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Federal authorities say they have confirmed at least $1 billion in fraudulent childcare payments in Minnesota so far, with 92 individuals already charged. According to the US Attorney’s office, 82 of those charged are Somali immigrants, and prosecutors have cautioned that the total scope of the scheme could ultimately reach $9 billion.

Against that backdrop, the Trump administration has moved to cut off all childcare-related payments to the state and is pressing for an extensive review of Minnesota’s day care system, as scrutiny intensifies around the state’s human services department.

Deputy Health and Human Services Secretary Jim O’Neill announced the decision on Tuesday, writing on X, “We have frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota,” just days after a widely shared investigative video focused national attention on alleged fraud involving local day care providers.

O’Neill accused state officials of allowing massive abuse of public funds, saying Minnesota has “funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent daycares across Minnesota over the past decade.” He detailed three steps the department is taking to prevent further misuse of federal money.

As part of the first measure, O’Neill said the federal government will now require “a receipt or photo evidence” before releasing any payments to states through the US Administration for Children & Families.

He also said he has “demanded” that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz carry out a “comprehensive audit” of the day care centers identified in the investigation. “This includes attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations, and inspections,” he wrote.

O’Neill pointed specifically to a YouTube video published Friday by Nick Shirley, who visited multiple Minneapolis-area day care sites that had received millions in public funding but appeared to be shuttered or not operating.

In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services has set up a dedicated hotline and email address at childcare.gov for reporting suspected fraud. “Whether you are a parent, provider, or member of the general public, we want to hear from you,” O’Neill said.

Summing up the administration’s posture, he added, “We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud.”

{Matzav.com}

Flu is rising rapidly across the U.S., driven by a new variant of the virus — and cases are expected to keep growing with holiday travel. That variant, known as “subclade K,” led to early outbreaks in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. In the U.S., flu typically begins its winter march in December. On Tuesday, the […]

The inauguration of Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s next mayor will depart sharply from past practice, with organizers planning a large public celebration rather than a ticketed ceremony at City Hall Plaza. According to the mayoral transition team, the January 1 event will feature a block party along Broadway in the Canyon of Heroes, complete with “dedicated viewing areas for tens of thousands to gather and participate in the ceremony, ensuring the day belongs to all New Yorkers.”

The transition team also announced that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York will deliver the opening remarks at the ceremony. In a statement cited by Fox News, the team said, “Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez’s presence underscores the leaders central to the movement to usher in a new era for New York City – one focused on delivering an affordability agenda and reimagining what government can do for working people.”

Ocasio-Cortez campaigned alongside Mamdani during the race. Mamdani, who is set to become the city’s first Muslim mayor, praised her role in his political rise, saying, “For the many New Yorkers who have long felt betrayed by a broken status quo, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez embodies a new kind of politics that puts working people at the heart of it.” He added, “I’ve been so proud to count her as a partner across the many stages of our people-powered movement – from the primary campaign to our Forest Hills rally in October to the very first day of the transition – and I’m honored that she’ll be a part of our historic City Hall inauguration.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, another ally who appeared with Mamdani on the campaign trail, is scheduled to administer the oath of office. Sanders said the swearing-in will take place at the Old City Hall subway station, describing the symbolism of the location. “I’m honored to swear in our Mayor-Elect at the Old City Hall subway station. His inauguration will represent the blending of our city on a subway filled with cacophony, diversity, challenge and opportunity,” Sanders said. “The subway is a lifeblood of our city, and a great equalizer for New Yorkers. All of us are treated the same on the subway; it connects and binds New Yorkers in our daily lives. For all of our strengths and weaknesses as individuals, we ride together on the train, to places far and wide.”

Sanders continued by tying that imagery to Mamdani’s message, saying, “Zohran is our next mayor because he understands how important it is that New Yorkers living side-by-side all deserve a city that we can thrive in, no matter what subway line you use.”

Mamdani’s rise has also drawn controversy. He has faced sustained criticism over his policy positions, particularly his anti-Israel stance. He has declined to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada” and publicly criticized Israel on October 8, 2023, one day after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel.

In repeated statements, Mamdani has accused Israel of committing war crimes in its campaign against Hamas in Gaza and has said he would seek to arrest Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu if he were to visit New York City.

Ocasio-Cortez, often referred to by her initials AOC, is a member of the progressive Democratic bloc known as “The Squad” and has a long record of opposing Israeli policies. Her past actions include accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinian Arabs and calling for reductions in US military assistance to Israel until humanitarian aid flows freely into Gaza.

