Morning Headlines - Monday, Jul. 24, 2023 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

Republicans Want Child Tax Credit For Unborn Babies In Massive Federal Family Care Overhaul

Republicans are mounting their own effort at an expanded child tax credit that includes applying the credit to fetuses in the womb.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is leading a package of bills in the House called the Providing For Life Act, an ambitious attempt at overhauling the federal government’s family care system.

"By expanding the child tax credit to include the unborn and providing additional support to working families, empowering women to care for their babies regardless of socioeconomic status or zip code and improving access to community resources, we can make a meaningful difference for those in need," Hinson said.

As Inquiries Compound, Justice System Pours Resources Into Scrutinizing Trump

Jack Smith, the special counsel overseeing criminal investigations into former President Donald Trump, employs 40 to 60 career prosecutors, paralegals and support staff, augmented by a rotating cast of FBI agents and technical specialists, according to people familiar with the situation.

In his first four months on the job, starting in November, Smith’s investigation incurred expenses of $9.2 million. That included $1.9 million to pay the U.S. Marshals Service to protect Smith, his family and other investigators who have faced threats after the former president and his allies singled them out on social media.

At this rate, the special counsel is on track to spend about $25 million a year.

Five Questions Around Trump’s Looming Indictment

It looks all but inevitable that former President Trump will soon be criminally charged in relation to the events that culminated in the Capitol riot of Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump declined to meet with the grand jury investigating the matter late last week. An invitation for a “target” such as Trump to give grand jury testimony is often a precursor to the person being charged.

The former president has himself predicted his imminent arrest over the riot, in which almost 150 law enforcement officers were injured.

Trump said in a Truth Social post last Tuesday morning that the combination of the target notification and the offer to speak to the grand jury “almost always means an Arrest and Indictment.”

Here are the biggest questions if that indictment does come in the next few days.

Tensions At Fever Pitch In Israel With Lawmakers Set For Key Vote On Historic Judicial Overhaul

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was released from the hospital Monday after an emergency heart procedure and now faces an unprecedented national crisis ahead of parliament's vote on the first major piece of historic legislation to remake the country's justice system.

Netanyahu was at the Knesset -- Israel's parliament, on Monday, his office told Agence France-Presse.

Demonstrators, many of whom feel the very foundations of their country are being eroded by the government's plan, stepped up their opposition, blocking a road leading up to parliament. Businesses shuttered their doors to protest the vote.

Twitter Rebrands To 'X' As Elon Musk Loses Iconic Bird Logo

Twitter has officially rebranded to "X" after owner Elon Musk changed its iconic bird logo Monday, marking the latest major shift since his takeover of the social media platform.

The website Twitter.com remained live and branding on the app version of the platform did not appear to change as of early Monday.

Twitter’s world-renowned bird logo was transformed into an X, however.

Democrats Eye Wisconsin High Court's New Liberal Majority To Win Abortion And Redistricting Rulings

Wisconsin's Supreme Court will flip from majority conservative to liberal control in August and Democrats have high hopes the change will lead to the state's abortion ban being overturned and its maps redrawn to weaken GOP control of the Legislature and congressional districts.

Democrats in the perennial battleground state focused on abortion to elect a liberal majority to the court for the first time in 15 years. The Democratic Party spent $8 million to tilt the court’s 4-3 conservative majority by one seat with the election of Janet Protasiewicz, who spoke in favor of abortion rights and against the Republican-drawn map in a campaign. Her April victory broke national spending records for a state Supreme Court race.

Wisconsin Students Still Majoring In Education, But Teacher Retention Is Down

Maddison Iwen beams when she talks about teaching fourth graders at Coloma Elementary School in the Central Wisconsin-based School District of Westfield.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, who will begin her fourth year heading a classroom this fall, says she was born to teach. But even with this enthusiasm, Iwen knows it might not be for everyone.

In fact, Iwen says teaching isn’t what she thought it would be.

Wisconsin Man Wins Annual Hemingway Lookalike Contest

After more than a decade of waiting, the bell finally tolled for a Wisconsin man in the annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest.

Gerrit Marshall, a retired television broadcast engineer from Madison, was the winner in Saturday night’s final round, defeating 140 other white-bearded contestants on his 68th birthday.

“This is the best birthday I have ever had,” Marshall said. His birthday is one day after the July 21 anniversary of famed author Ernest Hemingway’s birth.

Plane Crashes In Marshy Area Of Fond Du Lac

Fond du Lac rescue teams responded to a plane crash in the area of Highway 49 and Hemp Road in the Township of Waupun Saturday evening.

At 7:51 p.m., the Fond du Lac County Dispatch Center received a report about the plane crash. Shortly after the initial call, the pilot of the plane was able to call and give an updated location.

Wisconsin Football: Ex-Badgers Quarterback Primed To Bag QB1 Role With New Team

The Graham Mertz era is officially over for the Badgers. This is after Wisconsin decided to part ways with their now-former starting quarterback after four years. Mertz has now taken his talents to Florida, where he seems primed to get the nod as the team’s new starting signal-caller.

In a recent interview, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier appears to have dropped a massive hint at his staring lineup entering training camp. According to Napier, he is looking forward to seeing Mertz make the right calls on the field.