Morning Headlines - Thursday, Mar. 23, 2023 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

Mystery Surrounds Possible Trump Indictment

Former President Trump set off a frenzy a few days ago when he declared – without any official word – that he would be arrested on Tuesday, but the case against him in Manhattan has yet to turn up an indictment, lending an air of mystery to if and when the former president will be charged.

Reports emerged earlier Wednesday that the grand jury hearing evidence in the probe would not convene on Wednesday, meaning an indictment won’t come until Thursday at the earliest.

Fox News reported that at least one more witness was expected to appear on Wednesday before the grand jury, which is hearing evidence about a 2016 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before that meeting was canceled.

What To Do With Your Money Now That The Fed Just Raised Rates For The Ninth Time

After two weeks of banking turmoil, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday continued its bid to beat down inflation by raising its key interest rate again, the ninth such hike over the past year.

That increase — which comes after US regulators undertook a number of confidence-boosting efforts to backstop banks and ensure liquidity — will have an effect on consumers’ savings, loans, credit cards and investments.

TikTok's US Future At Stake As Boss Faces Congress Showdown

On Thursday, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, will be opening a lion's mouth and placing his own head into it.

He's giving testimony in the US Congress for the first time, a scary thing to do.

And at stake is the future of the phenomenally popular video-sharing app in the US.

"I think that there is a real risk that if this hearing doesn't go well… that could have a massive impact on the future of TikTok," said Chris Stokel-Walker, author of TikTok Boom.

Mr Chew is likely to face a barrage of questions on TikTok's relationship with China, what data it collects, and what it does with it.

He'll also be quizzed on why several journalists were spied on by ByteDance employees - something TikTok has already admitted.

World's First 3D-Printed Rocket Launches But Fails To Reach Orbit In Key Test Flight

The world’s first 3D-printed rocket made it off the launch pad Wednesday night but failed to reach orbit in a key test flight by a California-based aerospace startup.

Relativity Space’s Terran 1 booster lifted off at 11:25 p.m. ET from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Several minutes into flight, however, mission controllers reported that the rocket experienced an anomaly with its upper stage that prevented it from successfully reaching orbit. The upper stage is designed to ignite separate engines midflight to boost it into space.

Is Your Refrigerator Spying On You?

Senate committee approves bill forcing manufacturers to TELL buyers if there are cameras and microphones inside washing machines or fridges.

The United States is close to bringing in laws clamping down on 'spy devices' in the home, amid concerns that your refrigerator, dishwasher or washing machine could be recording your movements.

Wi-Fi enabled gadgets have been on sale for several years, with high-end products promoting features such as alerting you when a certain product is low in your fridge, or warning you when cleaner products inside the device run low.

Wisconsin Legislature Passes Bill In Anticipation Of Cash Bail Amendment

The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature moved March 22 to clarify when a proposed constitutional amendment to make it harder for people to go free on bail before trial would apply.

Both chambers of the Legislature passed a bill specifying which offenses would fall under the proposed amendment that, if approved by a majority of the state’s voters on April 4, would allow judges to consider the criminal histories of people accused of violent crimes when setting bail.

Joint Resolution Calls For Special Election For Wisconsin Secretary Of State

A Wisconsin Senate joint resolution introduced this week calls on Gov. Evers to hold a special election to elect someone to serve as the Secretary of State.

Last week, the governor announced he had appointed former state treasurer Sarah Godlewski to serve in the position after Doug La Follette resigned on Friday, three months into his 11th consecutive term in office.

Sens. Devin LeMahieu and Chris Kapenga introduced the joint resolution Monday, and it passed in State Senate Wednesday.

“The resolution the Senate passed today sends a clear message to Governor Evers: the people of Wisconsin should have an opportunity to vote to elect their Secretary of State,” LeMahieu said. “Instead of appointing an interim Secretary and calling a special election, Governor Evers has decided to subvert Wisconsin’s democracy to reward a political ally.”

Multiple Wisconsin School Districts Report Swatting Calls

Multiple Wisconsin school districts have reported receiving swatting calls Wednesday, just a day after similar threats swept through Iowa.

Several of NBC15′s sister-stations across the state have reported schools near them have reported such incidents. As of noon, there have been at least five of them, in Chippewa Falls, Rice Lake, Spooner, Superior, and Wausau. It is unknown at this time if there have been others.

Assembly Approves Reckless Driving Legislation With Bipartisan Support

The Assembly today approved a pair of bills aimed at combatting reckless driving by increasing penalties and allowing police to impound vehicles.

One measure would double the fines and imprisonment penalties for various types of reckless driving and add $485 in surcharges for those found guilty. The other would allow municipalities to impound vehicles involved in reckless driving.

Lawmakers approved 85-12 the penalty increase, AB 55, with 23 Dems joining Republicans in favor. The Assembly also passed 85-12 the impounding bill, SB 92, with 23 Dems in favor.

AB 55 heads to the Senate for consideration, while SB 92 goes to Gov. Tony Evers’ desk.

Record-Breaking Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Could Decide Abortion Rights And 2024 Rules In Key Battleground

In one of the nation’s most important political battlegrounds, the future of election laws, abortion rights and more could hinge on the outcome of an April race for a seat that will determine control of the state Supreme Court.

Power in Wisconsin – the state that was the tipping point in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections – is divided between a Democratic governor, Tony Evers, and a Republican-controlled legislature.

That split has placed the state Supreme Court, where conservatives currently hold a 4-3 majority, at the center of pitched, partisan battles over several key issues, including abortion rights, election challenges, and legislative and congressional district lines.