KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 — Four Pakatan Harapan federal lawmakers today called on the federal government to suspend th...

The Nigerian federal government plans to implement monthly revenue transparency dashboards to ensure greater accountability of income and expenditure across all three tiers of government, with excess liquidity to be held in a Stabilisation Fund.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has called on the Federal Government to address the nation's worsening insecurity and guarantee credible elections in 2027 amid concerns over killings and declining voter turnout.

The Berlinale closing gala was overshadowed by an accusation of genocide against the German federal government, prompting Environment Minister Carsten Schneider to demonstratively leave the hall during a director's speech.

The Federal Government will review flood mitigation projects in Sabah as climate change leads to more frequent flooding in the region.

Alberta is planning a referendum to gain control over immigration policies, seeking to wrest authority from the Canadian federal government.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected a delayed plea from the federal government against a Federal Service Tribunal order, citing the delay.

The federal government has updated its travel advice, urging First Nations people to carry a passport in addition to a status card when crossing the U.S. border.

Alberta plans to hold a referendum to gain control over immigration policies from the Canadian federal government.

Medical Groups Sue FTC Over Probe Into Gender Dysphoria Treatments Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Two medical groups on Feb. 17 sued the federal government over its probe into the organizations’ recommendations for children with gender dysphoria, or the belief that they are a different gender. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in Washington on Aug. 6, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society said in separate lawsuits filed in federal court in the District of Columbia that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is unconstitutionally targeting the groups over their speech. “Using the threat of investigation or prosecution against an organization in order to silence speech the government does not like is retaliation, prohibited by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” the American Academy of Pediatrics, which says it represents 67,000 pediatricians, said in its lawsuit. “Moreover, issuing an overbroad subpoena as a tool to compel disclosures in such a retaliatory action violates the Fourth Amendment.” The academy said in a 2018 statement, reaffirmed in 2023, that pediatricians could give drugs such as puberty blockers to children who identify as a gender different from their birth sex. FTC officials in a civil demand in January requested details on how the academy came up with the position, as well as each type of pediatric gender dysphoria treatment the academy had advertised or promoted, and whether there were any financial relationships between the organization and companies or doctors that treat gender dysphoria. Officials demanded similar information from the Endocrine Society, a nonprofit that promotes hormone science research and says it has 18,000 members. The society in 2017 said that people who have gender dysphoria or gender incongruence need “a safe and effective hormone regimen that will (1) suppress endogenous sex hormone secretion determined by the person’s genetic/gonadal sex and (2) maintain sex hormone levels within the normal range for the person’s affirmed gender.” FTC officials said in the demand letters that they are investigating whether false or unsubstantiated representations were made concerning the marketing and advertising of treatments for pediatric gender dysphoria. Federal law prohibits people from engaging in deceptive practices affecting commerce and disseminating false advertisements. The probe targets the Endocrine Society over speech that “reflects pure scientific opinion,” the society said in its legal challenge. If allowed to proceed, the investigation would “endanger the ability of organizations to share information and opinion on any issue, be that vaccine safety and efficacy, environmental health risks, emerging infectious diseases, or gender dysphoria,” it added later. The groups want judges to declare that the civil demands violated the First Amendment. Judges should immediately and permanently bar FTC officials from taking action against the groups over their treatment guidelines and any other statements concerning “gender affirming care,” the groups also said. The Epoch Times reached out to the FTC for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication. Tyler Durden Thu, 02/19/2026 - 17:00

