Stories Speak Volumes: Dec 28-Jan 2
A Round-Up of National and International News
Compiled by
There are so many stories making up the mosaic of national/international news that we can’t cover them all every week. The biggest stories now seem to be: Israel and Iran, the Trump presidency (lawfare and judges), immigration (migrants and illegals), wars, weaponization of government (the deep state) against Trump and conservatives, our nation’s debt, massive inflation, climate change controversy and related expenses of government, industry attempting to address these issues, the Chinese threat, national security, abortion, taxpayer cuts, Ukraine peace, and hatred and violence against Christians. Here are just a few:
President Trump: Nicolás Maduro ‘Captured And Flown Out Of’ Venezuela
Jan. 3: Breitbart by Christian Caruzo
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday morning that Venezuela’s socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been “captured and flown out of the country,” a message that came after a series of explosions hit Caracas.
Maduro, who has maintained himself in power through a series of sham presidential elections, is actively wanted by U.S. authorities on multiple narco-terrorism charges. The U.S. has an active $50 million bounty on information leading to Nicolás Maduro’s arrest and/or conviction.
Kathy Hochul Orders One World Trade Center Lit in Honor of Muslim American Heritage Month
Jan. 3: Red State by Bob Hoge
Just hours after New York City’s first Muslim-American Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, was sworn in, Empire State Gov. Kathy Hochul declared January to be “Muslim American Heritage Month” and ordered One World Trade Center and 15 other state landmarks to be bathed in green light to celebrate “the heritage and culture of Muslim Americans.”
Many on social media were quick to point out that we can’t illuminate the Twin Towers because they are no longer on the skyline after the horrific 9/11 al-Qaeda terrorist attacks, which took down the buildings and killed almost 3,000 innocents. September 11, as all Americans know, was carried out by 19 hijackers affiliated with the Islamist extremist group led by the late Osama bin Laden.
Liberation Day: Venezuelans Worldwide Erupt in Celebration After U.S. Forces Capture Dictator Maduro
Jan. 3: Gateway Pundit by Jim Hoft
Venezuelans both inside and outside their homeland erupted in celebrations this weekend following the capture of long-time dictator Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.
From South Florida to Chile to Madrid, Venezuelans and all from all around the world took to the streets to rejoice after news broke that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and flown out of Venezuela early Saturday by U.S. forces following coordinated strikes.
Celebrants waved Venezuelan and American flags, banged pots and pans, and popped champagne bottles in a spontaneous display of liberation, according to the New York Post.
Trump: U.S. Oil Companies Will ‘Fix’ Venezuela’s ‘Badly Broken’ Oil Infrastructure
Jan. 3: Breitbart by Nick Gilbertson
President Donald Trump announced that United States oil companies will “fix” Venezuela’s “badly broken” oil infrastructure after the capture of the country’s former dictator Nicolás Maduro. Trump announced the plans during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday hours after the American military carried out Operation Absolute Resolve. He noted moments earlier that the United States will “run” Venezuela until time allows for a “proper transition.”
According to data cited by the Kobeissi Letter, Venezuela has a reserve of 303 billion barrels of oil, valued at $17.3 trillion, given that oil prices are trading at roughly $57 per barrel.
Harvard President Admits University ‘Went Wrong’ Allowing Professor Activism in Classrooms
Jan. 4: Breitbart by Amy Furr
Harvard’s leader admitted the university allowing professors to express their personal views in the classroom was a bad idea that has “chilled free speech and debate on campus.” Harvard University President Alan Garber made his remarks during an episode of the Identity/Crisis Podcast, the Harvard Crimson reported Saturday.
Trump Shares Video Questioning If Tim Walz Ordered the Assassination of Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman to Cover Up Somali Fraud Scheme
Jan. 4: Gateway Pundit by Cassandra MacDonald
President Donald Trump has shared a video questioning whether Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was involved in ordering the assassination of State Representative Melissa Hortman to cover up the Somali fraud scheme. The post, which Trump shared on his Truth Social platform, suggests Hortman’s murder may have been tied to her efforts to expose a multi-billion-dollar money laundering operation funneling funds to illegal immigrants, particularly Somalis, through corrupt government rackets in childcare and healthcare.
