Free Republic

Not long after he touched down at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan on Saturday, Barack Obama posed for pictures with three American officials, a pair of military men in uniform, and one rather imposing statue of a bald eagle. It was an ideal photo opportunity for a candidate looking to convince skeptics of his patriotism - just 37 percent of voters identified Obama as "very patriotic" in a recent CBS News/New York Times poll - and his toughness when it comes to foreign policy. And it was typical of the images that have come out of Obama's visit to the...

Stephen Hawking seeks 'Einsteins of Africa' By Sebastien Berger in Johannesburg Last Updated: 9:18PM BST 11/05/2008Stephen Hawking, the wheelchair-bound physicist, has launched a search for the "Einsteins of Africa" with a lecture in Cape Town. Prof Hawking: 'The world of science needs Africa's brilliant talents'Prof Hawking's speech at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), titled Universe, marked the expansion of the postgraduate institution in an effort to accelerate Africa's development. Two Nobel physics laureates – a prize which still eludes the author of A Brief History of Time – along with the head of Nasa, also took part. Prof...

Pelosi: Democrats ready to lead 08/11/2006 - 17:39:25 Set to become the US' first female speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi says Democrats are "ready to lead" in partnership with Republicans, "not in partisanship". President George Bush called Pelosi with congratulations this morning after Democrats took firm control of the House, rebounding after a dozen years in the minority. Pelosi, 66, who made history four years ago when she became the first woman to lead a party caucus in either house of Congress, will become third in line of succession to the president when she is elevated...

WASHINGTON ? The night began as a squeaker, but it led to a new House speaker. In a historic political evening, Democrats swept Republicans out of power in the House of Representatives for the first time since the 1994 Republican revolution that made Newt Gingrich the speaker. Control of the Senate was hanging in the balance with the George Allen-Jim Webb race in Virginia too close to call with more than 99 percent of the vote counted. Two years after a decisive election victory for President Bush and Republicans, Democrats picked up more than the 15 seats they needed to...

By KARIN LAUB For Israel, the U.N. cease-fire deal is far from perfect. A U.N. force deploying in south Lebanon as part of the truce will have trouble keeping Hezbollah at bay for long or prevent the Iranian-supplied guerrillas from rearming, critics said, pointing to past failures of international peacekeepers. The U.N. terms will buy temporary calm, but make the next war between Israel and Tehran's proxy army inevitable, former Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and some military analysts warned. "It begs the question, `What was it all for?'" Shalom said, reflecting a growing chorus of criticism. Israel had little...

What they know. UN members have unequivocal knowledge of ongoing atrocities in Sudan. The Secretary-General's most recent report to the Security Council, December 23, 2005, states: Large-scale attacks against civilians continue, women and girls are being raped by armed groups, yet more villages are being burned, and thousands more are being driven from their homes. ...the most urgent needs of millions affected by the war remain largely unmet, including their protection and safety. ...the vast majority of armed militia have not been disarmed, and no major steps have been taken by the Government to bring to justice or even identify...

MOSCOW, September 7 (RIA Novosti) - Several Russian spacecraft manufacturers have approached the Federal Space Agency, Rosaviacosmos, with a proposal to set up an international association of space-related institutions and companies, the agency's official spokesman said Wednesday. Vyacheslav Davidenko said Rosaviacosmos leadership is now considering the possibility of the agency joining the would-be association and that the founding companies will gather for their first session September 12.

radio beograd is reporting the arrest of a band of terrorist on their way to blow up one of the largest christian churches in europe, st. sava's serb orthodox cathedral. they have been positively identified as al-quaeda members. the reports are still coming in with details, but it looks as if serb military intelligence had them under close scrutiny and caught them on their way to the scene.