Sanders has likewise been outspoken in his criticism of Israel’s government. In September, he asserted that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza, the first time he used that term in reference to the conflict.

Those views have translated into legislative efforts. In late July, the Senate voted down a resolution introduced by Sanders that sought to block American arms transfers to Israel. The measure failed 27-70, marking his third unsuccessful attempt since late 2024 to halt US weapons deliveries to Israel.

{Matzav.com}

Facebook has been accused of serious failures in moderating extremist content after allegedly allowing posts celebrating the Bondi Beach massacre to remain online. The findings, based on analysis by the UK-based Community Security Trust (CST), allege that Facebook lagged in removing content praising the deadly attack on a Chanukah celebration in Sydney earlier this month, […]

A pro-Iranian cyber group calling itself Handala announced that it had gained access to the personal mobile phone of Tzachi Braverman, who serves as chief of staff to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

In statements attributed to the group, Handala said it is holding a large cache of materials taken from the device, including documents, photographs, and video files, beyond a contact list that it says has already circulated online.

The Iranian news outlet Tasnim reported that the hackers claim the data includes sensitive paperwork tied to emergency orders and directives. According to the group, some of those documents bear signatures from Justice Minister Yariv Levin, former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis, and Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs.

Handala further asserted that it obtained private correspondence between Braverman and several government ministers as well as members of the Knesset, portions of which it has already released.

The group also said the files taken from the phone contain images of Braverman at meetings with US Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, along with personal videos recorded at events in London and at other private gatherings.

In its declaration, Handala claimed it holds “thousands of secret documents about corruption in Israel, which will reveal the truth hidden behind the scenes.”

{Matzav.com}

Meta is buying artificial intelligence startup Manus, as the owner of Facebook and Instagram continues an aggressive push to amp up AI offerings across its platforms. The California tech giant declined to disclose financial details of the acquisition. But The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta closed the deal at more than $2 billion. Manus, […]

A federal court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to restart the transfer of certain Medicaid data to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement beginning Jan. 6, though the authorization is sharply limited in scope.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California ruled that federal agencies may legally share narrow categories of Medicaid information with immigration authorities, including basic biographical details, contact information, and location data. USA Today first reported on the decision.

At the same time, Chhabria made clear that the ruling does not open the door to unrestricted access to Medicaid records. He stressed that an existing injunction remains in force and continues to prohibit the disclosure of other types of information, including data related to immigrants who are legally present in the United States.

“Beyond the basic information discussed above, the policies are totally unclear and do not appear to be the product of a coherent decision making process,” Chhabria wrote in his opinion.

The case stems from a lawsuit filed in July by 20 states, led by California, seeking to prevent the Department of Health and Human Services from sharing Medicaid-related information with immigration enforcement agencies. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office participated in the legal challenge, said the states were disappointed by the ruling that permits limited data sharing to go forward.

Federal officials supporting the policy welcomed the court’s decision. Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the ruling represents a win for the rule of law and for taxpayers.

The decision is being viewed as a partial victory for the administration’s broader push to expand coordination and information sharing among federal agencies involved in immigration enforcement.

Under federal law, illegal aliens are generally ineligible for full Medicaid benefits, though some may receive Emergency Medicaid coverage for life-saving treatment. Separately, a number of states, including California, provide state-funded health benefits to residents regardless of immigration status.

The Medicaid dispute is one of several recent legal battles over federal data sharing tied to immigration enforcement. In September, a federal judge in California temporarily blocked the Department of Agriculture from collecting information on recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Two months later, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., prohibited the Internal Revenue Service from providing tax return data to ICE.

Chhabria has not yet issued a final ruling in the Medicaid case. A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 2 to address unresolved questions surrounding the administration’s data-sharing policies.

{Matzav.com}

A freed Israeli hostage has revealed chilling new details about his captivity in Gaza, saying his Hamas captors filmed a staged propaganda video in which they made it appear that he and another hostage were attempting to kill themselves. “They drew blood from our hands and beat us so that we would be injured, to […]

Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog has publicly broken with Israel’s governing coalition over its plan to establish a politically appointed commission of inquiry into the failures that led to the October 7 massacre, warning that such a body would erode public trust and fail to deliver real accountability. “The terrible disaster of October 7, and the […]

President Donald Trump publicly warned this week that Hamas faces dire consequences if it fails to lay down its arms, declaring, “If they don’t disarm, it will be horrible for them — really, really bad.” He framed the demand as part of a wider regional strategy aimed at restoring stability in the Middle East, pointing to prior American actions against Iran and terror groups as steps building momentum toward peace.

