Missouri lawmakers are moving to crack down on international money transfers by illegal immigrants following the massive welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota that has drawn national attention in recent weeks. The legislation, backed by Missouri Treasurer Vivek Malek, would require money transmitters operating in Missouri to verify that individuals sending money overseas are lawfully present in the United States before processing international remittances. The Missouri legislation is part of a broader push by conservative state officials to strengthen safeguards around public spending following high-profile fraud cases uncovered during the pandemic. The proposal, introduced as HB 2412 and SB 1124 in the Missouri General Assembly, would make Missouri the first state in the nation to require verification of lawful presence before international remittances can be processed. “The failures in Minnesota offer a lesson to other states,” Malek said in a statement obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire. “We are taking sensible action in Missouri to prevent similar crime from occurring here. American dollars should stay in America.” The push comes after the massive welfare fraud scheme scandal in Minnesota, which involved Somali-linked fraud networks allegedly siphoning hundreds of millions of dollars from federally funded child nutrition programs during the COVID era. The scandal, which has led to dozens of indictments, triggered a wave of scrutiny from lawmakers and watchdog groups who say weak oversight allowed the scheme to flourish for years. Malek, a member of the State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF), said the Missouri legislation is intended to close potential loopholes that could allow fraudulently obtained taxpayer funds to be moved overseas. Critics of the proposal argue that the legislation could harm immigrant communities that rely on remittances to support family members abroad. One recent local news report highlighted an illegal immigrant who has lived in the United States for more than a decade and sends roughly half of his income overseas. “I’m here alone fighting for life, to maintain my family over there. I’ve been here for 13 years,” he said anonymously. Carlos Rich, president of the Rural Community Workers Alliance — an organization which is “a worker-led organization dedicated to empowering, educating, and organizing refugee and immigrant workers,” — predicts that 5,000 immigrants in the area would be affected by this bill. Supporters of the measure argue that the issue is not legal immigration or legitimate remittances, but preventing taxpayer-funded fraud schemes from funneling money out of the country. The State Financial Officers Foundation recently released a report estimating that Republican state financial officers collectively protected more than $28 billion in taxpayer funds from fraud and waste last year through oversight initiatives and financial reforms. At the time of the report, Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks and SFOF National Chairman said, “across the country, state financial officers are doing the job taxpayers expect, identifying billions in waste, fraud, and abuse, generating strong investment results, and returning billions in unclaimed property to rightful owners.” To the critics of the harder approach, Oaks added that it’s “not partisan; it’s fiduciary duty. America’s state financial officers will continue to expose fiscal misconduct and protect the hard-earned dollars of the American people.” While lawmakers in several states have proposed new oversight measures after the Minnesota scandal, Missouri’s proposal to regulate international remittances would be the first of its kind if enacted.

An illegal immigrant accused of killing his three-year-old nephew in Florida was released into the United States by the Biden administration despite having previously been deported, The Daily Wire has learned. He later went on to receive a deportation order after his release, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. Honduran illegal immigrant Samuel Antonio Maldonado-Erazo, 28, allegedly took the toddler to work on March 4 and ignored severe signs of distress his nephew appeared to be experiencing, according to Fox10. Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said the child had several broken ribs, one of which was detached from the backbone, a broken collarbone, and a transected pancreas from blunt trauma, the local news outlet reported. The child also appeared to show signs of possible sexual abuse. When first responders came upon the toddler, they found he was suffering from cardiac arrest, according to Fox10. “Life-saving measures were attempted but unfortunately, he passed,” Simmons said. “We learned this young boy suffered extensive bruising about his body, to include 17 strikes to the head alone. Additionally, there were several burn marks consistent with heating a lighter and then pressing that lighter against the skin. These injuries and the neglect associated with them contributed to his death.” “The injuries to the child are hard to talk about, and even harder to imagine having to endure,” Simmons said. “The only solace I can think of is he suffers no more.” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed a detainer with local authorities on March 5, asking for a heads-up before releasing Maldonado-Erazo, DHS said. Maldonado-Erazo illegally entered the United States in August 2021 and “was immediately removed,” DHS said. He then reentered the country illegally in November 2021 and was released “under the Biden administration’s catch-and-release policies,” the agency added. He was ordered deported in May 2023, according to DHS. Homeland Security deputy assistant secretary Lauren Bis called the situation “absolutely sickening,” saying “This heinous crime underscores the importance of local authorities working with ICE to remove dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities.” “The Biden administration should have never RELEASED this monster into our communities,” Bis added. The three-year-old was left with Maldonado-Erazo after his mother and aunt were deported, Simmons said. Maldonado-Erazo had other children living with him who have since been taken into the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, the sheriff said. Erazo was originally charged with negligent manslaughter, but his charges have since been upgraded to felony murder, according to the sheriff’s office.

