<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We need Greenland from a national security situation. It&#39;s so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/suxvDQfmUm">pic.twitter.com/suxvDQfmUm</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2008033774441812412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Cuba: &quot;I think it&#39;s just going to fall. I don&#39;t think we need any action. It looks like it&#39;s going down — it&#39;s going down for the count. You ever watch a fight? They go down for the count, and Cuba looks like it&#39;s going down.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IJ7gsX16JC">pic.twitter.com/IJ7gsX16JC</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2008033966406672526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Mexico has to get their act together because [drugs] are pouring through Mexico, and we&#39;re going to have to do something. We&#39;d love Mexico to do it. They&#39;re capable of doing it, but unfortunately... the cartels are running Mexico.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/McreTjSuKs">pic.twitter.com/McreTjSuKs</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2008032031876202758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Trump talks about his plans for Greenland, Cuba and Colombia

Manufacturing Loses Jobs for Ninth Straight Month

<b>OMAHA, Neb. (January 2, 2026)</b>&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a>For the&nbsp;</a>fourth<a>&nbsp;time in the past&nbsp;</a>six<a>&nbsp;months, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, moved below growth neutral.</a>

<b>Overall Index:&nbsp;</b>The Business Conditions Index, which uses the identical methodology as the national Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral, fell to 47.6, its lowest reading for 2025, and down from 49.5 in November.

<b>“</b>Creighton’s latest survey indicates that the regional manufacturing economy continues to move sideways to lower with the wholesale inflation gauge moderating,” said Ernie Goss, PhD, Director of Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group and the Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics in the Heider College of Business. “Supply managers reported weakness in both imports and exports.”

The Mid-America report is produced independently of the national ISM.

<b>Employment:</b>&nbsp;The December employment index sank to 44.0 from 47.6 in November. December’s job reading was the ninth consecutive month that the index has fallen below growth neutral and to the lowest reading since May 2024.On average, supply managers expect their salary to expand by 3.0% over the next 12 months, or roughly equal to the rate of inflation. &nbsp;

Other comments from supply managers in December:

<b>Wholesale Prices:&nbsp;</b>The December price gauge was unchanged from November’s 59.8, the lowest reading of 2025,&nbsp;and down from 62.9 in October. “The regional inflation yardstick has moved into a range indicating that inflationary pressures are moderating at the wholesale level,” said Goss.

<b>Confidence:</b>&nbsp;Looking ahead six months, economic optimism, as captured by the December Business Confidence Index, increased to 50.0 from 47.4 in November. “Concerns regarding tariffs, inflation and slowing business activity restrained supply managers’ economic expectations. Only one in six supply managers expect rising economic conditions for their firm over the next six months,” said Goss.

<b>Inventories:&nbsp;</b>The regional inventory index, reflecting levels of raw materials and supplies, increased slightly to 50.4 from 50.1 in November. “After an initial surge in inventories in quarter one of this year, due to the fear of impending tariffs, supply managers have essentially maintained inventory levels flat,” said Goss. &nbsp;

<b>Trade:&nbsp;</b>Recent retaliation from higher U.S. tariffs and trade restrictions pushed new export orders, or purchases from abroad, lower for the last six months. New export orders increased to a weak 47.0 from November’s 42.7. As a result of record imports for the first two months of 2025 and higher import prices, supply managers pulled back on purchasing from abroad in the last ten months. The December import index rose to 41.6 from 37.2 in November. &nbsp;Approximately, 37.5% of manufacturing supply managers reported opposing the 2025 tariff increases.

According to U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA) data, the regional economy exported $69.0 billion of manufactured goods for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to $73.1 billion for the same period in 2024, for a 5.5% decline. In terms of export gainers, North Dakota registered the top gain with 49.9% growth. South Dakota recorded the largest reduction with an 18.4% decline in exports of manufactured goods between 2024 and 2025. &nbsp;Other survey components of the December Business Conditions Index were: new orders dropped to 42.9 from 48.3 in November; the production index increased to 47.4 from November’s 46.2; and the speed of deliveries of raw materials and supplies fell to 53.2 from November’s 55.1. Lower readings indicate speedier deliveries and/or declining supply chain disruptions or delays. &nbsp;The Creighton Economic Forecasting Group has conducted the monthly survey of supply managers in nine states since 1994 to produce leading economic indicators of the Mid-America economy. States included in the survey are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

<b>Arkansas:</b>&nbsp;The state’s December Business Conditions Index climbed&nbsp;to 52.2 from 49.1 in November. Components from the December survey of supply managers were: new orders at 42.8; production at 48.8; delivery lead time at 53.8; inventories at 61.8; and employment at 54.0. According to the International Trade Association (ITA), Arkansas manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $4.4 billion in 2024 to $4.2 billion in 2025 for a 4.9% decline.

<b>Iowa:</b>&nbsp;The state’s Business Conditions Index for December dropped to 44.6 from November’s&nbsp;regional high of 52.1. Components of the overall December index were: new orders at 41.3; production at 45.9; delivery lead time at 49.3; employment at 38.3; and inventories at 48.0. According to the ITA, Iowa manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $11.5 billion in 2024 to $10.5 billion in 2025 for a 9.0% decline.

<b>Kansas:&nbsp;</b>The Kansas Business Conditions Index for December sank to 42.4 from 50.6 in November. Components of the leading economic indicators from the monthly survey of supply managers for December were: new orders at 43.8; production at 40.2: delivery lead time at 46.0; employment at 44.1; and inventories at 37.8. According to the ITA, Kansas manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $9.6 billion in 2024 to $9.5 billion in 2025 for a 0.8% decline.

<b>Minnesota:&nbsp;</b>The December Business Conditions Index for Minnesota decreased to 45.7 from November’s 49.4. Components of the overall December index were: new orders at 40.2; production or sales at 46.4; delivery lead time at 50.0; inventories at 50.2; and employment at 41.5. According to the ITA, Minnesota manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $19.0 billion in 2024 to $16.4 billion in 2025 for a 13.5% decline.

<b>Missouri:</b>&nbsp;The state’s December Business Conditions Index climbed to a regional high of 55.8 from November’s 48.6. Components of the overall index from the survey of supply managers for December were: new orders at 43.8; production at 50.9; delivery lead time at 57.1; inventories at 71.8; and employment at 55.6. According to the ITA, Missouri manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $13.1 billion in 2024 to $12.4 billion in 2025 for a 5.4% decline.

<b>Nebraska:</b>&nbsp;The state’s December Business Conditions Index dropped to 40.5 from November’s 50.3. Components of the index from the monthly survey of supply managers for December were: new orders at 40.0; production at 43.3; delivery lead time at 45.2; inventories at 35.2; and employment at 38.9. According to the ITA, Nebraska manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $5.3 billion in 2024 to $4.6 billion in 2025 for a 12.6% decline.

<b>North Dakota:</b>&nbsp;For a third straight month the state’s Business Conditions Index sank below the 50.0 growth neutral threshold and was 41.8, down from 49.9 in November. Components of the overall index for December were: new orders at 40.5; production at 44.3; delivery lead time at 46.8; employment at 36.9; and inventories at 40.3. According to the ITA, North Dakota manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, climbed from $3.1 billion in 2024 to $4.7 billion in 2025 for a 49.9% expansion.

<b>Oklahoma:</b>&nbsp;The state’s Business Conditions Index for December sank to 44.8 from 48.8 in November. Components of the overall December index were: new orders at 41.3; production at 46.0; delivery lead time at 49.4; inventories at 48.4; and employment at 38.8. According to the ITA, Oklahoma manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $5.5 billion in 2024 to $5.4 billion in 2025 for a 0.8% decline.

<b>South Dakota:</b>&nbsp;The December Business Conditions Index for South Dakota slumped to 44.6 from November’s 49.1. Components of the overall December index were: new orders at 41.3; production at 46.0; delivery lead time at 49.4; inventories at 48.1; and employment at 38.5. According to the ITA, South Dakota manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $1.5 billion in 2024 to $1.2 billion in 2025 for an 18.4% decline.Survey results for the month of January will be released on the first business day of February.



