On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted April 6 at 7:02 a.m. CT): Authorities say five people were killed when a tornado tore through an area of rural southeastern Missouri before dawn on Wednesday. The twister caused significant destruction in and around the small communities of Glen Allen and Grassy, about 50 miles south of St. Louis. Pope Francis has begun the first of two major Holy Thursday ceremonies. Francis is presiding at mid-morning Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused more than 600 children over the past 80 years. A New York City drug dealer has pleaded guilty to providing “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death. Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist and scion of one of the country’s most famous political families, has announced he will run for president. The 69-year-old’s campaign to challenge incumbent President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination is considered a long shot. In sports, the Bucks wrapped up the NBA's No. 1 seed, the Nuggets have the West's top seed, the Rays remained baseball's only unbeaten team and Purdue's Zach Edey won the Wooden Award. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted April 5 at 4 p.m. CT): The Midwest continued to deal with severe weather weather across the Midwest and South, while the East was seeing unseasonably warm weather and the West was unusually cold. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of military and economic cooperation on a state visit to staunch ally Poland. Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, who is being sought for war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine, says they were taken for their safety and Moscow is coordinating with international organizations to return them to their families.  Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation Wednesday repealing Michigan's abortion ban from 1931 that made it a crime to assist in an abortion. Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday signed a bill that bans all gender-affirming care for minors in the state, joining at least 12 other states that have enacted laws restricting or banning such care.  President Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland next week in part to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday accord. First lady Jill Biden will represent the U.S. at the coronation of King Charles III next month, President Joe Biden told the royal during a Tuesday call, the White House said. No sitting U.S. president has ever attended a British royal coronation. Republican state Rep. Dan Knodl has won an open Wisconsin Senate seat, creating a GOP supermajority in the chamber that could be used to impeach Gov. Tony Evers and other office holders. Klaus Teuber, creator of the beloved Catan board game in which players compete to establish settlements on a fictional island, has died after a brief illness, according to a statement from his family. He was 70. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted April 5 at 6:30 a.m. CT): For the first time in history, a former U.S. president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities on Tuesday to appear on charges related to hush-money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election. Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges. Severe thunderstorms are expected to bring hail, strong winds and possibly tornadoes to areas still reeling from a weekend of deadly weather.  Former teacher and union organizer Brandon Johnson has been elected Chicago mayor. United Nations officials are condemning a Taliban decision to bar female Afghan employees from working at the agency. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Poland for a visit meant to thank a key ally and meet with some of the Ukrainians who have found refuge in the neighboring nation. A Democratic-backed Milwaukee judge has won the high stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court race, ensuring liberals will take over majority control of the court for the first time in 15 years with the fate of the state’s abortion ban pending. Joel Embiid makes his case for the NBA MVP award, the Bucks move to within one win of clinching home court throughout the playoffs, the Phillies finally win while the Rays have yet to lose, and the Panthers leap into playoff position. Correspondent Tom Mariam reports. From an earlier version of Hot off the Wire (posted April 4 at 3:30 p.m. CT): Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter. The Biden administration says the U.S. will send Ukraine about $500 million in ammunition and equipment and spend more than $2 billion to buy an array of munitions, radar and other weapons for that country in the future. Finland has joined the NATO military alliance, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin. About 5,000 white-collar workers at General Motors took the company’s buyout offers, which the automaker says is enough to avoid layoffs at this time. U.S. job openings slipped to 9.9 million in February, fewest since May 2021. Tennessee Republican lawmakers have taken the first steps to expel three Democratic members from the GOP-dominant House for their role in a recent gun control protest at the state Capitol. The Food and Drug Administration says it found a host of problems at an Indian manufacturing plant recently linked to contaminated eyedrops. Gleb Karakulov, an officer in Putin’s secretive personal security service, defected in October. The 35-year-old engineer is one of few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putin’s life and potentially classified information. Harry Styles, Post Malone, Lizzo, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, the cast of “Ted Lasso” and the web series that gave us a kid loving corn are among the nominees for this year’s Webby Awards. —The Associate Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted April 4 at 6:37 a.m. CT): An extraordinary moment in U.S. history is soon unfolding in a New York City courthouse. Former President Donald Trump will surrender in Manhattan on Tuesday to face criminal charges stemming from 2016 hush money payments. Forecasters are warning of more severe weather and fire danger in the days ahead across much of the same region hit hard by storms last week. The fierce storms that began Friday spawned tornadoes in 11 states. The United States military says a drone strike carried out by the U.S.-led coalition in northwestern Syria has killed a senior member of the Islamic State group who was in charge of planning attacks in Europe. McDonald’s has closed its U.S. offices through Wednesday and told its corporate staff to work remotely as it prepares to announce a round of layoffs. Nearly 43,000 people died in U.S. traffic crashes in 2021, the highest number in 16 years, with deaths due to speeding and impaired or distracted driving on the rise. In sports, Connecticut is in its NCAA glory, the Yankees blasted the Phillies, the Braves whipped the Cardinals and the Golden Knights outlasted the Wild. From the earlier version of Hot off the Wire (posted April 3 at 4 p.m. CT): Former President Donald Trump has arrived in New York from his home in Florida for his historic booking and arraignment. As he prepared to head into Manhattan, the nation’s largest city was bolstering security and warning potential agitators that it is “not a playground for your misplaced anger.” A top official in Virginia's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner says an autopsy determined the cause of death for Irvo Otieno was “positional and mechanical asphyxia with restraints." Residents across a wide swath of the U.S. are racing to assess the destruction from fierce storms that spawned possibly dozens of tornadoes from the South and the Midwest into the Northeast. Floridians will be able to carry concealed guns without a permit under a bill signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. A giant red spoon that was stolen from an Arizona Dairy Queen and sparked a mystery on social media was found and it’s partly thanks to Pokémon GO. Riding terrific reviews and a strong word-of-mouth, the role playing game adaptation “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” opened with $38.5 million in U.S. and Canadian movie theaters over the weekend. That is according to studio estimates Sunday, stealing the top box-office perch from “John Wick: Chapter 4.” NASA has named the four astronauts who will fly around the moon late next year. The first moon crew in 50 years includes the first woman and the first African American assigned to a lunar mission. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Finland will officially join the military alliance on Tuesday. Grammy winners Tanya Tucker and Patty Loveless, along with hit country songwriter Bob McDill, are going into the Country Music Hall of Fame. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted April 3 at 6: 45 a.m. CT): Former President Donald Trump was returning to New York in advance of his arraignment on Tuesday on charges arising from hush money payments during his 2016 campaign. Residents across a wide swath of the U.S. are racing to assess the destruction from fierce storms that spawned possibly dozens of tornadoes from the South and the Midwest into the Northeast. At least 32 people have died. Russia’s top counterterrorism body has blamed Ukrainian intelligence agencies for the bombing attack that killed a well-known Russian military blogger who fervently supported Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Pope Francis has presided over his first ceremony in St. Peter's Square following a three-day hospitalization for bronchitis. Palm Sunday opened his heavy schedule of Holy Week appointments. Connecticut police have charged two people with cutting more than 2,000 fiber optic cables, leaving over 40,000 homes and businesses without internet service in the southwest part of the state. “Son of Sinner” Jelly Roll is a three-time winner at the CMT Music Awards. The rapper-turned-country singer reigned at Sunday night's fan-voted awards show in Austin, Texas. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will seek the Republican presidential nomination and he's positioning himself as an alternative to Donald Trump just days after the former president was indicted by a grand jury in New York. In sports, it was a busy day in major league baseball, the NCAA title game was decided in women's basketball, and highlights from the NBA, NHL, NASCAR and golf circuits. —The Associated Press

The historic indictment of former President Donald Trump has thrust the 2024 presidential election into uncharted territory. It raises the remarkable prospect that the leading contender for the Republican nomination will seek the White House while also facing trial for criminal charges in New York. The Quad-City region is now at a Level 4 risk, or moderate risk, for severe storms on Friday that are expected to pack damaging winds and could produce large hail, lightning and possibly spawn a tornado, the National Weather Service, Davenport, said. The Vatican says that Pope Francis is expected to be discharged on Saturday from the Rome hospital where he is being treated for bronchitis. The president of Belarus says Russian strategic nuclear weapons might be deployed in his country along with part of Russia’s tactical nuclear arsenal. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this week that his country intended to deploy tactical, comparatively short-range and small-yield nuclear weapons in Belarus, its neighbor and ally. Gwyneth Paltrow’s live-streamed trial over a 2016 ski collision at a posh Utah resort has drawn worldwide attention, spawned memes and sparked debate about the burden and power of celebrity. MLB, Judge start on high note; Final Four Weekend ---- The Associated Press

Two Army helicopters crashed in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training mission, causing several casualties, military officials said. Russia’s top security agency says an American reporter for the Wall Street Journal has been arrested on espionage charges. The Federal Security Service said Thursday that Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg while allegedly trying to obtain classified information. The Vatican says Pope Francis has rested well overnight and is “progressively improving” after being hospitalized with a respiratory infection. First lady Jill Biden attended Wednesday night’s candlelight vigil in Nashville, Tennessee, to honor and mourn the six victims killed in the Covenant School shooting. King Charles III has become the first monarch to speak before Germany’s parliament. Charles is on his first foreign trip since becoming U.K. king. A fire broke out on a ferry in the southern Philippines and raged overnight for eight hours, killing at least 31 of the approximately 250 passengers and crew. ----The Associated Press

The Vatican says Pope Francis will be hospitalized for several days for treatment of a respiratory infection after experiencing difficulty breathing in recent days. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says Francis, 86, does not have COVID-19, but requires several days of therapy. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz defended the coffee giant’s labor practices and denied union busting Wednesday in his testimony before a Senate committee chaired by Sen. Bernie Sanders. Congress is taking another look at creating a new no-fly list for unruly passengers. It's an idea that was floated last year but never got off the ground.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that it had approved Narcan for over-the-counter, nonprescription use. Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids when given in time. Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal is facing a possible misdemeanor charge in central Florida. A fan accused the NBA All-Star of hitting him during an argument after a March 21 game against the Orlando Magic. The Manhattan grand jury investigating hush money paid on Donald Trump’s behalf is scheduled to consider other matters next week before taking a previously scheduled two-week break. That means a vote on whether or not to indict the former president likely wouldn’t come until late April at the earliest. Sotheby's in New York is bringing to auction a 10.57-carat purplish-pink diamond that it says may break the sales record for such gemstones. Officially, they estimate the diamond, Eternal Pink, will sell for over $35 million in June. ----The Associate Press

