Free Republic

The European Commission will refer Ireland to the European Court of Justice for failing to correctly transpose the Water Framework Directive into Irish law — despite the signing into law in Ireland last month of new water-related legislation to addresses their concerns. The EU Directive establishes a framework for protecting inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater by preventing their further deterioration, preventing pollution as well as protecting and enhancing water dependent ecosystems and water resources. […] The Water Framework Directive requires that all inland and coastal waters reach at least good status by 2027 at the latest....

The Virginia State Police confirmed on Wednesday they are investigating a death threat made Tuesday against gubernatorial candidate and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). "The Virginia State Police is in receipt of the threat and has forwarded it to our Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Team, as is done with any email of an alarming/threatening nature that is received by a candidate running for elected office. No arrest or charges have been placed at this time," Corinne Geller, public relations director for the Virginia State Police, said in a statement.

My own view is that Donald and Ivanka and Uday and Qusay are genuinely bad human beings and that the American public has made a grave error in entrusting its highest office to this cast of American Psycho extras. That a major political party was captured by these cretins suggests that its members are not worthy of the blessings of this republic. . . . Kevin Willamson, National Review Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/443303/donald-trump-manners-cultural-necessity

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The American economy is now strong enough to withstand Middle East turmoil and the Japanese nuclear crisis. Only a big rise in the price of oil could stop it now. Those are the findings of an Associated Press survey of leading economists, who are increasingly confident in a recovery that is nearly two years old. They expect the economy to grow faster every quarter this year.

UNITED NATIONS - The United States and France reached agreement Saturday on a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at ending the fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said. Bolton refused to comment on the text, but an official with knowledge of the document said the draft calls for a “full cessation of violence” between Israel and Hezbollah, but would allow Israel the right to launch strikes if Hezbollah attacks it.