Free Republic

A former EPA official tied to a controversy over allegations of federal overreach at an Alaska mine project has mysteriously gone off the grid, sources tell FoxNews.com, complicating lawmakers' efforts to question him. Emails from Phillip North, a now-retired Environmental Protection Agency employee, recently surfaced that seem to show the Alaska-based biologist tried to get the Pebble Mine project killed as far back as 2008. Those emails -- and memos indicating government officials worked early on with tribal leaders and environmental groups to oppose the venture -- raised questions about the agency's claims that when it ultimately vetoed the gold-and-copper...

A former North Korean counter-intelligence officer has claimed that Kim Jong-Un is no longer in control of the nation and is now just a 'puppet leader'. Jang Jin-sung, who used to be an influential officer in Kim Jong-il's propaganda division, made the sensational assertion at a September conference in Holland attended by several elite exiles, it's been reported. The capital, Pyongyang, meanwhile, has been placed into lockdown with even the elite banned from entering or leaving, according to a respected news site. This adds weight to Jin-sung's claim, as a North Korean expert said that this kind of measure is...

Governor Pat McCrory knocked heads with the General Assembly — and lost — on the issue of waiving the use of E-verify to do residency checks on temporary workers across the state. Now, it appears that a group of Republican House members is seeking to repeal the legislation passed despite the governor’s veto. Reps. Cleveland, Millis and Conrad are sponsoring HB 1184, which seeks to repeal the e-verify exemption for temporary workers and appropriates funds for an extra investigator.

Last September, I noted how Deacon Scott Colley, the administrator (at least at the time if not still so) of the Facebook page for the North Quabbin Catholic Community, which includes several parishes in and around Athol, Massachusetts, banned me for taking issue with the applause which often breaks out during Holy Mass at Our Lady Immaculate Parish in Athol. See here. And back in 2011, I disagreed with Father Krzysztof Korcz when he blamed parents as being the sole cause of the lack of vocations and the exodus of young people from Catholic life. See here. Lastly, I noted...

North Korea Tuesday threatened to carry out “a new form of nuclear test” in response to US President Barack Obama’s Asia tour. “The DPRK (North Korea) will advance along the road of bolstering up nuclear deterrent, unhindered, now that the US brings the dark clouds of a nuclear war to hang over the DPRK,” Xinhua quoted a spokesperson of the North Korean foreign ministry as saying in a statement. “There is no statute of limitations to the DPRK’s declaration that it will not rule out a new form of nuclear test clarified by it in the March 30 statement. This...

This week, Australian justice Michael Kirby, who led the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea, is briefing members of the U.N. Security Council regarding the widespread atrocities being committed on a daily basis against innocent people by one of the world’s most repressive regimes. Given Russia’s recent actions in Ukraine and other global challenges, the report of this U.N. commission has not received the attention it deserves.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Former Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Oliver North said Friday that Ukraine is paying the price for America’s lack of leadership under President Barack Obama. “The people of Ukraine are at this very minute paying the terrible price for America’s leadership deficit disorder and the Obama organization’s utopian rush to unilateral disarmament,” North said at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference held outside Washington, D.C. He continued, ramping up his criticism of President Obama’s approach to national defense and foreign policy. “We don’t need a head of state who guts our defenses and draws phony red lines...

Oliver North is a former United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and, currently, a political commentator on Fox News and author. His latest book, “American Heroes,” looks at the individuals working to fight Islamic terrorists. “The profession of arms in the United States arm force has to be the most challenging vocation in the world — for those who serve, and for those who love the service member,” North writes. “There is no other calling I know of that places so many challenges on familial relationships, so much stress on loved ones, as military service.” North joins POLITICO for the...

Full title: Col. Oliver North: 'There is no strategy' to the defense budget that reduces military to pre-WWII levelsVIDEO at link: Ollie North up to the 4:45 minute mark. GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Colonel Oliver North joins us. Nice to see you, Colonel. LT. COL. OLIVER NORTH, HOST, 'WAR STORIES' & FORMERLY U.S. MARINE CORPS: Good to be with you but not on a day like this. VAN SUSTEREN: All right. I was going to ask you two things. Two-part question. First, do we have to make cuts in the military? Is that smart and wise? And secondly,...

BURLINGTON, N.C. -- Governor Pat McCrory talked to WFMY about Madison Kimrey, the Burlington girl who has been asking to sit down with him for months. more....

