Free Republic

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that California's ban on openly carrying guns in most parts of the state is unconstitutional. A panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided 2-1 with a gun owner in ruling ‍that the state's prohibition against open carry in counties with more than 200,000 people violated the ‍Constitution's Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. About 95% of California residents live ⁠in counties of that size. The state has had some of the nation's strictest gun control laws. U.S. Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke said the Democrat-led state's law could...

President Donald Trump said during a Saturday press conference that the United States would “run” Venezuela until a “judicious” transition could take place in the country. Trump announced in a Saturday morning post to Truth Social that U.S. military forces carried out a law enforcement operation capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas early Saturday morning. During his press conference later that day, Trump said that the United States would also seek to repair the infrastructure of Venezuela’s oil industry. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and...

Amid the shadows of ancient empires and modern turmoil, the story of Iran and Israel is one of profound paradox. Once bound by mutual respect and strategic alliance, their paths diverged dramatically with the rise of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Now, as winds of change sweep through Iran, whispers of hope for a brighter future emerge. This article explores the historical ties between Iran and Israel during the Pahlavi era, the bold steps taken by leaders like Prince Reza Pahlavi, and the exciting vision of a free Iran post-Islamic Republic—a free Iran that could stand as an unbreakable partner...

'We need to control the platforms, all the social platforms,' Cato Networks co-founder Shlomo Kramer saidIsraeli billionaire tech entrepreneur and Cato Networks co-founder Shlomo Kramer argued on Monday’s episode of CNBC’s "Money Movers" that governments must restrict freedom of speech in the age of AI.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump Monday at his Mar-a-Lago estate, weeks after a top Israeli defense official warned the world is soon to face its first cyber-based war. This meeting between Trump and Netanyahu comes amid growing debate within some conservative circles over the scope of American backing for Israel and...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJohn the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John 1:29–31Though John grew up in the hill country of Judea near Jerusalem and Jesus grew up in Nazareth, it is very likely that their families...

Embattled Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted of obstruction last month for helping an immigrant evade federal officers, has sent her resignation letter to the governor. The letter was sent Saturday. Republicans had been making plans to impeach her ever since her Dec. 19 conviction. Dugan wrote that over the past decade she handled thousands of cases with “a commitment to treat all persons with dignity and respect, to act justly, deliberately and consistently, and to maintain a courtroom with the decorum and safety the public deserves.” But she said the case against her is too big of a...

The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

This is a link to the live presentation. The President is expected to speak soon.

Last month, activists packed the Chicago Teachers Union Center for the annual conference of the National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression (NAARPR). Attendees gathered to discuss fighting ICE and confronting the Trump administration. Despite NAARPR’s relative obscurity—it was founded in 1973 to agitate for the release of Angela Davis and has since become a catch-all activist organization—the group’s conference featured several high-profile speakers, including Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson, who claimed to have inherited a “white supremacist system.” The event was hosted by the Chicago Teachers Union, one of Johnson’s most aggressive backers. Johnson’s appearance, along with that of several...

She’s the power behind the red curtain. Zohran Mamdani’s secretive, newly named chief of staff, Elle Bisgaard-Church, is a Democratic Socialists of America true believer who convinced the far-left group to back him for mayor and helped craft his “Department of Community Safety,” insiders said. The two 34-year-olds forged similar paths to the heights of New York City political power — cutting their teeth in antiwar and pro-Palestinian college campus activism and toiling in lefty nonprofits before making the leap into state government. “Few have played a more central role in this movement, or in every victory we have achieved...

The Trump administration on Monday doled out billions to states from a fund Congress created to “transform” rural health care. The funds, however, will be lavished more generously on small states and states that adopt administration friendly policies. “The purpose of this $50 billion investment in rural health care is not to pay off the bills,” Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told reporters Monday. “The purpose of this $50 billion investment is to allow us to rightsize the system and to deal with the fundamental hindrances of improvement in rural health care.” Over...

Federal magistrate judge rules Cole must be jailed until trial, however — siding with prosecutors on the claim that Cole is too dangerous to release. Brian J. Cole Jr. denied placing pipe bombs on Capitol Hill in January 2021 for more than two hours under FBI questioning after his arrest in Virginia on Dec. 4. Cole said he did not recognize the person in a gray hoodie shown on video walking with a backpack on Jan. 5. After two hours of questioning, Cole, 30, told FBI agents that “everything is just blank” and the interview was “a little too much...

US officials aligned with President Trump request weekly election surveys from Israeli contacts, focusing on top contenders and rising far-right figures; interest grows as Bennett reenters political arena and calls for inquiry into Oct. 7 failures. Beyond simply collecting data, U.S. officials are also seeking clarification about the various candidates and parties, focusing primarily on those leading the polls — Netanyahu and Bennett — while also tracking the strength of the far-right bloc, particularly ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Bennett, for his part, has reportedly begun formulating his post-election strategy, assembling a policy team that includes former education minister...

Jan 3 (Reuters) - Venezuela will resist the presence of foreign troops, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said in a video early on Saturday, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had been captured and was being removed from the country. A U.S. attack on the country in the early morning struck civilian areas, Padrino said, and Venezuela is compiling information about dead and injured people.

“Today begins a new era,” declared Zohran Mamdani upon his swearing in yesterday as New York City’s 112th mayor. “Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed. But never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try.” Inaugural ceremonies aren’t usually a forum for deep deliberation and rational discourse. But a new leader’s words are rarely disconnected from his underlying philosophy. Mamdani’s inaugural comments therefore give us an idea of what to expect: claiming to represent “all” New Yorkers, the new mayor will work quickly to push through decisions unpopular at best, and...

Unfazed by the scandal in Minnesota, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) is now proposing an even grander program for her state, saying "the biggest problem with what went on in Minnesota is that it was too narrowly focused on needy families. Starting with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan for universal government-provided daycare for all children--poor and rich alike--we will make this benefit an entitlement for all. Ideally, the government should pay for everyone's needs while each individual contributes taxes according to their abilities." The initial estimate of the cost to fund Mamdani's vision is said to be $6 billion....

Colombia has deployed new troops along its border with Venezuela following a night of US strikes in the Bolivarian Republic. Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced last night on X.com that military forces are being deployed along the border as a response to the potential consequences of the U.S. military operation a few hours ago. On the night of Friday 2nd to Saturday 3rd, the U.S. carried massive strikes on military bases inside Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, covering a special operation that reportedly led to the capture of contested president Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The Venezuelan leader was wanted...

Iran, Colombia, Hezbollah, and Russia condemned the military operation performed by the United States in Venezuela on Saturday, where US special forces troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, while major US allies like Germany, Spain, and Italy said they were following the situation closely. Iran, an ally of Venezuela, said that the military attack on Venezuela was "a blatant violation of its national sovereignty and territorial integrity." Hezbollah stated that it "condemns the terrorist aggression and American thuggery against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" and "further affirms its full solidarity with Venezuela - its people, presidency, and...

Congratulations to the Trump administration on finally ending the Chavez-Maduro regime that has impoverished Venezuela and turned that country into a prison. So what happens next? Pam Bondi says Maduro will “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.” I hope the administration has thought this through carefully. As I understand it, Maduro was indicted several years ago in the Southern District of New York. I don’t know what rules govern venue in a case of this kind, nor do I know whether it is feasible to bring a new set of charges...