What local reporter found while investigating Minnesota daycare centers one year ago
KSTP-TV, a local ABC affiliate in Minnesota, first reported on alleged fraud at federally funded daycare centers as far back as January 2025.
In the resurfaced segment, reporter Jay Kolls visited two Minnesota daycare centers, including the Quality Learning Center in Minneapolis, to investigate facilities receiving government funding despite having multiple safety and health violations.
Kolls reported that the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) found 95 safety violations, including missing records for 16 children. He added that although he did not see any children at the location, the Quality Learning Center still received nearly $8 million in taxpayer money since 2019.
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“I went to the daycare’s location several times, and only once did I see people there,” Kolls said. “But I did not see any children.”
In the segment, Kolls spoke with a daycare operator who responded, “Not now,” when asked if any children were present.
Kolls added that state investigators previously placed the facility on a conditional license in 2022, though its conditional status was removed in 2024.
Kolls also visited the “Minnesota Childcare Center,” which he noted was “at the end of [a] small hallway with a steel door, no windows and no visible security cameras.”
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“I visited several times and each time, no apparent sign of any workers, and each time no apparent sign of any children,” Kolls said.
The Minnesota Childcare Center, Kolls reported, had 36 violations yet still received approximately $11.5 million in taxpayer money since 2018.
According to a statement the DHS made at the time, the agency can only end payments “when a provider intentionally gives false information on its CCAP billing forms or submits false attendance records; a provider is operating after a suspension or revocation of its license; there’s a credible allegation of fraud; and/or a provider refuses access to attendance records.”
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Minnesota state Rep. Pam Altendorf shared the segment on social media Sunday.
“@KSTP reported on the MN Day Care Center fraud back on 01.28.2025. VACANT Day Care Centers – receiving millions of YOUR tax payer dollars. Do you think the violations are part of the cover up…!? Is someone in charge of cite visits – in on this scam…!? @MinnesotaDHS KNEW back months ago. WHY weren’t these daycares in question shut down by them…..!? WHY has the @GovTimWalz administration held no one accountable….!?” Altendorf wrote on X.
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Alleged fraud in Minnesota daycare centers received national attention over the weekend after independent journalist Nick Shirley went viral for his 42-minute video visiting various locations that appeared inactive despite receiving millions in government funding.
Trump issues warning to Iran as protests spread and fears of crackdown grow
President Donald Trump warned early Friday that the U.S. would intervene if Iran started killing protesters.
Writing on Truth Social, the president said if Iran shoots and “violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue.”
“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump said.
Trump’s warning comes as demonstrations triggered by Iran’s deteriorating economy expand beyond the capital and raise concerns about a potential heavy-handed crackdown by security forces. At least seven people — including protesters and members of Iran’s security services — have been reported killed during clashes, according to international reporting.
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Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker who serves as the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, pushed back on Trump’s post, writing on X that, “With the statements by Israeli officials and Donald Trump, what has been going on behind the scenes is now clear. We distinguish between the stance of the protesting shopkeepers and the actions of disruptive actors, and Trump should know that U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America’s interests.”
“The American people should know — Trump started this adventurism. They should be mindful of their soldiers’ safety,” Larijani added.
The threat came after Iran launched an attack on Al-Udeid, the American airbase in Qatar, in June 2025. The base is home to 10,000 American forces and is the U.S.’s largest military installation in the Middle East. Located southwest of Doha, it serves as a hub for logistical operations for the U.S. mission to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
At the time, Iran vowed to retaliate against the U.S. after American B-2 bombers dropped 14 bunker buster bombs on three Iranian nuclear sites.
In the recent Iranian demonstrations, some of the most severe violence has been reported in western Iran, where videos circulating online appeared to show fires burning in streets and the sound of gunfire during nighttime protests.
“We are to blame… Do not look for America or anyone else to blame. We must serve properly so that people are satisfied with us…. It is us who have to find a solution to these problems,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday, according to Reuters.
The unrest marks Iran’s most significant protests since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked nationwide demonstrations. Officials say the current protests have not yet reached the same scale or intensity, but they have spread to multiple regions and include chants directed at Iran’s theocratic leadership.
Iran’s civilian government under reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has signaled a willingness to engage with protesters, but the administration faces limited options as the country’s economy continues to deteriorate. Iran’s currency has sharply depreciated, with roughly 1.4 million rials now required to buy a single U.S. dollar, intensifying public anger and eroding confidence in the government.
