Free Republic

ANYONE WHO has stood in a long queue at border control, or bypassed one, knows that not all passports are created equal. Citizens of some countries can speed through the gates; citizens of others must submit to interrogation and delay. Henley & Partners, a consultancy that helps rich people acquire citizenship in attractive countries, ranks passports by the number of countries their holders can enter without a visa. Its latest assessment of passport power shows that America is sliding down the table. Our map below shows how countries compare this year. Asian countries dominate the top of the table. Singapore...

A grand jury has chosen not to indict the father of two Kentucky State University students who faced murder charges following an on-campus shooting that left one student dead and another critically wounded. Following Tuesday's hearing, defense lawyer Scott Danks announced via social media that grand jurors voted against indicting his client, Jacob Lee Bard, for the Dec. 9 shooting, and he has been released from custody. Bard's legal team previously told media outlets that 20 to 30 individuals had assembled to attack his son and family, and that he acted justifiably in shooting two people who were assaulting his...

How has the Postal Service escaped the eye of Trump for reform?

Each Christmas The Economist names a country of the year. Not the happiest: that would nearly always be Scandinavian, making for a dull, predictable contest. Nor the most influential: that would always be a superpower. Rather, we try to identify the country that has improved the most, whether economically, politically or in any other way that matters.The year was a turbulent one, with President Donald Trump disrupting global trade and horrific conflicts scarring places such as Gaza and Sudan. But several countries navigated choppy waters well. Canada elected a sober technocrat as prime minister, rather than a populist, and stood...

...for over two millennia, the great civilizations of the Mediterranean... possessed copper in abundance. They had gold, timber, and grain... What they did not have was tin... in the early centuries, tin came from... Central and South Asia, from the Zeravshan Valley in what is now Tajikistan and the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan... By the Late Bronze Age, the kingdoms had turned to the sea... In 1982, a sponge diver off the coast of Grand Cape in Turke... found what came to be known as the Uluburun shipwreck... mostly, it carried metal. There were ten tons of copper, in the...

"...uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case" That post this afternoon from the US Justice Department...Thomas Massie... "they expect you to believe this involves only two guilty people"... Two oil storage tanks catching fire following a Ukrainian... Shelling continuing on the border between Thailand and Cambodia... The Federal Emergency Management Agency denying 30 million dollars in aid... The new Pentagon report on China's military...nine aircraft carriers in service by 2035... An Israeli attack in southern Lebanon tonight... In the Honduran Presidential Election of November 30th, the candidate backed by... Algeria's parliament today unanimously voted...

When describing U.S. President Donald Trump’s governing style, and particularly his relationships with other countries, two words tend to come up frequently: “mercurial” and “transactional.” The latter suits several U.S. allies, partners, and even adversaries just fine, while the former has buffeted even some of Washington’s closest and most enduring partnerships over the past year. In examining which countries have benefited the most and least from the second Trump administration, we intentionally excluded the parties to the two biggest conflicts that it is trying to mediate—one between Israel and Hamas, the other between Russia and Ukraine. Both of those conflicts...

In today’s culture, with the countless adaptations of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, some adaptations have been forgotten, or cast into the shadows for more modern interpretations. It is not difficult to see how and why this is, especially since there are so many adaptations going all the way back to the silent movie era. This particular version of A Christmas Carol, is one of the most historically significant because of a number of unique factors, of which I am going to address further in this piece....

Christmas has with it a special mood attached to it. Either that mood reflects a fantasy-based perspective, or it has a deeply profound and serious one. In the 1970’s an independent French Film Producer by the name of Alexander Salkind in partnership with his son, Ilya, decided to go way bigger in their movie-making ambitions, by financing big film projects in America by taking American staples and making them big budget films.

