Morning Headlines - Monday, July 21, 2025 | Recent News

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

Epstein Saga Hangs Over Congress’s Sprint To Summer Recess

The controversy surrounding the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files is poised to dominate the conversation on Capitol Hill this week, as Congress sprints to August recess — and prepares to dive into government funding conversations.

The House returns to Washington on Monday for its last week before breaking for the long summer recess, while the Senate is in session for its penultimate week, a final stretch that will be inundated by conversations surrounding Epstein, whether the documents related to him should be released and how the Justice Department has dealt with the current uproar.

Alaska Airlines Resumes Operations After All Flights Grounded Due To An IT Outage

Alaska Airlines resumed operations late Sunday about 3 hours after having requested a ground stop for all of its flights, according to the airline and the Federal Aviation Administration.

"At approximately 8 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, Alaska Airlines experienced an IT outage that’s impacting our operations. We requested a temporary, system-wide ground stop for Alaska and Horizon Air flights until the issue is resolved," the airline said in a statement Sunday evening.

The Rise Of The Far-Right 'Japanese First' Party

For three years, a once fringe opposition party held just one seat in Japan's 248-seat upper house. But on Sunday, Sanseito emerged as one of the biggest winners of Japan's election - walking away with 14 seats.

The party was born in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, where it gained prominence with YouTube videos that spread conspiracy theories about vaccinations. More recently, it has built its platform on a nationalist "Japanese First" agenda, warning against a "silent invasion of foreigners". Sanseito's rise in popularity reflects growing unease over immigration and overtourism - issues the ruling government also sought to address with a new committee it created days before the election.

But do these gains signal an enduring shift to the right in Japan?

Jeep Maker Stellantis Warns Of A Shock $2.7 Billion Loss As Tariffs Bite

Auto giant Stellantis expects a net loss of 2.3 billion euros ($2.68 billion) in the first half of the year amid pre-tax net charges and early effects of U.S. tariffs, the company said Monday in its preliminary figures.

Stellantis, which owns household names including Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, Chrysler and Peugeot, estimated first-half net revenue of 74.3 billion euros, down from 85 billion euros from the same period last year.

Oregon Wildfire Burning Over 95k Acres Could Reach Rare Megafire Status

The country's largest wildfire this year has burned over 95,740 acres, fire officials in central Oregon said Sunday, as ground crews made progress to partially contain a blaze that could still intensify to become a so-called megafire.

The size of the Cram Fire was adjusted slightly downward from Saturday after "more accurate mapping" was completed, officials said. They added that the massive blaze — which has drawn more than 900 fire personnel, destroyed a handful of homes and prompted evacuations in two counties — was 49% contained after crews struggled to keep back the flames last week.

New Legislation Could Ease Wisconsin School Bus Driver Shortage

Every year, school districts across Wisconsin struggle to find enough bus drivers to transport children to school.

Data from the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles shows the number of bus drivers in the state has fallen by nearly 18 percent over the last 15 years. And experts say the growing shortage will likely get worse due to an aging workforce.

With school starting again in just six weeks, a proposed bill aims to address the ongoing shortage in Wisconsin by making it easier for drivers to keep their licenses.

Wisconsin Republicans Pitch Civil Suits For Gender Transition Harm

A pair of Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol want to give people who went through a gender transition the chance to sue over health problems they weren’t warned about.

Sen. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, and Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, on Thursday introduced what they are calling a chance to hold people accountable for the after-effects of gender transitions on children.

“This bill is ultimately about protecting kids by ensuring accountability for life-altering decisions made by others,” Hutton said. “There are many unknowns about the long-term effects of these interventions, and yet they are being administered in greater numbers to young people. Children who are harmed by an irreversible gender transition procedure should have the same right to seek justice when they reach adulthood as any other patient who suffered harm.”

Joseph Mensah To Resign Waukesha Sheriffs Department, Leave Law Enforcement

Detective Joseph Mensah, a Waukesha County Sheriff’s detective who attracted protests and controversy for his involvement in three fatal shootings over a five year period while employed at the Wauwatosa Police Department (WPD) will resign from the Sheriff’s office. Mensah, hired to the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department in 2021, issued a resignation letter on July 17.

In a resignation letter, Mensah said he plans to leave the law enforcement profession all together.

Driver Charged After Leading Police On Chase Exceeding 100 Mph From Wisconsin To Illinois

A driver was charged after leading police on a pursuit from Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, to Illinois last month.

Pleasant Prairie police shared the video of the June 28 incident, where an officer attempted a traffic stop for a stop sign violation. The driver fled and led officers on a pursuit that exceeded 100 mph and crossed into Illinois.

Pleasant Prairie officers and assisting agencies made multiple attempts to deflate the tires. After two unsuccessful attempts, a final deployment ended the pursuit safely.

Chris Martin Seemed To Allude To Viral Coldplay Couple During Wisconsin Show

Coldplay's tour continued on Saturday night, heading to Madison, Wisconsin for a sold-out show at Camp Randall. The band has been widely discussed this week after a concert moment went viral on Wednesday evening. At their Foxborough show, a segment where members of the crowd are shown on the big screen made quite a buzz as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief People Officer of Astronomer -- who are not married to each other -- popped up in a loving embrace.

The moment quickly took over social media discussion, became a meme and got parodied by sports teams like the Phillies.