Last summer, Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were gunned down in their home by a man posing as a police officer. Democrat State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were also targeted in a separate incident at their residence on the same night. Miraculously, the Hoffmans survived.
Vance Boelter, a 57-year-old man was later arrested for the shootings and indicted on six federal charges, including stalking and murder. Boelter was appointed to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board by Walz, and in his confession, he claimed he was ordered to do the assassinations by the governor himself.
“I Think They’re in a Lot of Trouble” – Rubio Signals Cuba Is Trump’s Next Target, Reveals That Cubans Controlled Venezuelan Intelligence and Guarded Maduro
Jan. 4: Gateway Pundit by Jordan Conradson
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday suggested that Cuba may be targeted by the Trump Administration next, after Venezuelan tyrant Nicolas Maduro’s ouster on Saturday.
Trump has suggested that Colombia and Mexico may face military action next. Trump said on Saturday morning, “Something’s gonna have to be done with Mexico,” when he was asked whether his bold action in Venezuela was a warning to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
During an appearance with NBC’s Kristen Welker, Rubio described the Cuban government as a “huge problem” and said, “they’re in a lot of trouble. “I’m not going to talk to you about what our future steps are going to be and our policies are going to be right now in this regard,” Rubio told Welker. “But I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime, who, by the way, are the ones that were propping up Maduro. His entire like internal security force, his internal security apparatus, is entirely controlled by Cubans.” He further explained that Maduro was guarded by the Cubans and his internal intelligence was all Cubans, which he said was “one of the untold stories.”
MN Gov. Tim Walz Drops Out of Governor’s Race
Jan. 5: Breitbart by John Nolte
Tim Walz (D) announced on Monday that he will drop out of the 2026 Minnesota governor’s race. Walz released a statement Monday filled with a lot of whining and blame-shifting over the exploding Somali fraud scandal. Minnesota’s Somali community funnels millions into local and national Democrat Party campaign coffers and reliably votes en masse for local Democrats—who know those Somali votes can be the difference between a win and a loss.
As the scandal deepens, legitimate questions have been raised about how such rampant fraud could’ve been allowed to continue without local Minnesota Democrats being aware of it.
Walz accused those angry over the Somali scandal of “white supremacy. Then Walz defiantly promised to import even more Somali migrants. Walz claimed the scandal was driven by politics. Then Walz accused Nick Shirley, the citizen journalist who uncovered all of this alleged fraud over a matter of days, of being a “delusional conspiracy theorist.”
House Unveils Minibus Spending Bill to Avert Government Shutdown
Jan. 5: Breitbart by Sean Moran
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) unveiled on Monday the chamber’s “minibus” spending bill that contains funding for major parts of the federal government ahead of the spending deadline.
Congress has roughly three weeks to pass an appropriations bill or a stop-gap continuing resolution (CR) to stop another government shutdown at the end of the month. Cole and the Appropriations Committee released the minibus spending bill that contains the Interior, Energy-Water, and Commerce-Justice-Science bill, which could get a vote in the House as soon as Thursday. Cole said that the appropriations minibus helps bolster national security and combat the illicit flow of drugs.
Pete Hegseth Attacks Sen. Mark Kelly Over ‘Seditious’ Video
Jan. 5: Red State by Bob Hoge
They were called the “Seditious Six,” the half dozen lawmakers — all of whom had served in intelligence and or/the military — who issued a video on November 18 demanding that military personnel refuse to obey orders that they thought were unlawful. To many, it was a thinly disguised call to rebellion within the ranks and a clear violation of their sworn duties.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was one of those who agreed with that sentiment, and on Monday, he dropped the hammer in a post to social media. He flat-out called the video “seditious.” The video included the participation of Kelly, Reps. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-6), Maggie Goodlander (NH-2), and Jason Crow (CO-6). Hegseth’s move could result in reductions in rank, pay, or benefits for the senator.