Panics, Politics, & Power: America's 3 Experiments With Central Banks Authored by Andrew Moran via The Epoch Times, The Federal Reserve, established more than a century ago, is the United States’ third experiment with central banking. For much of its existence, the institution maintained a low public profile. Only after the 2008 global financial crisis did the Fed begin communicating more openly, introducing post-meeting press conferences and allowing monetary policymakers to engage more frequently with the media. Greater transparency, however, has brought greater scrutiny. Public sentiment toward the Fed and its leadership has fluctuated over the years. Today, YouGov polling suggests the central bank is viewed favorably by 44 percent of Americans and unfavorably by 18 percent. If the Fed pursues a series of reforms, it will have “another great 100 years,” said Kevin Warsh, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the institution’s next chair. Comparable to past central banks, Warsh said, the current Federal Reserve System is beginning to lose the consent of the governed. “You can think about the Jacksonians of prior times say that the central bank seems like they’re trying to focus and they’re all preoccupied with those special interests on the East Coast, and they’ve lost track of what’s happening to us in the center of the country,” Warsh said in a July 2025 interview with the Hoover Institution’s Peter Robinson. “It’s a version of what worries me today.” What happened in the past, and why is it relevant to today’s central bank? The First Bank of the United States In the aftermath of the American Revolution, the United States faced a series of immense economic disruptions, forcing the nation’s architects to rebuild the economy. The objective was to lower inflation, restore the value of the nation’s currency, repay war debt, and revive the economy. Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the Treasury under the new Constitution, proposed establishing a national bank modeled on the Bank of England. Hamilton stated that a U.S. version would perform various duties, including issuing paper money, serving as the government’s fiscal agent, and protecting public funds. Not everyone shared Hamilton’s ebullience over a central bank. Thomas Jefferson, for example, feared that such an institution would not serve the nation’s best interests. Additionally, Jefferson and other critics argued that the Constitution did not grant the government the authority to create these entities. Nevertheless, Congress enacted legislation to establish the Bank of the United States. President George Washington then signed the bill in February 1791. Two of America's founding fathers: Thomas Jefferson (L) and Alexander Hamilton. The White House While bank officials did not conduct monetary policy as modern central banks do, they did influence the supply of money and credit, as well as interest rates. The entity managed the money supply by controlling when to redeem or retain state‑bank notes. If it sought to tighten credit, it would require payment in gold or silver, thereby draining state banks’ reserves and limiting their ability to issue new notes. If it wanted to expand credit, it simply held on to those notes, boosting state‑bank reserves and enabling them to lend more. By 1811, the national bank’s charter expired. While there had been discussions of allowing it to continue maintaining operations, Congress—both chambers—voted against renewing its mandate by a single vote. Its closure came shortly before the War of 1812, which fueled inflation and weakened the currency. Second Bank of the United States Lawmakers believed another central bank was critical at a time of fiscal, inflationary, and trade pressures. Congress used a similar 20-year model to produce the Second Bank of the United States, headed by Nicholas Biddle. The second incarnation had a federal charter, was privately owned, and was tasked with regulating state banks (with gold and silver for note redemption). President James Madison, who opposed the first central bank on constitutional grounds, supported the new institution out of financial necessity. Its creation stabilized credit and brought down inflation. However, by the 1830s, the bank faced strong opposition, particularly from President Andrew Jackson. Labeled the Bank War, Jackson engaged in a years-long initiative to dissolve the central bank. Jackson claimed the national bank was a tool for the wealthy eastern elite and a threat to self-government. “The Jacksonians described themselves as conscious hard-money men who supported the rigid discipline of the gold standard, yet they opposed the newly powerful national Bank because it restrained the expansion of credit and, thus, thwarted robust economic expansion,” author William Greider wrote in “Secrets of the Temple.” In 1832, Jackson vetoed legislation to recharter the bank four years early, delivering a fiery message that historians say was one of the most important vetoes in the nation’s history. “It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes. Distinctions in society will always exist under every just government,” Jackson wrote. “There are no necessary evils in government. Its evils exist only in its abuses. If it would confine itself to equal protection, and, as Heaven does its rains, shower its favors alike