On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 16 at 6:41 a.m. CT): Twitter suspended the accounts of several journalists who cover the social media platform, the latest battle over what can and cannot be said on the site since billionaire Elon Musk took control of it. Heavy snow and high winds meant more blizzards in the northern Midwest from the Dakotas through Michigan, with ice and snow causing trouble in places from the Appalachians through New England. A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense has passed the Senate and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. Officials in Ukraine say Russian forces launched at least 60 missiles across the country. They reported blasts in at least four cities on Friday, including Kyiv. The Senate has passed legislation to fund the government for an additional week as lawmakers race to finish work on a full-year spending package before they head home for the holidays and a new Congress is sworn in. In sports, the 49ers are NFC champions, the Grizzlies dominated the Bucks and the Yankees signed a big name free agent. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. CT): The House committee investigating the Capitol riot will hold its final meeting Monday, wrapping up its year-and-a-half-long inquiry by asking the Justice Department to investigate potential crimes. President Joe Biden on Thursday said he will soon make a visit to sub-Saharan Africa, announcing bare details of his travels plans as he wrapped up the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The Department of Homeland Security says more migrants may be released into the United States to pursue immigration cases when Trump-era asylum restrictions end next week. Russia’s Foreign Ministry is warning that if the United States confirms reports that it plans to deliver sophisticated air defense missiles to Ukraine, it would be a “provocative move" that could prompt a response from Moscow. A storm system that spawned dozens of reported tornadoes from east Texas to the Florida Panhandle was all but done with the South on Thursday after killing at least three people and uprooting families across Louisiana, where some homes were blown into pieces. German tennis legend Boris Becker has returned to Germany after serving eight months in prison. Becker's lawyer said Thursday afternoon that the 55-year-old, who has lived in Britain since 2012, was released on Thursday morning ahead of his deportation. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has banned TikTok and two popular messaging applications from all computer devices controlled by Georgia’s state government. A judge has handed down the longest prison terms so far in the plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor. Joe Morrison, Pete Musico and Paul Bellar were not charged with having a direct role in the conspiracy. But they were members of a paramilitary group that trained with Adam Fox, the leader of the scheme. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, vent their grievances against the British monarchy in the second half of their Netflix documentary series. In the final three episodes, Harry talks about a growing rift between him and William. Americans cut back their retail spending last month as the holiday shopping season began amid high prices and rising interest rates that are forcing some families, particularly those with lower incomes, curtail their consumption. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 15 at 5:56 a.m. CT): A massive storm blowing across the country has spawned several tornadoes that wrecked buildings and injured a handful of people in Oklahoma and Texas. Meanwhile, much of the central United States braced Tuesday for blizzard-like conditions, from the Rocky Mountains to the Midwest. The Biden administration is again making some free COVID-19 tests available to all U.S. households as it unveils its contingency plans for potential coronavirus surges this winter. French authorities say a car in the southern French city of Montpellier “violently hit” and killed a boy as crowds celebrated France’s victory in the World Cup semifinal. The bust of a U.S. Supreme Court justice who wrote an infamous decision on slavery could soon be leaving the Capitol. The House approved a bill Wednesday that calls for removing the bust of Roger Taney, the nation's fifth chief justice, who wrote the infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision that held African-Americans were not citizens. In sports, Stephen Curry injured his left shoulder in a loss at Indiana, the Nuggets' Nikola Jokic had 43 points and the Wizards lost again, and France advanced at the World Cup. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 14 at 4 p.m. CT): The Federal Reserve reinforced its inflation fight by raising its key interest rate for the seventh time this year and signaling more hikes to come. But the Fed announced a smaller hike than it had in its past four meetings at a time when inflation is showing signs of easing. Whether increased regulation would have prevented the spectacular collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX was fiercely debated at a hearing of the Senate’s banking committee Wednesday. However, new legislation is potentially on the way. Police say a shooting at an Amazon Flex warehouse facility in Arizona has left one contract worker at the facility wounded and the suspect dead. A San Francisco police sergeant has testified that the man accused of attacking the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there was “evil in Washington” and he was targeting Pelosi because she is second in line to the presidency. Ukrainian authorities say they thwarted a Russian attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region as their air defense system destroyed 13 explosive-laden drones. This year’s nine Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year includes actors and musicians who flowered in 2022. They are Sadie Sink, Stephanie Hsu, Tenoch Huerta, Joaquina Kalukango, Iman Vellani, Daryl McCormack, Tobe Nwigwe, Simone Ashley and Danielle Deadwyler. Twitter has suspended an account that used publicly available flight data to track Elon Musk’s private jet, despite a pledge by the social media platform’s new owner to keep it up because of his free speech principles. President Joe Biden says the U.S. “should have societal guilt” for the slow pace of action on restricting access to firearms as he marked the 10th anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Longtime “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss has died at the age of 40. Boss’ wife, Allison Holker Boss, confirmed his passing in a statement published Wednesday on People.com. General Motors is recalling more than 825,000 SUVs and cars in the U.S. and Canada because the daytime running lights may not turn off when the headlights are on. Company holiday parties are making a comeback. A survey of 252 U.S.-based companies by hiring firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas finds that more than 57% of companies are planning an in-person holiday party this year. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 14 at 6:31 a.m. CT): A destructive storm marched across the United States, spawning tornadoes that touched down in parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, where two deaths were reported. The storm also delivered blizzard-like conditions to the Great Plains and threatened more severe weather Wednesday in the South. Pope Francis is calling for a “humble” Christmas this year, with savings from reduced spending on gifts donated to Ukrainians. Ukrainian authorities say they thwarted a Russian attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region as their air defense system intercepted and destroyed 13 explosive-laden drones. President Joe Biden has signed gay marriage legislation into law. A celebratory crowd of thousands bundled up on a chilly Tuesday afternoon on the South Lawn of the White House to watch the joyful ceremony, which was tempered by the backdrop of an ongoing conservative backlash over gender issues. Lawmakers leading the negotiations on a bill to fund the federal government for the current fiscal year say they’ve reached agreement on a “framework” that should allow them to complete work on the bill over the next week and avoid a government shutdown. In sports, Alex Ovechkin scored his 800th goal, the Bucks won a battle of the last two NBA champs, Carlos Correa signed a Giant contract, and Argentina and Lionel Messi are World Cup finalists. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. CT): The new CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX appeared before a House committee Tuesday, detailing for lawmakers the lack of oversight and financial controls that he discovered since taking over the company a month ago. Scientists have declared on the same day that two active Hawaii volcanoes have stopped erupting. A massive storm blowing across the country spawned tornadoes wrecked homes and injured a handful of people in parts of Oklahoma and Texas. U.S. officials say the Biden administration is poised to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, finally agreeing to an urgent request from Ukrainian leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles. The tropical tourist destination of Bali, Indonesia, is facing a worsening water crisis from tourism development, population growth and water mismanagement. Scientists announced that they have for the first time produced more energy in a fusion reaction than was used to ignite it. Inflation in the United States slowed again last month in the latest sign that price increases are cooling despite the pressures they continue to inflict on American households. Stellantis is recalling about 1.4 million pickup trucks worldwide because the tailgates may not close completely and cargo could spill onto the road. The recall covers Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from the 2019 to 2022 model years. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 13 at 6:29 a.m. CT): The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged the former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried of failed cryptocurrency firm FTX with orchestrating a scheme to defraud investors. Millions of people in the central United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Midwest are bracing for blizzard-like conditions from a massive storm blowing across the country. States farther to the south including Texas and Louisiana are being warned of the risk of flash flooding and tornadoes from the same weather system. Scientists Tuesday are expected to announce a major advance in the long-running quest to harness fusion, the energy that powers the sun and stars. The Kremlin says that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be holding his annual marathon news conference this fall. Observers have attributed the break in the long-held tradition to the Kremlin’s uneasiness about a string of battlefield setbacks in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting an international conference to help Ukraine make it through winter. Dozens of countries and international organizations are throwing their weight behind the fresh push Tuesday to keep Ukraine powered, fed, warm and moving in the face of sustained Russian aerial bombardments that have plunged millions into the cold and dark. In sports, the New England Patriots used a dominating defense Monday night while Arizona lost their starting quarterback with a knee injury. Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets remained hot in NBA action and the New York Rangers won a close game against the New Jersey Devils. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 12 at 4 p.m. CT): The Supreme Court has refused a request from tobacco companies to stop California from enforcing a ban on flavored tobacco products that was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November. The Supreme Court says it won’t take the plunge into a dispute over Michigan State University’s decision to end its swimming-and-diving teams, a decision female athletes sued over. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asking Western leaders to help overcome Russia’s weapons advantage by supplying more modern tanks, artillery, ammunition, rockets and air defense systems. The city of Richmond — the capital of the Confederacy for most of the Civil War — has removed its last city-owned Confederate statue. University of California postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers are back at work at all 10 of the university system’s campuses after ratifying a labor agreement. A judge has declined to grant a new trial to Mexican telenovela star Pablo Lyle after he was convicted of fatally punching a man during a road rage confrontation in Miami in 2019. A senior State Department official says the body and possessions of soccer journalist Grant Wahl have been repatriated to the United States after his death last week while covering the World Cup in Qatar. Pelé is doing better after having been hospitalized to treat a respiratory infection aggravated by COVID-19. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden helped pack presents for children and encouraged holiday cheer as the White House marked the 75th anniversary of Toys for Tots at an event hosted by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. This week marks the 10th anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The 80th Golden Globe Awards nominations have been announced, with “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” leading the pack. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 12 at 7:15 a.m. CT): Severe weather moves into the center of the country after hitting the west. About 112 million Americans will travel this holiday season, and times may be extended with Christmas and New Year's Day falling on Sunday. The announcement that a Libyan man suspected in the 1988 bombing of a passenger jet has been taken into U.S. custody put the spotlight back on the notorious terrorist attack.  The suspect, Abu Agila Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi, is accused of building the bomb that destroyed a Pam Am flight over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. Iran has executed a second prisoner detained and convicted over crimes committed during the nationwide protests now challenging the country’s theocracy. Work crews are steadily erecting hundreds of double-stacked shipping containers along the rugged east end of Arizona’s boundary with Mexico as Republican Gov. Doug Ducey makes a bold show of border enforcement even as he prepares to step aside next month for Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs. Hamas authorities in Gaza have announced the discovery of over 60 tombs in an ancient burial site dating back to the Roman era. Twitter is once again attempting to launch its premium service a month after a previous attempt failed. The social media company said it would let users buy subscriptions to Twitter Blue to get a blue checkmark and access special features starting Monday. In sports, it was an action packed Sunday in the NFL, with a young quarterback outdueling a future Hall of Famer, big showdowns in the NBA including a 50-plus-point performance, and a three-time former NBA champion and long time coach died. Jury deliberations will continue this week in a case involving Harvey Weinstein, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” led the box office for the fifth straight weekend and David Letterman has an interview with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. WNBA star Brittney Griner didn’t want quiet time as soon as she boarded a U.S. government plane that would bring her home. “I’ve been in prison for 10 months, listening to the Russians. I want to talk,” Griner said. Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams has won the Heisman Trophy to make USC the first school to take home college football’s most prestigious player of the year award eight times. Grant Wahl, an American journalist who helped grow the popularity of soccer in the U.S. and reported on some of the biggest stories in the sport, died while covering a World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands. —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.  Legends in the arts were honored by the Kennedy Center. Kirstie Alley, an Emmy-winning “Cheers” star, Bob McGrath, a founding cast member of “Sesame Street” and Jim Stewart, a co-founder of Stax Records, died this past week. Bill Cosby faces a new sexual abuse lawsuit. And Will Smith is back with his first film post-slap. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

