Free Republic

Key Takeaways: This visual timeline attempts to plot all of the world’s empires throughout history, based on geographic area and size. The rise and fall of familiar civilizations, like the Romans, Mongols, or Ottomans can be seen, as well as modern powerhouses like the U.S. or China. Attempting to plot this all on one timeline is bold, but also comes with its many challenges and some omissions.

U.S. Marines protecting the American embassy in Haiti exchanged gunfire with suspected gang members last week, a Marine spokesman said. Capt. Steven J. Keenan told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement Sunday that Marines supporting embassy security operations were fired upon by suspected gang members in the capital of Port-au-Prince and returned fire on the evening of Nov. 13. "U.S. Marines are committed to the safety and security of U.S. embassies worldwide and respond to all threats with professionalism and swift, disciplined action," Keenan said. No service members were injured in the incident, which was first reported over the...

Chicago homeowners are asking for answers as property tax bills continue to climb, with several residents saying they’ve seen little improvement in return. In Lawndale, a neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, residents told ABC7 Chicago that despite higher property tax bills, little has changed on their streets, leaving them frustrated over where their money is going. Community leaders and the Lawndale Christian Development Corporation gathered citizens at a local church for what they called a "property tax bonfire," the local station reported. "There's been a divestment in this community for the most part, but it seems like now that people...

What did Jesus really know about the Book of Enoch and the Nephilim giants? Does the Bible hint at “extraterrestrials” cohabiting with mankind in a forgotten golden age? Glenn Beck sits down with ‪@TimothyAlberino‬ for a mind-blowing conversation that connects the dots from Genesis 6 to the coming post-human apocalypse. As futurists like Yuval Harari openly declare the end of humanity, gene editing, artificial wombs, IVF, and transhumanism are rapidly remaking man in a new image. Alberino issues a chilling wake-up call to Christians: “There’s only one qualification for redemption at the cross of Christ — you must be human.”...

In the final days of 1943, a damaged American B-17 struggled to stay in the air — its crew wounded, its engines failing. Then, out of the clouds, a German fighter appeared. What happened next became one of the most extraordinary acts of mercy in World War II.

Political scientists at Harvard said Democratic victories in last week’s off-cycle elections were a sign of powerful backlash to Donald Trump’s presidency, but that Democrats could not afford to rest on their laurels ahead of the 2026 midterms. Tuesday’s elections added new fuel to debates over whether Democrats could best strengthen their coalition by shifting to the center or embracing their party’s left wing. Moderates Sherrill and Spanberger wielded their congressional experience and military and intelligence backgrounds to win governor’s seats. But Mamdani secured the New York City mayor’s office after running an unapologetically progressive campaign. Some Harvard faculty said...

The political jousting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival former premier Ehud Barak ramped up Tuesday when the premier published a video on social media again questioning the latter’s relationship with US billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who is accused of sex-trafficking in minors. The video was published under the headline “What else has sex offender Epstein given to Barak?” According to Netanyahu’s video, Epstein manages the Wexner Foundation. Forbes says he serves as a trustee, and a spokesperson for the institution told the financial news outlet that Les Wexner, founder of the organization, severed ties with Epstein over a decade...

Sen. John Fetterman shared a graphic recovery photo Saturday, two days after a fall near his Pennsylvania home sent him to a Pittsburgh hospital with a facial injury caused by a ventricular fibrillation flare-up. Fetterman, D-Pa., posted the close-up selfie on X Saturday, showing a stitched gash across his cheek as he held an iced coffee. "Twenty stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home," he wrote, thanking doctors at UPMC for "putting me back together" and supporters for their well-wishes. He posted the image just two days after he was hospitalized early Thursday. A spokesperson said the senator...

Thousands of protesters swarmed Mexico City Saturday, attacking police officers and attempting to breach a security barrier around the National Palace, which houses the federal government's executive branch. Plumes of tear gas filled the street as hooded protesters dragged riot police out of formation, beat them with hammers and chains and threw explosive devices at them, as they were stripped of their shields and communication radios. The Secretariat of Citizen Security of Mexico City announced via social media that at least 60 police officers had minor injuries, and 40 officers were taken to hospitals. Of the 40 officers hospitalized, 36...

LOS ANGELES — A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to working with Mexican traffickers to bring drugs into the U.S., officials said Thursday. Diego Bonillo, 30, pleaded guilty in July to multiple charges, including conspiracy to import controlled substances such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. As part of his plea deal, he admitted to using his position to allow drug-filled cars into the U.S. from Mexico without inspection. He allowed at least 75 kilograms of fentanyl, 11.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, and more than 1 kilogram of heroin...

