Free Republic

Shenghua Wen, 42, received around $2 million (€1.7 million) from North Korean officials to ship firearms and ammunition from California. A Chinese national in California has been sentenced to eight years in prison for shipping firearms and ammunition to North Korea. North Korean officials paid Shenghua Wen around $2 million (€1.7 million) to ship two containers of weapons and other items from Long Beach in California to North Korea via Hong Kong in 2023, according to the US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. The 42-year-old pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic...

Democrats are tortured by what they should stand for now and heading into the 2028 elections. But a number of current trends suggest a likely answer: their own version of a populist, anti-establishment, MAGA-like makeover.Why it matters: The debate is usually framed as liberal vs. centrist, Rahm versus AOC. But big, fast changes in AI, media habits and general public angst point to a more sweeping shift in ideas and attitude.Four megatrends that are already shaping Democrats' efforts to remake their image and rewrite their agenda:Media: MSM is fading in its mesmerizing hold over liberals. At the same time, the...

What we know: The Redmond Police Department was dispatched to the Microsoft courtyard at approximately 12:15 p.m. in response to a large gathering of protesters. According to the police, officers first attempted to issue trespass orders to the protesters, but they became "aggressive" and resisted. Protesters reportedly poured paint on the Microsoft sign and on the ground. Other demonstrators blocked a pedestrian bridge, creating a barrier with stolen tables and chairs from vendors. No injuries were reported. Those arrested face multiple charges, including trespassing, malicious mischief, resisting arrest, and obstruction. The police department's investigation is ongoing. The Washington State Patrol,...

Lithuania has revealed plans to dig a 30-mile-wide ribbon of defences on its borders with Russia and Belarus that will include minefields and bridges set to blow up in case Russia invades. The plans are part of a Baltic-wide push for more defence, amid increasing aggression from Russia and its allies. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, alongside Poland, have been fortifying their borders, adding obstacles and redoubts to existing fences. All four are also looking for EU funding for these projects. When complete, having been in the works since early last year, the Baltic defence line is estimated to be more...

Ford’s $30,000 electric pickup aims to reinvent its future, but its past may weigh it down. Last week, under the blistering heat of an August day at a Ford plant in Louisville, Ky., Ford CEO Jim Farley, a self-proclaimed lifelong petrol head, announced a $30,000 electric pickup truck slated for release in 2027. Farley pitched it as a new “Model T moment,” a breakthrough meant to reinvent how cars and trucks are assembled. The company hopes the move will help Ford remain a profitable U.S. automaker despite rising tariffs, softening EV demand, higher labor costs, and a political climate that...

On August 13, 2025, Israeli forces eliminated the terrorist Mohammed Naif Abu Shamla, the commander of the Nukhba platoon in the Hamas terror organization, in southern Khan Younis. Abu Shamla infiltrated Israel’s territory and took part in the attempted infiltration of the IDF’s (Israel Defense Forces) Mars outpost during the October 7 massacre. During the war, he promoted numerous terror plans against IDF forces and the State of Israel as part of his role in the Hamas terror organization.(ANI/TPS)

Gates is calling on global innovators to harness A.I. against the growing Alzheimer’s crisis.More than 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease—a figure expected to rise as life expectancies increase. To help accelerate progress, Bill Gates and a coalition of partners are backing a new A.I. competition designed to spur breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s and related dementia research. Unveiled today (Aug. 19) by the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (AD Data Initiative), the competition will award a $1 million prize to a team that successfully utilizes agentic A.I. to develop innovative solutions. The resulting tools will be made publicly available...

Artificial intelligence is… pretty smart, no question about it, but nothing beats thorough research, especially in key situations. When Spanish influencer couple Mery Caldass and Alejandro Cid booked a dream trip to Puerto Rico, they didn’t expect their getaway to turn into a viral disaster. All of that happened because of the almighty ChatGPT. “ChatGPT, do we need a visa for Puerto Rico?” What happened nextIn a TikTok video that went viral, Mery is seen in tears at the airport while her partner Alejandro tries to keep her spirits up. 17-year-old arrested over spanish wildfires “I always do research, but...

https://babylonbee.com/news/california-under-fire-for-issuing-cdl-to-stevie-wonder LOS ANGELES, CA — The California state government is once again under fire after the revelation that it issued a Commercial Driver's License to famed blind pianist Stevie Wonder. Wonder was reportedly issued the CDL due to his status as visually disabled, as the California legislature had passed a law to combat the under-representation of blind people among truck drivers. "Look at me, I'm driving a big rig!" said Wonder, flashing his signature smile. "Never thought this day would come. I just walked in the office and said, ‘Can a brother get a CDL?' As soon as they saw...

Vienna court says Sharia law may be used in civil disputes, sparking outrageAn Austrian court upheld a Sharia-based arbitration ruling, prompting outrage from conservatives who warn it fosters ‘Islamic parallel societies.’A court in Vienna has ruled that Sharia law may be applied in civil legal disputes between two parties in Austria.The Vienna Regional Court for Civil Matters was concerned with a case between two Muslim men who had previously agreed to be judged by Islamic law in case of dispute.This means that in the event of a dispute, the arbitration court – which rules according to Islamic law – can...