<p><i>Media Release</i></p><h2>Manufacturing Loses Jobs for Ninth Straight Month</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767380034581.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p><b>December 2025 Survey Highlights:</b></p><ul>
                        <li>Mid-America Business Conditions Index sank to its lowest level for 2025.</li><li>The regional manufacturing sector shed jobs for the ninth straight month.</li><li>The wholesale inflation gauge has moderated over the last several months.</li><li>Approximately, 37.5% of manufacturing supply managers oppose 2025 tariff increases.</li><li>On average, supply managers expect wage growth of 3.0% over the next 12 months, or approximately, equal to inflation at the consumer level.</li><li>Both export and import readings slumped below growth neutral. &nbsp;</li><li>According to U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA) data, regional manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell by 5.5%.</li>
                    </ul><p><b>OMAHA, Neb. (January 2, 2026)</b>&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a>For the&nbsp;</a>fourth<a>&nbsp;time in the past&nbsp;</a>six<a>&nbsp;months, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, moved below growth neutral.</a></p><p><b>Overall Index:&nbsp;</b>The Business Conditions Index, which uses the identical methodology as the national Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral, fell to 47.6, its lowest reading for 2025, and down from 49.5 in November.</p><p><b>“</b>Creighton’s latest survey indicates that the regional manufacturing economy continues to move sideways to lower with the wholesale inflation gauge moderating,” said Ernie Goss, PhD, Director of Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group and the Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics in the Heider College of Business. “Supply managers reported weakness in both imports and exports.”</p><p>The Mid-America report is produced independently of the national ISM.</p><p><b>Employment:</b>&nbsp;The December employment index sank to 44.0 from 47.6 in November. December’s job reading was the ninth consecutive month that the index has fallen below growth neutral and to the lowest reading since May 2024.On average, supply managers expect their salary to expand by 3.0% over the next 12 months, or roughly equal to the rate of inflation. &nbsp;</p><p>Other comments from supply managers in December:</p><ul>
                        <li>“The excessive government spending epidemic (60-year) continues to tax via inflation. Stop the madness.”</li><li>“Tariffs have increased our input costs from a minimum of 10% to 48%. The industrial economy is feeling the full impact of the tariffs.”</li><li>“China has been aggressively mercantilist for over a dozen years. The USA and allies are in a cold and sometimes hot war with China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and their allies.”</li><li>“I understand the intent of the tariffs and agree we need to level the playing field, but some of the implementation strategies are off.”</li>
                    </ul><p><b>Wholesale Prices:&nbsp;</b>The December price gauge was unchanged from November’s 59.8, the lowest reading of 2025,&nbsp;and down from 62.9 in October. “The regional inflation yardstick has moved into a range indicating that inflationary pressures are moderating at the wholesale level,” said Goss.</p><p><b>Confidence:</b>&nbsp;Looking ahead six months, economic optimism, as captured by the December Business Confidence Index, increased to 50.0 from 47.4 in November. “Concerns regarding tariffs, inflation and slowing business activity restrained supply managers’ economic expectations. Only one in six supply managers expect rising economic conditions for their firm over the next six months,” said Goss.</p><p><b>Inventories:&nbsp;</b>The regional inventory index, reflecting levels of raw materials and supplies, increased slightly to 50.4 from 50.1 in November. “After an initial surge in inventories in quarter one of this year, due to the fear of impending tariffs, supply managers have essentially maintained inventory levels flat,” said Goss. &nbsp;</p><p><b>Trade:&nbsp;</b>Recent retaliation from higher U.S. tariffs and trade restrictions pushed new export orders, or purchases from abroad, lower for the last six months. New export orders increased to a weak 47.0 from November’s 42.7. As a result of record imports for the first two months of 2025 and higher import prices, supply managers pulled back on purchasing from abroad in the last ten months. The December import index rose to 41.6 from 37.2 in November. &nbsp;Approximately, 37.5% of manufacturing supply managers reported opposing the 2025 tariff increases.</p><p>According to U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA) data, the regional economy exported $69.0 billion of manufactured goods for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to $73.1 billion for the same period in 2024, for a 5.5% decline. In terms of export gainers, North Dakota registered the top gain with 49.9% growth. South Dakota recorded the largest reduction with an 18.4% decline in exports of manufactured goods between 2024 and 2025. &nbsp;Other survey components of the December Business Conditions Index were: new orders dropped to 42.9 from 48.3 in November; the production index increased to 47.4 from November’s 46.2; and the speed of deliveries of raw materials and supplies fell to 53.2 from November’s 55.1. Lower readings indicate speedier deliveries and/or declining supply chain disruptions or delays. &nbsp;The Creighton Economic Forecasting Group has conducted the monthly survey of supply managers in nine states since 1994 to produce leading economic indicators of the Mid-America economy. States included in the survey are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.</p><p>Below are the&nbsp;state reports:</p><p><b>Arkansas:</b>&nbsp;The state’s December Business Conditions Index climbed&nbsp;to 52.2 from 49.1 in November. Components from the December survey of supply managers were: new orders at 42.8; production at 48.8; delivery lead time at 53.8; inventories at 61.8; and employment at 54.0. According to the International Trade Association (ITA), Arkansas manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $4.4 billion in 2024 to $4.2 billion in 2025 for a 4.9% decline.</p><p><b>Iowa:</b>&nbsp;The state’s Business Conditions Index for December dropped to 44.6 from November’s&nbsp;regional high of 52.1. Components of the overall December index were: new orders at 41.3; production at 45.9; delivery lead time at 49.3; employment at 38.3; and inventories at 48.0. According to the ITA, Iowa manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $11.5 billion in 2024 to $10.5 billion in 2025 for a 9.0% decline.</p><p><b>Kansas:&nbsp;</b>The Kansas Business Conditions Index for December sank to 42.4 from 50.6 in November. Components of the leading economic indicators from the monthly survey of supply managers for December were: new orders at 43.8; production at 40.2: delivery lead time at 46.0; employment at 44.1; and inventories at 37.8. According to the ITA, Kansas manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $9.6 billion in 2024 to $9.5 billion in 2025 for a 0.8% decline.</p><p><b>Minnesota:&nbsp;</b>The December Business Conditions Index for Minnesota decreased to 45.7 from November’s 49.4. Components of the overall December index were: new orders at 40.2; production or sales at 46.4; delivery lead time at 50.0; inventories at 50.2; and employment at 41.5. According to the ITA, Minnesota manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $19.0 billion in 2024 to $16.4 billion in 2025 for a 13.5% decline.</p><p><b>Missouri:</b>&nbsp;The state’s December Business Conditions Index climbed to a regional high of 55.8 from November’s 48.6. Components of the overall index from the survey of supply managers for December were: new orders at 43.8; production at 50.9; delivery lead time at 57.1; inventories at 71.8; and employment at 55.6. According to the ITA, Missouri manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $13.1 billion in 2024 to $12.4 billion in 2025 for a 5.4% decline.</p><p><b>Nebraska:</b>&nbsp;The state’s December Business Conditions Index dropped to 40.5 from November’s 50.3. Components of the index from the monthly survey of supply managers for December were: new orders at 40.0; production at 43.3; delivery lead time at 45.2; inventories at 35.2; and employment at 38.9. According to the ITA, Nebraska manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $5.3 billion in 2024 to $4.6 billion in 2025 for a 12.6% decline.</p><p><b>North Dakota:</b>&nbsp;For a third straight month the state’s Business Conditions Index sank below the 50.0 growth neutral threshold and was 41.8, down from 49.9 in November. Components of the overall index for December were: new orders at 40.5; production at 44.3; delivery lead time at 46.8; employment at 36.9; and inventories at 40.3. According to the ITA, North Dakota manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, climbed from $3.1 billion in 2024 to $4.7 billion in 2025 for a 49.9% expansion.</p><p><b>Oklahoma:</b>&nbsp;The state’s Business Conditions Index for December sank to 44.8 from 48.8 in November. Components of the overall December index were: new orders at 41.3; production at 46.0; delivery lead time at 49.4; inventories at 48.4; and employment at 38.8. According to the ITA, Oklahoma manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $5.5 billion in 2024 to $5.4 billion in 2025 for a 0.8% decline.</p><p><b>South Dakota:</b>&nbsp;The December Business Conditions Index for South Dakota slumped to 44.6 from November’s 49.1. Components of the overall December index were: new orders at 41.3; production at 46.0; delivery lead time at 49.4; inventories at 48.1; and employment at 38.5. According to the ITA, South Dakota manufacturing exports for the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, fell from $1.5 billion in 2024 to $1.2 billion in 2025 for an 18.4% decline.Survey results for the month of January will be released on the first business day of February.

</p>

Mid-America Manufacturing Ends Year on Sour Note

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — States must now provide “justification” that federal child care funds they receive are spent on “legitimate” providers in order to get those dollars, President Donald Trump’s administration announced.&nbsp;

The Tuesday shift in policy came following<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/12/31/minnesota-child-care-providers-say-trumps-funding-freeze-will-shut-down-their-businesses/" target="_blank">&nbsp;allegations of fraud in Minnesota’s child care programs,&nbsp;</a>which prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze all child care payments to the state.&nbsp;

HHS could not offer many specifics on how the review process will play out for other states, but clarified that the money in question is provided through the multibillion-dollar federal Child Care and Development Fund, or CCDF.&nbsp;

“States will be required to provide documentation, such as written justification, receipts, or photographic evidence, demonstrating that funds are supporting legitimate child care providers,” Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for HHS, said in a statement to States Newsroom on Wednesday.&nbsp;

CCDF provides federal funding to states, territories and tribes to help low-income families obtain child care.&nbsp;

The program, administered within the Office of Child Care under HHS’ Administration for Children and Families, combines funding from the Child Care and Development Block Grant, or CCDBG, and the Child Care Entitlement to States, or CCES.&nbsp;

Funding for CCDF in&nbsp;<a href="https://acf.gov/occ/data/gy-2025-ccdf-allocations-based-appropriations" target="_blank">fiscal year 2025</a>&nbsp;stood at roughly $12.3 billion — comprising $8.75 billion from CCDBG and $3.55 billion from CCES.&nbsp;

Head Start — a separate program that provides early childhood education, nutritious meals, health screenings and other support services to low-income families — does not appear to be affected.&nbsp;

In a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006136004294664464" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;announcing the move, Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said he had “activated our defend the spend system for all ACF payments” and “starting today, all ACF payments across America will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before we send money to a state.”&nbsp;

He clarified in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006152183863972241" target="_blank">separate post</a>&nbsp;shortly after that “funds will be released only when states prove they are being spent legitimately.”&nbsp;

“Federal funding enables millions of parents in every state and Congressional district to access and afford quality child care,” Sarah Rittling, executive director of First Five Years Fund, a federal advocacy group, said in a Wednesday statement.&nbsp;

Rittling added that “these funds are essential to the nation’s well-being, allowing parents to work while ensuring their children are cared for and safe.”   

