Morning Headlines - Monday, Dec. 18, 2023 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

Biden Faces Battle With Democratic Base Over Israel, Ukraine, Border

President Biden is facing a fight with his base over an emergency foreign aid spending package that may reach the Senate floor this week.

The package, which would provide aid to Israel and Ukraine but include tough border security measures to win over Republicans, could add to his problems generating enthusiasm among Democratic voters.

Young Democrats in particular are increasingly disaffected with Biden’s handling of the war in Israel, complicating his ability to connect with this key demographic that views the president’s age as a red flag.

Now Biden also faces blowback from Latino and progressive voters about the border security deal. It reportedly would give the president broader authority to expel migrants without asylum screenings or detain them at the border.

Conservatives Move To Keep Abortion Off The 2024 Ballot

Conservatives are testing new tactics to keep abortion off the ballot following a series of high-profile defeats.

In Arizona, Florida, Nevada and other states, several anti-abortion groups are buying TV and digital ads, knocking on doors and holding events to persuade people against signing petitions to put the issue before voters in November.

Republicans are also appealing to state courts to keep referendums off the ballot, while GOP lawmakers in states including Missouri and Oklahoma are pushing to raise the threshold for an amendment to pass or to make it to the ballot in the first place.

The Minimum Wage Is Going Up In 22 States On Jan. 1

The minimum wage is set to increase in 22 states on Jan. 1, 2024.

For Americans making minimum wage, it's an automatic raise — but it also ripples out. Typically, increasing the wage floor for the lowest earners pushes up pay for those who make a bit more than the minimum, as employers have to adjust pay scales upwards.

More states are requiring a $15 an hour minimum wage — including New York, Maryland, and New Mexico — a dozen years after Fight for $15 kicked off its campaign.

Southwest Airlines In $140 Million Deal With Feds Over 2022 Holiday Travel Meltdown

Southwest Airlines will pay a $35 million fine as part of a $140 million agreement to settle a federal investigation into a meltdown in December 2022 when the airline canceled thousands of flights and stranded more than 2 million travelers over the holidays.

Most of the settlement will go toward compensating future passengers, which the U.S. Department of Transportation considers an incentive for Southwest to avoid repeating last winter's mess.

Gmail Is Finally Now Making It So Much Easier To Unsubscribe From All Those Annoying Emails Clogging Up Your Inbox

Clearing out your work (or personal) email inbox could soon be a whole lot easier thanks to a new Gmail update.

The email service is rolling out a new tool that will allow users a much faster way to ditch repeated emails from accounts such as newsletters, shops or other kinds of offers and promotions with just a single click.

Gmail messages will now feature a much more prominent "unsubscribe" option, with 9to5Google spotting the feature in the header of the email itself, giving users a much clearer way to remove themselves from messages they no longer want to be a part of.

Federal Lawsuit Filed Claiming UW-Eau Claire Employee Was Demoted From DEI Position Because She Is White

An employee of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has filed a federal lawsuit claiming she faced racial discrimination and was demoted from a diversity, equity and inclusion leadership position because she is white.

The suit follows earlier complaints the woman made with the university and the state alleging she was facing discrimination on the job.

Rochelle Hoffman, now UW-Eau Claire's senior academic advising coordinator, alleges she faced intense opposition for months in 2022 after being named interim director of the campus's Multicultural Student Services office.

The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents, UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Jim Schmidt, and Assistant Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Teresa O'Halloran are named in the federal suit.

Biden To Visit Wisconsin Wednesday

President Joe Biden will visit Milwaukee on Wednesday to promote his economic policies, the White House said.

It will be Biden’s seventh stop in Wisconsin since becoming president. He was last in the state in August to visit electric vehicle charger manufacturer Ingeteam, arguing “Bidenomics” was helping to reduce inflation, increase wages and bring manufacturing jobs back to America.

Wisconsin Inmate Sentenced For 2018 Bomb Scare Against Governor

The Wisconsin Department of Justice today announced that Dane County Circuity Court Judge John Hyland sentenced Terrance Grissom, 53, to three years of incarceration and two years of extended supervision for his role in a 2018 bomb scare threat against the Governor. Mr. Grissom pled guilty to Bomb Scare, as a Habitual Criminal on December 7, 2023. Judge Hyland sentenced Mr. Grissom on December 14, 2023, this sentence runs consecutive to his present sentences.

“Those who make criminal threats to harm others must be held accountable,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Bomb scares are serious offenses, and I’m thankful to everyone involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case.”

Wisconsin Father-Daughter Duo Discovers Likely 1871 Shipwreck While Fishing On Lake Michigan

Tim Wollak and his now 5-year-old daughter had a unique fishing experience on Lake Michigan this summer.

Initially, his daughter believed they had spotted a rare "Green Bay octopus" lurking in the freshwater lake on Aug. 13.

"I did have to squash that pretty quick because I don't know that she would want to swim in the water anymore if she thought there was an octopus that big out there," Wollak told FOX Weather on Friday.

According to archaeologists' beliefs, it turned out that the two had found the remains of a ship that may have run aground during the devastating Peshtigo Fire more than 150 years ago.

Packers' Playoff Hopes Fade Thanks To A Defense That Can't Get Stops

Green Bay’s defense has hit a wall — and so have the Packers' playoff hopes.

Six days after allowing Tommy DeVito to drive the New York Giants for a winning field goal as time expired, the Packers (6-8) got picked apart by Baker Mayfield in a 34-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns. Tampa Bay scored touchdowns on its first three second-half possessions, and Mayfield took a knee to end the game after the Bucs reached Green Bay’s 11 on their fourth and final series of the half.