Regulators allow Obama-era solar plant to kill thousands of birds annually, investigation finds
Regulators are allowing an Obama-era “clean energy” solar plant to continue operating even as its reflected solar beams kill thousands of birds each year, with no fines or enforcement action taken since it opened, a Fox News Digital investigation has found. The Ivanpah Solar Power Plant, a sprawling facility built with taxpayer support in the Mojave Desert near the California–Nevada border, remains in compliance under existing regulations, even as birds are burned, injured or killed after flying through the beams which reflect sunlight onto the plant’s three central towers. Regulators were aware of those risks before approving the project as part of a broader push to expand renewable energy. Today, it remains in compliance, meaning the wildlife deaths documented at the site fall within limits set under its environmental approvals. That framework allows the plant to continue operating even as thousands of birds are killed each year. OBAMA-ERA ‘CLEAN ENERGY’ SOLAR POWER PLANT STILL USES FOSSIL FUELS – AND KILLS THOUSANDS OF BIRDS ANNUALLY “Staff is not aware of any formal enforcement actions or fines issued by either the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife related to avian or wildlife mortality at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System,” the California Energy Commission, which oversees large energy projects in the state, told Fox News Digital. The commission also said it knows of no special regulatory exemptions for renewable energy projects related to wildlife impacts. Instead, the project was approved as long as monitoring and mitigation requirements would be carried out, meaning some level of wildlife mortality was anticipated. The futuristic-looking facility, known for its three large towers that glow brightly when powered on, was approved during the Obama-era push to rapidly expand renewable energy following the 2008 financial crisis — part of a broader effort to cut emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels in the name of climate change. At the time, it was hailed as the future of “clean energy” technology, and the federal government provided a $539 million grant for its construction, along with a separate $1.6 billion loan. But its technology quickly became outdated by conventional solar panels that absorb sunlight directly and convert it into electricity, making Ivanpah’s energy more expensive to produce. The plant also relies on natural gas to start up each day – producing tens of thousands of metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. CALIFORNIA’S GREEN NEW SCAM COULD COST YOU $20,000 Researchers say birds are drawn to the bright towers, then fly through the plant’s concentrated solar beams — known as solar flux — where they can be injured or killed. Researchers dubbed the phenomenon “streamers,” and a video released by the U.S. Geological Survey shows a bird trailing smoke as its feathers burn. Songbirds, doves, warblers and other migratory species have been found dead at the plant. Environmental reviews examined by Fox News Digital show that regulators were aware before construction that the project could kill birds, either by being burned by the plant’s concentrated sunlight or colliding with the tens of thousands of mirrors that surround the three towers like lakes. They also raised concerns about damage to the 4,000-acre physical desert habitat it was going to occupy, as well as to protected species that roam the barren terrain, such as the endangered desert tortoise, dozens of which went unaccounted for during early operations. The project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement warned that climate efforts could come “at the expense of reducing the native biodiversity.” Even with those warnings, regulators approved the project, allowing it to move forward on the basis that ongoing monitoring and mitigation requirements would be carried out, rather than requiring those risks to be resolved. A 2016 congressional review raised similar concerns, finding no clear evidence that federal agencies had pursued penalties for bird deaths at Ivanpah — a pattern that appears to have continued. The plant is regulated under a system that tracks wildlife deaths but does not automatically trigger fines or shutdowns. Monitoring reports show hundreds of birds are found dead at the site each year, with some estimates putting the total in the thousands. Responsibility for enforcement is shared across multiple agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Bureau of Land Management, each of which has authority over different aspects of the project, the CEC said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it reviews monitoring data and provides technical input but did not indicate enforcement action tied to bird deaths at the site. NRG Energy, which operates the facility, said in a previous statement it remains committed to providing renewable electricity but declined to provide additional comment regarding environmental issues. Instead of being treated like a typical environmental violation, the project is governed through a permitting system that emphasizes monitoring and