“The Trump administration is cutting off more than $10 billion in social services and child care funding meant for a handful of Democrat-led states, officials told The Post Monday. The Department of Health and Human Services will freeze taxpayer funding from the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and the Social Services Block Grant program. At least $7.35 billion in TANF money will be prevented from going to California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. The CCDF funding block of $2.3 billion affects all those states except Colorado. Another $869 million from the Social Services Block Grant coffers is being kept from all five states. The funding pauses were to be announced via letters to each state, citing concerns that benefits were fraudulently going to non-US citizens.” (01/05/25)
“A massive 535-pound bluefin tuna sold for a record 510 million yen ($3.2 million) at the first auction of 2026 at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market. The top bidder for the prized tuna at the predawn auction on Monday was Kiyomura Corp., whose owner Kiyoshi Kimura runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. Kimura, who has won the annual auction many times in the past, broke the previous record of 334 million yen ($2.1 million) he set in 2019. … Due to the popularity of tuna for sushi and sashimi, Pacific bluefin tuna was previously a threatened species due to climate change and overfishing, but its stock is recovering following conservation efforts.” (01/05/26)
“Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Democrats’ 2024 candidate for vice president, is ending his bid for a third term as governor amid President Donald Trump’s relentless focus on a fraud investigation into child care programs in the state. Less than four months after announcing his reelection campaign, Walz said Monday that negative attention and Republican attacks have contributed to an ‘extraordinarily difficult year for our state,’ making it impossible for him to serve full-time as governor while also being a candidate to keep his job.” (01/05/25)
“A Paris court found Monday 10 people guilty of cyberbullying France’s first lady Brigitte Macron by spreading false online claims about her gender and sexuality, including allegations she was born a man. The court handed out sentences to all the defendants ranging from a cyberbullying awareness training to 8-month suspended prison sentences. The court pointed to ‘particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious’ comments referring to false claims regarding alleged trans identity and alleged pedo criminality targeting Brigitte Macron. … The case follows years of conspiracy theories falsely alleging that Brigitte Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is actually the name of her brother. The Macrons have also filed a defamation suit in the United States against conservative influencer Candace Owens.” (01/05/26)
“Donald Trump has again proposed annexing Greenland, after Denmark’s leader urged him to ‘stop the threats’ over the island. Speaking to reporters, the US president said ‘we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security.’ Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of the semi-autonomous Danish territory becoming an annexed part of the US, citing its strategic location for defence purposes and mineral wealth. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen responded by saying ‘that’s enough now’ and described the notion of US control over the island as ‘a fantasy.’ ‘No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation. We are open to dialogue. We are open to discussions. But this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law.'” (01/05/25)
“The world’s largest cryptocurrency rose nearly 5% over the past three days, lifting the total value of the market by about $100 billion, as traders digested the implications of Washington’s dramatic intervention in Venezuela and its potential impact on oil prices. While some analysts described Bitcoin’s rally as an early signal of broader market stress, certain bullish commentators revived long-standing calls for prices as high as $1 million.” (01/05/26)
“President Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced the head of Ukraine’s security service Monday, continuing a top-level reshuffle ahead of a trip to Paris where he hoped to finalize agreements with allies on how to ensure that Russia doesn’t repeat its invasion if a peace agreement is signed. Zelenskyy is trying to revamp his administration as the grinding war of attrition with Russia marks its fourth anniversary next month. He is keen to keep up the momentum of U.S.-led peace talks as well as sharpen Ukraine’s focus on defense if those efforts collapse. The Paris talks are expected to include the leaders of about 30 countries, dubbed the ‘coalition of the willing,’ which are ready to provide security guarantees to keep Ukraine safe in the future.” (01/05/25)
“Uganda’s government said on Monday it was banning live broadcasts of riots, ‘unlawful processions’ and other violent incidents ahead of an election in which President Yoweri Museveni is seeking to extend his 40-year rule. The authorities have detained hundreds of opposition supporters ahead of the January 15 election, which will again pit the 81-year-old Museveni against the 43-year-old pop-star-turned politician Bobi Wine. … More than 50 people were killed before the last election in 2021 in crackdowns by security forces against Wine supporters, who accused Museveni of stealing the election, which he denied.” (01/05/26)
“President Donald Trump stated late Sunday that ‘we’re in charge’ of Venezuela, while warning its interim leader Delcy Rodríguez that she will fare ‘probably worse’ than [abducted] President Nicolas Maduro if she does not cooperate. …. Trump threatened military action against Colombia, drawing backlash from its president, but said there were no plans for immediate intervention in Cuba, predicting its government was ‘just going to fall.’ He again outlined his desire to take over Greenland, drawing widespread pushback including from NATO ally Denmark, which governs the Arctic island nation.” (01/05/26)
“The Israeli army has launched more attacks into parts of Gaza outside its direct military control, despite the ceasefire deal mediated by the United States in October. At least three Palestinians were killed on Sunday in separate Israeli attacks in Khan Younis, medical sources told Al Jazeera. They included a 15-year-old boy, a fisherman, and a third man shot dead east of Khan Younis. In the central part of the besieged enclave, Israeli fire injured several people east of the Bureij refugee camp. In Gaza City to the north, Israeli forces continued to demolish homes and civilian infrastructure within the mostly destroyed Tuffah neighbourhood.” (01/04/26)
