Free Republic

Pablo Escobar was elected alternate representative to the Congress of the Republic of Colombia in 1982. Upon receiving the news of his victory, he told his wife: “Get ready to be the First Lady . . . the doors of the presidential palace will open for us.” The most notorious drug trafficker in history dreamed of becoming president of his country. To realize that dream, Escobar oversaw a reign of terror that included bombings, assassinations of judges, police, and presidential candidates, and mass kidnappings. The exact number of victims is unknown but estimated to be around 50,000. The Colombian drug...

His arrest isn’t just about Venezuela—it may be the start of something much bigger. As Iran’s protests intensify, one question is spreading fast: Is Iran next? And if the dominoes keep falling, what does that mean for China? This episode breaks down why Maduro’s capture changes the rules of global power—and why Beijing is watching Iran with growing anxiety.

A law going into effect at the beginning of 2026 will allow judges to restrict those convicted of ‘extreme DUI’ from purchasing alcohol, and ABC4 spoke to a family who lost a loved one to a drunk driver about the new law. Michelle Schmitt, communications director with Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS), said that the new law will require everyone to have their IDs checked, regardless of age or appearance, but more than that, it will restrict people convicted of “extreme DUI” from purchasing alcohol. “An extreme DUI is when someone is found to have a blood alcohol...

“God...has blessed us with every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3, emphasis added). As a Christian, you possess every spiritual resource you need to fulfill God’s will for your life. The story is told of a wealthy London businessman who searched many years for his runaway son. One afternoon he was preparing to board a train to London when he spotted a man in ragged, dirty clothing begging money from passengers along the station platform. His first impulse was to avoid the beggar but there was something strangely familiar about him. When the beggar approached and asked if he could spare a...

Doha says it is ready to contribute to international efforts for de-escalation and dialogue regarding VenezuelaQatar said Saturday it is ready to contribute to any international effort aimed at reaching an “immediate peaceful solution” in Venezuela, calling for restraint and de-escalation. In a statement, the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep concern over developments in Venezuela, following US attacks on the capital, Caracas, and the detention of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The ministry urged all parties to exercise restraint, reduce tensions and pursue dialogue to address outstanding issues. It reaffirmed Qatar’s position in support of the UN...

Security officials assess that alongside strengthening its military capabilities, Hamas is also tightening its control over the Gazan population.

'For visible Muslims in particular, the top deck of a bus or a half-empty train carriage can mean threatening behaviour, verbal abuse, or even violent attack simply because of their faith,' says head of Muslim groupRacial and religious hate crimes on public transport across the UK have increased in recent years, with police data showing more than 3,200 racially motivated offenses recorded in 2024–25, according to figures released Friday. Data from the British Transport Police shows racial hate crimes recorded across England, Wales, and Scotland rose from 2,827 cases in 2019–20 to 3,258 in 2024–25, reflecting a steady upward trend...

A grandmother and her 5-year-old grandson burned to death in a Gaza City displacement camp when their tent caught fire on Thursday night, according to the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza. Amal Abu al-Khair was one of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians enduring cold winter weather in makeshift housing. Her son Muhammad was cooking dinner when a fire broke out in their nylon tent at the Yarmouk displacement camp. Strong winter winds fuelled the flames and made it impossible to control the blaze. "The tent served as both living and cooking space, with limited room and flammable materials like...

Well, Donald Trump has done it again! He stumped the chumps. The "chumps" in this case were the "blue-chip" academic and financial economists whose consensus forecast this time last year was of high inflation and low economic growth. Wrong on both counts. As you've probably heard, the GDP growth for Q3 came in at a red-hot 4.3%, following 3.5% for the second quarter. Some 90% of professional economists got it wrong -- all underestimating the strength of the Trump economy. QED: These weren't random errors. These were "hate Trump" errors. They also predicted inflation of above 3% for 2025. It's...

The leading political opposition voice to Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is speaking out in the wake of the U.S. capture of the illegitimate president, as RedState reported earlier on Saturday. In December 2025 in Oslo, Norway, while picking up the Nobel Peace Prize alongside the duly elected president of Venezuela, Edmundo González, for their part in leading the opposition to the now-captured Venezuelan dictator Maduro, Maria Corina Machado called for the strongman to be removed and as my colleague Ward Clark wrote at the time, "already giving the Trump administration props for the pressure on Maduro":María Corina Machado said she...

