TikTok sends influencers to Washington; Powell says bank deposits are safe; Biden approval dips near lowest point | Hot off the Wire podcast

On this version of Hot off the Wire:

» TikTok is ramping up a public relations campaign to fend off the possibility of a nationwide ban by the Biden administration. And it’s bringing some unconventional advocates to help: online influencers. 

» A coroner’s office says a body found in the Colorado woods near an abandoned car was that of a 17-year-old student accused of wounding two administrators in a shooting at his Denver high school. 

» Fed Chair Jerome Powell sought to reassure Americans that it is safe to leave money in their banks, two weeks after a rush of depositors pulled funds from Silicon Valley Bank, which collapsed in the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history.

» Equatorial Guinea has confirmed another eight cases of the “highly virulent” Marburg virus, a deadly hemorrhagic fever with no authorized vaccine or treatment. 

» Approval of President Joe Biden has dipped slightly since a month ago to 38%. That’s nearly the lowest point of his presidency, and comes as his administration tries to project a sense of stability while confronting a pair of bank failures and stubbornly high inflation.

» In sports, It was a busy night on the NBA hardwood, the Clippers will be without a key player for at least a couple of weeks, on the ice the Penguins end their losing streak, Oilers center Connor McDavid achieves a milestone goal, and in the NFL the Jets continued their busy off-season re-tooling of the roster.

Jess Rapfogel – freelancer, FR171914 AP

From the original version of Hot off the Wire:

» Authorities say a shooting near a middle school in North Carolina left two 16-year-old boys dead and one wounded.

» Authorities say a 17-year-old student shot and wounded two school administrators after a handgun was found during a daily search of a student at a Denver high school.

» Manhattan prosecutors have postponed a scheduled grand jury session in the investigation into Donald Trump over hush money payments during his 2016 presidential campaign.

» Stocks fell sharply after the Federal Reserve said it doesn’t expect to cut rates anytime soon despite Wall Street’s hopes.

» The administration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is moving to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades.

» A possible tornado Wednesday left a line of damage across roofs of commercial buildings in the Los Angeles suburb of Montebello.

» Moderna’s CEO is defending a plan to more than quadruple the company’s COVID-19 vaccine price.

» China says President Xi Jinping’s just-concluded visit to Russia was a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace.” 

» A dispute between Jack Daniel’s and the makers of a squeaking dog toy that humorously mimics the whiskey’s signature look gave Supreme Court justices a lot to chew on.

» Swedish lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted in favor of the country joining NATO.

» TikTok’s CEO plans to tell Congress on Thursday that the video-sharing app is committed to user safety, data protection and security, and keeping the platform free from Chinese government influence.

» For 40 years, former President Donald Trump has navigated a flurry of legal investigations without ever facing criminal charges. That record may soon come to an end.

» As the Federal Reserve raises interest rates again, credit card debt is already at a record high, and more people are carrying debt month to month.