Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 | 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 Says The U.S. Will 'Take Over' Gaza And Relocate Its People. What Does It Mean?

President Trump floated two bombshell ideas Tuesday about Gaza that has Palestinians, Israelis, and the wider Middle East scrambling.

The first: that the U.S. would take over the territory. "The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip," Trump said in a White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We'll own it...We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal...the Riviera of the Middle East."

USPS Temporarily Suspends Accepting Packages From China And Hong Kong

The United States Postal Service announced Tuesday night that it is temporarily suspending accepting packages sent from China and Hong Kong until further notice.

The suspension is effective immediately, the USPS said. Letters and flats are not included in the suspension, it said.

The postal service didn't provide a reason for the suspension or say how long it expects it to last.

11 Dead In Worst Mass Shooting In Sweden's History

A mass shooting at an adult educational facility in Sweden on Tuesday was the deadliest such incident in the country's history, with 11 people killed, including the alleged shooter, law enforcement said on Wednesday.

"It is a very painful day for all of Sweden," Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a statement posted on social media. "Being confined to a classroom with fear for your own life is a nightmare that no one should have to experience."

As Trump Considers Ways To Dismantle The Education Dept., Here’s What To Know About Your Student Loans

The Trump administration is looking for ways to partially or completely eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.

Here’s what that could mean for the more than 42 million Americans with federal student loans.

100,000 Eggs Worth $40,000 Stolen From Trailer As Police Try To Crack The Case

Police in Pennsylvania are trying to crack the case after 100,000 organic eggs worth upwards of $40,000 were stolen from the back of a trailer over the weekend.

The theft took place in Greencastle, Pennsylvania -- located approximately 65 miles southwest of the state capital of Harrisburg -- when the eggs were stolen from the rear of a distribution trailer on Saturday around 8:40 p.m. while it was parked outside Pete & Gerry’s Organics.

Wisconsin Sheriffs Would Have To Cooperate With ICE Under GOP Proposal

Wisconsin Republicans on Tuesday announced they will introduce a bill to require people detained on felony charges to provide proof of legal U.S. residency.

If a person cannot provide that information, the proposal stipulates, local sheriffs — who oversee jails — would have to report the person to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or face a reduction in state aid to their community.

“This is for illegal immigrants that are criminals, that have committed serious acts, that have been arrested and detained by our sheriffs and our local police,” said Rep. Tyler August, R-Walworth, who co-authored the proposal. “We need to inform the federal government that they are here and the Trump administration will send them back to the countries in which they came from.”

Suspect In Amber Alert Issued For Beaver Dam Teen May Be Switching License Plates, Police Say

The suspect in an Amber Alert issued for a pregnant teen from Beaver Dam may be switching the license plates on his vehicle, the Beaver Dam police chief said. The 40-year-old man is also now facing charges, court records show.

Sophia Franklin, 16, was last seen Sunday night at her home in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. She is three months pregnant, according to a Facebook post from the Beaver Dam Police Department.

Previewing The Wisconsin Supreme Court Race: What's Old Is New Again

New campaign commercials are now running in the race to determine which way the state Supreme Court will lean.

Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel and Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford are the only two candidates in the race on the April 1 ballot.

But an old issue around Schimel's handling of sexual assault kits has resurfaced.

As States Rush To Legalize Sports Betting, Wisconsin Takes Cautious Approach

The Potawatomi Casino Hotel in Milwaukee is planning a party for the first Super Bowl at its permanent sportsbook on Sunday.

The sportsbook will have multiple televisions showing the game, a tailgate buffet and close to 1,000 betting options, said Justin Arnett, vice president of digital gaming at Potawatomi Casino Hotel.

“The Super Bowl is the single-highest volume bet day of the sportsbook calendar,” Arnett said. “It’s such a traditional American thing, cultural thing, that it brings out a lot of people for the first time to get a bet on the game.”

Yost, 19 State Attorneys Oppose Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision To Deny A Religious Charity From Tax Exemptions

Ohio Attorney General David Yost leads 18 other state attorney generals in opposition to the Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision to deny a religious charity organization's request for exemption from unemployment taxes.

As with Wisconsin law, religious nonprofit organizations are generally exempt from these taxes.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the activities of the Catholic Charities Bureau were not sufficiently religious due to their willingness to serve the public as a whole as opposed to only those within their faith.