We’ll cover three primary topics during this week’s review of top stories. First, we’ll look at control of the Senate as well as other political news. We’ll then move to same-sex marriage and LGBTQ issues. Finally, we’ll look at the rise of antisemitism in America. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. CT): J. Alexander Kueng, the former Minneapolis police officer who held down George Floyd’s back as one of his colleagues kneeled on the Black man’s neck, has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. The head of NATO has expressed worry that the fighting in Ukraine could spin out of control and become a war between Russia and NATO. In the World Cup, Croatia defeated Brazil 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. Brittney Griner has returned to the United States, nearly 10 months after the basketball star’s detention in Russia made her the most high-profile American jailed abroad and set off a political firestorm. The World Trade Organization has rejected the 2018 import taxes that then-President Donald Trump imposed on foreign steel and aluminum, saying they violated global trade rules. U.S. officials say Florida's seasonal orange production is forecast to be down 36% from earlier estimates, in part a reflection of twin hurricanes that battered growing regions. A prominent Russian opposition figure has been sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison after being convicted on charges stemming from his criticism of the Kremlin’s action in Ukraine. U.S. safety regulators and Honda Motor Co. are urging drivers once again to make sure their vehicles haven’t been recalled after another person was killed by an exploding Takata air bag. Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona says she has switched her registration to independent. But the first-term senator also says she doesn't plan to caucus with Republicans and that will ensure Democrats retain their narrow voting majority in the Senate.  After disappointing results in this year's elections, Republicans are reevaluating their antipathy to mail voting. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform says the Washington Commanders created a “toxic work culture” for more than two decades and downplayed sexual misconduct by men at the top levels of the organization. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has helped mark a milestone in U.S. history by holding up a newly minted $5 bill signed for the first time ever by two women. Yellen’s signature will appear alongside that of U.S. Treasurer Lynn Malerba, the first Native American in that position. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 9 at 6:45 a.m. CT): Brittney Griner has returned to the United States, nearly 10 months after the basketball star’s detention in Russia made her the most high-profile American jailed abroad and set off a political firestorm. Serhiy Marchenko, Ukraine's finance minister, says crucial Western financial aid is “not charity” but “self-preservation" as donor countries share the price of turning back Russian aggression. Social media users are reporting a rash of COVID-19 cases in schools and businesses across China after the ruling Communist Party loosened anti-virus rules as it tries to reverse a deepening economic slump. President Joe Biden now has the bill to protect same-sex marriages. He says he'll promptly sign the measure into law. A month into the nation’s largest strike involving higher education, the work stoppage by University of California academic workers at 10 campuses is causing stress for many undergraduate students. In sports, imprisoned WNBA star Britney Griner is returning after 10 months in Russia, the Nuggets enjoyed buzzer-beater magic against the Blazers, a late rally enabled the Rams to break a six-game losing streak and the Mets made a major free-agent signing. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. CT): The House has given final approval to protections for same-sex marriages. The vote Thursday sends the legislation to President Joe Biden, a monumental step in a decades-long battle for nationwide recognition of such unions. The bipartisan legislation would also protect interracial unions by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin." Biden says he'll promptly sign the measure into law. A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military has passed the House. Brittney Griner’s loved ones and extended basketball family were ecstatic when news broke about her release from a Russian prison and that she was on her way back to the United States. The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday sued to block Microsoft’s planned $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard, saying it could suppress competitors to its Xbox game consoles and its growing games subscription business. A federal appeals court panel says New York can continue enforcing a new state law banning guns from “sensitive” places like parks and theaters while the judges consider a legal challenge. German police have rounded up dozens of people including a self-styled prince, a retired paratrooper and a former judge, accusing the suspects of discussing the overthrow of the government, but leaving unclear how concrete the plans were. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, stick to a familiar script in a new Netflix series that chronicles the couple’s estrangement from the royal family, chastising Britain’s media and the societal racism they believe has fueled coverage of their relationship. U.S. regulators have cleared doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than 5. Celine Dion has put a halt on all performing after being diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder. In video messages posted in French and English on Thursday on Instagram, Dion said stiff person syndrome is causing spasms that affect her ability to walk and sing. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 8 at 6:49 a.m. CT): President Joe Biden is facing consistent but critical assessments of his leadership and the national economy as his second year in the White House comes to a close. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds 43% of U.S. adults say they approve of the way Biden is handling his job as president, while 55% disapprove. President Joe Biden is calling again for a ban on so-called assault weapons, calling it “simple common sense.” He spoke Wednesday evening in Washington at a vigil honoring victims of gun violence. The House is set to take a final vote on protections for same-sex marriages. The vote Thursday will send the legislation to President Joe Biden, a monumental step in a decades-long battle for nationwide recognition of such unions that reflects a stunning turnaround in societal attitudes. Daniel Harris, a sailor who was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor, has been laid to rest in San Diego, exactly 81 years after the attack. Google, Oracle, Microsoft and Amazon will share in the Pentagon’s $9 billion contract to build its cloud computing network. In sports, the Celtics remained red hot, the Bucks topped the Kings, the Nets held off the Hornets, a Sabres forward has the hot hand and the Bruins won again. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. CT): The FBI received a tip about the suspect charged with murder and hate crimes in a mass shooting at a Colorado gay nightclub the day before the suspect was arrested in a bomb threat case that evacuated a neighborhood. Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, says he's pained by a rise in antisemitism in the United States. A handful of centenarian survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor gathered at the scene in Hawaii to commemorate those who perished 81 years ago in the Japanese bombing. A published report says lawyers for former President Donald Trump found at least two items marked as classified during a recent search of a storage unit in West Palm Beach, Florida, and have provided them to the FBI. Peru's Congress has removed President Pedro Castillo from office and sworn in his vice president to replace him.  Friction has been simmering within the global Anglican Communion for many years over its 42 provinces’ sharp differences on whether to recognize same-sex marriage and ordain LGBTQ clergy. A study has found that the racial gap in graduation rates for this year’s bowl teams in college football has declined again and is now the smallest in its history. Time Magazine has named Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy its person of the year. It awarded him the accolade “for proving that courage can be as contagious as fear.” He was named alongside “the spirit of Ukraine.” Microsoft has agreed to make the hit video game Call of Duty available on Nintendo for 10 years should its $69 billion purchase of game maker Activision Blizzard go through. This year's White House Christmas ornament gives a nod to former first lady Patricia Nixon. It's in the shape of a gingerbread White House, and Nixon was the first first lady to include a gingerbread house as part of the White House holiday decorations. The deadline for obtaining the Real ID needed to board a domestic flight has been pushed back again, with the Department of Homeland Security citing the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for the slower-than-expected rollout. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 7 at 6:51 a.m. CT): Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a runoff election in Georgia. The victory by the state’s first Black senator ensures Democrats an outright majority in the chamber for the rest of President Joe Biden’s current term. Donald Trump’s company has been convicted of tax fraud for a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on perks such as apartments and luxury cars. As punishment, the Trump Organization could be fined up to $1.6 million. A handful of centenarian survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor are expected to gather at the scene in Hawaii to commemorate those who perished 81 years ago in the Japanese bombing. Officials say thousands of police officers have carried out raids across much of Germany against suspected far-right extremists who allegedly sought to overthrow the government in an armed coup. When Russian forces launched a military campaign against infrastructure in Ukraine, they opened a front that carried the war along power lines and water mains to homes, schools, hospitals and Ukrainian livelihoods. The government in Kyiv and the Western countries that have backed it with billions in military aid now are scrambling along with the United Nations and aid groups to get blankets, insulation, generators, medical supplies, cash and more basics into the invaded country as winter looms. The Fed is expected to raise interest rates again when it meets next week. In sports, baseball's winter meetings are producing free agent signings, Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell lit up the L.A. Lakers for 43, in college basketball number two Texas went down and and there's quarterback news from the NFL. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. CT): Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed local election officials in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Pennsylvania. Smith is asking for communications with or involving former President Donald Trump, his campaign aides and a list of allies involved in his efforts to try to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack will make criminal referrals to the Justice Department. Top House and Senate leaders have bestowed Congressional Gold Medals on law enforcement officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Anderson Lee Aldrich, the suspect accused of entering a Colorado Springs gay nightclub and killing five people and wounding 17 others, was charged with 305 criminal counts including hate crimes and murder. North Korea has fired a barrage of artillery rounds into waters near rival South Korea for the second consecutive day for ongoing U.S.-South Korea live-fire drills. A panel is calling for changes at the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees most of the nation's food supply, saying revamped leadership, a clear mission and more urgency are needed to prevent illness outbreaks and to promote good health. Jim Stewart, the white Tennessee farm boy and fiddle player who co-founded the influential Stax Records with his sister in a Black, inner-city Memphis neighborhood and helped build the soulful “Memphis sound,” has died at age 92. While filming “Emancipation,” Will Smith routinely drew inspiration from the words “sacred motivation” that were written on the front page of a script. But the Oscar winner heavily leaned on the phrase even more in recent months, as he tried to overcome the backlash to his Oscars slap and banishment from the ceremony. The major freight railroads now face pressure from investors to add sick days after Congress declined to require them as part of the contracts they imposed last week to avert a potentially devastating nationwide rail strike. Much of the Arctic is in a burst of freak December warming. Temperatures in Alaska’s northernmost community hit 40 degrees Monday morning. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 7 at 7:01 a.m. CT): Georgia voters will decide today between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. A fire blamed on a drone attack broke out at an airport in Russia’s southern Kursk region that borders Ukraine, the region’s governor said Tuesday. Tens of thousands of people are bracing for days without electricity in a North Carolina county where authorities say two power substations were shot up by one or more people with apparent criminal intent. Kirstie Alley, a two-time Emmy winner who starred in the 1980s sitcom “Cheers” and the hit film “Look Who’s Talking,” has died. She was 71. Authorities say a Memphis police officer was wounded and a suspect was killed during a shootout following a call about a suspicious vehicle at a gas station. The suspect accused of entering a Colorado gay nightclub clad in body armor and opening fire with an AR-15-style rifle, killing five people and wounding 17 others, is set to appear in court again Tuesday. In sports, Tom Brady rallied Tampa on Monday Night Football, the Celtics and Grizzlies earned wins and two major deals were reported in MLB free agency. James Howard Jackson, the man who shot and wounded Lady Gaga’s dog walker and stole her French bulldogs last year, has taken a plea deal and was sentenced to 21 years in prison. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. CT): The extended Senate campaign in Georgia gives Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker a second chance to persuade voters to send them to Washington. Richard Cottingham, a serial slayer known as the "Torso Killer" already serving a life sentence for murder, has also admitted to killing five women on Long Island decades ago. Incarcerated lawyer Michael Avenatti has been sentenced in Southern California to 14 years in federal prison for cheating his clients out of millions of dollars. The Mississippi Department of Human Services is changing its demands against retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre in a lawsuit that seeks repayment of misspent welfare money. Oxford Dictionaries has announced its 2022 word of the year: “goblin mode.” It defines the term as “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” The Mets and pitcher Justin Verlander agreed to a contract as did the Philadelphia Phillies and shortstop Trea Turner. Voters with no religious affiliation supported Democratic candidates and abortion rights by staggering percentages in the 2022 midterm elections. Fans from around the world have refashioned traditional Gulf Arab headdresses and thobes at the first World Cup in the Middle East. A surge of anti-Jewish vitriol spread by celebrities is stoking fears that public figures are normalizing hate and ramping up the risk of violence. FBI Director Chris Wray is raising national security concerns about TikTok. He warned Friday that control of the popular video sharing app is in the hands of a Chinese government “that doesn’t share our values.” —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 5 at 7 a.m. CT): Two power substations in a North Carolina county were damaged by gunfire in what is being investigated as a criminal act. A spokesman for Duke Energy said at a news conference with local officials on Sunday that the damage caused the night before could take days to repair. The Supreme Court is hearing the case of a Christian graphic artist who objects to designing wedding websites for gay couples, the latest clash of religion and gay rights to land at the highest court. Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock faces off against Republican challenger Herschel Walker in Tuesday's runoff election. Police say a private airplane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast Saturday night, with two people confirmed dead as authorities searched for a third person. Oxford Dictionaries has announced its 2022 word of the year: “goblin mode.” It defines the term as “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” China is easing some of the world’s most stringent anti-COVID controls and authorities say new variants are weaker. But they have yet to say when they might end a "zero-COVID“ strategy that confines millions of people to their homes and set off protests and demands for President Xi Jinping to resign. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is making clear he wants to keep the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place to protect the health of the troops, as Republican governors and lawmakers press to rescind it. The Supreme Court is about to confront a new elections case that could dramatically alter voting in 2024 and beyond. A Republican-led challenge is asking the justices for a novel ruling that could significantly increase the power of state lawmakers over elections for Congress and the presidency. In sports, the Browns won in the debut of their new quarterback, the Eagles continued their strong start, the Vikings won again, college football has its semifinalists and the Baseball Hall of Fame added Fred McGriff. Actor, musician and children’s author widely known for his portrayal of one of the first regular characters on the children’s show “Sesame Street,” Bob McGrath, has died at the age of 90. Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Amy Grant, Tania León and U2 were feted during Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors. Every year the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honors a select group of people for their artistic contributions to American culture. The show will be broadcast on Dec. 28 on CBS. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” held the box-office crown for the fourth straight weekend with $17.6 million. —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.  Apple Music and Pandora revealed streaming song charts for 2022. There were several notable deaths this past week, including a key member of Fleetwood Mac. Tiger Woods talked about his health and ability to compete. And the artist formerly known as Kanye West was back in the news. Those stories and more from The Associated Press.

