected Monday will set the stage for weeks of testimony about the former president’s personal life and placing his legal troubles at the center of his closely contested campaign against President Joe Biden. Trump is accused of falsifying internal business records as part of an alleged scheme to bury stories he thought might hurt his presidential campaign in 2016. GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. labor organization is warning that over 70% of the world’s workforce is likely to be exposed to excessive heat during their careers, citing increased concern about exposure to sunlight. It also warned of air pollution, pesticides and other hazards that could lead to health problems including cancer. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The head of Israel’s military intelligence directorate has resigned over Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, the head of Israel’s military intelligence, becomes the first senior Israeli figure to step down over the failures surrounding Hamas’ attack. The federal government is for the first time requiring nursing homes to have minimum staffing levels after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed grim realities in poorly staffed facilities for older Americans. Vice President Kamala Harris announced the final rules Monday before a trip to Wisconsin, where she'll speak with nursing home care workers and hold a campaign event related to abortion rights. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will consider whether banning homeless people from sleeping outside when shelter space is lacking amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Monday's case is considered the most significant on homelessness to come before the high court in decades. Pope Francis has renewed calls for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine. NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Two top climate monitoring organizations are reporting that Europe is the fastest-warming continent and its temperatures are rising at roughly twice the global average. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 20 at 6 a.m. CT: Each Saturday Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 19 at 7:30 a.m. CT: CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago is one of several big American cities grappling with a surge of migrants. With help from state and federal funds, the city has spent more than $300 million to provide housing, health care and more to over 38,000 mostly South American migrants. The speed with which these funds were marshaled has stirred widespread resentment among Black Chicagoans. But community leaders are trying to ease racial tensions and channel the public’s frustrations into agitating for the greater good. The outcry is having wider implications in an election year: The Biden administration is advocating a more restrictive approach to immigration in its negotiations with Republicans in Congress. NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians are voting in a six-week election that’s a referendum on Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The first round of voting is being held across 21 states. Modi is seeking a rare third term in office. He is up against a broad opposition alliance that hasn’t named their candidate for prime minister if they win. India’s voters will elect 543 members for the lower house of Parliament during the staggered elections running until June 1. The votes will be counted on June 4. NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of 12 people has been seated in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York. Alternates are now being selected. The rapid progress Thursday afternoon propels the case closer to opening statements and weeks of testimony in a case charging the Republican with falsifying business records to suppress stories about his sex life in the final days of the 2016 election. The jury includes a sales professional, a software engineer, an English teacher and multiple lawyers. The case centers on $130,000 Trump’s lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels. Trump faces 34 felony counts. He denies any wrongdoing. UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States has vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine. The resolution that faced a vote Thursday would have raised the Palestinians' status from a non-member observer state to full membership. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the Security Council that the U.S. veto “does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties.” This is the second Palestinian attempt for full membership and it comes as the war in Gaza has put the more than 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict at center stage. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site near the central city of Isfahan. The assault Friday comes in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country. Speaking at the G7 meeting in Capri, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the U.S. received “last-minute” information from Israel about the attack on Isfahan. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not dispute that immediately after Tajani’s remarks, but said: “We were not involved in any offensive operations.” The apparent attack came on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 85th birthday, with Israeli politicians also making comments hinting that the country had launched an attack. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 18 at 7 a.m. CT: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will decide whether and how to respond to Iran’s major air assault earlier this week, brushing off calls for restraint. Israel has vowed to respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of fighting in Gaza. Israel’s allies have been urging Israel to hold back on any response that could spiral. The pressure came as Iran’s president warned that even the “tiniest” invasion would bring a “massive and harsh” response. WASHINGTON — Jury selection in the hush money trial of Donald Trump enters a pivotal and potentially final stretch as lawyers look to round out the panel of New Yorkers that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former president. Seven jurors have been picked so far. Eleven more people must still be sworn in, with the judge saying he anticipated opening statements in the landmark case to be given as early as next week. NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s legal team says it tried serving a subpoena on Stormy Daniels as she arrived for a screening of her documentary at a gay bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor and hush money trial figure refused to take it and walked away. Newly filed court documents show a process server working for the former president’s lawyers approached Daniels with papers demanding information but was forced to “leave them at her feet." WASHINGTON — The Senate has dismissed all impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ending the House Republican push to remove the Cabinet secretary from office over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border and ending his trial before arguments even began. Senate Democrats argued that the articles were unconstitutional. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 17 at 7 a.m. CT: WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats could end the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas before arguments even begin. