Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Apr. 21, 2026

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

‘New Cards On The Battlefield’: U.S., Iran Ratchet Up Rhetoric With Peace Talks In Limbo

Iran’s parliamentary speaker appeared to up the ante, criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump for seeking to turn the negotiation into “a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering.”

Trump renewed his threat of bombarding Iran with overwhelming military force if no deal is reached.

The U.S. and Iranian delegations plan to travel to Pakistan for a potential second round of negotiations: reports.

What To Know About Tuesday’s Redistricting Referendum In Virginia

Democrats in Virginia are eyeing one last opportunity to pass new congressional lines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections as the national redistricting war nears its end.

Virginia Democrats teed up a Tuesday referendum asking voters if lawmakers can temporarily pass a Democratic-favored 10-1 House map before the 2030 Census. Democrats in the Old Dominion currently hold a 6-5 edge in the House.

Climate Extremes May Quietly Be Pushing Heart Disease Rates Higher: Study

Heatwaves, cold snaps and heavy rain do more than disrupt your day. They can quietly raise your risk of heart disease, according to a new report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

"Broadly, we found that extreme heat and extreme cold were associated with a higher city-level cardiovascular disease burden across 157 Chinese cities from 2015 to 2020," Linjiang Wei, one of the primary authors of the study and a PhD-level researcher at Xiamen University, told ABC News.

Trump’s Feud With Powell Threatens Plans To Replace Federal Reserve Chair

President Trump’s effort to push out Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is threatening his ability to finally replace his nemesis.

The Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing Tuesday for Kevin Warsh, the former Fed board member Trump nominated to replace Powell as Fed chair.

Tim Cook To Step Down As Apple CEO. In Letter, Describes 15 Years Of Emails

Tim Cook is stepping down from his role as CEO of Apple.

In a letter posted publicly on Monday, Cook said Apple will have a new leader starting in September.

"I will be transitioning into a new role, leaving the CEO job behind in September and becoming Apple's executive chairman," Cook, 65, said.

Wisconsin Headlines

Former U.S. Citizen Sentenced To Prison For Unlawful Election Contributions

Roger Hoffman, 70, a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was sentenced this week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 months in federal prison for making unlawful political contributions as a foreign national. He was also ordered to pay a $150,000 fine. Hoffman pleaded guilty to this charge on September 26, 2025.

On January 15, 2009, Hoffman, formerly a Wisconsin resident, became a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis. On or about July 9, 2009, Hoffman executed a formal Oath of Renunciation of Nationality of the United States before a United States consular officer. After renouncing his citizenship, Hoffman  continued to make political contributions using a straw donor to disguise the foreign nature of his contributions.

Wisconsin Farmers Say New Farm Bill Would Bring Stability During Market Uncertainty

Wisconsin farmers are joining a nationwide call for Congress to provide adequate funding and staff for federal farm programs.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Corn Growers Association and three other state organizations signed on to a letter urging congressional leaders to pass what policymakers are calling the “Farm Bill 2.0.”

It’s been more than seven years since Congress passed a new farm bill, a package of legislation that covers a wide variety of farm-related programs including crop insurance and conservation programs as well as food assistance for low-income families.

Wisconsin Hemp Farmers Face Uncertainty As Federal Law Change Looms

Hemp farmers across Wisconsin are bracing for the impact of a new federal law taking effect in November that some say will put them out of business.

The law impacts a handful of states that don’t regulate hemp, despite it being sold.

Both medical and recreational marijuana are illegal in Wisconsin, but since 2018, a loophole has created an unregulated economy that the governor says has created a $700 million industry and more than 3,500 jobs.

Hemp farmers say that could vanish unless there’s a change at either the state or federal level.

MPS Superintendent Tells ‘UpFront’ It Would Be ‘Wonderful’ If Teachers Could Collectively Bargain Again

MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius says “it would be wonderful” if Wisconsin teachers could again collectively bargain and Act 10 was reversed despite a feud with the teachers union over the district’s projected $46 million deficit.

“I’ve always been a supporter of unions and labor,” Cassellius said on WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “I think they play a really important part. I actually said to the union I’d want to be one of the first ones to have our contract in place.”

Roys Touts WEAC Endorsement: “Most Moral Authority” In State

One of the Democrats running for governor in Wisconsin says she now has the moral support to win the race.

Madison Democratic state Senator Kelda Roys last week picked-up the endorsement from WEAC, Wisconsin’s largest teachers’ union.

"I earned [the endorsement] because of my policy positions, because of my plans for public education and because I think they recognized that this election is in some ways existential for our public schools," Roys said during a weekend appearance on UpFront.