Morning Headlines - Friday, Oct. 18, 2024

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 and the end for a little humor to go with your news!

U.S. and World Headlines

Israel Says Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' Top Leader In Gaza, Killed In Major Blow To Militant Group

Israel said Thursday that Hamas' top leader and longtime commander in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar was killed by troops during an operation in the war-torn Palestinian territory.

"His elimination is an important landmark in the decline of the evil rule of Hamas," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Bowen: Sinwar's Death Is Serious Blow To Hamas, But Not The End Of The War

Killing Yahya Sinwar is Israel's biggest victory so far in the war against Hamas in Gaza.

His death is a serious blow for Hamas, the organisation he turned into a fighting force that inflicted the biggest defeat on the state of Israel in its history.

He was not killed in a planned special forces operation, but in a chance encounter with Israeli forces in Rafah in southern Gaza.

Judge In Trump's Jan. 6 Case Rules Additional Evidence Will Be Unsealed Friday

The judge overseeing Donald Trump's federal election interference case, in an order late Thursday, denied the former president's last-minute request to block the release of additional evidence gathered by special counsel Jack Smith.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said that the court will unseal, on Friday, the redacted appendix from the immunity motion filed earlier this month by Smith that included new details about Trump and his allies' actions leading up to the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

The Commercial Real Estate Recovery Is On, But The Rebound May Be Uneven

The Federal Reserve began its interest rate cutting cycle last month, lowering the Fed funds rate for the first time since 2020 by 50 basis points, while hinting that more cuts are on the horizon.

The Fed’s shift in policy is “the most notable green shoot” for the commercial real estate market, according to Wells Fargo analysts.

Refinancing and sales volumes are already picking up as sentiment around the sector improves after years of declining transactions and property valuations.

How Americans See Men And Masculinity

We asked 6,204 U.S. adults about their views on men and masculinity.

Our survey covered traits people think are valued too much or too little in men these days; how acceptable they think certain behaviors are in men; and how they think men have fared relative to women in various aspects of life.

Wisconsin Headlines

Hovde Faces High-Stakes Moment In Bid To Unseat Democrat In Wisconsin Senate Race

Republican Eric Hovde is facing a critical moment in Friday’s first Wisconsin Senate debate amid signs he’s closing in on Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin in one of the country’s most competitive races for the upper chamber.

The rivals will go head-to-head as polling shows the Trump-backed Republican narrowing the gap, fueling GOP hopes for a Badger State pickup in the battle for the Senate majority.

Harris Charges Trump With ‘Gaslighting’ Americans At UW-La Crosse Rally

Vice President Kamala Harris at a UW-La Crosse rally today charged former President Donald Trump with gaslighting Americans after he referred to the day of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack as a “day of love.”

Harris made three stops in Wisconsin, including going to the UW-Milwaukee campus with Cuban to visit a business class. The stop was closed to the media, and the campaign issued a statement afterward saying she greeted students “and discussed entrepreneurship and economic policy.”

Conservative Talk Radio Continues To Be A Powerful Political Tool In Wisconsin

A powerful force in Wisconsin politics for three decades, conservative talk radio continues to wield significant influence at the state and local level.

For years, radio personalities like Mark Belling and Jay Weber at WISN, Vicki McKenna at WIBA and Charlie Sykes at WTMJ have banged the drum for conservative ideas and Republican politicians. Ellefson and others like Joe Giganti in Green Bay represent a new generation of conservative hosts employing similar methods.

Antigo Man Indicted On Distribution And Receipt Of Child Pornography Charges

Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that a federal grand jury issued an indictment alleging that Jacob D. Theisen (age: 34) of Antigo, Wisconsin, received and distributed child pornography.

According to the indictment, on or about January 20, 2023, Theisen is alleged to have distributed child pornography via the internet. The indictment further alleges that Theisen received child pornography via the internet on June 12, 2021.

Jolly Good Soda Named Coolest Thing Made In Wisconsin

It was a jolly good Thursday for Random Lake-based Krier Foods: the company's Jolly Good Soda was named the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin.

The yearly contest is put on by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the combined state chamber and manufacturers' association, and Johnson Financial Group.