Morning Headlines - Tuesday, May 7, 2024 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

Could Donald Trump Really Go To Jail For Gag Order Violations?

If Donald Trump keeps trying the patience of the judge presiding over his hush money trial, the former president could wind up back in his home New York City borough of Queens — specifically the prison on Rikers Island, experts said Monday.

Judge Juan Merchan, who on Monday found that Trump once again had violated a gag order that bars him from disparaging witnesses or the jury, warned the ex-president could face jail “if necessary” for further violations.

Merchan did not specify which jail. But when asked what would happen if the judge sent Trump to Rikers, Frank Dwyer the jail’s top spokesperson said, “The department would find appropriate housing.”

Israel Seizes Gaza Side Of Rafah Border Crossing With Eqypt

An Israeli tank brigade took control Tuesday of the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, authorities said, appearing to move forward with an offensive in the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remain on a knife's edge.

The move came after hours of whiplash in the Israel-Hamas war, with the militant group saying Monday that it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated cease-fire proposal. Israel, however, insisted the deal didn't meet its core demands and rejected it, though it has said it will continue discussing the proposal.

U.S. Company Fined $650,000 For Illegally Hiring Children To Clean Meat Processing Plants

A Tennessee-based sanitation company has agreed to pay more than half a million dollars after a federal investigation found it illegally hired at least two dozen children to clean dangerous meat processing facilities in Iowa and Virginia.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced Monday that Fayette Janitorial Service LLC entered into a consent judgment, in which the company agrees to nearly $650,000 in civil penalties and the court-ordered mandate that it no longer employs minors.

China’s Cheating Threatens To Wreck Paris Olympics, US Anti-Drugs Chief Says

Chinese drug cheats and officials willing to turn a blind eye threaten to make the Paris 2024 Olympics a “train wreck,” the top U.S. anti-doping regulator said.

Travis Tygart’s trenchant remarks cast another shadow over Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s ongoing visit to France where he is meeting President Emmanuel Macron, less than three months before the Olympics begin.

Last month, The New York Times and German broadcaster ARD published a bombshell investigation revealing 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for prohibited drugs before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but were still permitted to take part in the Games, with several winning medals.

Boeing Starliner's First Astronaut-Crewed Flight Launch Called Off Due To Stuck Valve

Boeing's first astronaut-crewed flight into space has been called off due to a stuck valve on the spacecraft’s rocket Monday, the United Launch Alliance announced.

The Starliner Crew Flight Test, developed in collaboration with NASA's Commercial Crew Program, was set to launch from Space Launch Complex-41 atop an Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:34 p.m. ET before it was called off.

Rothman Not Ruling Out Further Police Action To Remove Uw Protest Encampments, Administration In Talks With Protesters

UW President Jay Rothman says the protest encampments at Madison and Milwaukee “will ultimately be gone” but declined to give a specific timeline or course of action as talks are expected to continue this week between protesters and UW-Madison officials.

“I’m not going to speculate as to when that will occur and how those resolutions will come to pass, but, you know, the encampments are illegal, and ultimately, they will be gone,” Rothman said on WISN’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “I’m supportive of the conversation. I think dialogue is always important. From my perspective, we want the encampments to be removed. I mean, they are illegal, and they should come down. It’s as simple as that. And to the extent those conversations can lead to that result, that would be a good thing.”

Wisconsin Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging State's New Wolf Management Plan

A lawsuit filed by animal welfare advocates seeking to invalidate Wisconsin’s new wolf management plan was dismissed by a judge on Monday.

Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke threw out the case that accused Wisconsin wildlife officials of violating the state’s open meetings law and disregarding comments from wolf researchers and supporters, reflecting how contentious the debate over wolf management has become in the state.

More Than 300 Wisconsin Officers Back In Law Enforcement Agencies After Being Fired Or Forced Out

Wandering officers — police and jailers who were fired or forced out from a previous job in law enforcement — have increased in Wisconsin by more than 50% since 2021, an investigation by The Badger Project has found.

More than 300 active officers in the state were negatively separated from previous law enforcement jobs in the state, according to records obtained by The Badger Project. The number does not include wandering officers who came from other states.

ICYMI: New Borealis Trains Double Service Along Twin Cities – Chicago Corridor

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), in partnership with Amtrak and the states of Minnesota and Illinois last week announced that a second daily round trip along the route connecting the Twin Cities to Milwaukee and Chicago will start on May 21, 2024. Officially named Borealis, the additional trains will depart midday from both St. Paul and from Chicago, serving eight Wisconsin stations along the way.

“Borealis will double the options for passenger rail travel along a corridor that connects many businesses, universities, tourism destinations, and Wisconsin communities," WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Thank you to Minnesota, Illinois, and Amtrak for working together to help meet the demand for passenger rail across our region. This would not be possible without strong partnerships and federal support, and we look forward to the continued exploration of passenger rail options in Wisconsin."

Ho-Chunk Nation Decriminalizes Cannabis, But That Doesn’t Mean It’s Legal

The Ho-Chunk Nation will decriminalize cannabis on tribal lands and Ho-Chunk police will not issue citations for possession, according to an announcement released April 30.

While advocates celebrate this as a step toward legalization, tribal law experts advise the drug is still illegal.

“This is a step in the process for them to get to a spot where they are not just decriminalizing, but feel that they can put in a regulatory structure to cultivate, grow, or possess hemp,” said Rob Pero, founder of the nonprofit Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association.