WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange agrees to plea deal; Panthers secure first Stanley Cup

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted June 25 at 8:15 a.m. CT:

BANGKOK (AP) — A plane carrying WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has landed in Thailand. He is on his way to enter a plea in a U.S. court that is expected to free him and resolve the legal case over the site's publication of classified documents. The chartered plane landed at a Bangkok airport Tuesday afternoon for refueling. Assange is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday in the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. surgeon general is declaring gun violence a public health crisis, driven by a growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country. Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation’s top doctor, issued the advisory Tuesday as the U.S. grappled with another weekend marked by mass shootings that left dozens of people dead or wounded. 

Russian authorities say one person has died and scores more remain hospitalized in an outbreak of botulism spanning several regions. Foodborne botulism is a rare illness caused by a toxin produced by a type of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 550,000 pickup trucks in the U.S. because the transmissions can unexpectedly downshift to first gear no matter how fast the trucks are going. The recall covers certain F-150 pickups from the 2014 model year. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Car dealerships across North America are still wrestling with disruptions that started last week. CDK Global, a company that provides software for thousands of auto dealers in the U.S. and Canada, was hit by back-to-back cyberattacks on Wednesday. 

In other news:

• On the anniversary of the fall of Roe, Democrats lay the blame for worsening health care on Trump.
• Missouri, Kansas judges temporarily halt much of President Biden's student debt forgiveness plan.
• Supreme Court rejects appeal from ex-reality star Josh Duggar.
• Supreme Court rejects challenge to Connecticut law that eliminated religious vaccination exemption.
• Lawsuit challenges new Louisiana law requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments.
• Mass shootings across the US mar the first weekend of summer.
• NASA calls off spacewalk after spacesuit water leak.
• US ambassador visits conflict-ridden Mexican state to expedite avocado inspections.
• The Panthers win their first Stanley Cup in a dramatic Game 7, Tennessee wins its first College World Series in a dramatic Game 3, the National League's division leaders all win their games and the Cavaliers finally name their new head coach.
• A Chinese lunar probe returns to Earth with the world's first samples from the far side of the moon.
• Israeli supreme court says ultra-Orthodox must serve in military.

—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.

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.