On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Nov. 28 at 7:15 a.m. CT:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has told Israel that it must operate with far greater precision in southern Gaza if it renews a ground campaign aimed at eradicating the Hamas militant group. That's according to senior administration officials who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. The officials said President Joe Biden and other administration officials have underscored to the Israelis that it is critical that the expected military campaign to eradicate Hamas in the south must be done in a way that does not cause “significant further displacement” of Palestinian civilians. One official said Israelis have been receptive when U.S. officials have raised these concerns.

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A man pleaded not guilty to attempted murder Monday in the weekend shooting of three college students of Palestinian descent in Vermont. The attack is being investigated as a possible hate crime. The three young men were shot and injured Saturday while walking near the University of Vermont campus. Forty-eight-year-old Jason Eaton was arrested Sunday and made a brief court appearance from jail Monday. He's charged with three counts of attempted murder. The U.S. Justice Department and state officials are also investigating whether the shooting was a hate crime. Protests have been widespread and tensions have escalated in the U.S. as the death toll rises in the Israel-Hamas war.

ATLANTA (AP) — Rosalynn Carter will be memorialized Tuesday with classical music and beloved hymns, some of her favorite Biblical passages, and a rare gathering of all living U.S. first ladies and multiple presidents, including her 99-year-old husband Jimmy Carter. The funeral at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta falls on the second of a three-day schedule of public events celebrating the former first lady and global humanitarian. She died Nov. 19 at home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 96. Jimmy Carter's participation in his wife's memorials has been a day-to-day decision because of his own frail health. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will attend. They are longtime friends of the Carters. Country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will sing.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump says he wants to reopen the contentious fight over the Affordable Care Act. He posted on his social media site Saturday that he is “seriously looking at alternatives” to “Obamacare” if he wins a second term. Democratic President Joe Biden’s campaign cast the call as yet another “extremist” proposal from the GOP front-runner. The back-and-forth points to what could be a key issue in a general election rematch between Trump and Biden. Health care has generally been a better issue for Democrats than Republicans, who have largely abandoned efforts to repeal the law in recent years.

POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) — Police say a thick layer of fog is believed to have caused a roughly 30-vehicle collision on an Idaho interstate. The collision occurred Monday morning on eastbound Interstate 86 near Pocatello. Police say the fog caused visibility to significantly decrease in a short amount of time, slowing vehicles and causing a chain reaction crash. Police said one person with minor injuries was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Several others were taken by personal vehicles. Traffic on I-86 was blocked between exits 56 and 59 for seven hours, allowing for emergency responders and tow trucks to assist those involved and to clear the scene.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden has chosen a White House holiday décor that she hopes will inspire guests to feel like kids again. “Magic, wonder and joy” is her theme. Guests will walk underneath the branches of a tree to enter. They will stroll along a hallway decorated with oversized holiday candy and other sweets. They will see Santa's sleigh and reindeer suspended above the grand foyer. The first lady unveiled the décor on Monday. It also celebrates the 200th anniversary of the publication of the poem commonly known as ”’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” She plans Wednesday to unveil a holiday ice rink on the White House lawn.

Families of children and educators killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have made an offer to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay only a fraction of the $1.5 billion in legal judgments they won against him. Lawyers for the families said in a recent filing in Jones' bankruptcy case that they would accept at least $85 million over 10 years. The families were awarded the $1.5 billion in lawsuits against Jones for his calling the 2012 Connecticut school shooting a hoax and for the threats and harassment they endured from Jones' followers. Jones' bankruptcy lawyer said in court Monday that the $85 million settlement offer was too high.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Experts in constitutional law and the military say the Insurrection Act gives presidents tremendous power with few restraints. Recent statements by former President Donald Trump raise questions about how he might use it if he wins another term. The front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination has spoken openly about his plans should he win the presidency, including using the military at the border and in cities struggling with violent crime. His plans also have included using the military against foreign drug cartels. The Insurrection Act, a law first crafted in the nation’s infancy, is one of the most substantial exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally prohibits using the military for law enforcement purposes.

In sports, the Bears win on a last minute field goal, the Panthers fire coach Frank Reich, LeBron James suffers his most lopsided loss, and the Wild fires coach Dean Evason. Also, Texas A&M hires Duke coach and former Aggies defensive coordinator Mike Elko to replace Jimbo Fisher.

First this fall, a new round with COVID-19 shuttered Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show.” Now the show is again sidelined as the host recovers from a burst appendix. The comedian revealed on social media Monday that he’s recovering after surgery, wiping out planned shows for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. “Going forward, all emails to my appendix will be handled by my pancreas,” he joked. Colbert had a busy three shows planned, including guests Jennifer Garner, Baz Luhrmann, Patrick Stewart and Kelsey Grammer, the return of former bandleader Jon Batiste and Barbra Streisand was to take “The Colbert Questionert.”

—The Associated Press

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Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

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