The vessel was found more than four kilometres off Mallorca’s southern coast after a private boat rescued an immigrant from the sea who alerted authorities to the shipwreck. At least one person has died and 19 others injured after a boat carrying migrants from North Africa was found south of the Spanish island of Mallorca after drifting at sea for almost a week. Healthcare workers gave first aid to at least 18 people, with three transferred to nearby hospitals in serious condition. The drifting vessel was located more than four kilometres off Mallorca’s southern coast after a private boat rescued...

“It was very uncomfortable for me when he would… [invoke] magical elixirs like hydroxychloroquine, because somebody told him it works. So when the press asked me, as painful as it was, I had to say, ‘No, that’s not true. Hydroxychloroquine doesn’t work. In fact, it can harm you. And, no, it [COVID] is not going to disappear like magic. So you’ve got to be careful and wear a mask.’” This is a complete lie by Fauci. He knew in 2005 that chloroquine (and hydroxychloroquine) was a "wonder drug" for SARS-CoV, according to his own NIH. Then he lied to demonize...

A Jewish legal advocacy group hailed a legal breakthrough in court battles against antisemitism after a US federal judge last week equated the Israeli flag with “the Jewish race.” The judge’s decision sets a new legal standard that can be used to protect Jews targeted in anti-Zionist attacks, said the National Jewish Advocacy Center, a nonprofit that represented the plaintiff. Pro-Israel Jewish activist Kimmara Sumrall filed the lawsuit in a federal district court in Washington, DC, last month. Sumrall alleged that she was attacked at a pro-Israel demonstration in Washington in November 2024 while wearing an Israeli flag tied around...

A top official at the US Federal Reserve says she will not be "bullied" after President Donald Trump called for her resignation over an allegation of mortgage fraud. Governor Lisa Cook has been accused of falsifying documents and property records in a bid to get more favourable home loan. She said the claim stemmed from an application before she joined the central bank. The Trump administration is also pursuing mortgage fraud investigations against Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James, both political antagonists of the president. Trump has been seeking more influence over the US central bank...

~ The FReeper Canteen Presents ~ ~ Remembering Our Troops!! ~ Marines Do Everything! U.S. Marines with Communications Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, participate in Operation Clean Sweep at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 17, 2024. Operation Clean Sweep is the first step in a larger Barracks 360 Reset initiative, which aims to improve the living conditions and operational readiness of Marines and Sailors through increased oversight by command teams, a dedicated effort to reduce the maintenance backlog and shared ownership of the barracks. (U.S Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan) Canteen Mission StatementShowing support...

'I believe in a government that doesn’t look the other way but takes the time to enforce the law,' Jay Collins saidEXCLUSIVE: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent his deputy to California to pick up fugitive Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India who allegedly killed three motorists after making an illegal U-turn in his big rig on Florida's Turnpike near Port St. Lucie."I have dispatched my new lieutenant governor, Jay Collins, to California to apprehend Harjinder Singh," DeSantis told Fox News Digital on Wednesday."Fleeing to a sanctuary state will not prevent him from facing justice in Florida, and we will...

The ugly truth behind any deal that would cede a chunk of Ukraine’s Donbas region to Moscow is that it could immediately strengthen the Russian military, providing a major win for one of America’s leading adversaries in an era of great power competition. In such a scenario, Ukraine would lose some of its most heavily fortified defensive positions. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s generals would seek to deepen their substantial footprint in the strategically vital theater with new military bases. The Russian navy could gain even greater control over the Black Sea. The Russian government and its armed forces could take...

Alef Aeronautics, a San Mateo-based company, plans to test its new flying car design at the Hollister Municipal Airport. The vehicle is a 100 percent electric flying car capable of driving on streets and taking off and landing vertically. Staff from the Hollister Airport Advisory Commission are preparing a use agreement for a one-month trial to present to the Hollister City Council for consideration this coming September.

A member of rap trio Kneecap, Mo Chara, has been released on unconditional bail after appearing in court today, charged with supporting a proscribed terror organisation. Kneecap member Mo Chara – real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – was greeted by hundreds of fans and supporters as he arrived for his second court appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today. Fans held signs which read “Free Mo Chara”, while others waved Palestine and Irish flags and chanted “Free, free Mo Chara.” He was also joined by his bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J. J. Ó Dochartaigh. Prosecutors allege the 27-year-old displayed...

Salinas police say more victims have come forward involving an electric scooter company that investigators say was operating as a Ponzi scam. Police say the fake company is called “Lightning Shared Scooter,” which lured investors with promises of high returns and bonuses for recruiting more investors. Police now say they’ve identified more than 60 victims, with losses totaling $370,000. If you have any information regarding “Lightning Shared Scooter,” Salinas police would like to hear from you.