Free Republic

I came to Kyiv from Italy to visit some friends living here last summer. My intention was to spend a few days in the city, and then go on a long trip back to Rome, through Eastern Europe, via trains and buses. During those two weeks, I never left a two-mile radius in the old city. While Rome and Italy felt stale, stuck in their ways, overly touristic, dying on the vine, and emotionally unstable, Kyiv showed signs of hope, strength and newness—like a strong flower poking through the hard dirt. There was a feeling of optimism in the youth—passionate...

This past week, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned European politicians that “the lack of tough-sounding rhetoric regarding immigrants and refugees has paved the way for right-wing populists like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, the Alternative for Germany Party, and Donald Trump to gain traction with voters. Preying on voters’ fears that allowing masses of semi-civilized immigrants into their countries endangers their cultural history, these political outsiders have threatened the long-term progressive governing coalition in several countries.” Clinton advised that “we need to take a more nuanced message to the voters who currently matter in order to keep the doors...

US District Judge Jon Steven Tigar in San Francisco blocked the Trump Administration's policy requiring applicants for refugee status to follow established legal procedures. According to Tigar, "the Trump Administration protocol discriminates against the estimated 500 members of the migrant caravan whose criminal records make following established legal procedures impractical. Under the Trump protocol these criminals would be automatically barred from entry—totally negating their chance for integrating themselves into the United States." Unsurprisingly, the Trump Administration denounced Tigar's ruling, calling it contrary to law and vowing to appeal it to a higher court. "It's just one more example of the...

MADRID (Reuters) - Migrants from Central America are turning to former colonial master Spain as they face rejection from the United States in their attempts to escape rampant violence and poverty at home, but the streets of Madrid offer little relief. After selling all they have to pay for flights to Europe, the migrants often end up sleeping on the streets or in doorways, without warm clothes, food or cash....

Do you see the Pilgrims as folksy people in funny hats? The true story of the Pilgrims’ great journey to America was one of courageous faith, daring escape, and tenuous survival. Theirs is the story of refugees who fled intense religious persecution. Bible Gateway interviewed Jay Milbrandt (@JayMilbrandt) about his book, They Came for Freedom: The Forgotten, Epic Adventure of the Pilgrims (Thomas Nelson, 2017).As a lawyer and historian, how have you joined those two elements in writing this book?Jay Milbrandt: A lawyer is a storyteller. It’s our job to understand and explain the facts. I see my role as...

What would you NOT want to find in a Prayer Room in an International Airport? One concerned traveler walked into the Islamic Prayer room in an airport and was shocked by one of the books he found on the shelves there. There were the usual mundane finds. A Koran, as you might expect, was on the shelves. Someone put a Bible in there, too.

President Trump’s chief of staff John Kelly may soon be pushed out of the White House after clashing with first lady Melania Trump. The top White House aide and the first lady have had disputes over staffing issues and travel requests, NBC News reported Tuesday. "There have been instances where the East Wing staff were not treated as equals to the male-dominated decision makers in chief Kelly’s office," one White House official told the news outlet. "Promotions were denied then finally granted after months of requests.” Some of the arguments have escalated to the president. The first lady brought up...

It appears that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is unable to afford the astronomical rent for a D.C. apartment until she gets her first Congressional paycheck. But who paid for her to campaign and criss-cross the country? AOC barely campaigned within her own district. I doubt that she received thousands of dollars in small donations, given that she won her primary when three-fourths of the district didn't even come out to vote. She was a mini-Queen maker, endorsing candidates in Hawaii, for example. And Hawaii is not cheap. The plane tickets, the hotels, the clothes she wears, food....all this stuff isn't cheap...

Thorough exploration of the Olympic Peninsula. Best of 51 Days & 32 Videos. Come along on the adventure!

Video offering panoramic and aerial views of Aleppo has been released by the Syrian ministry of tourism in an apparent attempt to say that the country’s historic pearl is finally ready to receive visitors.