mitigation rather than penalties. In practice, that means harm can be documented without triggering enforcement action even though federal authorities have pursued penalties for bird deaths in other industries. Under federal law, violations involving protected migratory birds can carry fines of up to $15,000 per bird. Such prosecutions of industry have become rare in the United States, however. In 2017, the Department of the Interior reinterpreted the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to apply only to intentional killings — not “incidental” deaths caused by industrial activity such as oil pits, power lines or wind turbines. Federal courts, including the Fifth Circuit, have since reinforced that narrower reading, limiting the government’s ability to penalize companies for equipment-related bird deaths. But even efforts to reduce harm — including deterrents, lighting changes and operational adjustments — have not eliminated the problem at Ivanpah, with monitoring reports continuing to document annual wildlife deaths. More than a decade later, Ivanpah shows what that system looks like in practice: a project approved as clean energy that kills wildlife, relies on fossil fuels and continues operating without penalties. WATCH: Experts weigh in on future of $2.2B Obama-era Ivanpah solar plant as regulators
DeSantis reveals which dictatorship should be ‘put out to pasture’ next
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the time has come for Cuba’s government to be “put out to pasture” while speaking at a bill-signing event on Friday afternoon. “If you look at the state of Cuba today and in 2026, it is time for the Cuban communist dictatorship to be put out to pasture once and for all,” DeSantis said. “That would be a good thing for our country. It would be a good thing for Florida,” he continued. Although he stopped short of calling on President Donald Trump to take military action to liberate the communist island that sits just 100 miles off the coast of Florida, DeSantis’ comments show that Trump isn’t the only Republican keeping an eye on instability in Havana. RUBIO SAYS CUBA NEEDS ‘NEW PEOPLE IN CHARGE’ AS BLACKOUTS, UNREST GRIP ISLAND His comments framed his reasoning around a new Florida law that looks to restrict Cuban-linked businesses operating in the Sunshine State in violation of U.S. sanctions. “You can’t do business with criminals,” DeSantis said. DeSantis noted that, under Trump’s leadership, the U.S. has taken a renewed, aggressive posture toward securing its interests in the region, positing that some degree of American intervention would be consistent with the administration’s outlook. “Certainly, President Trump, and how he’s viewed the importance of our own hemisphere, [has] kind of reinvigorated the Monroe Doctrine,” DeSantis said, referring to the interventionist geopolitical philosophy espoused by U.S. President James Monroe. Trump sparked speculation that the U.S. might take military action against Cuba earlier this year, hinting that he might “take” the island. “I do believe I’ll have the honor of taking Cuba… That’s a big honor. They’re a very weakened nation right now. They were for a long time,” Trump told reporters in March. TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY OVER CUBA, THREATENS TARIFFS ON NATIONS THAT SUPPLY OIL TO COMMUNIST REGIME Trump did not expand on what recourse the U.S. could take against the island or when such an action could occur. His comments came on the heels of a military operation that had removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and, as a consequence, spurred local unrest in Cuba over energy shortages. Cuba, which has depended on Maduro’s regime and Venezuelan oil to power its energy grid for much of the past 30 years, has found itself struggling to prevent rolling blackouts. DeSantis’s comments on Cuba came as he signed the Foreign Interference Restriction and Enforcement Act on Friday — a bill that grants Florida the power to revoke business licenses with ties to Cuba, among other countries. “It does a lot of different things, but particularly with respect to Cuba, it authorizes local governments and tax collectors to revoke business tax receipts for businesses operating in Cuba in violation of federal law. PAIR OF DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS SLAM ‘BLOCKADE OF FUEL’ TO CUBA, ‘ECONOMIC BOMBING’ AFTER VISIT TO ISLAND “It creates accountability for false declarations regarding business activities in Cuba; knowingly submitting a false declaration related to unlawful activity involving Cuba will now constitute a third-degree felony in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said. When asked about DeSantis’ comments, a White House spokesperson didn’t comment on whether the U.S. would intervene in Cuba’s current situation, but reaffirmed that the administration believes the regime’s days are numbered. “As the President stated, Cuba is a failing nation that has been horribly run for many years and whose rulers have had a major setback with the loss of support from Venezuela. As the President stated, Cuba is a failing country. Within a short period of time they will fall, ‘and we will be there to help them out,’” the spokesperson said.
