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The widening federal fraud scandal tied to a taxpayer-funded meal program is casting a long shadow over Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s future prospects, with allies beginning to question whether he can survive another gubernatorial run—let alone pursue higher office. According to a report from The Hill, the fallout from the scheme, which siphoned away staggering sums intended to feed children during the COVID-19 shutdowns, is reshaping political calculations across the state.

The controversy centers around elaborate theft operations involving members of Minnesota’s sizable Somali community, where federal investigators say participants stole huge amounts of money from pandemic-era nutrition initiatives. More than 50 people have already been convicted, and prosecutors have suggested that the overall haul—across several schemes—may total as much as $1 billion. The scope of the scandal gained national visibility after The New York Times highlighted it on November 29.

The political ramifications are mounting quickly. Longtime associates of Walz are reportedly wondering whether he should abandon the idea of seeking a third term, with several of them telling The Hill that the governor’s vulnerability is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

One of the most striking assessments came from Ember Reichgott Junge, a former Democratic state senator and a well-known political commentator in Minnesota, who told the outlet, “The governor, I think, has done a very respectable job, a good job, in Minnesota for the years that he’s been here. But he clearly is vulnerable and in my view, he is riskier than any Democratic candidate that might run.” She emphasized that the fraud “happened on his watch” and added that Walz “can’t erase that.” Though she acknowledged that he has ordered audits and corrective measures, she warned that those probes will “probably uncover more.”

Reichgott Junge noted that the scandal dominates local news cycles, appearing “nearly every other day,” and predicted it will “continue to surface through the next year.”

Compounding the pressure, Small Business Administration Secretary Kelly Loeffler wrote on X that her agency has found evidence of fraud as well, accusing Walz of using his “best efforts to obstruct” inquiries.

Another veteran Walz ally, speaking anonymously, told The Hill that the damage may stretch far beyond the governor’s local prospects, potentially crushing any national ambitions. The source explained, “The challenges are that Minnesota has a very low tolerance for fraud, waste and abuse. It’s a very low threshold, and that’s one of the reasons the state has worked so well for so long. It’s clearly a real vulnerability.”

Additional reporting from Breitbart News revealed that nearly 500 state employees claim Walz repeatedly dismissed their warnings about widespread fraud carried out by Somalis in state-funded aid programs. Some even allege that whistleblowers were punished by Walz’s political allies for sounding the alarm.

Walz, now 61, first burst into national relevance roughly a year and a half ago when then–Vice President Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate, sparking high hopes among Democrats. But one senior party strategist offered a blunt retrospective, telling The Hill, “I think we all had high hopes for him, but I don’t think he was a very effective running mate at the end of the day. It never seemed like he was comfortable in the role beyond his rollout.”

{Matzav.com}

Hamas hinted Sunday that it may be willing to place its weapons under long-term storage or suspension as part of its ceasefire arrangement with Israel—an unprecedented suggestion from a senior figure in the organization and one that touches the core dispute in the US-brokered truce process.

The remarks came from Bassem Naim, a senior member of Hamas’s political bureau, as both sides prepare to move from the initial stage of President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza framework into the far more complicated second phase. Speaking in Doha, where much of the group’s leadership is based, Naim said, “We are open to have a comprehensive approach in order to avoid further escalations or in order to avoid any further clashes or explosions.”

The ongoing ceasefire began on October 10, halting two years of combat that followed the Hamas rampage in southern Israel on October 7, 2023—a massacre in which roughly 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were kidnapped. When asked whether that invasion had been a strategic error, Naim rejected the premise, calling it an “act of defense.” Hamas leaders have openly pledged to carry out additional attacks modeled on October 7 as part of their stated aim of destroying Israel.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas was obligated to return every hostage — living or deceased — in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel. With only the remains of Israeli policeman Ran Gvili still in Gaza after his murder on October 7, the parties are now shifting toward the next stage of the agreement.

The upcoming phase outlines the political and security blueprint meant to reshape Gaza after years of conflict. It envisions a multinational force to stabilize the region, the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian administrative committee, an incremental withdrawal of Israeli troops, and ultimately the disarmament of Hamas. Oversight of the plan — including Gaza’s reconstruction — is to be handled by an international board led by President Donald Trump.

Israel has insisted that Hamas surrender its arsenal entirely, a demand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is prepared to enforce “the hard way” if the group resists. In response, Naim asserted that Hamas still claims a “right to resist,” yet he maintained that the movement would consider relinquishing its weapons as part of a wider process that leads to the creation of a Palestinian state.

He offered only a sketch of how such a mechanism might function but suggested that the talks could take place over an extended calm lasting five or 10 years. Naim emphasized, “This time has to be used seriously and in a comprehensive way,” describing Hamas as “very open-minded” regarding the future of its arsenal.

He even outlined specific options under discussion, saying, “We can talk about freezing or storing or laying down, with the Palestinian guarantees, not to use it at all during this ceasefire time or truce.” Whether this formulation satisfies Israel’s demand for total disarmament remains unclear.

