Morning Headlines - Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023

U.S. and World Headlines

Winners And Losers From The Third Republican Debate

A slimmed-down field of GOP presidential hopefuls took the stage in Miami on Wednesday for a third primary debate.

Only five people qualified for the clash: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.

The debate was again defined by the absence of former President Trump, who instead held his own rally in nearby Hialeah. There, he was endorsed by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), who first came to national prominence as Trump’s White House press secretary

Here are the winners and losers from the night.

US Launches Airstrike On Site In Syria In Response To Attacks By Iranian-Backed Militias

The U.S. carried out an airstrike on a weapons warehouse in eastern Syria used by Iranian-backed militias, in retaliation for what has been a growing number of attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in the region for the past several weeks, the Pentagon said.

In Wednesday's strike, two U.S. F-15 fighter jets dropped multiple bombs on a weapons storage facility near Maysulun in Deir el-Zour that was known to be used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, U.S. officials said.

U.S. Plans To Build A $553 Million Terminal At Sri Lanka’s Colombo Port In Rivalry With China

The U.S. announced a $553 million project Wednesday to build a deep-water shipping container terminal in Sri Lanka’s Port of Colombo as it competes with China in international development financing.

The project is billed as providing critical infrastructure for the South Asian nation with the potential to “transform Colombo into a world-class logistics hub at the intersection of major shipping routes and emerging markets,” according to the U.S. International Development Finance Corp.

Ivanka Trump Testimony: Why 'I Don't Recall' Is A Common Legal Strategy

The four hours of testimony from Ivanka Trump on Wednesday could almost be summarised in three words: "I don't recall".

The eldest daughter of former President Donald Trump became the fourth member of the family to take the stand in a civil fraud lawsuit brought by New York's attorney general, who has accused Mr Trump of inflating his net worth to obtain favourable loans from banks.

The approach of the three Trumps before her, Mr Trump and two of his sons, Donald Jr and Eric, ranged from bombastic to humorous to visibly agitated.

But Ms Trump, who unlike them is not a co-defendant, had a different persona on the stand.

Hollywood's Restart Scramble Starts Now

Don't assume that studios and unions putting media labor battles in the rearview mirror, means cameras will start rolling immediately.

The process to clear schedules and book studio space means cameras won't be rolling again until January at the earliest.

It typically takes 4-6 weeks to ramp up production, industry insiders tell Axios. And with writers' rooms only recently reopened, it's not certain how much of a 2023-24 TV season will be able to be salvaged.

Wisconsin Headlines

Marquette Poll: Trump, Biden Race A Tossup In Wisconsin With One Year Until 2024 Election

With less than one year until the 2024 election, a new survey of Wisconsinites shows President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump essentially neck and neck among registered voters.

The results also show Biden's support drops in head-to-head matchups with other Republican primary candidates.

The Marquette University Law School poll surveyed 908 registered voters in Wisconsin between Oct. 26 and Nov. 2. Among those respondents, 50 percent said they would vote for Biden and 48 percent said they would choose Trump. That slim difference is smaller than the poll's margin of error of 4.5 percent.

Marquette pollster Charles Franklin described the race between the major party front-runners as a tossup.

Wisconsin Lawmakers Introduce Death With Dignity Bill For Terminally Ill Patients

Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill in the state legislature that would allow Wisconsin residents with terminal illnesses to voluntarily request medication to end their lives.

The legislation requires the patient to be of sound mind, at least 18 years of age, and have a diagnosis confirming the patient has less than six months to live.

Patients could request a prescription medication that must be administered through a licensed attending physician. The bill defines a "terminal disease" as an incurable or irreversible disease.

Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Require Insurance Coverage For Fertility Treatments In Wisconsin

The Building Families Act bill would require Wisconsin employers to provide health insurance coverage for employees living with fertility problems.

Madison Democratic Senator Kelda Roys and Eau Claire Democratic Representative Jodi Emerson introduced their bill with supporters from the Building Families Wisconsin Alliance on Wednesday.

”It breaks my heart when I hear folks talk about they can’t get medical treatment simply because they can’t afford it,” Rep. Emerson said. “This shouldn’t be happening in our country today.”

Wisconsin's Growing Market For Legal Hemp-Derived Delta THC

Marijuana is not legal in Wisconsin, but there is a growing industry selling a product that looks and smells the same, and is engineered to provide the same effect to the user.

In a strip mall outside Wausau, sandwiched in between a burrito shop and a cellphone store, you will find The Dispensary. Outside, a small sign reads, “Welcome to our Joint”. Inside, more marijuana references line the walls, from a “Weed Responsibly” sign glowing bright green, to large glass jars on the shelf behind the counter filled with what resembles marijuana flower.

However, the flowers are hemp.

Tiffany Announces United States Service Academy Nominations

Today, Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) announced eleven students from Wisconsin's Seventh District who were nominated to a U.S. service academy. All high school students who wish to serve in our nation’s military service academies are required to receive a nomination from at least one member of their state’s Congressional Delegation, the Vice President, or the President of the United States.

“It is my honor to nominate these eleven dedicated and determined high school students to their desired United States service academies,” said Congressman Tom Tiffany. “Their willingness to step up and answer the call to defend our great nation is admirable, and I want to congratulate each and every one of them on receiving my nomination.”

The following students received a nomination to a U.S. service academy: