đ Federal Probe Targets Massive Cash Outflows from Minneapolis Airport Linked to Suspected Welfare Fraud
Federal authorities are investigating nearly $700 million in U.S. currency flagged by the Transportation Security Administration in passengersâ luggage departing Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport over 2024 and 2025, with much of the cash transported by a small group of couriers of Somali descent on routes typically leading to Amsterdam and Dubai, raising concerns that the funds may stem from ongoing multibillion-dollar welfare fraud schemes in Minnesotaâs Somali immigrant community; this follows prior scandals including a $250 million COVID-era aid fraud case through the Feeding Our Future nonprofit and earlier autism benefits abuses, amid longstanding warnings from whistleblowers about potential national security risks that went largely unaddressed, while President Trump has publicly described Minnesota as a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity in connection with these issues, though no direct evidence ties the airport cash movements to terrorism or specific security breaches at the facility.
Sources: Just The News, The Tennessee Star
âď¸ DOJ Launches Criminal Probe into Walz & Frey for Interference with Federal Immigration Enforcement
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a criminal investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, focusing on allegations that the two Democratic leaders conspired to impede federal immigration agents, including through public statements that encouraged resistance against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations amid a large-scale deployment of federal officers to the Minneapolis region; this probe, which includes the issuance of subpoenas to both officials, represents a significant escalation in tensions between the Trump administration and state leaders who have criticized the federal actions as disruptive and excessive, with sources indicating the inquiry stems from remarks by Walz and Frey urging peaceful but firm opposition to ICE activities during ongoing protests and related incidents in Minnesota.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, CBS News
đ°ď¸ Brooklyn Marketers Plead Guilty in $68 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme Involving Adult Day Care Services
Two Brooklyn residents, Manal Wasef and Elaine Antao, both 46, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud for their roles as marketers and recruiters in a scheme that defrauded Medicaid of over $68 million through illegal kickbacks and bribes paid to recipients for social adult day care and home health care services that were billed but never provided, operating from approximately October 2017 to July 2024 at entities including Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc., Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc., and Responsible Care Staffing Inc.; the pair laundered proceeds through multiple business entities to fund the bribes, agreed to collectively forfeit about $1 million as part of their pleas, and each faces up to 10 years in prison at upcoming sentencings in May 2026, marking the sixth and seventh guilty pleas in this ongoing case that underscores persistent vulnerabilities in taxpayer-funded health care programs.
Sources: US Justice Dept, The Office of the US Inspector General for HHS
đ New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani Faces Criticism Over Lack of Black Deputy Mayors
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who campaigned on promises of a diverse administration reflective of the cityâs population after receiving limited Black voter support in his primary win, has drawn criticism from some Black and Latino leaders for appointing five deputy mayors with none being Black and only one Latino, despite Black and Latino residents comprising over half of the cityâs population; critics including Tyquana Henderson-Rivers, Kirsten John Foy, and others argue this excludes Black voices from the top decision-making âkitchen cabinetâ and raises questions about access to power and commitment to representation, though Mamdani has appointed Black individuals to other significant roles such as schools chancellor and chief equity officer, with his administration emphasizing broader diversity across positions and upcoming appointments.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The Daily Caller
đŤ Federal Judge Blocks DOJ Demand for Californiaâs Full Voter Registration Data
A Clinton-appointed federal judge, David O. Carter, dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit on January 15, 2026, that sought to compel California Secretary of State Shirley Weber to provide the stateâs unredacted statewide voter registration list, which includes sensitive personal details such as full names, dates of birth, addresses, driverâs license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. The DOJ, under Attorney General Pamela Bondi, pursued this access as part of enforcement efforts under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and Civil Rights Act of 1960 to ensure accurate voter rolls and prevent ineligible voters, following Californiaâs refusal to supply the data citing state privacy protections. In a 33-page ruling, Judge Carter described the request as unprecedented and illegal, stating that the DOJ cannot repurpose civil rights legislationâoriginally intended to protect voting rights, particularly for Black Americans against suppressionâfor amassing confidential voter information without explicit congressional authority, and warned that federal centralization of such data could create a chilling effect on voter registration and turnout by raising privacy fears among citizens.