We’re going to look at three topics this week: The state of the economy, political news and several key court cases. In this first segment, we open with Cyber Monday and concerns of a potential rail strike. Those concerns ended late in the week when Congress intervened after negotiations between the two sides stalled. We also look at inflation and a jobs report. In this second segment, we look at several key political stories including gun control, protection for same-sex marriage, former President Donald Trump’s controversial dinner guests and election news. Finally, in this third segment, we review court cases of national interest including the trial of the Oath Keepers’ founder, a plea by the shooter in the Buffalo supermarket massacre and the Supreme Court’s plan to take up the Biden administration’s plans to forgive some student loans. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden is assuring the nation that the U.S. economy is chugging along. Biden pointed to the addition of 263,000 jobs and the unemployment rate holding steady at 3.7% last month as proof that his policies have bulked up the economy. At the White House, the president signed a bill to avoid a rail strike that he said could have caused 765,000 job losses in two weeks and plunged the country into recession. Prosecutors have resumed their closing argument in the Trump Organization’s criminal tax fraud trial. Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joshua Steinglass continued his summary of the case on Friday after telling jurors Thursday that “Donald Trump knew exactly what was going on with his top executives." The family of Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia for espionage, says that he has resumed contact after unexpectedly becoming unreachable in November. Along with WNBA star Brittney Griner, Whelan is the focus of efforts by the United States to arrange a prisoner swap with Russia. Christian Pulisic was cleared to play for the United States in its round of 16 match at the World Cup against the Netherlands on Saturday. Authorities say a U.S. woman was killed and four other passengers injured when a massive wave struck the Viking Polaris cruise ship while it was sailing toward the port of Ushuaia in southern Argentina on an Antarctic cruise. An influential Iraqi cleric who announced his withdrawal from politics four months ago has broken a period of relative silence to launch an anti-LGBTQ campaign. In this week's religion roundup, Native Hawaiians see a window to the natural and spiritual worlds in the lava flowing from the Mauna Loa volcano. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 2 at 6:42 a.m. CT): The Senate passed a bill Thursday to bind rail companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached between the rail companies and union leaders in September. President Joe Biden indicated he would be willing to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin if the Russian leader demonstrated that he seriously wanted to end the invasion of Ukraine. A federal appeals court has halted an independent review of documents seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate, removing a hurdle the Justice Department said had delayed its criminal investigation into the retention of top-secret government information. The Supreme Court says the Biden administration program to cancel student loans will remain blocked for now, but the justices have agreed to take up the case in late winter. The nation's first trial over a ban on gender-confirming care for children has ended and is now in the hands of a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Jay Moody didn't indicate Thursday when he would rule on whether to overturn Arkansas' ban, which he temporarily blocked last year. Barack Obama is urging Georgia Democrats to keep pushing voting turnout for Sen. Raphael Warnock. The former president and the senator rallied Thursday in Atlanta ahead of Warnock's Tuesday runoff with Republican challenger Herschel Walker. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! museum, an iconic part of the Atlantic City Boardwalk, is closing on Dec. 31. Twitter has suspended rapper Ye after he tweeted a picture of a swastika merged with the Star of David. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has made a series of antisemitic comments in recent weeks. Also, the rightwing-leaning social media site Parler says a deal to be acquired by Ye, first announced in October, is off. In sports, the Bills became division leaders again, college football's playoff will soon feature a much larger field, the Mavericks did not enjoy their trip to Detroit, an AP top-5 team got an unpleasant surprise, and the Devils tasted defeat. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 1 at 3:55 p.m. CT): The Senate has moved quickly to avert a rail strike that the Biden administration and business leaders say would greatly damage the economy. The Senate passed a bill Thursday to bind rail companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached between the rail companies and union leaders in September. President Joe Biden is hosting a state dinner Thursday evening with French President Emmanuel Macron, and Biden signaled that he may be willing to tweak aspects of his signature climate legislation that have raised concerns with France and other European allies. The Supreme Court says the Biden administration program to cancel student loans will remain blocked for now, but the justices have agreed to take up the case in late winter. An official says lava from the world’s largest volcano shouldn’t be able to reach the main highway across Hawaii’s Big Island for at least a week. A report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 6% in October from a year earlier. A coroner says two children were among five people found dead at a suburban Chicago home following what police called a “domestic-related incident." The nation’s new 988 hotline, intended to help anyone experiencing a mental health emergency, was out of service for several hours Thursday. The Voice of America says the Taliban have banned FM radio broadcasts from VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Afghanistan. German authorities say a 72-year-old woman has been arrested after she allegedly switched off her hospital roommate's ventilator twice because she was bothered by the sound it made. An honorary member of the Buckingham Palace household has resigned after repeatedly asking a Black woman who runs a charity for survivors of domestic abuse what country she “really came from.’’ Award-winning “Squid Game” actor Oh Young-soo will stand trial on charges of indecent assault after a woman accused him of inappropriately touching her in 2017. The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in New York was lit Wednesday night following a star-filled concert. Wildfires in Colorado in the summer of 2020 have caused long-term damage. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Dec. 1 at 7:25 a.m. CT): In sports, Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker lit it up, the Bucks outlasted the Knicks, the Cavaliers clobbered the 76ers and the Sabres beat the Red Wings despite blowing a three-goal lead in the third period. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 30 at 4 p.m. CT): The U.S. economy grew at a 2.9% annual rate from July through September despite high interest rates and chronic inflation, the government said Wednesday in an upgrade from its initial estimate. Fed Chair Jerome Powell says the Federal Reserve will push rates higher than previously expected and keep them there longer to fight a stubborn bout of inflation. Christine McVie, the soulful British musician who sang lead on many of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hits, has died at 79. Congress is moving urgently to head off the looming U.S. rail strike. The House passed a bill Wednesday that would bind companies and workers to a proposed settlement reached in September that failed to gain the support of all 12 unions involved. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. China's ruling Communist Party has vowed to “resolutely crack down on infiltration and sabotage activities by hostile forces." The National Weather Service says record high temperatures in Texas and Louisiana fired up the storm front that spawned tornadoes across the Deep South. Delivery company DoorDash is eliminating more than 1,200 corporate jobs, about 6% of its total workforce, saying it hired too many people when demand for its services increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The world’s largest volcano is oozing rivers of glowing lava and drawing thousands of awestruck viewers who jammed a Hawaii highway that could soon be covered by the flow. U.S. job openings dropped in October but remained high, a sign that businesses became slightly less desperate for workers as the Federal Reserve ramps up interest rates in an effort to cool the economy. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is holding fundraisers for future political activity at events where the Republican is expected to talk about his eight years as governor, as well as plans for the future. The European Union wants to set up a U.N.-backed specialized court to investigate possible war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Kuleba called the NATO membership delay a "strategic mistake." The Prince and Princess of Wales are making their first overseas trip since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. The trip that began Wednesday is an occasion for Prince William and his wife, Kate, to show the world as much about who they are not as who they are. A Taliban official says that at least 10 students were killed when a bomb blast hit a religious school in northern Afghanistan. A new study says the U.S. gun death rate last year hit its highest mark in nearly three decades.  Ernő Rubik, the inventor of the Rubik's Cube, offers tips on how to solve the puzzle.  —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 30 at 6:35 a.m. CT): Congress is moving swiftly to prevent a looming U.S. rail workers strike. Lawmakers are reluctantly intervening in a labor dispute to stop what would surely be a devastating blow to the nation’s economy if the transportation of fuel, food and other critical goods were disrupted. The Senate has passed landmark bipartisan legislation to protect same-sex marriages. Senate Democrats are moving quickly to send the bill to the House and President Joe Biden’s desk. Residents in several towns across Louisiana and Mississippi took cover amid the blare of tornado sirens amid a severe weather outbreak erupting in the Deep South. An organization of 34 democratic countries says democracy is being degraded around the world because people are losing faith in the legitimacy of elections and the imposition of restrictions on freedom of expression among range of issues. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes has been convicted of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn President Joe Biden's election, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Twitter has ended enforcement of its COVID-19 misinformation policy. In sports, the United States men's soccer team advanced at the World Cup, the Bruins remained unbeaten at home, the latest College Football Playoff rankings are out and the Mavericks snapped their losing streak. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 29 at 4 p.m. CT): NATO members met in Romania to discuss Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine called for more supplies of weapons to defend itself with, and quickly. “Faster, faster and faster,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. “We appreciate what has been done, but the war goes on.” President Joe Biden says he hopes lawmakers can work together to fund the government, boost spending for Ukraine and avert a crippling rail strike. His comments came as he met with congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday. U.S. consumer confidence fell for the second straight month in November amid ongoing high inflation, rising interest rates, and layoff announcements by several large tech companies. A senior Russian diplomat says Russia and the United States repeatedly came close to reaching agreement on a prisoner exchange and a deal remains possible before the year’s end. The Biden administration has been trying for months to negotiate the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and another American jailed in Russia, Paul Whelan. The smash hit by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber “Stay” topped Apple Music’s global song chart in 2022 as the giant music streamer released its end-of-year lists. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” has won best feature at the 32nd Gotham Awards. The honor is boosting Oscar hopes for the anarchic indie hit of the year. Clarence Gilyard Jr., a popular supporting actor whose credits include the blockbuster films “Die Hard” and “Top Gun” and the hit television series “Matlock” and “Walker, Texas Ranger,” has died at age 66. Tiger Woods is painting an uncertain future when it comes to his golf career. He says plantar fasciitis in his right foot makes it hard to walk and that he doesn't have much left in this leg. The former warden of an abuse-plagued federal women’s prison known as the “rape club” went on trial Monday. The former warden is accused of molesting inmates and forcing them to pose naked in their cells. Don’t look for plastic partitions or faraway benches when visiting Santa Claus this year. The jolly old elf is back, pre-pandemic style. Santa booker HireSanta.com has logged a 30% increase in demand over last year after losing about 15% of its performers to retirement or death during the pandemic. Australia’s environment minister says her government will lobby against UNESCO adding the Great Barrier Reef to a list of endangered World Heritage sites, arguing that criticisms of government inaction on climate change are outdated. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 29 at 6:47 a.m. CT): Days after flocking to stores on Black Friday, consumers are turning online for Cyber Monday to score more discounts on gifts and other items that have ballooned in price because of high inflation. President Joe Biden is calling on Congress to pass legislation to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks. A strike could lead to higher prices and shortages. Waves of glowing lava and smoky ash are belching and sputtering from the world’s largest active volcano and people on Hawaii’s Big Island have been warned to be ready if their communities are threatened. The Senate is set to vote Tuesday on legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, putting Congress one step closer to passing the landmark bill and ensuring that such unions are enshrined in federal law. The United States takes on Iran today in the World Cup. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says war-torn Ukraine will one day become a member of the world’s largest security alliance. Stoltenberg's remarks came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his NATO counterparts gathered Tuesday in Romania. In sports, the Steelers became the winningest team in Monday Night Football history, Joel Embiid led the Sixers, the Devils rallied and two major college football programs hired coaches. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 28 at 4 p.m. CT): Payton Gendron, the white gunman who massacred 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket, has pleaded guilty to murder and hate-motivated terrorism charges. He’ll spend his life in prison without parole. Five New Haven, Connecticut, police officers have been charged with misdemeanors over their treatment of a Black man after he was paralyzed from the chest down in the back of a police van. The world’s largest active volcano was erupting Monday. Officials said that Mauna Loa wasn’t immediately threatening communities on Hawaii’s Big Island but people should be prepared for worse. Stocks fell broadly on Wall Street as protests spread in China calling for President Xi Jinping to step down amid growing anger over severe restrictions imposed as part of his “zero COVID” strategy in the world's second-largest economy.  The White House says first lady Jill Biden has drawn inspiration from the nation's founding documents to decorate for the holidays. Cryptocurrency lender BlockFi is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as the fallout from the collapse of FTX continues. Days after flocking to stores on Black Friday, consumers are turning online for Cyber Monday to score more discounts on gifts and other items that have ballooned in price because of high inflation. Prince William and the Princess of Wales will make their first trip to the U.S. in eight years this week, hoping to focus attention on their Earthshot Prize for environmental innovators. But the trip will be clouded by tensions with William's brother, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan, who have criticized Britain’s royal family in the American media. Merriam-Webster has chosen “gaslighting” as its word of the year for 2022. A community farm in Colorado has ditched tractors for chickens. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 28 at 6:55 a.m. CT): Authorities say two people have been rescued more than six hours after their single-engine plane crashed and got stuck in some live power lines in Maryland. There has been renewed discussion over gun control following two mass shootings this past week. Chinese authorities have eased some anti-virus rules but affirmed their severe “zero COVID” strategy after protesters demanded President Xi Jinping resign in the biggest show of opposition to the ruling Communist Party in decades. Ukraine is preparing for more Russian strikes and has warned of the possibility of a new round of evacuations from the capital of Kyiv. The U.S. Soccer Federation briefly displayed Iran’s national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic. The federation described the move as a show of support for protesters in Iran ahead of the two nations’ World Cup match Tuesday. The United States’ 0-0 draw against England in the World Cup drew 19.98 million viewers for English- and Spanish-language broadcasts. It was the third-most watched men’s soccer game on U.S. television behind the 2010 and 2014 finals. In sports, the Bengals pulled out a nice win at Tennessee, NFL underdogs had their day, namely the Jaguars, Browns and Raiders, the Celtics continued to have their way in the NBA, the upstart Kraken continued to amaze in the NHL and at the World Cup, Germany and Spain are fit to be tied. The Associated Press college football poll got a remake near the top thanks to four top-10 teams losing this past weekend. Thanksgiving often serves up a feast of new family movies at the box office, but the Walt Disney Co.’s animated offering “Strange World” fizzled with audiences out of the gates. Former President Donald Trump is drawing criticism for dining with Holocaust-denying white nationalist Nick Fuentes and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West. Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winning singer-actress Irene Cara, who starred in and sang the title cut from the 1980 hit movie “Fame” and then belted out the era-defining hit “Flashdance ... What a Feeling” from 1983′s “Flashdance,” has died. She was 63. Macao has tentatively renewed the casino licenses of MGM Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts and three Chinese rivals after they promised to help diversify the economy by investing in non-gambling attractions. —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.  Taylor Swift won Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards. Former CEO Bob Iger returned to lead Disney. Amy Schneider won the ‘Jeopardy!’ tournament of champions. And Kyrie Irving returned to the Brooklyn Nets. 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 Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. CT): The nation’s major shipping companies are in good shape to get shoppers’ packages delivered on time this holiday season. Carriers like the U.S. Postal Service, UPS and FedEx are expected to have excess capacity after struggling under a crush of holiday packages in 2020 and 2021. Twitter has been a bit of a mess since billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk took helm. Lesser-known sites such as Mastodon and even Tumblr are emerging as new or renewed alternatives. Here’s the sitch, Scrabble stans. Your convos around the board are about to get more interesting with about 500 new words and variations added to the game’s seventh edition of “The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary.” Disneyland has added two new characters in wheelchairs to “It’s a Small World.” Disney Resorts says it's part of an ongoing effort to accurately reflect diversity. Frontier Airlines and five foreign carriers are paying more than $600 million in refunds to consumers whose flights were canceled or significantly delayed since the start of the pandemic. A rapidly intensifying flu season is straining U.S. hospitals already overburdened with patients sick from other respiratory infections. John Ray III, who had to clean up the mess at Enron, says the situation at FTX is even worse, describing what he calls a “complete failure” of corporate control. General Motors expects its portfolio of electric vehicles to turn a profit in North America by 2025. That will come as it boosts battery and assembly plant capacity to build over 1 million EVs per year. —The Associated Press