The components of this stage were included in Trump’s 20-point proposal unveiled in October alongside several “guarantor” nations. Though it was later approved by the UN Security Council, major questions remain unanswered, and the plan will require intricate diplomacy involving the US and partners such as Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. As Naim acknowledged, “The plan is in need of a lot of clarifications.”

One urgent issue is the composition and mandate of the planned International Stabilization Force. Countries including Indonesia have expressed willingness to contribute troops, yet its leadership structure, mission parameters, and geographic authority are still undefined. US officials have indicated they expect “boots on the ground” early next year.

A central question is whether this force would play any role in disarmament. Naim made Hamas’s position clear, stating that such an approach would be rejected. Instead, he said the force should limit itself to monitoring the truce, explaining, “We are welcoming a UN force to be near the borders, supervising the ceasefire agreement, reporting about violations, preventing any kind of escalations.” But he added emphatically, “We don’t accept that these forces have any kind of mandates authorizing them to do or to be implemented inside the Palestinian territories.”

Despite the many unresolved issues, Naim said that Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have made progress on forming the technocratic panel that will oversee Gaza’s day-to-day governance. According to him, the sides have agreed on a West Bank–based Palestinian cabinet minister originally from Gaza to lead the body. He withheld the individual’s name, though Hamas officials — speaking anonymously — identified the figure as Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan.

{Matzav.com}

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupts violently, shooting lava 1,000 feet high and sending smoke towering over 20,000 feet.

Sec. Scott Bessent on the massive Somali fraud scandal in Minnesota: “When you come to this country, you gotta learn which side of the road to drive on, you gotta learn to stop at the stop signs, and you gotta learn not to defraud the American people.”

Police have arrested “tax the rich” protesters who threw apple crumble and yellow custard on the Crown Jewels display at the Tower of London.

Clashes have erupted between Thai and Cambodian forces along the disputed border. Thailand claims Cambodia shelled Thai positions, igniting the current clashes.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, speaking tonight at Yeshiva University’s Chanukah Dinner in New York City, criticized Mayor-elect Mamdani, saying he “makes no effort to conceal his contempt for the Jewish, democratic state of Israel, the only nation state of the Jewish people.”

TRUMP: “I have to say that I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelensky hasn’t yet read the [peace] proposal.”

The mobile phone belonging to captivity survivor Bar Kupershtein made its way back to him on Sunday evening, more than half a day after it vanished when his vehicle was burglarized during the night. The break-in, which happened while he slept, left a shattered window and a missing device—but not a broken spirit.

A friend managed to track down the phone’s location after Kupershtein shared its live coordinates through an app. Kupershtein later posed with the recovered device and wrote joyfully, “He actually found my phone, what a champ! Thank you so much.”

Earlier that morning, he had told his followers about discovering the scene of the break-in, recalling his reaction upon stepping outside. “I woke up this morning, went to the car, and saw it had been broken into. They smashed the window and stole the phone. And you know what? It’s all fine,” he said.

Instead of dwelling on the theft, Kupershtein chose to frame the experience with perspective born from his time in captivity. He explained why he refused to feel bitter, remarking, “We need to look at the glass half full. I’m grateful that what I have to deal with is going to the police station to file a complaint, and not being stuck in tunnels wondering what I’ll eat now, or if they’ll even give me food. Thank you that this is what I need to deal with. It’s not fun, but it’s more interesting. Thank you to the Lord.”

As the day went on, Kupershtein shared that the phone’s signal had been traced to Petach Tikva. Hopeful and slightly amused, he declared his intention to follow the trail, signing off with a wry message to the culprit: “I’m coming for you, thief.”

{Matzav.com}

Marjorie Taylor Greene responds to 60 Minutes’ Lesley Stahl, explaining why she voted against the Antisemitism Awareness Act in Congress.

LESLEY STAHL: You contributed to the toxic culture. You were out there pounding, insulting people MTG: You’ve contributed to it as well…

Sky News’ Security and Defence Editor Deborah Haynes reports on an underground military base in eastern Ukraine, which she was given rare access to.

Iran and Hezbollah, once the anchors of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, abruptly withdrew from Syria just before Assad’s downfall, according to a newly published AFP account. Their hasty departure unfolded as Islamist-led rebels surged into Damascus last December, leaving Syria’s longtime ruler without the foreign backing he had relied on for more than a decade.

For years, Iran had poured personnel and resources into propping up Assad—deploying Revolutionary Guards, stationing Hezbollah fighters, and bringing in allied militias from Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet the moment rebel forces tightened their encirclement of the capital, that relationship collapsed with stunning speed, the report says, leaving Syrian forces stunned at how quickly Tehran disengaged.

Syrian military personnel described the shock that rippled through Damascus’s Mazzeh district on December 5, when Iranian commander Hajj Abu Ibrahim suddenly informed about twenty Syrian officers, “From today, there will be no more Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Syria. We’re leaving.” He added a second blunt declaration: “It’s all over. From today, we are no longer responsible for you.”

Within hours, units were ordered to burn classified papers and wipe computer systems. Iranian-aligned soldiers received a month of pay and were dismissed outright. Two days later, Assad himself fled to Russia, and Damascus fell with virtually no resistance, the report recounts.

