Free Republic

As a confrontation between Hong Kong protesters and Chinese authorities escalates, Donald Trump has decided to turn up the heat a little himself. Trump had been oddly quiet about the pro-democracy protests in China’s administrative state, even though they have adopted the American flag as one of their symbols of protest. Over the last twenty-four hours, however, Trump has used his Twitter feed to urge Xi Jinping to have a “personal meeting” with protesters to resolve the standoff — and hinted at US trade action if Xi plans any other kind of response.This began last night: I know President...

Ed Smart, the father of kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart, posted on social media Thursday that he is gay, divorcing his wife and doesn’t see a place for himself in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In “one of the hardest letters I have ever written,” Smart wrote in a Facebook message to family and friends that “I have recently acknowledged to myself and my family that I am gay.”

A woman named Paneez Kosarian came home to her apartment building in San Francisco Sunday night and found a homeless man waiting outside. Kosarian says she spent five to ten minutes talking to him, perhaps hoping he would leave so she could enter the building alone. She told KPIX he was warning her that the receptionist inside the building was a robot who wanted to kill her and claiming he was the last human on earth.The bizarre conversation quickly transformed into a more pedestrian robbery when the homeless man demanded Kosarian hand over her phone and wallet. At that...

Listen to every minute of Katie’s indepth analysis of what it means: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQha2IMjYBA Seriously, get your adult family and friends and cast this to your big screen and watch all of it because this is one of the very big ones. And make a copy if you can because although Katie is careful to avoid Google censors, they will likely pull this one. This is a part of the planned declass, bit by dripping bit, and this gets us ready and focused on other pieces that will be coming bit by bit. And Hillary can’t escape saying she knew nothing...

The family of the Dayton, Ohio shooter have apologised for releasing an "insensitive" obituary that fails to mention the "terrible tragedy". Connor Betts, 24, was a "funny, articulate and intelligent man", the tribute said. The killing of his sister and eight others in a shooting on 4 August was not acknowledged. Conner & Koch, a funeral home in Bellbrooke, Ohio, posted the obituary to its website on Tuesday. A separate obituary posted on the website for their 22-year-old daughter, Megan - who was among her brother's victims - did not mention the shooting either. Friends of Megan say she identified...

After first saying they would waive their anti-BDS law and allow Reps Omar and Tlaib into the country, Israel changed its mind today and decided to ban them from coming into the country on Sunday. In 2017 the Knesset passed an anti-BDS law that blocks foreign BDS activists from gaining entry to Israel as the BDS movement is not only anti-Semitic but calls for the destruction of the Jewish State of Israel. Note: If anyone needs a refresher on BDS and why it is anti-Semitic, it’s explained in this article. ... President Trump lobbied hard for Israel the two members...

"Their actions and their words have been dangerous and their anti-Semitism, their support to the BDS movement -- I mean they personally led an effort to ensure the House of Representatives couldn't pass a bill to condemn anti-Semitism," "This is the wrong direction," McSally added. "We need to stand closely with Israel and not allow their dangerous ideas to be fueling any of the rhetoric that is against the Jewish people against Israel and supporting the economic BDS [Boycott, Divest, Sanction] movement and others." McSally told Payne that she hoped Pelosi would stand up against Omar and Tlaib, call out...

Remember when Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke ran for president? You might not, there's a lot of other stuff going on these days. But he did! He started strong, with a Vanity Fair cover and everything. All the people who were excited about Beto losing to Ted Cruz started getting excited about him losing to Trump. But for months now, Beto has been trailing his younger, smarter, gayer rival Pete Buttigieg in the polls. The Under-50 White Guy lane is too crowded. Beto's presidential aspirations have gone from "unlikely" to "very unlikely." Things have not been going well. And you know...

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday sought to reassure his supporters about the state of the U.S. economy despite the stock market volatility and told rallygoers in New Hampshire, a state that he hopes to capture in 2020, that their financial security depends on his reelection.“Whether you love me or hate me you have to vote for me,” Trump said.Speaking to a boisterous crowd at Southern New Hampshire University, Trump dismissed the heightened fears about the U.S. economy and a 3% drop Wednesday in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which was fueled by a slowing global economy...

Full Title: Well well well, ya’ DON’T say! Metadata in Hillary Clinton’s emails contained a VERY interesting Gmail address Pardon this editor while she adjusts her tinfoil hat … every day it gets a little bigger and shinier so adjustments here and there are necessary. And hey, after you read this thread about the infamous Hillary emails from The Epoch Times’ digital editor, Ivan Pentchoukov, you’ll see why. Ivan Pentchoukov @IvanPentchoukov NEWS: The metadata in Hillary Clinton's emails contained a Gmail address with the name of a Chinese company: "carterheavyindustries@gmail.com" according to documents released by a Senate committee yesterday. Ivan...