SNIP The priests who are known as Babalawos agreed to warn of an increase in violence and the dangers of war. Cuban Babalawos announced that the ruling deity for 2026 will be Oggún, lord of metals—or weapons—roads, and conflicts. He is also the patron saint of blacksmiths. The religious leaders explained that Oggún's accompanying deity is Oya, the goddess of winds and storms. The combination of these signs and their deities could bring illness, and among the social events of interest are the proliferation of fires and accidents, an increase in violent and criminal acts, and even "significant changes within...

"Trump talks tough on Venezuela, but admires thugs and dictators like Nicolas Maduro. As President, I will stand with the Venezuelan people and for democracy." 6/21/20

The United States attacked Venezuela and captured its long-serving President Nicolas Maduro and his wife on Saturday (Jan 3), with US President Donald Trump promising to put the country under American control for now, even as Venezuelan officials vowed defiance. As part of a dramatic overnight operation that knocked out electricity in parts ⁠of Caracas, US Special Forces captured Maduro in or near one of his safe houses, Trump said. With Maduro in US custody, Trump said: "We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." "We can't take a chance...

Protests erupted across the United States on Saturday following President Donald Trump’s military attack on Venezuela late Friday. Demonstrations were held throughout the Monterey Bay region, including in Santa Cruz, Salinas and Monterey. Organized by Indivisible Pajaro Valley, protesters waved signs reading “No Blood for Oil,” “No New Wars,” and “Enough Is Enough.” The two-hour protest drew cheers and honking horns from passing motorists. Following airstrikes on civilian and government sites in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, U.S. troops detained President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transported them to the United States to face criminal charges, according to international...

musk26.com is a recently registered website with a low trust score, flagged as suspicious due to several red flags identified by online security evaluators. The domain was registered on January 3, 2026, making it very new as of January 4, 2026. It claims to be associated with Elon Musk and Tesla, promoting a cryptocurrency giveaway under the title "Elon Musk & Tesla: Giveaway". The site uses a valid SSL certificate issued by Google Trust Services, indicating encrypted communication, but the certificate is of the basic Domain Validated (DV SSL) type, which is commonly used even by scammers. The domain is...

Two weeks still remain to participate in the annual Santa Cruz Gives fundraising event, which runs until Dec. 31. Below, Good Times writer Kristen McLaughlin talks to some of the people behind Planned Pethood, one of the 72 nonprofit initiatives seeking support from Good Times readers. Also below, other nonprofits share their “elevator pitch,” explaining what they plan to do with the money they raise. To donate to any of these groups, visit [Redacted]Puppies and kittens are cute and cuddly, but unplanned litters can result in animals living in miserable conditions, as either strays or denizens of municipal shelters,...

As the U.S. military escalates its posture around Venezuela—with naval deployments in the Caribbean, B-52 overflights, lethal strikes on alleged drug boats, and confirmed CIA covert operations—advocates of regime change are reviving a dangerous analogy. Many have pointed to the United States’ 1989 invasion of Panama and toppling of dictator Manuel Noriega as proof that swift, surgical operations can get the job done. In private conversations with several current and former U.S. officials, they have nodded toward this parallel. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who just last month was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, has appealed to the United...

Jack in the Box is expected to shutter several restaurants in the coming days, as it works to meet the closure target outlined in its “JACK on Track” strategy earlier this year. Early this year, the fast-food chain said it would be shutting between 150 and 200 locations under a block closure program, including 80 to 120 by December 31. According to Fox Business, Jack in the Box has closed 72 stores since the April announcement.

Donald Trump likes to start the new year with a bang – or better yet a series of loud bangs. On January 3, 2020, his first administration ordered the drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. Exactly six years later, his second administration has carried out a large-scale regime-change operation in Venezuela, blowing several sites to smithereens and capturing the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife and flying them out of the country. This after a series of military strikes against Venezuelan and cartel targets in recent weeks and months. There...

George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley is not a conservative, but he is an honest and very smart man. Since the news of Maduro’s capture by the U.S. Military under Trump this morning, he has been pointing out that Trump did not need approval from congress to do this, despite what Democrats are claiming now. Turley uses the example of Manuel Noriega, who was removed from Panama by the United States in 1989 under similar circumstances. He refers to the actions of other presidents as well.