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Ilhan Omar says she’s frustrated since Somalis are also victims in ‘Feeding Our Future’ scam

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Ilhan Omar says she’s frustrated since Somalis are also victims in ‘Feeding Our Future’ scam

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Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., expressed frustration Sunday with the framing of the massive “Feeding Our Future” fraud scheme that’s embroiled members of the Somali community in her state, saying many Somalis were victims as well since they could have benefited from the program.

“Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan called the extent of the scam “shocking,” noting it was the Biden-era Department of Justice that said it was the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the nation and the majority of the reported offenders were Somalis, adding to the “spotlight” on Omar’s community.

“Why do you think this fraud was allowed to get so widespread?” Brennan asked.

“I want to say this also has an impact on Somalis, because we are also taxpayers in Minnesota,” Omar said. “We also could have benefited from the program and the money that was stolen. So it’s been really frustrating for people to not acknowledge the fact that we’re also, as Minnesotans, as taxpayers, really upset and angry about the fraud that has occurred.”

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Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has condemned the brazen fraud in Minnesota as “reprehensible.” (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT MINNESOTA’S ‘FEEDING OUR FUTURE’ FRAUD AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S LATEST CRACKDOWN

Brennan asked Omar if there had been a failure by the Minnesota state government, which is dominated by Democrats.

“That is what I alluded to in my letter that I had sent to the Secretary of AG was to see where things were going wrong. How can this amount of money disappear fraudulently without there being alarms set off?” Omar asked. “And it is something that, you know, we have to continue to investigate. We have to continue to ask those questions.”

President Donald Trump and other officials have zeroed in on this and other alleged fraud schemes in recent weeks, arguing that the criminal activity is a result of mismanagement and “incompetence” from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat and former vice presidential candidate.

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MS NOW HOST CALLS MASSIVE MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEME ‘ISOLATED’ IN INTERVIEW WITH M ATTORNEY GENERAL

Trump and Omar have traded barbs in recent days as well, with Trump calling Somalis “garbage” and saying they should return to their home country. Omar and other critics have called the remarks bigoted and said Trump is trying to distract from his own policy failings.

The back-and-forth comes as Minnesota has come under fresh scrutiny for alleged mismanagement of federal funds, including in distributing money for the nonprofit “Feeding Our Future” program.

Prosecutors have labeled the fraud scheme in the state as the largest pandemic fraud scheme in the country, stemming from allegations that the Minnesota nonprofit and its associates defrauded federal child-nutrition programs for hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID-19 aid.

The New York Times reported last month, “Over the last five years, law enforcement officials say, fraud took root in pockets of Minnesota’s Somali diaspora as scores of individuals made small fortunes by setting up companies that billed state agencies for millions of dollars’ worth of social services that were never provided.”

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Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (Yuri Gripas/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

$1 BILLION REPORTEDLY STOLEN IN FRAUD UNDER MINNESOTA GOV. WALZ

Omar said she was one of the first members of Congress who inquired about what she called a “reprehensible” scam.

Omar previously told local outlet KARE 11 News, “The alleged fraud scheme orchestrated by ‘Feeding Our Future’ is reprehensible. Using the guise of feeding children to funnel millions of dollars toward extravagant expenses is abhorrent, and anyone who participated in this scheme must be held accountable.”

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Fox News Digital’s Brenna Deppisch and Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.

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Midwest

Terrifying moment caught on camera as road collapse suddenly swallows vehicles at busy intersection

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Terrifying moment caught on camera as road collapse suddenly swallows vehicles at busy intersection

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Dramatic video showed the moment a road collapsed below two unsuspecting motorists near the University of Nebraska-Omaha Tuesday, sending their vehicles feet below ground.

Footage taken by university security cameras appeared to show the two vehicles rolling up to an intersection, side-by-side, before a car pulled up behind them, seemingly triggering the collapse.

Emergency crews responded to the incident at 67th and Pacific streets at about 3:30 p.m., local outlet WOWT reported.

The collapse appeared to be triggered by a pickup truck behind the two cars. (UNO Public Safety/TMX)

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The vehicles’ occupants had escaped the hole by the time authorities arrived.

“This caught everybody by surprise,” University of Nebraska-Omaha Public Safety Lt. Dan Martin told the outlet.

Dust could be seen as the vehicles fell into the pavement. (UNO Public Safety/TMX)

SOUTH KOREAN TOURISTS DISAPPEAR DURING ROAD TRIP BETWEEN GRAND CANYON, LAS VEGAS 

No injuries were reported, though WOWT reported a water main broke during the collapse.

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It is unclear what led to the collapse.

The outlet reported a heavy-duty tow truck with a crane retrieved the cars a few hours later, and crews worked to pull concrete from the crater.

It is unclear what led to the road collapse. (UNO Public Safety/TMX)

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Martin warned the sinkhole could expand, though it appears no additional sinkholes had been spotted as of Wednesday night.

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Officials told WOWT the street will remain closed for “several days,” and motorists should avoid the area.

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Detroit, MI

Michigan State Police sends message to drivers after trooper involved in hit and run:

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Michigan State Police sends message to drivers after trooper involved in hit and run:


“Slow down and move over” is the message that Michigan State Police is sending to drivers after one of its troopers in a parked patrol car was struck while investigating a crash this weekend. The driver of that vehicle fled the scene.