President Trump on Thursday told supporters in New Hampshire that he would "always uphold the Second Amendment" and suggested that the construction of new mental health facilities would help curb gun violence. The president lamented the lack of mental health institutions as he spoke about the need to keep guns away from people with mental illnesses. The comments come as the White House and Congress examine new gun laws in the wake of recent mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas. "It's not the gun that pulls the trigger. It's the person that pulls the trigger," Trump said,...

Kampala (Agenzia Fides) - "Africa’s problems are by choice. This is by choosing leaders who are not good", said His Exc. Mgr. Gilbert Justice Yaw Anokye, Archbishop of Kumasi (Ghana) and President of Caritas Africa, during the 18th Plenary Assembly of SECAM (Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar), held in Kampala (see Fides, 30/7/2019). "We have voted corrupt leaders into power by tribal lines; by fear or favour. We have chosen leaders who have not helped Africa up to date since independence. We have had good leaders who have been booted out of power by coup d’etat, supported...

Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro claimed Thursday that Israel made an error in judgment by barring Rep. Ilhan Omar D-Minn., and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., from visiting the Jewish state and said the Israeli government played right into the lawmakers' hands. "Is this a smart move by Israel? No. It is a very not smart move by Israel," Shapiro said on his eponymous radio program Thursday. "If Omar and Tlaib had just gone to Israel and then they had done their little propaganda tour about how Israel is evil and shouldn't exist -- then their ten fans would cheer and...

Prison authorities are investigating how Pell's letter was posted on social media The incarcerated Cardinal George Pell is facing an investigation by Australian prison authorities, after images of a letter he sent to supporters were posted on social media. Pictures of the two-page letter were posted on Twitter Friday by the “Cardinal Pell Supporters” account. According to Australian prison regulations, inmates are not permitted to access social media, or to enjoin others to make social media posts on their behalf. On Saturday, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Community Safety in the state of Victoria said the “activity”...

LGBT launches offensive against Krakow archbishop; fellow prelates hit backGYŐR, Hungary (ChurchMilitant.com) - "We brothers drink from the same cup," goes a saying shared for centuries between Hungarians and Poles. The old saying is finding new meaning as Hungarian bishops — and others in the region — come to the support of Krakow Abp. Marek Jędraszewski, who is being slammed by leftist LGBT forces. Archbishop Jędraszewski has been roundly criticized by pro-LGBT groups, both in and out of Poland, for calling the movement "a rainbow plague" replacing the old red one. But the Cracovian archbishop has also been defended by...

Plano ISD Superintendent Sara Bonser opened a dialogue with Ysleta ISD Superintendent Dr. Xavier De La Torre regarding the second annual out-of-district matchup between Plano Senior High and Eastwood High, scheduled for September 6. After consulting with local law enforcement agencies, Plano ISD administrators felt obligated to prioritize the safety of the participating players, students, families and communities, and have concluded that the timing of the game falls too soon after the tragedy in El Paso.

The son of my ex-wife has been killed in an horrific accident at JFK airport. He's not my biological son but believe me I care a lot. Any Freeper prayers that can be lifted up for my ex-wife in this troubled time will be appreciated...her name is Ermin. I have great faith in Freeper prayers. Thank you all.

ROME - Italy’s most famous populist and hardliner on immigration, and the man now seemingly poised to take control of the country all by himself, has denied that there’s any conflict between himself and Pope Francis and said meeting the pontiff would be a “great honor.” Matteo Salvini, currently Italy’s Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, made the comments in a forthcoming interview with the Italian magazine Oggi (“Today”). “Millions of Italians voted for me - for the most part, I believe, Catholics - [so that] I’ll defend the borders and suppress the traffic in human beings,” Salvini said. “My...

A friend of the Dayton gunman...Kollie is charged with lying on a federal firearms form while buying a pistol not used in the attack...Dr. Kent Harshbarger said during a Thursday news conference that two people shot Aug. 4 by Betts were also shot by police but that none of the shots were lethal...The coroner said cocaine, antidepressants and alcohol were found in Betts’ system at the time of the shooting. A pipe device and a clear baggie carrying cocaine was found on Betts’ body.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Cory Booker on Thursday said he would create a White House office to combat white supremacy and hate crimes if elected, becoming the latest Democratic presidential candidate to call for action after a racially motivated massacre in Texas. Booker said he would also require the FBI and the Justice Department to allocate the same level of resources and attention to white supremacist-inspired violence as they devote to international terrorism.