The founder of Virginia-based defense startup Govini was arrested on charges of attempting to solicit a pre-teen girl for sexual contact in Pennsylvania, authorities said Monday. The founder, Eric Gillespie, 57, was charged with four felonies, including multiple counts of unlawful contact with a minor, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Gillespie, who lives in Pittsburgh, was denied bail by the judge, citing flight risk and concerns over public safety. His company, which placed him on administrative leave on Monday, has a $900-million U.S. government contract, and multiple deals with the Defense Department. Govini last month announced it had...

This is Donald Trump’s world—we’re all just living in it. The disruptor-in-chief was the biggest factor shaping global affairs in 2025, and that will be the case for as long as he remains in the White House. His norm-shattering approach has caused turmoil in some areas (as in trade) but has also delivered diplomatic results (as in Gaza) and forced necessary change (as with European defence spending). As the Trumpnado spins on in 2026, here are ten trends and themes to watch in the coming year. 1. America’s 250th.Expect to hear wildly diverging accounts of America’s past, present and future,...

No serious art collection today is complete without a genuine Rembrandt. Born in 1606, the son of a miller, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn revolutionized painting, famously capturing the very souls of his subjects through his portraits. But the life of this Baroque genius was as dramatic as his art. Plagued by tragedy and family struggles, the art titan died at 63, lonely, poor, and misunderstood. This documentary journeys back to his Dutch roots and offers an intimate look at the groundbreaking conservation effort, "Operation Nightwatch," underway at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. New Technology Reveals Hidden Secrets Behind Rembrandt's Masterpiece |...

There are only two accepted representations of William Shakespeare that are considered "official" -- but could a portrait that has been hanging over a family's mantelpiece for the last 50 years be the third? British window washer Steven Wadlow, whose father bought the portrait in the 1960s, is on the hunt to prove the painting is indeed genuine. If so, it could be worth as much as $200 million. New Shakespeare Portrait Could Change History | Full Episode Secrets of the Dead | 55:35 PBS | 1.62M subscribers | 59,578 views | November 12, 2025

HTML Image

A disbanded court in Las Vegas may come back to life as lawmakers look to attract visitors to revive Sin City tourism. Vegas tourism has continued to decline, with just over 3 million visitors in September, an 8.8% decrease from the same time last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCA). A specialized court was created in 2022 to handle offenses such as petty theft, assault, drug violations and loitering, with penalties including banning offenders from the Strip for a year. The Resort Corridor Court, however, was disbanded less than two years later after judges raised...

A judge on Thursday denied a motion to dismiss the criminal case against U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., who is charged with assaulting federal agents during a visit to a New Jersey immigration detention center earlier this year. U.S. District Judge Jamel Semper wrote in a 41-page ruling that McIver failed to show the prosecution was vindictive and that her actions were "wholly disconnected" from her oversight role as a member of Congress. "Defendant has not met her burden of establishing that her predominant purpose in physically opposing the Mayor’s arrest was to conduct oversight or gather information for a...

Corinth was the capital of Achaea, the Roman province that covered most of Greece. This video explores its most important monuments. Corinth: Roman Capital of Greece | 6:45 Scenic Routes to the Past | 47.3K subscribers | 6,906 views | November 14, 2025 0:00 Introduction 0:57 Temple of Apollo 1:47 Forum 3:06 Rostra 3:40 Lechaion Road 4:38 Sacred Spring 5:12 Odeon 5:41 Theater

The story "The Man Who Wouldn't Join" (at the article link click) in consideration of Gabriel Marcel's "Man Against Mass Society", René Girard's notion of "the scapegoat mechanism" (violent mass psychology), Jacques Ellul's "Propaganda" (siloing of ideologies), and Edward Bernays' "Propaganda" (manipulative mass techniques). The Man Who Wouldn't Join is about a rebellious individualist who attains security from invasive collective-movement recruitment demands by finding a similar, rebellious individualist woman who also "won't join" with whom he can ally in a marriage. Our very belief in our individual political points of view is merely grist for the mill of oligarchic control,...

Traction Control became big in the late 1980's and early 1990's on luxury cars, but, it was used by Buick years ahead of time. GM introduced Airbags and also ABS Braking way back int the 1970's, but these safety options didn't gain popularity until the 1990's. Paul Burke was the Star of the 1960's TV shows, "Naked City" and "12 O'clock High" by Quinn Martin.