Sources: ZeroHedge, The Washington Examiner
đ¨ââď¸ Florida Supreme Court Ends ABAâs Exclusive Role in Law School Accreditation
The Florida Supreme Court has amended its bar admission rules to eliminate reliance on the American Bar Association (ABA) as the sole accrediting agency for law schools whose graduates may sit for the stateâs General Bar Examination, a change effective October 1, 2026, following a study by a court-appointed workgroup and concerns that the ABAâs position as gatekeeper does not serve Floridiansâ best interests; graduates from ABA-accredited schools will continue to qualify, while the court will now recognize other programmatic or institutional accreditors approved by the U.S. Department of Education and the court itself, aiming to promote access to high-quality, affordable legal education that supports the free exchange of ideas and nondiscrimination, in a 5-1 decision that follows similar steps in Texas and responds to criticisms of the ABAâs standards and influence.
Sources: FloridaBar.org, The Epoch Times
â§ď¸ ACLU and Celebrities Launch Campaign Urging Inclusion of Transgender Athletes in Womenâs Sports
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has initiated the âMore Than A Gameâ campaign, coinciding with Supreme Court oral arguments in cases challenging state laws in West Virginia and Idaho that prohibit transgender girls from participating in girlsâ and womenâs school sports, featuring a 30-second advertisement aired during womenâs basketball games on January 12, 2026, with prominent figures including Megan Rapinoe, Naomi Watts, Sue Bird, Elliot Page, Brianna Turner, and young people emphasizing themes of freedom, equality, and the ability for youth to participate authentically in sports without restrictive limits based on identity.
âď¸ Charlie Kirk Assassin Seeks Disqualification of Prosecutors Over Alleged Conflict of Interest
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of aggravated murder in the September 10, 2025, shooting death of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at an event on the Utah Valley University campus, appeared in a Utah court hearing where his defense team requested that the judge disqualify the Utah County Attorneyâs Office from prosecuting the case due to a claimed conflict of interest; the motion centers on the fact that the child of one deputy county attorney attended the event, was close to the scene, heard the shot, and texted family members about the incident, which the defense argues could impair objective decision-making, including the push for the death penalty, while prosecutors strongly oppose the request as a delay tactic, emphasize that the child is neither a material witness nor a victim and holds only hearsay knowledge of the event, and maintain there is virtually no risk of bias. The judge has not yet ruled on the motion, Robinson has not entered a plea, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 18, 2026.
â HHS Announces Plan to Launch Study on Cellphone Radiation
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has confirmed it will undertake a study on electromagnetic radiation from cellphones and related health research, aimed at identifying gaps in current knowledge, particularly regarding new technologies, to help ensure safety and efficacy; this follows the Food and Drug Administrationâs removal of older webpages that previously stated no established link between cellphone radio frequency energy and health problems, and comes in the context of concerns raised by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about potential risks such as neurological damage and cancer, though existing federal resources like those from the National Cancer Institute continue to indicate that evidence to date shows no such causal connection to brain or other cancers in humans.
