INTERNACIONAL
Walz’s ‘exit interview’ reflecting on his tenure sparks lawmaker debate about his legacy: ‘Never serious’
Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz reflected on his legacy in a recent interview and his comments sparked immediate pushback both online and from Republican lawmakers in the state who spoke to Digital.
«Fraud — should have stopped it sooner,» Walz told the Minnesota Star-Tribune in a discussion that is being dubbed an «exit interview» with the headline «Walz accepts blame for fraud but says it shouldn’t define his legacy» as he prepares to leave office in January.
«We didn’t stop them. I accept that. I think there does need to be accountability with that. And part of it is that, yep, that’s with me, I’ll step aside.»
Walz claimed the state «immediately» took action on the fraud and then went on to suggest the true cost of the fraud, estimated at $9 billion by federal prosecutors, has been overstated and claimed President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom, expected to cost taxpayers around $300 million, was more expensive than the Minnesota fraud.
WALZ APPROVAL RATING CRATERS TO LOWEST LEVEL EVER AND TRAILS TRUMP AMID MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL: ‘TIRED OF IT’
«I should have been down on those agencies a little more, but I will tell you this, in the scheme of things, all the fraud that’s been prosecuted, by the way, and all the fraud that’s probably out there is less than the ballroom at the White House,» Walz said. «So it puts it into perspective. It doesn’t make it right. Doesn’t make it right.»
The outgoing governor then explained his hope that people will remember his other accomplishments when talking about his legacy.
«Those are legacy things to address climate. They’re legacy things to address livability,» Walz said. «And I get it, that fraud tainted a lot of that. It doesn’t change the fundamentals underneath it. This is the best state in the country to raise a child, and it will continue to be so because of those investments.»
Three Republican lawmakers in Minnesota who spoke to Digital had a different take.
«Governor Walz is correct, he shouldn’t only be remembered for fraud,» Minnesota state Sen. Julia Coleman told Digital. «We should remember him spending our $18 billion surplus, raising taxes $10 billion, creating an unsustainable budget, letting rioters burn down Minneapolis, hurting our students and businesses with lockdowns and pardoning a child rapist.»
‘WE HAVE NOT SLOWED DOWN’: MINNESOTA NOT OUT OF THE WOODS ON MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL, EXPERT WARNS
Walz has faced fierce criticism for helping approve a full pardon for Tue Lue Vang, a Laotian national convicted of repeatedly raping a girl beginning when she was 10. Critics argued the decision prioritized Vang’s immigration concerns and family ties over the severity of his crimes, with a DHS official calling it «disgusting.»
Minnesota Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth is running to replace Walz in November as she heads into a matchup with Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar to be the state’s next top executive. Demuth told Digital Walz’s legacy won’t be able to overcome the fraud scandal and pointed to Klobuchar’s tight association with him.
«Tim Walz’s legacy will always be defined by the out-of-control fraud crisis that occurred on his watch,» Demuth said. «Yet Amy Klobuchar praised him as ‘an incredible leader who delivers for the people of Minnesota.’ As the senior member of our state’s congressional delegation, Sen. Klobuchar likewise failed to address the fraud crisis and even skipped hearings on the matter in D.C. Minnesotans deserve better than four more years of Walz-style failure.»
Republican State Rep. Kristin Robbins chaired the last legislative session’s Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee, and she told Digital that «no matter how hard he tries to spin it, Tim Walz’s legacy will be that he allowed rampant fraud.»
«He says he ‘should have stopped it sooner,’ which is obvious, but he could still be doing more NOW,» Robbins said. «He has been silent on fraud for months instead of taking the actions that are STILL under his control.»
Robbins said Walz could have taken several steps to combat fraud, including firing senior DHS official Shireen Gandhi to send a message that abuse would not be tolerated, blocking Minnesota from seeking a SNAP waiver that allows applicants to attest to eligibility by phone without recording the call, and asking Attorney General Keith Ellison to prosecute Partners in Nutrition, a nonprofit that administered federally funded meal programs, rather than approve a settlement.
«His legacy will be fraud because he continues to enable fraud, despite two years of hearings, investigative journalists, and Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) reports,» Robbins said. «He was never serious about stopping it and still isn’t.»
Walz’s comments not only drew scrutiny from Republican lawmakers but also sparked backlash on social media.