Dems blast Trump over Virginia FBI raid but probe started under his predecessor
Democrats accused the Trump administration of political prosecution after powerful Virginia Senate President Pro-Tem L. Louise Lucas’ Portsmouth office and cannabis dispensary was raided by the FBI. However, reports surfaced after the raid that the investigation into the 81-year-old, three-decade senator was started under former President Joe Biden’s administration. Scandal-plagued Attorney General Jay Jones — whose comments about envisioning the murder of the commonwealth’s former GOP House Speaker roiled his ultimately successful campaign – cast aspersions on President Donald Trump and “failed prosecutions” of his political “enemies.” “We simply do not have sufficient information about the reported FBI activity in Portsmouth. However, several previous actions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia have undermined public confidence in that office,” he said of the Alexandria-centered prosecutor’s office that handles cases in Lucas’ region. POWERFUL DEM’S JABS AT TRUMP COME BACK TO HAUNT HER AFTER OFFICE RAIDED BY FBI: ‘AGED WELL’ “These include the failed prosecutions against President Trump’s stated political enemies, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James that were both dismissed by a judge well before trial. I urge everyone to exercise restraint in judgment until the relevant facts are known in this matter,” Jones said, referring in part to allegations of wrongdoing in connection to a home linked to James in nearby Norfolk. Rep. Bobby Scott, a Newport News Democrat who has represented Lucas’ area for 33 years, slammed Trump after the raid. “While we await the full facts of the investigation, it must be acknowledged that this FBI raid occurs in the broader context of President Trump’s repeated abuse of the Department of Justice to target his perceived political opponents,” Scott said, before adding the raid’s timing following Virginia voters approving Lucas’ redistricting bid is notable. “Senator Lucas helped lead the successful effort by Virginia voters to reject President Trump’s attempt to rig the midterm elections,” he said, going on to echo Jones’ concerns about recent Trump-era prosecutions like those of James, Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell and ex-G-Man James Comey. “Like all Americans, Senator Lucas has a right to due process and a presumption of innocence,” Scott said. One of Lucas’ top allies in Richmond and a fellow Portsmouth lawmaker also expressed outrage and pointed the finger at the White House. “Let’s start with this: Senator L. Louise Lucas has not been charged with anything! I am deeply concerned by today’s FBI raid,” fumed Virginia House Speaker Don Scott Jr. “Given the politicization of this administration — an FBI led by Kash Patel and a Justice Department run by President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney — I think people should take this with a grain of salt and allow the facts to come out before jumping to conclusions,” he said. Speaker Scott said “theatrics and speculation” are overpowering verifiable information about the case before also criticizing Fox News’ reporting of the matter. THE 6 BIGGEST FBI SCANDALS UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION The Associated Press, New York Times and other outlets reported several sources within the federal government telling them the probe that sparked the raids began under the octogenarian Delawarean. “One of the people said the investigation into Democratic Sen. L. Louise Lucas was opened during Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration. Both spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation,” the AP reported. Another official told News of the United States (NOTUS) that the probe into Lucas was “financial” in nature and also that it began under Biden, while the New York Times characterized the origination similarly and suggested “corruption and bribery” concerns. Lucas’ deputy in Richmond also fired off a missive lambasting Trump, claiming he has proven his intent to “target the Commonwealth of Virginia” because it voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. “Senator L. Louise Lucas is an outspoken and historic figure in Virginia politics and has not been charged with a single crime,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon. Surovell, an attorney in Fairfax County, said Trump “obliterated” the Justice Department’s independence and said the president wrongly removed ex-U.S. Attorney for Western Virginia Todd Gilbert – the same official Jones envisioned the murder of – and “purged” prosecutors’ offices of career staff members. “Every Virginian should be very worried about the rule of law and how it will be applied in this Country and our Commonwealth,” Surovell said in a statement. Meanwhile, Lucas fired back in a statement obtained by Richmond conservative radio host John Reid, the 2024 GOP lieutenant gubernatorial nominee. “Today’s actions by Federal agents are about far more than one state senator; they are about power and who is allowed to act on behalf of the people. What we saw fits a clear pattern from this administration: when challenged, they try to intimidate and silence the voices who stand up to them,” Lucas said. “I was proud to help lead [the redistricting] effort and I have never been afraid to stand up to Donald Trump or anyone else that has tried to undermine our democracy,” she said, before going on to say she is not backing down and will continue fighting for and representing Portsmouth. “LOL, sure Louise,” Reid said in response on social media. “Everyone knows you’re as honest and pure-hearted as the day is long.” Reid said that casting blame on Trump is the “best play” in this situation because “lots of TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) zombies will believe you immediately.” No further information has been released by the FBI about any charges against Lucas, who was not detained in the operation. The raid began a 48-hour period for Virginia Democrats, who on Friday saw Lucas’ redistricting effort implode in court, giving Republicans nationally a major boost in their efforts to hold the House majority.
