Morning Headlines - Monday, Feb. 5, 2024 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

Long-Sought Border Deal Faces First Vote

The Senate’s long-sought border deal will face a moment of truth when it hits the floor for its first procedural vote this week, a referendum that will show just how much support the legislation has in the upper chamber after months of high-level negotiations — even though it is dead on arrival in the House.

Senate negotiators finally released text of the $118 billion national security supplemental Sunday evening, which includes border security provisions and funding for Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific allies. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the first procedural vote will take place on Wednesday.

Samsung Chief Acquitted Of Financial Crimes Related To 2015 Merger

A South Korean court on Monday acquitted Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong of financial crimes involving a contentious merger between Samsung affiliates in 2015 that tightened his grip over South Korea’s biggest company.

The ruling by the Seoul Central District Court could ease the legal troubles surrounding the Samsung heir less than two years after he was pardoned of a separate conviction of bribery in a corruption scandal that helped topple a previous South Korean government.

How AI Is Quietly Changing Everyday Life

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a niche tool for cheating on homework or generating bizarre and deceptive images. It’s already humming along in unseen and unregulated ways that are touching millions of Americans who may never have heard of ChatGPT, Bard or other buzzwords.

A growing share of businesses, schools, and medical professionals have quietly embraced generative AI, and there’s really no going back. It is being used to screen job candidates, tutor kids, buy a home and dole out medical advice.

Taylor Swift Makes Grammys History With Fourth Album Of The Year Win

Taylor Swift didn't have to wait until midnight to make history. The pop superstar took home the biggest award on music's biggest night, winning the Grammy for Album of the Year for her 10th studio album, "Midnights" — making her the first artist ever to win in that category four times.

"I would love to tell you that this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love, or when I'm shot listing a music video, or when I'm rehearsing with my dancers, or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show," Swift said on stage.

Facebook Just Turned 20, But Don’t Expect A Party

Facebook is now 20 years old, but don’t expect a big party.

The company hit a historic milestone Sunday, marking the day in 2004 when a 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg went live with a new website. Initially open only to Harvard University students and then students at other colleges, it was known at the time as thefacebook.com.

The blue-themed app is still recognizable, although it has come a long way. Facebook now falls under the umbrella of Zuckerberg’s company Meta, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, and Meta is worth more than $1 trillion, making it one of the most valuable American corporations, based on its share price. On Thursday, it reported $39 billion in profit for 2023 and 3.07 billion monthly users of Facebook alone, sending the share price up 20.3% the day after.

Democrats See A Prime Opportunity To Finally Break The Gop’s Grip On Wisconsin

In the perennial battleground of Wisconsin, Democrats are having a moment.

Liberals have their first majority on the state Supreme Court in 15 years. New maps will almost certainly eat into Republicans’ long-standing majorities in the state Legislature, and more favorable congressional lines could follow. The party has a strong incumbent in the U.S. Senate who still doesn’t have a top-tier Republican challenger heading into her re-election campaign this year and an incumbent governor with consistently solid approval ratings.

As Democratic Gov. Tony Evers put it during his recent State of the State address, “Wisconsin, it’s been one heck of a year.”

Car Stolen At Kwik Trip With Children Inside, Police Say

The Oak Creek Police Department is investigating the report of a car being stolen from a Kwik Trip with two children inside.

According to police, the incident happened at 11:24 a.m., at a Kwik Trip near 27th & College Avenue, on Sunday, Feb. 4.

Shortly after the vehicle was stolen, police say it was found abandoned, along with the children inside who were unharmed.

Dodge County Sheriff's Office Looks For Escaped Inmate

The Dodge County Sheriff's Office is looking for an inmate who escaped jail on Saturday.

According to deputies, Jennifer Petersen is an inmate with court ordered Huber privileges, which allows certain inmates to leave the facility for work and medical appointments.

Deputies say Petersen left the jail before midnight for an "approved medical visit" and never returned. Petersen was last seen in the parking lot of the Marshfield Medical Center in Beaver Dam.

Officer Involved Critical Incident In Winnebago County, Wis.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating an officer involved critical incident in Winnebago County, Wis. that occurred in the evening of Friday, February 2, 2024.

At approximately 9:40 p.m., a North Fond du Lac police officer initiated a traffic stop in the Village of North Fond du Lac. The vehicle fled the traffic stop leading to a pursuit. A Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputy deployed a tire deflation device on Interstate 41 near County Hwy Z approximately one-half mile into Winnebago County causing the vehicle to stop.

The driver, and lone occupant, of the vehicle called 911 and reported they had a gun. The subject exited the vehicle and approached law enforcement. A North Fond du Lac police officer discharged their firearm, striking the subject. Life saving measures were performed but the subject died from their injuries on the scene.