On this original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. CT): Authorities and witnesses say a Walmart manager opened fire on fellow employees in the break room of a Chesapeake, Virginia, store, killing six people. It was the country’s second high-profile mass shooting in four days.  The alleged shooter facing possible hate crime charges in the fatal shooting of five people at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub has been ordered held without bail in an initial court appearance. Four students are injured from an apparent drive-by shooting shortly after their Philadelphia high school let out early for the day. The United States is sending another $400 million in ammunition and generators to Ukraine. The U.S. is pulling the gear from its own stockpiles to get the support to Ukraine as fast as possible as Russia continues to target Ukraine’s energy sources and winter sets in. The Georgia Supreme Court has reinstated the state’s ban on abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy. Federal courts in Brazil have ordered a New Jersey-based fishing tour company operating in the Amazon to cease and desist. Georgia counties will be allowed to hold early voting this Saturday in the U.S. Senate runoff election between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level since August but still remained low by historic standards. The Labor Department reported Wednesday that 240,000 people applied for jobless aid last week, up by 17,000 from the week before. Across America, most high school football seasons are winding down. It will wrap up the first year since the Supreme Court ruled it was OK for a public school coach near Seattle to pray on the field. The decision prompted speculation that prayer would become an even bigger part of the game-day fabric, though that hasn’t seemed to be the case. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 23 at 7 a.m. CT): Police say a shooter opened fire at a busy Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, leaving six people dead. The assailant is also dead. The alleged shooter facing possible hate crime charges in the fatal shooting of five people at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub will make a court appearance today by video from jail. AAA predicts that nearly 49 million people will travel by car, and 4.5 million will fly between Wednesday and Sunday. Authorities are reporting power outages in multiple cities of Ukraine after renewed strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure facilities. A maternity hospital in southern Ukraine was also struck, killing a newborn baby. The number of uninsured Americans this year reached a historic low of 8%. In sports, there were no changes in the College Football Playoff rankings, the shorthanded Sixers got a win and the Brewers traded their starting right fielder.  On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden is announcing that his administration will extend the pause on federal student loan payments while the White House fights a legal battle to save his plan to cancel portions of the debt. The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the handover of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns to a congressional committee after a three-year legal fight. Americans who have gotten the updated COVID-19 boosters appear better protected against symptomatic infection than those who haven't. That's according to a first look at the new shots' real-world effectiveness, released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, held a COVID-19 briefing at the White House which was expected to be his last before he retires from the government at the end of year. The holiday travel rush is already on, and it could spread out over more days than usual this year. AAA predicts that nearly 55 million people in the U.S. will travel at least 50 miles from home this week, an increase over last year and only 2% less than in 2019. A huge horde of ancient gold coins dating back to around 100 B.C. has been stolen from a museum in southern Germany. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has warned the United States that it would face “a more fatal security crisis” as Washington pushes for U.N. condemnation of the North’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile test. Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after being convicted earlier this year on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 22 at 6:31 a.m. CT): Army veteran Rich Fierro, who helped subdue the gunman at a gay club in Colorado Springs, credits his military training and instincts in helping him disarm the attacker. The rampage killed five people and wounded 17. Consumers could quickly start seeing higher gas prices and shortages of some of their favorite groceries if railroads aren’t able to agree on contracts with all 12 of their unions. Congress may ultimately have to step in to protect the economy. One of Ukraine's energy chiefs says rolling blackouts across Ukraine may continue through March. That warning comes as Ukrainians brace for a grim winter after weeks of relentless Russian strikes against its power grid. Officials say the death toll from the 5.6 magnitude earthquake that shook the Indonesian island of Java leapt to 268 on Tuesday as more bodies were found beneath collapsed buildings, and 151 people are still missing. Iran says it has begun producing enriched uranium at 60% purity at its underground Fordo nuclear plant. The increased enrichment was seen as a significant addition to the country’s nuclear program. Amy Schneider, who won 40 games in a row on ‘Jeopardy!', capped off her big year by winning the game show's tournament of champions and a $250,000 prize. In sports, World Cup action began for the United States, the 49ers faced Arizona and the Bucks beat the Blazers. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. CT): The man suspected of opening fire at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs is being held on murder and hate crimes charges. The charges surfaced in online court records Monday, two days after the attack that killed five people and wounded many others. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says four people have been found dead and one injured following a reported hostage situation in northwest Oklahoma. Elon Musk's Twitter has reinstated the personal account of far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was banned in January for violating the platform's COVID misinformation policies at the time. An earthquake has toppled buildings on Indonesia’s densely populated main island, killing at least 162 people and injuring hundreds. Consumers could quickly start seeing higher gas prices and shortages of some of their favorite groceries if railroads aren’t able to agree on contracts with al 12 of their unions ahead of next month’s deadline after the latest rejection vote Monday. President Joe Biden participated in the annual pardoning of a Thanksgiving turkey on Monday. Authorities say an SUV crashed into an Apple store in Massachusetts, killing one person and injuring 16 others. A recent study found the oldest evidence of using fire to cook, dating back to 780,000 years ago. America’s top diplomat, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is in Qatar to hold talks as regional tensions remain high. FIFA’s threat of on-field punishment for players has pushed World Cup teams to back down. They abandoned a plan Monday for their captains to wear armbands that were seen as a rebuke to host nation Qatar’s human rights record. Get the latest entertainment and religion news with weekly roundups covering topics ranging from Taylor Swift's ticket sales to religious leaders urging awareness over climate concerns. —The Associated Press