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is warning that his nation must win a drawn-out battle in a key eastern city. Otherwise, he says, Russia could begin building international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises. Police say the Nashville school shooter legally bought seven firearms in recent years and hid the guns from their parents before killing three children and three adults at a Christian school. Police on Tuesday said the shooter did not specifically target their victims. Economists for a California task force on potential reparations for Black residents estimate payouts could reach more than $800 billion for harm caused by policing and housing discrimination. That's more than 2.5 times California's annual budget. Authorities in Mexico say a U.S. tourist was shot in the leg by unidentified assailants at a resort town on Mexico's Caribbean coast.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel makes its own decisions, rebuffing President Joe Biden’s suggestion that that the premier drop a contentious plan to overhaul the legal system. Dan Snyder’s departure from the NFL is moving closer to reality. A group led by Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales and another group led by Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos have submitted fully financed bids for the NFL’s Washington Commanders, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

The former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre. A Mexican official says 39 people died and 29 were injured in a fire in an immigration detention center in northern Mexico. The fire broke out late Monday. Protests and strikes against unpopular pension reforms are kicking off again across France. In Paris, striking workers waving burning flares invaded and blocked train tracks serving one of the French capital's main railway stations. Fears that violence could mar the demonstrations prompted what Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin described as an unprecedented deployment of 13,000 officers, nearly half of them concentrated in the French capital. The man suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a Utah skiing collision has testified that the actor crashed into him from behind and sent him “absolutely flying.” Retired optometrist Terry Sanderson said Monday the collision with Paltrow was “a serious smack.” He also said the 2016 crash left him with life-altering injuries, including a concussion with symptoms that have lasted years. Lamar Jackson’s frustration over contract negotiations reached a boiling point when he announced Monday that he has requested a trade from the Ravens. Va. Tech's Elizabeth Kitley scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Georgia Amoore added 24 points and top-seeded Virginia Tech advanced to the Final Four for the first time in school history. --Associated Press

A massive storm ripped through the southeast Friday; tornado killed at least 25 people in Mississippi, Alabama. North Carolina-based First Citizens will buy Silicon Valley Bank, the tech industry-focused financial institution that collapsed earlier this month. The deal could reassure investors at a time of shaken confidence in the banking industry. Some parts of Twitter’s source code - the fundamental computer code on which the social network runs -were leaked online, the social media company said in a legal filing that was first reported by The New York Times. Tens of thousands of Israelis have poured into the streets across the country in a spontaneous outburst of anger after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defense minister for challenging the Israeli leader’s judicial overhaul plan. Gwyneth Paltrow has testified about a 2016 ski collision at a Utah ski resort where a man is suing her, saying he's since suffered from broken ribs and brain damage. Paltrow says Friday that the 76-year-old Utah man is the culprit for the collision at Deer Valley Resort in Park City. “John Wick: Chapter 4,” the fourth installment in the Keanu Reeves assassin series, debuted with a franchise-best $73.5 million at the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday.  Germany trains, planes and public transportation halted by strike in Germany The NCAA Final Four is set. —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.  President Biden the National Medal of Arts to Bruce Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and others. Actor and comedian Adam Sandler received the Mark Twain prize. And Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen is recovering from an attack outside of a Florida hotel. 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 March 24 at 2 p.m. CT): The immigration deal expected to be announced by U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would end a legal process that has enabled tens of thousands of immigrants from across the world to move between the countries and pursue asylum cases without going through an official border crossing. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ended some of the state water restrictions. A lawyer for Donald Trump is back in court in Washington after being ordered to answer questions before a grand jury investigating the possible mishandling of classified documents at the former president’s Florida estate. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed legislation to repeal the state's decade-old “right-to-work” law, which was passed by a Republican-controlled Legislature. Mexico's president angrily rejected comments by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the Mexican government has lost control of parts of the country. Severe weather moved across the nation on Friday, with flooding in Missouri and a tornado touching down in Texas. Officials in Kyiv say long-range Russian bombardment has killed at least 10 civilians and wounded 20 others in several parts of Ukraine. Four of five former Memphis police officers charged with murder in the beating death of Tyre Nichols can no longer work as law enforcement in Tennessee. House Republicans have narrowly passed legislation that would fulfill a campaign promise to give parents a role in what’s taught in public schools. Federal officials are expected to prohibit king salmon fishing this season along much of the West Coast, which many predict could stretch into 2024 season as the drought and other factors take their toll on the iconic Chinook fish. e Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 24 at 6:32 a.m. CT): A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria, the Pentagon said. American forces said they retaliated soon after with “precision airstrikes” in Syria. Utah has become the first state to sign into law legislation that attempts to limit teenagers’ access to social media apps. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a pair of measures Thursday requiring parental consent before kids can sign up for sites like TikTok and Instagram. A three-day strike by workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District has wrapped up. But it wasn't immediately clear Thursday if any progress has been made in negotiations for higher pay for teachers’ aides, bus drivers, custodians and other support staff in the nation’s second-largest school system. North Korea claimed Friday to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone designed to generate a gigantic “radioactive tsunami” that would destroy naval strike groups and ports. A prosecutor says a hostage rescue that left a suspect fatally shot Thursday in Houston began days ago when three migrants were kidnapped from a vehicle in a neighboring county. In sports, Gonzaga, Kansas State, UConn and Florida Atlantic won in the Sweet 16, the Cavaliers topped Brooklyn on a late shot and the Bruins edged Montreal on the ice.  From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 23 at 4 p.m. CT): Track and field has banned transgender athletes from international competition while adopting new regulations that could keep Caster Semenya and other athletes with differences in sex development from competing. Pentagon leaders have told Congress that the U.S. military must be ready for possible confrontation with China. And they're pushing Congress to approve the Defense Department’s proposed $842 billion budget, which would modernize the force in Asia and around the world. The Manhattan district attorney investigating Donald Trump has rebuffed House Republicans’ request to turn over documents. The office called the effort an “unprecedented inquiry” into an ongoing probe. Authorities say a woman accused of setting fire last year to a Wyoming abortion clinic that was under construction told investigators that she opposes abortion and was experiencing anxiety and nightmares over the facility opening. A new report from the American Library Association says attempted book bannings and restrictions at school and public libraries continue to surge, setting a record in 2022. A young zebra walked, trotted, and galloped for hours in the busy streets of South Korea’s capital before emergency workers tranquilized the animal and brought it back to a zoo. A federal appeals court in a sealed order has directed a lawyer for Donald Trump to turn over to prosecutors documents in the investigation into the former president’s retention of classified records at his Florida estate. A top Russian security official has declared that the risk of a nuclear war has risen and blasted a German minister for threatening Russian President Vladimir Putin with arrest. Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman is a TikTok star at age 85, thanks to her 17-year-old grandson. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 23 at 6:50 a.m. CT): TikTok is ramping up a public relations campaign to fend off the possibility of a nationwide ban by the Biden administration. And it’s bringing some unconventional advocates to help: online influencers.  A coroner's office says a body found in the Colorado woods near an abandoned car was that of a 17-year-old student accused of wounding two administrators in a shooting at his Denver high school.  Fed Chair Jerome Powell sought to reassure Americans that it is safe to leave money in their banks, two weeks after a rush of depositors pulled funds from Silicon Valley Bank, which collapsed in the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history. Equatorial Guinea has confirmed another eight cases of the “highly virulent” Marburg virus, a deadly hemorrhagic fever with no authorized vaccine or treatment.  Approval of President Joe Biden has dipped slightly since a month ago to 38%. That's nearly the lowest point of his presidency, and comes as his administration tries to project a sense of stability while confronting a pair of bank failures and stubbornly high inflation. In sports, It was a busy night on the NBA hardwood, the Clippers will be without a key player for at least a couple of weeks, on the ice the Penguins end their losing streak, Oilers center Connor McDavid achieves a milestone goal, and in the NFL the Jets continued their busy off-season re-tooling of the roster. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 22 at 4:19 p.m. CT): Authorities say a shooting near a middle school in North Carolina left two 16-year-old boys dead and one wounded. Authorities say a 17-year-old student shot and wounded two school administrators after a handgun was found during a daily search of a student at a Denver high school. Manhattan prosecutors have postponed a scheduled grand jury session in the investigation into Donald Trump over hush money payments during his 2016 presidential campaign. Stocks fell sharply after the Federal Reserve said it doesn’t expect to cut rates anytime soon despite Wall Street’s hopes. The administration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is moving to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades. A possible tornado Wednesday left a line of damage across roofs of commercial buildings in the Los Angeles suburb of Montebello. Moderna’s CEO is defending a plan to more than quadruple the company’s COVID-19 vaccine price. China says President Xi Jinping's just-concluded visit to Russia was a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace.”  A dispute between Jack Daniel’s and the makers of a squeaking dog toy that humorously mimics the whiskey’s signature look gave Supreme Court justices a lot to chew on. Swedish lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted in favor of the country joining NATO. TikTok’s CEO plans to tell Congress on Thursday that the video-sharing app is committed to user safety, data protection and security, and keeping the platform free from Chinese government influence. For 40 years, former President Donald Trump has navigated a flurry of legal investigations without ever facing criminal charges. That record may soon come to an end. As the Federal Reserve raises interest rates again, credit card debt is already at a record high, and more people are carrying debt month to month. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 22 at 6:36 a.m. CT): Former President Donald Trump was waiting in Florida as New York City braces for potential charges to be filed against the ex-president.  Most economists expect the Fed to announce a relatively modest quarter-point hike in its benchmark rate on Wednesday. Tens of thousands of workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District have walked off the job over stalled contract talks. Ukraine’s president posted a video Wednesday showing what he said was a Russian missile slamming into an apartment building in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, after Russia launched launched exploding drones. Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen says he is recovering from an attack outside a Florida hotel. The typical home price is now $363,000. A classic finish to the World Baseball Classic, another milestone for Alex Ovechkin, FDU's coach parlays his historic upset win into a new job, and a basketball legend passes away. President Joe Biden welcomed a high-wattage collection of singers, authors, artists and humanitarians to the White House on Tuesday to present them with medals. Bruce Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mindy Kaling and Gladys Knight were among the 22 people and organizations being honored. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 21 at 4 p.m. CT): Russia and China have showcased their “no-limits friendship” during a pomp-laden Kremlin ceremony intended to further cement ties amid the fighting in Ukraine.  A magnitude 6.5 earthquake has rattled much of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Willis Reed, who led the New York Knicks to two NBA titles, has died. He was 80. French garbage collectors, refinery workers and others are striking again. They are angry about President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to force the divisive bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 through without a parliamentary vote. MacKenzie Scott is launching a $250 million “open call” for community-focused nonprofits that the billionaire philanthropist can fund. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says she's focused on stabilizing the U.S. banking system following regional bank failures in California and New York. A handful of red-state Democrats were instrumental in helping Republicans secure a rollback of banking regulations sought by then-President Donald Trump in 2018. Now those changes are being blamed for contributing to the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank that prompted a federal rescue and stoked anxiety about a broader banking contagion. Gwyneth Paltrow trial started Tuesday in the ski town of Park City, Utah, where Paltrow is accused in a lawsuit of crashing into a skier, who says he has brain damage and four broken ribs. Two years after a fire devastated Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang camp for seriously ill children, a rebuilt camp center is opening. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 21 at 6:46 a.m. CT): The decision whether to indict former President Donald Trump over hush-money payments made on his behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign lies in the hands of a Manhattan grand jury that has been meeting in secret to hear evidence for weeks. An indictment of Trump, who is seeking the White House again in 2024, would be an unprecedented moment in American history. Tens of thousands of workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District are walking off the job over stalled contract talks. They’re being joined Tuesday in solidarity by teachers for a planned three-day strike that’s shutting down the nation’s second-largest school system. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is heading to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Saudi Arabia has freed an American citizen it had imprisoned more than a year over his old tweets critical of the kingdom’s crown prince. Federal investigators say a Norfolk Southern train that derailed in Alabama earlier this month lacked required alignment control couplers and a company inspection didn't identify their absence. Amazon is planning to eliminate 9,000 more jobs. In sports, Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino is on the move, NBA and college basketball highlights and Japan advanced to the World Baseball Classic final against the United States. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 20 at 4 p.m. CT): A New York grand jury is hearing from final witnesses in the investigation into Donald Trump as law enforcement officials accelerate security preparations in advance of a possible indictment. Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are attacking a special grand jury and prosecutors who investigated him in Georgia. President Joe Biden has issued the first veto of his presidency in an early sign of shifting White House relations with the new Congress since Republicans took control in January. Fictional soccer coach Ted Lasso has used a White House visit to encourage people to make it a point to check in often with friends, family and co-workers to ask how they're doing and listen. Police says one student was fatally shot and another injured when a third student opened fire outside a Dallas-area high school. Parliament has adopted a divisive pension bill raising the retirement age in France from 62 to 64, after lawmakers in the lower chamber rejected two no-confidence votes against the government. A bill that would allow Idaho to execute condemned inmates by firing squad is headed to the governor’s desk after passing the Legislature with a veto-proof majority. Montreal’s mayor is vowing to better regulate Airbnb in her city as the search continues for six people missing through a building that included Airbnb units in a historic city section where they are banned. Humanity still has a chance, close to the last one, to prevent the worst of climate change’s future harms, a top United Nations panel of scientists said Monday. A host of comedic and entertainment royalty have gathered at Washington’s Kennedy Center as Adam Sandler received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. A Florida jury has convicted three men of first-degree murder in the 2018 killing of star rapper XXXTentacion, who was shot during a robbery that netted $50,000. On this week's AP Religion Roundup, it will soon be time to render unto Caesar to visit Rome's pantheon, a Hong Kong ritual whacks away troubles, and a Zoroastrian holiday cause some to hit the streets as others hit their pocket books.  —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 20 at 7 a.m. CT): Shares of Credit Suisse are down 60% in trading on the Swiss stock exchange. The drop comes after the announcement that banking giant UBS will buy its troubled rival for almost $3.25 billion. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow on a three-day visit that shows off Beijing’s new diplomatic swagger and offers a welcome political lift for Russian President Vladimir Putin as the fighting in Ukraine slows to a grinding war of attrition. A lawyer allied with Donald Trump is expected to testify before a New York grand jury. Miami Beach officials imposed a curfew beginning Sunday night during spring break after two fatal shootings and rowdy, chaotic crowds that police have had difficulty controlling. A new report says an estimated 43,000 people died amid the longest drought on record in Somalia last year and half of them likely were children. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” felt the fury of the marketplace in its theatrical debut this weekend. The New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. superhero movie opened to a disappointing $30.5 million from 4,071 theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. A TV meteorologist in Los Angeles says she's recovering after fainting on the air during a weekend newscast. Former Vice President Donald Trump says the investigation into former President Donald Trump is politically motivated as Trump has called supporters to protest if he is arrested as he has claimed will happen this week. In sports, a few bluebloods were ousted in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Nuggets knocked off the Nets, the Bruins battered the Sabres, Taylor Moore won a PGA title and Joey Logano won in Atlanta. In entertainment, Lance Reddick, an actor from "The Wire" and "John WIck," has died at 60, Taylor Swift kicked off her tour and new music is due out soon from the late rapper Coolio. —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  “Everything Everywhere All at Once” shined at the 95th Academy Awards. Legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says he plans to play for the New York Jets. And high jumping pioneer Dick Fosbury died. With a Best Picture announcement from Harrison Ford, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” put the finishing touches on a dominating night at the 95th Academy Awards. The film scored 7 Oscars out of 11 nominations.  Besides best picture, the collective known as The Daniels – Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – won Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Michelle Yeoh took the Award for Best Actress with a message of perseverance. Jamie Lee Curtis earned Best Supporting Actress with a nod to her Hollywood roots. And Ke Huy Quan, a child actor who struggled to find roles as an adult, acknowledged that difficult period in an emotional best supporting actor speech. Even Brendan Frazier, who won Best Actor for his role in “The Whale,” gave a nod to “Everything” when he accepted his award. And while the results of the Oscars are a closely guarded secret until each winner is announced, Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue foreshadowed a couple of big wins. My co-host on the Streamed & Screened podcast is longtime entertainment reporter and film critic Bruce Miller, who offered his thoughts on “Everything’s” big night on our post-Oscars episode. You can listen to our full breakdown of the big moments of the night on Streamed & Screened, available on all major podcast platforms. You can listen to that episode here: 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' leads the Oscars and other highlights from the night Listen now and subscribe to Streamed & Screened: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 17 at 3 p.m. CT): The International Criminal Court says it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. President Joe Biden welcomed Ireland’s prime minister to the White House for a St. Patrick’s Day meeting joined by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Wisconsin’s Democratic Secretary of State Doug La Follette has resigned, three months into his 11th consecutive term in office. The mystery to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic now has some new clues. International scientists have found raccoon dog DNA comingled with the virus in previously unavailable genetic data. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his government will move forward with ratifying Finland’s NATO application, paving the way for the country to join the military bloc ahead of Sweden. China is accusing the U.S. of spreading disinformation amid reports the Biden administration is calling for TikTok's Chinese owners to sell their stakes in the company. Twenty years ago, the Associated Press' Yves Dam-Van and Jerry Harmer were embedded in a U.S. Marines artillery unit as it prepared to invade Iraq. As the invasion began, Harmer kept a diary. The following excerpts have been edited for brevity. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 17 at 7:01 a.m. CT): Chinese President Xi Jinping is planning to visit Russia from Monday to Wednesday in an apparent show of support for Russian President Vladimir Putin amid sharpening East-West tensions over the conflict in Ukraine. Slovakia’s government has approved a plan to give Ukraine its fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets. Hundreds of elite officers in Israel’s military reserves say they will not show up for duty starting on Sunday in protest over the ruling coalition’s planned overhaul of the judicial system. Severe weather is starting to ease up after days of rain and snow caused by another atmospheric river over California. But more rain could be on the way. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30-year rate slid back to 6.60% from 6.73% last week. Jen Psaki begins a weekly Sunday show on the MSNBC this weekend. In sports, the NCAA basketball tournament saw two major upsets, the No. 1 seeds advanced, the NBA continued and MJ could be selling out. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 16 at 4 p.m. CT): Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is telling Congress and the nation that the U.S. banking system remains sound. A group of Wall Street banks is planning a rescue package of around $30 billion for First Republic Bank. Attorneys for the family of a Black Virginia man who died in police custody say video of the incident shows seven sheriff’s deputies pushing down “every part of his body” with “absolute brutality.” Two BNSF trains derailed in separate incidents in Arizona and Washington state on Thursday, with the latter spilling diesel fuel. New data suggests U.S. deaths of pregnant women dropped significantly in 2022. It comes after a year when the maternal death rate was the highest in nearly six decades. The North Dakota Supreme Court has ruled that a state abortion ban will remain blocked while a lawsuit over its constitutionality proceeds. The decision by Utah’s Republican governor to sign into law a ban on abortion clinics is raising concerns about how already overburdened hospitals will accommodate becoming the only place for legal abortions in the state. Allies of former President Donald Trump have filed a complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics accusing Gov. Ron DeSantis of violating campaign finance and ethics rules by running a shadow bid for the White House. The first Republican presidential primaries are nearly a year away and the candidate field is unsettled. But already, a shadow contest of another sort is underway with several Republicans openly jockeying to position themselves as potential running mates to Donald Trump, the early front-runner for the nomination. Poland’s president says his country plans to give Ukraine around a dozen MiG-29 fighter jets. British authorities say they're banning the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok from government mobile phones on security grounds, following similar moves by the U.S. and European Union. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 16 at 6:57 a.m. CT): The Pentagon has released footage of what it says is a Russian aircraft conducting an unsafe intercept of a U.S. Air Force surveillance drone in international airspace over the Black Sea. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the U.S. banking system remains sound. Yellen will be the first Biden administration official to face lawmakers over the decision to protect uninsured money at two failed regional banks, a move some observers call a bank “bailout.” California residents remain under evacuation warnings due to flooding caused by ongoing atmospheric river over the state. Officials say a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in western Arizona, near the state’s border with California and Nevada. Credit Suisse’s shares have soared 30% after it announced it will move to shore up its finances by borrowing up to nearly $54 billion from the Swiss central bank. Aaron Rodgers picks a team, the Cowboys part ways with a star running back, two important components in the Chiefs' Super Bowl winning season depart, the Grizzlies win on the day they find out the league's punishment for their star guard, the Avalanche use stingy defense to win at Toronto, and the NCAA First Four sees two more team advance in Dayton, Ohio. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 15 at 4 p.m. CT): Russia and the United States ratcheted up their confrontational rhetoric over a U.S. surveillance drone that encountered Russian warplanes and crashed near the Crimean Peninsula. Texas officials have announced a takeover of Houston’s nearly 200,000-student school district. Aaron Rodgers says he intends to play for the New York Jets in 2023 after 18 seasons in Green Bay. After killing hundreds and displacing thousands as it barreled through Mozambique and Malawi since late last week, Cyclone Freddy has dissipated over land, although flooding remains a threat in both countries, a regional monitoring center said late Wednesday. Honda is recalling a half-million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada because the front seat belts may not latch properly. America’s consumers trimmed their spending in February. The government said Wednesday that retail sales slipped 0.4% after jumping a revised 3.2% in January. Ryan Redington has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which his grandfather helped co-found. As part of a yearlong investigation, The Associated Press obtained the data points underpinning several algorithms deployed by child welfare agencies to understand how they predict which children could be at risk of harm. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 15 at 7:01 a.m. CT): Atmospheric river slamming California with heavy rain and snow is expected to start easing up. The U.S. military says a Russian warplane struck the propeller of a U.S. drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, causing American forces to bring the unmanned aircraft down in international waters. A federal judge will hear arguments in a high-stakes court case that could threaten access to medication abortion and blunt the authority of U.S. drug regulators. President Joe Biden will highlight the stark differences in how Democrats are tackling skyrocketing drug prices compared to their Republican counterparts as he gears up for an expected reelection announcement. Vermont has agreed to a legal settlement that will allow a Connecticut woman to be the first out-of-stater to take advantage of its decade-old law that allows people who are terminally ill to end their own lives. Embattled U.S. Rep. George Santos of New York has filed paperwork indicating his intent to run for reelection, even as he faces calls to resign. In sports, several NFL players are on the move, the NCAA basketball tournament opens play, the Raptors take down the Nuggets, and the Blackhawks stun the Bruins. From the earlier version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 14 at 4 p.m. CT): The U.S. military said a Russian warplane struck the propeller of a U.S. drone over the Black Sea, causing America forces to bring the unmanned aircraft down in international waters. Forecasters are warning of more flooding and potentially damaging winds as a new atmospheric river pushes into a swamped California. Ohio has filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage caused by a fiery train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month. Stocks closed higher after a report showed inflation is still high, though no more than expected.  The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing the first federal limits on harmful “forever chemicals” in drinking water, saying it could prevent thousands of illnesses. Chevron has not complied with a new California law requiring it to disclose data on pricing. President Joe Biden says he plans to deliver the eulogy at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, who remains under hospice care at his home in south Georgia. Facebook parent Meta will slash another 10,000 jobs and will not fill 5,000 open positions as the social media pioneer cuts costs. A class action lawsuit is being filed against the parent company of Silicon Valley Bank, its CEO and its chief financial officer, saying that company didn’t disclose the risks that future interest rate increases would have on its business. Dick Fosbury, the lanky leaper who completely revamped the technical discipline of high jump and won an Olympic gold medal with his “Fosbury Flop,” has died at age 76. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 14 at 6:55 a.m. CT): The Northeast faces a powerful winter storm. Meanwhile, another atmospheric river is moving over California. Depositors withdrew savings as the federal government raced to reassure Americans that the banking system is secure following two bank failures. President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order aiming to increase the number of background checks to buy guns. China says the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom are traveling “further down the wrong and dangerous path for their own geopolitical self-interest.” China’s Foreign Ministry was responding Tuesday to an agreement under which Australia will purchase nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize its fleet.  A pioneer for women’s and family rights in Congress, former Colorado Rep. Pat Schroeder, has died at the age of 82.  China will reopen its borders to tourists and resume issuing all visas Wednesday as it tries to revive tourism and its economy following a three-year halt during the COVID-19 pandemic.  French President Emmanuel Macron is facing a crucial test this week as the battle over his unpopular plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 is set to reach a peak in the streets and at parliament.  In sports, Memphis topped Dallas in a game missing multiple stars, Houston upset Boston, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson had big nights, the Sabres rallied by the Maple Leafs, and a handful of contracts were reportedly agreed to during the NFL’s first day of free agency. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 13 at 4 p.m. CT): Depositors withdrew savings, and investors broadly sold off bank shares as the federal government raced to reassure Americans that the banking system is secure following two bank failures. The Pentagon intends to load up on advanced missiles, space defense and modern jets in its largest defense request in decades in order to meet the threat it perceives from China. The search for the man suspected of killing one small-town Missouri police officer and badly injuring another ended Monday when the man came out of a home that had been surrounded by police.  A split among jurors means there will be no death penalty for an Islamic extremist who maniacally raced a truck along a popular New York City bike path, killing eight people and maiming others. A person with knowledge of the deal says quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has agreed to a three-year, $67.5 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. An agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reestablish diplomatic relations has cast China in a leading role in Middle Eastern politics — a part previously reserved for longtime global heavyweights like the U.S. and Russia. The Biden administration is approving a major oil-drilling project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope. The decision brought quick condemnation from environmentalists who said it flies in the face of the Democratic president’s pledges. Pfizer is spending about $43 billion to reach deeper into new cancer treatments that target tumor cells while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. The pharmaceutical giant said Monday it will pay $229 in cash for each share of Seagen Inc. Scientists can now see the big picture on water globally — which areas are repeatedly drying and which are getting hammered by extra-strong rainstorms, thanks to new analysis of satellite data. On this week's AP religion roundup, Paris' iconic cathedral prepares to re-open, and ancient runes reveal the Norse god Odin's deep history. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 13 at 7:30 a.m. CT): U.S. regulators are working to reassure depositors at failed institutions that they could access all their money quickly. "Everything Everywhere All At Once" led the way at the 95th Academy Awards. Donald Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen is poised to testify Monday before a Manhattan grand jury investigating hush money payments he arranged and made on the former president’s behalf. President Xi Jinping is calling for China to play a bigger role in managing global affairs. Two storms are expected to hit both coasts over the next two days. Oscar weekend in theaters belonged to “Scream VI,” as the horror sequel notched a franchise-best $44.5 million in ticket sales. Pope Francis is marking the 10th anniversary of his election as pope on Monday.  In sports, Alabama wins the SEC and the top seed for the NCAA Men's Tournament, South Carolina is number one overall for the Women's tourney, three straight losses for the Nuggets, a rare loss for the Bruins, and Scottie Scheffler is again the top player after winning the Players. Gas prices surged around the nation, but analysts say the increase could be short-lived amid a recent drop in demand and the cost of crude oil. Three years after the emergence of COVID-19, it appears the virus is here to stay. When students don’t have enough to eat, it can affect their ability to learn and perform up to their ability. —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  The 95th Academy Awards are Sunday and the Streamed & Screened podcast has you covered. The third season of “Ted Lasso” returns to Apple TV+ on March 15. We have an interview with star Jason Sudeikis. Actors Tom Sizemore, Robert Blake and Chaim Topol died. Legendary coach Jim Boeheim is out at Syracuse. And there were several updates on star NFL quarterbacks, including Derek Carr and Daniel Jones. Regarding the Oscars, there has been a lot of buzz around “Everything Everywhere All at Once” as it's among the favorites for Best Picture, Best Director and several key acting awards. Over on the Streamed & Screened podcast, a program co-hosted by longtime editor and entertainment reporter Bruce Miller and Hot off the Wire host Terry Lipshetz, we have been previewing the big night the past several episodes. Whether you are listening to this podcast before the awards are handed out or after the show is complete, head on over to Streamed & Screened for complete details. We have a post-Oscars wrap episode that will be uploaded shortly after the last Oscar is handed out. Listen now and subscribe to Streamed & Screened: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 10 at 3 p.m. CT): More than 9,000 California residents were under evacuation orders Friday in California after a new atmospheric river brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds, swelling rivers and creeks and flooding several major highways during the morning commute. America’s employers added a substantial 311,000 jobs in February, fewer than January’s huge gain but easily enough to keep pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates aggressively to fight inflation. Officials in Ukraine's capital say most of Kyiv's power supply has been restored as the country again responds swiftly and defiantly to the latest Russian barrage targeting the country’s critical infrastructure. Officials say a vehicle crashed inside a terminal at the Wilmington International Airport in North Carolina, but no one was injured. The U.S rushed to seize the assets of Silicon Valley Bank after a run on the bank, the largest failure of a financial institution since Washington Mutual during the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago. Hollywood is gearing up for the 95th Academy Awards, where “Everything Everywhere All at Once” comes in as the lead nominee and the film industry will hope to move past “the slap” of last year’s ceremony. There will also be no red carpet this year, which is now champagne-colored. The House has voted unanimously to declassify U.S. intelligence information about the origins of COVID-19. The 419-0 vote Friday was a sweeping show of bipartisan support near the third anniversary of the start of the deadly pandemic. Thousands of pages of documents in a recent lawsuit show that Fox News' top executives sometimes were actively involved in politics rather than simply reporting or offering opinions on it. U.S. product regulators said Thursday that Yeti has recalled 1.9 million coolers and gear cases because magnets can come detached from them, posing a risk of serious injury or death. Britain’s King Charles III has made his youngest brother the Duke of Edinburgh, passing on a title held by their late father, Prince Philip. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 10 at 6:26 a.m. CT): California residents continue to recover from severe snowstorms. Police say a man opened fire at a Jehovah’s Witnesses hall in the German city of Hamburg, killing six people before turning his gun on himself. Xi Jinping has been awarded a third five-year term as China's president, adding to signs he might stay in power for life at a time of severe economic challenges and rising tensions with the U.S. and others. Former President Donald Trump has been invited to testify next week before a New York grand jury that has been investigating hush money payments made on his behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign. An Emmy-winning actor whose career triumphs were later overshadowed by a trial in which he was acquitted of killing his wife, Robert Blake has died at age 89. Texas has executed an inmate for the drug-related killings of four people more than 30 years ago, including a woman who was 9-months pregnant. American Airlines is promising significant pay raises to pilots to match a recent deal at rival Delta Air Lines. In sports, conference tournaments make it a busy time in men's college basketball, Texas Tech and Georgetown will have new men's basketball coaches next season, the Golden Knights work overtime to win on the road, and the opening round of The Players Championship. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 9 at 4 p.m. CT): Norfolk Southern’s CEO is apologizing to Congress and pledging millions of dollars to help East Palestine, Ohio, recover from last month's fiery train derailment. But he stopped short on Thursday of fully endorsing a Senate bill that would toughen safety regulations. President Joe Biden chose a union training center in Philadelphia to lay out his new 10-year budget proposal and challenge congressional Republicans to release their own spending blueprint. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell suffered a concussion after a fall at a local hotel and remains hospitalized “for a few days of observation and treatment,” a spokesman said Thursday. A former Goldman Sachs banker has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in looting a Malaysian development fund. Former state House Speaker Larry Householder and former Ohio Republican Party Chair Matt Borges have been convicted in a $60 million bribery scheme that federal prosecutors have called the largest corruption case in state history. Israeli leaders say the award-winning Israeli actor known for portraying Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof has died in Tel Aviv. Chaim Topol's death at 87 was confirmed Thursday by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid and other leaders who tweeted their condolences to Topol's family. A New York jury has begun deliberating whether to impose the death penalty on a Uzbekistan citizen who killed eight people on a Manhattan bike path in a terrorist attack five years ago. Visa and Mastercard paused their decision to start categorizing purchases at gun shops, a significant win for conservative groups and Second Amendment advocates who felt that tracking gun shop purchases would inadvertently discriminate against legal firearms purchases. U.S. women getting mammograms will soon receive information about their breast density because of new government rules. The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose for the fifth straight week to its highest level since breaching 7% in November, just as the spring buying season gets ready to kick off. The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week jumped by the most in five months, but layoffs remain historically low as the labor market continues to be largely unaffected by the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 9 at 6:38 a.m. CT): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has unleashed a massive rocket attack that hit critical infrastructure and residential buildings in 10 regions of Ukraine. A spokesman for Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says the senator has been hospitalized after tripping and falling at a hotel. The chief executive of one of the nation’s largest railroads is coming to a Senate hearing with an apology and a commitment to send millions of dollars to the village on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border disrupted last month by a fiery derailment. Officials have informed members of the House and Senate and their staffs that hackers may have gained access to their sensitive personal data in a breach of a Washington, D.C., health insurance marketplace. In sports, Jim Boeheim is out at Syracuse, the Pelicans, Cavaliers and Celtics got wins in the NBA, and the Wild snagged a key win over Winnipeg. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 8 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden’s upcoming budget proposal aims to cut deficits by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade. The president's package is unlikely to pass the House or Senate as proposed. The U.S. Justice Department has found Louisville police engaged in discrimination and a pattern of violating constitutional rights, after an investigation prompted by the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor. The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it will review the Memphis police department policies on use of force, de-escalation strategies and specialized units in response to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols during an arrest. New details emerged in the kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico. Two of the victims were killed. The first meeting of the new board of Walt Disney World’s government hinted at future controversial actions they may take, including prohibiting COVID-19 restrictions at Disney World. Tens of thousands of people are marching in Athens and Greek cities to protest the deaths of 57 people and the serious safety deficiencies the country’s worst train disaster exposed. U.S. employers posted 10.8 million job openings in January, indicating the American job market continues to run too hot for the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve. From demands for constitutional rights in Islamabad to calls for economic parity in Manila, Paris and Madrid, International Women’s Day demonstrations in cities around the world are highlighting the unfinished work of providing equity for half of the planet’s population. Jason Sudeikis talked about the new season of his hit streaming show "Ted Lasson." Scientists have identified the oldest-known reference to the Norse god Odin on a gold disc unearthed in western Denmark in 2020. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 8 at 6:38 a.m. CT): Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the people responsible would be punished. He also complained about the U.S. media’s coverage of the missing Americans, accusing them of sensationalism. Memphis plans to release about 20 hours of video and audio related to the Tyre Nichols case. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says the United States does not seek to escalate tensions with China. The Biden administration is preparing to relax COVID-19 testing restrictions for travelers from China as soon as Friday. French train and metro drivers, refinery workers, garbage collectors and others are holding further strikes against President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age to 64.  A passenger who helped restrain a threatening man on a weekend flight from Los Angeles to Boston says the entire chaotic episode was over within seconds thanks to teamwork. In sports, the Milwaukee Bucks won again while New York's streak came to an end, Gonzaga dominated at the West Coast conference title game, action continued in the NHL and there are a lot of quarterback updates from the NFL. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 7 at 4 p.m. CT): Two Americans are back on U.S. soil Tuesday after surviving a deadly kidnapping in Mexico, and have been taken to a Texas hospital for treatment. Two other Americans were killed. The Biden administration is considering detaining migrant families who cross into the U.S. illegally as it prepares to end COVID-19 restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Federal Reserve could increase the size of its interest rate hikes and raise borrowing costs to higher levels than previously projected if evidence continues to point to a robust economy, Chair Jerome Powell says in prepared testimony to a Senate panel. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has positioned himself as the architect of a new conservative vision for the nation during his annual State of the State address. The U.K. government says it's ready for human-rights legal challenges to a tough new law intended to stop tens of thousands of migrants a year reaching the country in small boats across the English Channel. Five women who said they were denied abortions even when pregnancy endangered their lives are suing Texas over its abortion ban. A second person died following a stampede after a rap concert in Rochester, New York. A new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that voters support adjusting the number of immigrants and asylum-seekers allowed into the country. Federal agriculture officials are proposing a new rule that would clarify the meaning of meat labels that say foods are “Made in the USA.” A rocket made by the largest metal 3D printer is set to lift off this week. It is 85% 3D printed. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 7 at 6:49 a.m. CT): President Joe Biden has started to unveil parts of his budget proposal being released later this week. The Democratic president is beginning with his plan for Medicare, including higher taxes on wealthy people to increase funding for the program's trust fund. New details emerge in the case involving four Americans who were kidnapped in Mexico.  Residents are recovering from heavy snowfall in California. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made an unannounced visit to Baghdad just days before the 20th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. Jerome Powell will likely warn Congress that the Federal Reserve will have to raise interest rates even higher if measures of the U.S. economy keep coming in hot. Ukraine's president is vowing to hold onto Bakhmut as Russian forces encroach on the devastated eastern city. In sports, NFL quarterback Derek Carr is on the move, Donovan Mitchell puts up 40 in a Cavs win, Connor McDavid adds to his NHL-league-leading goal total, and two more teams advance to NCAA men's basketball tournament. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 6 at 4 p.m. CT): The FBI and Mexican officials say four U.S. citizens were kidnapped by gunmen after crossing into Mexico. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Monday the four were going to buy medicine and were caught in the crossfire between two armed groups. National transportation authorities say a corporate jet may have experienced stability problems before the severe buffeting that caused the death of a passenger. Two flights scheduled to depart from Boston Logan International Airport made contact with each other near the gate area. Election officials in Florida, Missouri and West Virginia say they are withdrawing from a bipartisan, multistate effort aimed at ensuring the accuracy of voter rolls that has found itself in the crosshairs of conspiracy theories fueled by Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 presidential election. Greenhouse gas emissions from the way humans consume food could add nearly 1 degree of warming to Earth’s climate by 2100, according to a study out Monday in Nature Climate Change. French officials say the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is going fast enough to allow its reopening to visitors and faithful at the end of 2024. The government is rolling out a new “dashboard” that lets travelers see which which airlines let families with young children sit together on flights at no extra cost. Police say one person is dead and two are fighting for their lives after unfounded fears of gunfire led to a stampede at the end of a rap concert in upstate New York. In this week's religion roundup, a sacred, sinking town in India faces a grim future. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 6 at 7 a.m. CT): The FBI says four U.S. citizens have been kidnapped after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the northern Mexico border city of Matamoros. A flight to Florida from Cuba was forced to turn back Sunday after it struck birds that caused an engine to catch fire and filled the cabin with smoke. The Great Lakes region and parts of Pennsylvania will get hit by more snow today. Meanwhile, it will be 86 in Palm Springs, Florida. Authorities in Ohio say there is no indication of any risk to public health from the derailment of a Norfolk Southern cargo train between Dayton and Columbus, the second derailment of a company train in the state in a month. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says he ordered police to crack down on illegal firearms and private armies and described as “terrifying” the weekend shootings that killed a provincial governor and eight others. Bulgarian health authorities say that 2.8 million of expired COVID-19 doses will be destroyed this year in addition to 2.3 million doses that have already been scrapped. Democrats across New Hampshire are upset with President Joe Biden for undermining their state’s status as home to the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. But their concerns about Biden run much deeper, in line with a majority of Democratic voters nationwide, who oppose the 80-year-old president’s plans to launch his reelection campaign. In sports, top-ranked Houston won a close one in men's college basketball while the fifth ranked team also post a win, the South Carolina women's basketball team earned some hardware, the Knicks won again while the Bucks improved on their NBA-best record, the Golden Knights recently acquired goaltender had a successful debut, Kurt Kitayama earned his first PGA tour win, NASCAR raced in Las Vegas, and a Big 12 conference head men's basketball coach was suspended.  Former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, a fierce critic of Donald Trump, says he won't run for the White House in 2024, after long positioning himself as a possible alternative to the ex-president. For the first time, United Nations members have agreed on a unified treaty to protect biodiversity in the high seas, concluding two weeks of talks in New York. In entertainment news, actor Tim Sizemore died, Chris Rock had a live standup special on Netflix, John Mellancamp will donate his memorabilia to Indiana University and "Creed III" topped the box office this weekend. —The Associated Press