on the high and the low, the rich and the poor, it would be an unqualified blessing. In the act before me, there seems to be a wide and unnecessary departure from these just principles.” The charter expired in 1836, leading to the panic of 1837. An economic crisis unfolded, leading to bank failures, business bankruptcies, rising unemployment, and contracting credit. While the collapse of the central bank is often considered a leading cause, the British also urged London banks to reduce credit to American merchants, causing a sharp drop in global trade. As the smoke cleared and dust settled, it was not until the 1840s that the United States embarked on a historic economic recovery, now known as the Free Banking Era. Banking was decentralized, and finance was largely unregulated. Despite an erratic financial system, the U.S. economy grew rapidly: agricultural production accelerated, railroads were built, and the country expanded westward. Additionally, deflation was paramount throughout most of the economic expansion. The Federal Reserve System The panic of 1907 led to the creation of the Federal Reserve System. Following years of heavy borrowing, speculative commodities investments (mainly copper), and enormous stock market gains, a financial crisis was brewing. The event nearly brought down the U.S. banking system. J.P. Morgan, a financier, intervened and emulated the actions of modern central banks. He met with the nation’s top bankers, facilitated emergency loans to financial institutions, and backed stockbrokers. The damage had been done as the United States fell into a year-long recession, marked by high unemployment and widespread bank failures. The Federal Reserve Board of Governors seal in Washington on Oct. 29, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times Washington realized that it could not rely on private bailouts to prevent sharp downturns. Sen. Nelson Aldrich (R-R.I.) is widely regarded as one of the chief architects of the modern Federal Reserve System. In 1910, Aldrich hosted the famous Jekyll Island meetings, a gathering of U.S. officials and bankers, to discuss the blueprint of a new central bank. While the initial draft laid the foundation for the institution, the official Federal Reserve Act was drafted by President Woodrow Wilson, Rep. Carter Glass (D-Va.), and H. Parker Willis, an economist on the House Banking Committee. The new system was a public-private hybrid, with the federal government firmly in charge, and bankers running the regional reserve banks. “It was Wilson’s great compromise,” wrote Greider, “creating a hybrid institution that mixed private and public control, an approach without precedent at the time.” The legislation triggered a contentious political debate over the extent of its independence from the Treasury and the degree of authority delegated to policymakers over currency issuance. Days before Christmas, the bill cleared both chambers and was signed into law by Wilson on Dec. 23. “Wilson’s conviction that he had struck the right moderate balance seemed confirmed, however, by the reactions to his legislation,” Greider noted. “It was attacked by both extremes—the ‘radicals’ from the Populist states and the bankers in Wall Street and elsewhere.” Since its inception in 1913, the modern Federal Reserve has undergone numerous changes and has gained greater power. The New Deal, for instance, allowed the Fed to become the lender of last resort as Washington learned the central bank could not prevent bank failures. In 1951, the Treasury-Fed Accord restored central bank independence after the Federal Reserve had been forced to keep interest rates artificially low throughout the Second World War. Congress then enacted the Federal Reserve Reform Act in 1977, establishing the dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and maintaining price stability. 2026 and Beyond Over the past 50 years, the Fed has undergone modest changes, including the issuance of forward guidance and the disclosure of emergency lending facilities. But while each new regime has nibbled around the edges, Warsh has suggested he could effect substantial reforms at the central bank. “Until there’s regime change at the Fed and new people running the Fed, a new operating framework, they’re stuck with their old mistakes,” Warsh told Fox Business Network in October 2025. “Bygones aren’t just bygones.” Tyler Durden Wed, 02/18/2026 - 16:20

By repealing the EPA’s determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health, the president is denying reality itself The climate crisis is killing people. These deaths are measurable, documented and ongoing. Concluding otherwise is just playing pretend. Studies explain the mechanics, but lived experience supplies the truth. The people who suffer the consequences see the fire rising and water closing in. They need their government’s help. Despite that, the president of the United States stood at a microphone last Thursday and abdicated his duty to them. “It has nothing to do with public health,” he claimed about the climate crisis while announcing that the federal government would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s “endangerment finding”, a determination that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare. “This is all a scam, a giant scam.” Jamil Smith is a Guardian US columnist Continue reading...

