TikTok's future, bird flu and Jimmy Carter's legacy

Hot Off The Wire

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

• Small businesses brace themselves for potentially disruptive TikTok ban.
• A data company has figured out which airlines fly on time most often.
• Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out.
• Republicans' trust in accuracy of US elections jumps after Trump's win, AP-NORC poll finds.
• 5 things we know and still don't know about COVID, 5 years after it appeared.
• Bird flu virus likely mutated within a Louisiana patient, CDC says.
• Cats can get sick with bird flu. Here's how to protect them.
• Discarded Christmas trees become seasonal snack for goats in Chicago.
• 'Dinosaur highway' tracks dating back 166 million years are discovered in England.
• Border arrests are little changed in December, ending Biden's term at lowest level.
• Surgeon General calls for new label on drinks to warn Americans of alcohol's cancer risk.
• FBI issues warning to leagues about organized crime groups targeting pro athletes.
• Netflix averages more than 30 million viewers globally for its NFL Christmas Day doubleheader.
• The year in review Influential people who died in 2024.
• 'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office.
• Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt reach divorce settlement after 8 years.
• US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people.
• The killing of an 18-year-old Ohio woman was solved with DNA technology after 43 years.
• On this week's AP Religion Roundup, President Jimmy Carter leaves a legacy of tackling race relations through his Christian faith.
• The world population will be 8.09 billion on New Year's Day after a 71 million increase in 2024.
• Panama celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Panama Canal handover as Trump wants to take it back.

—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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