Biden calls Putin crazy at fundraiser; Boeing ousts head of 737 jetliner program; Bears hire their first female assistant coach

Episode Description

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Feb. 22 at 7:15 a.m. CT:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “crazy SOB” during a fundraiser for his reelection campaign Wednesday night. Biden also took aim at former President Donald Trump’s comments comparing himself to the Russian opposition leader who died last week in an Arctic prison. Biden is in California on a three-day swing to raise money for his reelection campaign. He has been warning voters what is at stake should Trump, his likely Republican challenger, win in November.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is considering using provisions of federal immigration law repeatedly tapped by former President Donald Trump to unilaterally enact a sweeping crackdown at the southern border. That's according to three people familiar with the deliberations. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing White House deliberations.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A large Alabama hospital has paused in vitro fertilization treatments as health care providers weigh the impact of a state court ruling that frozen embryos are the legal equivalent of children. The University of Alabama at Birmingham health system said in a statement Wednesday that it must evaluate whether its patients or doctors could face criminal charges or punitive damages for undergoing IVF treatments.

CHICAGO (AP) — Officials say seven people have been hospitalized, including a baby in critical condition, after a fire in a Chicago high-rise building.

SEATTLE (AP) — Boeing says the head of its 737 jetliner program is leaving the company immediately, paving the way for the aircraft maker to appoint new leadership at the troubled division. Ed Clark had been with Boeing for 18 years. Boeing said Wednesday that Katie Ringgold will succeed him as vice president and general manager of the 737 program, and the company's Renton, Washington, site.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Beyoncé is making history once again: The superstar singer became the first Black woman to top Billboard’s country music chart. The singer achieved the feat after her new single “Texas Hold ’Em” reached No. 1 on the country airplay chart this week. She dropped the song on Super Bowl Sunday along with her other single “16 Carriages,” which debuted at No. 9 on the same chart.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed an executive order and created a federal rule aimed at better securing the nation’s ports from potential cyberattacks. The administration is outlining Wednesday a set of cybersecurity regulations that port operators must comply with across the country, not unlike standardized safety regulations that seek to prevent injury or damage to people and infrastructure.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden's brother has told lawmakers that the president “never had any involvement” in the family’s business dealings. That statement came from James Biden when he appeared for a voluntary private interview Wednesday on Capitol Hill as part of House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry. The more than eight-hour interview was the latest in a series that GOP lawmakers have conducted recently as they try to rebuild momentum for an impeachment process surrounding the Biden family’s overseas finances.

Chinese police are investigating an unauthorized and highly unusual online dump of documents from a private security contractor linked to China’s top policing agency and other parts of its government. It's a trove that reveals and catalogs apparent hacking activity and tools to spy on both Chinese and foreigners. Among the apparent targets of tools provided by the impacted company, I-Soon, are ethnicities and dissidents in parts of China that have seen significant anti-government protests like Hong Kong or Xinjiang.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Across the United States, chronic worker shortages have led many companies to invest in machines to do some of the work they can’t find people to do. They’ve also been training the workers they do have to use advanced technology so they can produce more with less. The result has been an unexpected productivity boom, which helps explain a great economic mystery: How has the world’s largest economy managed to remain so healthy, with brisk growth and low unemployment, despite brutally high interest rates that are intended to tame inflation but that typically cause a recession?

LONDON (AP) — Judges say WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange won’t find out until next month at the earliest whether can appeal extradition to the U.S. on spying charges. If he fails, his long legal battle in Britain will have run out of road. Two High Court judges said Wednesday they will take time to consider their verdict.

PARIS (AP) — Striking workers have again closed down the Eiffel Tower. It's the third day running that the landmark expected to be at the heart of celebrations for the Paris Olympics has been off-limits to visitors.

LSU and Penn State score one-point wins over ranked opponent, Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews makes NHL history and the MLS season gets off to a great start. Also, Eric Hosmer retires from baseball following a 13-year career and a World Series title and the Chicago Bears add Jennifer King as their first ever female assistant coach.

—The Associated Press

About this program

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

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Hot Off The Wire is a collection of news, sports and entertainment reports. The program is produced by Lee Enterprises with audio provided by The Associated Press.