Tom Homan answers how many more deportations needed to restore country: ‘One hell of a shot’
President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, responded to a question about how many more deportations are needed to bring the U.S. back to a country of legal citizens, saying, “millions.” Speaking with Fox News’ Will Cain on Thursday, Homan pushed back on rumors that the administration is ramping down its immigration enforcement surges, saying he expects the deportation numbers to actually increase. “We’re going to continue to surge resources, especially to sanctuary cities, because we know we have a problem there,” he said. “So, I expect the numbers to increase while the border numbers continue to decrease.” Asked how many more deportations are needed, Homan said, “Millions. Look … I see it all the time, there’s 12 million illegal aliens in the country, we used 12 million 25 years ago, I think its well over 20 million. So, we’re going to do everything we can to arrest as many people as we can.” BORDER CZAR HOMAN VOWS TO ‘FLOOD’ NEW YORK WITH ICE AGENTS DESPITE HOCHUL’S RESISTANCE Pressed on whether the logistics of such large-scale deportation operations are possible, Homan responded, “I’ll give it one hell of a shot.” “I mean, bottom line is we’re not going to give up on President Trump’s promise to the American people on mass deportations,” he continued. Homan confirmed that the administration is hiring 10,000 more immigration enforcement agents. He said there are about 7,000 “on board” and 3,000 more going through training. TRUMP BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN WANTS POPE LEO XIV TO RIDE ALONG WITH ICE AGENTS: ‘THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND’ The border czar said he expressed his opinion to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that the “vast majority” of these agents “need to go to sanctuary cities.” “Why is that? We go to Florida, every sheriff, every [police] chief is working with us. They honor detainers, we’ve got less of a problem in states like that, Florida and Texas,” he explained. “However, in states that want to lock us out of jails, that refuse, sheriffs and chiefs, to work with us in any capacity, that’s where we know it’s a problem, because we know they are releasing public safety threats, illegal aliens every day.” Homan recently issued a warning to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, vowing to “flood the zone” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers despite her efforts to block federal operations. EX-BIDEN OFFICIAL’S CAMPAIGN FACES HEAT AS MISSING CHILDREN SCANDAL RESURFACES: ‘VOTERS DESERVE BETTER’ He responded to Hochul’s claim that federal agents aren’t welcome in her state without permission and that she is not asking for help, by saying, “Well, Governor Hochul, I’m not asking either. I said it. We’re going to do it.” “This is what we have to do because she forces this position. And we’re going to do it. They’re not going to stop us. They can put all the roadblocks they want, but we’re [going to] do this job,” he said. Fox News Digital’s Madison Colombo contributed to this report.
Trump turns sights on Bill Cassidy, Thomas Massie after decisive Indiana primary victories
After taking out five Indiana state senators who opposed his push for congressional redistricting, President Donald Trump and his allies are now moving on to two other top targets in upcoming Republican primaries. They are Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who voted to convict Trump in his 2021 Senate impeachment trial, and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a vocal GOP critic of the president. The decisive victories this week in reliably red Indiana scored by Trump-backed challengers were the latest sign that the president’s immense grip on the Republican Party remains rock solid. “I think Indiana sent a message to a lot of folks,” veteran Republican campaign strategist Matt Gorman told Fox News. TRUMP STRIKES BACK: GOP LAWMAKERS WHO OPPOSED PRESIDENT ON REDISTRICTING PAY PRICE Gorman, who has advised GOP presidential campaigns and top members of Congress, said the results in Indiana show that “Trump’s power within the party is unequivocal.” Five months ago, Republicans in the GOP-dominated Indiana state Senate withstood immense pressure from Trump and his allies and voted down congressional redistricting, which would have given Indiana two more right-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms. Eight of those state senators who are up for re-election this year faced GOP primary challenges. And seeking retribution, the president endorsed challengers to seven of those eight lawmakers. Five of the Trump-endorsed candidates won, with just one incumbent surviving and one race still too close to call. The political world was closely watching Indiana’s primary because it was the first of a series of major tests this month of Trump’s endorsement power in GOP nomination showdowns, and the president cleared his first hurdle with ease. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Trump-allied groups that supported the Trump challengers and targeted the GOP incumbents spent over $10 million in Indiana as they poured resources in the races. The intraparty battle was seen not just as a test of fealty to Trump but rather a fight between MAGA forces and more traditional conservatives for the future of the GOP. One of the groups backing Trump was the politically potent Club for Growth. “This is a big win for Trump,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh said on Tuesday night. And McIntosh, a former congressman from Indiana, said the primary victories were “a signal to the entire party that our base wants us to fight for what we believe in.” Trump’s clout will be on the line again next weekend in the Louisiana primary. Cassidy is facing primary challenges from two Republicans: Rep. Julia Letlow and former Rep. John Fleming, who is currently the state treasurer. Trump earlier this year weighed in on the race by endorsing Letlow. Cassidy was one of only seven Senate Republicans who voted in early 2021 to convict Trump after he was impeached by the House for his role in the violent Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters who aimed to upend congressional certification of former President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Trump was acquitted by the Senate. WHO IS JOHN FLEMING, THE FREEDOM CAUCUS FOUNDING MEMBER CHALLENGING GOP SEN BILL CASSIDY? But since the start of Trump’s second term 15 months ago, Cassidy has been supportive of the president’s agenda and his nominees, including voting to approve Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But Kennedy and his Make America Healthy Again movement are out for revenge. That’s because Cassidy, a doctor, has been a skeptic of Kennedy’s push to reform the nation’s health policies, including Kennedy’s efforts to cut back on vaccine recommendations. And last week, Cassidy voted to nix the surgeon general nomination of Casey Means, a close Kennedy ally and top MAHA advocate. If no candidate cracks 50% of the primary vote, the top two finishers will face off for the nomination in a June 27 runoff election. Another major test comes three days later, on May 19, in the primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, where Massie is facing a challenge from Trump-backed Ed Gallrein. Massie has long been one of Trump’s most vocal GOP critics in Congress, repeatedly taking aim at the president over the Epstein files and foreign policy. Trump allies have spent big bucks to boost Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL, and to take aim at Massie. Veteran Republican strategist Tim Murtaugh, who is advising Gallrein, said the Indiana results are a major warning sign for Massie. “Indiana is right across the border from this district so there’s no doubt Massie knows what those primary results mean to him—and it ain’t good news, that’s for sure,” Murtaugh told Fox News Digital. “It’s more evidence that Republican voters want America First candidates who will stand with President Trump rather than fight him and endlessly obstruct the agenda.” But Massie has highlighted a surge in fundraising this year, as he faces off against Gallrein. He hauled in $2.5 million during the first three months this year, and just in the past week he raked in nearly $1 million. And Massie has criticized Gallrein for not debating, arguing this week that his challenger has “been AWOL for eight debates and forums so far.”
Medicaid fraud fears grow amid massive red state billing spike in sector that also plagued Minnesota
As fraud concerns ramp up across the country, particularly involving Medicaid, North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek tells Fox News Digital that the problem is very real in his state, especially when it comes to autism therapy, an area that has been highly scrutinized in Minnesota. Boliek is sounding the alarm on potential waste, fraud, and abuse within the state’s Medicaid program, specifically calling out in an interview with Fox News Digital a 47,000% explosion in autism therapy billings that he has flagged since taking office last year. “Those are vital services to folks and individuals that need that therapy,” Boliek said. “But when you have, like in North Carolina, a system that went from $1.4 million or so in total billings for autism therapy to more than $660 million a year in billings on autism therapy within a five-year range, that begs an audit from the state auditor, who in North Carolina, we are the top watchdog agency for taxpayer waste, fraud, and abuse prevention. So we’ve dug down into that or in the middle of that.“ Boliek, who was speaking to Fox News Digital from the State Financial Officers Foundation annual conference in Orlando, says his office is “hand-in-hand” with Vice President JD Vance’s focus on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse to “make sure that the people who need the services and deserve those services get the services” without “wasting money.” NORTH CAROLINA AUDITOR EXCITED FOR ‘REAL EFFECT’ OF STATE-LEVEL DOGE: ‘KEEPING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE’ One of the core problems, Boliek explained, is that the system is oftentimes designed in a way that fails to properly safeguard against waste and abuse. “What we’ve got is we’ve seen examples where there might be three different clinical providers billing during the same tranche of time on an autism therapy client and that is because of poor rulemaking,” Boliek explained. “Some of it is possibly illegal and probably illegal, and we’re going to point that out, and we’re going to try to put people in cuffs because of it.” “But some of it might be technically legal because of the lax oversight from a Democrat-led Department of Health and Human Services,” Boliek said, referencing the top state health agency in North Carolina. In a March 10, 2026, hearing