Welcome to a special World Cup edition of Hot Off The Wire. In this episode, Associated Press correspondent Ed Donahue moderates a conversation with Jon Gambrell, AP Gulf and Iran news director, and James Robson, AP global soccer correspondent. The three discuss the last-minute decision to ban the sale of beer with alcohol at stadiums, concerns over human rights and the teams and players to watch as games get underway.  The episode was recorded just prior to the start of the tournament that kicked off Sunday with Ecuador's victory over host Qatar —The Associated Press

Authorities say a 22-year-old gunman opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and leaving 25 injured before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons. Parts of New York are finally catching a break after a storm dumped snow for days on cities and towns east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The Walt Disney Company has tapped its former CEO Bob Iger to return to head the company for two years, firing his successor Bob Chapek, who took the post in 2020. The Hong Kong government says leader John Lee tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Thailand. Kyrie Irving has returned to the Brooklyn Nets and apologized to anyone who felt threatened or hurt when he posted a link to a documentary with antisemitic material. Taylor Swift won six award and was named artist of the year for the seventh time at the American Music Awards. There was also a tribute to Lionel Richie. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” extended its box-office reign in its second week of release with $67 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates. In sports, the Cowboys ended the Vikings winning streak, the Eagles were back in form, the Patriots won in dramatic fashion over the Jets, the Nets won as Kyrie Irving returned from his suspension, the top two teams in NCAA women's basketball met and Lydia Ko capped a terrific LPGA season. Elon Musk has reinstated Donald Trump’s account on Twitter, reversing a ban that has kept the former president off the social media site since a pro-Trump mob attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress was poised to certify Joe Biden’s election victory. NBC “Today” show weather anchor Al Roker says he's recovering after he was hospitalized last week for blood clots in his leg and lungs. Negotiators have approved an historic deal to create a fund for compensating poor nations that are victims of extreme weather worsened by rich countries’ carbon pollution. —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.  Beyoncé tied a Grammy nomination record previously held by Jay-Z. More on that as well as other Grammy nomination news. Roberta Flack can no longer sing due to Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Jay Leno suffered burns in a gasoline fire. And the last original surviving star from “Hogan’s Heroes” has died. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

We’re going to look at two topics this week: Politics following the midterm elections as well as some international news. In the first segment, we take a look at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to step aside from leadership, former President Donald Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that he is launching a third bid for the White House and the state of Congress. In the second segment, we look at President Joe Biden’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Russia’s intensifying attacks on Ukraine following its withdrawal from Kherson and other global news of note. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we take a look at a few headlines related to the upcoming holiday season. There will be new editions to this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Air travel around Thanksgiving and Christmas will be more expensive. And rising food prices will take a bite out of Thanksgiving dinner as well as the bottom line for small businesses. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 18 at 7:03 a.m. CT): A dangerous lake-effect snowstorm paralyzed parts of western and northern New York, with more than a foot of snow already on the ground in places and a driving ban keeping people off the roads in the Buffalo area. Also ahead of the storm, the NFL announced it would relocate the Buffalo Bills' home game against the Cleveland Browns to Detroit on Sunday. North Korea has fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed near Japanese waters in its second major weapons test this month that showed a potential ability to launch nuclear strikes on all of the U.S. mainland. The Uvalde officer who was leading the city’s police department during the hesitant law enforcement response to the elementary school shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers has stepped down. An investigation by Maryland’s attorney general has identified 158 Roman Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Baltimore accused of sexually and physically abusing more than 600 victims over the past 80 years. A federal judge on Friday will decide whether disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes should serve a lengthy prison sentence for duping investors and endangering patients while peddling a bogus blood-testing technology. Twitter is continuing to bleed engineers and other workers after its new owner Elon Musk gave them a choice: either pledge to “hardcore” work or resign with severance pay. U.S. agriculture officials have proposed changes to the federal program that helps pay for fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income mothers and young children. In sports, the Titans strengthened their grip on the AFC South, Major League Baseball has named its MVPs, there is a logjam atop the NBA's Western Conference, and nobody can stop the NHL's two hottest teams. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. CT): House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she won't seek a leadership role in the new Congress. She plans to stay on as a member of Congress, having won reelection from her San Francisco district. In an Associated Press interview, Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she will remain focused on her post and not on growing national speculation she could mount a future presidential run. U.S. authorities say a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent and a suspected smuggler died during a shootout Thursday morning off the Puerto Rico coast. WNBA star Brittney Griner has begun serving her nine-year sentence for drug possession at a Russian penal colony. Oklahoma has executed a man for the torture killing of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son in 1993. Donald Trump’s longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg choked up on the witness stand Thursday, saying he betrayed the Trump family’s trust by scheming to dodge taxes on $1.7 million in company-paid perks. Robert Clary, who played a prisoner of war in the TV sitcom “Hogan’s Heroes,” has died. Clary sported a beret in his role as the feisty Corporal Louis LeBeau in “Hogan’s Heroes,” which aired from 1965 to 1971. He was 96. A federal judge in Florida has blocked the so-called “Stop Woke” act pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that restricts certain race-based conversations and analysis in colleges. The Federal Reserve may have to raise its benchmark interest rate much higher than many people expect to get inflation under control, said James Bullard, who leads the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Donald Trump's suspension from Facebook and Instagram will stand for now despite his candidacy for president. In an Associated Press interview, former Vice President Mike Pence declined to say whether he believes Donald Trump is fit to be president again. But he also says the American people are “looking for new leadership” — as he positions himself as a potential alternative. Six new floats will debut at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Small businesses that count on food-centric holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are bracing for a difficult season due to soaring costs. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 17 at 6:48 a.m. CT): Congress will be split next year as Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives and Democrats retaining control of the Senate. Russian airstrikes have targeted Ukraine’s energy facilities again, as the first snow of the season fell in Kyiv.  Police in the college town of Moscow, Idaho, say they have not identified a suspect or found a weapon in the weekend slayings of four University of Idaho students in a rental house near campus.  Alabama and Oklahoma have executions scheduled for today. Authorities say 25 Los Angeles County sheriff’s academy recruits on a training run were hit by a vehicle that veered onto the wrong side of the road Wednesday morning. The sheriff says a field sobriety test on the driver was negative. Starbucks workers at more than 100 U.S. stores say they're going on strike Thursday. It's largest labor action since a campaign to unionize Starbucks' stores began late last year. International climate talks in Egypt are winding down. In sports, the Celtics won again, the Timberwolves beat the Magic, the Raptors outlasted the Heat and unanimous Cy Young winners. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 16 at 4 p.m. CT): Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., accused of killing three University of Virginia football players, was ordered held without bond. His attorney did not address the substance of the charges against him. The school also announced Wednesday it was canceling its final home game of the season scheduled for the weekend against Coastal Carolina. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has been reelected as Republican leader, quashing a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott of Florida. Arizona's Murray Hooper, convicted of murdering two people in 1980, was put to death Wednesday in the state’s third execution since officials started carrying out the death penalty in May after a nearly eight-year hiatus. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said it does not look like Russia was responsible for the deadly missile strike in Poland. Pilots of hot air balloons carrying paying passengers will need medical certificates, just like pilots of other kinds of commercial aircraft. Legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages is moving forward in the Senate. In two volatile spots in the occupied West Bank, Israel has installed robotic weapons that can fire tear gas, stun grenades and sponge-tipped bullets at Palestinian protesters. Americans are bracing for a costly Thanksgiving this year, with double-digit percent increases in the price of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, canned pumpkin and other staples. Americans stepped up their spending at retailers, restaurants and auto dealers last month, a sign of consumer resilience as the holiday shopping season begins amid painfully high inflation and rising interest rates. Elon Musk sent an email to Twitter employees earlier telling them that they must be "extremely hardcore" to build "a breakthrough Twitter 2.0." He said anyone who cannot keep up can resign. Britain's Crown Prosecution Service says actor Kevin Spacey will be charged with seven further sex offenses, all relating to the same alleged victim. —The Associated Press

On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire (updated Nov. 16 at 6:42 a.m. CT): U.S. President Joe Biden said it was “unlikely” that Russia fired a missile which came down in Polish farmland, killing two people. Three U.S. officials said preliminary assessments suggested it was fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian one. Members of the Group of 20 leading economies have ended their summit in Indonesia with a declaration of firm condemnation of the war in Ukraine and a warning that the conflict is making an already delicate world economy worse. Former President Donald Trump has launched another run for the presidency, promising supporters he will “make America great and glorious again.” Trump made his plans official Tuesday night after teasing the potential of a comeback since before he even left the White House in 2021. NASA’s new moon rocket has blasted off on its debut flight with three test dummies aboard. Wednesday's Florida launch brings the U.S. a big step closer to putting astronauts back on the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo program 50 years ago. Highlights of Tuesday's Grammy nominations.  In sports, there were two college basketball thrillers in Indianapolis, the Mavs blew a 25 point lead but won and the Devils extended their win streak. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. CT): Russia pounded Ukraine’s energy facilities with its biggest barrage of missiles yet, striking targets across the country and causing widespread blackouts. A senior U.S. intelligence official said missiles crossed into NATO member Poland, where two people were killed. Police say four University of Idaho students found dead in an off-campus home were targeted and the killer or killers used a knife or other “edged weapon.” House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy has cleared the first major step toward becoming House speaker after a secret ballot election. Donald Trump’s longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg has taken the witness stand at the Trump Organization’s criminal tax fraud trial The United Nations says the world's population is reaching the 8 billion mark on Tuesday. Much of the growth expected between now and 2050 is coming from just eight countries. Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Military Services, who oversees Catholic ministries to the U.S. armed forces, has been elected as the new president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Beyoncé has propelled herself into the highest Grammy echelon. The star singer claimed a leading nine nominations Tuesday, making her tied with her husband Jay-Z as the most nominated music act in the history of the awards show at 88 apiece. Prices at the wholesale level rose 8% in October from a year ago, the fourth straight decline and the latest sign that inflation pressures in the United States are easing from painfully high levels. If you're looking for airline tickets or a hotel room around the holidays, you'll probably pay more than you did the last time you traveled over Thanksgiving or Christmas. Qatar's mangrove forest is expected to be a big draw for World Cup visitors this year. —The Associated Press