She also described the reports of potential fraud as “deeply concerning” and pointed out that “state oversight through regular audits is required by law to ensure that every dollar intended to protect and support young children is used properly and effectively.”&nbsp;

“At the same time, we must ensure that nothing takes away from making sure funds for child care continue to reach the children and families who depend on them,” she said.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767093694484.png" alt="DHS agents going door to door investigating fraud in Minnesota -image from Homeland Security video" />
                        <figcaption>DHS agents going door to door investigating fraud in Minnesota -image from Homeland Security video</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — States must now provide “justification” that federal child care funds they receive are spent on “legitimate” providers in order to get those dollars, President Donald Trump’s administration announced.&nbsp;</p><p>The Tuesday shift in policy came following<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/12/31/minnesota-child-care-providers-say-trumps-funding-freeze-will-shut-down-their-businesses/" target="_blank">&nbsp;allegations of fraud in Minnesota’s child care programs,&nbsp;</a>which prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze all child care payments to the state.&nbsp;</p><p>HHS could not offer many specifics on how the review process will play out for other states, but clarified that the money in question is provided through the multibillion-dollar federal Child Care and Development Fund, or CCDF.&nbsp;</p><p>“States will be required to provide documentation, such as written justification, receipts, or photographic evidence, demonstrating that funds are supporting legitimate child care providers,” Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for HHS, said in a statement to States Newsroom on Wednesday.&nbsp;</p><p>CCDF provides federal funding to states, territories and tribes to help low-income families obtain child care.&nbsp;</p><p>The program, administered within the Office of Child Care under HHS’ Administration for Children and Families, combines funding from the Child Care and Development Block Grant, or CCDBG, and the Child Care Entitlement to States, or CCES.&nbsp;</p><p>Funding for CCDF in&nbsp;<a href="https://acf.gov/occ/data/gy-2025-ccdf-allocations-based-appropriations" target="_blank">fiscal year 2025</a>&nbsp;stood at roughly $12.3 billion — comprising $8.75 billion from CCDBG and $3.55 billion from CCES.&nbsp;</p><p>Head Start — a separate program that provides early childhood education, nutritious meals, health screenings and other support services to low-income families — does not appear to be affected.&nbsp;</p><p>In a Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006136004294664464" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;announcing the move, Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said he had “activated our defend the spend system for all ACF payments” and “starting today, all ACF payments across America will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before we send money to a state.”&nbsp;</p><p>He clarified in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006152183863972241" target="_blank">separate post</a>&nbsp;shortly after that “funds will be released only when states prove they are being spent legitimately.”&nbsp;</p><h2>Funds undergo ‘regular audits’</h2><p>“Federal funding enables millions of parents in every state and Congressional district to access and afford quality child care,” Sarah Rittling, executive director of First Five Years Fund, a federal advocacy group, said in a Wednesday statement.&nbsp;</p><p>Rittling added that “these funds are essential to the nation’s well-being, allowing parents to work while ensuring their children are cared for and safe.”   </p><p>She also described the reports of potential fraud as “deeply concerning” and pointed out that “state oversight through regular audits is required by law to ensure that every dollar intended to protect and support young children is used properly and effectively.”&nbsp;</p><p>“At the same time, we must ensure that nothing takes away from making sure funds for child care continue to reach the children and families who depend on them,” she said.&nbsp;</p>

After Minnesota fraud allegations, HHS orders states to justify child care spending

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767463872878.png" alt="Secretary of State Marco Rubio answers questions during the Saturday press conference-image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Secretary of State Marco Rubio answers questions during the Saturday press conference-image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump Holds a Press Conference, Jan. 3, 2026 <a href="https://t.co/5ykCqSNuNa">https://t.co/5ykCqSNuNa</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2007491873586250190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/MLcLIZHRRt">pic.twitter.com/MLcLIZHRRt</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2007514565303755189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump: &quot;Late last night and early today, at my direction, the United States armed forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qYHf5VmYOg">pic.twitter.com/qYHf5VmYOg</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2007494277178310768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re going to make sure it&#39;s run properly. We&#39;re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure... We&#39;re going to make sure the people that were forced out of Venezuela by this thug are also taken care of.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/NB6J9UJdhr">pic.twitter.com/NB6J9UJdhr</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007502600757805259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/thejointstaff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thejointstaff</a> Chairman Gen. Dan Caine details the historic operation to capture Nicolás Maduro <a href="https://t.co/sbWKHZ3mwK">pic.twitter.com/sbWKHZ3mwK</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007503096478363828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump on Venezuela: &quot;We&#39;re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nUS9VSUkE7">pic.twitter.com/nUS9VSUkE7</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2007494379141730753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Secretary Hegseth: &quot;Nicolás Maduro had his chance...He f&#39;ed around and he found out.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/YRKlFYR4k4">pic.twitter.com/YRKlFYR4k4</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2007499109008069046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Secretary Rubio: &quot;The 47th president of the United States is not a game player. When he tells you that he’s going to do something...he means it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eQ7EICBsrD">pic.twitter.com/eQ7EICBsrD</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2007503347939508291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>: &quot;We called members of Congress immediately after... at its core, this was an arrest of two indicted fugitives of American justice... it&#39;s just not the kind of mission that you can pre-notify because it endangers the mission.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/OD7lImhrsB">pic.twitter.com/OD7lImhrsB</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007503983401652499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Colombian President Gustavo Petro: &quot;He&#39;s making cocaine. They&#39;re sending it into the United States — so he does have to watch his ass.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/mRqOsouW8V">https://t.co/mRqOsouW8V</a> <a href="https://t.co/aJeFDbuylk">pic.twitter.com/aJeFDbuylk</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007503466319720708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gen. Dan &quot;Razin&quot; Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: &quot;This operation, known as Operation Absolute Resolve, was discreet, precise, and... the culmination of months of planning and rehearsal — an operation that, frankly, only the United States military could undertake.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/VdcL5kbu7j">pic.twitter.com/VdcL5kbu7j</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007500681394200855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a>: &quot;Words can barely capture the bravery, and the power, and the precision of this historic operation... What all of us witnessed last night was sheer guts, and grit, gallantry and glory of the American warrior.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SwUiWl0JNU">pic.twitter.com/SwUiWl0JNU</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007500075602227425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Other Presidents may have lacked the courage — or whatever — to defend America, but I will never allow terrorists or criminals to operate with impunity against the United States.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/CcNi7zAXw4">pic.twitter.com/CcNi7zAXw4</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007499073964966176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Venezuela unilaterally seized and stole American oil, American assets, and American platforms, costing us billions and billions of dollars... This constituted one of the largest thefts of American property in the history of our country.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/jYI7t4FKzs">pic.twitter.com/jYI7t4FKzs</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007497940495986995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;The gangs that they sent raped, tortured, and murdered American women and children... they were sent by Maduro to terrorize our people, and now, Maduro will never again be able to threaten an American citizen or anybody from Venezuela.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/23AxVuM6bj">pic.twitter.com/23AxVuM6bj</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007497186737525019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script</div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: As everyone knows, the oil business in Venezuela has been a bust for a long period of time... We&#39;re going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, and start making money for the country. <a href="https://t.co/XWgtcZaGLF">pic.twitter.com/XWgtcZaGLF</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007495637596553608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>: &quot;We called members of Congress immediately after... at its core, this was an arrest of two indicted fugitives of American justice... it&#39;s just not the kind of mission that you can pre-notify because it endangers the mission.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/OD7lImhrsB">pic.twitter.com/OD7lImhrsB</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007503983401652499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/VkfaCbg3su">pic.twitter.com/VkfaCbg3su</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007495016751436194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I want to thank the men and women of our military... These highly trained warriors, operating in collaboration with U.S. law enforcement, caught them in a very ready position... They were completely overwhelmed and very quickly incapacitated.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/u8Lcn7UGI9">pic.twitter.com/u8Lcn7UGI9</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007494818692509854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday... all Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless as the men and women of our military, working with U.S. law enforcement, successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/a0NwP4yDQn">pic.twitter.com/a0NwP4yDQn</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007493979034571019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;At my direction, the United States Armed Forces conducted an extraordinary military operation in the capital of Venezuela... This was one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iq1KhqF7iU">pic.twitter.com/iq1KhqF7iU</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007493496396230797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We want to surround ourself with good neighbors. We want to surround ourself with stability. We want to surround ourself with energy... we need that for ourselves, we need that for the world—and we want to make sure we can protect it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/6qlVe6TqJo">pic.twitter.com/6qlVe6TqJo</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007505948517032072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump on Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado: &quot;It would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn&#39;t have the support within or the respect within the country, she&#39;s a very nice woman but she doesn&#39;t have the respect.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/zHw44QHNmc">pic.twitter.com/zHw44QHNmc</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2007510868158714173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump: &quot;We&#39;re not afraid of boots on the ground.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/pSyt8sekSp">pic.twitter.com/pSyt8sekSp</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2007507536656691441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 Details on how the US captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro

January 2, 2026 (Lincoln, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested 83 impaired drivers during the holiday season. The arrests came during the&nbsp;<i>Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over</i>&nbsp;nationwide campaign.

The effort ran from December 10 through January 1 and included dozens of law enforcement agencies across Nebraska and many more around the country. The effort was made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.

“With the holiday season behind us and a new year beginning, now is an ideal time to renew your commitment to safe driving. Every time you drive, ensure you’re prepared for safety: Eliminate distractions, monitor your speed, buckle up, and always drive sober,” said Colonel Bryan Waugh, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol.

In addition to the 83 arrests for driving under the influence, troopers also issued citations for speeding (1,752), driving under suspension (107), open alcohol container (60), minor in possession of alcohol (34), no seat belt (61), and improper child restraint (16). Troopers also stopped 81 drivers for speeding at over 100 miles per hour. In addition to the enforcement actions, troopers also performed 683 motorist assists during the campaign.

"By the end of 2025, Nebraska experienced an 11% reduction in fatal crashes, thanks in part to the dedicated efforts of Nebraska State Troopers and our law enforcement partners across the state involved in traffic safety campaigns like&nbsp;<i>Drive Sober</i>,” said Colonel Waugh. “Through our strong partnerships with the NDOT Highway Safety Office and collaborating law enforcement agencies, coupled with the availability of federal funding for traffic safety projects like this, the Nebraska State Patrol remains dedicated to enforcing safe driving and roadway safety with an emphasis on reducing fatal crashes in the year ahead.”

NSP encourages all motorists to be prepared for winter driving conditions for the next few months. Always check Nebraska 511 for updated road conditions before you travel. If you become stranded on the road, call *55 to reach the NSP Highway Helpline.

