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🚨 Convicted Feeding Our Future Leader: Ilhan Omar Knew of Minnesota Meal Fraud Scheme
Aimee Bock, founder of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future and convicted in March 2025 on charges including conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud in a roughly $250 million scheme to defraud federal child nutrition funds, told the New York Post in a jailhouse interview that she struggles to believe Representative Ilhan Omar did not know about the fraud. Bock, who awaits sentencing, has denied knowingly participating in criminal activity and claims she tried to warn officials while her group reviewed paperwork. The scheme involved inflated or fake reimbursement claims for meals never served to low-income children during the pandemic, drawing attention to Minnesota’s Somali community, where many participants were charged. Omar sponsored the 2020 MEALS Act, which expanded waivers that loosened oversight of school meal programs and helped enable conditions for the fraud. Court exhibits from Bock’s trial mentioned Omar’s office at least six times in connection with waiver assistance.
Politics & Government
✅ California Republicans Post Strong Early Turnout Gains Ahead of June Primary
California Republicans returned ballots at a notably higher rate than in recent cycles as the state’s June 2 gubernatorial primary approaches. As of mid-May 2026, 905,889 ballots had been returned statewide. Republicans made up 37 percent of those returns, an 11-point increase from the same point in the 2022 cycle. Democrats accounted for 41 percent, down 13 points from four years earlier, while independents and others comprised 22 percent. The figures show Republicans outperforming their roughly 25 percent share of registered voters in several counties. Older voters, especially those 65 and older, drove much of the early activity at 54 percent of returns. Analysts noted Republicans appear to have resumed earlier mail-ballot habits, while some Democrats delayed returns amid a crowded field to avoid wasting votes in the top-two primary system.
❌ Trump-Backed Challengers Oust Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy in Primary
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana finished third in the state’s closed GOP Senate primary on May 16, 2026, and failed to advance to the June 27 runoff. Rep. Julia Letlow, whom President Trump endorsed, took first place with about 44.9 percent of the vote, while state Treasurer John Fleming placed second with roughly 28.4 percent. Cassidy received around 24.6 percent. Cassidy, first elected to the Senate in 2015, drew strong opposition for his 2021 vote to convict Trump following the Jan. 6 Capitol events. Trump publicly criticized Cassidy as disloyal and celebrated the outcome on Truth Social, stating that Cassidy’s political career was over. Letlow and Fleming will now compete for the Republican nomination in a solidly red state where the winner is heavily favored in November. Cassidy conceded the race and thanked voters without claiming irregularities.
🏷️ EPA Proposes Delay of Biden-Era Vehicle Emission Standards to Cut Costs for Buyers
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed delaying compliance deadlines for stricter Biden-era tailpipe emission standards on light-duty and medium-duty vehicles by two years. The rules, originally set for model year 2027, would now start in 2029. Agency officials cited slow electric vehicle adoption and billions in losses by automakers forced to invest heavily in compliance technology. The move is projected to save the industry about $1.7 billion and lower average new vehicle prices by more than $2,400 while preserving consumer choice between gas, hybrid, and electric options.
🛑 Senate Stalls on Permitting Reform as Midterms Loom
Permitting reform remains stalled in the Senate despite broad agreement that changes are needed to speed federal approvals for energy and infrastructure projects such as pipelines, transmission lines, highways, and housing. The House passed the bipartisan SPEED Act in December 2025 to reform the National Environmental Policy Act and shorten timelines for legal challenges, yet Senate negotiations have dragged on for months. Democrats have hesitated due to concerns over how the administration would apply reforms across energy types, particularly after actions affecting offshore wind projects, while Republicans push for technology-neutral provisions and limits on litigation. Securing 60 Senate votes requires White House assurances on solar and wind permits alongside fine-tuning on transmission and judicial review. Any Senate deal must also clear the House, where some conservatives worry it could favor renewables, and time is short before the August recess and midterm elections.
📹 Dem Michigan Candidate Faces Backlash Over TikTok Twerking Videos
A Democratic congressional candidate in Michigan drew sharp online criticism after her campaign TikTok videos featuring twerking, lip-syncing, and explicit poses surfaced and spread rapidly. Shelby Campbell, a 32-year-old single mother running in the primary for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District against incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar, posted clips of herself dancing on counters, squatting provocatively in front of “P—y Power” banners, and responding crudely to critics while identifying as a working-class UAW member and law student with a past that includes jail time.
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The American Fifth Column
🫏 House Democrats Largely Reject Measure Backing Police During National Police Week
House Democrats voted 173-29 against a Republican-led resolution honoring law enforcement officers during National Police Week. Every Republican present supported the measure, which passed 243-173 on May 13, 2026. The non-binding resolution, introduced by Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa, reaffirmed support for officers, highlighted their sacrifices, and criticized policies such as defund the police efforts and sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal authorities. It passed amid FBI data showing assaults on officers reached a 10-year high in 2024. Supporters noted the vote exposed divisions on law and order issues.
💀 Wikipedia Editors Scrub Democrat Candidate’s Documented Ties to Blind Sheikh
Wikipedia editors worked to remove mentions of Democratic congressional candidate Adam Hamawy’s years-long friendship with convicted terrorist Omar Abdel-Rahman, known as the Blind Sheikh. Hamawy, a plastic surgeon and frontrunner in New Jersey’s 12th District primary, met Abdel-Rahman in 1991, stayed in contact until the sheikh’s 1993 arrest, traveled with him to a conference featuring extremist rhetoric, and served as a defense witness at his 1995 trial. He testified about not hearing calls for assassination and has called the sheikh a community leader without denouncing him. An editor added factual details from court records and news reports to Hamawy’s Wikipedia page on May 11, 2026, but another removed them hours later, citing concerns over guilt by association.