The burning heart of liberal activism and indignation this summer can be found, of all places, in the charming capital city of the Tar Heel State. On Monday, for the 11th week in a row, thousands of protesters descended on the copper-domed Capitol denouncing the policies of a Republican Party that for the first time since Reconstruction controls North Carolina´s governorship and legislature. Some 800 agitators have been arrested for disrupting the legislature. By all accounts, these "Moral Monday" rallies, though peaceful, are growing in size and volume. The rallies have caught the eye of the national media,

As a sign of just how divisive the recently ended Colorado legislative session has been, it may very well result in a literal division of the state. As many as eight counties composing the rural, oil and gas-rich northeast corner of the state are pursuing a plan to cut ties with a capital city they no longer feel represents their interests and come together as the 51st state in the country: North Colorado. “We’re actually going to pursue it,” said Weld County Commissioner Douglas Rademacher, a farmer whose jurisdiction is spearheading the effort. “Frankly, we’ve been ignored in northeastern Colorado...

Don’t expect the energy boom in Montana and the Dakotas to end anytime soon. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the formations below these three states hold double the amount of oil and triple the amount of natural gas than was believed five years ago. National Journal reports: The formations, called Bakken and Three Forks, span much of western North Dakota, the northern tip of South Dakota and the northeastern tip of Montana. The last time the United States Geological Survey assessed this area for its oil and gas reserves was in 2008. But that assessment did not...

Question! I'm trying to learn more and keep up with the movements, etc in North Korea. Where on the internet are there some good, reliable websites that Freepers go to for news about the rogue state? For instance there was a Freeper a few days ago who had posted about how you can go online and watch North Korea's "objects" in orbit. Anyhow just curious! Would be great to pool some news resources!

President Obama warned North Korea on Thursday that his administration will take "all necessary steps" to defend the United States from aggression and urged Pyongyang to tone down its threats. "Now is the time for North Korea to end the kind of belligerent approach that they've been taking, and to try to lower temperatures," he said in the Oval Office, after a meeting with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. "Nobody wants to see a conflict on the Korean Peninsula." North Korea, he said, must "observe the basic rules and norms" set by the international community, including the UN. "We...

Former Texas congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has announced plans for a K–12 curriculum for home-school students that will offer them “an education in liberty like no other.” The first phase set to launch in September, and all subjects will be taught, but the curriculum will put an emphasis on primary-source documents that focus on the “basics of Western Civilization and Western liberty — how it was won, how it is being lost, and how it will be restored” rather than textbooks.

The top U.S. military commander in the Pacific on Tuesday defended the decision to delay a key missile test, saying the U.S. has already demonstrated its capabilities to North Korea and suggesting there's no need to further inflame tensions with an "unpredictable" leader. Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, stressed that the U.S. has a "credible ability" to intercept any missile launch from North Korea -- as the regime reportedly prepares for a launch as early as Wednesday. But Locklear voiced concern that North Korea's new leader Kim Jong Un is "more unpredictable" than his late father Kim...

Even after he was forced to see his mum being hanged and his brother being shot dead, he was convinced he had done the right thingWhen 13-year-old Shin Dong-hyuk overheard his mother planning an escape from their North Korean death camp, he knew exactly what he had to do. He told the guards everything and watched as his mum and brother were dragged away. And in an even more shocking confession, Shin has revealed that after he was forced to see his mum being hanged and his brother being shot dead, he was convinced he had done the right thing....

Crackpot Kim Jong-un’s regime today issued a chilling threat to British diplomats warning them to get out of Pyongyang. Alarmingly the North Korean government said it would not be able to guarantee the safety of embassies from April 10. Russian diplomats have also been advised to evacuate. Today the Foreign Office added that it is “considering next steps” after the threat. It is still unclear why next Wednesday has been set as a deadline – but it is sure to spark fears despot Kim Jong-un will launch an attack after that date.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said Friday that the administration wouldn't be surprised if North Korea followed through on threats to launch a missle. "We've obviously seen the reports that North Korea may be making preparations to launch a missile. We're monitoring this situation cclosely, and we would not be surprised to see them take such an action," Carney said during a press briefing. "We have seen them launch missiles in the past and the United Nations Security Council has repeatedly condemned them as violations of the North’s obligations under numerous Security Council resolutions, and it would fit their...