đ¨ New York Officials Expose Over $70 Million in Medicaid Home Health Care Fraud
Federal and state authorities have uncovered significant Medicaid fraud in New York involving home health care and related services, with recent developments including guilty pleas in a scheme that defrauded the program of approximately $68 million through kickbacks for services not provided at Brooklyn-based social adult day cares and a home health care fiscal intermediary. Recruiters referred Medicaid recipients to these entities in exchange for illegal payments, leading to billings for unrendered care from October 2017 to July 2024, with proceeds laundered through multiple businesses. Additionally, a separate case involved a transportation company owner convicted of stealing over $1 million by submitting false claims for non-existent patient transports, contributing to a total exceeding $70 million in exposed fraudulent activity. These cases highlight ongoing efforts to address abuse in Medicaid-funded home care programs, which serve vulnerable populations but have faced scrutiny for lax oversight and exploitation.
Sources: US Dept of Justice, US Dept of Health & Human Services
đMinneapolis PD Struggles with Staffing Shortages as Officers Seek Paid Leave Amid Ongoing Unrest
The Minneapolis Police Department, already operating with approximately 600 officersâdown significantly from pre-2020 levels of nearly 900âfaces further strain as 60 to 100 officers have reportedly applied or plan to apply for Minnesotaâs new Paid Family and Medical Leave program, which took effect January 1, 2026, and provides up to 12 weeks of medical or family leave (or 20 weeks combined) at 55-90% of wages. This development coincides with low morale acknowledged by the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, citing dangerously low staffing, stress, burnout, and hostility fueled by political rhetoric, all amid recent unrest including anti-ICE protests and riots following a fatal shooting involving a federal immigration agent.
Sources: Alpha News, ZeroHedge
đłď¸ Virginia Democrats Pass Constitutional Amendment to Permit Mid-Decade Redistricting, Referendum Next
Virginia Democrats in the General Assembly have completed passage of a proposed constitutional amendment that would temporarily grant the legislatureânow under Democratic controlâthe power to redraw congressional districts outside the standard ten-year cycle through 2030, sidestepping the independent bipartisan redistricting commission created by voters in 2020. The House approved the measure earlier in the week, and the Senate passed it on a strict party-line 21-18 vote on January 16, 2026, sending the question to voters for a likely spring referendum; if ratified, this would allow Democrats, who currently hold six of the stateâs eleven U.S. House seats, to draw new maps that could produce three or four additional districts favoring their party ahead of the 2026 elections. Proponents present the change as a targeted, temporary countermeasure to mid-decade redistricting initiatives underway or proposed in several Republican-controlled states, intended to protect competitive representation in a national environment of partisan map fights. Critics regard it as a direct override of recently enacted voter-approved safeguards against legislative gerrymandering in pursuit of short-term electoral gain.
Sources: FOX News, The Washington Examiner
âď¸ SCOTUS Hears Case on Hawaii Law Requiring Permit for Firearms on Private Property Open to the Public
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on January 20, 2026, in Wolford v. Lopez, a challenge to Hawaiiâs Act 52 (enacted in 2023), which prohibits individuals with concealed carry permits from carrying handguns onto private property open to the publicâsuch as stores, gas stations, restaurants, and hotelsâunless the property owner or manager provides express authorization, either verbally, in writing, or via clear signage. Gun rights advocates argue that this default prohibition effectively nullifies the public carry right affirmed in the 2022 Bruen decision by creating a presumption against carrying in most accessible locations, lacking sufficient historical analogues under the Bruen test that requires consistency with the nationâs tradition of firearm regulation; supporters of the law, including Hawaii officials, maintain that it appropriately balances Second Amendment rights with longstanding private property principles allowing owners to control what enters their premises, framing it as a default rule rather than an outright ban. The case follows lower court rulings, with a federal district court initially blocking enforcement but the Ninth Circuit upholding the provision, and a decision from the Supreme Court is expected by the end of June 2026.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, SCOTUS Blog
đ¸ NYC Landlords Confront Higher Property Assessments Amid Mayor Mamdaniâs Rent Freeze Plans
New York City property owners, particularly those with rent-stabilized buildings, are experiencing increased financial pressure from rising property assessments that lead to higher tax bills for the fiscal year beginning July 2026, even as Mayor Zohran Mamdani advances his campaign pledge for a rent freeze on stabilized units that would prevent landlords from adjusting rents to offset these costs. Recent Department of Finance preliminary rolls show valuation increases of around 6.2% for apartment buildings and co-ops, contributing to elevated tax liabilities without a change in the tax rate itself, while landlords express concerns that frozen rents on regulated apartments could force them to raise charges on market-rate units or risk building maintenance issues and financial strain.