The sun sets on a cool autumn Sunday afternoon but the action is just getting started at one of Seoul's oldest establishments - the Gwangjang Market. The century-old market began its life as the Joseon dynasty was coming to an end with merchants looking to counteract the increasing influence of their Japanese counterparts. It survived the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910-1945, but part of the market was destroyed in the 1950-1953 Korean War. What survives today is a bustling market that offers traditional clothes and persimmon-dyed fabrics. Fresh fish, local meats, rice cakes, and huge vats...

Everyone not named Franklin D. Roosevelt hates Daylight Saving Time. The constant back and forth is confusing, especially for those who have an early Sunday morning commitment. The Standard Time Act of 1918 gave the federal government power to oversee national time zones. That power was extended with the passage of the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which allows the Department of Transportation (DOT) to set Daylight Saving Time for the entire country. Why DOT? Because "time standards are important for many modes of transportation," or something like that. Despite decades of observance, however, more and more Americans are rebelling...

In one of those Veritas undercover videos, Dominic Chacon, a field manager for the O'Rourke campaign in El Paso, Texas tells Anapaula Themann, a field organizer for the O'Rourke campaign, about his efforts to get supplies to the caravan from Honduras trying to make its way into the United States. "These are all potential votes for Beto," Chacon asserted. "We've got to do whatever we can to ensure that they get here by election day. They need food and water. Beto has the money to pay for these supplies. We would be letting him down if we don't get these...

The unveiling of a new GOP TV ad featuring Luis Bracamontes, an illegal immigrant who was convicted of killing two California deputies in 2014, was declared "unfair" by what the media described as numerous "experts." Arizona State University professor Kim Fridkin called it a "scare tactic. Just because some immigrants are murderers doesn't mean we shouldn't let them in. After all, some native born Americans are murderers. Does this mean we should kick them out? I think we ought to pay heed to the wisdom of Forrest Gump. A caravan of immigrants is like a box of chocolates—you never know...

<p>In the latest episode of CNN‘s Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, the late Bourdain gives a critical take on the U.S.-Mexico border wall debate while speaking posthumously on how the building of such a massive structure would impact the millions of people who have long benefited from living within proximity of the crossing point.</p>

• McDonald's locations worldwide have unique menus that reflect the local cuisine of that country. • Many of these items aren't available in the United States. • We've rounded up some of the most interesting menu items from McDonald's locations around the world. Whether it be masala veggie burgers in India or rice and beans in Costa Rica, international McDonald's menus feature a wide variety of options that aren't available in the United States. In addition to the classic Big Mac and fries, every McDonald's restaurant in the world has a custom menu that reflects the typical cuisine of that...

Two potential 2020 presidential contenders placed their bets on open borders as a winning issue in their expected bids for the office. California Sen. Kamala Harris (D) and Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) both made strong statements in support of the caravan from Guatemala that aims to crash its way into the US by election day 2018. "America is a welcoming place," Harris said. "We are, after all, a nation built on immigration. The people in this caravan are just like the people in America. We all want a government that puts food on the table and pays our bills....

In Honduras she had run a stall selling pupusas, a local tortilla, but been forced to shut down after being extorted by street gangs. "If you don't pay them they kill you," said the woman, drawing a finger slowly across her throat. "It's like a tax of war, money to bandits, and you can't not pay. "They made me pay 300 lempira a week - $12. To you it does not sound like a lot, but for me it was a lot. I had to close." After shutting her stall three months ago the 35-year-old, who gave her name as...

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (KFVS) - If you’re driving around southern Illinois over the next couple days, odds are you’ll see a traveling merchant selling shirts, hats, beanies, and just about anything else you can fit President Trump’s image on. We spoke to some of these merchants who come from places all over the country. They travel from rally to rally selling merchandise, some of them full time and others in busy seasons. Justin Williamson set up shop in Carbondale just off Route 13 outside the University Mall. He said southern Illinois has been welcoming to him since arriving. “Just opened up...

...Migrants tore down a fence and attacked police with bottles and rocks when they were told that only 100-200 people would be allowed to enter each day. The caravan is believed to have formed in San Pedro Sula (a violent city in northwest Honduras) earlier this month, when a group of 200 people agreed on social media to travel to the US together. The group quickly grew in size as more people saw an opportunity to travel safely without paying a smuggler. ...Mexico responded by offering to grant asylum to the entire caravan and has appealed to the UN for...