IT has been a worrying week for the PTI as the news about Imran Khan’s health became public and dominated news headlines and private conversations. From the sketchy information that came out initially, it appeared that he had some problem with his eye and has lost up to 85 per cent of his vision in that eye. This was reported by lawyer Salman Safdar, after his court-appointed visit to Khan at Adiala jail, though there had been news reports about the matter earlier. According to Safdar, the percentage was communicated to Khan by the doctors who examined him. The government’s earlier reaction appeared a bit inexplicable. It took the government days to confirm the problem, after it had been reported in the media. And then it did nothing while the Supreme Court woke up to take notice, sending Safdar to the jail. Over the weekend, there were reports that a team of doctors had been sent to the jail to examine him, while his family and personal doctors continued to wait for access. As the family and party refused to accept the government’s decision of giving access to only certain individuals (rather than the family being allowed to choose the person) the examination was carried out at the jail by doctors without any relative present. The party is trying to build up pressure through protests and sit-ins, which seems to cause no sleepless nights to the government. This is so despite reports that KP is cut off from the rest of the country. The PTI is getting criticised for this though it is hard to understand why the federal government is ignoring it. To return to Adiala, this is a good time for a reminder that health issues, especially of imprisoned political prisoners, should not be downplayed or treated lightly. For this reason, the government should provide all help possible to Khan; this includes allowing his family and personal doctors access to him, so they can take decisions on his health, instead of the government making the call on which experts should conduct the examination and which family members can be present. This reeks of callousness. The reports of Khan’s ill health have added fuel to the talk of a probable deal. However, there is a political angle to this entire crisis. The reports of Khan’s ill health have added fuel to the talk of a probable deal or ‘dheel’, as it seems to share some parallels with the platelets issue which allowed Nawaz Sharif to be freed and flown to London. In fact, the question being asked again and again in Islamabad is if this is Platelets 2, implying that some backroom deal is being worked out. It is important to point out that the rumours did not just emerge as a result of health worries but also because of the events of the past couple of weeks where the cooperation between the federal and provincial governments improved. Once this happened, the allegations of drugs and other criminal activities directed at Chief Minister Sohail Afridi gave way to praise for his cooperation with Islamabad. So once the reports of the illness emerged, it simply lent credence to rumours that something was cooking. At the moment, it is hard for those of us who live away from Constitution Avenue to comment on these rumours with any authority. And beca­u­­se I would like to feel better about my ignorance, perhaps some of those living on Constitution Avenue may also be as ill-informed as the rest of us mortals. Despite this, there is much support for the idea of a deal. For many within the PTI think it would provide respite to Khan and others and allow them to bide their time for a return to power (as in the case of other politicians in the past). On the government side, it is seen as a way to bring some stability to the situation, allowing the focus to remain on the economy. But all of this ignores a larger issue, beyond the comfort of those in power and in the opposition. In other words, beyond the level of high politics, where the players tend to be the establishment, the parties and individuals, what will this deal bring to dissatisfied people who have been feeding into the popularity and stature of Khan? Indeed, it is this anger which has resurrected Khan and the PTI each time a fatal blow has been struck in the direction of the party in what is ‘high politics’. Be it the forcible exits from the PTI of the more well-known faces or the decision to deprive the party of its symbol — popular support for it has ensured that none of these steps proved sufficient. So it is perhaps worth asking what the impact of such a ‘deal’ would be. Suppose the deal does disillusion the supporters of Khan and undermines his popularity in a way similar to Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N. (The economy and its poor performance landed the second blow on N’s popularity.) And then what options will be left for the people to still stay engaged in electoral politics. Will they opt for other, smaller political parties? Or will they look around for more radical options? The point here is that the establishment needs to realise that it not going to be enough to win over politicians to its side; this is not what will make the system more stable. For the system to be more stable, it is not enough to quieten politicians such as Sharif or Khan and then revel in the decline of their popularity. For real stability, the anger of the people will have to be understood and then addressed through a more equitable economic system and by giving them a voice. Instead of focusing on high politics, it might help if for once attention were paid to the level at which people operate and exist. After all, electoral politics in Balochistan was tamed some time ago, but stability continues to be elusive. The writer is a journalist. Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained cut off from rest of the country on Sunday as activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf continued their protest on third consecutive day and blocked all entry and exit points of the province. The PTI activists have blocked Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway at Swabi’s Anbar Interchange, GT Road at Khairabad Bridge, Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar Road, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali Road, Hazara Motorway at Abbottabad-Havelian Interchange, Kohat-Pindi Road near Khushal Garh and Upper Kohistan-Gilgit Karakoram Highway. Protesters remained present all the time at exit and entry points and did not allow a single vehicle to enter the province, causing serious problems to passengers and motorists destined to Islamabad and other parts of the country. Former governor Shah Farman, PTI Peshawar district president Irfan Saleem, deputy secretary information Ikram Khattana and other leaders of the party were present at Khairabad Bridge, connecting Attock district of Punjab with KP. Commuters, motorists face hardships Protesters have been demanding of the government to shift PTI founder Imran Khan from jail to hospital for treatment of his eye by doctors of his choice. Speaking on the occasion, Shah Farman said that under Article-4 of the Constitution, no authority could deny treatment of his choice to a patient. He said that the people, who were not allowing treatment of Imran Khan through doctors of his choice, would be responsible if his eye was further damaged. PTI workers blocked Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway near Swabi Interchange to all types of traffic, vowing to stay on roads till Imran Khan was shifted to hospital for medical treatment. Vendors were seen selling various eatables while setting up stalls on motorway, converting it into a market. PTI Swabi general secretary Afsar Khan told journalists that they were not ready to go back homes under any circumstances. “We will continue to sit here and if our demand is not accepted. This protest will continue. The federal government is responsible for the prevailing mess in the country,” he said. Stranded commuters said that government should take action against PTI workers to open the motorway to traffic because people, especially patients, were facing difficulties. “Where should we go, who should we beg, who should we ask and who should we request to open the motorway,” questioned Shahzad Khan, a resident of Peshawar. Uzair Khan, a resident of Gundam who was seriously injured in a firing incident on Saturday, was not allowed to reach a hospital in Peshawar through motorway. The circumstances forced his family to pass through Swabi and Mardan but he did not reach hospital and passed away. His relatives said that PTI workers were responsible for his death. During the last three days, it has been observed, that there is no rush at daytime at the venue of protest. In the afternoon youth start to arrive at rest area and in the evening there is a lot of crowd on motorway. PTI workers blocked roads at four key points in Dera Ismail Khan district on Sunday, suspending traffic and causing inconvenience to commuters and motorists. The sit-ins were held on Bhakkar Road, Multan Road, Chashma Road and CPEC route, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill at these locations. As a result, long queues of vehicles were seen on major arteries. Witnesses said that several commuters remained stranded for hours, while alternative routes also experienced heavy congestion due to diverted traffic. The protest is being held on the call of PTI central leaders, who have urged workers to demonstrate over the deteriorating health of Imran Khan and demand his immediate release. The district administration was monitoring the situation while residents called for restoration of traffic flow to ease their hardships. PTI activists continued protest demonstrations in Lakki Marwat and Karak districts on the second consecutive day on Sunday. A good number of party workers led by former district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Minakhel gathered at Darra Tang Point where they closed Bannu-Mianwali road, linking KP with Punjab and Islamabad via CPEC route. The closure of road on the second consecutive day troubled transporters and commuters as passenger and good transport vehicles queued up on both sides of the main artery. On the occasion, the former district nazim said that denial of access to healthcare and maltreatment by federal government had led to loss of Imran’s vision. He said that PTI activists had come on roads to hold peaceful protests against the PML-N government, which was responsible for the poor health of their party leader. In Karak, the PTI workers gathered outside Nashapa oil and gas field and staged a sit-in there. They stopped supply from the oil and gas field as oil tankers could not enter or come out of the area. An official of district administration confirmed disruption of oil supply from the field. PTI district president Inayat Khattak said that leaders and workers of the party decided in a meeting to shut down oil and gas fields in Makori, Nashapa and Gurguri to record their protest against non-provision of treatment facilities to Imran Khan. Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the Nigerian Federal Government and Akwa Ibom State over an ongoing dispute concerning oil wells.