He reportedly had stopped in the bookstore to charge his phone when he felt an 'internal build up that led to his fight or flight response kicking in.' He then allegedly attacked Loncharich without any specific motive.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia has quietly expanded access to its only store that sells alcohol, allowing wealthy foreign residents to buy booze in the latest step in the once-ultraconservative kingdom’s experiment in liberalization. There’s been no official announcement of the decision, but word has gotten out, and long lines of cars and people can now be seen at the discreet, unmarked store in the Diplomatic Quarter of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The store opened in January 2024 for non-Muslim diplomats. The new rules allow non-Muslim foreigners who hold Premium Residency to buy. The residency permit goes to...

Diamonds aren't just for jewelry. From their cosmic origins in dying stars to their formation deep within the Earth, these gems possess unique properties that could revolutionize our world. This documentary uncovers the science behind both natural and man-made diamonds, exploring how scientists are creating "super diamonds" that are tougher and more efficient than anything found in nature. Discover how these new diamonds could replace silicon in our electronics, power space exploration, and usher in a new technological age. How This Gem Could Be The Future Of Technology | 45:38 | 284K subscribers | 777,488 views | August 2, 2025

Silver’s market value has reached about $4.04 trillion, slightly higher than Apple’s $4.02 trillion at the close of trading on Wall Street on Tuesday. Silvetr prices kept climbing in global markets, with futures rising above $71 an ounce. This has taken silver’s gains this year to almost 150%, making it world’s third most valuable asset, moving ahead of Apple Inc, the CNBC reported. The top two spots of most valued assets globally are now held by Gold and Nvidia. Silver market capitalisation reaches $4.4 trillion. Silver’s market value has reached about $4.04 trillion, slightly higher than Apple’s $4.02 trillion at...

Asteroid 2024 YR4, has sparked concern about its chance of hitting Earth in December 2032. How worried should we be? Scientists Warn Asteroid YR4 May Impact Earth - What We Know So far | 20:22 Dr Ben Miles | 2.17M subscribers | 462,064 views | February 23, 2025 0:00 The Discovery 2024 YR4 0:56 How to Spot an Asteroid 3:07 Ad Read 4:33 Why Are We So Bad at Predicting Asteroid Impacts? 11:42 How Much Damage Could YR4 Do? 13:04 How Could We Stop Asteroid YR4? 16:34 Conclusion

For Unto You Is Born This Day... A Savior...Christ The LordMerry CHRISTmas, Troops!! LUKE 2:1-20 King James Version (KJV) 1..And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2..(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3..And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4..And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of...

Down Under, the pace of life in the control tower looks entirely different. Shorter weeks, more predictable schedules, and a culture that prioritizes balance – it’s no surprise that it’s drawing attention from those feeling crushed by the system back home. Many of these professionals aren’t chasing bigger paychecks. Over 40% of controllers in the US regularly pull six-day weeks with 10-hour shifts. Many opt for patterns that promise a few days off but come at a steep cost to the body’s natural rhythms. You might finish an afternoon shift and then start a midnight one just hours later. It’s...

Courtesy of Bethesda's game series Fallout. You've heard of Yule logs? Well here is the Ghoul Log! Ninety minutes of streaming video of a poor sap's fat arm burning in a fireplace. Wayne Newton music helps set the mood.Click here to join the Ghoul as he and Dogmeat enjoy the holidays

Wednesday 24 December 2025 24 December San Gregorio Maggiore, Spoleto, Italy Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(II).First reading2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before meOnce David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’ But that very night...

Although there is much to lament in the unconstitutional and illegal policies of the Trump administration, not enough has been said about its lack of compassion and basic human decency. How does it change us as a nation to witness countless acts of cruelty by our government? How does it change how we talk in our society to see a president refer to other nations as “shithole” countries or to tell a female reporter, “quiet, piggy”?

Just wondering if any other Freepers are spending this Christmas Eve solo. Just my trusty greyhound and me here, settled in for a relaxing evening with a latte, Ralphie Parker and George Bailey. Anyone else flying solo tonight?