Sources: The Post Millennial, The New York Post
âď¸ DOJ Places Don Lemon on Notice Following Anti-ICE Protest Disruption of Minnesota Church Service
On January 18, 2026, former CNN host Don Lemon embedded with a group of anti-ICE activists who entered Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, during a Sunday worship service, where protesters chanted slogans accusing a pastor of ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and disrupted the proceedings while Lemon livestreamed the event; the Department of Justiceâs Civil Rights Division, led by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, has launched an investigation into potential violations of federal laws including the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Actâwhich protects houses of worship from interferenceâand the Ku Klux Klan Actâs conspiracy provisions against rights, with Dhillon publicly stating that Lemon is âon noticeâ due to his acknowledged foreknowledge of the planned disruption and that journalistic coverage does not shield participation in unlawful acts, as Attorney General Pam Bondi affirmed federal enforcement against intimidation of religious worshippers.
Sources: ZeroHedge, The Daily Wire
â§ď¸ Minnesota Transgender State Representative Leigh Finke Urges Continued Protests Against ICE at Churches
Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke, who is transgender, posted a statement supporting the disruption of a church service by anti-ICE protesters and called for such nonviolent actions to persist until ICE is removed from the state. The protest occurred at Cities Church in St. Paul, where the local ICE office leader serves as pastor, leading to disruptions during services that caused fear among parishioners and children. Finke compared the action to historical protests by groups like Act Up in 1989 at St. Patrickâs Cathedral, describing it as necessary nonviolent resistance amid government inaction on immigration enforcement issues, and linked it to Martin Luther King Jr.âs principles of confronting injustice through collective action.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, FOX News
âď¸ Kansas School Restricts Students from Naming Trump, Kirk, or Jesus as Role Models in Class Assignment
A Kansas public school guidance counselor at Marshall Elementary in Eureka prohibited sixth-grade students from publicly listing President Donald Trump, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, or Jesus Christ as role models during a âFind Your Voiceâ assignment in the âLeader In Meâ program last October, citing bans on political and religious figures to maintain neutrality, while allowing other potentially controversial secular names; the counselor reportedly reacted strongly against Kirk by declaring him ânot a heroâ and ordered his name erased from the board, extended similar restrictions to Trump with increased agitation, and rejected Jesus per parent accounts, after which students were allegedly instructed not to inform parents, prompting a formal civil rights complaint from the American Center for Law and Justice alleging religious discrimination, viewpoint discrimination against conservative perspectives, free speech violations, and retaliation, with some families withdrawing children from the school.
Sources: ZeroHedge, News12 Wichita
âď¸ The Minnesota Nurses Association Urges Members to Join âEconomic Blackoutâ in Protest of ICE Operations
The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) has encouraged its members to participate in a statewide âeconomic blackoutâ on January 23, 2026, as part of the âICE Out of Minnesota: A Day of Truth and Freedom.â This action, which involves refraining from shopping and other economic activities while attending a rally if possible, aims to demonstrate solidarity with immigrant communities, workers, and families affected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the state. The union stresses that it is not calling for any work stoppage or walkout, given nursesâ essential role in patient care and contractual no-strike provisions; members are advised to report to work as scheduled, viewing continued caregiving as an act of solidarity. The broader day of action responds to recent tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement, including incidents that have raised concerns about community fear impacting public health and access to care.
Sources: The Post Millennial, Minnesota Nurses Association
đłď¸âđ Olympia City Council Advances Proposal to Add Protections for Polyamorous and Diverse Family Structures
The Olympia City Council unanimously approved a referral from Council Member Robert Vanderpool to draft an ordinance that would add âfamily or relationship structureâ as a protected category in the cityâs civil rights code, extending anti-discrimination protections to polyamorous families, non-monogamous relationships, and other non-traditional household arrangements such as single-parent, multi-generational, blended, or chosen families. This move, discussed in a January 2026 meeting, aims to address reported stigma and discrimination in areas like housing, employment, and services, drawing on model legislation from groups like the Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy (OPEN) and precedents from cities in Massachusetts and California. If adoptedâpotentially as early as February 2026âOlympia would become the first Washington state city to implement such protections, though the ordinance remains in the drafting stage with input from the city attorney and public comment pending.