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State television reported the arrests of several people accused of exploiting the unrest, including individuals it described as monarchists and others allegedly linked to Europe-based groups. Authorities also claimed security forces seized smuggled weapons during related operations, though details remain limited.
The demonstrations come amid heightened regional tensions following a 12-day conflict with Israel in June, during which the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites. Iranian officials have since said the country is no longer enriching uranium, attempting to signal openness to renewed negotiations over its nuclear program to ease sanctions.
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However, talks have yet to resume, as both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Tehran against reconstituting its nuclear capabilities — adding further pressure on Iran’s leadership as protests continue.
Roman relics uncovered in biblical city tied to Paul and ominous Revelation warnings
Extraordinary ancient finds were recently unearthed in Ephesus, the Turkish city where Paul the Apostle once preached.
The discovery was announced by Anadolu Agency (AA), a state-run outlet in Ankara, on Dec. 12. Ephesus is also known as being one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the Book of Revelation.
The star of the excavation was a Roman-era marble bathtub, along with a fragment of a male statue’s torso that was later reused as a paving stone.
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Archaeologist Serdar Aybek, speaking to AA, said the bathtub dates back to the first century A.D. Unlike Ephesus’s large, public bath complexes, the one that was recently uncovered was likely “intended for domestic use.”
“It is an unusual discovery because it is not something we encounter frequently,” Aybek said.
“We believe it belonged to the Terrace Houses and was used in the first century A.D.,” he added. “We found it during work at the theater, and its size shows it was used in a house.”
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The bathtub was found along the ancient Stadium Street. It likely belonged to Ephesus’s Terrace Houses complex, where wealthy Roman families lived in lavish villas.
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The bathtub was carved with Greco Scritto marble — a regional variety with distinct black veins — and measured almost 5 feet long, 2.5 feet wide and 2 feet high, authorities said.
After being used by a high-income household, the bath was later repurposed as a fountain trough.
Aybek also described the discovery of the statue fragment, which dated between the first century B.C. and the first century A.D., as “completely unexpected.”
The statue of the unidentified man was carved into multiple parts and attached together before it was later dismantled.
Archaeologists found it face-down — and said it was used as a paving stone in the roadway.
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The discoveries have come on the heels of many recent Asia Minor discoveries linked to early Christian history.
In October, a 1,500-year-old Christian floor mosaic was found in Urfa, a city traditionally regarded as the birthplace of Abraham.
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In Laodicea — a city also mentioned in the Book of Revelation — the remains of a massive Roman council hall were unearthed this summer.
Musician alleges Will Smith engaged in ‘grooming’ behavior after hotel room encounter
Will Smith was accused of sexual harassment by Brian King Joseph in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles just before the new year, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Joseph, a professional violinist, alleges Smith was “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation” in the complaint against the Academy Award-winning actor and associates with his Treyball Studios Management, Inc.
After his first performance with Smith in December 2024, the “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” singer allegedly hired Joseph to join his “Based on a True Story: 2025 Tour.”
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Joseph claimed their “relationship grew even closer” after Smith offered him a chance to play on several tracks of the rapper’s upcoming album.
“Smith and Plaintiff began spending additional time alone, with Smith even telling Plaintiff that ‘You and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else,’ and other similar expressions indicating his closeness to Plaintiff,” documents state.
Joseph allegedly joined the first leg of the tour in March 2025 in Las Vegas, where he was provided a hotel room booked by Smith and his team. He claimed “no other individuals besides … the crew and hotel staff would have had access” to his personal room.
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The violinist, who competed on “America’s Got Talent” in 2018, claimed to place his room key in his bag, which was left in a van responsible for transporting the cast and crew around. After a rehearsal at the venue, management allegedly spent hours retrieving the bag.
When Joseph returned to his hotel room later that evening, he claimed to have “discovered evidence suggesting that an unknown person had unlawfully entered the room.” Joseph subsequently called hotel security.
“The evidence included a handwritten note addressed to Plaintiff by name, which read ‘Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F,’” the lawsuit states. “Among the remaining belongings were wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a person unbeknownst to Plaintiff.”
Joseph feared that an unknown individual would return to his room to engage in sexual acts, documents said, and he “immediately notified hotel security and representatives for Defendant, obtained photo documentation, requested a room change, and called the local non-emergency police line (311) to report the incident.”
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Days later, Joseph claims, Smith’s team began “blaming” him for the incident.
“Rather than being protected against further assault, and for attempting to understanding Plaintiff’s complaint, Plaintiff was shamed by Defendant and told that he was being terminated,” the complaint stated.
