Start your day informed with today’s must-read headlines from around Wisconsin and the world. And don’t forget to check out our Meme of the Day at the end for a little humor to go with your news!
U.S. and World Headlines
European Ministers To Hold Talks With Iran As UKSays 'Window Now Exists' For Negotiations
The fact that UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, and Britain's ambassador to the US, Lord Peter Mandelson, spent almost three quarters of an hour talking to America's Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff in Washington last night is being seen as an encouraging sign by European diplomats.
They believe it suggests that US President Donald Trump is genuinely undecided over whether to join the Israeli attacks on Iran.
David Lammy says a two-week window exists for diplomacy to work. This afternoon’s talks in Geneva will try to ensure that landing strip doesn't narrow any further.
Read MoreState Dept. Announces New Guidelines For Vetting Student Visa Applicants' Social Media
The State Department issued new guidelines Wednesday for more extensive social media vetting of all applicants for international student visas and exchange visitor visas, instructing consular officers to look for signs of "hostility" toward the United States.
Applicants will be asked to set all of their social media accounts to "public," and will be notified that any failure to do so could be seen as evasive.
U.S. officials reviewing applications have been told to look for "any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States."
Read MoreMinnesota Lawmaker Shot 9 Times At His Home In 'Targeted' Attack Is In A Critical Condition
The Minnesota lawmaker who survived an attack by a gunman on his doorstep is still in a critical condition and has revealed details of the terrifying moment he and his wife were shot multiple times.
Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, released a statement Thursday, obtained by NBC affiliate KARE of Minneapolis, outlining the events in the early hours of June 14.
The Hoffmans continue their recovery in the hospital — Sen. Hoffman is in a critical but stable condition, while his wife is in a stable condition, the statement said.
Read MoreWhat To Know About COVID Variant NB.1.8.1 Causing 'Razor Blade Throat'
A newer COVID-19 variant may be causing a severe sore throat in some people who contract the infection.
The variant, known as NB.1.8.1, has been nicknamed by some as "razor blade throat" due to the painful symptom.
Public health experts told ABC News there is no cause for serious concern yet because the virus does not appear to be more severe than previous variants and there are steps that can be taken to protect yourself.
Read MoreMeta Tried To Buy Ilya Sutskever’s $32 Billion AI Startup, But Is Now Planning To Hire Its CEO
Meta recently tried to acquire Safe Superintelligence, the AI startup launched by OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, according to sources familiar with the matter.
When Sutskever rebuffed the offer, Mark Zuckerberg moved to recruit the startup’s CEO and co-founder Daniel Gross instead.
Meta now plans to hire Gross and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, and take a stake in their venture fund, to beef up the company’s AI team.
Read MoreWisconsin Headlines
Budget Negotiations Stall, Speaker And Gov. Blame Senate
It’s now two-against-one in the negotiations over Wisconsin’s next state budget.
Both Assembly Republicans and Gov. Tony Evers’ office are openly blaming the Wisconsin Senate for Thursday afternoon’s news that budget talks have once again broken down.
“We have chosen to work together so our tax reductions actually become law, schools continue to be funded, Medicaid patients continue to receive care, and road construction projects do not stop,” Speaker Robin Vos said in a statement. “This is the most conservative and the most responsible option. This budget is on a trajectory to have a more conservative growth rate than the budget that was passed by the Assembly and the Senate two years ago. We hope Senate Republicans will come back to the table to finish fighting for these reforms and complete the budget on time.”
Read MoreSenate Passes Several Bills Without Funding Attached, While Dems Object To ‘Unfunded Mandates’
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said early in today’s Senate floor debate Republicans were not attaching funding to various bills on the agenda because the caucus has “no trust” in Gov. Tony Evers’ office.
“Quite frankly there’s a trust issue between our caucus and the East Wing,” the Oostburg Republican said, accusing the governor of “arbitrarily” changing the intention of Republican legislation with his veto pen.
LeMahieu said Republicans plan to fund these bills through the budget process once they become law.
Dems had introduced a series of amendments to bills on the Senate calendar today, all attaching funding to legislation written without money within the bill.
Read MoreWisconsin Lawmakers Consider Capitol Security Needs After Minnesota Assassinations
In the hours after a man shot two Minnesota lawmakers in their homes on Saturday, Wisconsin’s legislative leaders issued a rare joint statement.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, were joined by Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, and Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, in condemning political violence after reports that the shootings were a politically targeted assassination and assassination attempt.
“No one should ever fear for their lives because of their service to their community,” the leaders wrote. “Political violence accomplishes nothing, and is never the answer.”
Read MoreAttempted Homicide Charges Filed In Rock County Against Suspects In Cyanide Poisoning Scheme
Prosecutors in Rock County filed attempted homicide charges Thursday against a man and a woman who were arrested in what prosecutors say was a plot to poison two of the man's former love interests.
Court records show Paul Van Duyne and Andrea Whitaker are each charged with six felonies: attempted first-degree intentional homicide (three counts), aggravated battery (one count), first-degree recklessly endangering safety (one count), and stalking (one count).
Each of the charg
Read MoreNigerian Citizen Sentenced In Fraud And Money Laundering Case
Richard Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 17, 2025, Otaniyen Iduozee, a Nigerian citizen who came to the United States on a student visa, was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment for his role in laundering the proceeds of an extensive fraud scheme. Iduozee previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court records, the case involved a “romance scam,” which is a fraud scheme—typically targeting elderly or vulnerable Americans—in which the fraudster feigns romantic intentions towards a victim. The fraudster, using a fake or stolen identity, typically meets the victim through an online dating website or application. The fraudster spends weeks or months cultivating a romantic relationship with the victim through online messaging, emails, text messaging, or voice calls, to gain his or her affection and trust. Once the fraudster gains the victim’s affection, he begins to tell the victim about urgent financial needs, such as a business opportunity, a tax debt, or a family illness, and pressures the victim to provide financial assistance, often with the promise of repayment. Those “loans” are never repaid, however, and many victims have lost their life savings.
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Last Update: Jun 20, 2025 8:07 am CDT
