Morning Headlines - Friday, Jan. 30, 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

Why 7 GOP Senators Voted Against Bill To Keep Government Open Past Friday

Seven Republican senators on Thursday voted against advancing a six-bill funding package to keep the government open past Friday, citing concerns about the ballooning federal deficit and what they saw as the failure of the so-called appropriations minibus to significantly cut spending.

The package, which was blocked on a 45-55 vote, would have failed regardless of how the Republicans voted. It needed 60 votes to advance and did not pick up any Democratic support.

Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh As Next Federal Reserve Board Chair

President Trump said Friday he is nominating Kevin Warsh to serve as the next chair of the Federal Reserve Board, filling a powerful economic policy role as the president pushes for lower interest rates.

Warsh was a member of the Fed's board for five years starting in 2006, when former President George W. Bush named him to the central bank right before the financial crisis. In recent years, he has worked with billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller and held academic positions, including at the Hoover Institution.

Trump Sues IRS, Treasury For $10 Billion Over Tax Returns Leak

President Donald Trump, two of his sons and his namesake organization sued his own Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department on Thursday over the unauthorized disclosure of his tax information during his first term, for which a former IRS contractor pleaded guilty in 2023.

In their suit, the president, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and the Trump Organization accused the two government agencies of failing in their “duty to safeguard and protect Plaintiffs’ confidential tax returns and related tax return information from such unauthorized inspection and public disclosure.”

Microsoft Tumbled 10% In A Day And Isn’t Recovering Premarket. Here’s Why

Microsoft’s stock saw its biggest daily decline since 2020 on Thursday, falling 10%. The stock is up 0.5% premarket on Friday.

Thursday’s share slide wiped $357 billion off the software giant’s market cap.

Analysts attributed the move to company’s cloud computing business growing slightly slower than expected.

Trump Thinks A Weaker Dollar Is Great For America. Is He Right?

The dollar continues to sink — but is that a good thing for the U.S. economy?

President Trump seems to think so. On Tuesday, he said he welcomed the decline. Compared against a basket of major foreign currencies, the dollar is now the weakest it has been in four years.

"I think it's great," Trump said on Tuesday when addressing reporters. "Look at the business we're doing. The dollar's doing great."

Milwaukee Businessman Arrested In $1.9M Real Estate Fraud Case

Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against former Milwaukee businessman Joseph Nantomah, accusing him of running a fake fix-and-flip real estate scheme that defrauded investors of more than $1.9 million.

This newest criminal complaint is the federal government laying out how they say Nantomah deceived investors, misused money, and used interstate wire communications, like bank transfers, to do it.

Jury Finds Wisconsin Man Guilty Of Forging Threat Against Trump To Get Witness Deported

A jury found a Wisconsin man guilty Thursday of forging threats against President Donald trump in an attempt to get the victim in a robbery case against him deported.

Online court records show the Milwaukee County jury found 52-year-old Demetric Scott guilty of felony identity theft and witness intimidation after deliberating for most of the day. He represented himself during the three-day trial and was immediately taken into custody after the verdicts were read, leaving no way to reach him for comment on Thursday evening.

In Governor’s Race, GOP Coalesces Around Tiffany While Democrats Navigate Crowded Field

With just over six months to go until the primary election, the Democratic race for Wisconsin governor is shaping up to be crowded.

That’s in stark contrast to the GOP side of the race, where Republicans have coalesced around a single candidate.

This week, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann dropped out of the GOP race after U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany nabbed President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

Wisconsin Lawmakers Pushing For Solar Bill For Farmers

A new legislative push is underway to expand community solar projects for Wisconsin farmers.

State Sen. Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, is advocating for Assembly Bill 493, a community solar proposal aimed at addressing high utility rates across the state.

Testin cited programs in Minnesota and Illinois, along with Wisconsin having the highest utility costs in the Midwest, as reasons for supporting the bill. He said the legislation would give local governments more input.

Wisconsin Researchers Lead Natural Food Coloring Breakthrough As Industry Phases Out Artificial Dyes

As major companies eliminate synthetic dyes from their products by the end of 2027, Wisconsin researchers are positioned at the forefront of the natural alternatives revolution.

University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists are leading the way with naturally grown alternatives in a process that could mean big business for the state’s agriculture industry.