On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire (updated Nov. 15 at 6:34 a.m. CT): Republicans are closing in on the House majority, one seat shy of taking a majority. It takes 218 seats to control the House. Republicans have locked down 217 seats so far, with Democrats claiming 205. Former President Donald Trump is expected to launch his candidacy for the 2024 election Tuesday night, one week after the midterms. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pressing Group of 20 leaders to pressure Russia over its invasion of his country. Chinese consumer spending contracted in October as the country continues to enforce its "zero-COVID" policy. The United Nations says the world will reach a population of 8 billion today and India will overtake China as the most-populated country in 2023. Jay Leno, the former "Tonight Show" host, says he's doing OK after suffering serious burns in a gasoline fire. In sports, Washington ended Philadelphia's bid for perfection in Monday Night Football. In NBA action, the Heat beat the Suns and the Hawks topped the Bucks. In the NHL, the Blues skated by the Avalanche. On the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Nov. 14 at 4 p.m. CT) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made a triumphant visit to the newly liberated city of Kherson. He hailed the Russian withdrawal from the southern city as the “beginning of the end of the war” but also acknowledged the heavy price Ukrainian soldiers are paying in their grinding effort to push back the invaders. President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive student loan debt for millions of borrowers lost another battle in court on Monday when a federal appeals court panel agreed to a preliminary injunction halting the program while an appeal plays out. Biden says he doubts there are enough votes in Congress to codify abortion rights. Although Democrats did better than expected in the midterm elections, they are still on track to lose control of the House, which would allow Republicans to block any such legislation. Police have captured a University of Virginia student suspected of fatally shooting three members of the school’s football team as they returned to campus from a field trip. José Irizarry accepts that he’s known as the most corrupt agent in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration history, admitting he conspired with Colombian cartels to build a lavish lifestyle of sports cars, jewels and paramours around the world. The White House says President Joe Biden has objected to what it says is China's “coercive and increasingly aggressive actions” toward Taiwan during his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. A representative for Roberta Flack has announced that the legendary musician has ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and can no longer sing. The mascots for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics have been revealed. It's a Phrygian cap. The soft bright red cap is an updated version of a conical hat worn in antiquity and also known as a liberty cap. On this week's AP Religion Roundup, in the midst of an uptick in threats against Jewish school and houses of worship, Hollywood takes a constructive look at antisemitism in American life. Also, the midterm elections reinforced Christian voter trends on abortion and the GOP. —The Associated Press

On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire: President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are holding their first in-person meeting since the U.S. president took office nearly two years ago. The leaders are meeting Monday on the Indonesian island of Bali at the Group of 20 summit. The retaking of Kherson was one of Ukraine’s biggest successes in nearly nine months since Russia's invasion. Congress is returning to an extremely volatile post-election landscape. Newly elected members of Congress are arriving for Monday's orientation week and leadership elections. Authorities say three people have been killed and two others were wounded in a shooting at the University of Virginia and a student is being sought as a suspect. Police are investigating the deaths of four University of Idaho students found in a home near the Moscow, Idaho, campus. A memorial to the 20 first graders and six educators killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting has opened to the public, a month before the 10th anniversary of the Newton, Connecticut, massacre. The Biden administration is no longer accepting applications for student loan forgiveness after a second federal court shut down the program. In sports, the Vikings took advantage of miscues to beat the Bills, the Dolphins are division leaders, the Titans won in the return of their No. 1 quarterback, the Giants passed the Cowboys in the NFC East, the 76ers and Nuggets won and the Bruins stay hot. In entertainment, Alec Baldwin is suing people involved in handling and supplying the loaded gun that he was using when it fired and killed a crew member last year during filming of the movie "Rust." "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" earned $180 million in ticket sales, making it the second biggest opening of the year. Gallagher, the long-haired, watermelon-smashing comedian has died at age 76. —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.  Chris Evans named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. Luke Combs had a big night at the CMA Awards and some of music's biggest acts were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. A movie about the life of Snoop Dogg is in development. Jimmy Kimmel will host the Oscars again and Rihanna talked about her upcoming Super Bowl gig. Guitarist Jeff Cook and singer Aaron Carter died. Filmmaker Paul Haggis was found liable in a rape case. And the District of Columbia has filed a civil suit against the Washington Commanders, owner Daniel Snyder, the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire (updated Nov. 10, 6:36 a.m. CST): The Russian Defense Ministry says it has finished pulling out its troops from the western bank of the Dnieper River in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region. Tropical Depression Nicole was moving through Georgia on Friday morning after a day of causing havoc in Florida as a hurricane and then a tropical storm. Flash and urban flooding will be possible as the rain spreads into the eastern Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and New England through Saturday. A U.S. judge in Texas has blocked President Joe Biden’s plan to provide millions of borrowers with up to $20,000 apiece in federal student-loan forgiveness. The Biden administration is ramping up efforts to reduce methane emissions, targeting the oil and gas industry for its role in global warming even as President Joe Biden has pressed energy producers for more oil drilling to lower prices at the gasoline pump. Former President Donald Trump is moving forward with his planned Tuesday announcement, pressing on with a third presidential run. His decision comes as members of his party continue to blame him for an unexpectedly poor midterm showing and some call for the party to move on. A jury has ordered Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis to pay at least $7.5 million to a woman who accused him of rape. In sports, Carolina won on Thursday night, the Commanders and NFL are being sued, Kyle Kuzma led the Wizards to a victory, Charlie McAvoy returned to spark the Bruins and Justin Verlander turned down a big contract from the Astros. Original version of Hot off the Wire (Released Nov. 10, 4 p.m. CST): President Joe Biden addressed how Democrats performed during Tuesday's elections and thanked those Republicans that conceded last races. One police officer is dead and another injured in a stabbing attack in Brussels, which a Belgian judicial official says is suspected to be terrorism-linked. The U.S. will send $400 million more in military aid to Ukraine amid concerns financial assistance for the war against Russia could decline if Republicans take control of Congress. President Joe Biden will meet Monday with China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of next week’s Group of 20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia. Tropical Storm Nicole has sent multiple Florida homes collapsing into the Atlantic Ocean. Russia says it has begun withdrawing troops from Kerson, a strategic Ukrainian city. A Taliban official says women are banned from using gyms in Afghanistan. The rule, which comes into force this week, is the group's latest edict cracking down on women's rights and freedoms. Embattled vaping company Juul Labs is announcing layoffs as the company tries to navigate growing setbacks to its electronic cigarette business. The District of Columbia attorney general’s office has filed a civil consumer protection lawsuit against the Washington Commanders, owner Dan Snyder, the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his company have been ordered to pay an extra $473 million to families and an FBI agent for calling the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax. The spinning top, whose origins can be traced to ancient times, has a permanent new place in the National Toy Hall of Fame. The top was inducted into the hall of fame on Thursday, along with Lite-Brite and Masters of the Universe action figures. Universal Pictures announced Wednesday that the studio is developing a film about Snoop Dogg’s life to be produced by the 51-year-old rapper. —The Associated Press

On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire (updated Nov. 10, 6:55 a.m. CST): For more election coverage, please listen to the special midterm election bonus episode. Hurricane Nicole made landfall early Thursday along the east coast of Florida and was downgraded to a tropical storm, but it was still battering a large area of the storm-weary state with strong winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rain. Control of Congress remains unresolved as of Thursday morning. Republicans are close to securing the House but the Senate is coming down to several key races and a runoff in Georgia. President Joe Biden said that he knows voters are frustrated with continued inflation and his leadership. The Labor Department is expected to report that consumer prices jumped 8% from 12 months earlier and by a sharp 0.6% from September to October. Gas is $3.80 a gallon according to the AAA. A year ago, gas was $3.41 a gallon. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia next week, avoiding a possible confrontation with the United States and its allies over his war in Ukraine. Drinks are on the house at this year’s U.N. climate talks and the price of food will be slashed in half, Egypt’s foreign minister said Thursday following complaints from delegates. Luke Combs is the winner of the Country Music Association Awards' coveted entertainer of the year trophy. In sports, the Magic shut down a hot scorer, the Celtics got their fourth straight win, the Bills are monitoring the health of their quarterback and the Pens halted their skid. Original version of Hot off the Wire (Released Nov. 9, 4 p.m. CST): Georgia’s closely watched race between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker will go to a Dec. 6 runoff because neither candidate took more than half of the vote. Republican Ron Johnson from Wisconsin won another term for U.S. Senate. Massachusetts voters have approved an amendment to the state constitution that will increase taxes on those earning more than $1 million a year.  Abortion rights supporters won in the four states where access was on the ballot. Voters enshrined it into the state constitution in battleground Michigan as well as blue California and Vermont. Russia’s military says it’s withdrawing from Kherson. It would mark one of Russia’s most significant and humiliating setbacks in the 8-month-old war.  Facebook parent Meta is laying off 13% of its employees as it contends with faltering revenue and broader tech industry woes. NASA is again postponing the launch of its new moon rocket because of a storm threatening the Florida coast. Fresh off his World Series win, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker has agreed to a one-year contract to remain with the team next season. Climate activist Vanessa Nakate has warned against new fossil fuel projects on the African continent at the U.N. climate summit. Scores of turtle species are under threat from poaching. The illegal trade of turtles in the United States is aimed mostly at markets in Asia and Europe. Mindfulness meditation appears to work as well as a standard drug to treat anxiety. That's according to the first head-to-head comparison of the two options. —The Associated Press

