Morning Headlines - Friday, Sept. 23, 2022

U.S. and World Headlines

Biden Mostly Mum On Student Debt Relief While Traveling Country

The policy he announced at the White House was “a game changer,” and in the Roosevelt Room, right before students returned to campus for the fall semester, President Biden vowed he would “never apologize for helping working Americans.”

He would mention his student loan forgiveness plan again the next day in a high school gymnasium in Rockville, Maryland – but only in passing. Ever since, Biden has remained mostly mum on the $300 billion bailout for Americans struggling to shoulder college debt.

A RealClearPolitics review of prepared remarks, from Aug. 25 until now, found that Biden referenced his debt amnesty program just three times during some two dozen speeches.

As Hurricane Fiona Passes Near Bermuda, Canadians On The Atlantic Coast Are On Guard

A deadly hurricane that battered multiple island nations in the Caribbean this week is now impacting Bermuda before crashing into Canada this weekend, where residents are being warned to prepare for dangerously high winds and heavy rainfall.

Officials in Bermuda as well as Canada’s Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are urging those in the storm’s path to be on high alert and prepare for the impact of Hurricane Fiona, which has already claimed the lives of at least five people and shut off power for millions this week.

“Fiona is projected to be a significant and historical weather event for Nova Scotia,” said John Lohr, the minister responsible for the provincial Emergency Management Office.

More Democrats Than Ever Support The Palestinian Cause, And That’s Dividing The Party

In general, U.S. support for Israel was a common, unquestioned stance on both sides of the aisle, while the aftermath of 9/11 only deepened Americans’ rapport with Israel from the lens of solidarity against terrorism claimed by Islamic extremists. Even among those concerned for the Palestinians, many clung to the fleeting optimism that the Oslo Accords of the 1990s could yield a peaceful two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.

In 2001, when Gallup polled Americans on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, views were clear and consistent: Only 16 percent of Americans sympathized more with the Palestinians, while 51 percent sympathized more with the Israelis. Back then, this wasn’t even a particularly partisan issue — only 18 percent of Democrats sympathized more with Palestinians.

Two decades later, though, the landscape has changed. The share of Americans with more sympathy toward the Palestinians has ticked up to 26 percent. And that support has more than doubled among Democrats: Today, 38 percent report feeling more sympathy for the Palestinians.

Unprecedented Leak Exposes Inner Workings Of UK Labour Party

Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit (I-Unit) has obtained the largest leak in British political history, exposing how unelected officials undermined democracy within the Labour Party.

The leaked data comprises 500 gigabytes of documents, emails, video and audio files from the Labour Party dating from 1998 to 2021. The I-Unit will be releasing a series of reports on the leaked files over the coming week.

The data reveals how the party’s bureaucrats, whose nominal function is to serve the interests of the party, attempted to undermine members supportive of Jeremy Corbyn, Labour’s leader from 2015 to 2020.

British Author Of 'Wolf Hall' Saga Hilary Mantel Dies At 70

Hilary Mantel, the Booker Prize-winning author who turned Tudor power politics into page-turning fiction in the acclaimed “Wolf Hall” trilogy of historical novels, has died. She was 70.

Mantel died “suddenly yet peacefully” surrounded by close family and friends, publisher HarperCollins said Friday.

Mantel is credited with reenergizing historical fiction with “Wolf Hall” and two sequels about the 16th-century English powerbroker Thomas Cromwell, right-hand man to King Henry VIII.

The publisher said Mantel was “one of the greatest English novelists of this century."

“Her beloved works are considered modern classics. She will be greatly missed," it said in a statement.

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin Elections Commission Proposes Review Of Poll Observer Rules

The Wisconsin Election Commission started the process of reviewing the rules for election observers, an issue that's drawn attention and concern as Democrats and Republicans alike aggressively recruit partisan watchers to ensure election workers adhere to the law this November.

The unprecedented recruitment efforts are the result of heightened election skepticism and have some local clerks worried about safety at the polls, especially as reports of intimidating behavior from partisan observers have popped up across the country since 2020.

Rhinelander Man Sentenced To 25 Years In Federal Prison For Child Sex Trafficking

Paul S. Osterman (age: 36) of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach

Osterman previously pled guilty to “sex trafficking of a child under the age of 14 years old” in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591(a)(1). Osterman used social media applications and public wi-fi “hotspots” to communicate with children, often requesting to exchange money for sexual acts. In July 2019, Osterman traveled from his home in Rhinelander to the south side of Chicago, where he lured a minor with whom he had been communicating online into his vehicle. He then engaged in sexual acts with the child in exchange for money. Further investigation revealed that Osterman attempted or performed sexual acts with several minors throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota.

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach noted the horrendous nature of the crime and the strong need to deter Osterman from engaging in further abuse. The judge noted that Osterman’s crimes were not made in haste and that Osterman had “committed despicable acts over a lengthy period of time.” Upon the completion of his federal prison sentence, the defendant will serve the remainder of his life on supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.

DCI Agent Charged With Recklessly Endangering Safety In Quadren Wilson Shooting

An officer with the Wisconsin Department of Justice has been charged for his role in a shooting that injured 38-year-old Quadren Wilson on Madison’s far east side in early February.

Mark Wagner, a law enforcement officer with DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation, is now facing one count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon, according to online court records.

Wagner made his initial appearance in Dane County court Thursday morning; during the hearing, the court commissioner set his bond at $500, which Wagner would only have to pay if he misses a court date or violates the conditions of his release.

Covering Child Care Costs Could Help Employers Find Workers. A New State Grant Program Looks To Test It

As Wisconsin employers continue to struggle to recruit and retain workers, state officials hope a one-year grant program will show businesses that making child care a benefit for their employees is a good investment.

The state Department of Children and Families announced 88 more businesses across the state will be receiving a grant from their Partner Up! program.

The $10 million grant program — funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act — will allow employers to cover the cost of childcare for their employees' children for one year.

Wisconsin To Get New Area Code, Current One Running Out Of Room

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has announced the creation of a new, additional area code to overlay the area in which 608 are code is now in service.

The 608 area code covers much of southwestern and south-central Wisconsin, including Platteville, Wisconsin Dells, La Crosse, and Wisconsin’s state capital, Madison.

According to a release, the 608 area code is expected to run out of assignable prefixes (the three numbers in a phone number following the area code) in the first quarter of 2024.