Michigan State Police tells CBS News Detroit that we’re two months into the year, and it has had six incidents across the state where patrol cars were struck by oncoming vehicles. One of those incidents occurred on Sunday evening.

“Could have been much more tragic,” said MSP Lieutenant Rene Gonzalez, First District public information officer.

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Michigan State Police


Gonzalez says on Sunday, an MSP trooper was near M-10 and Schaefer Highway in Detroit, simply doing his job, when his patrol car was hit from behind.

“Trooper was out there, and he was investigating a crash when, at the time, a Jeep SUV drove into the rear of the parked vehicle,” Gonzalez said.

The impact slid the trooper’s car into a concrete wall. The 29-year-old Detroit woman driving the Jeep SUV struck the center median, got out of the vehicle, and ran away.

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“Not sure why they did it. Maybe not paying attention if they were distracted. They’re attempting to locate her at this time,” said Lt. Gonzalez.

The trooper walked away with minor injuries. Gonzalez says this incident is an example of why Michigan’s Move Over Law was put in place many years ago. The law, which went into effect in 2019, requires drivers to move over into the next lane and reduce their speed by at least 10 mph when emergency or service vehicles — police, fire, rescue, ambulance and road service — have their lights activated. 

Drivers who are not able to move over are still required to reduce their speed.

“Trying to do our jobs, however, people are not paying attention. The law is easy. It’s simple. You see us, you see our lights activated, you have to slow down ten miles below the posted speed limit, and then if able, move over to the next occupied available lane,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez says crashes like this can be deadly and often avoided.

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“One life lost over something that was a totally preventable crash, it’s way too much. We’re asking that you slow down and move over when you see our lights. It’s a simple message that we’ve been pushing out for years,” he said.

Sunday’s crash remains under investigation. Michigan State Police detectives are still working to track down the 29-year-old suspect.

In the meantime, police are out enforcing the Move Over Law.



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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Bucks injury report: Is Giannis playing tonight vs. Celtics?

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Milwaukee Bucks injury report: Is Giannis playing tonight vs. Celtics?


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The Milwaukee Bucks host the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum just over 24 hours after one of their most disappointing losses of the season, when they scored just eight fourth-quarter points and gave up a 39-point swing in the second half in a blowout loss at Chicago on March 1.

Boston comes into town as one of the league’s hottest teams having won eight of its last 10 and after beating Philadelphia on March 1. The Celtics (40-20) are currently the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and are looking to stay in front of New York.

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The Bucks (26-33), meanwhile, had been winning games but have dropped two in a row and three of their last five. In those three losses, all to teams currently in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the team failed to score 100 points.

Is Giannis playing?

Yes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo began the day as questionable to play, and was upgraded to available after his pregame workout. It was the first time he had been listed as anything other than “out” since reinjuring his calf on Jan. 23. The game will mark the return of the former two-time MVP, who has missed the last 15 games with a strain of his soleus muscle in his right calf.

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What is the Bucks record without Giannis?

11-17.

Milwaukee is 15-15 when Antetokounmpo plays any number of minutes. They are 1-2 when he has exited games early due to injury.

Is Jayson Tatum playing?

No.

Boston’s all-NBA wing is continuing to work his way back from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during the playoffs in May. Tatum has been doing five-on-five work lately.

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Boston Celtics injury report

  • Jayson Tatum, out (Achilles)
  • Jaylen Brown, out (illness)
  • Neemias Queta, out (rest)

Taurean Prince, out (neck surgery)

Giannis Antetokounmpo, questionable (right calf strain)

Bucks probable starters

  • Guard: AJ Green, Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr.
  • Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Center: Myles Turner

What time is the Bucks game?

The game is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. CT.

What channel is the Bucks game on?

The game will be broadcast locally on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin with Lisa Byington, Wesley Matthews and Melanie Ricks on the call. The game was originally supposed to be a national broadcast on Peacock but was moved to NBA TV.

NBA playoff standings

The Bucks are currently out of the postseason picture entirely. Here are the play-in standings in the Eastern Conference heading into game play on March 2:

No. 7: Orlando (31-28): The Bucks and Magic have split the season series 1-1. The Bucks host the Magic on March 8.

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No. 8: Miami (32-29): The Bucks and Magic have split the season series 1-1. Milwaukee travels to Miami on March 12.

No. 9: Atlanta (31-31): The Bucks lead the season series 1-0. The Bucks host the Hawks on March 4 and then travel to Atlanta on March 14.

No. 10: Charlotte (30-31): The Bucks own the tiebreaker over the Hornets having won the season series 3-1.

No. 11: Milwaukee (26-33): The Bucks have had better luck against the play-in teams to date, as they are just 5-13 against the top six seeds in the conference.

“We say we didn’t play ourselves out of it,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said. “Obviously I’m competitive. I think we should’ve had an even better record. But, not having your best player for that long and staying above .500 is huge for us. It’s funny, when he went out (Jan. 23) the talk around me was ‘being .500’ and I was like we can be better than that. We were. I’ll take it. But, never satisfied.”

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The four teams in the play-in will face one another to determine the final two playoff teams (which will face the top two seeds). Teams that hold the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds only have to win one game to advance, teams that hold the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds must win twice to advance

Bucks vs. Celtics odds

Boston is a 7.5-point favorite over Milwaukee with the over/under set at 216.5 points, per BetMGM.



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