«Walz accepts blame for fraud, but believes his loss of $9 billion in taxpayer dollars ‘shouldn’t define his legacy,’» the X account for Minnesota House Republicans posted on X. «It does, and Minnesotans are paying attention to his blatant disregard of their hard-earned tax dollars.»
Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment.
politics, tim walz, minnesota fraud exposed, minnesota, gubernatorial
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Italy, like France, witnessed a day of protests on Saturday — several turning violent — as some Italian politicians blamed the extreme left for the lawlessness. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took to social media to condemn the unrest and back law enforcement.
Meloni wrote on X: «Once again, the women and men of the Law Enforcement Forces have had to face the violence of criminals who, even through organized groups, exploit demonstrations to seek confrontation and sow chaos,» she posted.
She added, «Because they were there to safeguard the safety of citizens, workers, merchants and all the people who have the right to live [in] their city without fear and without seeing it laid to waste and set ablaze by gangs of thugs,» she continued. «We stand with you.»
VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT FRANCE PROTESTS AS MACRON WARNS UNREST IS BEING EXPLOITED
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends her annual press conference in Rome on Jan. 9, 2026. (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)
Her Sunday morning post came after scenes of violence between protesters and police, the most visible being outside Milan’s historic Cathedral, known as the Piazza del Duomo.
The Associated Press reported 50 demonstrators, including minors, were detained and at least two police officers were hurt in a protest that required water cannons to disperse the crowd, quoting the LaPresse news agency. Rioters looted stores and smashed windows inside Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of Italy’s most famous 19th‑century arcades.
Meloni had already laid blame for the protests on Saturday night, posting: «Thugs who exploit demonstrations to sow chaos, attack those who ensure security and hold entire cities hostage… Demonstrating is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not.»
ITALY-POLITICS-PROTEST-SOCIAL-DEMO A demonstrator kicks back a tear gas canister during clashes with police at an anti-government protest organized by the Italia in Piazza movement, at Piazza Duomo in Milan, on October 17, 2026. Inspired by recent protests in France and Spain, demonstrators are protesting against the rising cost of living, low wages, high rents and public service shortcomings, demanding better living and working conditions. (Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Imges)
She added a message to her political opponents: «I renew my request to the opposition: do not be ambiguous about this. Unequivocally condemn these acts of violence and issue a clear appeal for every mobilization to be peaceful.»
LIMOGES TOWN HALL ‘LARGELY LOST’ AFTER FAR-LEFT RIOTERS SET HISTORIC BUILDING ON FIRE AMID FRENCH UNREST
Il Sole 24 news site quoted Francesco Filini, MP for Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia and national program coordinator, as saying: «It is no longer tolerable that every time left-wing extremists take to the streets, scenes of organized destruction unfold. We are not dealing with mere demonstrators, but with organized groups that plan violence.»
Saturday’s demonstrations were organized by the Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro, or CGIL, Italy’s oldest labor union with over 5 million members, often connected to Italian political parties on the left.
Protesters clash with police during a demonstration against the rising cost of living and in support of better living conditions, on October 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Meloni posted she had «great respect for the thousands» who protested peacefully and calling participation «the foundation of any healthy democracy… we cannot ignore what happened in other Italian squares.»
She noted that in Milan «stones were thrown at the Law Enforcement Forces, officers were injured, damage and violence occurred that forced the interruption of the procession. In Turin, people were stopped carrying cobblestones and window-breaking hammers. In Bologna, the disorders led to the precautionary closure of the railway station.»
«In the face of scenes like these, the rejection must be unanimous,» Meloni posted. «Any hesitation becomes justification. Silence is not acceptable.»
ITALY ROCKED BY ANARCHIST-LED RIOTS AS OVER 100 POLICE INJURED, MELONI CONDEMNS VIOLENCE
Italian police clash with protesters in the center of Milan by the city’s historic cathedral on Oct. 17, 2026. (Reuters)
Milan’s center-left mayor, Giuseppe Sala, told the Associated Press, «The reasons for the protests were understandable. The violence against law enforcement and serious damage to the city are not justifiable.»
