Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include:

• Airports ready for holiday crowds.
• Starting a small business is hard. Exiting can be even harder, but planning early is the key.
• McDonald's to expand US value menu as fast food chains battle for bargain seekers.
• Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum.
• The 'super year' of elections has been super bad for incumbents as voters punish them in droves.
• Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelations.
• Donald Trump's latest branded venture is guitars that cost up to $10,000.
• Should women be allowed to fight on the front lines Trump’s defense pick reignites the debate.
• Texas offers Trump land on US-Mexico border for potential mass deportations.
• About 20% of Americans regularly get their news from influencers on social media, report says.
• Betty White Forever New stamp will honor the much-beloved Golden Girls actor.
• Forget driverless cars. One company wants autonomous helicopters to spray crops and fight fires.
• Volunteers came back to nonprofits in 2023, after the pandemic tanked participation.
• New Hampshire shelter faces enor-mouse problem after man surrenders nearly 1,000 rodents.
• NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries.
• NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins.
• WNBA corporate sponsorship deals are growing. But not every athlete is getting their due.
• Today he is a high school football player. Soon he'll be a Buddhist lama in the Himalayas.
• Denmark will plant 1 billion trees and convert 10% of farmland into forest.
• $344 for a coffee Scottish farm is selling UK's most expensive cup.
• Texas weighs Bible-related curriculum for public schools, placement of the Ten Commandments in classrooms faces a legal roadblock, and Ohio religious schools may so.

—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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WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name. Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial. She’s been a vocal critic of the criminal cases against Trump. She has also been a chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers. Gaetz stepped aside amid continued fallout over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer.

FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm moving through Northern California has toppled trees and dropped heavy snow and record rain after knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people in Washington and Oregon.

VANG VIENG, Laos (AP) — A second Australian teenager who fell critically ill after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos has died, according to a family statement sent to Australian media.

GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations says more aid workers, health care staffers, delivery personnel and other humanitarians have been killed in 2024 than in any other single year.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s parliament has canceled a session as security was tightened after Russia deployed a new ballistic missile that threatens to escalate the nearly three-year war.

U.S. health officials say a deadly outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to a massive recall of popular Boar's Head deli meats is over. Ten people died and 61 were sickened in 19 states in the outbreak. The outbreak is considered over 60 days after the last reported illness.

In other news:

• Democrats strike deal to get more Biden judges confirmed before Congress adjourns.
• The FBI and DHS leaders won't testify publicly about national security threats before the Senate.
• A Mexican cartel leader arrested in the US faked his death and assumed a phony name, prosecutors say.
• Justice Department finds a pattern of misconduct by police in Trenton, New Jersey.
• Bank makes hundreds of millions in loans available to assist Helene recovery in North Carolina.
• Alabama carries out nation’s third nitrogen gas execution on a man for a hitchhiker's killing.
• Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 attack on himself is overturned.
• What will happen to CNBC and MSNBC when they no longer have a corporate connection to NBC News.
• Stock market today Wall Street rises with Nvidia as bitcoin bursts above $99,000.
• Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US rises to highest level since July.
• US home sales rose in October, notching their first annual gain in more than three years.
• US applications for jobless benefits fall to 213,000, remaining near 7-month lows.
• 6 agencies investigate after a photographer says he found remains in a burned Georgia funeral home.
• Penn State wins trademark case over retailer's use of vintage logos, images.
• The Steelers and Browns brave the elements in Thursday Night Football, the Lakers put their winning streak to the test against the Magic, baseball announces its MVP awards, and one of hockey's stars suffers a significant injury.
• At least 38 killed as gunmen open fire on vehicles carrying Shiites in northwest Pakistan.

—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.

Theme music

The News Tonight, used under license from Soundstripe. YouTube clearance: ZR2MOTROGI4XAHRX

THE HAGUE (AP) — The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over actions taken during their 13-month war in Gaza and the October 2023 attack on Israel respectively.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Pete Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. That's according to a detailed investigative report made public late Wednesday.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — Rain and snow are pummeling Northern California as the region feels the effects of a major storm that could cause flash flooding and rockslides. It's the latest wave of damaging weather to strike the West Coast.

It was mostly Chris Stapleton’s night at the Country Music Association Awards. Stapleton won four times and took the stage to perform three times Wednesday night at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. But an absent Morgan Wallen won the biggest award, entertainer of the year. Stapleton's wins included single of the year and song of the year for “White Horse,” and his eighth trophy as male vocalist of the year. Best female vocalist of the year went to Laney Johnson.

NEW YORK (AP) — Target has reported sluggish sales and slumping profits in the fiscal third quarter as inflation-weary customers curtailed their spending on apparel and other non-essential items.

In other news:

• The FBI arrested a man who's been charged with planning an attack on the New York Stock Exchange.
• Trump chooses former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as NATO ambassador.
• Trump-backed Republican Nick Begich beats Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola for Alaska’s only House seat.
• US regulators seek to break up Google, forcing Chrome sale as part of monopoly punishment.
• US charges tycoon Gautam Adani with defrauding investors, hiding plan to bribe Indian officials.
• Tennessee man involved in Capitol riot is convicted of planning to kill investigators.
• Stock market today Wall Street drifts as Target tumbles.
• Ford, facing economic headwinds and weak EV sales, to cut 4,000 jobs in Europe.
• Susan Smith is denied parole 30 years after drowning 2 sons by rolling car into South Carolina lake.
• Man convicted of killing Laken Riley sentenced to life in prison without parole.
• Liam Payne's One Direction bandmates among the mourners at singer's funeral.
• Mother of cinematographer killed on set of Alec Baldwin film 'Rust' boycotts its world premiere.
• The Cavaliers remain the NBA's hottest team, college basketball has a new all-time winningest coach, and baseball has its 2024 Cy Young winners.
• What to know about Transgender Day of Remembrance and violence against trans people.
• UN authorizes first mpox vaccine for children in an attempt to control Congo outbreak.
• US vetoes UN resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza because there's no link to a hostage release.
• At UN climate talks, a draft of the deal gives little clarity on climate cash for developing nations.
• Ukraine has seen success in building clean energy, which is harder for Russia to destroy.
• Volcano on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year.

—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.

Theme music

The News Tonight, used under license from Soundstripe. YouTube clearance: ZR2MOTROGI4XAHRX