As the United States and Israel continue their joint military campaign against Iran, Israelis have set up a memorial in Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Square honoring fallen American service members. The display has turned a busy public space into a place of reflection, where Israelis have gathered to pay their respects to the American soldiers who lost their lives during the conflict. The memorial features photos of six fallen U.S. soldiers, with flowers placed nearby and visitors pausing in silence.  The Tel Aviv memorial comes as the United States and Israel continue close military coordination against Iran. The campaign — known in Washington as Operation Epic Fury and referred to in Israel as Operation Roaring Lion — began on February 28 with coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s missile systems, military infrastructure, and naval assets.  The soldiers honored in the display were members of the United States Army Reserve working in logistics when a drone struck their command center at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait. The attack occurred one day after the United States and Israel launched their military campaign. A sign at the memorial reads: “For the American heroes, your courage and dedication will not be forgotten,” alongside “Seek peace and pursue it,” from Psalm 34:14. Memorial on Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv on March 10, 2026. (OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP via Getty Images) Those honored in the memorial are: Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien Capt. Cody Khork Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens Sgt. Declan Coady Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, who was also killed in an Iranian drone attack, was not included in the display because his name had not yet been publicly announced when the memorial was created. His remains were returned to the U.S. in a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base on Monday.  The memorial comes as U.S. forces continue to face attacks across the region amid the conflict with Iran. About 140 U.S. service members have been wounded over 10 days of sustained attacks, though most injuries have been minor, and 108 troops have already returned to duty, according to Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell. Eight service members remain listed as severely injured and are receiving the highest level of medical care. Israel has previously erected memorials dedicated to American victims and service members. One of the most prominent examples is the 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza in Jerusalem, built by the Jewish National Fund. Located in the hills outside the city, the monument, shaped like a rising American flag, is the only memorial outside the United States that lists the names of all 2,977 victims of the September 11 attacks. The site hosts annual commemorations attended by Israelis and Americans.

In order to understand why opera and ballet fans are so mad at actor Timothée Chalamet, you’ll need to go back to a February 24 town hall interview he did with Matthew McConaughey for Variety and CNN. At the time, the 30-year-old “Marty Supreme” star disparaged the two art forms, claiming they were outdated and irrelevant. “I admire people, and I’ve done it myself, who go on a talk show and go, ‘Hey, we gotta keep movie theaters alive. You know, we gotta keep this genre alive,'” Chalamet said at the time. “And another part of me feels like, if people want to see it, like ‘Barbie,’ like ‘Oppenheimer,’ they’re going to go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud about it.” “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore,’” the actor went on. “All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost fourteen cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason.” This led to Chalamet being slammed by the opera and ballet community. There are even debates over whether the actor reduced his likelihood of winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in less than a week, with betting markets reducing Chalamet’s odds for taking home a golden statue after predicting him as a likely winner for months. Many have pointed out that it’s only his reputation that risks being ruined, because the Oscars ballots were submitted long before the clip went public. Chalamet’s comments went viral on social media and got some big reactions. The Metropolitan Opera posted a video showing all the work that goes into productions and added the caption, “All respect to the opera (and ballet) people out there…This one’s for you, @tchalamet.”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by The Metropolitan Opera (@metopera) LA Opera posted an update to say they were considering giving the actor free tickets, but decided not to because “it’s selling out.” The caption added, “There are a few seats left to purchase if you hurry.” The U.K.’s Royal Ballet and Opera also stressed how popular their shows were and invited Chalamet to come check out the “sheer magic” of a live performance. Seattle Opera offered 14% off tickets to “Carmen” for patrons using the promo code TIMOTHEE. “Timmy, you’re welcome to use it too,” they said. And it wasn’t just ballet companies getting in on the mockery. On a recent episode of “Jeopardy!” a category featuring ballet and opera was shared in Instagram reels alongside the caption, “NOBODY @ HIM

Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, are accused of attempting to throw homemade bombs into a crowd of people and police officers outside Gracie Mansion in New York City on Saturday. Officers quickly arrested the duo after one of the bombs was thrown. By Saturday evening, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch addressed the public, confirming that the devices were “a bit smaller than a football, [appeared] to be a jar wrapped in black tape, importantly with nuts, bolts, and screws along with a hobby fuse that could be lit.” The devices — in Balat’s own words — were intended “to carry out an attack bigger than the Boston Marathon,” which Balat noted caused “only three deaths.” From Pennsylvania, Balat and Kayumi reportedly traveled to New York City to carry out their attack. After Balat was arrested on Saturday, authorities located a car registered to Balat’s family member and found footage of the vehicle crossing the George Washington Bridge into New York City at 11:36 a.m. on Sunday. Balat and Kayumi lived ten miles from each other in Pennsylvania. Balat is enrolled at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Kayumi graduated from Council Rock High School in 2024. Balat’s lawyer, Mehdi Essmidi, claimed to reporters that the men did not know each other prior to the attack: “They’re strangers, as far as I know.” He added that they are in different age groups. An official from Neshaminy High School shared with The Daily Wire said Balat was enrolled in the district’s virtual academy and had not attended in-person classes since September. Essmidi said, “He’s finishing school remotely because he has only like three classes left to do.” When arrested, both Balat and Kayumi referred to ISIS in recorded post-arrest statements. Balat pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State on a piece of paper at the police detention center, and Kayumi said he was affiliated with ISIS and watched ISIS propaganda on his phone. Authorities have since searched Balat and Kayumi’s devices, as well as their homes. Balat lived in Langhorne in a home estimated to be worth $653,000, and Kayumi lived in a home worth $2.25 million. It is unclear whether Kayumi continued to live in that home after he graduated from Council Rock. The FBI also searched a storage facility in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, on South Flowers Mill Road. The FBI said it was conducting a court-authorized search in connection with Balat and Kayumi’s terrorism case. Kayumi’s parents were originally from Afghanistan and became naturalized citizens in 2004 and 2009. Both Balat and Kayumi traveled internationally in the last two years. Balat left the United States for about four months, traveling to Istanbul, Turkey, from May 6, 2025, to August 26, 2025. In January of this year, Balat left the country, again traveling to Turkey. Like Balat, Kayumi also went to Istanbul, but in July and August of 2024. He also traveled to Saudi Arabia in March of that year.