On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 15 at 6:44 a.m. CT): White supremacist Payton Gendron is set to be sentenced to life in prison for killing 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket. A fraternity chapter president, a science student and a student who wanted to become a pediatrician are among victims of a shooting at Michigan State University. A U-Haul driver who police say killed one person and injured eight more when he careened onto sidewalks Monday in New York City is saying he “had enough” after seeing an “invisible object” coming toward the truck. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California is not seeking reelection in 2024. Russian forces are claiming some battlefield success, as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine labors to gain momentum almost a year after it began. The United Nations chief has launched a $397 million appeal to help nearly 5 million survivors of last week’s devastating earthquake in rebel-held northwest Syria who have received very little assistance. The waters off New England logged the second-warmest year in their recorded history last year. The White House says the three unidentified aerial objects shot down in the past week were likely benign, drawing a distinction between them and a massive Chinese balloon that earlier traversed the U.S. with a suspected goal of surveillance. In sports, the Bucks took down Boston, Chris Paul came up big for the Suns, the Hurricanes dropped Washington following Alexander Ovechkin’s departure, the Raiders released Derek Carr and the Cardinals found a new head coach. From the original version Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. CT): Some voters in last year's midterm elections were open to supporting Democrats even if they weren’t fond of President Joe Biden. Roughly 1 in 6 voters for Democratic House candidates said they disapproved of Biden's job performance, but most said Biden wasn't a factor in their midterm decision. The findings from AP VoteCast are a warning sign for both parties at the outset of the 2024 presidential campaign. In the opening stages of the Republicans' 2024 presidential race, the “parents’ rights” movement and lessons for schoolchildren are emerging as flashpoints. The Army is trying to recover from its worst recruiting year in decades, and officials say those recruiting woes are the result of traditional hurdles. Young people don’t want to die or get injured, they don't want to deal with the stress of Army life and they don't want to put their lives on hold. Recent revelations about Republican election strategies targeting minority communities in Wisconsin’s biggest city came as no surprise to many Black voters. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach says the organization is not on the wrong side of history by aiming to help Russians and Belarusians qualify for the 2024 Paris Games. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. CT): NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Ukraine is using up ammunition far faster than its allies can provide it just as Russia ramps up its military offensive. The White House is defending the shootdowns of three unidentified objects in as many days even as it acknowledged that it had no indication they were intended for surveillance in the same manner as the high-altitude Chinese balloon that traversed American airspace earlier this month. In Turkey, rescuers cheered and clapped as a 13-year-old boy was pulled from earthquake rubble. Experts say the window for such rescues has nearly closed. President Joe Biden has fired the embattled Architect of the Capitol, the official who oversees the Capitol complex. The World Health Organization says Equatorial Guinea has confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg disease, saying the Ebola-related virus is responsible for at least nine deaths in the tiny Western African country. Few have navigated the turbulent politics of the Trump era like Nikki Haley. She once vowed not to step in the way if former President Donald Trump ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. But on Wednesday, she will become the first major Republican candidate to enter the race against him. More than four in ten Jews in the United States feel their status in America is less secure than it was a year earlier. That's according to a new survey by the American Jewish Committee. Vegans and vegetarians searching for love and companionship have their own dating app. Federal workplace safety authorities have fined a central Pennsylvania confectionary factory more than $14,500 following an accident last year in which two workers fell into a vat of chocolate. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 13 at 6:45 a.m. CT): Patrick Mahomes was magical when the Kansas City Chiefs desperately needed him to pull off another Super Bowl comeback. Playing on an injured ankle, Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and scrambled 26 yards on the go-ahead drive before Harrison Butker kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8 seconds left to give the Chiefs a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. China says more than 10 U.S. high-altitude balloons have flown in its airspace during the past year without its permission. In response, the United States denied that it operates any surveillance balloons over China. A U.S. fighter jet shot down an “unidentified object” over Lake Huron on Sunday on orders from President Joe Biden. It was the fourth such downing in eight days. A leading rights group urged the U.S. and Libya Monday to clarify the legality of a surprise extradition of a suspect in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Thousands of Israelis are protesting outside the country’s parliament building ahead of a preliminary vote on a bill that would give politicians greater power over appointing judges. Moldova’s President has outlined what she says is Moscow’s plans to overthrow Moldova’s government, and involves the use of external saboteurs that would ultimately “put our country at the disposal of Russia” and throw it off course to one day join the European Union. Ukraine's presidential office says fierce battles are raging outside Bakhmut as Russian forces are pushing their advance on the eastern city with heavy shelling and infantry attacks. New Mexico State has called off the rest of its men’s basketball season after reviewing a police report that cited three players for false imprisonment, harassment and criminal sexual contact against a teammate. In sports, the Chiefs are Super Bowl champions, the top ranked team in men's college basketball loses while the No. 1 women's team continues to roll, it was a light schedule in the NBA and just four NHL contests, and Scottie Scheffler is victorious in Phoenix. David Jude Jolicoeur, known widely as Trugoy the Dove and one of the founding members of the Long Island hip-hop trio De La Soul, has died. He was 54. The third installment in the “Magic Mike” series danced its way to the top of the box office charts this weekend with a James Cameron double header, “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Titanic” (yes that “Titanic”), looming close behind. In other entertainment news, big stars were part of Super Bowl ads, Hugh Hudson, 'Chariots of Fire' director, dead at 86, and Dionne Warwick isn't ready to slow down. —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  It was a week of broken records. First, in music, Beyoncé established a new mark with her 32nd Grammy. And then, in basketball, LeBron James became the all-time leading scorer. In other news: AMC is planning to charge more money for good seats. Composer and songwriter Burt Bacharach as well as "Murphy Brown" actor Charles Kimbrough died. Disney is working on new "Toy Story," "Frozen" and "Zootopia" movies. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. CT): The Pentagon has shot down an unknown object flying in U.S. airspace off the coast of Alaska. That's according to White House officials Friday. President Joe Biden will travel to Poland later this month to rally allies a year after Russia’s assault on Ukraine. Years before a Memphis police officer pulled Tyre Nichols from his car on Jan. 7, he was accused of taking part in the savage beating of an inmate at a county jail. The FBI searched former Vice President Mike Pence’s Indiana home  following the discovery by his lawyers last month of sensitive government documents there. Russia has announced it will cut oil production by 500,000 barrels per day next month after Western countries capped the price of its crude over its action in Ukraine. Police in North Carolina have released body camera footage that shows the arrest of a Black man who died after officers repeatedly used stun guns on him. A Texas lawsuit could threaten the nationwide availability of medication abortion, which now accounts for the majority of abortions in the U.S. China has dismissed a U.S. House of Representatives resolution condemning Beijing over a suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down above U.S. waters as “purely political manipulation and hyping up.” —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 10 at 6:45 a.m. CT): Moldova’s government collapsed Friday as pro-Western Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita resigned, adding to a series of crises that have gripped the small nation since Russia invaded its neighbor, Ukraine. Turkey has for years tempted fate by not enforcing modern construction codes while allowing — and in some cases, encouraging — a real estate boom in earthquake-prone areas, experts say. Former Vice President Mike Pence has been subpoenaed by the special counsel overseeing investigations into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Authorities say a suspect sought in the shooting of two Maryland police officers has been taken into custody after fleeing from the vehicle he had stolen from a detective he shot. President Joe Biden is taking direct aim at Republicans who have floated cuts to Social Security and Medicare. He told an audience in Florida on Thursday that he would create a “nightmare” for anyone who tried them. In sports, Patrick Mahomes won his second MVP Award, five more all-time players are headed to Canton, the Nets began the post-Durant era with a win, and top-ranked Purdue came out on top. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. CT): The Biden administration says the China balloon shot down by the U.S. was equipped to collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial spy program that has targeted more than 40 countries. Congress is hearing about the December meltdown at Southwest Airlines. A Delaware man who threatened a Black police officer with a pole attached to a Confederate battle flag as he stormed the U.S. Capitol has been sentenced to three years in prison. A man repeatedly caught trying to smuggle finches from Guyana into New York for birdsong competitions has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison. Rihanna is putting in the work ahead of her Super Bowl halftime show, focusing on what she promises will be “a jam-packed show.” Popular composer Burt Bacharach has died at 94. Working with lyricist Hal David, Bacharach penned a long run of hit songs. President Joe Biden is taking direct aim at Republicans who have floated cuts to Social Security and Medicare. He told an audience in Florida on Thursday that he would create a “nightmare” for anyone who tried to do so. An estimated 27.3 million people watched President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on television Tuesday night. Disney is working on sequels for its “Toy Story,” “Frozen” and “Zootopia” franchises as the company concentrates more on brands that have continued to perform well. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 9 at 6:58 a.m. CT): Rescuers pulled more survivors from beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings Thursday, but hopes were starting to fade of finding many more people alive more than three days after a catastrophic earthquake and series of aftershocks hit Turkey and Syria, killing more than 17,000. The fire chief in Ohio's small town of East Palestine says Wednesday that evacuated residents can safely return to the area where crews burned toxic chemicals after a train derailed five days ago near the Pennsylvania state line. Severe weather is expected today across the Midwest and up through New England. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the European Parliament on a rare trip outside Ukraine which has been trying to repel a full-scale invasion by Russia for nearly a year. A Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal charges accusing him of killing nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at an El Paso Walmart. NBA teams are looking for the best deals ahead of Thursday's trading deadline, It looks like Kyrie Irving likes his new home in Dallas, the Celtics flex their muscles against the Sixers and last-second heroics make Wednesday a night to savor for Vanderbilt. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden has made Wisconsin his first stop after his State of the Union address, visiting a training center run by a union near Madison, the state capital. Former Twitter executives conceded to Congress that they made a mistake by blocking a story about Hunter Biden, the president’s son, from the social media platform in the run-up to the 2020 election. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the British people for their support since “Day One” of Russia’s invasion — and pressed for fighter jets to ensure his country's victory. Federal authorities say more than 200 shotguns have been found in a dumpster outside an Oklahoma firearms dealer. Stretched rescue teams in Turkey and Syria are searching for signs of life in the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by a catastrophic earthquake. As U.S.-China relations cool amid trade disputes and espionage fears stoked by the Chinese spy balloon shot down off the Atlantic Coast, lawmakers in Congress and at least 11 statehouses are weighing legislation to further limit foreign ownership of farmland. The International Olympic Committee is defending efforts to help Russian and Belarusian athletes qualify for the 2024 Paris Games. High-profile problems involving electronic pollbooks in recent years have opened the door for those peddling election conspiracies. A growing online conspiracy theory is using the tagline “died suddenly” to baselessly claim that COVID-19 vaccines are killing people. —The Associated Press