Sources: The Olympian, KOMO News - Washington
đ Denmark Deploys Additional Troops to Greenland for Arctic Defense Exercises
Denmark has deployed a substantial number of combat soldiers to Greenland, accompanied by Army Chief Peter Boysen, as part of intensified preparations for the joint NATO âArctic Enduranceâ exercise, with additional troops arriving in Kangerlussuaq and around 100 already in Nuuk as part of an ongoing buildup to strengthen Arctic defense capabilities amid heightened concerns over regional security, including long-standing NATO advice to address potential Russian threats near the island; this move follows recent U.S. statements from President Trump emphasizing the need for stronger control over Greenland and related tariff announcements targeting several European nations opposing such changes.
â ď¸ Gunmen Abduct Over 160 Christians in Church Attacks in Nigeriaâs Kaduna State
Armed gunmen raided churches in a remote area of Kaduna state on Sunday, January 18, 2026, abducting over 160 Christian worshippers during services. Reports indicate the attacks targeted two churches in Kurmin Wali, a forest community in the Kajuru areaâs Afogo ward, though some accounts mention three churches involved. Police described the assailants as using sophisticated weapons and noted the challenging terrain and poor roads hindered immediate verification and response. A senior leader from the Christian Association of Nigeria reported that 172 people were initially taken, with nine escaping, leaving 163 in captivity. Security forces have deployed troops to pursue the kidnappers and secure the release of those held. Such incidents reflect ongoing security issues in northern Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently carry out mass abductions from vulnerable rural communities, including places of worship, often for ransom.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, Reuters
đśđź Chinaâs Birth Rate Plunges to Lowest Level Since 1949 as Population Shrinks for Fourth Straight Year
Chinaâs birth rate fell to its lowest point since records began in 1949 during 2025, with the National Bureau of Statistics reporting just 7.92 million births, or 5.63 per 1,000 peopleâa roughly 17 percent decline from the 9.54 million births recorded in 2024. The country experienced its fourth consecutive year of overall population decrease, as deaths reached 11.31 million, producing a net loss of 3.39 million people and leaving the total population at about 1.405 billion. Government initiatives to encourage higher fertility, including annual child subsidies of roughly $500 for children under three, extended maternity and paternity leave, and even a new 13 percent value-added tax applied to contraceptives, have so far failed to reverse the trend. Underlying factors include widespread reluctance among younger generations to marry or start families, the lasting demographic impact of the former one-child policy that reduced the number of women in prime childbearing years, and ongoing economic strains that make raising children increasingly difficult, all of which pose serious long-term challenges to economic expansion and the funding of pensions and social services in the worldâs second-largest economy.
đ Syrian Democratic Forces Report Mass Escape of Islamic State Detainees from Shaddadi Prison
Amid ongoing tensions following a recent integration agreement between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the SDF stated that approximately 1,500 Islamic State militants escaped from the Shaddadi prison in northeastern Syriaâs Hasakah province after the facility fell out of their control during clashes with forces affiliated with the Syrian government. The Syrian army denied attacking the prison, accused the SDF of deliberately releasing the detainees, and indicated efforts to secure the site and recapture those who fled, while imposing a curfew in the area; reports vary on the exact number of escapees and the circumstances, with no confirmed large-scale Islamic State attack on the prison itself but rather disputes over responsibility during the transfer of control under the new deal.
đ°ď¸ Iran Regime Tightens Internet Controls, Treating Global Access as Existential Threat Amid Ongoing Unrest
Iranâs government has deepened its internet restrictions into what monitors describe as a more severe and potentially longer-term digital blackout, beginning January 8, 2026, in response to widespread protests that started in late December 2025 over economic difficulties. The regime views unrestricted citizen access to international online platforms and communication as an existential threat due to public disaffection, shifting from prior selective censorship to a system that whitelists only limited services for essential business needs while keeping most ordinary users offline. NetBlocks reports indicate partial, unstable connectivity in some areas but overall tighter information controls, with government statements confirming no restoration of full international access before late March 2026. This approach, amid reports of significant casualties from the crackdown, severely limits protestersâ ability to organize, share evidence of events, or connect with the outside world, further isolating the population and impacting daily life, economy, and personal freedoms.