Diplomatic staff vanished as quickly as the fighters. AFP reports that Iran’s consulate had emptied out by the evening of December 5, with diplomats slipping across the Lebanese border. Syrian workers described long lines—up to eight hours—at the Jdeidet Yabus crossing as Iran’s personnel scrambled to get out. Employees were told not to report to work and were handed three months’ salary before operations at the embassy, consulate, and related security facilities ceased entirely on December 6.

Iran had previously built a widespread military footprint across Syria, including entrenched positions in the Damascus suburbs, near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, at the airport, along border zones with Lebanon and Iraq, and throughout Aleppo. But once Aleppo fell, Colonel Mohammad Dibo—now in Syria’s reconstituted army—summed up the turning point tersely: “Iran stopped fighting.”

What followed was a chaotic evacuation. A former Syrian officer recounted that senior Iranian commander Hajj Jawad and others were rushed to Russia’s Hmeimim airbase and flown directly to Tehran. Dibo said that roughly 4,000 Iranian personnel were moved out through the same base, while additional groups escaped through Iraq and Lebanon. In the confusion, Iranian officers even left behind passports, identification documents, and other personal materials as they fled.

{Matzav.com}

Two Afghan men arrested in separate terror-related incidents just days apart — including the suspect accused of killing a National Guard member near the White House — served at the same elite counterterrorism base in Kandahar, the New York Post reported. The revelation comes as a third Afghan evacuee was arrested last week in a […]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the notion that he would retire from political life in exchange for a pardon in his ongoing corruption trial, telling reporters he has no intention of bargaining away his future — or his office. At a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Netanyahu was asked whether he […]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire is nearly complete, setting the stage for what he warned will be a more difficult second phase — and ultimately a sweeping plan to “deradicalize Gaza.” Speaking alongside visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at a joint press conference in Jerusalem, […]

In a new video released Sunday, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani positioned himself as a defender of New York’s millions of immigrants, offering guidance on how those in the country illegally can respond during encounters with federal immigration officers. His message came on the heels of an ICE operation in Chinatown last weekend that was halted by demonstrators.

Mamdani opened his remarks by invoking the tense scenes from Canal Street, declaring, “Last weekend, ICE attempted to raid Canal Street and detain our immigrant neighbors,” before adding, “As mayor, I’ll protect the rights of every single New Yorker. And that includes the more than 3 million immigrants who call this city their home.”

Standing beside a flip chart reading “Know your rights,” Mamdani urged viewers to push back when confronted by immigration agents. “But we can all stand up to ICE if you know your rights,” he said, stressing that ICE’s authority does not grant them automatic entry into homes, schools, or private work areas. “ICE cannot enter into private spaces like your home, school, or private area of your workplace without a judicial warrant signed by a judge,” he stated, displaying an example of such a warrant.

He continued outlining what immigrants should and should not do, noting, “You have the right to say, ‘I do not consent to entry,’ and the right to keep your door closed.” Mamdani then showed an example of other paperwork ICE officers sometimes present, emphasizing that it is not the same as a judicial warrant.

WATCH:

He also warned that ICE officers may mislead individuals, saying, “ICE is legally allowed to lie to you. But you have the right to remain silent. If you are being detained, you may always ask, ‘Am I free to go?’ repeatedly until they answer you.” He reminded viewers that recording officers is permissible so long as it does not obstruct an arrest: “You are legally allowed to film ICE, as long as you do not interfere with an arrest.”

Mamdani closed with a broader pledge regarding civic activism: “New Yorkers have a constitutional right to protest, and when I’m mayor, we will protect that right.”

The video immediately set off sharp criticism from conservatives, many of whom predict escalating friction between the incoming city administration and President Trump’s White House over immigration enforcement. Commentator Carmine Sabia challenged Mamdani’s message, asking, “Then you ignore laws that you do not like? We should not bother to have borders or immigration laws?” Others accused the mayor-elect of overstepping, with one user writing, “Aiding abetting and advising criminals,” while another insisted, “This man is the best gift Democrats have ever handed to GOP.”

The uproar comes just weeks after Mamdani’s unusually warm meeting with President Trump in Washington—an encounter that now appears unlikely to set the tone for their future dealings.

The controversy also follows a chaotic scene in Lower Manhattan, where nearly 200 demonstrators blocked ICE agents from leaving a parking garage during last weekend’s operation. It marked the second major raid in the area in a month and a half, following the arrest of nine illegal immigrants during similar enforcement actions in October.

{Matzav.com}

Qatar’s prime minister delivered a blunt message to the international community Sunday: Doha will not bankroll the reconstruction of Gaza, shattering widespread assumptions that the gas-rich emirate would serve as the primary financier of postwar rebuilding. “We are not the ones who are going to write the check to rebuild what others destroyed,” Prime Minister […]

New York Governor Kathy Hochul distanced herself from incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s escalating anti-Israel positions, insisting that Mamdani has no legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite repeatedly vowing to do so. Asked about Mamdani’s pledge, Hochul was unequivocal. “I disagree,” she said, according to Politico. “The New York […]

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