“When Plaintiff requested … further reasoning, Tim Miller, acting on behalf of Defendants, redirected the blame for the termination onto Plaintiff, replying, ‘I don’t know, you tell me, because everyone is telling me that what happened to you is a lie, nothing happened, and you made the whole thing up. So, tell me, why did you lie and make this up?’”
Joseph, at the request of Miller, compiled a timeline “to explain the traumatic series of events that occurred that evening.”
“However, following Plaintiff’s report and termination, Defendant hired another violinist to assume the same position on the tour,” documents stated. “This hiring strongly suggested that Defendant’s stated reason for the termination was pretextual.”
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“The facts strongly suggest that Defendant Willard Carroll Smith II was deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation. The sequence of events, Smith’s prior statements to Plaintiff, and the circumstances of the hotel intrusion all point to a pattern of predatory behavior rather than an isolated incident,” the lawsuit states.
“Defendant’s actions caused Plaintiff severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages. Plaintiff was also harmed as a result of the stress of losing his job his health deteriorated causing major physiological damage. Plaintiff suffered from PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination.”
Smith’s lawyer denied the allegations in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
“Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless,” Allen B. Grodsky said. “They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light.”
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Joseph filed his complaint after a $3 million lawsuit was filed against Jada Pinkett Smith by a former associate, Bilaal Salaam.
Salaam claimed Jada approached him with physical threats of violence and demanded he sign a nondisclosure agreement while at a private gathering at a movie theater in Calabasas for her husband’s birthday in September 2021.
Maduro signals openness to US drug deal as Trump escalates Venezuela pressure
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Thursday that his government is open to negotiating an agreement with the United States after months of American military pressure targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.
In a pre-taped interview with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet that aired on state television, Maduro said Venezuela is “ready” to discuss a drug-trafficking deal with the U.S. He called on the countries to “start talking seriously, with data in hand.”
“The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready,” he said. “If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it.”
Chevron Corp. is the only major U.S. oil company currently exporting Venezuelan crude to the United States.
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Maduro said the U.S. wants a regime change in Venezuela and access to its oil reserves through a monthslong pressure campaign that began with a major military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.
He said it is clear the U.S. wants “to impose themselves through threats, intimidation and force.”
The interview was recorded on New Year’s Eve, the same day the U.S. military announced a kinetic strike that killed five people aboard two vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations involved in narcotics trafficking.
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At least 114 people have been killed since the U.S. began bombing alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific in early September.
The U.S. may be signaling a possible expansion of its Venezuela-focused campaign, including potential ground operations.
President Donald Trump confirmed that a strike last week targeted what he described as a Venezuelan port used for drug trafficking, but declined to say whether the operation was carried out by the U.S. military or another entity, such as the CIA.
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Maduro declined to comment on that strike during the interview, but said he could “talk about it in a few days.”
In recent weeks, Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro, ordering a total blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, designating his regime a foreign terrorist organization and accusing it of using stolen U.S. assets to fund terrorism, drug trafficking and other criminal activity.
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U.S. authorities have also seized two ships carrying sanctioned oil.
Liberal newspaper sounds alarm over proposal aimed at state’s ultra rich
The Washington Post’s editorial board is warning California that aggressive new taxes on the ultra-wealthy could backfire by driving billionaires out of the state.
In an editorial published Thursday titled, “California will miss billionaires when they’re gone,” the Post’s editorial board argued that the state risks serious economic consequences by pushing wealthy residents away.
The board compared California’s tax approach to teenage boys using cologne, arguing that while some taxation is necessary, too much quickly becomes counterproductive.
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“Some [taxes] are necessary to pay for public services, but government eventually reaches the point of diminishing returns — then passes it into repulsion,” the board wrote.
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The editorial noted that when California voted years ago to raise tax rates on high-income households, many top earners began leaving the state or reducing their taxable income.
Despite the exodus, a proposed ballot initiative could appear in November that would impose a 5% wealth tax on the state’s billionaires.
Regarding the move to increase taxes, the Post praised the state’s current Democratic governor, noting, “Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) opposes the wealth tax because he understands it would kill the Golden State’s golden goose.”
The Post editorial board reported that several billionaires are already looking to leave California ahead of that possibility, including Google cofounder Larry Page and Palantir cofounder Peter Thiel.
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The board warned that California’s tax system is already heavily focused at the top, making the state vulnerable if wealthy residents relocate. It cited a 2024 study that found previous tax hikes wiped out nearly half of the expected revenue within a year, as high earners moved away or adjusted their taxable income.
