Tensions rising between Israel, Iran; jury selection continues in Trump hush money trial; Senate ends impeachment trial

Hot Off The Wire

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted April 18 at 7 a.m. CT:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will decide whether and how to respond to Iran’s major air assault earlier this week, brushing off calls for restraint. Israel has vowed to respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of fighting in Gaza. Israel’s allies have been urging Israel to hold back on any response that could spiral. The pressure came as Iran’s president warned that even the “tiniest” invasion would bring a “massive and harsh” response.

WASHINGTON — Jury selection in the hush money trial of Donald Trump enters a pivotal and potentially final stretch as lawyers look to round out the panel of New Yorkers that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former president. Seven jurors have been picked so far. Eleven more people must still be sworn in, with the judge saying he anticipated opening statements in the landmark case to be given as early as next week.

NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s legal team says it tried serving a subpoena on Stormy Daniels as she arrived for a screening of her documentary at a gay bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor and hush money trial figure refused to take it and walked away. Newly filed court documents show a process server working for the former president’s lawyers approached Daniels with papers demanding information but was forced to “leave them at her feet."

WASHINGTON — The Senate has dismissed all impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ending the House Republican push to remove the Cabinet secretary from office over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border and ending his trial before arguments even began. Senate Democrats argued that the articles were unconstitutional.

In other headlines:

• President Joe Biden is off on details of his uncle's WWII death as he calls Trump unfit to lead the military.
• An Abu Ghraib military contractor warned bosses of abuses two weeks after arriving, testimony reveals.
• Ford recalls over 456,000 Bronco Sport and Maverick cars due to loss of drive power risk.
• A communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without alerts amid Maui fire.
• The NBA's Play In Tournament continues, the New Orleans Pelicans lose their stars to injury, the NBA issues a lifetime ban to one of its players, every MLB team was in action, and the NHL's regular season inches closer to a conclusion.

—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.