Reuters reported some 56 police officers were injured in the protest in Bologna, citing the police union, and the interior ministry says about 100 officers were hurt and around 30 arrests were made in the demonstration in Turin.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
italy, world protests, police and law enforcement, antifa
INTERNACIONAL
4 Canadian soldiers killed, dozens injured after fast-moving fire erupts at military base
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Canadian officials said Sunday that four service members were killed and dozens more injured after a fast-moving fire swept through soldiers conducting live-fire training at a military base in Alberta.
The deadly fire erupted Saturday at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, where a sudden shift in powerful winds sent flames sweeping toward troops training in the area, according to The Associated Press.
Officials said 39 people were hospitalized, including 19 in critical condition. Eight others were listed as stable, while 12 were being treated for less serious injuries.
Maj. Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of the Edmonton-based 1st Canadian Division, said military officials had been aware of the fire for hours but believed it was contained enough for training to continue, AP reported.
AT LEAST 1 KILLED, 34 FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS WORKERS INJURED IN ‘MAJOR’ STATEN ISLAND SHIPYARD EXPLOSION: FDNY
Firefighters work to extinguish hot spots in Wainwright, Alberta, on Oct. 18, 2026. (REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier)
«The fire was a kilometer away when the wind shifted. That is not normal for a fire to move a kilometer in 36 seconds,» Rutland said.
Investigators have not yet determined what sparked the fire.
Those killed were identified by the military as Sgt. Morgan Wong and Privates Shaun Farrell, Aidan Goulding and Hayden Lykkemark, AP reported.
Wong was a member of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, while the three others belonged to the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. All four were serving with the Edmonton-based battalion.
Prime Minister Mark Carney called the blaze one of the worst peacetime tragedies to strike Canada’s armed forces on home soil, according to Reuters.
WATCH: VIRGINIA COPS CRAWL THROUGH BURNING HOUSE TO SAVE MAN TRAPPED IN FIRE
«I cannot recall such an incident in my short time for sure as a minister, but I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,» Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty told reporters.
The 39 injured people were being treated at hospitals in Wainwright, Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary.
Air ambulances from Edmonton and Saskatoon were also sent to the base Saturday to help transport patients.
Several hospitals across Alberta activated a «Code Orange,» an emergency designation used for mass-casualty incidents, as medical personnel prepared to treat the wounded.
Military and civilian firefighters battled the flames through the night as intense winds fueled the fire.
MARINE CORPS OSPREY CATCHES FIRE DURING EXERCISE IN NORTH CAROLINA; 4 INJURED
A sign marks Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Oct. 18, 2026, one day after a deadly fire killed four service members and injured dozens of others. (REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier)
The fire crossed the base perimeter into the surrounding area, but officials said no evacuation orders were issued. By Sunday, local authorities said the blaze was not expected to spread beyond its existing boundaries.
Carney announced that flags would fly at half-staff on federal buildings nationwide in honor of those killed and injured.
He also praised emergency crews who battled the flames through the night.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
canada, fires disasters, world, disasters us, armed forces
INTERNACIONAL
“Tengo 90 años pero me siento como de 30”, dice un cura español que protagonizó un éxito editorial con un cómic
Casi como una premonición, la obra de Pedro de la Herrán se titula San Carlo Acutis y los Milagros Eucarísticos. Y eso es lo que sucedió con la primera edición de su cómic dedicado al santo adolescente conocido como “el Apóstol de internet”. Con 10 mil ejemplares vendidos en 15 días en Francia, se justifica hablar de milagro, en este caso editorial.
“Tengo 90 años, pero la verdad es que me siento como si tuviera 30”, dijo el sacerdote Pedro de la Herrán, guionista de la historieta, ilustrada por Carlos Calderón. En declaraciones telefónicas a El Debate, agregó: “No sé, imagino que el Señor querrá que todavía haga algunas cosas en este mundo”.
De la Herrán es doctor en Filosofía y licenciado en Derecho Civil. Fue el creador del Departamento de Pedagogía Religiosa de la Facultad de Teología de la Universidad de Navarra. Es autor de muchos textos de enseñanza religiosa escolar y de catequesis.
En España, el resultado en ventas del libro de los milagros fue mucho más moderado: 1000 ejemplares vendidos en un mes. Una cifra claramente menor que la alcanzada por la traducción al francés, pero aceptable.
El trabajo del sacerdote fue supervisado por Antonia Salzano, la madre del Santo. El precio es más que moderado: 7 euros. “Queríamos poner un precio muy asequible para que parroquias y colegios puedan comprar ejemplares para sus chicos”, aclara De la Herrán.