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The editorial argued that once top earners leave, activists will “target the next tier of ‘rich’ people who don’t have as much flexibility to flee.” The board described that scenario as a “disaster” for California’s economy and urged voters to reject proposals for higher taxes on the wealthy.
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Reality star accused of running cult-like church, ex-members claim financial pressure
Reality star Mary Cosby’s TV fame now collides with serious allegations in a new TLC docuseries that examines claims of cult-like behavior inside the church she leads with her husband.
The three-part series, “The Cult of the Real Housewife,” investigates Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, exploring claims of spiritual manipulation, financial pressure and emotional control that former members say unfolded behind closed doors.
The docuseries traces Faith Temple’s roots to its founding by Rosemary “Mama” Cosby, Mary’s grandmother, who was widely revered within the congregation.
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Following the death of “Mama” Cosby, leadership of the church passed to her husband, Robert Cosby Sr. — Mary’s step-grandfather — whose later marriage to Mary sparked controversy and marked what critics described as a dramatic shift in the church’s culture.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Mary Cosby for comment.
Mary’s cousin Dan Cosby told Fox News Digital that what he witnessed inside Faith Temple fundamentally altered his trust in church leadership.
“How he would do it, how he would use his form of authoritarian-style of leadership and how he would talk to other brothers in the church … pitting them against me or against other members,” Dan said, referring to Robert Cosby Sr. “I wasn’t the only one. There are others that left because they saw the writing on the wall.”
Dan said the behavior felt unpredictable and deeply unsettling, particularly because it often appeared calculated.
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“There’s two sides of Robert… almost a double personality,” Dan said. “You just see his true form come out — a total Jekyll-and-Hyde … He would preach and actually call out people in the church and ridicule them … it was just embarrassing.”
Over time, Dan noted, the behavior escalated to public humiliation during church services.
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“You were just afraid to leave. People were afraid of leaving,” he said. “This is detrimental to people.”
For Dan, his time at Faith Temple revealed what he describes as a disturbing pattern of abuse masked as spiritual guidance. He said that church leadership frequently exploited members’ faith to enforce obedience and loyalty.
“You were just afraid to leave. People were afraid of leaving. This is detrimental to people.”
In the docuseries, Dan alleged he endured physical punishments and witnessed abuse as a child — including kneeling on pins and needles and watching another child beaten. Robert Cosby Sr., a military veteran, is accused of shoving Dan during a prayer session, which Dan said became a turning point that prompted him to leave the church.
“To understand, I think that ‘The Cult of the Real Housewife’ points out trauma is real and that people will manipulate that and make you think that God is a certain way,” he told Fox News Digital. “They’ll put their own righteousness into what they believe.”
He cautioned that such manipulation can be subtle, making it hard for members to recognize that they are being exploited.
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“I think this is bringing light to — people could be in a cult and not even realize that they’re in one,” he said.
Financial pressure was central to the alleged control, Dan said, with members shamed for failing to give.
“People could be in a cult and not even realize they’re in one.”
“It wasn’t necessarily what’s going to happen to you … but the pressure that you know you had to give more and [being told] ‘you’re cheap,’” he said.
Scripture was used to reinforce guilt, making members feel condemned.
“They would put all types of pressure related to scriptures,” he said, adding that members were made to feel condemned. “But when you involve your faith and when you think that you’re doing the right thing, and they put this guilty conscience on you that you are going to hell, damnation to you, that if you’re not going to give.”
Dan described one of the most damaging tactics as invoking the legacy of “Mama,” the church’s beloved founder, whose teachings emphasized personal faith and moral agency.
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“One of Mama’s messages was, ‘Know God for yourself,’” Dan said. “But then they began worshiping this man and this woman as their God.”
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During Season two of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” a former church member named Cameron was introduced in what the docuseries describes as a deliberate attempt to expose Mary, showing viewers “who she really is and what she’s about.”
He said he took out a $300,000 second mortgage on his home and gave the money to Mary, highlighting the alleged financial entanglements involved.
This storyline played a key role in revealing tensions and controversies around Mary’s character and her dealings within the social circle depicted on the show.
Dan’s wife, Kim Cosby, told Fox News Digital she also endured a complex journey marked by faith, family struggles and painful divisions within her religious community.
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In “The Cult of the Real Housewife,” she opened up about the emotional toll exacted by church teachings that demanded impossible choices — even between her husband and God.
“Extremely,” Kim told Fox News Digital when asked how damaging it was to be told to choose between her husband and God. “If I said I’m going to go home and cook… then I’m putting him above God.”
