Morning Headlines - Thursday, Oct. 30, 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 Lowers Fentanyl Tariffs On China, While Xi Delays Rare Earth Export Controls

President Donald Trump said Thursday after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping that he was lowering tariffs in exchange for a crackdown on fentanyl and that he would visit China in April.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on his way back to Washington, Trump said he would reduce his fentanyl tariff on China to 10% from 20%, effective immediately, after Xi agreed to intensify China’s efforts to stem the illicit international flow of precursor chemicals for the deadly opioid.

Senators Cautiously Optimistic About Talks To End Government Shutdown

There were signs of progress on ending the government shutdown for the first time in weeks on Wednesday, with senators expressing cautious optimism about bipartisan talks aimed at resolving the impasse, now on its 29th day.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in the morning that talks among rank-and-file senators have "ticked up significantly," and that the conversations might be a "precursor of things to come."

Fed Cuts Interest Rates For 2nd Time This Year, But Rejects Large Reduction Sought By Trump

The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, opting for its second interest rate cut this year in an effort to jumpstart the flagging labor market.

The widely expected move delivers a lowering of interest rates sought by President Donald Trump, though the size of the cut falls short of the major drawdown called for repeatedly by the president.

Deepfake Videos Are More Realistic Than Ever. How Can You Spot If A Video Is Real Or Sora AI?

AI-generated videos are everywhere, from deepfakes of celebrities and false disaster broadcasts to viral videos of bunnies on a trampoline. Sora, the AI video generator from ChatGPT's parent company, OpenAI, has only made it more difficult to separate truth from fiction. And the Sora 2 model, a brand-new social media app, is becoming more sophisticated by the day.

In the last few months, the TikTok-like app has gone viral, with AI enthusiasts determined to hunt down invite codes. But Sora isn't like any other social media platform. Everything you see on Sora is fake, and all the videos are AI-generated.

Blue Jays Best Dodgers, Head Home With 3-2 World Series Lead

A record-setting performance by rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night has the Toronto Blue Jays on the cusp of their first championship since 1993.

Yesavage struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up only three hits without issuing a walk, helping Toronto to a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Blue Jays lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 with Game 6 scheduled for Friday in Toronto.

Wisconsin Headlines

Lawmakers Push For Math Overhaul For Wisconsin School Kids

There is a push at the Wisconsin Capitol to hold local schools accountable for low math scores.

State Sen. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, and Rep. Karen Hurd, R-Withee, on Tuesday introduced a math version of the Right to Read Act.

“Foundational math skills are also critical to a child’s success in school and throughout their life,” Hutton said. “This bill provides a statewide framework for identifying if a student is falling behind and helping them catch up before those gaps become permanent.”

The Right to Read Act changes how kids in Wisconsin learn to read. It also sets new standards for local schools, requires regular reading screenings for kids between kindergarten and the third grade. There’s also some grant money to help local schools buy new reading lessons and to train teachers.

Army Corps Of Engineers Grants Federal Permit For Enbridge’s Line 5 Reroute

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday issued a federal permit to a Canadian energy firm that wants to reroute its oil and gas pipeline around a northern Wisconsin tribe’s reservation.

The agency’s website states the Army Corps issued a permit for construction activities tied to Enbridge’s Line 5 relocation project in northern Wisconsin. The company is proposing a $450 million plan to build a new segment of Line 5. The new stretch of 30-inch pipe would run 41 miles around the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Ashland and Iron counties.

Republican Lawmakers Push To Raise Hunting Fees For People Who Don't Live In Wisconsin

Republican state lawmakers are backing a new bill that would raise the cost of hunting, trapping and fishing licenses for people who don't live in Wisconsin.

Rep. Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc), Rep. Treig Pronschinske (R-Mondovi) and Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) are sponsoring the legislation. They said the bill is necessary to bring in new money to ensure the solvency of the Fish and Wildlife Account. According to the lawmakers, license sales have decreased over the past 10 years.

Evers Pleads To ‘Get Something Goddamned Done’ On Prisons Revamp As Planning Money Approved

Gov. Tony Evers pleaded with lawmakers to “get something goddamned done” on an overhaul of the state’s prison system as he pledged to include lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in each step of the redesign.

Evers’ vow came after GOP members of the commission complained lawmakers weren’t involved in the redesign that the guv proposed in February. The Legislature rejected including the overall plan in the budget, instead setting aside the $15 million in planning money that the commission released yesterday.

Marquette Poll: Most Voters Unaware Of Candidates For Governor, Supreme Court

Wisconsin voters will have the rare opportunity next year to pick someone new to fill open seats in the governor’s office and state Supreme Court.

But — at least for now — a new poll shows they haven’t given it much thought.

The survey of 846 registered voters by the Marquette University Law School was conducted Oct. 15-22. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

But the number of undecided voters was well outside of that, with most voters still forming opinions of the candidates.