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected on Wednesday to call votes to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas after senators are sworn in as jurors midday, a move that could scuttle the trial and frustrate Republicans who have demanded that House prosecutors be able to make their case. Democrats appear to be united in opposition to moving forward. The House narrowly voted in February to impeach Mayorkas for his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, arguing in the two articles that he refused to enforce immigration laws. HONOLULU (AP) — An after-action report released Tuesday says that despite devoting nearly all the personnel and vehicles it had to the wildfire effort on the island of Maui last August, the firefighters were outmatched by the unprecedented blazes that left 101 people dead in Lahaina. The report makes more than 100 recommendations including adding more equipment. The Hawaii Attorney General is expected to release another report Wednesday. LOS ANGELES (AP) — The University of Southern California has canceled a commencement speech by its 2024 valedictorian, a Muslim student who has expressed support for Palestinians. The university is citing substantial security risks for the event, which draws 65,000 people to campus. The decision was announced in a statement Monday by Andrew T. Guzman, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Guzman cited the “alarming tenor” of reaction to the school's choice of valedictorian. WASHINGTON (AP) — A voting technology company targeted by bogus fraud claims related to the 2020 presidential election has settled a defamation lawsuit against a conservative news outlet. The settlement reached Tuesday between Florida-based Smartmatic and One America News Network is the latest development in a larger legal pushback by voting equipment companies that became ensnared in wild conspiracy theories falsely claiming they had flipped votes and cost former President Donald Trump reelection. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 16 at 7:45 a.m. CT: NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is set to return to a New York courtroom as a judge works to find a panel of jurors who'll decide whether the former president is guilty of criminal charges alleging he falsified business records to cover up a sex scandal during the 2016 campaign. The first day of Trump’s history-making trial in Manhattan ended with no one yet chosen to be on the panel of 12 jurors and six alternates. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A fire has swept through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings, causing the collapse of the iconic spire from the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange. Passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. The Danish culture minister said it was “touching” to see how many people helped. The fire began in the copper roof of the Old Stock Exchange. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing Idaho to enforce its ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth while lawsuits over the law proceed, reversing lower courts. The justices’ order Monday allows the state to put in place a 2023 law that subjects physicians to up to 10 years in prison if they provide hormones, puberty blockers or other gender-affirming care to people under age 18. WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing for a vote on aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan this week. He has unveiled a plan to contort the package to squeeze it through the House’s political divides on foreign policy. NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — NASA says it determined that an object that crashed through the roof of a Florida home last month was a chunk of space junk from equipment discarded at the International Space Station. The debris struck a home in Naples on March 8. NASA recovered the object from the homeowner and took it to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral for analysis. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 15 at 7 a.m. CT: Today is the deadline to file your 2023 income tax return. We offer tips for those that have waited until the last minute to file. BEIRUT (AP) — Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel marks a change in approach for Tehran, which had relied on proxies across the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October. All eyes are now on whether Israel chooses to take further military action against Iran, while Washington seeks diplomatic measures instead to ease regional tensions. NEW YORK (AP) — The hush money trial of former President Donald Trump begins Monday with jury selection. It's a singular moment for American history as the first criminal trial of a former U.S. commander in chief. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian police are examining why a lone assailant who stabbed six people to death in a busy Sydney shopping mall and injured more than a dozen others targeted women while avoiding men. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 12 at 6:30 a.m. CT: WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that more than half of U.S. adults think Joe Biden’s presidency has hurt the country on cost of living and immigration. Meanwhile, nearly half think Donald Trump’s presidency hurt the country on voting rights and election security, relations with foreign countries, abortion laws and climate change. The poll numbers also show Americans generally think that in the White House, both did more harm than good. Meanwhile, when asked which president did more to help people like them, roughly one-third say Donald Trump and about one-quarter say Joe Biden. Yet roughly 30% of adults said neither Biden nor Trump benefitted them. BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has announced an investigation into suspected Russian interference in Europe-wide elections in June. He says that his country’s intelligence service has confirmed the existence of a network in several European countries trying to undermine support for Ukraine. He said Friday that Moscow wants to help “elect more pro-Russian candidates to the European Parliament and to reinforce a certain pro-Russian narrative.” LAS VEGAS (AP) — O.J. Simpson has died. The decorated football star who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but wound up in prison years later in an unrelated case died Wednesday. He was 76. His family made an announcement Thursday in a statement on Simpson's X account. Simpson said last year that he was battling prostate cancer. Simpson’s gridiron legacy was forever overshadowed by the 1994 knife slayings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. A criminal court jury found him not guilty of murder, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable. Simpson's nine-year prison stint in Nevada was for the armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers. NEW YORK (AP) — A dozen Manhattan residents are soon to become the first Americans ever to sit in judgment of a former president charged with a crime. Jury selection is set to start Monday in former President Donald Trump’s hush-money trial. WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans will again try to advance a bill reauthorizing a crucial national security surveillance program. The second attempt Friday comes just days after a conservative revolt prevented similar legislation from reaching the floor. Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to bring forward a Plan B that would reform and extend a section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act known as Section 702 for a shortened period of two years, instead of the full five-year reauthorization first proposed. In other headlines: —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate. Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.