• On this episode: A US-Russia dual national as been freed in a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington; President Donald Trump is intensifying his efforts to punish his critics by signing a pair of memoranda directing the Justice Department to investigate two officials from his first administration and stripping them of any security clearances they may have; Luka Doncic makes an emotional return to Dallas with the Los Angeles Lakers; and music is added to the National Recording Registry.
• The United States and China are locked in a faceoff over tariffs. No one wants to blink first.
• Hegseth says China's military presence in western hemisphere is 'too large.'
• Appeals court clears the way for the Trump administration to fire thousands of probationary workers.
• House GOP holdouts threaten Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill as Speaker Johnson postpones vote.
• Democrats on Capitol Hill are blasting President Donald Trump's tariff policy, Trump is taking a bit of a victory lap.
• Federal Reserve could be in 'difficult' spot with higher prices, slower hiring.
• Trump administration halts $1 billion in federal funding for Cornell, $790 million for Northwestern.
• Senate confirms former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as Trump's ambassador to Israel.
• FDA reverses course on telework after layoffs and resignations threaten basic operations.
• Microsoft says it's 'slowing or pausing' some AI data center projects, including $1B plan for Ohio.
• Woman can testify Weinstein used force to rape her despite his acquittal, judge rules.
• A California soccer coach charged in a 13-year-old's death is accused of assaulting other teens.
• A micromoon will grace the night skies this weekend.
• Wall Street's euphoria sends US stocks to historic gains after Trump pauses most of his tariffs.
• Luka Doncic shines in his Dallas return, a three-time NBA MVP posts another dominant triple-double, a clutch home run and a blowout win in baseball, a wild back-and-forth on the ice in St. Paul and an NFL star is involved in a domestic dispute. 
• The Masters ends the 9-month wait for golf's most anticipated major.
• Pedro Martinez says he has family members unaccounted for in Dominican nightclub roof collapse.
• Defense chiefs from around 30 countries expected at NATO for talks on a future Ukraine force.
• Suspected US strikes in Yemen kill at least 10 people, Houthi rebels say.
• Pope Francis meets privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla during his Vatican convalescence.
• UK royals meet Italy's president and enjoy a special tour of Rome's Colosseum.

—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