The Federal Government has won a $6.2 million arbitration case against European Dynamics UK Limited, which had dragged the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) before the tribunal over a national e-Procurement project contract dispute. The post Nigeria floors European tech firm in $6.2m arbitration case appeared first on Vanguard News.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the Catholic Church to foster national development, peace, and social cohesion across the country.

Austrian State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner (ÖVP) has given the federal government a 'Good' rating, citing an economic trend reversal towards growth and lower inflation, particularly in the energy sector.

Families and autism experts are calling on the federal government to enhance support for autistic children by improving access to early diagnosis and intervention services.

PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million to resolve federal government claims related to wildfires in Oregon and California, addressing the utility's liability in the devastating blazes.

Youth advocates are urging the federal government to consider online safety as a human-rights issue and to listen to their input before tabling a new online harms bill, stating current systems are inadequate.

The police in St. Paul, Minn., are investigating an arrest last month during the immigration crackdown. The man has said he was beaten by agents. ICE asserted that he ran into a wall.

Fox and News Corp. announced they will match the federal government's $1,000 contribution to 'Trump Accounts' savings plans for employees' children.

How Relaxed COVID-Era Rules Fueled Minnesota's Biggest Scam Authored by Kristin Robbins via RealClearPolitics, In my testimony before the Senate last week as chair of the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and Oversight Committee, I outlined the genesis of Minnesota’s massive fraud scandal, how it expanded under relaxed COVID-era rules, and what steps the federal government can take to help stop the theft of federal tax dollars throughout the country.   Minnesota’s fraud crisis didn’t happen overnight; it took years. But it exploded when COVID hit, right when oversight was thrown out the window. How did Minnesota get so bad? In March 2020, Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar authored a bill called the MEALS Act, which eventually became part of a larger COVID relief package. That law allowed states to waive the normal eligibility requirements for the National School Lunch Program. It eliminated income requirements and site inspections and expanded distribution methods. This opened the door for Feeding Our Future, which became the largest COVID fraud scandal in state and national history, stealing at least $250 million from taxpayers. To date, there have been 78 indictments and 61 convictions, with more cases headed to trial this spring. This was organized, deliberate theft, enabled by weak controls, refusal to take multiple reports of fraud from whistleblowers and the legislative auditor seriously, and a government culture that refused to treat fraud like a crime. The Feeding Our Future case revealed something even more disturbing: As many as half of the defendants were also receiving state money through other Medicaid-funded programs. But even after that became public back in 2023, Tim Walz and his agencies did nothing to stop those defendants from receiving additional state dollars. Billions of federal COVID dollars didn’t start the staggering fraud in Minnesota, but that did supercharge a system that had already been compromised. The original fraud scandal was tied to the Child Care Assistance Program, a federal program meant to help low-income families with children. There had been allegations of fraud reported with CCAP since 2011. By 2014 and 2015, there were raids, charges, and convictions of child care providers for billing non-existent or absent children, often exceeding $1 million in fraud in a single case. Then in March and April of 2019, just months into the Walz administration, the legislative auditor published two major reports outlining CCAP fraud. Those reports detailed fraudulent providers and alleged movement of millions of dollars in cash out of Minnesota to Somalia, including allegations that some of that money was funding terrorism. Whistleblowers have told us that shortly after those reports were released, the Department of Human Services shut down the criminal investigation unit for child care fraud. Rather than pursuing fraud as a crime, the Walz administration began renaming fraud as “overpayment.” Cases were routed to an internal “overpayment committee” to decide whether reimbursement should even be pursued. Staff were no longer allowed to speak with their counterparts at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension without supervisor approval. Our committee has now uncovered fraud in multiple Medicaid programs, including autism centers, sober homes, non-emergency medical transportation, integrated community supports, and housing stabilization services. In December, we held a hearing on credible allegations of fraud in two additional areas: adult day services and assisted living facilities. We have now seen allegations of fraud in 14 Medicaid programs. It is staggering. The former first U.S. attorney who led these prosecutions estimated fraud at $9 billion, and that doesn’t include fraud in SNAP or child care programs. Minnesotans expect their tax dollars to go toward roads, schools, health care, and public safety, not to fund criminals purchasing resorts in Kenya and luxury homes and cars. Even more alarming are the allegations that Minnesota taxpayer dollars have made their way into the hands of terrorist organizations like Al-Shabaab, directly or indirectly. The money is literally flown out in suitcases from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. In 2017, estimates suggested $100 million in cash left annually. According to TSA, outbound cash was $342 million in 2024 and $350 million in 2025. That is astonishing. And it is wildly disproportionate compared to other airports. Minneapolis’ outbound cash is 99% higher than Dallas, Atlanta, LAX, and JFK, and 90% higher than Seattle. So where do we go from here?  Minnesotans are right to be outraged, and I hope other states learn from Minnesota’s failures. We need a culture that treats fraud as a crime, not as “overpayment.” We need to standardize and enforce basic internal controls. Both federal and state government need to require documentation, not attestation, to verify eligibility. We need more audits and stronger oversight. We need the federal government to enforce existing laws requiring states to pay back funds within one year when fraud or “overpayment” is found. We need more resources at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and CMS to investigate these cases. And we need stronger federal authority to track and investigate large sums of cash leaving our country. We need leaders willing to stand up to this injustice and protect the most vulnerable. Citizens in Minnesota and throughout the country deserve better. The time for accountability and justice is now. Kristin Robbins has served in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2019 and is chair of the Minnesota Fraud Committee. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/18/2026 - 09:40

Social Circle, a mostly Maga town, builds strange bedfellow coalition against plans to convert warehouse On a recent morning Eric Taylor, city manager for a small Georgia town of about 5,000 residents called Social Circle, was contacted by a staffer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “They asked me to turn on the water,” he said of a 1m sq ft warehouse nearby that the federal government recently purchased for $128m, with plans to use it for locking up as many as 10,000 detainees as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation plan. Continue reading...