<p><i>For Immediate Release</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1562084161517.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>January 2, 2026 (Lincoln, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested 83 impaired drivers during the holiday season. The arrests came during the&nbsp;<i>Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over</i>&nbsp;nationwide campaign.</p><p>The effort ran from December 10 through January 1 and included dozens of law enforcement agencies across Nebraska and many more around the country. The effort was made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.</p><p>“With the holiday season behind us and a new year beginning, now is an ideal time to renew your commitment to safe driving. Every time you drive, ensure you’re prepared for safety: Eliminate distractions, monitor your speed, buckle up, and always drive sober,” said Colonel Bryan Waugh, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol.</p><p>In addition to the 83 arrests for driving under the influence, troopers also issued citations for speeding (1,752), driving under suspension (107), open alcohol container (60), minor in possession of alcohol (34), no seat belt (61), and improper child restraint (16). Troopers also stopped 81 drivers for speeding at over 100 miles per hour. In addition to the enforcement actions, troopers also performed 683 motorist assists during the campaign.</p><p>"By the end of 2025, Nebraska experienced an 11% reduction in fatal crashes, thanks in part to the dedicated efforts of Nebraska State Troopers and our law enforcement partners across the state involved in traffic safety campaigns like&nbsp;<i>Drive Sober</i>,” said Colonel Waugh. “Through our strong partnerships with the NDOT Highway Safety Office and collaborating law enforcement agencies, coupled with the availability of federal funding for traffic safety projects like this, the Nebraska State Patrol remains dedicated to enforcing safe driving and roadway safety with an emphasis on reducing fatal crashes in the year ahead.”</p><p>NSP encourages all motorists to be prepared for winter driving conditions for the next few months. Always check Nebraska 511 for updated road conditions before you travel. If you become stranded on the road, call *55 to reach the NSP Highway Helpline.</p>

Troopers Make 83 DUI Arrests in Holiday Drive Sober Campaign

The United States successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country, according to the White House. "This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. " Members of Congress including Nebraska Senator Deb Fisher and Congressman Don Bacon are among lawmakers expressing opinions on the news.&nbsp;

<p>The United States successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country, according to the White House. "This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. " Members of Congress including Nebraska Senator Deb Fisher and Congressman Don Bacon are among lawmakers expressing opinions on the news.&nbsp;</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Maduro was an indicted dictator for crimes of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. I understand he is now in U.S. custody and will answer for his crimes. Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and our brave troops for this successful military operation to carry out a legal action.</p>&mdash; Senator Deb Fischer (@SenatorFischer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorFischer/status/2007462159106646231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Maduro and his predecessor took Venezuela from the richest to the poorest country in South America, and destroyed its democracy. The operations last night are great for the future of Venezuelans and the region. My main concern is now Russia will use this to justify their illegal…</p>&mdash; Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ (@RepDonBacon) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDonBacon/status/2007462335242289166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump made a promise to the American people that he would secure our borders from chaos and cut off threats to us and our children at the source. Venezuela ignored the call to stop running lethal drugs to the America.<br><br>Our children are safer at home because of bold…</p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/2007453825255264758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a>, and the brave members of our military who led the operation that successfully CAPTURED narco-terrorist Nicolás Maduro.<br><br>A new day is here for Venezuela and Latin America. The United States and our hemisphere are safer because of President… <a href="https://t.co/VL4bnsbGVZ">https://t.co/VL4bnsbGVZ</a></p>&mdash; Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenRickScott/status/2007399340457775262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says. <br><br>Kudos to our brave… <a href="https://t.co/b1fqkdbB4x">pic.twitter.com/b1fqkdbB4x</a></p>&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/2007447083909841398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There is no justification for the United States to be at war with Venezuela.<br><br>I lived through the consequences of an illegal war sold to the American people with lies. We swore we would never repeat those mistakes. Yet here we are again.<br><br>The American people did not ask for this,…</p>&mdash; Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenRubenGallego/status/2007433155477717121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The White House is confirming U.S. military operations in Venezuela tonight. Let us be clear: these strikes are illegal. The President does not have the authority to declare war or undertake large-scale military operations without Congress. Congress must act to rein him in.… <a href="https://t.co/KsbxS6TbSp">pic.twitter.com/KsbxS6TbSp</a></p>&mdash; Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rep_Stansbury/status/2007385713818714191?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Without authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela.<br><br>He says we don’t have enough money for healthcare for Americans—but somehow we have unlimited funds for war??</p>&mdash; Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMcGovern/status/2007381598912819213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess…</p>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2007428087143686611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bold move by ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>⁩ taking out convicted NARCO TERRORIST and DICTATOR of Venezuela Maduro. <a href="https://t.co/JGFtpq5GG4">pic.twitter.com/JGFtpq5GG4</a></p>&mdash; Tim Burchett (@timburchett) <a href="https://twitter.com/timburchett/status/2007443476900671516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nicolas Maduro wasn’t just an illegitimate dictator; he also ran a vast drug-trafficking operation. That’s why he was indicted in U.S. court nearly six years ago for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. I just spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>, who confirmed that Maduro is in U.S. custody and…</p>&mdash; Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/2007419529048007012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If this action were constitutionally sound, the Attorney General wouldn’t be tweeting that they’ve arrested the President of a sovereign country and his wife for possessing guns in violation of a 1934 U.S. firearm law.</p>&mdash; Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/2007469970364539092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I have spoken in the last several hours with <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Hegseth, and the nation will hear from <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in his address at 11am ET.<br><br>Today’s military action in Venezuela was a decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives.<br><br>Nicolas Maduro is…</p>&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/2007468765718384961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Nebraska lawmakers react to U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/072d2ceeK8">pic.twitter.com/072d2ceeK8</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007381949229478015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.… <a href="https://t.co/sFa5OC4ZrZ">pic.twitter.com/sFa5OC4ZrZ</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2007396973758816564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755651756653.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess…</p>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2007428087143686611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says. <br><br>Kudos to our brave… <a href="https://t.co/b1fqkdbB4x">pic.twitter.com/b1fqkdbB4x</a></p>&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/2007447083909841398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro: &quot;The team did an incredible job... There&#39;s no other country on Earth that can do such a maneuver.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sbfEyVDgUf">pic.twitter.com/sbfEyVDgUf</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007455806631903249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

U.S. launches ‘large scale’ attack on Venezuela, captures Nicolas Maduro 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –&nbsp;A Mint Hill, North Caroina man that allegedly planned to use knives and hammers to execute a deadly New Year’s Eve attack at a grocery store and a fast food restaurant&nbsp;in support of the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. 

The criminal complaint was filed on December 31, 2025, and was unsealed today after Christian Sturdivant, 18, appeared in federal court in Charlotte.

James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.

“This successful collaboration between federal and local law enforcement saved American lives from a horrific terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice remains vigilant in our pursuit of evil ISIS sympathizers — anyone plotting to commit such depraved attacks will face the full force of the law.”

“The accused allegedly wanted to be a soldier for ISIS and made plans to commit a violent attack on New Year’s Eve in support of that terrorist group, but the FBI and our partners put a stop to that,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “It is essential to work closely with our law enforcement partners and to quickly share information about potential threats, as demonstrated in this case. The message from the FBI is clear—anyone who supports ISIS or other terrorist groups cannot hide and will be held accountable in our justice system.”

"As alleged, Sturdivant aspired to become a ‘martyr’ for ISIS and was in the final stages of planning a mass-casualty attack on New Year’s Eve. Notes recovered from his home appear to reflect intent to harm as many people as possible and terrorize the Nation,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “We commend the extraordinary work of our partners in neutralizing this threat.”

“Americans deserve to celebrate New Year’s Eve without worrying about their personal safety,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “That is why we worked non-stop to thwart this alleged violent terrorist attack. I am proud of the work done here and thankful for the time spent by law enforcement away from their families during the holidays to ensure public safety.”

“The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people, and this case demonstrates our dedication to do everything we can to protect the residents of North Carolina. We worked closely with the Department of Justice, NYPD, Mint Hill Police Department, and our FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force partners to investigate and disrupt this serious threat of a violent attack. We will never stop working to hold people accountable who seek to harm and terrorize our community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Barnacle.

“Christian Sturdivant allegedly swore allegiance to an international terrorist organization and plotted deadly attacks in its name,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “But the New York City Police Department has a long reach, and our undercover cybersecurity investigators once again identified threats of extremist behavior and thwarted them before they could be carried out. Public safety knows no borders, and we will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue and hold accountable anyone who seeks to spread fear and violence.”

“Now more than ever, partnerships between law enforcement agencies are paramount,” said Chief Joseph Hatley of the Mint Hill Police Department. “This disruption is a testament to all involved, working as one to thwart an attack and hold accountable anyone planning such a horrific act of violence against our community.”

According to allegations in the arrest affidavit, on December 18, 2025, the FBI in Charlotte received information that an individual later identified as Sturdivant was making multiple social media posts in support of ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. In early December 2025, Sturdivant posted an image depicting two miniature figurines of Jesus with the on-screen text that read, “May Allah curse the cross worshipers.” The post is allegedly consistent with ISIS’s rhetoric calling for the extermination of all non-believers, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims who do not agree with ISIS’s extreme ideology.

The criminal complaint alleges that on or about December 12, 2025, Sturdivant began communicating with an online covert employee, or “OC,” whom Sturdivant thought was an ISIS member. Sturdivant told the OC, “I will do jihad soon,” and proclaimed he was “a soldier of the state,” meaning ISIS. On December 14, 2025, Sturdivant allegedly sent an online message to the OC with an image of two hammers and a knife. This is significant because an article in the 2016 issue of ISIS’s propaganda magazine promoted the use of knives to conduct terror attacks in western countries. The same article inspired actual attacks in other countries. Later, Sturdivant told the OC that he planned to attack a specific grocery store in North Carolina. Sturdivant also told the OC about his plans to purchase a firearm to use along with the knives during the attack, according to the arrest affidavit.

In addition, on December 19, 2025, Sturdivant allegedly sent the OC a voice recording of Sturdivant pledging “Bayat,” a loyalty oath to ISIS.

On December 29, 2025, law enforcement conducted a search warrant at Sturdivant’s residence, where they discovered handwritten documents, one of which was titled “New Years Attack 2026.” The document listed items such as a vest, mask, tactical gloves, and two knives allegedly to be used in the attack. It also described a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible, with the total number of victims to be as high as 20 to 21. The note also included a section labeled as “martyrdom op,” that described a plan to attack police responding to the site of the attack so Sturdivant would die a martyr.

The complaints alleges that Sturdivant lived with a relative, who secured knives and hammers away so Sturdivant could not use them for harm. Yet, law enforcement seized from Sturdivant’s bedroom a blue hammer, a wooden handled hammer, and two butcher knives which appeared hidden underneath the defendant’s bed. These items appear to be the same as the ones depicted in the online message Sturdivant previously sent to the OC.