On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire: For election coverage, please listen to the special midterm election bonus episode. Facebook parent Meta is laying off 11,000 employees, 13% of its workforce, as it contends with faltering revenue and broader tech industry woes. American basketball star Brittney Griner's lawyers say she has been sent to a penal colony in Russia to serve her sentence for drug possession. A surge in COVID-19 cases has spurred lockdowns in the southern Chinese manufacturing hub of Guangzhou. In sports, Georgia led a major poll on Election Day, the Golden Knights and Devils extended their long winning streaks, the Blues lost again and baseball's free agency list now tops 150 players. Guitarist Jeff Cook, who co-founded the successful country group Alabama, has died. He was 73. Cook had Parkinson’s disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017. Tropical Storm Nicole is forecast to strengthen to a hurricane as it churns toward the northwestern Bahamas and Florida’s Atlantic coastline. A range of warnings and watches remained in place Tuesday throughout the region. A Tyrannosaurus rex skull is expected to sell for $15 million or more at auction in New York next month. Officials with Sotheby's said Tuesday that the 200-pound skull fossil is being sold Dec. 9 by an owner who wishes to remain anonymous. The European Union has launched an investigation into Microsoft’s planned takeover of video game giant Activision Blizzard, fearing the $69 billion deal would distort fair competition to popular titles like Call of Duty. “Captain America” star Chris Evans has a new title — he's been named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. An ambassador for the World Cup in Qatar has described homosexuality as a “damage in the mind” in an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF only two weeks before the opening of the soccer tournament in the Gulf state. The cryptocurrency exchange Binance said it plans to buy its rival FTX Trading, in the latest example of how fortunes can change rapidly in the crypto world. —The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, Nov. 11, 12:40 p.m. CST: Republicans and Democrats are in a tight race for control of Congress and governors’ offices, with the outcome determining the future of Joe Biden’s agenda as polls closed across most of the country. Among the topics in this podcast: Former President Donald Trump is moving forward with his planned Tuesday announcement, pressing on with a third presidential run. His decision comes as members of his party continue to blame him for an unexpectedly poor midterm showing and some call for the party to move on. Sen. Raphael Warnock, GOP candidate Herschel Walker pivot to overtime in the Georgia Senate contest. President Joe Biden addressed how Democrats performed during Tuesday's elections and thanked those Republicans that conceded last races. Trump loyalist Rep. Lauren Boebert's reelection bid could go to recount as the Republican from Colorado is in a tight race with Democrat Adam Frisch. Control of Congress remained unresolved on Thursday morning. Republicans were close to securing the House but the Senate is coming down to several key races and a runoff in Georgia. President Joe Biden said that he knows voters are frustrated with continued inflation and his leadership. Abortion rights supporters won in the four states where access was on the ballot. Voters enshrined it into the state constitution in battleground Michigan as well as blue California and Vermont. Georgia’s closely watched race between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker will go to a Dec. 6 runoff because neither candidate took more than half of the vote. Republican Ron Johnson from Wisconsin won another term for U.S. Senate. Massachusetts voters have approved an amendment to the state constitution that will increase taxes on those earning more than $1 million a year.  Democrats appear to have avoided a red wave by showing surprising strength but control of Congress remains unclear. Democrats beat Trump-backed GOP candidates in liberal states. Democrats win gubernatorial races in Maryland and Massachusetts, Republicans take Arkansas and Florida.  Amid intense scrutiny, Americans vote with no major hitches Democrats, Republicans make urgent final pitches as election season wraps. How to read your social media feeds on Election Day. Election Day tests voters, voting systems amid election lies. Arizona county's plan to hand-count ballots blocked by judge. —Compiled by Terry Lipshetz of Lee Enterprises from audio provided by The Associated Press

On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire (morning update): President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump each made stops Monday in their final appeals to voters ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections. Election results in many locations may not be know Tuesday night, notably in places with competitive races. Trump teases a potential presidential run with plans for an announcement next Tuesday, Nov. 15. World leaders are making the case for tougher action to tackle global warming, as this year’s international climate talks in Egypt heard growing calls for fossil fuel companies to help pay for the damage they have helped cause to the planet. The Multi-State Lottery Association says that the Powerball drawing was delayed and it’s likely that the results won’t be known until later Tuesday. The record-breaking $1.9 billion Powerball drawing scheduled for Monday night was delayed because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. North Korea denied American claims it's shipping artillery shells and ammunition to Russia for use in its war against the Ukraine, and on Tuesday accused the United States of lying. In sports, the Ravens got a road win on Monday Night Football, Frank Reich lost his job in Indy, the Bucks lost for the first time, and the college basketball season opened. On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire (original version): The Justice Department is sending monitors to 24 states in an effort to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws in the midterm elections. A judge has thrown out a lawsuit that challenged voting by absentee ballot in Detroit, saying a Republican candidate for secretary of state failed to produce any evidence of violations. Some of Pennsylvania’s largest counties are working to help voters fix mail-in ballots that have fatal flaws such as incorrect dates or lack of signatures on the envelopes used to send them in. A judge has agreed to extend the deadline to return absentee ballots for voters in a suburban Atlanta county who didn’t receive their ballots because election officials failed to mail them. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told world leaders they must cooperate or perish, speaking Monday at the annual climate summit in Egypt. “Choose life over death,” former U.S. Vice President Al Gore urged. “It is not time for moral cowardice.” A newly launched cargo capsule has run into trouble with a solar panel after liftoff. Only one of the two solar panels on the Northrop Grumman capsule opened successfully following Monday's predawn liftoff. Mark David Chapman, who gunned down John Lennon outside his New York City apartment building in 1980, told a parole board that he knew it was wrong to kill the beloved former Beatle, but that he was seeking fame and had “evil in my heart.” The U.S. government says four areas in Louisiana and two in Texas should be protected as critical habitat for a rare snake that eats small gophers and takes over their burrows. Kremlin-connected businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin has admitted that he interfered in U.S. elections and would continue to do so. The statement by the man known as “Putin's chef” because of his catering company confirmed for the first time the accusations that he has rejected for years. Jimmy Kimmel is ready to host the Oscars again. The show's producers announced Monday that the late-night talk show host will preside over March's ceremony. Rihanna says it was “now or never” when it came to performing the Super Bowl halftime show. The multi-Grammy winner, who gave birth to her first child in May, says she would only return to the stage this quickly for “something special.” Qatar promised something to distinguish this World Cup from others in the past: It would be ‘carbon-neutral,’ meaning it would have no impact on the climate. But outside experts say Qatar and FIFA's plan rests on convenient accounting and projects that won't counteract the event's carbon footprint. In this week's religion roundup, from Minnesota to Peru, Day of the Dead celebrations take many forms across the Americas. —The Associated Press

On the latest episode of Hot off the Wire: Both President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, are hoping to provide their parties late boosts on the last full day of campaigning before midterm elections that could reshape the balance of power in Washington. Both made appearances this weekend and will campaign at events on Monday. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told world leaders that they much cooperate or perish at the annual climate summit in Egypt. Elon Musk says Twitter will permanently suspend any account that impersonates another. The social media platform’s new owner issued the warning Sunday after some celebrities changed their Twitter display names — not their account names — to ‘Elon Musk’ in reaction to the billionaire’s decision to offer verified accounts to all comers for $8 month. Apple Inc. is warning customers they'll have to wait longer to get its latest iPhone models after anti-virus restrictions were imposed on a contractor’s factory in central China. A record Powerball jackpot grew to an even larger $1.9 billion after no one won the lottery drawing on Saturday night. More than six months after Russian forces retreated from the towns around the Ukrainian capital, residents of the region are still struggling to rebuild their lives. An estimated 1 million people have returned to the Kyiv area, but many no longer have jobs and cannot afford to fix their houses. A plane has crashed into Lake Victoria on approach to an airport in Tanzania. The country's prime minister says 19 people have died in the crash, raising the death toll. Changes are coming to state capitols across the country. Heading into the November elections, more than one-quarter of incumbent state lawmakers already are guaranteed to be gone from office next year. In Sunday's sports highlights, the Bengals clobbered the Panthers, the Dolphins inched closer to the AFC East lead, the Jets pulled off a stunner, the Vikings stretched their winning streak, the Patriots finally moved over .500, the Packers fell again, the Cavaliers won their eighth in a row and Joey Logano claimed a second NASCAR title. Georgia has tightened its hold on No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll. TCU climbing up to No. 4 and Alabama dropping all the way to No. 10. Evans Chebet of Kenya won the New York City Marathon men’s race in his debut after Daniel Do Nascimento collapsed 21 miles in. Sharon Lokedi of Kenya won the women’s race in her debut at the event. Yordan Alvarez hit a towering three-run homer and the Houston Astros clinched their second World Series title in six seasons with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Saturday. That also gave 73-year-old manager Dusty Baker his first title in 25 seasons as a manager, the last three in Houston. Warner Bros.' says “Black Adam” topped the box office for the third straight weekend with $18.5 million in ticket sales. Duran Duran stumbled but stayed sophisticated. Pat Benatar roared. Lionel Richie Soared. Eminem was Eminem. All are now members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame after a rousing show Saturday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Aaron Carter, the singer-rapper who began performing as a child and had hit albums starting in his teen years, was found dead at his home in Southern California. He was 34. —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.  Taylor Swift made history on the Billboard charts. The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving. The Astros tossed a rare World Series no-hitter. Hall of Fame punter Ray Guy died and Migos rapper Takeoff was killed in a shooting. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

We look at three topics this week: The economy, politics and social media. In this first segment, we review the state of the economy. On Friday, a jobs report revealed employers kept hiring in October, adding 261,000 positions. A robust job market raises concerns that inflation isn’t going away anytime soon, even as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates. We listen to those economic reports, the Fed’s plans to raise rates and the impact higher prices are having on family activities. In the second segment, we look at politics as we are now just days away from the midterm elections. Democrats and Republicans continued to push their agendas, while concerns rose about the political climate in the country. We also have updates regarding several court cases tied to former President Donald Trump and the Jan. 6 riots. Finally, in the third segment, we look at social media. More specifically, Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. On Friday, employees were bracing for widespread layoffs according to a letter to employees that was obtained by multiple media outlets. This news came after Musk revealed some plans he had for the platform, notably paid verification. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

Pfizer says its updated COVID-19 booster significantly revved up adults' virus-fighting antibodies. The rate of deaths that can be directly attributed to alcohol rose nearly 30% in the U.S. during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had already said the overall number of such deaths rose in 2020 and 2021. The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay, saying they were dismayed by his failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.” Irving did later issue an apology on Instagram. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for peace talks over Ukraine and warned against the conflict going nuclear in a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Federal prosecutors have rested their case against Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four associates charged in the U.S. Capitol attack. Rhodes’ lawyers have signaled that they will rely on an unusual defense strategy with former President Donald Trump at the center. In sports, the Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 to take a 3-2 series lead. The Astros can clinch the title with a win in Houston on Saturday. The Eagles remained perfect in the NFL and the NBA's defending champs continued to roll. Officials at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow have visited jailed WNBA star Brittney Griner, just weeks after a Russian court rejected her appeal of her nine-year sentence for drug possession. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup “strongly condemned” North Korea’s escalating military flexing, including ballistic missile test launches, multiple rocket launches and coastal artillery. The U.N. nuclear agency, meanwhile, said Thursday its inspections have found no evidence to support Russia's unfounded claims that Ukraine is planning to set off radioactive “dirty bombs". Pope Francis is urging Bahrain authorities to renounce the death penalty and ensure basic human rights for all citizens as he arrived in the Sunni-led kingdom. A film museum in Italy's city of Turin says Kevin Spacey will receive a lifetime achievement award and teach a master class there early next year. Ray Guy, the first punter to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, had died, He was 72. The nation’s top public health agency has revised its guidelines for U.S. doctors prescribing oxycodone and other opioid painkillers. The new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations are an update to 2016 guidelines. President Joe Biden’s travel itinerary for his last big campaign swing before the midterm elections reveals his defensive stance in the campaign’s closing days. The ACLU of Nevada has asked the state’s secretary of state to investigate what it called a “coordinated partisan election administration effort” during a rural county's hand-count of mail-in ballots that was shut down last week. CBS and its former president, Leslie Moonves, will pay $30.5 million as part of an agreement with the New York attorney general’s office, which says the network’s executives conspired with a Los Angeles police captain to conceal sexual assault allegations against Moonves. Sticker shock in youth sports is nothing new, but the onslaught of double-digit inflation across America this year has added a costly wrinkle on the path to the ballparks, swimming pools and dance studios across America. —The Associated Press