• Accumulated losses hit Rs2.07tr by June 2025; half of it piled up in just three years • Outstanding loans stand near Rs3.1tr, debt rising Rs300bn a year • Financing cost reaches Rs210bn in FY25, highest among SOEs ISLAMABAD: Carrying the largest outstanding loan portfolio on its books and a negative return on assets, the National Highway Authority (NHA) — the country’s logistics backbone — is the single largest entity bleeding the federal budget, exposing Pakistan to substantial fiscal risk despite the recent doubling of tolls. The NHA is the “largest loss-maker”, operating on a “structural deficit model and reliant on budgetary support”, the Central Monitoring Unit (CMU) of the Ministry of Finance said in its Annual Aggregate Report on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for the year ended June 30, 2025. With accumulated losses of Rs2.074 trillion, the entity that owns and operates all the national highways and motorways accrued around Rs1.004tr in the last three years alone — about Rs295 billion each in FY24 and FY25 and Rs413bn in FY23. Moreover, it stands out at the top of the SOE list, with the largest accrued financing cost of Rs210bn in FY25, as its toll revenue remains unaligned with debt servicing, leading to fiscal dependence and sovereign guarantee exposure. “Currently, the NHA holds outstanding loans totalling approximately Rs3.1tr, with an annual debt accretion rate of Rs300bn. This debt portfolio generates Rs98bn in markup, which is expected to rise to more than Rs150bn per annum, creating a substantial credit risk for the government of Pakistan (GoP), which guarantees these loans”, the CMA said. It said the presence of sovereign guarantees for public-private partnership (PPP) contracts added further financial strain, amplifying the government’s credit risk exposure. With more than Rs115 billion in loans given by the federal government last year, it is also among the top borrowers. On the other hand, its net assets remained almost static over the last three years, actually declining slightly from Rs5.84tr in FY23 to Rs5.83tr in FY25. Its total equity has been declining over time from Rs2.57tr in FY23 to Rs2.27tr in FY24 and Rs1.95tr in FY25. Conversely, NHA’s total liabilities have been increasing, making it the single-largest entity to accrue current liabilities. Its total liabilities amounted to Rs3.27tr in FY23, increasing to Rs3.54tr in FY24 and reaching Rs3.88tr by the end of FY25. The CMU observed that National Highway Authority’s 2025 performance underscored its strategic importance yet exposed growing fiscal vulnerability. “Despite an impressive surge in toll revenues and build, own and transfer (BOT) project inflows, the authority continues to operate under a persistent deficit, driven by high depreciation and finance costs,” it said. Operating income rose sharply to Rs83.1bn in FY25 (against Rs42.4bn in FY24), propelled by the doubling of toll income to Rs64.4bn. However, the overall income of Rs119.7bn remained insufficient against total expenditures of Rs408.1bn. Consequently, the deficit before levy and taxation stood at Rs292.98bn and the deficit after tax at Rs294.86bn, reflecting continued structural stress. It noted that two critical components eroded National Highway Authority’s profitability. These include depreciation expense of Rs133.8bn, reflecting a heavily capital-intensive asset base and growing maintenance backlog and Rs193.5bn finance cost, up from Rs182bn last year, highlighting the escalating burden of debt and interest rate exposure. The CMU advised diversification of funding sources through infrastructure bonds targeted at domestic institutional investors and international development markets. It said the expansion of public-private partnerships for new road construction, maintenance outsourcing and service area development can shift part of the fiscal and operational burden to the private sector while improving efficiency and service quality. The CMU also called for renegotiating loan terms with lenders to extend maturities, reduce interest rates or convert debt into quasi-equity instruments to create immediate fiscal space. Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of only 1.4% in the fourth quarter, significantly below Wall Street expectations, primarily due to a record-long federal government shutdown.

The German federal government is set to present the key points for the reform of the heating law next week, as announced by SPD parliamentary group leader Miersch.

The Nigerian Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to collaborate with the Catholic Church to foster national development, peace, and social cohesion.

German professional soccer club Werder Bremen will not travel to Minnesota as part on a preseason tour in the U.S. this spring due to the federal government’s immigration crackdown in the state. Werder Bremen does not specify which clubs it planned to play in an exhibition game, but Minnesota United typically plays at least one international friendly each season. “In Minnesota, two people were ...

The Canadian federal government acknowledges a potential shortage of workstations for employees returning to the office four days a week, confirming concerns raised by unions.

The Balochistan Assembly has unanimously adopted a joint resolution demanding that the federal government increase the province’s representation in both the provincial and national assemblies.

The federal government, under Prime Minister Mark Carney's new cabinet, has reallocated its advertising spending budget towards more patriotic messaging.

ISLAMABAD: Around 31.9 million births registered with union councils (UC) in 2025 are yet to be added to the record in the National Database and Registration Authority’s (Nadra) central database, according to an annual performance report. The report was recently submitted by Nadra to the interior ministry, according to which a total of 227m individuals are registered with the authority. Overall, nearly 97 per cent of Pakistan’s population is now included in the registration system, according to the report, which also shows that 52pc of the registered individuals are males and 48pc are females. As for biometric data, Nadra’s system contains facial records of 170m people, iris data of seven million individuals and 1.68 billion fingerprints, the reports says. During 2025 alone, the report states, some 445m biometric verifications were carried out, contributing to “improved transparency” and “strengthening of digital governance systems”. According to the report, national registration increased by 4pc in 2025, registration of children under the age of 18 rose by 11pc, renewal of expired identity cards increased by 24pc and cancellation of identity cards following death registration surged by 900pc. Female registration also saw an 8pc rise during the year. The reports says that by end of the year, 938 registration centres were operational nationwide. The authority established 75 new centres 138 new counters, while another 126 counters were installed at existing offices. The reports say that 231 mobile registration vans remained active during the year, including 33 satellite-equipped units for remote areas. At the UC level, 62 registration counters were operational while six new counters were set up in five countries abroad to facilitate overseas Pakistanis. According to the report, the Pak Identity mobile application was used to handle 15pc of Nadra’s total workload. The app was downloaded more than 12m times, enabling citizens to access services without visiting registration centres. In 2025, the federal government approved the National Registration and Biometric Policy Framework to further strengthen the unified registration system. Amendments to national identity card regulations were also introduced, biometric child registration certificates were launched for children as young as three, and family registration certificates were granted formal legal status. According to the report, Pakistan’s identity registration system now has near-complete coverage, though efforts are still required to further improve the registration of women and young children in certain areas. Clear policy recommendations have been proposed to close the remaining gaps entirely, the report says.

Rep. Massie said he once offered Republican leaders his vote in exchange for a public expression of gratitude for his role in forcing the disclosure of the federal government's Jeffrey Epstein files, sparking GOP backlash.