Law enforcement also seized from Sturdivant’s bedroom a list of targets, as well as tactical gloves and a vest, acquired as part of the defendant’s planned attack.

Sturdivant remains in federal custody. If convicted, Sturdivant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.&nbsp;A federal district court judge will determine the ultimate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Charlotte Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Monroe Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Air Marshal Service, the Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with the assistance of the NYPD, additional FBI Field Offices, the FBI Counterterrorism Division, and the Mint Hill Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Gleason for the Western District of North Carolina and DOJ Trial Attorney Elisa Poteat with the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767391410084.png" alt="Sturdivant-Gaston County" />
                        <figcaption>Sturdivant-Gaston County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>CHARLOTTE, N.C. –&nbsp;A Mint Hill, North Caroina man that allegedly planned to use knives and hammers to execute a deadly New Year’s Eve attack at a grocery store and a fast food restaurant&nbsp;in support of the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. </p><p>The criminal complaint was filed on December 31, 2025, and was unsealed today after Christian Sturdivant, 18, appeared in federal court in Charlotte.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FBI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FBI</a> thwarted a potential terrorist attack on New Year&#39;s Eve in North Carolina. The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS. A federal criminal complaint alleges 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant planned a violent attack at a grocery store in Mint Hill. SAC Barnacle… <a href="https://t.co/njn7XBQTAC">pic.twitter.com/njn7XBQTAC</a></p>&mdash; FBI Charlotte (@FBICharlotte) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBICharlotte/status/2007145724538921377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Federal officials in Charlotte, NC hold a news conference on an attempted attack in the area that was thwarted by the FBI. The alleged suspect was reportedly inspired by ISIS and planned to carry out an attack on New Year&#39;s Eve in Mint Hill, NC. <a href="https://t.co/YSpplyrVjp">pic.twitter.com/YSpplyrVjp</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2007171448004063589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767391817051.png" alt="Handwritten document titled “New Years Attack 2026”" />
                        <figcaption>Handwritten document titled “New Years Attack 2026”</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“This successful collaboration between federal and local law enforcement saved American lives from a horrific terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice remains vigilant in our pursuit of evil ISIS sympathizers — anyone plotting to commit such depraved attacks will face the full force of the law.”</p><p>“The accused allegedly wanted to be a soldier for ISIS and made plans to commit a violent attack on New Year’s Eve in support of that terrorist group, but the FBI and our partners put a stop to that,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “It is essential to work closely with our law enforcement partners and to quickly share information about potential threats, as demonstrated in this case. The message from the FBI is clear—anyone who supports ISIS or other terrorist groups cannot hide and will be held accountable in our justice system.”</p><p>"As alleged, Sturdivant aspired to become a ‘martyr’ for ISIS and was in the final stages of planning a mass-casualty attack on New Year’s Eve. Notes recovered from his home appear to reflect intent to harm as many people as possible and terrorize the Nation,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “We commend the extraordinary work of our partners in neutralizing this threat.”</p><p>“Americans deserve to celebrate New Year’s Eve without worrying about their personal safety,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “That is why we worked non-stop to thwart this alleged violent terrorist attack. I am proud of the work done here and thankful for the time spent by law enforcement away from their families during the holidays to ensure public safety.”</p><p>“The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people, and this case demonstrates our dedication to do everything we can to protect the residents of North Carolina. We worked closely with the Department of Justice, NYPD, Mint Hill Police Department, and our FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force partners to investigate and disrupt this serious threat of a violent attack. We will never stop working to hold people accountable who seek to harm and terrorize our community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Barnacle.</p><p>“Christian Sturdivant allegedly swore allegiance to an international terrorist organization and plotted deadly attacks in its name,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “But the New York City Police Department has a long reach, and our undercover cybersecurity investigators once again identified threats of extremist behavior and thwarted them before they could be carried out. Public safety knows no borders, and we will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue and hold accountable anyone who seeks to spread fear and violence.”</p><p>“Now more than ever, partnerships between law enforcement agencies are paramount,” said Chief Joseph Hatley of the Mint Hill Police Department. “This disruption is a testament to all involved, working as one to thwart an attack and hold accountable anyone planning such a horrific act of violence against our community.”</p><p>According to allegations in the arrest affidavit, on December 18, 2025, the FBI in Charlotte received information that an individual later identified as Sturdivant was making multiple social media posts in support of ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. In early December 2025, Sturdivant posted an image depicting two miniature figurines of Jesus with the on-screen text that read, “May Allah curse the cross worshipers.” The post is allegedly consistent with ISIS’s rhetoric calling for the extermination of all non-believers, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims who do not agree with ISIS’s extreme ideology.</p><p>The criminal complaint alleges that on or about December 12, 2025, Sturdivant began communicating with an online covert employee, or “OC,” whom Sturdivant thought was an ISIS member. Sturdivant told the OC, “I will do jihad soon,” and proclaimed he was “a soldier of the state,” meaning ISIS. On December 14, 2025, Sturdivant allegedly sent an online message to the OC with an image of two hammers and a knife. This is significant because an article in the 2016 issue of ISIS’s propaganda magazine promoted the use of knives to conduct terror attacks in western countries. The same article inspired actual attacks in other countries. Later, Sturdivant told the OC that he planned to attack a specific grocery store in North Carolina. Sturdivant also told the OC about his plans to purchase a firearm to use along with the knives during the attack, according to the arrest affidavit.</p><p>In addition, on December 19, 2025, Sturdivant allegedly sent the OC a voice recording of Sturdivant pledging “Bayat,” a loyalty oath to ISIS.</p><p>On December 29, 2025, law enforcement conducted a search warrant at Sturdivant’s residence, where they discovered handwritten documents, one of which was titled “New Years Attack 2026.” The document listed items such as a vest, mask, tactical gloves, and two knives allegedly to be used in the attack. It also described a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible, with the total number of victims to be as high as 20 to 21. The note also included a section labeled as “martyrdom op,” that described a plan to attack police responding to the site of the attack so Sturdivant would die a martyr.</p><p>The complaints alleges that Sturdivant lived with a relative, who secured knives and hammers away so Sturdivant could not use them for harm. Yet, law enforcement seized from Sturdivant’s bedroom a blue hammer, a wooden handled hammer, and two butcher knives which appeared hidden underneath the defendant’s bed. These items appear to be the same as the ones depicted in the online message Sturdivant previously sent to the OC.</p><p>Law enforcement also seized from Sturdivant’s bedroom a list of targets, as well as tactical gloves and a vest, acquired as part of the defendant’s planned attack.</p><p>Sturdivant remains in federal custody. If convicted, Sturdivant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.&nbsp;A federal district court judge will determine the ultimate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.</p><p>The investigation was conducted by the FBI Charlotte Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Monroe Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Air Marshal Service, the Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with the assistance of the NYPD, additional FBI Field Offices, the FBI Counterterrorism Division, and the Mint Hill Police Department.</p><p>The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Gleason for the Western District of North Carolina and DOJ Trial Attorney Elisa Poteat with the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.</p><p>The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.</p>

FBI disrupted a New Year's Eve attack plan inspired by ISIS

LINCOLN — A rash of murder-suicides tore through Nebraska last year, leaving 25 people dead.

Most of the victims were women and girls killed by their current or former boyfriends, fiancés or husbands.

The trend coincides with a federal funding shortfall for domestic violence service organizations. In Nebraska, state attempts to fill that gap have failed.

Jaliyah Compton, living in Pawnee City at the time, listened as the judge read her petition for a protection order against her then-boyfriend into the record.

Started to choke me on the bed. Adam [Lewis] says he blacked out and lost control.

The judge asked if the allegations were true. She nodded.

I attempted to escape, which resulted in him rushing and slamming the door with my arms between it. I have bruises.

For years, those who loved Jaliyah saw red flags in her relationship with Adam. The pair met online while Jaliyah was still in high school and Adam, about three years her senior, lived a few states away. Jaliyah’s mother, Joyce, forbade her from visiting Adam until she was 18 years old.

Upon reaching adulthood, Jaliyah packed up her life and moved to Michigan. She and Adam lived in a rent-to-own trailer until Jaliyah became pregnant in 2022 and, needing support from family, the couple moved back to Jaliyah’s home state. They settled into a small apartment in Pawnee City, a rural enclave near the Kansas border.

Jaliyah became increasingly isolated after moving back to Nebraska. Her friendships faltered. She drifted apart from her sister, Jennifer Hill. She started jobs and quit when Adam took issue with the uniform, the clientele or the time she spent away from home.

“I saw through this stuff, because I was in an abusive relationship for like seven years,” Jennifer said as she sat at the family’s kitchen table in Tecumseh. “I saw right through it.”

Tensions escalated in the summer. During an argument about social media on June 30, Jaliyah wrote in her protection order petition, Adam pinned her down to the bed and choked her.

A week later, she said, he slammed a door on her arm. After the second occurrence, Joyce took Jaliyah to the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office to make a report. It was there, on July 14, that she filed for a domestic abuse protection order against Adam, which was granted pending a hearing.

Days later, Adam filed his own petition against Jaliyah alleging she had neglected their son.

Both appeared in court on July 21. Adam spoke for much of the 25-minute hearing.

I was never on top of her. I don’t put my hands on females whatsoever. I’m not that type of person. I don’t want nothing else with her. She’s caused me enough trouble in my life.

Both protection orders were denied. Joyce picked up Jaliyah from the Pawnee County courthouse as it poured rain. She was “sitting down with her back up against a pole just bawling and shaking so bad,” Joyce said.

Even without the protection order, the two separated. Adam returned to the apartment in Pawnee City, and Jaliyah briefly moved back to Tecumseh with her family.

The two attempted to share custody of their then 3-year-old son without involving the courts. In early August, Jaliyah and her son moved in with a friend in Falls City. Adam often found excuses to visit the friend’s home. But by mid-August, Joyce said, he was no longer allowed on the property.