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look back at some of the top headlines from the week in the world of sports and entertainment.  “Everything Everywhere All at Once” dominated the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Joni Mitchell was honored with the Gershwin Prize at a tribute concert. Brad Paisley wrote a country song featuring Ukraine President 's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And the family of NBA legend Kobe Bryant settled a lawsuit for $28.5 million. 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 March 3 at 2:30 p.m. CT): A judge has sentenced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh to life in prison a day after he was convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son. The sentence issued Friday carries no chance of parole or early release. The U.S. has announced a new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine that for the first time includes armored vehicles that can launch bridges. An 83-year-old Vietnam veteran is at long last getting his due. President Joe Biden on Friday awarded the Medal of Honor to retired Col. Paris Davis, one of the first Black officers to lead a Special Forces team in combat. A new crew from the United States, Russia and United Arab Emirates has arrived at the International Space Station. Friday's docking was delayed an hour because of a switch problem with one of the capsule's docking hooks. Severe weather continues to move through the Midwest and South and is heading toward the Northeast. King Charles III will travel to France and Germany for his first state visits since becoming monarch, underscoring Britain’s efforts to build bridges with its European neighbors. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs says corrections officials won't carry out an execution even though the state Supreme Court scheduled it over the objections of the state’s new attorney general. Walgreens says it won’t sell an abortion pill by mail in 20 conservative-led states. Colombia is proposing transferring at least 70 hippopotamuses that live near Pablo Escobar’s former ranch to India and Mexico as part of a plan to control their population. —The Associated Press

On the update version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 3 at 6:18 a.m. CT): South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder Thursday. Murdaugh faces 30 years to life in prison without parole when he is sentenced Friday. Tornadoes touched down in Texas and Louisiana as a powerful storm system that dumped snow in California moved eastward. Forecasters said the storm system would the Ohio and Tennessee River valleys with severe weather Friday and bring snow to New England. A new crew from the United States, Russia and United Arab Emirates has arrived at the International Space Station. Former Vice President Mike Pence isn't saying whether he'd back Donald Trump if Trump were to be the Republican presidential nominee in 2024. Daniel Ellsberg, who copied and leaked documents that revealed secret details of U.S. strategy in the Vietnam War and became known as the Pentagon Papers, says he has terminal cancer and months to live. A German ice cream parlor has expanded its menu with a skin-crawling offering: cricket-flavored scoops with dried brown crickets on top. The unusual confection is available at Thomas Micolino’s store in southern Germany’s town of Rottenburg am Neckar, German news agency dpa reported Thursday. In sports, No. 1 Houston sheds another opponent, Pistol Pete is still top gun in college basketball scoring, Luca and Kyrie lead the Mavericks to a win, Patrick Kane debuts on Broadway, and the Bruins extend their historic season. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 2 at 4 p.m. CT): The House Ethics Committee is launching an investigation into embattled Republican Rep. George Santos. The committee announced the probe Thursday of the New York congressman whose lies and embellishments about his resume and personal life have drawn deep scrutiny in Congress. The Justice Department says former President Donald Trump can be sued by injured Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The judge has turned disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh's fate over the the jury in his double murder trial following closing arguments from the defense. Officials say a Lufthansa flight that experienced “significant turbulence” was diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport and seven people on board were taken to area hospitals. Legislation is heading to Tennessee’s Republican governor that would ensure drag shows cannot take place in public or in front of children. Republican senators says the Biden administration is taking $39 billion in federal money that's meant to build computer chip factories and using it to further “woke” ideas such as requiring some recipients to offer child care and encouraging the use of union labor. Joni Mitchell was this year’s recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. An inquiry has found that Britain’s domestic intelligence agency missed a significant opportunity to prevent the suicide bombing that killed 22 people at a 2017 Ariana Grande concert in northwest England. Former President Barack Obama is marking the retirement of the South Carolina woman credited with popularizing the chant “Fired up, ready to go!” The chant came to epitomize Obama's two presidential campaigns. —The Associated Press

From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March at 6:41 a.m. CT): Authorities say a man was arrested after an explosive was found in a bag checked onto a Florida-bound flight at an eastern Pennsylvania airport. SpaceX has launched four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA. The Falcon rocket bolted from Florida's Kennedy Space Center early Thursday. Russian officials say Ukrainian saboteurs have crossed into western Russia and attacked villages there. A deadly train collision that sent Greece into national mourning and has prompted strikes and protests over rail safety. Emergency crews are scrambling to shuttle food and medicine to residents of California mountain communities stranded by back-to-back winter storms. TikTok says every account held by a user under the age of 18 will have a default 60-minute daily screen time limit in the coming weeks. Rockers Kiss have announced the final shows of their last tour, and will plan to hang up their platform boots after two back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden in New York at the end of 2023. In sports, Kevin Durant debuted for the Suns, Tatum led the Celtics past the Cavs, Connor McDavid struck again for the Oilers and Kobe Bryant's family settled. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 1 at 4 p.m. CT): Prosecutor Creighton Waters gave his closing argument Wednesday in the murder trial of disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, projected as one of the top players in the NFL draft, has been charged with reckless driving and racing in conjunction with the crash that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and a recruiting staff member. The TV provider Dish Network continues to recover from a ransomware attack it said disrupted operations, internet sites and call centers. Emergency workers are searching late into the night for survivors and bodies after a passenger train and a freight train crashed head-on in central Greece. The Supreme Court seems ready to allow New Jersey to withdraw from a commission the state created decades ago with New York to combat mob influence at their joint port. Eli Lilly will cut prices for some older insulins later this year and immediately give more patients access to a cap on the costs they pay to fill prescriptions. The family of the late Kobe Bryant has agreed to settle legal issues surrounding photos of the body of the NBA star and others who were killed in a 2020 helicopter crash. U.S. intelligence agencies say they cannot link a foreign adversary to any of the incidents associated with so-called “Havana syndrome,” the hundreds of cases of brain injuries and other symptoms reported by American personnel around the world. Officials with the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan, say they've located the Ironton, a freight schooner that plunged to the bottom of Lake Huron in 1894. —The Associated Press

On the updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 1 at 6:40 a.m. CT): A powerful weather system will move across most of the Lower 48 states through Thursday. A head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train flattened carriages, killed at least 36 people and injured some 85 in Greece. Chicago voters have denied Mayor Lori Lightfoot a second term. Candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson will meet in a runoff to succeed her. A jury will head Wednesday about 40 minutes from the courthouse to see the family home where authorities say Alex Murdaugh killed his wife and son in June 2021. Moscow blamed Kyiv for drone assaults on their own territory. Ukrainian officials did not immediately claim responsibility. The Federal Aviation Administration says a JetBlue pilot had to take evasive action while landing at Boston’s Logan International Airport when another aircraft crossed an intersecting runway. Consumers continue to pull back on spending, including big ticket items and vacations, as concerns over the economy continue. In sports, one NBA streak continued and another came to an end, collegiate basketball saw two teams in the top ten win Tuesday night, there's been a huge trade in the NHL and a veteran running back is getting his wish to be released. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. CT): Conservative justices holding the Supreme Court’s majority seem likely to sink President Joe Biden’s plan to wipe away or reduce student loans held by millions of Americans. Chief Justice John Roberts led his conservative colleagues Tuesday in questioning the administration’s authority to broadly cancel federal student loans because of the COVID-19 emergency. The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says he doesn’t want any stigmas attached to the Ohio community where a train derailed and spewed toxic gases three weeks ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill suspending the last remaining nuclear arms treaty with the United States. China is pushing back at renewed suggestions the COVID-19 pandemic could have been the result of a lab leak, saying it has been “open and transparent” in the search for the virus’ origins. The Federal Aviation Administration says a JetBlue pilot had to take evasive action while landing at Boston’s Logan International Airport when another aircraft crossed an intersecting runway. A former FTX executive is pleading guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud charges as part of a deal to cooperate with federal prosecutors building their case against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. The death toll has risen to at least 63 in the migrant tragedy off Italy’s southern coast after rescue crews recovered several more bodies. The White House is giving all federal agencies 30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices, as the Chinese-owned social media app comes under increasing scrutiny in Washington over security concerns. The man credited with inventing the cellphone 50 years ago is optimistic that future advances in mobile technology can transform human lives. But Martin Cooper also is worried about the risks smartphones pose to privacy and young people. The Transportation Security Administration is looking to hire more than 400 new air marshals. The Mexican president says that electric car company Tesla has committed to building a plant in the industrial hub of Monterrey in northern Mexico. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 28 at 6:58 a.m. CT): In sports, LeBron James is battling an injury, LeMelo Ball suffered a serious injury, Jimmy Butler carried the Heat to win over the Sixers, and the Bruins overcame Connor McDavid to win. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden is seeking facts into the origins of the Coronavirus pandemic. There is no consensus in the government as to how it started. Federal officials say they’re working to cut down on a growing backlog of complaints lodged against health care providers and government agencies by patients who claim their civil rights or privacy have been violated. Severe weather continues to hit the Southern Plains. Mexico’s president lashed out Monday at demonstrators who protested cuts to election funding over the weekend, belittling their concerns about threats to democracy and dashing any hopes that he would try to ease rising political tensions. The death toll has risen to at least 64 in the migrant tragedy off Italy’s southern coast after rescue crews recovered several more bodies. New York City’s Department of Transportation swung and missed with a road sign for the Jackie Robinson Parkway that misspelled the baseball Hall of Famer’s first name. U.S. first lady Jill Biden says there's “pretty much” nothing left to do but choose the time and place for President Joe Biden's reelection announcement. The Supreme Court says it will take up a Republican-led challenge to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a case that could threaten how the consumer watchdog agency functions if the high court agrees with the challenge. The Supreme Court won’t have far to look for a personal take on the “crushing weight” of student debt that underlies the Biden administration’s college loan forgiveness plan. A survey business economists think a recession will begin sometime this year. In this week's religion roundup, Pope Francis calls for peace on the anniversary of the War in Ukraine, Southern Baptists oust Saddleback Church over women pastors, and Iranian clerics say harsh crackdowns were a mistake. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 27 at 7 a.m. CT): Fierce weather including tornadoes hit Oklahoma and Kansas. Meanwhile, rain and snow hit Norther California. GOP lawmakers, including Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, are pushing back against the Biden administration for not sending F-16s to Ukraine. China says it has been monitoring a U.S. surveilance plane moving over the Taiwan Strait.  