https://freerepublic.com/tag/*/ en-us Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:55:16 GMT Focus Forum 15 https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375087/posts Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a highly unusual public apology to a colleague Wednesday, saying her criticism of Justice Brett Kavanaugh for his writing in an earlier immigration case was unfair. “At a recent appearance at the University of Kansas School of Law, I referred to a disagreement with one of my colleagues in a prior case, but I made remarks that were inappropriate,” Sotomayor said in a statement. “I regret my hurtful comments. I have apologized to my colleague.” Sotomayor’s statement followed remarks she made last week in Kansas in which she criticized Kavanaugh for his concurring opinion in a... CNN https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375087/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:55:16 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375086/posts Before Michelangelo, before Leonardo, there was Giotto. Step back into the 14th century to discover the life and legacy of Giotto di Bondone, the man hailed by history as the "Father of European Painting." In this documentary, we explore how a humble shepherd boy from Vespignano shattered the flat, symbolic traditions of Byzantine art to breathe real human emotion, three-dimensional space, and dramatic narrative into the world of the living. Using our analysis model, we decode Giotto's revolutionary "Divine Spark"—from his legendary discovery by Cimabue to the breathtaking frescoes of the Scrovegni Chapel that serve as the "visual vernacular" of... YouTube https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375086/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:47:46 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375085/posts The papyrus, which contains 133 lines of preserved text, is the longest Greek papyrus ever uncovered in the Judean Desert, although for decades it had been misclassified as a Nabatean text and practically lost in the archives of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA)...Upon translation, the team that Cotton Paltiel put together realized the papyrus preserves an incredible snapshot into the Roman legal system and life between two Jewish revolts against the Romans: the Diaspora Revolt (c. 115–117 CE) and the Bar-Kokhba Revolt (c. 132–136 CE). The papyrus, which pertains to a legal case brought before a Roman court, contains the... Biblical Archaeology Review https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375085/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:29:34 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375084/posts Labour has slipped to fourth place in a poll on who people will vote for amid growing pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of the upcoming local elections. YouGov research has still Reform ahead on national voting intention on 24%, with the Conservatives second on 19%. And the latest poll has the Greens gaining two points on Labour, in third place on 18% ahead of Labour on 17%. The Liberal Democrats are fifth on 13%. Labour is expected to lose a number of seats on May 7, with Reform and the Green Party expected to make sizeable gains. There... The Standard https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375084/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:25:00 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375083/posts Santa Rosa City Schools has agreed to pay $6.25 million to settle lawsuits involving the families of two students caught in a deadly March 2023 stabbing at Montgomery High School. The settlement resolves legal action brought by the family of 16-year-old Jayden Pienta, who was killed in the fight, and the family of Daniel Pulido, the student who carried out the stabbing. The families' lawsuits alleged negligence on the part of the school district, arguing that officials failed to take sufficient action to curb escalating violence on its campuses prior to the tragedy. KTVU https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375083/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:19:31 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375082/posts Hundreds of ducks surrendered by a property owner in Riverside County will be available for adoption on Wednesday. The relinquishment of 480 ducks stemmed from overcrowding on a property in an unincorporated area of the county, according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services. “We cannot provide long-term shelter care for this number of animals, so it’s important we work quickly to find placement with rescues, adopters and organizations willing to assist this week,” RCDAS Assistant Director Dr. Kimberly Youngberg said. The ducks were tested for zoonotic infectious diseases, all of which came back negative, officials said. The ducks... ktla https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375082/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:18:40 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375081/posts Sports researcher Alfonso Mañas of the University of California, Berkeley, examined an illustration of a third-century a.d. Roman mosaic discovered in 1860 in Reims, France, by archaeologist Jean Charles Loriquet, according to a Live Science report. Most of the mosaic was destroyed by bombing during World War I, but Loriquet's illustration of the artifact survived in his book, which was published in 1862. Mañas said that the surviving fragment of the mosaic, housed in the Saint-Remi History Museum, closely matches the drawing, which shows animals, hunters, and gladiators. He thinks that one figure in particular, previously identified as a paegniarius,... Archaeology Magazine https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375081/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:16:12 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375080/posts LABOUR has sparked fury by allowing a major Falklands oil field to go ahead — while holding back drilling in the North Sea. The massive Sea Lion development was approved by the Falkland Islands Government late last year, allowing it to move to full production. It is understood it would never be sanctioned without UK backing. The field holds hundreds of millions of barrels of oil and could keep pumping for decades. Key equipment is set to be built in UK hubs including Aberdeen, Newcastle