Behind the scenes, Israeli and American officials have reportedly agreed on a far more specific timetable. According to a report published today by Yisroel Hayom, Israel and Washington have settled on a two-month deadline for Hamas to completely disarm.

Trump had earlier addressed the issue alongside Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Monday, telling reporters that Hamas would be given only “a very short period of time to disarm,” though he did not specify an exact timeframe at the time.

The reported understanding was reached later that night during a meeting between Netanyahu and Trump at the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, according to the newspaper.

As part of the framework, US and Israeli officials are said to be working jointly to define precise criteria that would constitute full and verifiable disarmament by Hamas. The concern, according to the report, is that the terror group could attempt to turn over a limited cache of weapons while secretly preserving most of its military strength.

Both governments have reportedly agreed that such a scenario would be unacceptable. The plan demands the total dismantling of Hamas’ weapons reserves and military infrastructure, rather than any partial or symbolic compliance.

The proposed arrangement also calls for the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, including the destruction of Hamas’ vast underground tunnel system, which Israel says has been used to carry out attacks, transport arms, and provide protection for terrorists.

Israeli officials reportedly believe Hamas is unlikely to accept the ultimatum. If the group refuses to disarm within the two-month window, the report states that control over the next steps would revert to Israel and the Israel Defense Forces.

{Matzav.com}

Tourists celebrating the new year in Hawaii could become the first to be taxed for climate change. In Utah, people who party too heartily — and get caught driving drunk — could be among the first to have their driver’s licenses striped red with the label: “No Alcohol Sale.” And motorists in Georgia could become […]

During their talks in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu delivered an updated security briefing to President Donald Trump, warning against any scenario that would permit Turkey to gain a foothold inside the Gaza Strip. According to a source familiar with the discussion, Netanyahu stressed to the president that Israel “will not be able to stand a Turkish presence on the ground in Gaza.”

Those concerns were sharpened by unease in Israel that the American president might be open to Ankara expanding its role in Gaza, particularly in light of Trump’s public comments indicating he has not ruled out approving the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.

At the heart of Netanyahu’s presentation was a detailed intelligence assessment indicating that Hamas remains heavily armed. The prime minister cited findings showing that the terror group is still holding roughly 60,000 Kalashnikov rifles inside Gaza.

Israeli media reported that the intelligence estimate was compiled ahead of the trip by the IDF’s intelligence branch together with the Shin Bet. The data, Netanyahu made clear, was meant to underscore Israel’s position that any future plans hinge on removing those weapons. “Without collecting these weapons, it is impossible to move on to the next stages,” was the central message conveyed to the Americans.

Channel 13 correspondent Moriah Asraf reported that Netanyahu framed the issue in unequivocal terms for the US administration, insisting that without a comprehensive effort to gather and dismantle Hamas’ arms stockpiles, there can be no discussion of civilian reconstruction or rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip.

{Matzav.com}

Federal and state investigators have renewed scrutiny of Minnesota’s child care system after previously unseen surveillance videos resurfaced, depicting conduct that authorities say illustrates how fraudulent day care operations allegedly exploited public funds.

The footage, recorded in 2015 but not made public until 2018, was obtained by Fox 9 and shows parents briefly bringing children into day care facilities, signing them in, and then leaving with the children almost immediately. Investigators said the sign-ins were used so providers could bill the state for full days of care that were never actually provided.

In some instances, the report said, no families appeared at all on certain days, yet the centers still submitted claims to the government for reimbursement.

Additional video obtained by Fox 9 appeared to show kickbacks tied to the alleged scheme. One clip shows a man handing an envelope to a parent, which investigators said was payment for participating in the fraudulent arrangement.

The videos resurfaced following public backlash over a viral exposé by independent journalist Nick Shirley, who documented multiple Minnesota child care centers that had received millions of dollars in state funding despite appearing inactive.

US Education Secretary Linda McMahon reacted sharply to the allegations, calling the situation a “breathtaking failure.”

Minnesota officials began addressing suspected child care fraud as early as 2014. By 2018, authorities were investigating dozens of businesses believed to have improperly collected millions of dollars in public money for services that were never delivered.

The controversy has also placed Gov. Tim Walz under criticism over other alleged abuses involving Medicaid-funded programs, including housing initiatives intended to help seniors and people with disabilities relocate into appropriate housing.

Law enforcement officials have said many of the alleged schemes are connected to Minnesota’s migrant Somali community, a characterization that has fueled both political and community tensions.