On the morning of Aug. 20, a friend of the homeowner walked into the little home on Lane Street. She found Jaliyah dead on the couch; Adam on the floor. Both had been shot in the head, according to police reports from Falls City. A small handgun was found underneath Adam’s left leg.

By the way the scene looked in photos, Joyce said, Jaliyah hadn’t had time to react.

Last year in Nebraska, the majority of all female homicide victims were killed in murder-suicides.

Twelve murder-suicides – including one in which the alleged perpetrator shot himself in the head and survived and another in which a man killed his wife and two children before killing himself — left a total of 25 people dead.

A Nebraska Public Media review of such cases identified 30 murder-suicides in Nebraska between 2019 and 2025 that killed a combined 62 people.

Victims ranged in age from 14 to 86. They were White, Black, Hispanic and Asian. They lived in Nebraska’s urban centers and small towns across the state. Some perpetrators had extensive histories of domestic violence or mental illness. Most had none.

The only characteristic common among the perpetrators was gender: All were male. At the national level, too, murder-suicide is a crime almost always committed by men. Researchers consistently find that more than 90% of murder-suicide perpetrators are male and about 70% of victims are female.

Most murder-suicides in Nebraska involve a woman killed by her current or former intimate partner. The handful that do not fall into that category typically occur between family members. Of the 33 victims in those 30 reviewed murder-suicide cases between 2019 and 2025, 27 were women killed by a current or former boyfriend, husband or fiancé.

For organizations that serve victims of domestic violence, the increasing prevalence of murder-suicide is startling. Christon MacTaggert, the executive director of the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, said organizations are seeing more instances of severe violence resulting in serious injury.

“It is a complex but perhaps perfect storm of things that have me highly concerned about increases in lethality we’re seeing just in general across the state, whether or not those cases end in a death,” MacTaggert said.

Federal funding for domestic violence programs has been steadily decreasing for years, and Nebraska’s ability to make up for the shortfall is challenged by a hole in the state budget.

A sizable chunk of federal funding for domestic violence services comes from the federal Justice Department. One major grant program is the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, which includes competitive grants and formula grants that allocate money to each state based on population.

Emily Schoenleber, VAWA grant administrator at the Nebraska Crime Commission, said the state typically receives about $1.2 million to $1.4 million annually through the STOP program, a discretionary grant program that funds legal services, prosecutors, courts and law enforcement.

On top of that, Nebraska regularly receives about $5 million to $7 million annually in federal grants, Schoenleber said. That money is then distributed amongst the 24 organizations that provide direct services to domestic violence survivors across Nebraska.

Historically, another significant source of federal funding for domestic violence services came from the Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA. While VAWA funding is appropriated by Congress, VOCA is a unique program funded by criminal fines, bail bonds, penalties and special assessments from federal prosecutions.

Because of an increase in deferred and non-prosecution agreements, the funds available through VOCA have dwindled over the past decade. As a result, Nebraska’s VOCA funding has decreased from nearly $20 million in 2018 to less than $5 million in 2024, according to data from the federal Office for Crime Victims.

“That funding is kind of a backbone for so many of our agencies,” Hilary Wasserburger said of VOCA funds. She leads the DOVES program, which is the sole organization serving domestic violence survivors in nine counties across the Nebraska Panhandle.

Advocates say there is little hope VOCA funding will bounce back to previous levels. That leaves organizations scrambling to fill multi-million dollar funding gaps as need increases.

“It’s not like this is just a little glitch in the system,” Wasserburger said. “I think these lower levels of VOCA funding are going to continue, and it just makes everything harder.”

“We don’t expect it will ever get back to the levels that it once was,” MacTaggert said.

Changing requirements for federal grants have also frustrated domestic violence service organizations. Wasserburger said DOVES was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department for Housing and Development to operate seven transitional housing units where survivors can live for three months to a year as they get back on their feet. DOVES does not have a shelter. It instead relies on hotel vouchers, which Wasserburger said are “very short term.”

“Originally last year, they granted funding for two years – and now the administration has pulled that back and are making people reapply on a very tight timeline with pretty big programmatic changes, moving away from rental assistance and instead saying that we need to provide transitional housing,” Wasserburger said. “That’s infrastructure that needs time to be built up.”

Nebraska has attempted twice in recent years to funnel millions in state money to domestic violence service organizations. Both attempts failed. And prospects for a new solution are scarce as Nebraska faces a budget shortfall heading into the Legislative session.

“With the budget shortfall that they are going to have to contend with this session, it is unlikely that they are going to give us this money from the state general fund,” MacTaggert said. “We have had broad support, and at the same time, we’re fighting 30 months now to get access to [funds].”

In 2023, the Legislature appropriated $6 million over two years in additional funds for domestic violence service organizations. The money came from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, program. Nebraska receives about $56 million annually in federal TANF funds, and any unspent money is carried over into a rainy day fund. That money can then be appropriated for a variety of programs, including domestic violence services.

The TANF money never reached survivors or providers due to conflicts between reporting requirements and confidentiality practices. MacTaggert said she and others worked with state and federal officials for years to try to find a solution before determining there could be no workaround.

In the 2025 session, the Legislature again attempted to funnel a total of $6 million to domestic violence services over the next two fiscal years. This time, the money would come from the state Medicaid Managed Care Excess Profit Fund.

But that fund was overallocated. In a fiscal note submitted to the Legislature in March, a legislative fiscal analyst noted that the “source of funding indicated in the bill cannot sustain the additional expenditure.”

As of late December, MacTaggert said none of the money has reached organizations in the coalition. She said it’s been difficult to get any information about the status of the funds.

“All we have really been told – and, again, this is not from anybody that is really involved with the fund, it’s just information passed through – is that we should not count on the money,” MacTaggert said.

“It just feels like the timing couldn’t be worse,” she said.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services was given more than a week to answer questions for this story. It did not respond by publication.

In Omaha and other large metropolitan areas, organizations can fall back on the city’s large network of philanthropic donors and family foundations to fill the gaps left by decreasing federal funds. But Katie Welsh, the vice president of programs at the Women’s Center for Advancement in Omaha, worries for smaller organizations in rural areas that don’t have the same support.

“I worry about what will happen with these rates [of domestic violence] if some of these service providers can’t keep their doors open,” Welsh said. “Or if they can keep their doors open, will they have to limit the services that they’re offering? Or the number of staff that’s available to somebody who needs help?”

The protection order question Jaliyah’s family is still somewhat split on whether an active protection order could have prevented the murder-suicide. But family members contacted for this story contend that lifting it was a mistake.

“What would it have hurt to grant her the protection order to err on the side of caution?” Jaliyah’s aunt, Amber McElroy, said. “I know a lot of people were saying it’s just a piece of paper, but at least it would have empowered her to feel like she could call the cops.”

Her killing – and those of other Nebraska women who were granted protection orders against the men who would later kill them – led to renewed questions about the efficacy of protection orders in Nebraska.

Welsh said her main concern about protection orders is the limited ability of police to remove firearms from potentially dangerous people.

“The petitioner can ask for the respondent to not have access to a firearm, but police are not going to necessarily walk into that person’s house who has the protection order against them and just take their weapons from them – or that’s not the case every time,” she said. “It may prevent them from buying one that they don’t have, but the guns that are in their possession – while it is a violation of that court order, enforcement is very difficult.”

When a person files for a domestic abuse protection order, they can request that a judge prohibits their alleged abuser from “possessing or purchasing a firearm.” It is then up to a judge to order that prohibition as part of the order if they deem it necessary.

Once granted by a judge, the protection order is served upon the respondent by members of a county sheriff’s office. But policies on how to handle the firearm prohibition when serving protection orders differ significantly between departments. In many cases, the responsibility falls to the respondent to comply voluntarily.

“It is the respondent’s responsibility to comply fully with all conditions of the court-issued protection order,” said Kelsey Cruz, a spokesperson for the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. “If LSO receives information – within our jurisdiction – indicating that a respondent is unlawfully possessing firearms in violation of a protection order, deputies cannot enter the residence solely based on that suspicion. Instead, deputies may investigate the report and attempt to enter the residence through consent. If consent is denied, deputies can prepare an affidavit for a search warrant.”

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, similarly, does not take possession of weapons after serving protection orders. Seward County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol Captain Bradley Melby said the department’s approach differs based on the circumstances and the specificity of a judge’s order.

“We can ask for the weapons, and if the subject is cooperative, we can take those weapons into our possession,” Melby said in an email. “If the judge has specifically ordered us to remove the weapons, or are subject to seizure under Nebraska law, we can then take those into our possession.”

Twenty-two states have laws on the books to enforce Extreme Risk Protection Orders, or ERPOs. Colloquially called “red flag laws,” provisions vary by state but typically allow law enforcement to search for and seize firearms after allowing the respondent time to voluntarily relinquish them.

They are reserved for cases in which a person is deemed to be at an immediate risk of harming themselves or someone else.

The last time Nebraska legislators attempted to pass a similar law was in 2020. The bill, brought to the Legislature in both 2019 and 2020, was supported by the Nebraska chapter of theFraternal Order of Police and police departments in Omaha and Lincoln.

The Nebraska Association of County Sheriffs took a neutral stance, citing concerns about gun storage and liability – but the association’s president said at a judiciary committee hearing in 2019 that he looked forward to “getting this bill passed.”

Defense attorneys and gun rights groups have consistently opposed ERPOs in Nebraska and elsewhere. The proposals never got off the ground. No similar attempt has been made in the last five legislative sessions.

Some have argued a person’s gun rights should not be infringed based on allegations.

Large-scale studies of murder-suicides in the U.S. identify current or former romantic partners as the most likely perpetrators – but, because of the small sample size and limited information, they rarely differentiate between current and former partners.

In Nebraska, at least half of the women killed in murder-suicides in 2025 were killed by a former intimate partner from whom they had already separated. Those only include cases in which publicly available court filings provide insight into the circumstances of the relationship.

In addition to Jaliyah, there was Michelle Gonzalez, who was tracked down and shot to death on a busy Lincoln street within hours of filing a protection order against her ex-boyfriend.

