Winter weather continues; US to widen military presence in Philippines; Hunter Biden seeks federal probe | Hot off the Wire podcast

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On this version of Hot off the Wire:

» While severe weather is moving out of the South, the Midwest and Northeast is enduring bitter cold and ice.

» The United States and the Philippines have announced an expansion of America’s military presence in the Southeast Asian country. U.S. forces will be granted access to four more military camps, effectively giving Washington new ground to ramp up deterrence against China.

» President Joe Biden is facing fresh pressure to make progress on police legislation after the killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are meeting with members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday at the White House.

» A new poll shows that more U.S. adults disapprove than approve of the way President Joe Biden has handled the discovery of classified documents at his home and former office. Yet that seems to have had little impact on Biden’s overall approval rating.

» A lawyer for President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, has asked the Justice Department to investigate close allies of former President Donald Trump and others who accessed and disseminated personal data from a laptop that a computer repair shop owner says was dropped off at his Delaware store in 2019.

» In sports, the GOAT retires again, the Celtics blast the Nets, Tennessee falls in college hoops and the Bruins and Hurricanes get wins on the eve of the NHL All-Star break.

From the original version of Hot off the Wire:

» A funeral for Tyre Nichols blended a celebration of his life with outrage over the brutal beating he endured at the hands of the Memphis police and heated calls for police reform.

» Wall Street rose to its highest level since the summer following the latest hike to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, which said it’s finally seeing improvements in inflation.

» The FBI has searched President Joe Biden’s Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home as part of its investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents.

» Tom Brady has announced his retirement. Brady won a record seven Super Bowls for New England and Tampa Bay.

» House Republicans have begun their promised aggressive oversight of the Biden administration, starting with coronavirus aid programs.

» On his trip to Congo, Pope Francis has heard firsthand accounts of atrocities some people have endured during years of fighting in the eastern part of the country.

» Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow and the late George Michael are nominees for 2023 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a list that includes a mix of country, soul, hip-hop, metal, pop, rap-rock and grunge.

» Hard rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has announced the cancellation of his 2023 tour dates in the U.K. and continental Europe.

» ‘Dr. Phil’ McGraw says he’ll stop making new episodes of his daytime TV show after 21 years this spring.