of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Medicaid, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services presented data that matches Boliek’s narrative of exponential growth in the autism therapy space. TRUMP ELECTION INTEGRITY PUSH EXPOSES MASSIVE AMOUNT OF DEAD PEOPLE ON NORTH CAROLINA VOTER ROLLS The report confirmed that Medicaid spending on ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy grew by 347% between 2022 and 2025 alone and that total spending is projected to hit $842 million in state fiscal year 2026 and $1.14 billion by state fiscal year 2027. Medicaid fraud has been a hot-button issue across the United States when a scandal in Minnesota gained widespread attention last fall and spreading to places like California and Ohio, the latter being the subject of a recent Daily Wire exposé examining seven medical buildings in Columbus, Ohio, that house 288 Medicaid companies and bill the government $250 million. The key issues with Medicaid and the ease with which it can be abused both illegally and legally, according to Boliek, are the “minutia of rulemaking” that is “built in by government.” “For example, how individual entities, whether they are a provider of clinical medical services or whether they’re a provider of daycare services or other services that can be paid for through departments of Health and Human Services, how those rules are set up and what the billing rules are,” Boliek explained. GOP SENATOR LAUNCHES EFFORT TO CLOSE MEDICAID LOOPHOLE ALLOWING FRAUDSTERS TO RAKE IN MILLIONS “It really is minutiae, but in North Carolina, for example, we still have some services that are delivered on a fee-for-service basis, and they lack transparency and lack accountability with respect to who can bill and how much can be billed for particular services. That’s why we’ve taken a deep dive into some particular fee-for-service areas in North Carolina and are looking at provider data on exactly how those services are billed. That’s where the flaws are.“ During the developing fraud scandal in Minnesota, federal agents discovered that one suspected scammer defrauded the state’s autism-treatment program of roughly $14 million and allegedly billed Medicaid for fake therapy sessions, used untrained staff and paid parents $300 to $1,500 a month to keep their kids in the program. The state’s autism program’s budget jumped from $3 million in 2018 to nearly $400 million in 2023, according to Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “The fraud is so obvious, just simply looking at the exponential growth in some of these social services programs, that anybody kind of looking at how fast this was growing should have known that a fraud was a major reason why,” Minnesota state Sen. Michael Kreun, a Republican, told Fox News Digital in December about social services fraud in his state. In terms of next steps in North Carolina, Boliek says his office is working with lawmakers to strengthen fraud enforcement by increasing financial accountability, expanding investigative and Medicaid audit resources and investing in staff and technology to recover misused funds. Boliek explained that one important tool to crack down on fraud is artificial intelligence. “Look, we’ve got to pour jet fuel on artificial intelligence in the area of state auditing because the fraudsters are using AI and if we’re not using AI to combat the fraud, then we’re going to be on our heels and the taxpayer isn’t going to be protected.” He emphasized that these steps, especially enhancing oversight of programs like Medicaid, are aimed at holding individuals accountable and returning taxpayer dollars for more effective use. The State Financial Officers Foundation, a group of financial officers that collectively oversees more than $3 trillion in state funds, released a report earlier this year outlining how the organization safeguarded
Pentagon releases video of strikes on Iranian oil tankers
NewsFeed Footage released by the Pentagon shows US strikes on two Iranian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military says the vessels were disabled following overnight exchanges of fire with Iranian forces, preventing them from reaching ports in the Gulf of Oman. Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Cambodians struggle with displaced lives amid tense ceasefire with Thailand
Preah Vihear/Siem Reap provinces – When asked how she spends her day, 11-year-old Sokna rattled off a list of chores. She first fetches water, then washes dishes and sweeps the leaves and dust from around the blue tarpaulin tent her family now calls home, in the grounds of a Buddhist pagoda in northwestern Cambodia. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Sokna and her sister have stopped attending school, their mother Puth Reen said, since moving to this camp for people displaced by the recent rounds of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. The two sisters are among more than 34,440 people who remain in displacement camps in Cambodia – 11,355 of whom are children – as of this month, according to the country’s Ministry of Interior. “I tried to tell them to go to school, but they don’t go,” Puth Reen told Al Jazeera, explaining how precarious life had become since returning to live in Cambodia after fleeing neighbouring Thailand, where she had worked for many years, as the fighting started. Like Puth Reen and her family, the future looks murky for the tens of thousands of Cambodians – including many schoolchildren – who are still in displacement camps, and