“It was always a competition … if I didn’t do what they said, then I’m putting my husband above God.”
She added, “It was always a competition … if I didn’t do what they said, then I’m putting my husband above God.”
“Mama” Cosby’s approach, Kim said, was one of unity and support — a stark contrast to the divisive tactics she claimed emerged after leadership changes within the church.
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As painful as the past has been, Dan and Kim see signs of healing and hope in the present.
Reflecting on two decades marked by turmoil, Dan said, “After 20 years … this year, 2025, and with the help of ‘The Cult of the Real Housewife’ … my family — Kim, my daughters, my grandchildren — I am in their lives, and we are stronger than we’ve ever been.”
Still, healing is not simple or quick, Dan emphasized.
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“It doesn’t mean the hurt isn’t there … Our past, those instances, come back to our minds, and that hurt — that will only take God to be able to forgive,” he said.
TLC’s “The Cult of the Real Housewife” is available to stream on HBO Max and Discovery+.
Woman goes missing from Holland America cruise ship during New Year’s voyage
The U.S. Coast Guard said it suspended a search for a 77-year-old woman who went overboard on a Holland America Line cruise ship near Cuba on New Year’s Day.
The passenger, who has not been publicly identified, vanished approximately 40 miles northeast of the Sabana-Camagüey archipelago, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast.
“The USCG suspended its searches for a missing 77-year-old woman who went overboard the cruise ship, Nieuw Statendam, Thurs., pending the development of new information,” the agency wrote on X.
“Cruise ship personnel and USCG crews searched for approx. 8 hours over 690 square miles,” it added.
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The Coast Guard said its cutter William Trump and MH-60 helicopter crews from Air Station Clearwater had participated in the search.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that while sailing in waters north of Cuba, a guest on Nieuw Statendam went overboard earlier today. The captain and crew initiated search and rescue procedures and worked closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, which deployed a cutter and helicopter to assist,” the Holland America Line told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“After a daylong search, efforts were suspended at sundown. Our family assistance team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts are with the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time,” it added. “As a result of the search, the ship’s planned call to Key West, Florida, January 2 was canceled.”
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The Nieuw Statendam has a capacity of around 2,700 guests.
It departed Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Dec. 27, before making stops in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic, according to the website CruiseMapper.
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The Nieuw Statendam was heading to Key West at the time of the woman’s disappearance.
IRS issues guidance about new tax benefits: What you need to know before filing
The new year will bring a host of tax benefits that Americans can take advantage of when filing their taxes in a few weeks.
The IRS released its guidance for the “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), for workers who can claim the deductions for the 2025 tax year.
President Donald Trump signed the OBBBA into law in July after Republican majorities in Congress passed the tax reform and spending bill on a party-line vote this summer.
The law included “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime,” and the Treasury Department and IRS are now providing guidance as the law directed to help workers determine their deductions.
The IRS notice said that taxpayers who are eligible to claim the tipped and overtime income deductions may have to determine those amounts separately this year as Form W-2 and Form 1099 won’t be updated to include income from tips and overtime for the 2025 tax year.
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Taxpayers may review examples in the IRS guidance that illustrate how the tipped income and overtime deductions work based on the relevant reported or unreported income they received.
Under the OBBBA, workers who receive qualified tips can deduct up to an annual maximum of $25,000 and the deduction phases out for taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income over $150,000 (or $300,000 for joint filers).
The IRS estimates there are about 6 million workers who report tipped wages, and the tipped income deduction is in effect for tax years 2025 to 2028.
The “no tax on overtime” provision allows individuals who receive eligible overtime compensation to deduct the pay that exceeds their regular pay – which is generally the “half” portion of “time and a half” overtime pay – that is reported on a Form W-2, Form 1099 or other specified statement provided.
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The maximum annual deduction is $12,500 (or $25,000 for joint filers) and the deduction phases out for taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income over $150,000 (or $300,000 for joint filers). Notably, the deduction is available for itemizing and non-itemizing taxpayers.
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires that most employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay of at least time and one-half of their regular pay rate for working more than 40 hours in a week.
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However, some employees are exempt from overtime rules, such as those who are paid a salary of at least $1,128 per week or $58,656 per year, or workers in certain occupational roles.
Additionally, the IRS said it’s in the process of updating income tax forms and instructions for taxpayers to use this filing season that will assist them in claiming these deductions.
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The start date of the filing season for the 2025 tax year is yet to be announced, though it has been late January in recent years.