Just days before major midterm elections, President Joe Biden is imploring voters to save American democracy from Trump supporters' election-denying lies and the violence that he says they have inspired. Biden shined a spotlight on “ultra MAGA” Republicans — a reference to Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan — and mounting concerns over political violence. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who stands to be speaker of the House if the GOP retakes control of the chamber, tweeted, “President Biden is trying to divide and deflect at a time when America needs to unite—because he can’t talk about his policies that have driven up the cost of living. The American people aren’t buying it.” The bad news is that no one won Wednesday night’s huge $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot. The good news is that means the prize has grown even larger to $1.5 billion ahead of the next drawing Saturday night. North Korea has added to its barrage of recent weapons tests, firing at least three missiles including an intercontinental ballistic missile that prompted the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and temporarily halt trains. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sought to strike a delicate balance at a moment when high inflation is bedeviling the nation’s economy and commanding a central role in the midterm elections. Powell suggested that the Fed may decide in coming months to slow its aggressive interest rate increases. In sports, the Astros made history with a no-hitter against the Phillies in Game 4 to even the World Series. The Cavaliers outlasted the Celtics, the Sabres rallied past the Penguins and the Commanders are looking into financial changes to the team. Survivors and loved ones of victims of the Parkland school shooting were berating gunman Nikolas Cruz for a second day before he was sentenced. Cruz was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for the 2018 massacre that left 17 dead and others wounded at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks on threats to democracy, as he seeks to raise the stakes for voters before next week's midterm elections. Lawyers who aided former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election regarded an appeal to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as a “key” to their success. Former President Donald Trump has settled a lawsuit filed by a group of protesters who say they were roughed up by the Republican’s private security guards during his 2015 presidential campaign. Schools and offices closed and some events in Hong Kong were canceled as Tropical Storm Nalgae swept south of the city.  Hurricane Lisa has gained more force in the western Caribbean as it heads for an landfall in Belize. The NFL's Washington Commanders could soon be for sale. Owners Dan and Tanya Snyder say they have hired Bank of America Securities to consider potential transactions. A white police officer who fatally shot a Black driver during a struggle inside a car must pay his family $4.4 million. An Ohio jury made the award Tuesday, finding that Euclid officer Matthew Rhodes acted recklessly when he climbed into 23-year-old Luke Stewart’s car and shot him as Stewart drove away in 2017. A group of winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature have urged world leaders to raise human rights issues as they visit Egypt for the COP27 climate change conference. A government inquiry has begun hearing evidence of unsolved deaths resulting from gay hate crime over four decades in Australia’s most populous state. Peter Gray, a lawyer assisting the inquiry, said on Wednesday that the investigation of suspicious deaths in New South Wales is the “first of its kind anywhere in the world.” —The Associated Press

South Korea says North Korea has fired 23 missiles off its eastern and western coasts. The North Korean missile launches came as Pyongyang threatens to retaliate against ongoing South Korea-U.S. military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal. A federal judge has ordered armed members of a group monitoring ballot drop boxes in Arizona to stay at least 250 feet away from the locations following complaints that people wearing masks and carrying guns were intimidating voters. The public defender for the man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home, beating her husband and seeking to kidnap her told asked people to not pass judgement on David DePape. Authorities are searching for a gunman who wounded two Newark, New Jersey, police officers as they sought to question him about a previous shooting. CVS Health says it has agreed to pay about $5 billion to state, local and Native American tribal governments to settle lawsuits over the toll of opioids. Days after taking over Twitter and a week before the U.S. midterm elections, billionaire Elon Musk has positioned himself as moderator-in-chief of one of the most important social media platforms in American politics.  In sports, the Phillies defeated the Astros 7-0, the Nets parted ways with Steve Nash, and some players have new teams at the NFL trade deadline. President Joe Biden is using a visit to Florida to blast the Republican Party over proposals to undo prescription drug price caps and change Social Security and Medicare. The Supreme Court has cleared the way for Sen. Lindsey Graham’s testimony in a Georgia investigation of possible illegal interference in the 2020 election by then-President Donald Trump and his allies in the state. Families of the 17 children and staff members Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz murdered have concluded their first day of confronting him in court. They variously wished him a painful death and called him a coward Tuesday as they got their chance to address him directly before he is sentenced to life in prison. Sen. Ben Sasse been chosen by the University of Florida Board of Trustees to be the school’s next president. Despite student opposition and a faculty no-confidence vote, the Republican from Nebraska was recommended for the top post Tuesday by a unanimous vote of the trustees. A Kansas native who led an all-female Islamic State battalion when she lived in Syria has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. That's the maximum the judge could have imposed. Experts from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog agency inspected two Ukrainian sites that Russia identified as involved in its unfounded claims that Ukrainian authorities planned to set off radioactive “dirty bombs” in their own invaded country. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is urging Russia and Ukraine to renew the deal that has seen more than 9 million tons of grain exported from Ukraine and brought down global food prices. A representative confirms that rapper Takeoff is dead after a shooting outside of a Houston bowling alley. Kirsnick Khari Ball was known as Takeoff and part of Migos along with Quavo and Offset. Chief Justice John Roberts has put a temporary hold on the handover of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns to a congressional committee. Roberts’ order Tuesday gives the Supreme Court time to weigh the legal issues in Trump’s emergency appeal to the high court, filed Monday. U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in September, suggesting that the American labor market is not cooling as fast as the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve hoped. Employers posted 10.7 million job vacancies in September, up from 10.2 million in August, the Labor Department said Tuesday. “Midnights” became a perfect 10 for Taylor Swift as she is the first artist to claim the top 10 slots of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Billboard reported that the pop star surpassed Drake, who had previously held the record with nine out of the 10 songs. Billionaire Elon Musk is already floating major changes for Twitter as he begins his first week as owner of the social-media platform. One proposal would make some users pay if they want to keep a blue check mark on their profile. Britain’s interior minister is facing criticism for describing migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats as an “invasion.” Home Secretary Suella Braverman used the term while defending conditions at a processing center for new arrivals where some 4,000 people were held in a facility intended for 1,600. —The Associated Press

Federal prosecutors say the man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, told police he wanted to hold the speaker hostage and “break her kneecaps.” David DePape has been charged with two federal crimes and a state count of attempted murder. Nancy Pelosi says her husband is making progress and thanked those for sending messages of support. Chicago Police say as many as 15 people were injured in a drive-by shooting Halloween night, including three children. A new study suggests vaccinating pregnant women protects their newborns from the common but scary respiratory virus called RSV. There were no big treats from the Halloween night Powerball drawing, as none of the tickets sold matched all six numbers. The lack of a winner means the next drawing Wednesday night will be for a massive $1.2 billion jackpot. Hard of hearing, Thomas Edison found a unique way to appreciate piano music. As someone played, the great inventor would lean in close to the instrument, right above the keys, and he’d bite the piano. Robert Friedman recently showed off marks on a Steinway grand piano once owned by Edison — a cluster of shallow indentations roughing up the black lacquer above the keyboard. Former President Donald Trump is going to the Supreme Court, again, this time to try to stop his tax returns from being handed to a congressional committee. Millions of Americans can begin selecting their 2023 health insurance plans on HealthCare.gov on Tuesday. With some help from Twitter's new owner, misinformation about the grievous attack on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband is surging online. In sports, Game 3 of the World Series was rained out, the Browns dominated the Bengals on Monday Night Football, the Bucks remained the NBA's only unbeaten team, and a hat trick for the Sabres' Tage Thompson. A federal judge has blocked Penguin Random House’s proposed purchase of Simon & Schuster. The judge issued a brief ruling Monday, agreeing with the Justice Department that the joining of two of the world’s biggest publishers could “lessen competition” for “top-selling books.” Members of the Supreme Court’s conservative majority are questioning the continued use of affirmative action in higher education. In lengthy arguments Monday, the justices wrestled with persistent, difficult questions of race. A former Michigan police officer who shot a Black motorist in the back of the head will stand trial for second-degree murder. That's the decision a judge in Grand Rapids, Michigan, announced Monday morning. David DePape faces charges following an attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Authorities have arrested a drugstore worker in the slayings of two teenage girls who were killed in the woods outside their small town in Northern Indiana nearly six years ago. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are defending a decision by OPEC and its allies to cut oil production. The development came on Monday at a conference in the United Arab Emirates — even as an American envoy warned of “economic uncertainty” ahead for the world. President Joe Biden plans to raise the possibility of imposing a ‘windfall tax’ on oil companies if they don’t boost domestic production. A massive barrage of Russian strikes has hit critical infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities in Ukraine. The attacks on Monday morning knocked out water and power supplies in apparent retaliation for what Moscow alleged was a Ukrainian attack on its Black Sea Fleet over the weekend. Police are investigating the collapse of a newly repaired 143-year-old suspension bridge. The collapse Sunday evening in Gujarat state plunged hundreds of people into a river, killing at least 134. South Korean police are investigating what caused a crowd surge that killed more than 150 people during Halloween festivities in Seoul over the weekend. In this week's religion roundup, Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, saw his fortunes fall over antisemitic remarks. —The Associated Press

South Korean police are investigating what caused a crowd surge that killed more than 150 people, including two Americans, during Halloween festivities in Seoul over the weekend. The man accused of attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband in their San Francisco home carried zip ties with him when he broke in. Police say the suspect confronted 82-year-old Paul Pelosi early Friday. Military teams are searching for people missing after a 143-year-old pedestrian bridge collapsed into a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday evening, killing at least 133 people. Brazilians have delivered a very tight victory to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a divisive presidential election, giving the leftist former president another shot at power in a rejection of incumbent Jair Bolsonaro’s far-right politics. As America loads up on an estimated 600 million pounds of Halloween candy, a handful of companies are trying to make it easier to recycle all those wrappers. The Powerball jackpot keeps getting larger because players keep losing. That means the next drawing Monday night will be for a massive $1 billion through an annuity or $497.3 million in cash. “Black Adam,” the Dwayne Johnson-fronted DC superhero film, kept its hold on the No. 1 spot at the North American box office in its second weekend in theaters. “Ticket to Paradise,” Universal’s Julia Roberts and George Clooney destination romp, claimed second place with $10 million. The horror films “Prey for the Devil," “Smile” and “Halloween Ends” rounded out the top five. The future of affirmative action in higher education is on the table as the Supreme Court wades into the admissions programs at the nation’s oldest public and private universities.  America is getting ready to vote in the midterm election, and poll workers around the country are bracing for possible conflict in an era of polarization and misinformation. Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other for inflation as the midterm elections near. It’s something that goes along with being a member of Congress, no matter your party or your status: constant threats to your life, and the unshakeable feeling that they're only getting worse. The concerns returned following the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband. The attack on Paul Pelosi has the United States is on edge about threats to American democracy. A new domestic intelligence assessment from the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies says extremists, fueled by election falsehoods, “pose a heightened threat” to the upcoming midterms. A former U.S. Capitol Police officer has been convicted of obstruction of justice for deleting Facebook messages he exchanged with a man who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. The Eagles won again, the Vikings remained hot, the Titans ran through the Texans, the Lakers finally won and NASCAR's championship field is set for next Sunday. —The Associated Press