Hilton Hotels Refusing Rooms to DHS Officers
Jan. 5: Breitbart by Awr Hawkins
Homeland Security used an X post Monday to say that Hilton Hotels are denying rooms to Department of Homeland Security officers in the Minneapolis area. DHS titled the post, “No Room at the Inn!”
Last week, KATV noted that DHS officers were on the ground in Minneapolis investigating fraud claims in Minnesota. They noted the DHS was there after reports of “federally funded businesses that don’t do what they say they do.”
Hilton Axes Hotel from Their Systems After Video Shows Them Continuing to Ban DHS And ICE Agents
Jan. 6: Red State by Rusty Weiss
Hilton Hotels swiftly terminated its franchise agreement with an independently owned Hampton Inn in Minnesota after a video surfaced showing the hotel continuing to refuse rooms to DHS and ICE agents. This, despite assurances that the chain is a “welcoming place for all.”
Trouble erupted mid-afternoon on Monday when the Department of Homeland Security posted email communications from a Hampton Inn Lakeville property showing that management or staff had researched the name of at least one law enforcement officer attempting to make a reservation and then canceled the commitment once realizing they were involved with “immigration work.”
“We have noticed an influx of GOV reservations made today that have been for DHS, and we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property. If you are with DHS or immigration, let us know as we will have to cancel your reservation,” a second email read.
‘Fighter’ Singer-Songwriter Jon Kahn Debuts New Song One Year After Losing Home in L.A. Fires
Jan. 6: Breitbart by Jerome Hudson
One year ago, Jon Kahn, the singer-songwriter behind the Trump-inspired, Billboard-topping “Fighter,” lost his home of more than 20 years in the Palisades fires. Now he is channeling that devastation into a stirring new song and video, “After It Burns,” an intimate, hard-edged reflection on loss, anger, and the resolve that follows when everything familiar is reduced to ash.
For Kahn and many other victims, the past year has been a grind of insurance fights, confusing permitting, and what he described as a fundamental failure of city and state leadership. In fact, CBS reports that only 500 of 16,000 homes are being built one year later.
There was no leadership nor was there any accountability from Karen Bass or Gavin Newsom,” Khan continued. “It was and is their lack of leadership that makes the road to recovery even more difficult.”
Khan stressed that, for victims, the issue is not partisan. “It’s not really about right or left, but rather, right and wrong,” he said. “Great leaders, left or right, make you feel safe, and I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a victim of these fires who felt like anybody had their back. Where is Bass? Where is Newsom? Where are the two senators from California, Schiff and Padilla? Why are the only investigations being spearheaded by Senators Scott and Johnson, two Republican senators who are not from California?”
January 6 Defendants Gather at Capitol
Jan. 6: Gateway Pundit by Cristina Laila
Pardoned January 6 defendants and others gathered in Washington DC on Tuesday to mark the 5-year anniversary of the Capitol protest. More than 1,500 January 6ers – many nonviolent, first time offenders – were charged by Joe Biden’s DOJ with Merrick Garland at the helm. Biden’s DOJ hunted down MAGA grandmothers and other non-violent offenders and threw them in the DC gulag.
President Trump granted blanket clemency to all of the January 6 defendants shortly after he was sworn into office last January. On Tuesday, the January 6 defendants waved American flags as they marched to the Capitol. The marchers held signs that read, “J6 was an inside job,” “Thanks for our pardons, Trump” and “Arrest Pelosi.
Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio honored Ashli Babbitt with a memorial march. Capitol Police Officer Michael Byrd fatally shot and killed unarmed protestor Ashli Babbitt while she attended the demonstration at the Capitol on January 6.
Somalia’s Ambassador to United Nations Linked to Medicaid Fraud in Ohio
Jan. 6: Breitbart by John Binder
Abukar Dahir Osman, the permanent representative of Somalia to the United Nations, is linked to a home healthcare agency in Cincinnati, Ohio, that was prosecuted for Medicaid fraud, officials with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have confirmed.