Amid Minnesota Fraud Scandal, Legitimate Autism Centers Face Closure Authored by Troy Myers via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), A Minnesota autism center for adults and children, which has been operating for more than 20 years, is facing closure in the wake of the massive fraud scandal in the state that dates back more than a decade and involves more than $9 billion of U.S. taxpayer money. The Holland Center in Minnetonka, Minn., on Feb. 11, 2026. Larson told a House subcommittee hearing on Jan. 21 that her center and numerous others in Minnesota are facing collapse after becoming collateral damage from the massive fraud scandal. Adam Hester for The Epoch Times The Holland Center is one of many legitimate centers in the state, which collectively serve thousands of disabled people. Founder, owner, and CEO Jennifer Larson built the Holland Center for her autistic, non-speaking son, who is now 25 years old. She said she has recently been forced to put hundreds of thousands of her own dollars into keeping the center afloat because the state didn’t pay a single claim for nearly two months. Because of the payment delays, Larson said autism centers like hers are being forced to reduce hours, cut staff, and close in some instances. Families are scrambling for help, disabled children and adults are regressing, and parents are leaving jobs to care for their disabled loved ones. Larson told The Epoch Times her facility can’t continue much longer. “The feds say it’s the state. The state says it’s the feds,” Larson said. “The kids are going to be the collateral damage.” The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services paused child care and family assistance funds to Minnesota in early January due to the alleged rampant fraud. The state is appealing. The Minnesota Department of Human Services told The Epoch Times via email that the federal government’s threat of withholding funds is “not impacting the current payment situation.” However, Larson’s center accumulated nearly two months of unpaid claims from Dec. 5 to Jan. 29, totaling more than $600,000. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a press conference at the state Capitol building in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 3, 2026. Beginning in late December 2025, the state began using a new pre-payment review vendor called Optum, which uses artificial intelligence in its claims and reimbursement processes. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images ‘Everything Was Flagged’ Beginning in late December 2025, the state began using a new pre-payment review vendor called Optum, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) “at every step” of its claims and reimbursement processes. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had announced the contract with the new system in late October 2025. “They implemented it because of the fraud. Obviously, the state wasn’t catching the fraud in the 300 or 400 centers that popped up in the last three years,” Larson said. She blames the Minnesota government for turning a blind eye to the “crime ring” involving fraud at Somali-run autism centers to an immense scale. Neither Walz nor his office could be reached for comment during multiple attempts via emails and phone calls. Now, she said, Optum is causing the delay of claims with few or unclear explanations in the review process. “The state has failed and lost millions and millions of dollars in the system, so, clearly, the state wasn’t going to be able to tell Optum what to look for because they didn’t know what they were doing,” Larson told The Epoch Times after she recently testified in Congress. “All of us, for the first round, nobody got anything. Everything was flagged.” Larson told a House subcommittee hearing on Jan. 21 that her center and numerous others in Minnesota are facing collapse after becoming collateral damage from the massive fraud scandal. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) asked Larson: “Ms. Larson, none of this would have happened if the fraud did not occur, is that accurate?” “Yes,” she responded. “What happened in Minnesota had nothing to do with the ethical, longstanding autism providers.” Larson said in her testimony that the state government’s “clumsy response” to fraud failed to distinguish between criminals and caregivers. She said abrupt disruption or loss of service can destroy weeks or years of progress for disabled children and adults, causing lifelong consequences. Payment Process The Minnesota Department of Human Services told The Epoch Times that it sent the first batch of more than 100,000 claims to Optum for review in late December 2025. The department said every two weeks, Optum receives batches of claims from the state. The system analyzes and flags any that need further review. Unflagged claims are paid after the initial analysis, the Minnesota Department of Human Services said. The agency will continue sending payments for unflagged claims on regular two-week cycles. A provider will receive an update every two weeks on a flagged or suspended claim, accompanied by reason codes, the department said. “If a claim is flagged, we may need additional information and documents from the provider before payments are made, which may cause further delay,” the Minnesota Department of Human Services said. Claims in Optum are listed as suspended until the state reaches a payment decision. The department did not provide detailed answers on why the Holland Center or other similar, longstanding facilities might have their claims flagged. Jennifer Larson, founder and CEO of the Holland Center, and her son Caden Larson in Minnetonka, Minn., on Feb. 11, 2026. Larson built the center for her autistic, non-speaking son, who is now 25 years old. Adam Hester for The Epoch Times The agency said it did not wish to disclose what kind of identifiers cause it to suspect someone is billing for services they did not provide, but officials generally look for “patterns of concern—claims that fall outside expected norms,” some of which could be blamed on administrative errors or poor documentation rather than intentional fraud. “Optum helps the state of Minnesota identify potential fraud, waste, and abuse by conducting pre‑payment reviews,” the company said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. “Optum has no authority to approve, deny, delay, or suspend claims, and payment decisions are made exclusively by [the Minnesota Department of Human Services] and the Office of Inspector General.” Most claims should be paid within 30 days, and legitimate claims that may have been flagged within 90 days, as required by the federal government, according to the agency. Financial Hit Meanwhile, with a payroll of $250,000 every two weeks, Larson has been forced to ask many of her employees to take unpaid leave. After nearly two months of unpaid claims, her center was partially paid on Jan. 29, bringing the owed amount down to about $300,000, Larson said. She said there’s been little to no word from state or health officials on why her claims were flagged in the first place. Larson doesn’t expect to get another payment for two weeks, putting her in a several-hundred-thousand-dollar deficit she doesn’t think will ever rebalance. She’s spent so much of her own money to keep the center’s lights on, Larson said, that she’s been forced to cut back on other bills to make ends meet. Fortunately, Larson said her landlords have been understanding of the situation. New Centers Years ago, when Larson witnessed new autism treatment centers popping up around her area and the state, she was initially relieved because, to her, it meant more help was coming for disabled children and adults. “There’s a need, and there’s a high prevalence of autism in the Somali community in Minnesota,” Larson said. “And I know that and I service a lot of the kids, but we can’t take them all. We’ve always had a waiting list.” A 2023 study by the University of Minnesota showed autism rates in 4-year-olds to be much higher among Somali children compared to other races and ethnicities. The report found 1 in 18 Somali children had autism, compared to 1 in 64 for white children, 1 in 31 for Hispanic children, and 1 in 30 for non-Somali black children. But when hundreds of autism centers popped up, it was a red flag for Larson. “No one wants to talk about it because everyone’s scared of saying anything wrong,” Larson said. “That’s why we’re here. It’s because everyone’s too afraid to say something.” Independent journalist Nick Shirley, who brought national attention to the alleged Minnesota fraud at day care centers with his viral video posted Dec. 26, 2025, attended the congressional hearing with Larson. “What we saw in Minnesota is how complicit the government has been in enabling this fraud to happen. Quality ‘Learing’ Center had over 90 violations, yet they continued to give that daycare $1.9 million,” Shirley said in his testimony. Meanwhile, the closure of Holland Center would dismantle a lifetime of work for Larson that all started with the birth of her son. Read the rest here... Tyler Durden Thu, 02/19/2026 - 20:55

