Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026 | Recent News

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

Pentagon Set To Deploy 2,000 Troops From 82nd Airborne To Middle East

The Pentagon is preparing to deploy about 2,000 U.S. troops from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, bolstering U.S. military presence in the region and providing more options for President Trump, a source familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to share internal military deliberations, told The Hill on Tuesday.

The number of troops could change as the verbal order was given in the last 24 hours, the source stressed, adding that it is likely the full brigade would not be dispatched to the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) area.

Murphy On ‘$1.5 Billion’ Stock Trade Before Trump Iran Announcement: ‘Mind Blowing Corruption’

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday drew attention to an unusually large oil stock trade that occurred moments before President Trump announced a five-day pause on previously threatened energy infrastructure strikes in Iran, indicating it appeared be a case of insider trading.

In an X post highlighted by Murphy, a stock market watcher said, “In one move, $1.5 billion in S&P 500 (ES) futures was bought while $192 million in oil (CL) futures was sold.”

“$1.5 BILLION. Let me say it again – a $1.5 BILLION BET. Bigger than any futures purchases made at the time. 5 minutes before Trump’s post,” Murphy wrote in his own post.

NASA Unveils Ambitious $20 Billion Moon Base Strategy: What To Know

NASA is all-in on the moon and plans to invest the money and resources necessary to build a permanent settlement on the lunar surface sooner rather than later, according to the agency.

At the space agency’s "Ignition" event Tuesday at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., NASA leaders presented an ambitious, $20 billion plan to return humans to the moon and build a permanent base there.

Mortgage Demand Drops More Than 10% As Rates Hit The Highest Level Since October

Mortgage rates rose last week to the highest level since last fall, and that pushed mortgage demand off a cliff. Total mortgage application volume dropped 10.5% last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances, $832,750 or less, increased to 6.43% from 6.30%, with points increasing to 0.65 from 0.63, including the origination fee, for loans with a 20% down payment.

FDA Warns Manufacturer That Billionaire's Claims About Cancer Drug Anktiva Are Misleading

Federal health officials posted a warning Tuesday about misleading statements made by biotech billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who recently told podcast listeners his company's bladder cancer drug may be able to treat, cure or even prevent other types of cancers.

The warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration takes issue with a TV advertisement and a separate podcast episode promoting Anktiva, the lead product of ImmunityBio Inc. The drugmaker is one of several biotech firms acquired by Soon-Shiong, who also owns the Los Angeles Times.

Evers Downplays Snack, Soda Ban In New Food Stamp Law

Wisconsin’s governor isn’t talking about the ban on cupcakes and soda on the state’s new food stamp law.

Gov. Tony Evers on Monday signed a new law (Act 116, formerly AB 180) that looks to ban sugary snacks and drinks from Wisconsin’s FoodShare program. The law also guarantees $70 million to administer that program.

Evers focused on that when he signed the law.

"I am glad to be able to sign this bill today so we can continue to provide for the over 700,000 Wisconsinites who rely on FoodShare and depend on the state to support this critical program and keep our error rates low,” Evers said in a statement. “In spite of the chaos at the federal level and the continued attacks on our FoodShare program, I am proud of the work my administration has done over the past year to ensure our kids, families, veterans, and seniors across our state receive the resources they need to access basic food and groceries.”

Poll: Chris Taylor Leads Maria Lazar In Wisconsin Supreme Court Race

With two weeks to go until the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, a new poll shows liberal Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor maintains her lead over conservative Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar, though a majority of voters said they remain undecided.

And while the race is officially nonpartisan, the survey also found Democrats are far more enthusiastic than Republicans about voting in the April 7 election.

Wisconsin Adopts Uniform Bar Exam To Expand Attorney Access

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has approved changes to the state bar exam aimed at improving access to attorneys across Wisconsin.

Beginning with the July 2026 administration, the state will adopt the Uniform Bar Examination, allowing applicants to transfer qualifying scores from other states. Those who earn a score of 260 or higher and meet additional state requirements may apply for admission without retaking the test.

NBA Players Association Says Milwaukee Bucks Are Losing Games On Purpose

The NBA Players Association is accusing the Milwaukee Bucks of “tanking” their games -- losing on purpose -- by sitting All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo despite him wanting to play.

A statement from the players union reads in part, “The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Sees Decline In Campaign Spending, Voter Awareness

Wisconsin’s upcoming Supreme Court race is drawing significantly less spending and voter awareness compared to the state’s two most recent high-profile judicial elections, according to Wisconsin Watch.

The race between Dane County Judge Chris Taylor and Waukesha County Judge Maria Lazar follows the record-breaking 2023 and 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, but features lower outside funding, advertising and media coverage, according to UW political science professor Barry Burden.

“Voter awareness is quite low,” Burden said. “Most Wisconsin residents are not tuned into the race, are not familiar with the candidates and are not prepared to make a decision.”