Morning Headlines - Thursday, May 22, 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

2 Israeli Embassy Staffers Killed In Apparent 'Targeted Attack' In Washington, DC

Two members of the Israeli embassy staff -- a couple about to get engaged -- were gunned down outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday in what the FBI believes may be a targeted attack.

The shooting has sparked outrage and has been condemned as an "unspeakable" act of antisemitism after officials said the suspect, who is in custody, shouted "free, free Palestine" following the shooting.

During a press conference on Thursday morning, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar identified the two embassy staff members who were killed as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim.

House Passes Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ In Marathon Overnight Session

House Republicans on Thursday morning passed a sweeping bill full of President Trump’s legislative priorities, marking a major win for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) but kicking off what is expected to be a bitter battle with the Senate over achieving key parts of the White House’s policy agenda.

The chamber cleared the sprawling package in a 215-214 early-morning vote after days of marathon meetings, intense negotiations that spanned both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, and a series of last-minute changes to the bill, which were crucial in coalescing Republicans around the measure.

30% Of Americans Consult Astrology, Tarot Cards Or Fortune Tellers

Over the past decade, media reports have described rising popular interest in New Age practices such as astrology, tarot card reading and fortune-telling. These practices are frequently associated with young people, and they have developed their own social media cultures on TikTok and other platforms, especially during the period of social distancing brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. So, how popular are these practices, and why do Americans engage in them?

A fall 2024 Pew Research Center survey finds that 30% of U.S. adults say they consult astrology (or a horoscope), tarot cards or a fortune teller at least once a year, but most do so just for fun, and few Americans say they make major decisions based on what they learn along the way.

Microsoft Says 394,000 Windows Computers Infected By Lumma Malware Globally

Microsoft said Wednesday that it broke down the Lumma Stealer malware project with the help of law enforcement officials across the globe.

Hackers used the malware to steal passwords, credit cards, bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets.

The U.S. Department of Justice took control of Lumma’s “central command structure” and squashed the online marketplaces where bad actors purchased the malware.

Nike To Raise Prices As Firms Face Tariffs Uncertainty

Nike is set to raise prices on some trainers and clothing from 1 June, weeks after rival Adidas warned it would have to hike the cost of products due to US tariffs.

The BBC understands Nike's decision was taken due to a number of internal and external factors and the sportswear giant said it regularly made "price adjustments".

While it did not name US tariffs explicitly as a reason for the increase, almost all of Nike's goods are made in Asia - a region targeted by President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Musk's Plan To Pullback From Politics Follows Flop In Wisconsin Court Election

Wisconsin could go down as billionaire Elon Musk’s last big spend on a political campaign.

And it was a flop.

Musk, the richest person in the world, said May 20 that he would be spending less on political campaigns. The announcement came as Musk is stepping back from his role in the Trump administration, saying he will spend more time focused on his businesses, and just seven weeks after the candidate he backed in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race lost by 10 percentage points.

Wisconsin Judge Caught On Video Confronting ICE Agents In Courthouse

Video footage shows Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan outside her courtroom on April 18, confronting federal agents who were there to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Milwaukee man and Mexican national charged with three counts of domestic battery.

The video is part of the evidence in the case against Judge Dugan.

She is charged with obstructing a federal investigation by concealing Flores-Ruiz and allowing him to leave her courtroom through a different door after directing the agents to speak to the chief judge.

Bryce To Challenge Steil In 1st CD

Dem Randy Bryce announced he will seek to challenge GOP U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil next fall, which would be a rematch of the 2018 race that he lost by more than 12 points.

“Right now, people all over Wisconsin are raising their voices against this administration’s attacks on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits and food security – along with the totally brainless trade war that is crushing our farm and manufacturing economy,” Bryce said. “They’re also crying out against those doing nothing to stop Trump, like his puppet Bryan Steil.”

Bryce, an Army veteran and ironworker, originally launched his bid for the southeastern Wisconsin 1st CD against then-House Speaker Paul Ryan. Bryce’s campaign became a national cause for Dems, and he raised more than $8.6 million.

Two Maps Show Wisconsin's Leftward Slide

Two maps of Wisconsin, produced by the MacIver Institute, reveal two very different political realities in the state.

The first map shows how each county voted in the 2024 presidential election, and the other map shows what party each county has drifted towards since 2016. Republicans might feel like high fiving when they see the first map, but they’ll find the second one far more sobering.

In 2024, Donald Trump won the majority of votes in 59 out of 72 counties. And so, in the first map, there are 59 counties that appear in red and 13 in blue.

However, if you compare Trump’s margin of victory in each county in 2016 with his margin of victory in 2024, you can see where each side is gaining ground. Trump’s margin of victory slipped in 47 counties since 2016, where Kamala Harris improved on Hillary Clinton’s results. Those counties appear in blue in the second map. There are only 25 counties where Trump either won by the same margin or improved his numbers. Those counties appear in red.

Fond Du Lac Man Indicted On Sex Trafficking Of Children And Attempted Use Of A Computer To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 20, 2025, a three-count federal indictment was returned alleging that Ricardo Ortiz (age: 26) of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, sex trafficked a minor on two separate occasions in March of 2025. Ortiz is further alleged to have used a computer to attempt to “persuade, induce, and entice” a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b). That crime is alleged to have occurred on or About April 8, 2025.

If convicted of any of the three charges alleged in the indictment Ortiz faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a lifetime of incarceration. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.