Venezuela To Turn Over 30-50 Million Barrels of Oil to U.S.
Jan. 6: Breitbart by Elizabeth Weibel
President Donald Trump announced that the “interim authorities” in charge of Venezuela would be giving between 30 and 50 million “Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil” to the United States.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump explained that the oil would “be sold at its Market Price,” and that Trump would ensure the money from the sales would be “used to benefit the people of Venezuela” and the U.S. “I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” Trump said.
“According to the Kobeissi report, Venezuela had, as of Saturday’s oil prices, approximately $17.3 trillion in oil reserves, which exceeds the collective global gross domestic product excluding the United States and China.”
Dr. Oz Orders Full-Scale Federal Audit of Minnesota Medicaid Under Tim Walz
Jan. 6: Gateway Pundit by Jim Hoft
Dr. Mehmet Oz, acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), has formally notified Tim Walz that every Medicaid billing submission in Minnesota will be audited—and that fraudulent claims will be clawed back and withheld from future federal funding.
In early December 2025, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz sent a formal letter and issued a public ultimatum to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz regarding the “systemic fraud” in the state’s Medicaid programs, potentially exceeding $1 billion.
ICE Agent Fatally Shoots Woman Who Allegedly ‘Weaponized Her Vehicle’
Jan. 7: Breitbart by Awr Hawkins
An ICE agent shot and killed a woman who allegedly “weaponized her vehicle” Wednesday morning in Minneapolis.
NBC News reported that a group of people began trying to block ICE agents as they were carrying out “targeted operations” in Minneapolis. In the course of this, a woman allegedly used her vehicle to attack agents.
Homeland Security posted to X, “Today, ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations when rioters began blocking ICE officers and one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them—an act of domestic terrorism.”
Walz Says Minnesota Is At “War With Our Federal Government” After Fatal ICE-Involved Shooting
Jan. 7: Gateway Pundit by Cristina Laila
Democrat Minnesota Governor Tim Walz held a press conference after a woman was fatally shot by ICE as she tried to run over an agent in Minneapolis. The female driver who was fatally shot as she attempted to run over an ICE agent has been identified as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.
Video posted to X shows the moment Good was shot dead as she tried to run over federal agents in an attempt to kill them. Additional footage clearly shows that an ICE officer was in danger of being run over as Good accelerated. The Department of Homeland Security said Good’s attempt to run over the agent was an “act of domestic terrorism.”
Walz said Minnesota is at war with the federal government. Walz made this exact statement on Tuesday as well.
Trump Proposes Massive Increase In 2027 Defense Spending To $1.5T: ‘Dangerous Times’
Jan. 7: NewsMax
President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed setting military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.” Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and bring him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. U.S. forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea. The 2026 military budget is set at $901 billion.
Trump in recent days has also called for taking over the Danish territory of Greenland for national security reasons and has suggested he’s open to carrying out military operations in Colombia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ominously warned that longtime adversary Cuba “is in trouble.”
Trump added that he feels comfortable surging spending on the military because of increased revenue created by his administration through tariffs imposed on friends and foes around the globe since his return to office.
Minnesota Police, Peace Officers Release Statement Slamming Politicians’ ‘Reckless Rhetoric’ Against Law Enforcement
Jan. 8: Breitbart by Awr Hawkins
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association issued a statement Wednesday night criticizing “reckless rhetoric” against law enforcement which politicians were hurling in opposition to ICE and others. The statement came hours after an ICE agent in Minneapolis shot and killed a woman who allegedly drove her vehicle at an agent on Wednesday.
Homeland Security said the woman “weaponized her vehicle,” adding, “An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots. He used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) responded to the incident by telling ICE, “We do not want you here…”Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) responded by intimating that protesting ICE is “a patriotic duty at this point in time” and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) posted to X, “We need this rogue agency out of our neighborhoods. Abolish ICE now.”
Wednesday night, the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association warned, “Irresponsible, reckless rhetoric from political leaders attacking law enforcement has real & dangerous consequences for officers on the street.”