(Note: Episode updated on Feb. 10 at 7:12 a.m. CT with additional audio.) Welcome to a special Super Bowl LVII episode of Hot off the Wire, where we’ll look toward Sunday’s big game. The AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs finished 14-3 and are in their third Super Bowl in the past four years. The Chiefs beat San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl LIV but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the following season.  The Philadelphia Eagles, also 14-3 in the regular season, are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since Super Bowl LII when they beat the New England Patriots.  The Chiefs are appearing in their fifth Super Bowl and are 2-2 all time. The Chiefs represented the AFL in Super Bowl I and lost to the Green Bay Packers. This is the fourth Super Bowl for the Eagles, who are looking for their second championship.  Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Eastern and the game will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.  The stadium is the home of the Arizona Cardinals and hosted Super Bowl XLII when the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots. The stadium also hosted Super Bowl XLIX when the New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks. Fox will broadcast the game on television. Kevin Burkhardt will handle play-by-play, Greg Olsen is the in-booth analyst, and Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi are sideline reporters. Mike Pereira is the rules analyst. On the radio side, Westwood One will broadcast the game with Kevin Harlan handling play-by-play duties, Kurt Warner serving as analyst, and Laura Okmin and Mike Golic handling sideline reporting duties. Gene Steratore is the rules analyst. Chris Stapleton will perform the national anthem and the halftime show performer is Rihanna.  In the first segment, Ian Wharton of Pro Football Network talks about how Patrick Mahomes went from intriguing prospect to NFL superstar. We’ll follow that up with several more segments that look forward to the game and commercials, plus we have a recap of the AFC and NFC Championship games so you can get caught up on the action that is leading to this final game of the season. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 8 at 6:30 a.m. CT): The death toll in Turkey and Syria rose Wednesday to more than 11,000, making it the deadliest quake worldwide in more than a decade. President Joe Biden has exhorted Republicans in his State of the Union address to work with him to “finish the job” of rebuilding the economy and uniting the nation. In the GOP response to Biden, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders leaned heavily into Republican culture war issues and accused Biden of pursuing what she called “woke fantasies.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Britain in his first trip to the U.K. since the war began nearly a year ago. LeBron James became the NBA’s career scoring leader on a stepback jumper late in the third quarter, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record during his 38-point performance in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The United States has been rebuilding its military might in the Philippines more than 30 years after it closed its bases there. Washington has been reinforcing an arc of military alliances in Asia in a starkly different post-Cold War era in which the perceived new regional threat is an increasingly belligerent China. In sports, King James stands alone in the NBA history books, Kansas State tops TCU, and Marty Walsh is trading a cabinet position for the ice rink. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden will deliver his second State of the Union on Tuesday evening. U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is expected to leave the Biden administration to run the National Hockey League Players’ Association. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that if the U.S. job market further strengthens in the coming months or inflation readings accelerate, the Fed might have to raise its benchmark interest rate higher than it now projects. The House ethics committee is investigating New York Republican Rep. George Santos. Search teams and aid are pouring into Turkey and Syria as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dig through the remains of buildings flattened by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake.  The Navy has released the first photos of Chinese balloon recovery. A blockbuster exhibition at the Netherlands’ national museum of art and history is bringing together 28 works by 17th-century Dutch master Johannes Vermeer. An estimated 1 in 5 American adults will make some sort of bet on the Super Bowl, laying out a whopping $16 billion, or twice as much as last year, according to an industry trade group. A new study finds that as glaciers melt and pour massive amounts of water into nearby lakes, some 15 million people across the globe are living in the danger zone of a sudden and deadly outburst flood. The secrets of a glittering golden Egyptian mummy are being uncovered thanks to CT scans. Navy ships are getting fewer steaming hours because of growing maintenance delays and costs, a troubling trend that comes as at time when the U.S. is struggling to keep pace with China’s growing fleet. —The Associated Press

An 1835 treaty between the Cherokee Nation and United States that led to the death of thousands on the Trail of Tears included a provision that would allow the Cherokee to seat a delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives. Nearly 200 years later, the Cherokee have renewed calls for Congress to honor the treaty and seat its delegate. But what would that mean for the Cherokee Nation as well as other tribes not covered by that treaty? What issues would a delegate focus on as a non-voting member of Congress? Dr. Julie Reed, an Associate Professor in History at Penn State University and a citizen of of the Cherokee Nation, recently wrote an article for The Conversation called:  Cherokee Nation wants to send a delegate to the House – it’s an idea older than Congress itself. That article serves as an entry point for a discussion on the topic between Reed and Terry Lipshetz, senior producer for Lee Enterprises and host of Hot off the Wire.

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 7 at 6:35 a.m. CT): In sports, Super Bowl week kicked off, Kansas won battle of top 10 teams, the Celtics rolled in the NBA, and the Devils blew a lead but won in overtime. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. CT): U.S. officials say that efforts ordered by President Joe Biden to strengthen defenses against Chinese espionage helped identify last week’s spy balloon — and determine that similar flights were conducted at multiple points during the Trump administration. A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake has rocked wide swaths of Turkey and neighboring Syria, killing more than 3,400 people and injuring thousands more. Officials say a Maryland woman conspired with a neo-Nazi leader in Florida to plan an attack on Baltimore’s power grid in an effort to further their racist mission. A Florida teenager faces a possible life sentence after he pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing a 13-year-old classmate 114 times and leaving her body in a wooded area near their homes in 2021. A majority of Democrats now think one term is plenty for President Joe Biden, despite his insistence that he plans to seek reelection in 2024. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. New York City is ending its COVID-19 vaccination mandate for municipal employees including police officers, firefighters and teachers. COVID-19 vaccinations are no longer required for military personnel. But that hasn’t ended litigation over the issue. The hottest ticket in town for advertisers is officially sold out. Fox said Monday that in-game ads for Super Bowl LVII have all been sold. Police say an 82-year-old woman was pronounced dead at a New York nursing home but found to be breathing three hours later at the funeral home where she had been taken. AMC Theaters is the nation’s largest movie theater chain and on Monday, it unveiled a new pricing scheme in which seat location determines how much your movie ticket costs. On this week's AP religion roundup, Pope Francis makes a historic trips to Africa, and psychedelic churches are pushing the boundaries of law and religion. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 6 at 6:45 a.m. CT): A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake has rocked wide swaths of Turkey and Syria. It toppled hundreds of buildings and killed more than 1,300 people. Officials monitoring the smoldering, tangled wreckage of a train derailment in Ohio have warned hundreds of nearby residents who had declined to evacuate to do so immediately, citing concerns about a potential explosion. Harry Styles won album of the year at the Grammy Awards, taking home the top honor on a night that Beyoncé dominated and became the ceremony’s most decorated artist. Beyoncé won her 32nd award Sunday, breaking a 26-year-old record. China has accused the United States of indiscriminate use of force in shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon, saying it seriously damaged both sides’ efforts to stabilize Sino-U.S. relations. Tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance staff are walking off the job in the U.K. in what unions called the biggest strike in the history of the country's public health system. Temperatures in many areas of the Northeast U.S. are climbing into the mid-40s Fahrenheit, a day after the region suffered through temperatures that plummeted into the negative teens. A majority of Democrats now think one term is plenty for President Joe Biden, despite his insistence that he plans to seek reelection in 2024. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Charles Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on “Murphy Brown,” has died. He was 86. After seven weeks as the top film in theaters, “Avatar: The Way of Water” was finally knocked out of the No. 1 spot by the M. Night Shyamalan thriller “Knock at the Cabin” and the octogenarian comedy “80 for Brady.” In sports, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving was traded, the Knicks won at home and the Cavaliers picked up a road victory, women's college basketball's top ranked team passed a big road test, the PGA tour will need an extra day to determine a winner at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and NASCAR paid a visit to Los Angeles. —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  The list of nominees for the next class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was released. Ozzy Osbourne had to cancel his tour. One year after retiring and unretiring, legendary quarterback Tom Brady calls it quits for good this time. Notable deaths this week include actor Cindy Williams and NHL great Bobby Hull. And some changes are coming to daytime television. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some recent headlines in science, health, climate and technology.  Vaccination rates have dropped for school-age children in the U.S. COVID shots could soon be administered annually, much like flu shots. Google’s digital advertising practices are at the center of a justice department case. And we’ll look at water levels in California, temperatures in Greenland and other news about global warming. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. CT): A huge, high-altitude Chinese balloon is sailing across the U.S. The spectacle was drawing severe Pentagon accusations of spying on Friday — while sending excited or alarmed Americans outside with binoculars. A major hospital system in northern Florida says it is diverting some emergency room patients and canceling surgeries after an security problem with information technology. The parents of Amir Locke, who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer when a SWAT team executed a no-knock search warrant one year ago, are suing the city and the officer. For nearly a year, the Federal Reserve has been on a mission to cool down the job market to help curb the nation’s worst inflation bout in four decades. The job market hasn’t been cooperating. Consider what happened in January: The government reported Friday that employers added a sizzling 517,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate dipped to 3.4%, the lowest level since 1969. Nearly 50 businesses and nonprofits including rideshare companies Uber and Lyft and industrial giant 3M are pledging millions of dollars in initiatives to stem a crisis in road fatalities under a new federal effort. A man who was arrested in the grounds of Windsor Castle with a loaded crossbow has pleaded guilty to treason for planning to attack Queen Elizabeth II. The 65th annual Grammy Awards will air Sunday on CBS and Paramount+. Beyonce leads the nominations with nine and there will be tribute to Christine McVie. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 3 at 6:38 a.m. CT): The U.S. was tracking a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon spotted over American airspace, and China said that it would look into those reports. The discovery further strained already tense relations between Beijing and Washington. It will be an icy day in New England as Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas continue to recover from severe ice and cold that has moved out from the region. Pope Francis opens the second and final leg of his African pilgrimage by heading to South Sudan. Three decades after Bill Clinton signed into the law the nation’s family and medical leave legislation, he was back at the White House on Thursday. LeBron James continued to close in on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record, Giannis Antetokounmpo had another big scoring night, the NBA completed its All-Star rosters, and three Top 10 college basketball teams kept winning. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met for more than an hour at the White House, aiming to avert a national debt limit crisis. House Republicans have voted to oust Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. A published report says federal authorities are investigating whether embattled New York Rep. George Santos raised $3,000 for life-saving surgery for a disabled veteran’s dog and then kept the money for himself. Federal prosecutors say a New York man has pleaded guilty to making threatening phone calls to Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. The Philippines says it is allowing U.S. forces to broaden their footprint in that Southeast Asian nation. The most expansive federal report in over two decades on guns and crime shows a shrinking turnaround between the time a gun was purchased and when it was recovered from a crime scene. A whale that washed ashore in Hawaii over the weekend likely died in part because it ate large volumes of fishing traps, fishing nets, plastic bags and other marine debris. President Joe Biden attended the annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday in Washington and delivered a message of unity. People gathered Thursday at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summoned the groundhog from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he has seen his shadow — and they say he did, meaning six more weeks of winter. Australia is removing the British monarchy from its bank notes. The nation’s central bank said Thursday its new $5 bill would feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles III. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 6 at 6:41 a.m. CT): While severe weather is moving out of the South, the Midwest and Northeast is enduring bitter cold and ice. The United States and the Philippines have announced an expansion of America’s military presence in the Southeast Asian country. U.S. forces will be granted access to four more military camps, effectively giving Washington new ground to ramp up deterrence against China. President Joe Biden is facing fresh pressure to make progress on police legislation after the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are meeting with members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday at the White House. A new poll shows that more U.S. adults disapprove than approve of the way President Joe Biden has handled the discovery of classified documents at his home and former office. Yet that seems to have had little impact on Biden's overall approval rating. A lawyer for President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, has asked the Justice Department to investigate close allies of former President Donald Trump and others who accessed and disseminated personal data from a laptop that a computer repair shop owner says was dropped off at his Delaware store in 2019. In sports, the GOAT retires again, the Celtics blast the Nets, Tennessee falls in college hoops and the Bruins and Hurricanes get wins on the eve of the NHL All-Star break. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 1 at 4 p.m. CT): A funeral for Tyre Nichols blended a celebration of his life with outrage over the brutal beating he endured at the hands of the Memphis police and heated calls for police reform. Wall Street rose to its highest level since the summer following the latest hike to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, which said it’s finally seeing improvements in inflation. The FBI has searched President Joe Biden’s Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home as part of its investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents. Tom Brady has announced his retirement. Brady won a record seven Super Bowls for New England and Tampa Bay. House Republicans have begun their promised aggressive oversight of the Biden administration, starting with coronavirus aid programs. On his trip to Congo, Pope Francis has heard firsthand accounts of atrocities some people have endured during years of fighting in the eastern part of the country. Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow and the late George Michael are nominees for 2023 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a list that includes a mix of country, soul, hip-hop, metal, pop, rap-rock and grunge. Hard rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has announced the cancellation of his 2023 tour dates in the U.K. and continental Europe. ‘Dr. Phil’ McGraw says he'll stop making new episodes of his daytime TV show after 21 years this spring. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 1 at 6:18 a.m. CT): Forecasters say bands of sleet already blamed for three deaths are causing dangerous conditions for a third day in several Southern states. The family of Tyre Nichols plans to lay him to rest on Wednesday, three weeks after he died following a brutal beating by Memphis police after a traffic stop. Pope Francis is urging Congo's people to find it in their hearts to forgive those who have harmed them. PayPal Inc. says it will trim about 7% of its total workforce, or about 2,000 full-time workers, as the digital payments company contends with a challenging economic environment. Ukrainian officials say Russia is mustering its military might in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, in what Kyiv suspects is preparation for an offensive in the eastern area in coming weeks as the one-year anniversary of Moscow’s invasion approaches. Prosecutors have linked Alec Baldwin to an expansive list of alleged failures in firearms safety in a filing of a felony involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a New Mexico movie set. Las Vegas police have arrested former actor Nathan Chasing Horse at his home after uncovering what they describe as two decades of sexual assault and human trafficking allegations. Chasing Horse is known for his role in the Oscar-winning Kevin Costner film “Dances With Wolves.” In sports, the Nuggets defeat New Orleans, LeBron James had a big night for the Lakers, Kansas took a top 10 showdown, Carolina and Columbus won in NHL games in OT, and the Texans and Broncos have found their next head coaches. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. CT): Omaha police say they have fatally shot a man who entered a Target store with an AR-15-style rifle and “plenty of ammunition.” The New York Attorney General's office released video of a deposition given by former President Donald Trump in its civil fraud investigation.  The FBI searched President Joe Biden’s former office at the Penn Biden Center in Washington in November. That's according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a law enforcement action. President Joe Biden has showcased a $292 million mega grant that'll be used to help build a rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River. In Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency Tuesday because of the ice storm. Republican Rep. George Santos of New York has told GOP colleagues he is temporarily stepping down from his two congressional committees. The U.S. is imposing sanctions on a group of people and organizations connected to Myanmar’s military regime as the two-year anniversary nears for the coup that removed the country’s civilian government. The Biden administration is faulting Russia for failing to allow on-the-ground nuclear inspections, accusing Moscow of endangering arms control efforts. The U.S. Justice Department has requested documents from Tesla related to its Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” features. The Treasury Department has announced plans to increase its borrowing during the first three months of 2023. Six Western states that rely on water from the Colorado River have agreed on a model to dramatically cut water use in the basin. California is the holdout. A closely watched study by an anti-graft organization has found that most of the world continues to fail to fight corruption, with 95% of countries having made little to no progress since 2017. The outlook for the global economy is growing slightly brighter as China eases its zero-COVID policies and the world shows surprising resilience in the face of high inflation, elevated interest rates and Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. A new study using artificial intelligence finds that the world will likely warm a few more tenths of a degrees within the next 10 to 12 years and breach a key climate change threshold. A comet is streaking back our way after 50,000 years. NASA says the dirty snowball last visited during Neanderthal times. It will come within 26 million miles of Earth on Wednesday before speeding away again. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 31 at 6:15 a.m. CT): The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for parts of north Texas and forecasters said ice could accumulate in Oklahoma, Arkansas and stretch east into the Deep South and Midwest this week. Memphis police say two more officers involved in the arrest, beating and death of Tyre Nichols have been disciplined. Five Memphis officers already had been fired and charged in the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who was Black. Prosecutors are scheduled to file involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin during a rehearsal on the set of a Western movie in 2021. Pakistani officials say a suicide bombing that killed dozens of policemen at a mosque in a government compound in northwest Pakistan reflects serious “security lapses.” Cindy Williams, who played Shirley opposite Penny Marshall’s Laverne on the popular sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died. She was 75. Multiple news reports say Manhattan prosecutors have convened a new grand jury to hear evidence in a probe of payments made to keep two women quiet about alleged affairs with former President Donald Trump. A Chicago prosecutor is dropping sex-abuse charges against singer R. Kelly. The decision follows federal convictions in two different courts that ensure the disgraced R&B star will be locked up for decades. In sports, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a serious injury, Dallas Mavs Luka Doncic hits for 53, Vancouver trades their captain Bo Horvat, and two terrific college basketball games in Texas. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden went to Baltimore to visit an aging rail tunnel that's slated to be replaced with help from bipartisan infrastructure legislation he signed in 2021. The House Oversight Committee is set to hear testimony from former Twitter employees involved in the social media platform’s handling of reporting on President Joe Biden’s son Hunter. A sixth Memphis Police Department officer has been disciplined for his involvement in the brutal beating and arrest of Tyre Nichols. A Detroit-area doctor has been sentenced to nearly 17 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $30 million. The Ukrainian presidential office says Russian shelling has killed at least five people and wounded 13 others over the past 24 hours. Hall of Fame forward Bobby Hull, who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup Final, has died. Hull was 84. Barrett Strong, one of Motown’s founding artists and most gifted songwriters who sang lead on the company’s breakthrough single “Money (That’s What I Want)” and later collaborated on such classics as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and “War,” has died. He was 81. T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach, anchors at the afternoon extension of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” are leaving the network. Their romance was revealed when photos of them holding hands and spending time together surfaced in November. The U.S. population center is on track this decade to take a southern swerve for the first time in history. A silent frustration has been brewing about an age-old practice of tipping, and many people think it's getting out of hand. On this week's AP Religion Roundup, Pope Francis says homosexuality is sin but not a crime, protests against Quran desecrations erupt across the Middle East, and a group of young Jewish rescuers are commemorated on Holocaust Remembrance Day. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 30 at 6:45 a.m. CT): The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 in the NFC Championship and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in the AFC Championship to set the matchup for Super Bowl LVII. The World Health Organization chief says the coronavirus remains a global health emergency. Police video of the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols by officers in Memphis, Tennessee, is hard to watch. Advocates say nothing less than a cultural change in law enforcement will provide the safety and liberty Black people demand. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging Israel and the Palestinians to exercise restraint and ease tensions amid a spike in violence that has put the region on edge. The Ukrainian presidential office says Monday in a report covering the previous 24 hours that Russian shelling killed at least five people and wounded 13 others, as the Kremlin’s and Kyiv’s forces remained locked in combat in eastern Ukraine. President Joe Biden is heading to Baltimore to visit an aging rail tunnel that's slated to be replaced with help from bipartisan infrastructure legislation that he signed in 2021. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he's looking forward to discussing with President Joe Biden a “reasonable and responsible way that we can lift the debt ceiling” when the two meet Wednesday at the White House. Former President Donald Trump has kicked off his 2024 White House bid with stops Saturday in New Hampshire and South Carolina. The National Prayer Breakfast is one of the most visible and long-standing events that brings religion and politics together in Washington. But due to concerns the gathering had become too divisive, it's now splitting from the private religious group that had overseen it for decades. In sports, the Eagles and Chiefs are Super Bowl bound, the top ranked men's and women's teams in college hoops are victorious, Novak Djokovic continues to dominate in Australia, and the Bucks win behind a big night from their star. In entertainment, Jay Leno is recovering after a motorcycle crash, "Avator: The Way of Water" has now grossed an estimated $2.1 billion, and guitarist Tom Verlaine, co-founder of Television, dies at 73. —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  “Everything Everywhere All at Once” received 11 nominations to the 95th Academy Awards. Former third baseman Scott Rolen was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Senators grilled Ticketmaster over Taylor Swift tickets. And mourners bid farewell to Lisa Marie Presley at Graceland. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

In October, billionaire business magnate and investor Elon Musk completed his purchase of the social media platform Twitter. Since that time a variety of moves to cut costs as well as try and generate more revenue for the platform have led some to wonder whether Musk’s acquisition was the beginning of the end for popular microblogging site.  While Twitter has many critics, Dr. Anjana Susarla,Professor of Information Systems at Michigan State University, is raising concerns over a world without Twitter as the platform has proven to be an important source of real-time information as well as geotagged data.  Susarla recently wrote an article for The Conversation that serves as a launching pad for a discussion with Lee Enterprises senior producer Terry Lipshetz: What the world would lose with the demise of Twitter: Valuable eyewitness accounts and raw data on human behavior, as well as a habitat for trolls.

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. CT): Newly released video shows Paul Pelosi, the husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, fighting for control of a hammer with his assailant during an attack in the couple’s San Francisco home last year. Authorities are about to release police video depicting Memphis officers beating a Black man who later died. The U.S. plans to make it easier for gay and bisexual men to give blood by easing restrictions on groups that typically face higher risks of HIV. For the second time this month, House Republicans have advanced a measure to restrict presidential use of the nation’s emergency oil stockpile — a proposal that has already drawn a White House veto threat. The Justice Department has charged three men in an alleged plot that originated in Iran to kill an Iranian American author and activist who has spoken out against human rights abuses. Ukrainian air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Russia used its latest hypersonic Kinzhal missiles to strike energy facilities in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia regions Thursday. Billy Packer, an Emmy award-winning college basketball broadcaster who covered 34 Final Fours for NBC and CBS, has died at 82. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge eased further in December, and consumer spending fell — the latest evidence that the Fed’s series of interest rate hikes are slowing the economy. Restaurants are beginning the new year with a recurring problem: labor shortages. Chipotle is looking to hire 15,000 people in North America ahead of the busy spring season. Auschwitz-Birkenau survivors and other mourners have commemorated the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German death camp in the final months of World War II. A proposed settlement between New Jersey and the current owner of a notoriously polluted industrial site is drawing fire from residents of Toms River, where memories of children getting cancer at elevated rates are still a fresh source of pain. Tennessee State University is hoping to make history after their marching band was nominated for a Grammy in the roots gospel category. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 27 at 6:27 a.m. CT): Five fired Memphis police officers have been charged with murder and other crimes in the killing of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop. Video of the Jan. 7 traffic stop will be released to the public sometime Friday evening. An investigation by the global chemical weapons watchdog established there are “reasonable grounds to believe” Syria’s air force dropped two cylinders containing chlorine gas on the city of Douma in April 2018, killing 43 people. The U.S. is poised to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like a yearly flu shot. The Food and Drug Administration's scientific advisers are helping to decide if most Americans may need once-a-year boosters — and how and when to periodically update the shots’ recipe. Public water agencies in California will be getting more water from the state because of recent heavy rain. State water officials on Thursday said public water agencies will be getting 30% of what they asked for. That’s up from the 5% state officials had announced in December. Among Thursday's sports highlights, it was down to the wire in Tampa Bay and Washington and a big upset in the NBA. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. CT): The National Archives has asked former presidents and vice presidents to recheck their personal records for any classified documents following the news that President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence had documents in the possession after they left office. The U.S. economy expanded at a 2.9% annual pace from October through December, ending 2022 with momentum despite the pressure of high interest rates and widespread fears of a looming recession. Five fired Memphis police officers each face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. A federal grand jury in Los Angeles is gathering evidence in a criminal investigation of Goodyear recreational vehicle tires that the government blames for crashes that killed eight people. Palestinian officials say Israeli forces have killed at least nine Palestinians and wounded several others during a raid in a flashpoint area of the occupied West Bank. Emergency officials in Ukraine say Russia’s latest widespread barrage of drone and missile attacks has killed 11 people and wounded 11 more. The attacks came a day after Germany and the United States announced they would send advanced battle tanks to Ukraine. The second consecutive quarter of economic growth that the government reported Thursday underscored that the nation isn’t in a recession despite high inflation and the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes. An asteroid the size of a delivery truck will whip past Earth on Thursday night, one of the closest encounters ever recorded. NASA insists it will be a near miss. The Biden administration is expanding sanctions against Russia's Wagner Group and related companies and individuals for their role in the war in Ukraine and mercenary activities, including human rights abuses, in Africa. The U.S. consul general in Hong Kong says about 20% of the Americans living in the city have left over the past two years. —The Associated Press

On this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, Associated Press NFL writer Rob Maaddi makes his picks for this Sunday's NFL conference championship games. In the NFC Championship, The Philadelphia Eagles host the San Francisco 49ers at 3 p.m. Eastern and the Kansas City Chiefs host the Cincinnati Bengals at 5:30 p.m. Eastern in the AFC Championship. Also, former NFL quarterback Rich Gannon offers insight into the games in a discussion with Maadi. Plus, we have highlights of last weekend's games from the divisional round of playoffs that set up the matchups that will determine the teams heading to Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 26 at 6:52 a.m. CT): In sports, the Bucks topped the shorthanded Nuggets, the 76ers outshot the Nets, Tennessee scored a blowout college basketball win, Xavier won a Top 25 showdown, the Maple Leafs snuck by the Rangers in OT and Patrick Mahomes returned to practice. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden says the U.S. will send 31 M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, reversing months of persistent arguments that the tanks were too difficult for Ukrainian troops to operate and maintain. The U.S. decision announced Wednesday came on the heels of Germany agreeing to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from its own stocks. An attorney says a Virginia teacher who was shot by a 6-year-old student during class plans to sue the school district. Diane Toscano, a lawyer for the 25-year-old teacher, Abigail Zwerner, said Wednesday that on the day of the shooting, concerned teachers and employees warned administrators three times that the boy had a gun on him and was threatening other students, “but the administration could not be bothered.” Spain’s interior ministry says one person has been killed and another severely injured in an attack carried out by a person with a bladed weapon at a church in the southern city of Algeciras. Chicago authorities say one person has died and eight others were taken to hospitals Wednesday as firefighters responded to a high-rise apartment building fire on the city’s South Side. Jill Biden's Inauguration Day outfits are now at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. She says the two dresses — one blue, one white — with matching coats and face masks were her “voice” on one of the most important days of her life. Senators grilled Ticketmaster Tuesday about its spectacular breakdown last year during a sale of Taylor Swift concert tickets. Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee debated possible action, including making tickets non-transferable to cut down on scalping and requiring more transparency in ticket fees. The Carter Center said Tuesday that only 13 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide last year. Vaccination rates for U.S. kindergarteners are down again, and federal officials are launching a new campaign to try to bring them up. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 25 at 7:04 a.m. CT): Pope Francis is lamenting that the use of guns by civilians to defend themselves is becoming a “habit.” He also criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are. Those were among the topics he discussed during an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. With rain, snow and ice in the forecast for portions of the country today, a powerful storm system took aim at the Gulf Coast on Tuesday, spawning a tornado that caused damage east of Houston. The German government has confirmed it will provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 battle tanks and approve requests by other countries to do the same. The long-awaited decision came after U.S. officials said the United States had agreed to send M1 Abrams tanks to help Ukraine’s troops push back Russian forces. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Peru’s capital and were met with volleys of tear gas and pellets amid clashes with security forces just hours after President Dina Boluarte called for a “truce” in almost two months of protests. In sports, a new Hall of Famer is rolling into Cooperstown, the Nuggets continued to dominate in the NBA while the Bruins iced their opponents in the NHL, and three ranked Big 12 teams won their games while another lost. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. CT): Documents with classified markings were discovered in former Vice President Mike Pence’s Indiana Home last week, according to his attorney. An agricultural worker killed seven people in back-to-back shooting sprees at two mushroom farms that employed him in Northern California and the massacre is believed to be a “workplace violence incident,” officials said Tuesday as the state mourned its third mass killing in eight days. The Justice Department and eight states have filed an antitrust suit against Google, seeking to shatter its alleged monopoly on the entire ecosystem of online advertising as a hurtful burden to advertisers, consumers and even the U.S. government. The sci-fi indie hit “Everything Everywhere All at Once” leads nominations to the 95th Academy Awards with 11 nominations.The Oscars will be presented March 12 in Los Angeles. Denmark's government wants to scrap a springtime public holiday but major trade unions, all of Denmark’s Lutheran bishops, thousands of voters and rank-and-file members of the government’s parties have criticized the move. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists says the world is closer to Armageddon than it has ever been. The science-based advocacy group is moving its famous Doomsday Clock to just 90 seconds before midnight. A gynecologist who molested some of his patients during a decadeslong career has been convicted of federal sex trafficking charges. New York City’s Madison Square Garden and other sports venues would be barred from refusing entry to perceived enemies of their owners under a bill introduced to the state Legislature Monday. Willie Nelson is turning 90 this year and he's celebrating with an all-star, two-day concert in Los Angeles this April. A hand-drawn map with a red letter X purportedly showing the location of a buried stash of precious jewelry looted by Nazis from a blown-up bank vault has sparked a modern-day treasure hunt. It's all happening in a tiny Dutch village. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 24 at 6:44 a.m. CT): Seven people were killed in two related shootings Monday in a coastal community south of San Francisco. It marks California's third mass killing in eight days. The shootings follow Saturday's massacre that killed 11 people at a dance hall in Southern California. Also Monday: A shootout at an Oakland gas station killed one person and wounded seven others. Poland's defense minister says his country has officially requested permission from Germany to transfer its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Amazon is adding a prescription drug discount program to its growing health care business. The retail giant said Tuesday that it will launch RxPass, a subscription service for customers who have Prime memberships. Nominations to the 95th Academy Awards will be announced 8:30 a.m. ET from the academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California. An Israeli group raising funds for Jewish extremists convicted in some of the country’s most notorious hate crimes is collecting tax-exempt donations from Americans. In sports, the Milwaukee Bucks were back to full strength, the Boston Celtics' winning streak ended, the Dallas Stars fell at home in overtime, and the Kansas Jayhawks continued to flounder in college basketball. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 23 at 4 p.m. CT): Four members of the Oath Keepers have been convicted of seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack in the second major trial involving far-right extremists accused of plotting to forcibly keep President Donald Trump in power. An Arkansas man who propped his feet up on a desk in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the U.S. Capitol riot has been convicted of joining a mob’s attack on the building two years ago. A teacher and two other people, including at least one student, were injured in a shooting at a Des Moines school on the edge of the city’s downtown. A lawyer for the family of a Black man who died at a hospital three days after a confrontation with Memphis police during a traffic stop says video of the encounter shows it was “violent” and “troublesome on every level.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated the state's rejection of a proposed nationwide advanced African American studies course, saying it pushes a political agenda. Turkey’s president said Monday Sweden shouldn’t expect support for its NATO membership bid following weekend protests in Stockholm by an anti-Islam activist and pro-Kurdish groups, putting at risk the expansion of the military alliance. Colombia's human rights watchdog is reporting that 215 human rights advocates were killed last year, the highest death toll since a peace accord was signed with leftist rebels in 2016. U.S. health officials want to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like the annual flu shot. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday proposed a simplified approach so that most adults and children would get a once-a-year shot. Music streaming service Spotify said Monday it’s cutting 6% of its global workforce, or about 600 jobs. It's yet another tech company forced to rethink its pandemic-era expansion as the economic outlook weakens. A new pill aims to make it easier to treat diabetic cats without insulin shots twice a day. The drug is the first oral treatment for feline diabetes approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Brooke Shields reveals that she was the victim of a sexual assault in a new documentary about her life that premiered Friday afternoon at the Sundance Film Festival. A young Rhode Island girl has finally figured out how to determine if Santa Claus is real — DNA. Cumberland police Chief Matthew Benson said Friday that the local girl sent a partially eaten cookie as well as a couple of gnawed-on carrot sticks to the police department to ask if they can be tested for DNA. In this week's religion roundup, Alabama churches offer prayers after a tornado, the Church of England delivers an apology, and an image of the Prophet Muhammad sparks a college controversy. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 23 at 7:15 a.m. CT): Authorities are searching for a motive for the gunman who killed 10 people at a Los Angeles-area ballroom dance club during Lunar New Year celebrations. The gunman was found Sunday, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a van. Senior Democrats are expressing criticism of how President Joe Biden handled classified material after leaving office as vice president. Lisa Marie Presley, a singer, songwriter and the daughter of Elvis Presley, has been remembered during a funeral service as a loving mother and an “old soul” who endured tragedy but persevered as a dedicated protector of her father’s legacy. The race for Republican National Committee chair will be decided on Friday by secret ballot as Republican officials from all 50 states gather in Southern California. Current RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel is fighting for reelection. In sports, the Bengals and 49ers advanced, the Nuggets finally lost at home, the Canucks made a coaching change, Temple pulled off a stunner and Jon Rahm and Brooke Henderson captured more hardware. President Joe Biden is expected to name Jeff Zients, the man who ran his administration’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as his next chief of staff. President Joe Biden persuaded Democrats in Congress to provide hundreds of billions of dollars to fight climate change. Now comes another formidable task: enticing Americans to buy millions of electric cars, heat pumps, solar panels and more efficient appliances. James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” led ticket sales in movie theaters for the sixth straight weekend, making it the first film to have such a sustained reign atop the box office since 2009′s “Avatar.” —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  David Crosby, who was inducted twice into the the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, died. Snoop Dogg and Gloria Estefan highlight a list of artists heading to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Taylor Swift’s guitar is among items heading to a charity auction. And the Buffalo Bills Damar Hamlin faces a long road to recovery. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 20 at 3 p.m. CT): The U.S. Treasury Department will impose additional sanctions on the Russian private military company, the Wagner Group, that has been aiding Russia’s military in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Associated Press NFL writer Rob Maaddij offers his predictions for this weekend's playoff games. A Florida judge has sanctioned former President Donald Trump and one of his attorneys, ordering them to pay nearly $1 million for filing a bogus lawsuit against Trump’s 2016 rival Hillary Clinton. A family spokesman for Damar Hamlin tells The Associated Press the Buffalo Bills safety still faces a long rehabilitation despite enjoying a remarkable recovery some three weeks after having to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 20 at 6:38 a.m. CT): Severe weather, including heavy snow and freezing rain, is expected in the Northeast. With the constitutional right to abortion no longer the rule of the land, the March for Life returns Friday with a new focus. Google says it’s laying off 12,000 workers, becoming the latest tech company to trim staff after rapid expansions during the COVID-19 pandemic have worn off. President Joe Biden says there is “no there there” following the discovery of classified documents and official records at his home and former office. Biden says he is “fully cooperating" and looking forward to getting this resolved quickly. Defense leaders gathered at Ramstein Air Base in Germany have heard an impassioned plea for more aid from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. David Crosby has died at 81. The brash rock musician evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and an ongoing troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash & (sometimes) Young. Thousands of protesters demanding the ouster of President Dina Boluarte poured into Peru’s capital, clashing with police who fired tear gas. In sports, Boston's continued winning in both NBA and NHL action, Gonzaga's 75-game home winning streak is gone, and AP Top 5 teams Purdue and UCLA won on the road. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden is touring damaged areas of California and being briefed on recovery efforts in the wake of devastating storms that have hit the state in recent weeks. The Biden administration is directing $930 million toward reducing wildfire dangers in 10 western states by clearing trees and underbrush from national forests. Actor Alec Baldwin and a weapons specialist will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a New Mexico movie set. The Supreme Court says it hasn't determined who leaked a draft of the court’s opinion overturning abortion rights, but that the investigation continues. Florida lawmakers can fine local government officials who attempt to restrict gun and ammunition sales under a state law upheld by the state Supreme Court. A Russian spy ship has been patrolling off the coast of Hawaii but so far has remained in international waters. Stocks fell on Wall Street as worries build that the U.S. may be headed for a painful recession. To honor the supporting role that entertainment journalism can play in this beloved pastime, The Associated Press on Thursday unveiled its inaugural AP Top 25 Movies ranking. Award-winning actor and writer and bestselling author Bob Odenkirk, perhaps best known as shady lawyer Saul Goodman on “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” has been named 2023 Man of the Year by Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals. The U.S. remains divided over the Supreme Court's repeal of Roe vs. Wad as abortion foes plan for Friday's March for Life. King Charles III has asked that profits from a $1.2 billion Crown Estate windfarm deal be used for the public good rather than the royal family. Authorities say actor Julian Sands, who starred in the Oscar nominated film “A Room With a View," has been missing for five days in the Southern California mountains. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 19 at 6:56 a.m. CT): President Joe Biden is set to tour damaged areas of California and be briefed on recovery efforts in the wake of devastating storms that have hit the state in recent weeks. At least 20 people have died and destruction has been reported across 41 of California's 58 counties. The office of Florida congressman Greg Steube says he sustained several injuries in an accident at his home on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The countdown toward a possible U.S. government default is in the offing. And frictions between President Joe Biden and House Republicans are raising alarms about whether the U.S. can sidestep a potential economic crisis. New ice core data shows Greenland is the warmest it's been in more than 1,000 years. In sports, the Heat won big, Memphis kept its streak alive, Nikola Jokic broke a club record, Seton Hall stunned UConn as one of three upsets in college hoops, the Bruins won on the ice and Steven Stamkos hit a milestone. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 18 at 4 p.m. CT): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told political leaders at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, that supplies of Western weapons must come quicker than Russia’s attacks. A prosecutor says the husband of a Massachusetts woman who's been missing since New Year’s Day went online to look up ways to dismember and dispose of a body. Authorities say they killed a man who shot and injured a Georgia state trooper as law enforcement officers tried to clear protesters from the site of a planned public safety training center just outside Atlanta. Elon Musk was alternately depicted in a San Francisco courtroom as a liar who callously jeopardized the savings of “regular people” or a well-intentioned visionary. Those descriptions emerged Wednesday in opening statements at a trial focused on a Tesla buyout that never happened. Microsoft is cutting 10,000 workers, almost 5% of its workforce, as it joins other tech companies in a scaling back of their pandemic-era expansions. Americans cut back on spending in December, the second consecutive month they’ve done so, underscoring how inflation and the rising cost of using credit cards slowed consumer activity over the crucial holiday shopping season. Growing evidence that high inflation is finally easing shows that the Federal Reserve’s sharp interest rate hikes are working as intended, says Loretta Mester, a key Fed policymaker. Edmunds Top Rated Awards honored six winners for 2023 for best car, SUV, truck and the electric versions of each. Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Sade, Jeff Lynne, Glen Ballard, Teddy Riley and Liz Rose have been chosen to join the Songwriters Hall of Fame. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 18 at 6:36 a.m. CT): Authorities say Ukraine’s interior minister Denys Monastyrskyi has died in a helicopter crash near the capital that killed at least another 14 people, including other officials and three children. The head of the United Nations says the world is in a “sorry state” because of myriad “interlinked” challenges including climate change and Russia’s war in Ukraine. A shooter stood over a 16-year-old mother clutching her 10-month-old baby and pumped bullets into their heads in a brazen attack in a central California farming community that left six dead at a home linked to drugs and guns. Law enforcement is seeking at least two suspects and there is a $10,000 reward for information leading to their arrests. An attorney for Derek Chauvin is expected to ask an appeals court to throw out the former Minneapolis police officer's convictions in the murder of George Floyd. Alaska State Troopers say a polar bear has attacked and killed two people in a remote western Alaska village. The federal government says it will begin a targeted crackdown on nursing homes’ abuse of antipsychotic drugs and misdiagnoses of schizophrenia in patients. In sports, it was a big night for Joel Embiid and Jrue Holiday, and Houston won in college hoops action. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. CT): The White House is brushing aside criticism of its fragmented disclosures about the discovery of classified documents and official records at President Joe Biden’s home and former office. Republican Greg Abbott is starting a record-tying third term as Texas governor promising safer classrooms. A Navy reservist who is charged with storming the Capitol on Jan. 6 is going back on trial in Virginia on separate charges that he illegally bought silencers and talked about using them against Jewish people. Peoria police and fire officials are investigating a fire at a central Illinois Planned Parenthood clinic as arson, police said Tuesday. President Joe Biden has hosted the Golden State Warriors, who won the 2022 NBA championship, at the White House. Nepalese authorities are returning to families the bodies of plane crash victims and are sending the aircraft’s data recorder to France for analysis as they try to determine what caused the country’s deadliest air accident in 30 years. A trial in absentia has opened for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus’ top opposition leader, who denounced the proceedings as a farce and urged the West to bolster support for the country’s beleaguered opposition. Kevin Spacey received a lifetime achievement award from the National Cinema Museum in Turin and discussed his key roles to a sold-out crowd Monday. Taylor Swift’s acoustic guitar, Eminem’s signed tennis shoes and an ensemble worn by a BTS member are among the items to be auctioned for charity next month. The fastest Corvette ever made comes out later this year, and it’s not powered soley by a howling V8. The E-Ray is a gas-electric hybrid, the first all-wheel-drive version of the storied sports car with the front wheels running on an electric motor the traditional 6.2-liter V8 powering the back. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 17 at 7 a.m. CT): Solomon Pena, a failed Republican candidate who authorities say was angry over his defeat and made baseless claims the election last November, was rigged against him has been arrested in connection with a series of drive-by shootings targeting the homes of Democratic lawmakers in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sheriff's officials say six people including a 17-year-old mother and her 6-month-old baby were killed in a shooting early Monday at a home in central California, and authorities are searching for at least two suspects. The ninth in a three-week series of major winter storms is churning through California. A barrage of atmospheric river storms has dumped rain and snow on California since late December, cutting power to thousands, swamping roads, unleashing debris flows and triggering landslides. Nepalese authorities are returning to families the bodies of plane crash victims and are sending the aircraft’s data recorder to France for analysis as they try to determine what caused the country’s deadliest air accident in 30 years. Turkey and the United States will aim to smooth out a series of disagreements between the NATO allies when Turkey’s foreign minister visits this week. In sports, the Dallas Cowboys advanced out of Super Wild Card weekend, the Celtics' Jason Tatum scored 51 points, the Grizzlies extended their winning streak and the Kraken's winning streak ended. Italian tennis player Camila Giorgi has denied allegations that she obtained a false COVID-19 vaccine certificate to allow her to travel. —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some health, science and technology stories.  Callers keep flooding 988, the mental health and suicide prevention helpline. Health gadgets are among the items at this year’s CES show in Las Vegas. And there are new recommendations regarding childhood obesity. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  The Golden Globe Awards were back on TV. Jeff Beck, one of the guitar gods from 1960s rock,and Lisa Marie Presley, the only daughter of Elvis Presley, died. Prince Harry’s memoir ‘Spare’ hit bookstores. And Bills safety Damar Hamlin was released from the hospital. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some political headlines from the past week.  There is a new controversy involving classified documents, but this time with President Biden. A Georgia grand jury has completed its probe into the 2020 election. And we look at several headlines involving the new GOP-controlled House. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. CT): Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has notified Congress that the U.S. is projected to reach its debt limit on Thursday and will then resort to “extraordinary measures” to avoid default. Forecasters say rain-soaked California will see several more rounds of stormy weather through the weekend and into next week. Rescuers are racing to find survivors in the aftermath of a deadly storm system that barreled across parts of Georgia and Alabama. Oklahoma authorities searching for a 4-year-old girl say a second person has been arrested in connection with her disappearance. Actor Ezra Miller is going to spend the next year on probation and continue with mental health treatment after they pleaded guilty to a trespassing charge at a Vermont home. Donald Trump’s company has been fined $1.6 million as punishment for a scheme in which some of his executives dodged personal income taxes on lavish job perks. The U.S. has now collected 510 reports of unidentified flying objects, many of which are flying in sensitive military airspace. That's according to a declassified intelligence report summary released Thursday. The official start date of the 2023 tax filing season is Jan. 23, when the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2022 returns. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 13 at 6:46 a.m. CT): Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley and a singer-songwriter dedicated to her father’s legacy, died Thursday after being hospitalized for a medical emergency. She was 54. Presley’s death was confirmed by her mother, Priscilla. A massive storm system whipping up severe winds and spawning tornadoes cut a path across the U.S. South, killing at least seven people in Georgia and Alabama, where a twister damaged buildings and tossed cars in the streets of historic downtown Selma. Robert Hur, a former U.S. attorney for Maryland nominated by then-President Donald Trump, will serve as special counsel to investigate the presence of documents with classified markings found at President Joe Biden’s home in Delaware and at an office in Washington. Russia claims that its forces have captured a fiercely contested salt mining town, Soledar, but Ukraine has contested the claim. A Japanese court says prosecutors have formally charged the suspect in the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with murder. Tetsuya Yamagami was arrested immediately after Abe was shot while giving a campaign speech in July. In sports, the Celtics won a midseason Eastern Conference showdown, Luca Doncic won a battle of stars in L.A., the Kraken cracked out another victory, the Rangers won in OT thanks to last-second dramatics, and the three Top 10 college basketball teams came out on top. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 12 at 4 p.m. CT): Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a special counsel to investigate the presence of documents with classified markings found at President Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, and at an office in Washington. Rising U.S. consumer prices moderated again last month, bolstering hopes that inflation’s grip on the economy will continue to ease this year and possibly require less drastic action by the Federal Reserve to control it. A large tornado damaged homes and uprooted trees in Alabama on Thursday as a powerful storm system pushed through the South. Wisconsin has become the latest state to ban the use of TikTok on state phones and other devices. A federal prosecutor says former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four lieutenants charged with seditious conspiracy in the Capitol attack took aim at "the heart of our democracy” on Jan. 6, 2021. Trevor Bauer was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who cut ties after the pitcher’s unprecedented 324-game suspension over sexual misconduct allegations was reduced by an arbitrator. The Justice Department accused Los Angeles-based City National Bank on Thursday of discriminating against Black and Latino residents, requiring the bank to pay more than $31 million in what is the largest redlining settlement in DOJ history. Prince Harry's memoir “Spare” sold 1.4 million copies on its first day, according to publisher Penguin Random House. Many current and former intelligence officials are increasingly warning that the $90 billion U.S. spy apparatus is falling behind because it has not embraced collecting open-source intelligence. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 12 at 6:45 a.m. CT): Two New York City hospitals have reached a tentative contract agreement with thousands of striking nurses, ending a walkout that disrupted patient care. The deal will see nurses return to work Thursday. President Joe Biden’s legal team has discovered additional documents containing classification markings. A person who spoke to the AP Wednesday on condition of anonymity says the legal team found the additional material at a second location. Thousands of flights across the U.S. were canceled or delayed after a system that offers safety information to pilots failed. Joseph Eskenazi, the oldest living survivor of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, celebrated his upcoming 105th birthday at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. A guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, Jeff Beck has died. He was 78. In sports, the Nuggets and Celtics improved their win streaks, a career night in college ball, and the Ravens are keeping an eye on Lamar Jackson. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. CT): Local Republican leaders in New York are calling for the immediate resignation of their new GOP congressman George Santos. Santos is facing multiple investigations by prosecutors over his personal and campaign finances and lies about his resume and family heritage. Planes were stuck on the ground for hours across the United States on Wednesday, leading to thousands of canceled and delayed flights after a government system used to give pilots safety and other information broke down overnight. Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been released from a hospital in Buffalo after his doctors said they completed a series of tests a little over a week after he went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated during a game at Cincinnati. The first lady's office says Jill Biden's surgery to remove a potentially cancerous lesion above her right eye is “proceeding well and as expected.” Around 25,000 U.K. ambulance workers have gone on strike as they walked out for the second time since December in an ongoing dispute with the government over pay. Russia will send up a new capsule next month to bring back three space station astronauts whose original ride home was damaged. The switch in capsules means the two Russians and one American will remain several extra months at the International Space Station. House Republicans have opened their long-promised investigation into President Joe Biden and his family. They are wielding the power of their majority to demand information from the Treasury Department and former Twitter executives as they lay the groundwork for public hearings. Harvey Weinstein is asking New York’s highest court to overturn his 2020 rape conviction, arguing that the judge betrayed his right to a fair trial by “succumbing to the pressure” of the #MeToo movement. The Supreme Court is allowing New York to continue to enforce for now a sweeping new law banning guns from “sensitive places” such as schools, playgrounds and Times Square and increasing training requirements. —The Associated Press

On this update version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 11 at 6:20 a.m. CT): Flights are being delayed at multiple locations across the United States after a computer outage at the Federal Aviation Administration. Sinkholes swallowed cars and floodwaters swamped towns and swept away a small boy as California deals with more wild winter weather. President Joe Biden says he was “surprised’ when he was informed that government records were found by his attorneys at a former office space in Washington. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says the spike in North Korean missile tests, growing nuclear ambitions and other provocative acts pose a “serious threat” that could spark a wider conflict. France's interior minister says an attacker wounded six people during an unprovoked blade attack at Paris’ busy Gare du Nord train station. The Golden Globes returned to the air Tuesday with a red carpet flush with celebrities and comedian Jerrod Carmichael as a hesitant emcee. In sports, the 76ers blew out Detroit, the Clippers and Suns won, highly ranked Kansas, Tennessee and Virginia all won college games, the Devils picked up another key win on the ice, and the Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa appears to be staying home. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 10 at 4 p.m. CT): The latest in a relentless string of California storms is swamping roads, battering coastlines with high surf, turning rivers into gushing flood zones and forcing the evacuation of thousands in towns with histories of deadly mudslides. At least 14 people have died since the storms began last week, including two people killed by falling trees. U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have pledged their resolve to promote prosperity for people through the hemisphere as they opened wide-ranging talks in Mexico City. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been sworn in as Arkansas' 47th governor and the first woman to hold the office her father once held. Former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg has been sentenced to five months in jail for dodging taxes. A nursing strike that has disrupted patient care at two of New York City’s largest hospitals has entered its second day. A person familiar with the negotiations says Carlos Correa has agreed to a $200 million, six-year contract that keeps him with the Minnesota Twins after failing to complete deals with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. After days of hype and leaks, readers have the chance to judge Prince Harry’s book for themselves. Publisher Transworld Penguin Random House said 400,000 hardback, e-book and audio copies of “Spare” sold in the U.K. as the book went on sale around the world on Tuesday. Connecticut’s first round of recreational cannabis sales for adults 21 and older have begun. Twenty-one states have legalized recreational marijuana for adults. The 988 mental health and suicide prevention helpline has quickly expanded its reach in the six months since it launched. It has received just over 2 million calls, texts and chat messages since July. Mpox is no longer the exploding health crisis that it appeared to be less than six months ago. So who deserves the credit for controlling the U.S. outbreak? —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 10 at 6:45 a.m. CT): The Justice Department is reviewing a batch of potentially classified documents found in the Washington office space of President Joe Biden’s former institute. Rescuers have ended the search for a 5-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters in central California Monday morning. Meanwhile, the entire coastal community of Montecito was ordered evacuated as California residents grappled with flooding and mudslides in the latest in a series of powerful storms. The White House is moving forward with a proposal that would lower student debt payments for millions of Americans now and in the future. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces are escalating their onslaught against Ukrainian positions around the wrecked eastern city of Bakhmut. Canada has finalized an agreement with Lockheed Martin Corp. and the United States government to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets. Republicans voted for a rules package Monday that will affect floor proceedings and dictate their priorities in the 118th Congress. In sports, the Georgia routed TCU in college football's national title game, Damar Hamlin left the University of Cincinnati hospital, the Bucks rallied to beat the Knicks, and Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson got his first NHL shutout this season. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 9 at 4 p.m. CT): Doctors who treated Damar Hamlin say the Bills safety was moved to a hospital in Buffalo to continue his recovery. The Biden administration says Iran’s sale of lethal drones to Russia for use in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine means the country may be “contributing to widespread war crimes.” California weather has calmed but the lull is expected to be brief. More Pacific storms are lined up to blast into the state, where successive powerful weather systems have knocked out power to thousands, battered the coastline, flooded streets, toppled trees and caused at least six deaths. The Arizona Cardinals have fired coach Kliff Kingsbury and parted ways with general manager Steve Keim after a dreadful season that saw constant unwanted headlines, a serious knee injury to star quarterback Kyler Murray and lots of losing. The number of traffic deaths on U.S. roadways fell slightly during the first nine months of 2022, but pedestrian and cyclist deaths continued to rise. A tweet from Elon Musk indicating that Tesla might allow some owners who are testing a “Full Self-Driving” system to disable an alert that reminds them to keep their hands on the steering wheel has drawn attention from U.S. safety regulators. The special grand jury in Atlanta that has been investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and his allies committed any crimes while trying to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia has finished its work.  The Virginia teacher who authorities say was shot by a 6-year-old student is known as a hard-working educator who's devoted to her students and enthusiastic about the profession that runs in her family. NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg says it's time for Sweden to join the military alliance because it has done what's necessary to secure Turkey's approval for membership. Health gadgets for the home are among the highlights of CES 2023 in Las Vegas. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 9 at 7 a.m. CT): New guidelines suggest children struggling with obesity should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively. The American Academy of Pediatrics says treatments can include medication for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13. President Joe Biden wrapped up a four-hour visit to the U.S.-Mexico border and is facing criticism from Republicans over his administration's policies. Brazilian authorities were picking up pieces and investigating after thousands of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and presidential palace then trashed the nation’s highest seats of power. California was hit with more turbulent weather as thunderstorms, snow and damaging winds swept into the northern part the state. Sunday's system preceded another series of incoming storms this week that raised the potential for flooding, rising rivers and mudslides on soils already saturated after days of rain. Searchers have located the body of a second snowmobiler killed in a Colorado mountain avalanche this weekend. Adam Rich, the cute child actor who charmed TV audiences in the late 1970s as Nicholas Bradford on “Eight is Enough," has died. He was 54. The Vatican is allowing the public to visit the new tomb of Pope Benedict XVI under St. Peter's Basilica. After an epic 15-ballot election to become House speaker, Republican Kevin McCarthy faces his next big test in governing a fractious, slim majority. That could come Monday when lawmakers are set to consider a rules package to govern the House. In sports, the NFL playoffs are set with the Dolphins and Seahawks sneaking in on the final day, and the Nets are hoping they won't spend too much time without their best player. The Blumhouse evil-doll horror film “M3gan” got off to a killer start, debuting with $30.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates, while “Avatar: The Way of Water” continued its box-office reign in the top spot. —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  We have the latest on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Details are emerging from Prince Harry’s upcoming memoir “Spare.” The stars of the 1968 film 'Romeo & Juliet' are suing over a nude scene. And Jeremy Renner underwent surgery after being hit by a snow plow. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 6 at 4 p.m. CT): House leader Kevin McCarthy is getting closer to victory in the grueling, hard-fought struggle to become speaker of the new Congress. On the fourth day of voting, 15 of the 20 conservative holdouts switched to him on the 12th and 13th rounds of balloting. U.S. health officials have approved a new Alzheimer’s drug that modestly slows the brain-robbing disease. America’s employers added a solid 223,000 jobs in December, evidence that the economy remains healthy even as the Federal Reserve is rapidly raising interest rates to try to slow economic growth and the pace of hiring. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's agent says the player is breathing on his own and able to talk after having his breathing tube removed. It comes four days after he went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field. Hamlin also joined the team's morning meeting by videoconference. More than 1.3% of the adult population in the U.S. was displaced by natural disasters in the past year, with hurricanes responsible for more than half of the forced relocations. A flying electric vehicle from Aska called the A5, the size of an SUV that seats four, made its debut at CES in Las Vegas. It could become available in 2026. A new study calculates that two-thirds of the world's glaciers will disappear by the end of the century at current climate change trends. An explosive memoir reveals many facets of Prince Harry, from bereaved boy and troubled teen to wartime soldier and unhappy royal. From accounts of cocaine use and losing his virginity to raw family rifts, “Spare” exposes deeply personal details about Harry and the wider royal family. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 6 at 6:59 a.m. CT): President Joe Biden is set to present the nation’s second highest civilian award to 12 individuals involved in defending the Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and safeguarding the will of American voters in the 2020 presidential election. The House stalemate over choosing a new speaker has held firm through a long, excruciating third day and evening of voting with no conclusion. But glimmers of a deal began to emerge late Thursday that could get Kevin McCarthy the votes needed to become Speaker. Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv, Ukraine, about 40 minutes after a Russian cease-fire was to come into effect, but no explosions were heard. Police say multiple people have been wounded in a shooting between two groups of people outside a restaurant in south Florida. Damaging winds and heavy rains in California have knocked out power to tens of thousands, caused flash flooding and contributed to the deaths of at least two people. Europe ended a bad year for inflation with some relief as price gains eased again. While the cost of living is still painfully high, the slowdown is a sign that the worst might be over for weary consumers. In sports, the NFL won't resume the Bills-Bengals game, Lauri Markkanen had a career night for the Jazz, a Predators franchise record is set and the top two college basketball teams won. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 5 at 4 p.m. CT): Two people familiar with the decision say the NFL won't resume the Bills-Bengals game that was suspended Monday night after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league is still figuring out how to determine playoff seedings and scheduling. Hamlin has shown what physicians treating him are calling “remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours." The team announced that three days after Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on the field. The House stalemate over choosing a new speaker is continuing. Kevin McCarthy is determined to win over enough fellow Republicans, but he failed again on Thursday. President Joe Biden says the U.S. will immediately begin turning away Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans who cross the border from Mexico illegally. The U.S. will send Ukraine nearly $3 billion in military aid, in a massive new package that will for the first time include several dozen Bradley fighting vehicles. Also Thursday, Germany announced it was sending armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. Texas has fired basketball coach Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge after his fiancée told police he strangled and bit her. As COVID-19 surges in China, the U.S. is expanding its traveler surveillance program, an early warning system for detecting new variants. With the addition of Los Angeles and Seattle, there are now seven airports where volunteer passengers can swab themselves on arrival. U.S. officials say federal agents have arrested a Puerto Rican woman accused of assaulting two Spirit Airlines employees after she was removed from a plane and tried to get back on it. Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow has announced she won't run for a fifth term in 2024. Her surprise announcement opens up a seat in a critical battleground state. Shortages of computer chips and other parts continued to hobble the U.S. auto industry last year. That led to sales dropping 8% from 2021 to the lowest level in more than a decade. Prince Harry alleges in a much-anticipated new memoir that his brother Prince William lashed out and physically attacked him during a furious argument over the brothers’ deteriorating relationship. A family member says rapper Theophilus London has been found safe after disappearing for months. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 5 at 6:56 a.m. CT): Thousands of faithful, political leaders and the pope himself mourned Benedict XVI at a rare requiem Mass for a dead pontiff presided over by a living one. Pope Francis opened the service with a prayer and closed it by solemnly blessing the simple casket. Damaging winds and heavy rains in California have knocked out power to tens of thousands, caused flash flooding and left a child dead after a tree fell on a home. House Republicans plowed through the second day of the new Congress, with no clear off-ramp from their political chaos over electing leader Kevin McCarthy as the new speaker. A Wednesday night session was initially planned, but they instead gave up amid a shouting, crowded vote to adjourn. The head of the World Health Organization says the agency is “concerned about the risk to life in China” amid the coronavirus’ explosive spread across the country and the lack of outbreak data from the Chinese government. Business software maker Salesforce said it is laying off about 8,000 employees, or 10% of its workforce. In sports, the Nets winning streak came to an end, the 76ers and Cavaliers came out on top, the Devils, Wild, and Ducks won on the ice, and the Red Sox agreed to a contract with third baseman Rafael Devers. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 4 at 4 p.m. CT): Republican leader Kevin McCarthy failed anew to win the House speakership in three votes, faring no better than he had in the same number on Tuesday when 20 fellow Republicans rejected his bid. President Joe Biden says he intends to visit the U.S.-Mexico border in connection with his meeting next week in Mexico City with the leaders of Canada and Mexico. More than 500 Cuban immigrants have come ashore in the Florida Keys since the weekend, the latest in a large and increasing number who are fleeing the communist island. The European Union has “strongly encouraged” its member states to impose pre-departure COVID-19 testing of passengers from China, in a move that is likely to upset Beijing and has already been criticized by the global airline industry. Rick Singer, the mastermind of the nationwide college admissions bribery scheme that ensnared celebrities, prominent businesspeople and other parents, has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. Authorities say Bryan Kohberger, the man accused in the November slayings of four University of Idaho students, has left a Pennsylvania jail in the custody of state police. U.S. job openings slipped in November but remained at high suggesting businesses are still determined to add workers, a blow to the Federal Reserve’s efforts to cool hiring and wage gains. New York City Mayor Eric Adams is vowing to fight his own City Hall — again — after he was ticketed for rats at his Brooklyn townhouse. Twitter says it will ease up its 3-year-old ban on political advertising. It's the latest change by Elon Musk as he tries to pump up revenue after purchasing the social media platform last year. Grappling with the biggest flood of Cuban migrants in decades, the United States reopened their long-closed legal pathway on Wednesday by resuming all visa services at its embassy in Havana. The stars of the 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet” have sued Paramount Pictures for more than $500 million over a nude scene shot when they were teens. Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting filed the suit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging sexual abuse and fraud. More than 30 graves at a historic Christian cemetery in Jerusalem have been found toppled and vandalized, jolting the Christian minority in the contested city. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 4 at 6:45 a.m. CT): The Russian military says unauthorized use of cell phones by Russian soldiers led to a deadly Ukrainian rocket attack on the facility where they were stationed. It raised the death toll from the weekend attack to 89. Gen. Lt. Sergei Sevryukov said in a statement late Tuesday that phone signals allowed Kyiv’s forces to “determine the coordinates of the location of military personnel” and launch a strike. The NFL and its fans are rallying in support of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who remains in critical condition at a Cincinnati hospital after going into cardiac arrest on the field. House Republicans will open the second day of the new Congress much like the first: leader Kevin McCarthy trying to become House speaker. McCarthy says there’s no scenario in which he’ll drop his bid. U.S. health officials have finalized a rule change that broadens availability of abortion pills to many more pharmacies, including large chains and mail-order companies. The Mega Millions jackpot increased to an estimated $940 million after another drawing resulted in plenty of losers but not a single grand prize winner. The Indiana State Police announced Tuesday that on Dec. 15, a trooper stopped a white Hyundai Elantra on Interstate 70 for following too closely. A body camera worn by the trooper appeared to show Bryan Kohberger, a suspect in the killings of Idaho students, in the driver's seat, the police said. In sports, Bills safety Damar Hamlin remains hospitalized, the Celtics were embarrassed in Oklahoma City, the Bucks got an historic performance from their marquee player, and a long NHL win streak came to an end. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 3 at 4 p.m. CT): Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is falling far short in voting to become House speaker. House Republicans fell into a tangle on the opening day of the new Congress, refusing to elect McCarthy by more than a dozen votes in two rounds. The NFL has informed the Bills and Bengals their suspended game will not be resumed this week while the Week 18 schedule remains unchanged. The game was suspended Monday night in the first quarter when Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest. Frank James, who opened fire and wounded 10 passengers on a Brooklyn subway train last year, has pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges. The New York Police Department says a man accused of attacking police with a machete near Times Square on New Year’s Eve, injuring two officers, has been arrested on charges of attempting to murder officers. U.S. authorities say two men have been arrested and charged with vandalizing electrical substations in Washington state, attacks that left thousands without power over the holidays. Jeremy Renner suffered blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries in a snow plow accident in Reno, Nevada, on Sunday, a representative for the actor said Monday, and remains in critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery. Tens of thousands of people have filed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s body as it lies in state in St. Peter's Basilica. Police say a hit-and-run driver rear-ended a sport utility vehicle and sent it crashing into a New York City restaurant, injuring 22 people. CES, the annual tech industry event formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, is returning to Las Vegas this week with the hope that it looks more like it did before the coronavirus pandemic. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Jan. 3 at 6:30 a.m. CT): Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after the Bills say he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field following a tackle hours earlier, leading to the indefinite postponement of Buffalo’s pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. The new Congress opens with House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy grasping for his political survival. McCarthy could become the first nominee for speaker in 100 years to fail to win support from his own colleagues in the first round of voting. Bryan Kohberger, facing first-degree murder charges in the slayings of four University of Idaho students, is not expected to fight extradition at a hearing Tuesday in Pennsylvania. Authorities say the man suspected of fatally shooting a Pennsylvania police chief and wounding another officer in confrontations near Pittsburgh was killed by police after a chase. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia is preparing to step up its attacks on Ukraine using Iranian-made exploding drones. At least 500 migrants have arrived in the Florida Keys over the last several days in what the local sheriff’s office describes as a “crisis.” The House Jan. 6 committee is shutting down. The panel has completed a whirlwind 18-month investigation of the 2021 Capitol insurrection and has sent its work to the Justice Department along with a recommendation for prosecuting former President Donald Trump. Jeremy Renner suffered blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries in a snow plow accident in Reno, Nevada, on Sunday, a representative for the actor said Monday, and remains in critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery. Tennis great Martina Navratilova says she has been diagnosed with throat cancer and breast cancer. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame said in a statement released Monday that her prognosis is good and she will start treatment this month. Prince Harry has said he wants to have his father and brother back and that he wants “a family, not an institution,” during a TV interview ahead of the publication of his memoir. The interview with Britain’s ITV channel is due to be released this Sunday. In sports, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed after a tackle during Monday Night Football, Penn State won the Rose Bowl, Tulane stunned USC in the Cotton Bowl, Donovan Mitchell scored 71 for the Cavaliers and Boston won the Winter Classic NHL game at Fenway Park. —The Associated Press