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Minnesota fraud: Walz, day care manager push back on allegations

Fraud scandal: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pushed back against claims he hasn’t done enough to address fraud allegations in his state. “We’ve spent years cracking down on fraud – referring cases to law enforcement, shutting down and auditing high-risk programs,” Walz said. The latest >

Freeze: Walz’s comments came hours before the Department of Health and Human Services announced it would pause all child care payments to Minnesota during the investigation. Vice President JD Vance praised the move as “one of the most important steps we can take.” Details >

Investigation: A viral video led federal agencies to investigate suspected fraud, intensifying scrutiny of the state’s oversight of public assistance programs. So far, there have been at least 86 indictments and more than $1 billion in losses tied to the scandal. What to know >

Who is Nick Shirley, YouTuber behind viral Minnesota fraud video? >

DHS auditing immigration cases amid alleged fraud >

Minnesota pays millions to assisted living facilities linked to fraud defendant >

New Year’s Eve celebrations to include beefed-up security amid threats

New Year’s: Security at New Year’s Eve celebrations across the U.S. and around the world will include an enhanced police presence and heightened security measures amid possible threats of violence. The latest >

2026: From Times Square to Los Angeles, officials are taking precautions to protect revelers. Major cities such as Chicago are considered “attractive targets” for possible plots, officials say, while in LA, a plan for bombings at several locations was foiled. Details >

Times Square: New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said authorities will monitor social media for possible threats and deploy response teams around the city. What to know >

New Orleans: Officials in New Orleans are also adding security measures nearly a year after the Jan. 1 attack in which 14 people were killed after a driver rammed his car onto a busy street. National Guard troops began patrolling the streets yesterday. Read more >

List: Which restaurants are open for New Year’s Eve, Day? >

These are Americans’ top New Year’s resolutions for 2026: Survey >

What should Americans expect from the economy in 2026? >

1 girl found safe in Texas; body found amid search for other missing teen

Search: Texas authorities are looking for missing teen Camila Mendoza Olmos after Sofia Gabriela Peters-Cobos was found safe. Peters-Cobos was previously spotted 20 miles from where Mendoza Olmos was last seen. There are no indications the cases are connected, police said. Details >

Body found: Investigators in Bexar County, Texas, say a body has been found amid the search for Mendoza Olmos, who disappeared on Christmas Eve. The sheriff’s office has not identified the body but said it was found a quarter-mile from Mendoza Olmos’ home. The latest >

SNAP bans on soda, candy and other foods take effect in five states Jan. 1

SNAP: Beginning tomorrow, Americans in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia will be among the first in at least 18 states to enact waivers supporting new SNAP restrictions on soda, candy and other foods. What to know >

Health: The SNAP bans are part of a push by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to encourage states to remove unhealthy food from the program that serves 42 million Americans, with efforts aimed at reducing chronic diseases like diabetes. Read more >

Groceries: Health experts argue SNAP bans don’t solve the problem of healthy food in the U.S. being unaffordable, and the National Retail Federation warns longer checkout lines are possible at the grocery store due to more customer complaints. Details >

Paying with cash at your local post office? You may not receive exact change >

Where food, power and gas prices are headed in 2026 >

Deadly superbug is spreading, CDC says: Here’s where >

 WHAT WE’RE WATCHING 👀

• New Year’s Eve celebrations and countdowns are held across the world.
• Trump attends a New Year’s Eve party in Palm Beach.
• New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is sworn in.
  

A former freelance crew member of a television production company in California alleges he was repeatedly rebuffed when asking for payment. Now the wealthy heiress who ran the company is a fugitive. Watch the interview >

A spider bite led to a leukemia diagnosis for a North Carolina man. What to know >

Oregon doctors used the wrong semen to impregnate a woman after fertility treatments, a new lawsuit alleges. Read more >

A grand jury has secured an indictment in the Washington, D.C., pipe bomb case, but a federal magistrate judge said he has not yet accepted it. The latest >

Violent crimes on Chicago’s public transit system have increased in recent weeks, leaving local officials searching for solutions amid threats by the federal government to withhold up to $50 million in funding. Details >

A sword-wielding man is offering “squatter removal” services in California. What to know >

The so-called “Stairway to Heaven” Chili’s restaurant is closing at a Florida airport. History behind the nickname >

Woman wins $250K with accidental purchase

A retired teacher in southern Illinois said she won big off a lottery ticket bought by mistake. Read more >

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