⚠️ Illinois Mother Sues School District Over Alleged Secret Gender Transition of Child
An Illinois mother identified as S.K. filed a federal lawsuit against Community Unit School District 300 in Algonquin and Superintendent Dr. Martina Smith. The suit claims district officials began using alternate names and pronouns for her child T.K. in classes starting in 2022 without informing her. School staff allegedly continued the social transition after the child’s 2023 hospitalization for suicidal ideation, even developing a formal “gender support” plan during a reintegration meeting while the mother was briefly out of the room. The district delayed a planned meeting at her request due to the child’s mental health, but proceeded with the transition anyway. The mother states she repeatedly withheld consent, sought information, and later received the plan only after filing a FERPA complaint in 2025. The lawsuit seeks class-action status, damages, and an injunction requiring parental notice and consent for such interventions.
Detransitioner Urges North Carolina Lawmakers For Tougher Safeguards Against Child Gender Transitions
Prisha Mosley, a detransitioner who underwent medical transition procedures as a teenager, spoke at the North Carolina legislative building on May 15, 2026. She called for expanded legislation beyond existing bans on gender transition procedures for minors. Mosley pushed for clearer legal definitions to counter what she described as indoctrination through social transition and grooming in schools. She advocated for parents to have rights to sue institutions conducting secret gender transitions. North Carolina already enacted House Bill 808, prohibiting such procedures on minors, and House Bill 805, affirming two biological sexes while extending statutes of limitations for related malpractice claims. Mosley continues collaborating with state leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mike Lee and House Speaker Destin Hall, to strengthen protections for children and families.
🚉 LIRR Strike Grinds North America’s Busiest Commuter Rail to a Halt Ahead of Monday Rush
The Long Island Rail Road ceased operations just after midnight on Saturday, May 16, 2026, after five unions representing about half its workforce walked off the job in the system’s first strike since 1994. North America’s largest commuter rail network, which normally carries roughly 250,000 to 300,000 riders on weekdays from Long Island suburbs to New York City, remained shut down for a second day on Sunday with no new negotiations scheduled. The dispute centers on wages for the contract’s fourth year, with unions seeking around a 5 percent raise to address inflation and living costs, while the Metropolitan Transportation Authority offered 3 percent and accused the unions of planning the walkout all along. Governor Kathy Hochul urged commuters to work from home and called for resumed talks. Limited shuttle buses were deployed but fell far short of normal capacity, and both sides traded blame as the shutdown threatens major weekday disruptions on already congested roads.
International
🏝️ Cuba’s Fuel Collapse Sparks Riots as Regime Rejects U.S. Aid Offer Amid Drone Threat Concerns
Cuba has plunged deeper into chaos with widespread fuel shortages triggering blackouts lasting up to 22 hours daily and prompting street protests where residents blocked roads and chanted for electricity. The island’s energy minister confirmed the country exhausted its diesel and fuel oil reserves in early May despite a Russian shipment earlier, with hot weather boosting demand and limited domestic gas production offering little relief. Officials blamed external pressures, including a U.S. fuel blockade after actions against Venezuelan supplies, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted the communist government turned down a $100 million American aid package that would have included satellite internet distributed through independent groups like the Catholic Church. CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Havana to press for reforms and warn against hostilities as intelligence indicated Cuba had acquired over 300 military drones and floated ideas of using them against Guantanamo Bay, U.S. vessels, or Key West, with Iranian advisers reportedly present. Cuban leaders denied supporting attacks on the U.S. and called for an end to sanctions instead of accepting conditions for aid.
💥 UAE Air Defenses Intercept Drones After One Strikes Near Barakah Nuclear Plant
The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence reported that three drones entered the country from its western border on May 17, 2026. Air defense systems engaged all three, successfully intercepting two of them. The third drone struck an electricity generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra region, sparking a fire. Officials confirmed no injuries occurred, radiation levels stayed normal, and plant operations continued without interruption using emergency generators where needed. Investigations continue to identify the source of the drones.
🧧 China Claims Preliminary Trade Deal With US After Trump’s Beijing Summit
China announced a preliminary trade agreement with the United States that includes reciprocal tariff reductions on certain goods, establishment of new trade and investment councils, and progress on agricultural market access and aviation purchases. The statement from Beijing’s commerce ministry followed President Trump’s meetings with Xi Jinping, though Trump had said tariffs were not directly discussed. Details on specific products and cut depths remain limited. The move addresses some non-tariff barriers for farm goods like Chinese dairy and seafood as well as US beef and poultry, while confirming aircraft and engine deals.
📢 British Patriots Turn Out in Force for Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom Rally in London
Hundreds of thousands of British patriots gathered in central London on May 16, 2026, for Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom march. The event started at King’s Cross and proceeded peacefully to Parliament Square near Westminster Abbey. Organizers and attendees waved British, English, and other flags while chanting against Prime Minister Keir Starmer and voicing concerns over immigration and cultural changes. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, urged the crowd to engage in politics and prepare for future battles at the ballot box. Speakers included Glenn Beck and others; some foreign figures faced entry bans beforehand. Police estimated around 60,000 attendees and reported the demonstration largely without major incidents amid a large operation that also covered a rival pro-Palestinian march and an FA Cup final.
🦠 WHO Declares International Emergency Over Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa
The World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo Ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. Health officials reported eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases, and around 80 suspected deaths in Congo’s Ituri Province as of May 16, 2026. The virus has reached urban centers, including Bunia, and spread via travelers to Kampala, Uganda. No approved vaccines or treatments exist for this strain, unlike the more common Zaire variant. Officials noted significant uncertainties about the true scale of infections and geographic spread, with data pointing to a potentially larger undetected outbreak. The WHO is deploying supplies and expertise while Congo draws on experience from prior Ebola responses.