and Rosyth. Island chiefs said the scheme will support the Falklands’ “economic independence”. The Sun https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375080/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:06:26 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375079/posts BUNNELL, Fla. — A Palm Coast man currently campaigning for governor of Florida was arrested Friday morning following a domestic disturbance involving a weapon and threats to kill law enforcement, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Kevin Cichowski, 46, was taken into custody after deputies responded to a residence on Cleveland Court in Palm Coast. Authorities say the emergency dispatch center received a report that Cichowski had battered two elderly victims in the home, striking one with a cane and throwing a cellphone at the other. One of the victims told dispatchers that Cichowski was armed with a gun... Florida's Voice https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375079/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:04:34 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375078/posts 1: Introduction Purpose of the guide 1.1 The Bank of England (the Bank), as the UK’s resolution authority, is responsible for taking action to manage the failure of certain financial institutions, including UK headquartered banking groups and UK-incorporated banks and building societies (together, firms),footnote [1] a process known as ‘resolution’. Resolution allows the shareholders and unsecured creditors of failed firms to be fully exposed to losses, while ensuring the critical functions of the firm can continue and helping to preserve financial stability. Resolution reduces risks to depositors, the financial system, and public funds that could arise due to the failure... Bank of England https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375078/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:04:32 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375077/posts New radiocarbon dates for Mohenjo-Daro obtained by archaeologists at the Sindh Directorate General of Antiquities & Archaeology indicate that the city on the banks of the Indus River in southwestern Pakistan was occupied as early as 2700 to 2600 B.C., about two hundred years earlier than previously thought, according to an IFL Science report. The site is known for its burnt-brick structures spread over some 590 acres, where at least 40,000 people are thought to have lived. Evidence for a system of water infrastructure, including baths, wells, and sewage pits, has been found among the city ruins. Samples for the... Archaeology Magazine https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375077/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:01:09 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375076/posts I'm in I'm in I'm in I'm in X https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375076/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:52:00 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375075/posts Vice President JD Vance responded to Pope Leo's recent comments opposing the war in Iran, as the Vatican has taken heat from President Trump for commenting on political matters, and specifically calling out U.S. policy. Vance was asked about the Pope’s comments at a recent Turning Point USA event, where he suggested that the Pontiff and the president had a difference of opinion over whether the Iran war could be considered a just war. "Number one, when the Pope says that God is never on the side of those who wield the sword, there is a thousand-year, more than a... Townhall.com https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375075/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:48:43 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375074/posts On a day that featured an up-close look at World Series trophies, an intimate tour of Dodger Stadium, a bevy of autographs and all kinds of free swag, somehow, it was a small pack of sunflower seeds that might have made the biggest impression on 14-year-old KK. The teen, who’s living with a critical illness, headed out to Chavez Ravine on Tuesday afternoon with her family thanks to Make-A-Wish and its official sports partner Fanatics. While the day was packed with tickets to see the LA Dodgers plus all kinds of treats and surprises, an adorable pregame moment with Teoscar... New York Post https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375074/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:48:06 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375073/posts Iconic Leftist Hampshire College Permanently Closing at End of the Year “Despite pursuing a financial sustainability plan and raising more than $55 million through its Change in the Making campaign, efforts in enrollment growth, debt refinancing and land development did not yield a viable path forward.” The trustees of Hampshire College have voted to close the school after the fall semester of 2026. This marks the end of a process that began a few years ago when the school began to face the possibility of such a decision. Located in central Massachusetts, Hampshire College is a progressive institution that makes... Legal Insurrection https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375073/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:31:00 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375072/posts WASHINGTON — Mercy for me, but not for thee. Former first son Hunter Biden trashed President Trump’s use of the clemency power while acknowledging the hypocrisy of him doing so after his father Joe gave him an “unconditional” pardon shortly before leaving office. “I’m completely biased as it relates to what my dad did for me. I fully understand how uniquely situated I am in being privileged enough to have received a pardon from my father,” the Biden scion said when asked by MeidasTouch if the pardon power needs reform. “I don’t think that the founders ever imagined Donald Trump.... NY Post https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375072/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:30:23 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375071/posts The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office has already assigned a prosecuting attorney to aid in the criminal investigation of a bombshell rape claim against disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell. LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the rare move after Lonna Drewes, 50, on Tuesday accused Swalwell of drugging, choking and raping her at a West Hollywood hotel in 2018. Drewes delivered evidence to the West Hollywood sheriff’s station shortly after giving a press conference to announce the allegations, saying she has damning texts, photographs and journal entries that will prove the claims. Representatives for LA Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed that... NY Post https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375071/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:17:51 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375070/posts House Democrats will introduce five articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, accusing him of war crimes in connection with the Iran war, abuse of power and mishandling of the Department of Defense (DOD).Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), the first Iranian American Democrat in Congress, will introduce the impeachment resolution, Axios reported after it obtained a copy of the resolution.Eight Democrats are co-sponsoring the long-shot resolution: Reps. Steve Cohen (Tenn.), Jasmine Crockett (Texas), Nikema Williams (Ga.), Sarah McBride (Del.), Brittany Pettersen (Colo.), Dina Titus (Nev.), Dave Min (Calif.) and Shri Thanedar (Mich.).Ansari announced last week that she was... thehill.com https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375070/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:16:09 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375069/posts Fletch17@RealFletch17·3hWait who did they compareTo the Messiah???And ACTUALLY SAID IT???April 15, 2026 In the comments below it: X.com https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375069/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:04:51 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375068/posts Still trying to get rid of the gophers in my yard. I read there are scents they don't like, makes 'em leave so I'm making a natural pest repellent spray infused with peppermint to ward off the gophers. I thought I'd put it up here for anyone else with this problem to try. Not expensive, doesn't hurt pets. Hope it works. Surprisingly this recipe says to mix with distilled water and VODKA!? They will either leave or hang out at the patio trying to hook up with loose gopher chicks 🦫 If I hear them singing Muskrat Love tonight I'll... https://peskylittlecritters.com https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375068/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:58:49 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375067/posts Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Wednesday insisted once again that no ceasefire in Iran would be possible without the inclusion of Lebanon. “The completion and consolidation of a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon will be the result of the resistance and steadfast struggle of the great Hezbollah and the unity of the Axis of Resistance," Ghalibaf wrote in a post on social media. He added, “The United States must comply with the agreement. Resistance and Iran are one soul, both in war and in ceasefire. America should withdraw from ‘Israel First’ mistake." ..... Arutz Sheva https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4375067/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:58:16 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4375066/posts Pro-life leader criticizes Cardinals Cupich, McElroy, Tobin for ignoring abortion on 60 Minutes‘I don’t seem to recall three Bishops doing a lengthy interview with 60 Minutes to denounce President Biden’s policies’ that killed 700,000+ children in chemical abortions last year, Kristan Hawkins said.Pro-life leader Kristan Hawkins has criticized three U.S. cardinals for their interview on “60 Minutes” for failing to speak up about abortion.Hawkins, the president of Students for Life, responded to a clip from CBS’ “60 Minutes” TV interview with Cardinals Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, Blase Cupich of Chicago, and Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C.She wrote: “I... LifeSite News https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4375066/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:50:39 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4375065/posts Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, and the Media. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) LIFE IS FRAGILE . . . HANDLE WITH PRAYER Free Republic https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4375065/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:43:39 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375064/posts One activity that saw a boom during the pandemic was baking sourdough bread. This unique cooking process requires a special starter and feeding the mix almost daily to keep it active. It turns out this fun hobby is still alive and well in New Hampshire. Dragonfly Dough Co. Katlynn Wageling makes a variety of sourdough baked products at Creative Chef Kitchens in Derry. It's a commercial kitchen space where small food businesses can do their kitchen work. In 2025, she started a small business called Dragonfly Dough Company. Wageling said sourdough requires extra work. "It's so much longer, such a... WMUR https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4375064/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:35:03 GMT https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/4375063/posts Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is handing out $500 vouchers to migrants so they can enjoy haircuts, massages and other self-care benefits, despite the city's budget plunging nearly $50 million short. Applicants who are 'low-income, isolated queer and trans migrants, asylum seekers and refugees' are prioritized for the 'wellness allowance.' The initiative, called 'Boston Matters', was created by OUTnewcomers, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ+ migrants in Boston alongside the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement, Mass Daily News reported. Applicants get $250 to $500 toward 'non-clinical care' completely funded by the city agency, which is run by the Democrat's administration. They... daily mail https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/4375063/posts#comment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:35:01 GMT