The death toll has risen to 62 in the migrant tragedy off Italy’s southern coast after rescue crews recovered three more bodies. The ex-husband and former in-laws of a slain Hong Kong model have been detained on charges in her killing after police found body parts in a refrigerator and a pot. Last-minute technical trouble forced SpaceX to call off Monday's attempt to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA. Thirty years after terrorism first struck the World Trade Center, victims’ relatives and survivors are remembering the deadly 1993 bombing that foreshadowed 9/11. In sports, Portland's Damian Lillard was red hot, the Atlanta Hawks have a new head coach, the Padres gave a huge contract extension to one of their star players, and both the PGA and LIV golf circuits crowned their weekly winners. In a weekend entertainment update, Sunday studio estimates say the gonzo R-rated horror comedy “Cocaine Bear” sniffed up $23.1 million in its opening weekend, while Marvel's “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” shrank unusually quickly in its second weekend. “Everything Everywhere All at Once" won best ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Some prominent media publishers are dropping the comic strip Dilbert after its creator referred to people who are Black as members of “a hate group” and urged white people to "get away" from them. —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.  There are new rules coming to Major League Baseball season. Actor and comedian Richard Belzer died. Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly received more prison time. Those stories and more from The Associated Press. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. CT): The United States has announced a new round of sanctions on Russian firms, banks, manufacturers and people. The package is aimed at entities that helped Russia evade sanctions earlier in the year-old war against Ukraine. China is calling for a cease-fire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Severe weather continues to move across the nation. Snowstorms are hitting California with winter weather also spread across the Great Plains and Northeast. Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh is testifying he cooperated with police investigating the killings of his wife and son in every way except mentioning the last time he saw them alive. A chunk of weather-beaten flotsam that washed up on a New York shoreline last fall has piqued the interest of experts who say it is likely part of the famous shipwreck SS Savannah. Publisher Penguin Random House says it will publish “classic” unexpurgated versions of Roald Dahl’s children’s novels, after criticism of cuts and rewrites intended to make the books suitable for modern readers. Russia has launched a rescue ship for two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut whose original ride sprang a dangerous leak at the International Space Station. Tensions over Russia's war on Ukraine have flared at meetings of finance ministers from Group of 20 nations and central bank chiefs in India. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose last month at its fastest pace since June, an alarming sign that price pressures remain entrenched in the U.S. economy and could lead the Fed to keep raising interest rates well into this year. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 24 at 7:03 a.m. CT): Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged to push for victory in 2023 as he and other Ukrainians on Friday marked the somber anniversary of the Russian invasion that upended their lives and Europe’s security. The Pentagon is announcing a new package of long-term security assistance for Ukraine. It's marking the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion with a $2 billion commitment to send more rounds of ammunition and a variety of small, high-tech drones into the fight. Severe weather continues to move across the nation. Snowstorms are hitting California with winter weather also spread across the Great Plains and Northeast. Cosori is recalling more than 2 million air fryers sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico because their wire connections can overheat and cause a fire risk. Police say a 2-year-old girl was among seven people wounded in a shooting outside a school in Philadelphia. A new poll shows that just 40% of U.S. adults approve of how President Joe Biden is handling relations with China, and a majority of them are anxious about Beijing's global influence. The U.S. economy expanded at a 2.7% annual rate from October through December, a solid showing despite rising interest rates and elevated inflation, the government said in a downgrade from its initial estimate. In sports, the Nuggets won a big matchup, the Celtics survived OT in Indianapolis, the 76ers, the Red Wings and Sabres improved their playoff chances and the Oilers blasted the Penguins. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. CT): Federal safety investigators have released a preliminary report on the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment and toxic chemical release. The National Transportation Safety Board says the train's crew did not receive a critical warning about an overheated axle until just before dozens of cars went off the tracks. Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh has denied killing his wife and son but admitted lying about when he last saw them alive while testifying in his own defense. A Los Angeles judge on Thursday sentenced Harvey Weinstein to 16 years in prison after a jury convicted him of the 2013 rape and sexual assault of an Italian actor and model. R. Kelly has received a 20-year prison sentence for child pornography and the enticement of minors for sex. In a victory for Kelly, however, the court said Thursday that he will serve 19 years of that sentence simultaneously with his 30-year sentence imposed last year in New York. The number of U.S. mass killings linked to extremism was at least three times higher in the last decade than the total from any other 10-year period since the 1970s. Former President Donald Trump’s lawyers in Georgia are criticizing the Fulton County investigation into potential illegal election meddling after the foreperson of the special grand jury helping the probe went public. Nearly 30 million Americans who got extra government help with grocery bills during the pandemic will soon see that aid shrink. Draft U.S. rules would allow soy, oat, almond and other drinks that bill themselves as “milk” to keep using the name. One year after President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine both countries are preparing for offensives that could set the stage for a potentially even more disastrous phase of the war. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 23 at 7:21 a.m. CT): Millions of Americans remain in the path of severe weather including ice and snow that closed schools, grounded airplanes and hobbled automobile traffic. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced he would visit the site of an Ohio train derailment Thursday after facing criticism for not coming sooner. Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska has given a video tour of human rights violations in the country following Russia’s invasion almost a year ago. Five employees of an environmental consulting firm died when a small airplane they were traveling in crashed outside an industrial area of Little Rock shortly after the plane took off. A Florida television station says 24-year-old reporter Dylan Lyons was fatally shot while covering an earlier shooting. Orange County Sheriff John Mina says the shooter then walked to a nearby home and fatally shot a 9-year-old girl. 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses has been detained. In sports, No. 1 Houston won in a rout, No. 2 Alabama needed OT to win, the Islanders boosted their playoff chances, Alex Ovechkin returned to practice and Russell Westbrook returned to L.A. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 22 at 4 p.m. CT): Both houses of Russia's parliament have quickly endorsed President Vladimir Putin’s move to suspend the last remaining nuclear arms treaty with the United States. President Joe Biden says Russian President Vladimir Putin made a “big mistake” by suspending that treaty, known as New START. Nearly all Federal Reserve policymakers agreed earlier this month to slow the pace of their rate increases to a quarter-point, with only “a few” supporting a larger half-point hike. The Supreme Court seems skeptical of a lawsuit trying to hold social media companies responsible for a terrorist attack at a Turkish nightclub that killed 39 people. Israeli forces stormed into a major Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank for a rare daylight arrest raid, triggering a fierce gun battle that killed at least 10 Palestinians and wounded scores of others. Astronomers have discovered what appear to be massive galaxies dating back to within 600 million years of the Big Bang. The findings suggest the early universe may have had a stellar fast-track that produced these monster galaxies. The Biden administration says it will generally deny asylum to migrants who show up at the U.S. southern border without first seeking protection in a country they passed through. CNN's Don Lemon returns to work on Wednesday after being off for three days following on-air remarks that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not in "her prime." Amazon has closed its $3.9 billion acquisition of the primary care organization One Medical. The health company runs a membership-based service offers virtual care as well as in-person visits. Microsoft is ready to take its new Bing chatbot mainstream — less than a week after making major fixes to stop the artificially intelligent search engine from going off the rails. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 22 at 7:06 a.m. CT): States in the northern plains are largely shutting down as a massive winter storm moves throughout the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The storm will continue on to the East Coast. President Joe Biden is wrapping up his whirlwind, four-day visit to Poland and Ukraine. Biden is reassuring eastern flank NATO allies that his administration is highly attuned to the looming threats and other impacts spurred by the grinding Russian invasion of Ukraine. Thousands of hours of surveillance footage from the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are being made available to Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson. Palestinian officials say that at least nine Palestinians have been killed and 102 were wounded during a rare daytime Israeli army arrest raid in the occupied West Bank. French authorities and media reports say a teacher has been stabbed to death in southwestern France by a high school student. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Norfolk Southern to pay for cleanup of the East Palestine, Ohio, train wreck and chemical release. In sports, Kansas State took down Baylor, Texas beat Iowa State, Texas A&M upset Tennessee, Marquette edged Creighton, Xavier was upset, Michigan State pulled out an emotional win, the Hurricanes and Red Wings won on the ice and the Atlanta Hawks fired their coach. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. CT): Russian President Vladimir Putin has suspended Moscow’s participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States. Federal environmental regulators have taken charge of the cleanup from the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment and chemical burn and ordered Norfolk Southern to foot the bill. A federal judge has barred the public and media from a courtroom where defense lawyers say emotional testimony from victims has spoiled the death penalty phase of the trial of a man who admits that he killed eight people on a bike path on behalf of a terrorist group. Free agent Brittney Griner is headed back to the Phoenix Mercury. Of all of baseball’s tweaks under Commissioner Rob Manfred, the pitch clock might be the one that affects the most players. The nation’s housing slump deepened in January as home sales fell for the 12th month in a row to the slowest pace in more than a dozen years. A trial of a four-day workweek in Britain, billed as the world’s largest, has found that most employees are less stressed, burned out and have better work-life balance. A family from Canada is traveling the world as children gradually lose eyesight due to a vision disorder. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 21 at 6:18 a.m. CT): Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Western countries of igniting and sustaining the war in Ukraine. He refused any blame for Moscow almost a year after the Kremlin’s invasion of its neighbor that has killed tens of thousands of people. President Joe Biden is set to consult with allies from NATO’s eastern flank in Poland as the Russian invasion of Ukraine edges toward an even more complicated stage. The Supreme Court is taking up its first case about a federal law that is credited with helping create the modern internet. The law shields Google, Twitter, Facebook and other companies from lawsuits over content posted on their sites by others. A severe storm is moving across the nation from the West Coast through the Great Plains and toward the Northeast. Home Depot says it’s investing $1 billion in wage increases for its U.S. and Canadian hourly workers. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wants the nation’s freight railroads to immediately act to improve safety while regulators try to strengthen safety rules in the wake of a fiery derailment in Ohio that forced evacuations when toxic chemicals were released and burned. In sports, several NBA players were on the move during the All-Star break, Kansas took out TCU in college basketball, Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck had a big night, and a former pro sports owner died. From the previous version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine. The trip was a gesture of solidarity coming days before the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Michigan State University students and faculty have returned to the East Lansing campus, one week after a gunman killed three students and injured five others. A new 6.4 magnitude earthquake has killed three people and injured more than 200 in parts of Turkey laid waste two weeks ago by a massive quake that killed tens of thousands. Nearly one year after Russia invaded Ukraine, new questions are rising over China's potential willingness to aid Moscow in the drawn-out conflict. Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe said in a speech posted online Monday that he has been removed as the right-wing group’s leader. New court filings show the prosecution in the case of a fatal New Mexico film-set shooting has made a stark turnaround that drops the possibility of a mandatory five-year sentence against Alec Baldwin. Well-wishes and fond remembrances for former President Jimmy Carter were pouring in a day after he entered hospice care at his home in Georgia. A landmark Supreme Court decision on the Second Amendment is upending gun laws across the country, dividing judges and sowing confusion over what firearm restrictions can remain on the books. On this week's AP Religion Roundup, a 103-year old nun reflects on her years as a college basketball fan, and ministers consider using artificial intelligence for writing sermons. —The Associated Press

