Morning Headlines - Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

Takeaways From Stormy Daniels’ Testimony At The Trump Hush Money Trial

Adult film star Stormy Daniels dished out salacious details of her alleged sexual encounter with former President Donald Trump in 2006 from the witness stand on Tuesday, describing how they met at a celebrity golf tournament and what she says happened when she went to Trump’s Lake Tahoe hotel room.

The adult film star will be back on the witness stand when the trial resumes Thursday. Trump’s attorney Susan Necheles will resume her cross-examination of Daniels following nearly 90 minutes of tense questioning Tuesday afternoon.

Here are the takeaways.

5 Twists That Could Shake Up The Election Before November

Rarely is a presidential candidate on a glide path to the White House, with unexpected developments known for derailing momentum.

While President Biden and former President Trump easily clinched their parties’ nominations, and the race has largely proceeded as anticipated, a game-changing situation — or two — could upend the race in the six months before November’s election.

Several issues are already simmering, from global crises the White House is managing to Trump’s legal troubles.

Here are five possible twists that could shake up the presidential race in the coming months.

Israel Reopens Key Kerem Shalom Crossing Into Gaza But Vital Rafah Crossing Still Closed

The Israeli military said Wednesday that it's reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, a key terminal for the entry of humanitarian aid that was closed over the weekend after a Hamas rocket attack killed four Israeli soldiers nearby.

An Israeli tank brigade seized the nearby Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt early Tuesday, and it remained closed, but that limited incursion doesn't appear to be the start of the full-scale invasion of the crowded southern city that Israel has repeatedly promised.

Employees Are Bringing Their Own AI To Work

Three out of four "knowledge workers" around the world are using generative AI — but many of them are hiding it from their employers, according to a new joint report from LinkedIn and parent company Microsoft.

The 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report from Microsoft and LinkedIn reveals that employees across industries are embracing AI, but simultaneously worry it's coming for their jobs.

Because employees are using AI outside of official company strategy and rules, bosses are struggling to measure AI benefits and adjust their AI investments accordingly.

People Are Breathing In Cancer-Causing Chemicals In Their Cars, Study Finds

People are breathing in cancer-causing chemicals when they're in their car, a new research has found. For the study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, researchers analysed the cabin air of 101 electric, gas and hybrid cars with a model year between 2015 and 2022.

They found that 99% of cars contained a flame retardant called TCIPP, which is under investigation by the US National Toxicology Program as a potential carcinogen. Most cars also had two more flame retardants, TDCIPP and TCEP, which are considered carcinogenic. These flame retardants are linked to neurological and reproductive harms as well, scientists said.

Biden Heads To Wisconsin To Meet Voters — And Troll Trump

President Joe Biden is racing into yet another battleground state Wednesday, continuing to push a contrast with Donald Trump on economic policy as his own reelection campaign readies a new $14 million advertising blitz aimed in part at Black, Latino and Asian American voters.

Biden is traveling to Racine, Wisconsin, where he'll highlight a decision by Microsoft to build a $3.3 billion data center that is expected to create roughly 2,000 jobs. It's also the spot where Trump, to much fanfare, lauded a plan by Taiwan-based electronics giant Foxconn plan to build a $10 billion manufacturing facility that was supposed to eventually employ 10,000 people. Except it was never completed.

Wisconsin Wedding Barns Sue Over State Liquor Law Change Requiring Venue License

A pair of Wisconsin wedding barns sued the state on May 7 seeking to block enactment of a new law that requires them to get liquor licenses similar to other establishments that host events.

Owners and operators of wedding barns tried unsuccessfully in 2023 to kill the law that overhauled regulation of the state’s multibillion-dollar liquor industry. The changes had been worked on for years, gaining buy-in from both Republicans and Democrats, large and small brewers, wholesalers and retailers.

Wisconsin DMV Releases Two New Special License Plates

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) now offers two new special license plates:

Suicide Prevention. Proceeds from this plate will go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a non-profit organization that works to eliminate the loss of life from suicide by delivering innovative prevention programs, educating the public, raising funds for suicide research and programs, and reaching out to those who have lost someone to suicide.

Spay, Neuter, Adopt. Proceeds from this plate will go to The Fix Is In, Inc. This is a non-profit organization that provides financial and logistical support for the spay/neuter of cats and dogs in Wisconsin. The organization’s goal is to reduce the number of cats and dogs taken in by Wisconsin shelters and to reduce the number of animals that do not make it to safe shelter and suffer needlessly due to overpopulation.

Former Wisconsin Governor, Journalist Team Up To Promote Election Trust

Swing state. Purple state. 50-50 Battle ground state. It doesn’t matter how you describe it — over the next six months, Wisconsin is going to continue to be a key political player.

And now a respected Republican and Democrat have joined forces to attempt to increase civic engagement while the politics continue to unfold.

Former Republican Gov. Scott McCallum and former journalist David Haynes launched the Wisconsin Alliance for Civic Trust, or WisACT, on April 30 to “build bridges across the political spectrum to prevent the erosion of public trust and the rise of political violence.”

Saving Your Garden Seeds And Building A Community In The Process

For well-seasoned gardeners and beginners alike, seed saving can help level up your gardening game by building hearty varieties and joining a larger community. That’s according to Michigan-based saver Bevin Cohen.

Cohen owns Small House Farm in Michigan and is the author of “Saving our Seeds: The Practice & Philosophy.” On WPR’s “The Morning Show,” he said one big challenge for aspiring gardeners is learning when a plant’s seeds are mature enough for saving.

“Tomatoes are an easy one. When a tomato is ripe, when it changes colors from green to red, that signals its maturity,” Cohen said. “And that’s when we know those seeds are ready to harvest. They’re ready to be saved and shared with your friends or put away until next year.”