The governor of Zamfara state has accused the federal government of political bias in the distribution of palliative funds, claiming the state has received no federal intervention beyond statutory allocations since 2023.

Judge Orders ICE Not To Re-Detain Abrego Garcia Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times, A federal judge has blocked U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) from re-arresting Kilmar Abrego Garcia, one of the men at the center of the Trump administration’s deportation battles. The Salvadoran national’s case attracted attention across the country, including widespread protests, after the federal government detained him in March 2025 and shipped him to El Salvador’s maximum security prison, the Terrorism Confinement Center, along with an airplane full of other deportees. He was later returned to the United States, where he has had long-running legal battles with the administration. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who ordered the administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return last year, ruled on Feb. 17 that he cannot be deported again because the federal government has not presented a feasible plan for removing him from the country. The judge said that despite releasing Abrego Garcia, the government appeared to be making plans to re-detain him, so Abrego Garcia filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent being re-detained. The court previously granted the requested order. In the new order, the court granted Abrego Garcia’s request to upgrade the temporary restraining order to an injunction to prevent him from being re-detained. Abrego Garcia, who entered the United States illegally more than a decade ago, had been living in Maryland when federal agents arrested him. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security takes the position that Abrego Garcia is a “violent criminal illegal alien, and MS-13 gang member,” who “belongs behind bars and off American soil.” Abrego Garcia, who is facing separate criminal charges, denies being a member of MS-13, which has been designated a terrorist organization. Xinis previously ordered his release on Dec. 11, 2025, finding that because the federal government had never issued a final order of removal against him, it could not detain him in order to force him from the country. The government said in a brief last month that Abrego Garcia may be detained because an immigration judge issued an order of removal on Dec. 11, 2025, that became final on Jan. 13 of this year. Detention after that order “does not require that the country of removal be certain in order for detention to be lawful,” the brief said. The judge suggested the federal government is not serious about removing Abrego Garcia from the United States. Since he secured release from criminal custody in August 2025, the government has “made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success,” she said. The judge said that, given the federal government’s maneuvering in the case, it was doubtful that Abrego Garcia would be deported in the “reasonably foreseeable future,” so he may not be re-arrested or put into immigration detention. “Respondents have done nothing to show that Abrego Garcia’s continued detention in ICE custody is consistent with due process,” Xinis said. In April 2025, Xinis had ordered that Abrego Garcia be returned to the United States from the prison in El Salvador. The same month, the Supreme Court ordered that the federal government take steps to bring him back to the United States. The government of El Salvador cooperated, and Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States in June 2025. At the same time, Abrego Garcia is currently facing federal criminal charges in Tennessee related to the alleged unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens. He has entered not guilty pleas to the charges. The May 2025 indictment brought against Abrego Garcia alleges that he “conspired to bring undocumented aliens to the United States from countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, and elsewhere, ultimately passing through Mexico before crossing into Texas.” It alleges that Abrego Garcia and his co-conspirators obtained financial payments from the undocumented individuals for unlawfully transporting them into and around the United States. The indictment also alleges Abrego Garcia was “a member and associate of the transnational criminal organization ... [known as] MS-13,” which it describes as “a criminal enterprise engaged in ... acts and threats involving murder, extortion, narcotics trafficking, firearms trafficking, alien smuggling, and money laundering.” Abrego Garcia “used his status in MS-13 to further his criminal activity” over the life of the criminal conspiracy during which he and co-conspirators “knowingly and unlawfully transported thousands of undocumented aliens ... many of whom were MS-13 members and associates,” according to the indictment. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have called the case “baseless.” “There’s no way a jury is going to see the evidence and agree that this sheet metal worker is the leader of an international MS-13 smuggling conspiracy,” attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg said. The Epoch Times reached out for comment to the U.S. Department of Justice, which represents federal agencies in court. No reply had been received as of publication time. Tyler Durden Tue, 02/17/2026 - 20:55

Pakistan's PPP central spokesperson criticized the federal government for increasing petrol prices just before Ramazan, labeling it a 'petrol bomb' on the public.

A judge has indicated she will rule that the federal government lacks the authority to compel states to furnish data on recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).