At the federal level, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau has sent investigators and resources to Minnesota as part of a broader effort to combat fraud targeting government assistance programs. He said the child care cases were “just the tip of a very large iceberg” and warned that Somali individuals convicted of fraud could face deportation.

{Matzav.com}

Four people were injured and around 100 others evacuated by helicopter after a cable car collided with its upper and lower stations near Macugnaga on Tuesday. Three passengers and the operator on the ground were hurt, while others received medical attention. Ski slopes were closed, and the service was halted. Filippo Besozzi, managing director of […]

Russia’s nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system has entered active service in Belarus, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday, as the U.S. efforts to broker a deal to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine have entered a pivotal stage. The ministry released a video showing combat vehicles that are part of the mobile intermediate range ballistic missile […]

Meta said it would acquire Chinese-founded artificial intelligence startup Manus, as the technology giant accelerates efforts to integrate advanced AI across its platforms.

A Minneapolis day care known as the Quality “Learing” Center drew sudden attention Monday when children were seen entering and leaving the building, a scene neighbors say they rarely, if ever, witness. The activity followed the release of a viral video that questioned whether the facility was operating at all and suggested it might be tied to broader fraud involving state-funded programs.

One nearby resident told The NY Post that the presence of children earlier in the week stood out sharply from what they usually observe at the site. The neighbor described the bustle as “highly unusual.”

“We’ve never seen kids go in there until today. That parking lot is empty all the time, and I was under the impression that place is permanently closed,” the resident said.

When reporters monitored the location Monday, they observed a busy parking lot and roughly 20 children moving in and out of the building. That activity contrasted with footage posted online by YouTuber Nick Shirley, which depicted what appeared to be an unused facility with no children present.

In his video, Shirley questioned the lack of activity during his visit. “You do realize there’s supposed to be 99 children here in this building, and there’s no one here?” he asked a person who answered the door. At the time the video was recorded, no children could be seen inside. The center lists its operating hours as Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Ibrahim Ali, who identified himself as the manager and said he is the owner’s son, told The Post that Shirley arrived before the center opened for the day.

“Do you go to a coffee shop at 11 p.m. and say, ‘Hey, they’re not working’?” Ali said.

Ali also addressed the widely mocked misspelling on the center’s exterior sign, placing blame on a graphic designer. “What I understand is [the owners] dealt with a graphic designer. He did it incorrectly. I guess they didn’t think it was a big issue,” said Ali, 26, who said he assists with homework and paperwork at the facility.

“That’s gonna be fixed,” he added.

It was not immediately known how long the misspelled sign has been displayed. Ali said there were about 16 children inside the center Monday afternoon.

Shirley’s video surfaced amid a sweeping scandal involving Minnesota’s taxpayer-funded social services system, including child care programs. Authorities are probing what has been described as an alleged scheme that could total up to $9 billion, with accusations that some businesses falsely claimed to provide services in order to collect government funds.

Despite the heightened scrutiny, Quality Learning has not been publicly identified by federal authorities as one of the businesses suspected in the ongoing investigation.

At 2 p.m. Monday, a woman who opened the center disputed Shirley’s claims and rejected accusations of wrongdoing. “We don’t have fraud. That’s a lie,” she said, before adding, “I don’t want to talk to you. I want to talk to my lawyer.”

Outside the building, another employee began recording a Post reporter on his phone while objecting to the questions being asked. “Don’t … come to this area. Get the …. out of here,” he said angrily.

Elsewhere in Minneapolis, ICE agents visited ABC Learning Center on Monday morning, part of the broader inquiry into the alleged misuse of public funds. The investigation has been reported to focus largely on members of the state’s Somali immigrant community.

“They wanted two months of attendance [records], we gave them two months of attendance,” said Ahmed Hasan, director of ABC Learning Center. He said agents told him they intended to verify whether everything was in order.

Hasan said Shirley’s visit to his facility was also unsettling. “That time ICE was coming for the Somali community. We were scared to open the door,” he said.

“They come with eight people. Five of them had masks. We thought they were ICE.”

Hasan criticized what he described as an unfair focus on Somali-owned day cares, calling it “a targeted situation,” and said the allegations facing his center and others in Minneapolis amounted to “a political game.”

{Matzav.com}

A California judge is giving the Trump administration the green light to share Medicaid participant information with ICE.

A 21-year-old Texas ISIS sympathizer has been federally charged with an international terrorism offense after providing bomb components and money to individuals he believed were acting on behalf of a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the DOJ.