“Israeli strikes across Gaza have killed at least 13 people, according to health officials, as U.S. President Donald Trump was expected to announce his Board of Peace to oversee the fragile ceasefire. Health officials and family members said at least one child was among the dead in northern Gaza following several strikes there as well as east of Gaza City. Israel’s army said Friday that it struck Hamas infrastructure and fighters in southern and northern Gaza in response to a failed projectile launched by militants from the Gaza City area.” (01/09/26)
“The United States military captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, and while many reactions focus on Maduro himself, that’s mostly beside the point. His government is repressive and illegitimate, having stolen Venezuela’s most recent election in 2024, but there are numerous bad governments in the world. The most important question before forcibly removing a foreign head of state is if it will make things better. On every stated and possible U.S. goal, this will more likely make things worse.” (01/08/26)
“Federal agents shot two people in Portland on Thursday during a traffic stop, a day after the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis stoked outrage over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. A Homeland Security Department spokeswoman said in a statement that U.S. Border Patrol agents were conducting a ‘targeted vehicle stop,’ and that an agent fired a shot after the driver tried to run them over. The spokeswoman, Tricia McLaughlin, described the agents’ target as an undocumented immigrant and member of Tren de Aragua, a gang with roots in a Venezuelan prison that has been a frequent target of President Trump. She provided no immediate evidence that the person who was targeted was affiliated with the gang.” (01/09/26)
“A federal judge said Thursday that John Sarcone, the top federal prosecutor in Albany, is serving unlawfully as acting U.S. attorney and cannot participate in an investigation into state Attorney General Letitia James. U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield quashed two subpoenas seeking records of James’[s] previous investigations into President Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association. She said Sarcone wasn’t properly appointed to his position last year. ‘Mr. Sarcone’s service was and is unlawful because it bypassed the statutory requirements that govern who may exercise the powers of a U.S. attorney,’ Schofield wrote. ‘The subpoenas are quashed, and Mr. Sarcone is disqualified from further participation in the underlying investigations.'” (01/08/26)
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
“One can fully understand any hatred that Venezuelan citizens might now have for the U.S. government. Just think: the U.S. government is now openly supporting the brutal tyranny under which the Venezuelan people have long suffered under the illegitimate Chavista regime. Why shouldn’t they hate the U.S. government? Last summer, there was no international crisis in Venezuela. Then, as the Epstein rebellion within the MAGA movement began, President Trump began initiating a new international crisis, one that involved amassing a gigantic military armada off the Venezuelan coast. Immediately, the MAGA rebellion dissipated, as MAGA members, predictably, patriotically and loyally rallied to the flag of Trump, the Pentagon, and the CIA.” (01/08/26)
“One could argue that our dietary habits are something government shouldn’t be involved in.
I do. But the federal government taxes, regulates, subsidizes, and researches for food production in these United States ‘bigly.’ And then the government taxes, regulates, subsidizes and researches for medical interventions that mitigate the consequences of how we eat. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Brooke L. Rollins, the current secretaries of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), respectively, have signed their names to a new set of Dietary Guidelines for Americans — an interesting document. ‘The message is simple,’ it says: ‘Eat real food.’ The fact that much of our food industry has been constructed in collaboration with the USDA makes this advice … piquant.” (01/08/26)
“Venezuela posed no threat to the United States, and under international law, there is no plausible justification for Trump’s attack. But it goes beyond that: By forcefully deposing a sitting president, the U.S. has eroded any pretense that the already-battered rules-based international order exists. While many of Trump’s critics in government and policy circles bemoan his flouting of procedure, Trump operates as a blatant imperialist — and is immensely proud of it.” (01/08/26)
“Five Senate Republicans voted Thursday to advance a bipartisan resolution on the War Powers Act to block President Trump from using military force against Venezuela, a proposal that if enacted would unravel the administration’s plan to take control of Venezuela’s oil exports. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the sponsor of the bipartisan measure, voted with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) to discharge the resolution out of committee and bring it to the floor. A vote to pass the resolution itself is expected next week — or possibly later Thursday, if there is bipartisan agreement to speed up its timing on the floor. The resolution still needs to pass the House — where a similar measure failed in a close vote last month — and it faces a certain veto from Trump.” [editor’s note: This is bass-ackward. Unless Trump gets affirmative permission in the form of a declaration of war, he has no authority to attack Venezuela – TLK] (01/08/26)