There was Jamie Hagen, who wrote in a protection order petition that her ex-boyfriend, Casey Kindt, threatened to “kill me and then put a bullet in his head.” Within a day of Kindt’s release from jail after violating the protection order, he allegedly broke down the door to Hagen’s home and shot her to death before placing the gun underneath his chin and pulling the trigger.

The bullet tore through his skull and came to rest in his brain, but Kindt survived, and he is awaiting trial for first-degree murder.

There was 17-year-old Zara “A.J.” Sobanksy, who had just finished her sophomore year of high school when she was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend outside of an Omaha restaurant in June. Court records allege that the pair broke up about a month prior to the murder-suicide.

And there was Heather Gray, who filed for divorce from her husband in Clay County on Feb. 20. He killed them both on Feb. 21, with their three young children in the home.

“Particularly when a victim has left the relationship or is trying to leave the relationship, that sort of final act of control is sometimes to kill the victim,” MacTaggert said. “And then the step after that is that sometimes perpetrators will kill themselves.

“I don’t know if I can speak to what drives that other than, again, that control and power over the relationship, and perhaps not wanting to be accountable for what comes after.”

That tracks with what Welsh says she has seen in research specific to Douglas County. A study commissioned by the Women’s Fund of Omaha last year found that former partners are now the most common type of victim-offender relationship in intimate partner violence incidents reported to the Omaha Police Department. Former dating partners went from 27.6% of reported incidents in 2015 to 41.9% in 2024.

“I think that trend can be chalked up to different things,” Welsh said of the increase. “Intimate partners who used to be in a relationship often have to interact a lot, even after their relationship is over. Maybe they have children together, or they’re kind of trying to untangle their lives. So if they’re put in contact, and the abuser is likely still trying to exercise power and control over the victim, then we’re going to see 911 calls occur and those domestic violence incidents occur.”

The aftermath of murder-suicides creates a complex web of grief. It is a crime without legal consequence. For the victim’s families, there can never be justice. For the families of those who perpetrate murder-suicides, there are no answers. There is no why.

Perhaps no one suffers more than the young children left behind, who are taken in by relatives in the best of cases and the subject of drawn-out, contentious custody battles in the worst.

Many children witness the murder-suicide or the arguments that precede it. Or, like Jaliyah and Adam’s son, they come home to a world without their parents. Jackson Hill, Jaliyah’s 12-year-old nephew, said the boy sometimes sits in the living room and says: Mom, mom, mom.

It was Hagen’s teenage daughter who called police after Kindt broke down their door. Evita Gove, killed in 2019, fled to a neighbor’s house with her six-year-old daughter when her husband caught up to them and shot her multiple times, leaving the girl unscathed, and then killed himself during a police standoff.

When Bu Gay was shot to death by her boyfriend in Lincoln last year, he also shot her 13-year-old son, who survived.

The families of the perpetrators often struggle privately to square their love for the person they knew with the devastation of their final act. In many cases, the perpetrator’s family is the victim’s family, too. Joyce and the rest of the Compton family now face the impossible task of deciding how to talk to Jaliyah’s son about his father.

“We don’t want it to be a bash session on Adam, because someday, [their son] is going to look this up,” Amber, Jaliyah’s aunt, said. “Kids get their sense of self from their parents, to an extent. And it doesn’t need to be, ‘Well, my dad was bad, so I’m bad, right?’”

Murder-suicides surge in Nebraska as funds for domestic violence services wane

Washington, D.C.– On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the next phase in the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA), the eligible commodity per-acre payment rates. As announced earlier this month by President Trump and Secretary Rollins, $12 billion will be paid to American farmers in 2026. Of that amount, $11 billion consists of one-time FBA program payments. This is in response to four years of disastrous Biden administration policies that created record-high input and production costs, zero new trade deals, and a forgotten rural America.

“President Trump committed to increase certainty in the farm economy, and farmers can count on these payment rate calculations when going to the bank as they plan for the spring planting season. Putting Farmers First means delivering real relief when it matters. Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments in their bank accounts by February 28, 2026,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “These one-time payments give farmers the bridge to continue to feed and clothe America and the world while the Trump Administration continues opening new markets and strengthening the farm safety net. &nbsp;USDA is making this process as simple and seamless as possible so producers can focus on what they do best – feeding and fueling our nation.”

Eligible Row Crop Commodities and Payment Rates:&nbsp;

Below are the payment rates for the FBA eligible commodities that triggered a payment. &nbsp;

• Barley: $20.51• Canola: $23.57• Chickpeas (Large): $26.46• Chickpeas (Small): $33.36• Corn: $44.36• Cotton: $117.35• Flax: $8.05• Lentils: $23.98• Mustard: $23.21• Oats: $81.75• Peanuts: $55.65• Peas: $19.60• Rice: $132.89• Safflower: $24.86• Sesame: $13.68• Sorghum: $48.11• Soybeans: $30.88• Sunflower: $17.32• Wheat: $39.35

Eligibility, Program Applications, and Crop Insurance Linkage&nbsp;

FBA payments are based on 2025 planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production, and the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate Report. Double crop acres, including all initial and subsequently planted crops, are eligible. Prevent plant acres are not eligible.&nbsp;

All intended row crop uses are eligible for FBA except grazing, volunteer stands, experimental, green manure, crops left standing and abandoned or cover crops.&nbsp;

Crop insurance linkage is not required; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new risk management tools provided for in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) to best protect against future price risk and volatility. The OBBBA federal crop insurance improvements include expanding benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, increasing coverage options, and making crop insurance more affordable.&nbsp;

Of the $12 billion being provided by the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, up to $11 billion is being directed to eligible row crop producers and the remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in assistance is reserved for specialty crops and sugar. Timelines for payments to producers of these crops are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs. Producers, including specialty crop producers and stakeholder groups, can submit questions to <a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov" target="_blank">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.&nbsp;

More information FBA is available online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba" target="_blank">https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba</a>&nbsp;or you can contact your local USDA FSA county office.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767278821674.png" alt="Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins in the Oval Office -image White House" />
                        <figcaption>Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins in the Oval Office -image White House</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Washington, D.C.– On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the next phase in the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA), the eligible commodity per-acre payment rates. As announced earlier this month by President Trump and Secretary Rollins, $12 billion will be paid to American farmers in 2026. Of that amount, $11 billion consists of one-time FBA program payments. This is in response to four years of disastrous Biden administration policies that created record-high input and production costs, zero new trade deals, and a forgotten rural America.</p><p>“President Trump committed to increase certainty in the farm economy, and farmers can count on these payment rate calculations when going to the bank as they plan for the spring planting season. Putting Farmers First means delivering real relief when it matters. Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments in their bank accounts by February 28, 2026,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “These one-time payments give farmers the bridge to continue to feed and clothe America and the world while the Trump Administration continues opening new markets and strengthening the farm safety net. &nbsp;USDA is making this process as simple and seamless as possible so producers can focus on what they do best – feeding and fueling our nation.”</p><p>Eligible Row Crop Commodities and Payment Rates:&nbsp;</p><p>Below are the payment rates for the FBA eligible commodities that triggered a payment. &nbsp;</p><p>Commodity, Per Acre Payment Rates</p><p>• Barley: $20.51• Canola: $23.57• Chickpeas (Large): $26.46• Chickpeas (Small): $33.36• Corn: $44.36• Cotton: $117.35• Flax: $8.05• Lentils: $23.98• Mustard: $23.21• Oats: $81.75• Peanuts: $55.65• Peas: $19.60• Rice: $132.89• Safflower: $24.86• Sesame: $13.68• Sorghum: $48.11• Soybeans: $30.88• Sunflower: $17.32• Wheat: $39.35</p><p>Eligibility, Program Applications, and Crop Insurance Linkage&nbsp;</p><p>FBA payments are based on 2025 planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production, and the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate Report. Double crop acres, including all initial and subsequently planted crops, are eligible. Prevent plant acres are not eligible.&nbsp;</p><p>All intended row crop uses are eligible for FBA except grazing, volunteer stands, experimental, green manure, crops left standing and abandoned or cover crops.&nbsp;</p><p>Crop insurance linkage is not required; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new risk management tools provided for in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) to best protect against future price risk and volatility. The OBBBA federal crop insurance improvements include expanding benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, increasing coverage options, and making crop insurance more affordable.&nbsp;</p><p>Specialty Crop Assistance&nbsp;</p><p>Of the $12 billion being provided by the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, up to $11 billion is being directed to eligible row crop producers and the remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in assistance is reserved for specialty crops and sugar. Timelines for payments to producers of these crops are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs. Producers, including specialty crop producers and stakeholder groups, can submit questions to <a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov" target="_blank">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>More Information&nbsp;</p><p>More information FBA is available online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba" target="_blank">https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba</a>&nbsp;or you can contact your local USDA FSA county office.&nbsp;</p>

Farmers can now learn how much aid they will get from USDA

The nation’s capital&nbsp; is celebrating the transition to a new year in a historic way.

For the first time ever, the Washington Monument was&nbsp; illuminated on all four sides with a large-scale projection light show that began New Year’s Eve. The display kicked off celebrations for America’s 250th birthday.

<p>The nation’s capital&nbsp; is celebrating the transition to a new year in a historic way.</p><p>For the first time ever, the Washington Monument was&nbsp; illuminated on all four sides with a large-scale projection light show that began New Year’s Eve. The display kicked off celebrations for America’s 250th birthday.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WATCH IN FULL: <a href="https://twitter.com/250Freedom_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@250Freedom_</a> presents &quot;The Illumination of America&quot; at the Washington Monument, celebrating 250 years of the United States of America — and looking forward to our next incredible chapter.<br><br>GOD BLESS AMERICA! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/xe5XOzUjmC">pic.twitter.com/xe5XOzUjmC</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2006525083590803664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NOW on the National Mall: <a href="https://twitter.com/250Freedom_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@250Freedom_</a> presents &quot;The Illumination of America,&quot; kicking off the 250th birthday year of our great country 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/uV1ndQVVgw">pic.twitter.com/uV1ndQVVgw</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2006518231264006370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;The pioneer spirit of the American People brought us across oceans, established a nation in liberty, drew us across a continent, and raised us into the clouds... We&#39;re the United States of America — there is no frontier too far, no dream too bold, no horizon beyond our reach.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/yZpsUvfPIP">pic.twitter.com/yZpsUvfPIP</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2006523469249630607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 DC light show kicked off America's 250th birthday 

On Dec. 30, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted kinetic strikes against three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy.

These vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes. Three narco-terrorists aboard the first vessel were killed in the first engagement. The remaining narco-terrorists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels. Following the engagements, the U.S. Southern Command immediately notified the Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system.

On Dec. 31, at the direction of&nbsp; Secretary Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations.

Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and engaged in narco-trafficking. A total of five narco-terrorists were killed during these actions - three in the first vessel and two in the second

<p>On Dec. 30, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted kinetic strikes against three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">On Dec. 30, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted kinetic strikes against three narco-trafficking vessels traveling as a convoy. These vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence… <a href="https://t.co/NHRNIzcrFS">pic.twitter.com/NHRNIzcrFS</a></p>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2006474817076330557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>These vessels were operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes. Three narco-terrorists aboard the first vessel were killed in the first engagement. The remaining narco-terrorists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels. Following the engagements, the U.S. Southern Command immediately notified the Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system.</p><p>On Dec. 31, at the direction of&nbsp; Secretary Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">On Dec. 31, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and… <a href="https://t.co/4AE5u4cEff">pic.twitter.com/4AE5u4cEff</a></p>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2006531145844867143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and engaged in narco-trafficking. A total of five narco-terrorists were killed during these actions - three in the first vessel and two in the second</p>

🎥US military strikes more drug boats killing 8 'narco-terrorists'

By Aaron Sanderford |<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/30/nu-regent-oconnor-resigning-effective-jan-9-in-wake-of-dui-allegation-possible-impeachment/"> Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Embattled University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor, who increasingly faced likely impeachment proceedings, announced Tuesday that she is resigning her post.

O’Connor, 35, faces a felony charge of drunken driving causing bodily injury from a Douglas County crash that police say totaled two vehicles and broke the back and pelvis of a passenger.

Authorities allege the Omaha-area regent and former student regent tested with a blood alcohol content of 0.321% after the May 21 crash in the Benson area, in her&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/media/images/maps/2021/regents/omaha.pdf" target="_blank">eastern Douglas County district</a>. That’s four times the legal limit.

The father of three young children injured in the crash had lobbied the NU regent to resign and called on lawmakers and other politicians to ramp up the pressure on O’Connor to resign.

State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, a Republican in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, had pledged to pursue impeachment if O’Connor, a Democrat, didn’t resign. Impeaching her would require at least 25 votes and the approval of her removal by the Nebraska Supreme Court. The Nebraska Legislature last&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/99/PDF/Journal/r2journal.pdf#page=1554" target="_blank">impeached</a>&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/nebraska/supreme-court/2006/425-0.html" target="_blank">state official in 2006</a>, then-NU Regent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/07/10/nebraska-regent-ousted" target="_blank">C. David Hergert</a>.

O’Connor, who has served as an elected member of the NU board since 2019, said in a statement that she did not want to “become a distraction to the Board’s important work.”

“I am choosing to resign now because I want to do the right thing for our great university,” she said in a statement.&nbsp;

“The University of Nebraska is facing many important opportunities and challenges, and District Four must have a representative that can serve effectively on the Board.”

Kauth, a Republican, said O’Connor should have resigned immediately as she still had seven months’ worth of decisions at the university, including managing a $3.6 billion budget.

“Clearly, she does not make great decisions, so I question why she stayed in so long,” Kauth said Tuesday.&nbsp;

<p>By Aaron Sanderford |<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/30/nu-regent-oconnor-resigning-effective-jan-9-in-wake-of-dui-allegation-possible-impeachment/"> Nebraska Examiner</a></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/oconnor_ZJW_120525-04-1536x1024.jpg" alt="&nbsp;University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor of Omaha speaks in Lincoln at the NU Board of Regents. Dec. 5, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor of Omaha speaks in Lincoln at the NU Board of Regents. Dec. 5, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LINCOLN — Embattled University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O’Connor, who increasingly faced likely impeachment proceedings, announced Tuesday that she is resigning her post.</p><p>O’Connor, 35, faces a felony charge of drunken driving causing bodily injury from a Douglas County crash that police say totaled two vehicles and broke the back and pelvis of a passenger.</p><p>Authorities allege the Omaha-area regent and former student regent tested with a blood alcohol content of 0.321% after the May 21 crash in the Benson area, in her&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/media/images/maps/2021/regents/omaha.pdf" target="_blank">eastern Douglas County district</a>. That’s four times the legal limit.</p><p>The father of three young children injured in the crash had lobbied the NU regent to resign and called on lawmakers and other politicians to ramp up the pressure on O’Connor to resign.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/kauth_ZJW_103025-01-300x200.jpg" alt="State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area. Oct. 30, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area. Oct. 30, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, a Republican in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, had pledged to pursue impeachment if O’Connor, a Democrat, didn’t resign. Impeaching her would require at least 25 votes and the approval of her removal by the Nebraska Supreme Court. The Nebraska Legislature last&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/99/PDF/Journal/r2journal.pdf#page=1554" target="_blank">impeached</a>&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/nebraska/supreme-court/2006/425-0.html" target="_blank">state official in 2006</a>, then-NU Regent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/07/10/nebraska-regent-ousted" target="_blank">C. David Hergert</a>.</p><p>O’Connor, who has served as an elected member of the NU board since 2019, said in a statement that she did not want to “become a distraction to the Board’s important work.”</p><p>“I am choosing to resign now because I want to do the right thing for our great university,” she said in a statement.&nbsp;</p><p>“The University of Nebraska is facing many important opportunities and challenges, and District Four must have a representative that can serve effectively on the Board.”</p><p>Kauth, a Republican, said O’Connor should have resigned immediately as she still had seven months’ worth of decisions at the university, including managing a $3.6 billion budget.</p><p>“Clearly, she does not make great decisions, so I question why she stayed in so long,” Kauth said Tuesday.&nbsp;</p><p>Kauth’s push to consider O’Connor’s possible removal appeared to have significant bipartisan support, based on a recent survey of lawmakers by the Nebraska Examiner, which had been preparing a story on the topic. The Legislature currently consists of 33 Republicans, 15 Democrats and one nonpartisan progressive.</p><p>Any Democratic support for impeachment would likely imperil her ability to continue to serve. Three Democrats had said by mid-December that they would vote to impeach, and a fourth signaled leaning toward supporting impeachment.</p><p>State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, chair of the Legislature’s Education Committee and a Republican, said he was “definitely” in favor of impeaching O’Connor and that she should have resigned “a long time ago.” He noted public video evidence of the alleged crash.</p><p>“Regents, like it or not, should be a model for student behavior, and with that serious of a felony allegation and the overwhelming evidence of what happened, she should do the right thing and resign,” Murman said Dec. 18. “If she doesn’t, I think she should be impeached.</p><p>State Sens. Merv Riepe of Ralston, a Republican, and Jane Raybould of Lincoln, a Democrat, questioned why the regents had not weighed in first on O’Connor’s fate. Under the Nebraska Constitution, only the Legislature can impeach a constitutional officer.</p><p>Gov. Jim Pillen, who had served with O’Connor for four years on the regents, also had weighed in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/07/state-lawmaker-takes-steps-toward-impeaching-nu-regent-oconnor/">early September</a>, suggesting that she should resign if the allegations were true. His office had no immediate comment Tuesday on the resignation announcement.</p><p>The governor, a Republican from Columbus, would appoint her replacement, which would likely add a conservative member from one of the state’s most Democratic-leaning districts until a special election in November 2026 to serve the remainder of O’Connor’s term through the end of 2030. She was reelected in 2024 with 67% of the vote.</p><p>In O’Connor’s statement, the first to address her elected position since the charges were brought in July, she credited the work of her fellow board members and NU faculty and staff. Her resignation is effective at 11:59 p.m. Jan. 9, she and NU officials separately confirmed.</p><p>“The University of Nebraska is a very special place, and it represents the unique culture and leadership that is evident in the daily lives of Nebraskans in every community across our great state,” she said.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/gold_ZJW_110725-01-300x200.jpg" alt="University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold. Nov. 7, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold. Nov. 7, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>NU President Dr. Jeffrey Gold, in a statement of his own Tuesday afternoon, thanked O’Connor for her service and said he and NU “look forward to working with her successor to further advance and strengthen our university.”</p><p>Kauth said O’Connor should have recognized sooner that her continued service would be a “distraction,” not a week before the 2026 legislative session begins. Kauth reiterated she would have formally begun impeachment on Day One. She had briefed a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/27/legislative-committee-briefed-about-possible-impeachment-of-nu-regent/">legislative committee on the process</a>&nbsp;in October. Half of the committee told the Examiner they supported impeachment.</p><p>“Had we not had articles of impeachment drawn up and ready to go, would she have even thought to resign?” Kauth asked.</p><p>Charges against O’Connor were brought July 30, two months after the crash. The delay came as prosecutors awaited O’Connor’s blood test from the lab, and because the Douglas County Attorney’s Office transferred the case to the Omaha City Prosecutor’s Office to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.&nbsp;</p><p>Until early August, O’Connor served as a deputy county attorney.&nbsp;</p><p>Part of the 2026 legislative session will include plugging a projected $471 million budget deficit for the state through mid-2027. NU campus leaders have already taken steps to cut more than $40 million from NU’s systemwide budget this fall, and some lawmakers noted O’Connor’s service wouldn’t help the university system, one of the state’s largest line items in the budget.</p><p>“If the university is not living up to the standards that we think the university should, and that includes the regents, it doesn’t help,” Murman said.</p><p>Kauth said she had the 24 other votes necessary to impeach.</p><p>“No matter when that elected official chooses to misbehave and do something that deserves impeachment, we have to address it,” Kauth said. “The fact that she finally resigned means we are able to look at other issues, and we’re going to have a lot this session.”</p><p>O’Connor is next scheduled in Douglas County District Court Jan. 22. Her case appears headed to trial as her defense is subpoenaing medical records and conducting depositions.</p>