Biden plans to address extreme heat; whistleblower testifies about UFOs; Sinéad O’Connor dies at 56 | Hot off the Wire podcast

On this version of Hot off the Wire:

» President Joe Biden plans to announce new steps to address the extreme heat that has threatened millions of Americans, most recently in the Southwest. The White House says officials are working on worker protections, improved weather forecasts and more accessible drinking water.

» Ukraine has launched a major push to dislodge Russian forces from the country's southeast as part of its weekslong counteroffensive, committing thousands of troops to the battle.

» Mutinous soldiers in the African nation of Niger claim to have overthrown the democratically elected president, announcing on state television that they have put an end to the government over the country’s deteriorating security.

» A former Air Force intelligence officer has testified that the U.S. is concealing a longstanding program that retrieves and reverse engineers unidentified flying objects.

» In sports, Aaron Rodgers gives the Jets some salary cap room, MLB's commissioner is staying put, the Red Sox sweep the Braves, the Phillies take a series, the Guardians pull another game closer to the AL Central lead and the Brewers blank the Reds.

» The plea deal in Hunter Biden’s criminal case unraveled during a court hearing Wednesday after a federal judge raised concerns about the terms of the agreement that has infuriated Republicans who believe the president’s son is getting preferential treatment.

» Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell briefly left his own press conference Wednesday after stopping his remarks mid-sentence and staring off into space for several seconds, appearing to be disoriented.

» The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate for the 11th time in 17 months, a streak of hikes that are intended to curb inflation but that also carry the risk of going too far and triggering a recession.

» A London jury has acquitted Kevin Spacey on sexual assault charges stemming from allegations by four men dating back 20 years.

» New York City officials plan to set up a shelter for up to 1,000 migrants in the parking lot of a state psychiatric hospital as thousands of asylum seekers continue to arrive in the city weekly.

» President Joe Biden has nominated former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley to lead the Social Security Administration.

» Singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor has died at 56. The gifted and troubled Irish performer was known for her shaved head and for her fierce and expressive voice.

» Hugh “Sonny” Carter Jr. has died. He's the Carter who helped organize the “Peanut Brigade” that helped elect his cousin Jimmy to the White House and later enforced the president’s frugal ways in the West Wing.

» Gas prices are going up, but it's not due to demand. Supplies are tight, so prices are going up according to AAA.

» The water temperature on the tip of Florida hit hot tub levels, exceeding 100 degrees two days in a row, which meteorologists say could potentially be the hottest seawater ever measured.

» The president of the International Olympic Committee has formally invited the world’s nations but not Russia or its military ally Belarus to gather in one year in Paris for the 2024 Games.

» Volunteers are working frantically on a second day to save dozens of pilot whales that have stranded themselves on a beach in Western Australia, but more than 50 have already died.