Free Republic

The House of Representatives passed a bill that would limit the Department of Energy’s authority to set energy conservation standards for household appliances, a measure Republicans argue would prevent the agency from imposing unrealistic standards that raise costs for families. The House voted 217-190 on Tuesday to pass a bill written by Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) that would amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which requires the DOE to set minimum efficiency standards for consumer appliances and commercial equipment. The bill would “prevent future administrations from prioritizing a radical rush-to-green agenda over the affordability and availability of reliable household...

A Somali driver caught barreling an “80-ton truck” the wrong way down a Missouri highway failed an English proficiency test — and wasn’t able to read road signs, authorities said. The trucker was filmed driving south in the northbound lanes on Highway 61 near Troy, about 55 miles outside of St. Louis, at 8 a.m. Wednesday before finally crossing over and heading the right way, terrifying video shared by US Transportation Security Sean Duffy on X shows. “We have learned that a truck driver with a Minnesota CDL who couldn’t read basic road signs spent MILES driving the wrong way...

A man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years after being found guilty of murdering a nine-year-old girl as she played with a hula hoop. Deividas Skebas, 26, stabbed Lilia Valutyte to death in a random attack outside the shop where her mother worked in Boston, Lincolnshire, on 28 July 2022. He admitted killing Lilia but denied her murder, claiming his responsibility was diminished by his mental state. However, a jury at Lincoln Crown Court convicted him following an eight-day trial earlier this month. Sentencing, Mr Justice Akhlaq Choudhury told Skebas, who showed little emotion,...

A family of foreigners visiting California were kicked out of the famed La Jolla Cove in San Diego after they were caught allegedly harassing the sea lions. Visitors and tourists to the cove are warned to avoid the sea lions, but unruly behavior has led some activists to call on the state to shut down access to human beings in order to protect the animals. The video shows the mother interacting in broken English with the ranger. "Where are you guys from?" the ranger asks. "China," the mother says. "China? In China, do you guys throw dirt at the animals...

The COMEX Inventory: Silver is published by the Commodity Exchange Inc. (COMEX). This indicator is used to track the amount of silver held in COMEX-approved warehouses. It serves as a key benchmark for assessing supply levels and potential market movements in the silver market. A high inventory level may indicate a surplus, potentially leading to lower prices, while a low inventory level may suggest a shortage, potentially driving prices higher. The inventory data is calculated based on the total amount of silver held in COMEX-approved warehouses. This includes both registered and eligible stocks. Registered stocks are those that are available...

Unofficial accounts of Hillary Clinton’s deposition about her connections to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein paint her behavior in highly unflattering terms, according ton one version of events. Reporter Paul Sperry used his X account to share tidbits from Clinton’s testimony Thursday before the House Oversight Committee. “BREAKING: House Oversight Committee members said Hillary Clinton during her deposition was not honest, kept deferring key questions to her husband, and at one point under questioning, started ‘screaming’ and became ‘unhinged,’” he posted on X. “Her video, end to end, is scheduled to be aired on C-SPAN,” he posted. In another post,...

A murder suspect was hospitalized and a man was arrested after a fight at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse on Thursday, officials said. The fight happened ahead of a court hearing for Marion McKnight, who is accused of killing 16-year-old Jamariyae Dixon in May 2025, according to the nonprofit Mothers Advocating for Real Change and Unwavering Support (M.A.R.C.U.S.). A spokesperson for the nonprofit said McKnight had repeatedly taunted Dixon's family after being released on bond for the charge. He was appearing in court for a bond revocation hearing after violating his pre-trial release conditions. They said Thursday's incident took place between...

Explanation: Normally faint and elusive, the Jellyfish Nebula is caught in this alluring telescopic field of view. Floating in the interstellar sea, the nebula is anchored right and left by two bright stars, Mu and Eta Geminorum, at the foot of the celestial twins. The Jellyfish Nebula itself is right of center, seen as a brighter arcing ridge of emission with dangling tentacles. In fact, this cosmic jellyfish is part of bubble-shaped supernova remnant IC 443, the expanding debris cloud from a massive star that exploded. Light from the explosion first reached planet Earth over 30,000 years ago. Like its...

SHOREVIEW, MN — In the latest in a long line of cruel, heartless atrocities it has committed, the Trump administration has just stripped federal funding from a gas station daycare center with 20,000 students. According to Absame Dihoud, the daycare's proprietor, President Donald Trump's tyrannical actions will leave the 20,000 students enrolled at the New Day Sunshine Learing Center for Kids, which is centered in the Daycare & Gas Rest Stop, entirely without educational opportunities. "Just think of the children!" Dihoud's translator said, gesturing toward a fuel tanker that had just pulled into refuel at the station. "Now there...

