Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

GOP Says No Christmas Deal For Ukraine, Border

Senate Republicans say there’s no chance of a deal before Christmas on funding the war in Ukraine and enacting new border security reforms.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had tentatively scheduled a vote on the package this week, but Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), the lead Republican negotiator, told reporters Monday that he doesn’t expect White House and Senate negotiators to reach an agreement in the next few days given the unresolved issues still on the table.

“We’re clearly not going to have text complete this week to be able to have a vote to be able to pull this stuff together. We’ll keep working until we get it done,” he said. “We’re all going to be back in January on this, but it’s going to take a while to be able to finish up all the text.”

House Democrats Send Letter To Biden Criticizing Netanyahu's Military Strategy

A group of House Democrats with national security backgrounds on Monday sent a letter to President Biden arguing that the military strategy of the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not in the best interests of the U.S. nor Israel's own security.

"We are deeply concerned by PM Netanyahu's current military strategy in Gaza. The mounting civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis are unacceptable and not in line with American interests; nor do they advance the cause of security for our ally Israel," the letter says. "We also believe it jeopardizes efforts to destroy the terrorist organization Hamas and secure the release of all hostages."

The letter is signed by six lawmakers, including Reps. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA case officer, Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Mikie Sherrill, who served as a Navy helicopter pilot. The other signatories are Reps. Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, Seth Moulton, a former Marine, and Chrissy Houlahan, a former Air Force officer.

Young Voters Explain Why They’re Bailing On Biden — And Whether They’d Come Back

Jayden Camarena, in Northern California, is contemplating blowing off the 2024 presidential election. Evan McKenzie, in battleground Wisconsin, is looking for any other candidate than the current front-runners. In Philadelphia, Pru Carmichael isn’t even convinced this race matters.

These young voters live in different cities, work different jobs and have varying political beliefs. But among the things they have in common: They voted for Joe Biden in 2020 — and now say the president can’t count on their support in 2024.

“I genuinely could not live with myself if I voted for someone who’s made the decisions that Biden has,” said McKenzie, a 23-year-old working at Starbucks and as a union organizer in Madison, Wisconsin. “I didn’t even feel great about" voting for Biden back in 2020, he said.

Google To Pay $700M In Antitrust Settlement Reached With States

Google has agreed to pay $700 million and make several other concessions to settle allegations that it had been stifling competition against its Android app store — the same issue that went to trial in another case that could result in even bigger changes.

Although Google struck the deal with state attorneys general in September, the settlement's terms weren't revealed until late Monday in documents filed in San Francisco federal court. The disclosure came a week after a federal court jury rebuked Google for deploying anticompetitive tactics in its Play Store for Android apps.

Apple Will Be Banned From Selling Smartwatches In The US This Week Over Claims It Stole Medical Technology

Apple will be forced to stop selling its Apple Watch in the US this week over claims the devices are running on stolen technology.

Sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 will halt online starting on December 21 and from Apple retail locations beginning December 24.

The announcement means the only available Apple watch in the US will be the company's budget SE model.

Planned Parenthood Of Wisconsin To Resume Abortions At Sheboygan Clinic Within Days

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin announced that it will resume offering abortions at its Sheboygan location on Dec. 28.

The group promised earlier in December to restart abortion services at the clinic “as soon as possible” after a judge on Dec. 5 reaffirmed her ruling that state law permits abortions.

Planned Parenthood providers stopped offering abortions in the state in June 2022 immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its decision in Roe v. Wade.

Repeat Offender Sentenced To 7 Years For Methamphetamine Trafficking

Devin A. Lewis, 38, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Lewis pleaded guilty to this charge on August 9, 2023.

In February 2023, Lewis was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by a La Crosse police officer for a traffic violation. During the stop, Lewis jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to flee. After being caught, Lewis physically struggled with an officer to resist arrest. Retracing Lewis’s path, officers found a bag containing over 200 grams of prepackaged methamphetamine and a smaller amount of fentanyl. Text messages on Lewis’s phone indicated he was intending to sell these drugs.

Diocese Of Green Bay Responds To Vatican Ruling On Blessings For Same-Sex Couples

Pope Francis formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples, the Vatican announced Monday. It refers to a new document that explains the radical change in Vatican policy. It says “God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to an exhaustive moral analysis to receive it.”

The Diocese of Green Bay released the statement Monday evening, supporting the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):

Former Wisconsin GOP Chair Says False Electors Were 'Tricked'

Weeks after a civil lawsuit was settled against Wisconsin's 2020 "false electors," one is maintaining that the group was "tricked."

Andrew Hitt — the former state GOP chair who, along with nine others, signed documents stating former President Donald Trump had won Wisconsin when he had not — says the group was acting under the advice of lawyers to preserve all possible legal avenues for Trump's court challenges and recounts.

"We were tricked. We weren't made aware of any ulterior motive or scheme. And we wouldn't have gone along with it had we been," Hitt said in an interview that aired on WISN-TV.

"We viewed what we were doing (as) simply a contingency plan; the documents we signed would have no meaning unless a court gave them meaning," he added.

DNR Seeking Nominations For 2023 Hunter And Archery Education Awards

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting nominations for the 2023 Hunter Education Instructor of the Year, Hunter Education Group of the Year and Archery Education Instructor of the Year awards.

Current hunter and archery education instructors and hunter education groups that have significantly advanced hunter safety on a voluntary basis through extraordinary service are eligible to be nominated.

“Hunter and archery education instructors are often pillars of their community who continue to advance the sport of hunting through providing high-quality safety training to the next generation of hunters,” said DNR Hunter Education Administrative Warden Lt. Michael Weber. “These awards are important so the program can continue to recognize the great work that our instructors and groups do.”