US Trade Deficit Falls to Lowest Level In 17 Years, Since 2009
Jan. 8: Gateway Pundit by Jim Hoft
The US trade deficit narrowed sharply to $29.4 billion in October 2025, the smallest gap since June 2009.
According to CNBC reporter Rick Santtelli, “Buckle up, THIS IS UNREAL… $29.4 billion, we cut it IN HALF!… “In March it was $136B. Now, under $30B. We haven’t been that small in a long time – I don’t have enough RECORDS to go back that far!”
JD Vance Announces New DOJ Division, Assistant AG To Lead National Fraud Crackdown
Jan. 9: Breitbart by Jasmyn Jordan
Vice President JD Vance unveiled the creation of a new Assistant Attorney General position within the Department of Justice to lead a national effort against fraud affecting federal programs, starting in Minnesota and extending to other states where similar fraud is suspected.
The administration has already mobilized extensive federal resources in response to widespread fraud, particularly in Minnesota. The DOJ has charged 98 defendants in fraud-related cases in the state, 85 of whom are of Somali descent, and secured 64 convictions. More than 1,750 subpoenas have been issued, over 130 search warrants executed, and 1,000 witness interviews conducted.
The fraud investigations in Minnesota were a key factor in the Trump administration’s decision to freeze $10 billion in childcare and family assistance funding to five Democrat-led states: Minnesota, California, Illinois, Colorado, and New York.
President Trump recently declared on Truth Social that “The Fraud Investigation of California has begun,” accusing Governor Gavin Newsom of presiding over systemic corruption. According to the Department of Government Efficiency, California was responsible for $305 million of a reported $382 million in fraudulent unemployment payments made nationwide since 2020. DOJ prosecutors have also indicted former Newsom chief of staff Dana Williamson on 23 federal counts, including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and making false statements.
Leftist Admits Protesting at Minneapolis ICE Facility Is Her Job: ‘I’m Getting Paid Right Now!’
Jan. 9: Breitbart by Amy Furr
A leftist protesting outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Minneapolis on Friday admitted on camera she was there because it is literally her job.
Video footage from conservative journalist Nick Sorter showed Fox News host Laura Ingram talking to so-called “protesters” outside the facility. Ingram asked a woman wearing a red jacket and face covering if she had a job. The woman, who kept shouting, “Shame! Shame!” finally answered Ingram’s question by stating, “I’m getting paid right now!”
Russia Unleashes New Oreshnik Missile to Strike Europe’s Largest Gas Storage Facility in Ukraine’s Lvov
Jan. 9: Gateway Pundit
The Russian Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile ‘Oreshnik’ (‘Hazel’) was launched Thursday from the Kapustin Yar range toward Lvov, right on the Polish (and NATO) border. The multi-warhead missile destroyed Europe’s largest underground gas storage facility, the Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske in Stryi. The capacity of this facility accounted for over 50 percent of all Ukrainian gas storage. The “Oreshnik” flew to Lviv in 10–15 minutes — traveling 1,800 km at a speed of over 6 thousand miles per hour.
DHS: 2 Tren de Aragua Associates Shot in Portland
Jan. 9: NewsMax
Federal immigration agents shot and wounded two suspected Tren de Aragua gang associates in a vehicle outside a hospital in Portland, Oregon, Thursday, a day after an officer fatally shot a woman in Minnesota, the Department of Homeland Security announced Friday.
The Portland shooting escalates tensions in a city that has long had a contentious relationship with Trump, including due to his recent failed effort to deploy National Guard troops there. The city saw long-running nightly protests outside the ICE building.
Mike Hernandez is co-founder of the Citizens Journal–Ventura County’s online news service and writes for CitizensJournal.net and MountainTopMedia.com. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor, writer of “Prayer Over News Daily” and edits the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes” and other columns. Mr. Hernandez mentors citizen journalists with trainings held every other month (on Saturdays at Shasta Bible College and online) and can be contacted at MikeHernandezMedia.com.