Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Aug. 11, 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

Trump ‘Smuggled Off Air Force One In A Catering Cart As Part Of Elaborate Plane Switch Over Iranian Assassination Threat’

President Donald Trump was reportedly smuggled off Air Force One in a catering truck last month as part of an elaborate ruse to foil potential Iranian assassination threats.

The commander-in-chief was on his way back from a NATO summit in Turkey when he was bundled off the jet and boarded on to a separate military plane,

Trump had traveled to Turkey aboard a new 747-8 donated by Qatari officials, which the Trump administration has spent vast sums of money improving for security.

5 Takeaways From Zuckerberg's Essay On His Vision For Superintelligence

Mark Zuckerberg said in an essay published on Meta's website on Monday that artificial intelligence tools should be shared with "as many people and businesses as possible."

In a 6,500-word post outlining the Meta founder's vision of AI, Zuckerberg also expressed his belief that "superintelligence" — a theoretical form of AI with superior cognitive abilities to those of humans — will advance national security, lead to greater economic prosperity, and promote scientific and creative achievement.

Wall Street Just Endorsed Jensen Huang’s ‘Big Concept’ For AI. What Now?

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed what he expects to be the next phase of financing, backed not by corporate balance sheets, but by Wall Street’s top power brokers.

Firms including Goldman Sachs and BlackRock say they see the potential to make money by investing directly in AI systems.

“You can think about it as a revenue stream, and you can securitize it or effectively divide that risk and sell it,” said Waldemar Szlezak, KKR’s head of digital infrastructure.

Americans Just Endured The Hottest Month In 132 Years

The US just sweltered through the warmest month ever recorded. The average temperature for the US mainland reached 76.9F (24.9C) in July, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Monday.

The US government has been tracking temperatures for 132 years. July's average was around three degrees higher than the 20th-century average. It also exceeded the previous record set in July 1936 — during what's known as the Dust Bowl — by about 0.1F, according to NOAA data.

Wendy's Has A Massive Problem: It's Closing Restaurants Left And Right

Buried inside Wendy's brutal second quarter earnings call last week was a mention that 289 locations closed in the US during the first half of the year.

There are about 5,700 Wendy's in the US.

It doesn't sound like US closures will be abating.

Progressives Face Latest Test In Midwest With Hong, Flanagan

Progressives are facing their latest test in this week’s Wisconsin and Minnesota primaries as Democrats grapple with their party’s direction in the high-stakes midterm elections.

In Wisconsin, democratic socialist Francesca Hong has surged in the swing state’s Democratic primary for governor amid concerns that candidates from the party’s far-left flank could be a liability in the midterms. And in Minnesota, moderate Rep. Angie Craig (D) is up against progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in a major proxy battle for Democrats in the reliably blue seat.

Evers Tells ‘UpFront’ He’ll Be ‘Helpful’ If Hong Wins Nomination, But Predicts Crowley Victory

Gov. Tony Evers said, “Of course we’ll be helpful” if Francesca Hong wins Tuesday’s Democratic primary for governor after spending the weekend campaigning for David Crowley.

“She’s a Democrat, of course we’ll be helpful, but that’s not going to happen,” Evers said on WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics-State Affairs.

“This guy is going to win,” Evers said while sitting next to Crowley.

Universities Of Wisconsin Wants To Train 35K New Health Care Professionals In Next Decade

The Universities of Wisconsin wants to train 35,000 new health care professionals over the next decade.

The $90 million proposal will be included in the 2027-29 budget that is presented to the Wisconsin state Legislature and governor in the fall.

The total budget proposal for the state’s public university system will be released next week prior to the Board of Regents meeting, said spokesperson Mark Pitsch.

Complaint Filed Against Winnebago County Judge For Judicial Misconduct

An official judicial misconduct complaint has been filed by the Wisconsin Judicial Commission against Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Scott C. Woldt.

The complaint was filed last week.

Documents filed for the complaint lay out several instances where Judge Woldt was accused of “willful judicial misconduct.”

In March 2023, during an interview on the “Eye on Oshkosh” YouTube show, the complaint said Judge Woldt joked that when he is recognized in public, he tells people he is a “sanitational engineer” because he “deals with society’s garbage.”

Mount Pleasant Data Center Contract Retains Power Plant Provision Struck Down By Wisconsin Regulators

Microsoft’s new 15-year electric service contract for its Mount Pleasant data center includes a provision Wisconsin regulators previously rejected.

Signed in July, the agreement with We Energies specifies that power plants built or purchased to serve data centers must be located in eastern Wisconsin or Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission (PSC) voted in May to remove those geographic constraints, which critics argued would cut off Microsoft’s access to abundant wind power generated elsewhere in the Midwest and Great Plains.