My dad is Ken Paxton, and as you may know, he’s running for the United States Senate. I’m not a political strategist or a pundit. I’m his daughter, and I know him better than almost anyone. So when his opponent, unable to compete on record, on results, or on values, resorts to attacking my father’s character and personal life, I feel compelled to speak up. Not as a campaign surrogate. As his daughter. Let me start with what everyone already knows: my dad’s record as Texas Attorney General is extraordinary. He sued the Biden administration over 100 times, fighting back...

Former Pentagon adviser Douglas Macgregor argues the West misread Russia’s strength and that large-scale arms supplies failed to shift the Ukraine conflict. The West is still unwilling to abandon its course of prolonging the conflict in Ukraine, clinging to the belief that sustained pressure will eventually weaken Russia. That assessment was voiced by former Pentagon adviser Douglas Macgregor in an interview with the Swiss publication Die Weltwoche. According to Macgregor, political circles in several European countries remain convinced that Russia is fragile and nearing collapse. He argued that such assumptions bear little resemblance to reality and reflect a profound misreading...

[Catholic Caucus] Irish bishop says young Catholics yearn for ‘clarity’ and tradition, not synodalityYoung Irish Catholics who have grown up in a ‘post-Christian’ society ‘paradoxically’ seek ‘clarity, coherence and tradition,’ Bishop Niall Coll observed.An Irish bishop said young Catholics today seek doctrinal “clarity” and tradition as a counter to the post-Christian world in which they are immersed.At the recent launch of the book Transformative Renewal in the Catholic Church, Bishop Niall Coll of Raphoe, Ireland, highlighted the fact that what young people desire, and need, is not aimless “synodality,” but the solid, unchanging truths of the Church.Speaking of young Catholics...

Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that his office has reached a settlement with investment giant Vanguard, resolving part of Texas’ multistate lawsuit accusing major asset managers of manipulating the coal market through environmental investment strategies. The agreement marks the first settlement in the case Paxton filed in 2024 against BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street, in which he alleged the firms conspired to suppress coal production in pursuit of environmental goals—actions he argued drove up electricity costs for consumers. Under the deal, Vanguard will pay $29.5 million to the participating states and adopt new restrictions on how it uses its...

Some U.S. embassy staff in Israel have been told to leave the country quickly in a message which will be seen as another sign of a possible American attack on Iran as threatened by President Donald Trump. U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in an email to staff at the American mission that those wishing to leave should "do so TODAY," according to The New York Times, in a report confirmed by other outlets.

Last night on his show, Greg Kelly stated he has heard from numerous people in the know, that we will attack Iran today after the close of the stock market. We were also hearing last night that the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier would be able to reach targets within a few more hours. This was the only specific prediction I've heard. I do think Trump is going to strike and that he's going to try and nudge that country toward regime change. Another report said the Iranian government cannot agree to give up their uranium enrichment because it would conflict...

NEW YORK (AP) — Humans and Neanderthals cozied up from time to time when they lived in the same areas tens of thousands of years ago. But we don’t know much about who got with whom, or why. A new genetic analysis offers some ancient gossip: The pairings were more often female humans with male Neanderthals. How exactly this happened remains a huge question mark. Did human women venture into Neanderthal populations, or were the Neanderthal males drawn to larger human enclaves? Were these interactions peaceful, confusing, secretive or even violent? “I don’t know if we’ll ever get a definitive...

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that 25 more arrests had been made in connection with the storming of Cities Church by anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agitators last month. "Today, [the Justice Department] unsealed an indictment charging 30 more people who took part in the attack on Cities Church in Minnesota," Bondi wrote on X. "At my direction, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day." "YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP. If you do so, you cannot hide from us — we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you....

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former president and saxophone player Bill Clinton testified to members of Congress today that his answer to their questions depended on what the definition of "child trafficking" is. "What is…'is?' And furthermore, what really IS 'child trafficking?'" Clinton reportedly told members of the committee. "I would like to ask you all, what does this term mean, and how can I get out of any culpability related to these accusations, rhetorically speaking?" Clinton was grilled on his associations with the infamous deceased billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and what his relationship with the women who worked for Epstein entailed. During...

Former first lady Michelle Obama is coming under some criticism today for urging new moms to put their children aside and pursue a career. Obama urged working mothers to pursue their passions outside the home, assuring them that their children would not be “broken” by the decision, while criticizing society for opposing abortion without providing adequate support for new mothers. Never mind that tons of government programs, private charities, as well as thousands of churches and pregnancy centers provide a whole host of resources for pregnant and parenting moms. In a recent podcast episode of “IMO with Michelle Obama &...

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday that members of her own department secretly installed spyware on government-issued devices used by Trump administration officials, including her phone and laptop, allowing staffers to record meetings and monitor internal communications. Noem said on “PBD Podcast” that tech experts, including Elon Musk and members of his team, helped her uncover what she described as unauthorized surveillance software embedded on devices assigned to political appointees. Noem said the discovery came after outside technology specialists examined DHS hardware and flagged suspicious software activity. “I can’t believe what I found since I’ve been...