En el álbum, el sacerdote repasa varios milagros eucarísticos —aquellos en los que intervienen la hostia o el vino consagrados—, milagros que interesaban muy especialmente a Carlo Acutis, como por ejemplo los de Legnica y Sokolka, en Polonia, el de Tixtla, en México, o el de Lanciano, en Italia.
Una de las páginas está destinada a los milagros eucarísticos que tuvieron lugar en la Argentina.
En Luján de Cuyo, provincia de Mendoza, se construye una capilla que estará bajo la advocación del joven santo.
Influencer de la Fe
Desde muy joven, Carlo manifestó una profunda devoción por la Eucaristía. “La eucaristía es mi autopista al cielo”, solía repetir el adolescente italiano que fue canonizado por el papa León XIV en septiembre de 2025. La canonización de Acutis iba a tener lugar unos meses antes, pero la enfermedad y posterior fallecimiento de Francisco obligaron a postergar la ceremonia.
Carlo Acutis nació el 3 de mayo de 1991 en Londres en el seno de una familia italiana. Tenía apenas unos meses de vida cuando sus padres se mudaron a Milán, la ciudad donde trasncurriría su breve pero intensa vida.
Era un adolescente común, que jugaba al fútbol y a los videojuegos y tocaba el saxofón, pero desde muy temprano se dedicó a las actividades solidarias. Su interés por los Milagros Eucarísticos era notable, y desde pequeño se dedicó a estudiarlos. También, pese a su juventud, era un experto en informática y programación, en edición de películas y creación de sitios web y periódicos digitales, herramientas que utilizó para difundir su fe católica, lo que le valió el calificativo de “Influencer de la fe”.
Carlo Acutis murió a los 15 años, el 12 de octubre de 2006, por una leucemia diagnosticada pocas semanas antes. Al enterarse de su enfermedad, ofreció sus sufrimientos “al Señor, al Papa y a la Iglesia”. Desde el 6 de abril de 2019, sus restos reposan en el Santuario del Despojo de Asís, según su deseo, debido a su amor por San Francisco. El joven santo yace en una tumba de vidrio, donde puede ser venerado de forma permanente.
El libro de De la Herrán es una herramienta para la catequesis, que busca acercar la fe católica a niños, jóvenes y familias de “una forma visual, sencilla y atractiva”, según la editorial. Expone la relación de Acutis con los milagros eucarísticos que ayudó a difundir, en 40 páginas en color y en formato A4.
De la Herrán se dedica desde hace años a producir libros que ayuden a los padres recuperen su misión “única, directa e intransferible” de educar a los hijos en la fe.
En una entrevista con Religión en Libertad en el año 2023, De la Herrán decía: “Entraron a un colegio católico con fe… y salieron sin ella”. Era el fenómeno que deseaba ayudar a revertir.
“Primera comunión, última comunión”, decía también el sacerdote, que consideraba que esa pérdida temprana de fe tenía por causa el hecho de que los padres habían “renunciado a educar en la fe” a sus hijos.
Consciente de que revertir eso no era fácil, De la Herrán lo consideraba de todos modos posible, según decía en la entrevista citada. Por eso se consagró a publicar textos destinados a las familias. Para los primeros cristianos, decía De la Herrán, “la transmisión de la fe era una misión primordial” y “cada una de aquellas familias bautizadas fue como un oasis de vida cristiana en medio de un mundo completamente pagano”.
Por eso insistía en que la familia tenía un rol esencial en preservar la fe ante “un paganismo que lo invade todo”. A lo largo de “las últimas décadas y generaciones”, señalaba, muchos padres católicos han delegado “en colegios y parroquias esta misión que Dios les ha confiado desde el bautismo de sus hijos”.
De la Herrán no se resigna a esa situación y aunque sabe que no es una misión sencilla, quiere contribuir a devolverles a los padres la responsabilidad y las herramientas necesarias y por eso se muestra incansable a sus 90 años. Aunque no necesita incentivos, porque es un convencido, el reciente boom de ventas que conoció su último trabajo seguramente será sentido por este sacerdote como la ratificación de que “el Señor quiere que siga haciendo cosas en este mundo”.
Pedro de la Herrán,Carlo Acutis,historieta,sacerdote
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