their lives remain disrupted months after the last outbreak of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. Forced to flee their homes in areas where local troops are now stationed and on high alert, or in areas occupied by opposing Thai forces, Cambodia’s internally displaced say they are surviving off aid donations, while those more fortunate are transitioning from emergency tents into wooden stilted houses provided by the Cambodian government. But with tension still evident between the leadership in Bangkok and Phnom Penh, the tenuous ceasefire along the Thai-Cambodia border means life cannot yet return to normality. Advertisement Some areas on the Cambodian border, such as the villages of Chouk Chey and Prey Chan in Banteay Meanchey province, have become rallying points for nationalists who post on social media about the Thai occupation of Cambodian territory. Their anger is directed at the large shipping containers and barbed wire that Thai forces have used to block access to villages once inhabited by Cambodians and occupied during fighting. The Thai military-installed containers now form a sort of new frontier between the two countries. The Cambodian military has also prevented people, such as local farmer Sun Reth, 67, from returning to their homes in front-line areas, which are still highly militarised zones, with troops ready at any moment for a new round of fighting. “Now the Cambodian military base is just next to [my house],” Sun Reth said, adding that she was not allowed by authorities to sleep in her modest home or pick cashew nuts from her farm to sell for a little income. Cambodian children more focused on ‘rumours’ of war The long-held border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into two rounds of conflict last year, over five days in July and almost three weeks in December. Dozens were reported killed on both sides, and hundreds of thousands of civilians fled their homes as both countries’ armed forces fired artillery, rockets, and, in the case of Thailand, conducted air strikes deep into Cambodian territory. Thailand has a modern air force, a military capability not possessed by its smaller neighbour. Cambodian and Thai officials reached a ceasefire on December 27, but the situation remains tense five months on. For families who fled the fighting, school continues for most children in the displacement camps, but parents say education is fragmented while their lives are still so unsettled. Mothers at the Wat Bak Kam camp for the displaced in Preah Vihear province told Al Jazeera that primary school students can join classes at a local school, but high school students need to travel daily to the provincial capital, about 15km (9 miles) away. Families living temporarily at the Wat Bak Kam internal displacement camp sit outside their tents, supplied by Chinese government aid [Roun Ry/Al Jazeera] Now the rising cost of petrol, due to the US-Israel war on Iran, has made it even harder for teenaged students, who have access to motorcycles, to make the journey to school. Kinmai Phum, technical lead for WorldVision’s education programme, which is providing support to the camps, said school dropout rates and children skipping classes have increased substantially among students from the displaced border regions. Advertisement Kinmai Phum said the situation is a perfect storm of problems: Displaced families have been forced to move around for shelters, schools and temporary learning spaces lack facilities, and some students have psychological trauma due to the conflict. “Local authorities [are] concerned that many children may not return to school at all if displacement and economic hardship persist,” Kinmai Phum said. Puth Reen, left, and her three daughters sit inside their tent in a camp for the displaced at Wat Chroy Neang Ngourn in Siem Reap province [Roun Ry/Al Jazeera] Yuon Phally, a mother of two, said she had noticed the impact of the war on her daughter and son, who are in their first and third years in primary school. When they return from school, Yuon Phally said, they tell her about rumours they had heard about Cambodia and Thailand resuming fighting. “Their feeling is not fully focused on school; they focus more on these rumours,” she said. Her children’s world was more impacted by the conflict because their father is a soldier stationed in the Mom Bei area of the border. During the fighting in December, Yuon Phally said she could not convince her children to go to school because they all waited to see if their father would call on a mobile phone from the front line. “I couldn’t hold back my tears, and that added more pressure onto my kids,” she said. “They would ask about their dad and how he is doing now. Then they told me to eat rice. They understood my feelings.” She said her children’s focus on their studies only improved after their father
Iran war live: US expects Tehran’s reply to peace deal; ‘clashes’ in Hormuz
blinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, Israeli attacks killed at least 31 people in southern Lebanon on Friday, including a rescue worker, Lebanon’s official National News Agency said. Published On 9 May 20269 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Vijay to take oath or not? Tamil Nadu drama continues as TVK submits only 116 signatures to Governor
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for a third time on Friday and submitted the signatures of 116 MLAs — still two short of the majority mark of 118 required to form government.