Morning Headlines - Friday, Sept. 12, 2025

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

Trump Says Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect In Custody

Mr. Trump said on "Fox and Friends" Friday morning that the suspect's capture would be announced today. Mr. Trump said the suspect's father convinced his son to turn himself in.

"With a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody. Everyone did a great job," the president said.

Charlie Kirk Shooting Rattles Washington, Country

Lawmakers said they are on edge in the Capitol as they planned exits from Washington on Thursday to head back to their states and districts, with heightened security fears rippling across the country.

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s daylight assassination in front of 3,000 people during an outdoor event at a university in Utah has shaken members of both parties while renewing security concerns for elected officials and other high-profile public figures.

China Warns Mexico To ‘Think Twice’ Before Raising Tariffs, Threatens Countermeasures

Mexico plans to raise tariffs on vehicles coming from Asia, particularly China, to 50%.

We “hope Mexico will be extremely cautious, and think twice before acting,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement late Thursday, translated by CNBC.

Mexico’s auto industry is the country’s largest employer, Jorge Guajardo, Washington, D.C.-based partner at Dentons Global Advisors, previously told CNBC. He is a former ambassador of Mexico to China.

CBS Shifts To Appease The Right Under New Owner

CBS' new corporate owner has taken a series of concrete steps to address the concerns of the news division's sharpest critics — particularly President Trump and his allies.

In recent days, the network selected a new ombudsman for CBS News with strong conservative credentials. It promised to run full, unedited interviews on a key public affairs show after receiving blowback from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. And it's in talks to bring on a top news executive who believes the mainstream press is reflexively biased.

iPhone Air Revealed As Apple’s Thinnest Phone Yet

Apple has lifted the lid on the iPhone Air, a new addition to its lineup measuring just 5.6mm thick. Tim Cook described it as delivering “pro performance in a thin and light design.”

The phone sports a 6.5-inch ProMotion display that hits 120Hz and 3,000 nits peak brightness. Apple says durability is improved with a ceramic shield and titanium frame. Inside, it runs on the new A19 Pro processor, paired with a faster C1x modem and the N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support.

Wisconsin Headlines

Lawmakers Weigh Security Practices At Wisconsin State Capitol Following Assassinations In Utah And Minnesota

The highest-ranking Republican in the Wisconsin Assembly said Sept. 11 that he doesn’t want to “fortify” the state Capitol, which is one of the country’s most accessible statehouses, but that lawmakers are looking at ways to bolster safety in other areas such as at officeholders’ homes.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ comments came a day after the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on a college campus in Utah and three months after the targeted shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers. Vos was asked about security before the Wisconsin Assembly met to vote on a series of bills.

Wis. Democrats Introduce School Funding Bills

Legislative Democrats have introduced a new education bill package aimed at boosting funding for school districts and increasing transparency in school voucher spending. The package includes measures to provide general aid to school districts and require annual tax reports detailing funds used for private school vouchers.

One of the proposed bills seeks to increase the state’s financial contributions to districts and adjust districts' revenue limits according to inflation. Democrats believe this proposal will reduce the need for districts to go to referendum.

Assembly Passes Bills To Restrict Pride Flags, Medicaid Access For Undocumented People

In their first floor session since passing a state budget, GOP lawmakers in the state Assembly approved bills Thursday that would bar state buildings from waving LGBTQ+ Pride flags, further restrict health care access for undocumented people and require state employees to work in-person.

They also approved a resolution to mark Hispanic Heritage Month brought forward by a lawmaker who recently split with Democratic Party leaders. That resolution was at the heart of a dispute that led Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, D-Milwaukee, to depart from her party’s caucus.

Federal Funding To Programs To Support Students With Deafblindness Cut In Wisconsin And Other States

The U.S. Department of Education has pulled funding for programs in eight states aimed at supporting students who have both hearing and vision loss, a move that could affect some of the country’s most vulnerable students.

The programs are considered vital in those states but represent only a little over $1 million a year in federal money. Nonetheless, they got caught in the Trump administration’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, with an Education Department spokesperson citing concerns about “divisive concepts” and “fairness” in acknowledging the decision to withhold the funding.

Jordan Love And Tucker Kraft Lead The Way In Packers' 27-18 Victory Over Commanders

Jordan Love threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns, and the Green Bay Packers defeated the Washington Commanders 27-18 on Thursday night.

Tight end Tucker Kraft caught six passes for a career-high 124 yards to help the Packers go 2-0 for the first time since 2020. Love and Kraft connected for an 8-yard touchdown with 8:57 left to thwart the Commanders’ comeback attempt.

Love went 19 of 31 to lead a Packers offense that was playing without injured linemen Zach Tom and Aaron Banks. Love’s other touchdown pass was a 5-yarder to Romeo Doubs in the first quarter.