On this edition of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 20 at 7:15 a.m. CT): President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Ukraine. Monday's visit was a gesture of solidarity coming days before the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden delivered remarks and met with Zelenskyy at Mariinsky Palace to announce an additional half-billion dollars in U.S. assistance and to reassure Ukraine of American and allied support as the conflict continues. New Orleans police say five people were shot, including a young girl, during a Mardi Gras parade. About 50,000 utility customers in the east San Francisco Bay Area were without power on Sunday afternoon. Oakland fire officials say a fire at a Pacific Gas & Electric substation caused the outages. Well-wishes and fond remembrances for former President Jimmy Carter were pouring in a day after he entered hospice care at his home in Georgia. Last year saw a record number of guns intercepted at airport checkpoints across the country. The numbers have been steadily climbing and hit 6,542 last year, according to the Transportation Safety Administration. In sports, the Daytona 500 needed extra laps to determine a winner, a Celtics star had a big night at the NBA All-Star Game, Jon Rahm continued his winning ways, the second and third ranked teams in men's college basketball each won as did the top ranked team in women's college hoops, and the Wild scored late to beat the Predators as part of a six game NHL slate. Richard Belzer, who played one of TV’s most indelible detectives as John Munch in “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Law & Order: SVU,” has died. The long-time stand-up comic was 78. Phase five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe may have gotten off to a rocky start, but Ant-Man is bigger than ever at the box office. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” opened with $104 million in domestic ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, easily surpassing the box-office debuts of the previous two Ant-Man films. Tom Sizemore is in critical condition after suffering a brain aneurysm, a representative for the actor said Sunday. Stella Stevens, a prominent leading lady in 1960s and '70s comedies who is perhaps best known for playing the object of Jerry Lewis’ affection in “The Nutty Professor,” has died. She was 84. Ben Affleck was promoting his movie “Air” at NBA All-Star weekend. It's the story of how Nike signed a rookie named Michael Jordan in 1984 to what became an iconic deal. Jordan is not shown in the film. “Air” will be released April 5. —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.  There were several deaths this week, including Raquel Welch, De La Soul co-founder Trugoy the Dove and a Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster Tim McCarver. We have an update on the health of action star Bruce Willis, who had to step away from acting a year ago. Beloved character Winnie the Pooh is the focus of a slasher film. And the Kansas City Chiefs won another Super Bowl. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. CT): Five former Mempis, Tennessee, officers pleaded not guilty Friday to second-degree murder and other charges following the death of Tyre Nichols. U.S. officials say the military has finished efforts to recover the remnants of the large balloon that was shot down off the coast of South Carolina, and analysis of the debris so far reinforces conclusions that it was a Chinese spy balloon. Ohio’s governor says a plume of chemicals that spilled into the Ohio River after a fiery train derailment has broken up and is no longer a concern. Attorneys for Donald Trump want to ban from his upcoming civil rape trial the “Access Hollywood” tape in which the former president boasts graphically about how celebrities can molest women. India’s Finance Ministry has accused the BBC of tax evasion, saying that it had not fully declared its income and profits from its operations in the country. Several Biden Cabinet members have received a letter from House Republicans as they launch the second investigation into the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Startups are competing to bring electric boats to the waterways of cities. Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to give singer R. Kelly 25 more years in prison for his child pornography and enticement convictions last year in Chicago. President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, are preparing for a possible rematch in 2024. But a new poll finds a notable lack of enthusiasm within the parties for either man as his party's leader, and a clear opening for new leadership. —The Associated Press

On this updated version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 17 at 6:10 a.m. CT): Officials say a train hauling hazardous materials derailed near Detroit, but none spilled. The Norfolk Southern train derailed nearly two weeks after a Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio left a mangled and charred mass of boxcars that had been carrying various hazardous chemicals. Authorities say a white Louisiana police officer has been arrested for fatally shooting an unarmed Black man who was trying to flee police responding to a domestic disturbance call earlier this month. Five former Memphis police officers are scheduled to make their first court appearance on murder and other charges in the violent arrest and death of Tyre Nichols. Severe winter weather is moving out of the Great Plains and toward the East Coast. Rescuers have pulled more survivors from the debris of the Feb. 6 earthquake that devastated parts of Turkey and Syria even as the window for finding people alive is closing fast. A special grand jury that investigated efforts by then-President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his election loss in Georgia is expressing concerns that “one or more witnesses” called to testify may have lied under oath. The panel recommends that the district attorney “seek appropriate indictments for such crimes where the evidence is compelling.” A person has been taken into custody in connection with the shootings of two Jewish men outside synagogues in Los Angeles this week that investigators believe were hate crimes. Nearly a year after Bruce Willis’ family announced that he would step away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, his family says his “condition has progressed.” In a statement posted Thursday, the 67-year-old actor’s family said Willis has a more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. In sports, the Bucks triumph but Giannis is hurt, No. 2 Houston wins but No. 3 Purdue loses, the Bruins and Hurricanes continue to breeze, and baseball mourns Tim McCarver. From the original version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. CT): President Joe Biden says the U.S. is developing “sharper rules” to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects. This follows three weeks of high-stakes drama sparked by the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting much of the country. Police say the man who shot eight students at Michigan State University, killing three, was found with two handguns and a note containing a possible motive for the attack. Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman is in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to seek treatment for clinical depression. The famed broadcaster and former St. Louis Cardinals star Tim McCarver has died. He was 81. A United Nations official says the death toll from the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake is likely to rise as teams scramble to remove rubble in hard-hit areas. Stocks are falling on Wall Street on worries that inflation is remaining hotter than feared. The S&P 500 was 1% lower Thursday after a report showed inflation at the wholesale level slowed by less last month than economists forecast. Wholesale prices in the United States reaccelerated in January, indicating that inflation pressures continue to underlie the U.S. economy despite longer-term signs of improvement. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin said Wednesday he never intended to offend anyone for attending the Super Bowl wearing a jacket that critics deemed to feature an offensive depiction of Jesus. Pope Francis has made clear in comments published by a Jesuit journal that he believes being pope is a lifetime position and that the late Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation was an exception. The unveiling of ChatGPT has panicked educators around the country who fear students will use the artificial intelligence powered chatbot it to write their essays and cheat on homework. But some teachers are embracing it. —The Associated Press

On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 16 at 6:58 a.m. CT): The FBI has searched the University of Delaware in recent weeks for classified documents as part of its investigation into the potential mishandling of sensitive government records by President Joe Biden. The public is expected to see portions of a report by a special grand jury that investigated whether then-President Donald Trump and his allies committed any crimes while trying to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia. The Tennessee National Guard says one of their Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Alabama, killing two crew members. Russia has again pummeled Ukraine with a barrage of cruise and other missiles, hitting targets from east to west as the war’s one-year anniversary nears. China has imposed trade and investment sanctions on U.S. military contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon for supplying weapons to Taiwan, stepping up efforts to isolate the island democracy claimed by the ruling Communist Party as part of its territory. The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Syria said the country’s death toll is likely to rise further as teams scramble to remove rubble in hard-hit areas. U.S. health advisers say the overdose-reversal drug naloxone should be made available over the counter. It's the latest government proposal to increase use of the medication against the opioid overdose crisis. The nasal spray version, Narcan, is already available without a prescription in all 50 states. Police in El Paso, Texas, say a one person has been killed and three others have been wounded in a shooting at a shopping mall. Raquel Welch, whose emergence from the sea in a skimpy, furry bikini in the film “One Million Years B.C.” would propel her to international sex symbol status throughout the 1960s and ’70s, has died at 82. In sports, the Chiefs celebrate their Super Bowl crown with a parade through downtown Kansas City, college basketball's top-ranked team has a night to forget, and in the NBA, it's a productive night for the Sixers and Nuggets. Correspondent Bruce Morton has the report. On this version of Hot off the Wire (posted Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. CT): A white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket has been sentenced to life in prison without parole Wednesday after listening to the relatives of his victims express the pain and rage caused by his racist attack. Wednesday's sentencing hearing for Payton Gendron was disrupted briefly when he was charged by a man in the audience, who was quickly restrained. Rep. Matt Gaetz says the Justice Department has ended a sex trafficking case with no charges against him. America’s consumers rebounded last month from a weak holiday shopping season by boosting their spending at stores and restaurants at the fastest pace in almost two years. Officials in Arizona anticipate "an extended closure” of the state's main southern highway, a day after a deadly crash caused a hazardous material leak and forced evacuations nearby. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced her intention to resign. A Kentucky lawmaker has introduced a bill to prosecute illegal abortions as homicides. The measure drew pushback from the state’s anti-abortion attorney general. Republican Nikki Haley has kicked off her 2024 presidential campaign. Justice Department prosecutors investigating the mishandling of classified documents at Donald Trump’s Florida estate are seeking to pierce the attorney-client privilege. Support among the American public for providing Ukraine weaponry and direct economic assistance has softened as the Russian invasion nears a grim one-year milestone. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Among sermon writers, there is fascination – and unease – over the fast-expanding abilities of artificial-intelligence chatbots. For now, the consensus is this: Yes, they can write a passably competent sermon. But no, they can’t replicate the passion of actual preaching. —The Associated Press

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