Sources: Reuters, The Epoch Times
đ Latin Kings Gang Member Arrested for Stealing FBI Equipment Amid Minneapolis Unrest
Federal authorities arrested 33-year-old Raul Gutierrez, a known member of the violent Latin Kings gang with a history of criminal activity, after he allegedly stole body armor, a rifle, ammunition, and other weaponry from a vandalized FBI vehicle in Minneapolis on January 15, 2026; the incident occurred during unrest following Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, when multiple federal vehicles were damaged and broken into while agents responded to reports of an assaulted officer, prompting the FBI to offer a $100,000 reward for information leading to recovery of the property and identification of perpetrators, with officials including Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel indicating additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
Sources: The New York Post, The Independent Sentinel
â ď¸ Iranâs 2020 Missile Attack on al-Asad Air Base Exposed Service Members to Toxic Agents, Including Radiation
Newly obtained military records indicate that Iranâs January 2020 ballistic missile strike on al-Asad Air Base in Iraq, launched in retaliation for the U.S. killing of General Qasem Soleimani, exposed American troops to hazardous substances such as radiation and other toxic agents, leading to traumatic brain injuries in over 80 service members and contractors, as well as emerging health issues including thyroid cancers. Veterans interviewed report ongoing struggles with severe symptoms, mental health challenges, homelessness, and even a linked suicide, while criticizing the lack of a comprehensive medical surveillance program under the prior administration and the dismissal of legal action against Iran due to no fatalities from the attack; the report highlights potential long-term risks from possible contaminated warheads and calls for immediate steps by the current leadership to provide screening, care, and accountability for those affected.
Sources: Straight to the Point, The Daily Wire
đ Iranian Regimeâs Deadly Crackdown Suppresses Nationwide Protests
Reports indicate that Iranâs security forces have carried out a severe crackdown on ongoing nationwide protests, with human rights organizations and eyewitness accounts describing widespread use of lethal force, including a reported massacre beginning late Thursday night that turned parts of the country into a war zone; the regime imposed an internet blackout to limit information flow, leading to rising death counts, mass arrests, demands for payment to return bodies to families, and a heavy military presence under what has been termed martial law conditions, though the suppression appears to have quieted demonstrations for the time being amid U.S. warnings and regional diplomacy to avert further escalation.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International
đĄ Iranian Regime Escalates Censorship by Jamming Starlink Amid Nationwide Internet Blackout
In early January 2026, amid widespread anti-regime protests triggered by economic collapse and currency devaluation that began in late December 2025, Iranian authorities imposed a near-total nationwide internet and telecommunications shutdown starting January 8, severely restricting communication and information flow to suppress dissent and obscure the scale of the crackdown, which has included reports of numerous protester deaths; following partial reinstatement of conventional networks with heavy restrictions, the regime has now targeted the remaining external link by deploying military-grade jammersâsuch as equipment similar to Russian systemsâto interfere with SpaceXâs Starlink satellite service, causing significant data packet loss and impairing connectivity for users relying on smuggled terminals provided free by Elon Musk, while protesters and engineers work to circumvent this jamming in an ongoing technological struggle.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, Reuters
đ EU Officials Consider Two-Tier Accession Model to Accelerate Ukraineâs Membership
European Union officials are examining proposals to modify the traditional merit-based enlargement process, which has remained largely unchanged since the Cold War era, in order to permit a quicker form of accession for Ukraine potentially as part of a broader peace arrangement with Russia. The concept under discussion involves a two-tier or âlimitedâ membership structure, allowing Ukraine to join the EU politically in the near termâpossibly by 2027âwith initial access to certain benefits and institutions, while full rights and obligations would be phased in gradually over a transition period as Kyiv meets remaining standards on reforms, rule of law, and economic alignment. This approach stems from recognition that the standard procedure, requiring extensive legal harmonization and unanimous approval from all member states, may not align with current geopolitical realities or security needs, though it faces challenges including resistance from some capitals concerned about precedent, institutional strain, and the need for consensus among the 27 EU countries.
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British Trains See Foreign Nationals Linked to 79% of Theft Arrests, 36% of Violent Crime Arrests in 2024-2025
Official figures from the British Transport Police, covering the 2024-2025 reporting year, show that foreign nationals accounted for 79% of arrests for theft of passenger property on Britainâs trains and subways, as well as 36% of arrests for violent crime, 40% for drug offenses, and 37% for sexual offenses, based on data obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Centre for Migration Control; overall, non-British nationals comprised about 38% of the total 9,771 arrests on the transport network, highlighting their disproportionate representation relative to population share amid broader national trends of elevated foreign national arrests in England and Wales.
Sources: GB News, The Gateway Pundit