Free Republic

Some experts believe the deal signifies an easing of tensions between Tehran and Washington. Five American prisoners held in Iran flew out of Tehran on Monday officials said, as part of a deal that saw nearly $6 billion in Iranian assets unfrozen. Despite the deal, tensions are almost certain to remain high between the US and Iran, which are locked in various disputes, including over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran says the program is peaceful, but it now enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels. The planned exchange has unfolded amid a major American military buildup in the Persian Gulf,...

The idea that Rep. Matt Gaetz will run for Florida governor in 2026 has been the topic of several conversations in Tallahassee over the past few days, including during a reception Sunday night for the incoming speaker of the Florida House. Gaetz has long been considered on the shortlist of those who will try to seek the Republican nomination for governor, a field that is expected to be crowded because the incumbent, Ron DeSantis, will be facing term limits. DeSantis is currently running for president but would have two years remaining in the governor’s mansion if that run falls short....

Drew Barrymore isn’t bringing back her daytime talk show “The Drew Barrymore Show” until the strike ends, after all. The decision comes a week after the actor was criticized for saying “The Drew Barrymore Show” would premiere on Sept. 18 in compliance with WGA guidelines and without writers. “I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show’s premiere until the strike is over,” Barrymore wrote on Instagram. “I have no words to express my deepest apologies to anyone I have hurt and, of course, to our incredible team who works on the show and...

Seen as a face-off between the old and new guards in jazz, Duke Ellington’s ‘Money Jungle’ album proved they were on the same continuum.First released in 1962 via the United Artists label, Duke Ellington’s collaboration with bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Max Roach, Money Jungle, was a momentous jazz summit. Though often seen as the moment where the old guard (Ellington) squared up to jazz music’s young lions (Mingus and Roach), the generational differences between its three participants are often exaggerated. Certainly, Ellington was entering his twilight years – he had just turned 63 – but Mingus, then aged 40,...

Disobeying a police order can carry a maximum sentence of up to six months in prison in Sweden. Greta Thunberg has been charged with disobeying a police order, just months after she was convicted for the same offence. The Swedish climate activist was fined 2,500 Swedish krona (around €200) in July for not leaving a protest when ordered to by police. She admitted during court proceedings that she had disobeyed a police order but pled not guilty, saying she was acting out of necessity. Thunberg told reporters at the Malmö district court that it was “absurd that those who act...

Jack Moore and his children, from left, Danny Moore, Jackie Justice, Davidson and Donna Lane.MOORESVILLE – While many things are constantly changing, one Main Street mainstay has been D.E. Turner & Co. Hardware, which celebrated its 124th year on Sept. 9. On Saturday, visitors had the opportunity to enjoy refreshments, look around the store and learn some of its history, share memories and pass along congratulations to Jack and Danny Moore for their many years of work. Family and friends dropped by the store to visit with Jack Moore, who has been serving the community for 77 years, and son...

When Republicans took power in the House of Representatives, they began trying to find evidence to make the case that President Biden had profited from the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden. They have not found that evidence, and struggled to bring public focus to their investigation – that is, until this week, when it was given the imprimatur of impeachment. But this impeachment case is different – both in substance and in process – than the ones that loom large over the legacies of former presidents like Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.

Former President Trump says he “saved” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) from being convicted in his Texas impeachment trial through his “intervention” on the social media platform, Truth Social. “Yes, it is true that my intervention through TRUTH SOCIAL saved Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from going down at the hands of Democrats and some Republicans, headed by PAUL RINO (Ryan), Karl Rove, and others, almost all of whom came back to reason when confronted with the facts,” Trump wrote Monday, in reference to former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove.

This is one of the greatest movies ever made. There isn't a single bad part in the entire thing. The actors were absolutely fantastic, as was the directing Cast: Raymond Massey, Cary Grant, Jack Carson, Edward Everett Horton, Priscilla Lane.

The U.S. Air Force has formally launched a competition to build its new fighter jet, the Pentagon’s first in two decades, with the winner to be selected next year. The acquisition strategy for the Next Generation Air Dominance, or NGAD, aircraft “incorporates lessons learned from recent Air Force acquisition programs and will leverage open architecture standards,” the Air Force said in a statement released Thursday. “This approach will enable the government to maximize competition throughout the life cycle, provide a larger, more responsive industry base, and drastically reduce maintenance and sustainment costs.” This solicitation release “formally begins the source selection...

Former President Donald Trump has drawn outrage from pro-life conservatives after he panned a six-week abortion ban championed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as “terrible.” “I think what he did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake,” Trump, 77, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” when asked about the policy in an interview that aired Sunday. The 45th president’s remarks triggered backlash among anti-abortion activists, including from groups like Live Action and Students for Life,*** “Pathetic and shameful. Trump is actively attacking the very pro-life laws made possible by Roe’s overturning,” Lila Rose of Live Action said on X, formerly...

Elon Musk, Andrew Tate and Tucker Carlson led the charge in supporting Russell Brand in the wake of a bombshell exposé alleging he raped and abused four women over the course of seven years. “Of course. They don’t like competition,” Musk wrote in response to Brand’s video suggesting he is being targeted as part of a “coordinated media attack” for his right-wing criticism of the media, which he details on his podcast “Stay Free.” Social media influencer Tate — who is awaiting trial in Romania for rape and human trafficking charges — also threw support behind Brand on the platform....

Ukraine could have avoided hundreds of thousands of deaths and lost less land if it had reached a peace deal with Russia before the conflict began last February, former US President Donald Trump told NBC News in an interview aired on Sunday. The loss of Ukrainian territory to Russia is “something that could have been negotiated,” Trump told NBC host Kristen Welker, adding that “a lot of people expected” Kiev to abandon its claims to “Crimea and other parts of the country” in exchange for peace. “So they could have made a deal where there’s less territory [lost] than Russia...

Following her unilateral diktat on Sept. 8 to ban all citizens from carrying firearms anywhere in Bernallio County for 30 days, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a revised public health order on Friday. The governor’s withdrawal of the wider ban comes after a national backlash and after U.S. District Judge David Urias sided with Second Amendment rights supporters on Wednesday and issued a temporary restraining order preventing the enforcement of the wider gun ban. It’s worth noting that Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate rejected numerous proposals to fight crime in the 2023 session. House Republicans introduced 10...

Originally established as Olds Motor Vehicle Company by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, Oldsmobile was, for most of its existence, GM's entry-level premium brand. Purchased by General Motors in 1908, Oldsmobile slotted above Chevrolet and Pontiac and below Buick and Cadillac. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The division was noted for several innovative technologies and designs. It was the first automaker to offer a fully automatic transmission, it produced the fastest cars of the early 1950s thanks to the Rocket V8 engine and built the world's first turbocharged production car in the 1960s. Oldsmobile became one of America's best-selling brands in the 1970s...

Former US AG files brief in district court claiming Fani’s prosecution of Trump violates Supremacy Clause of Constitution Not everyone in D.C. is a scuzzy swamp rat. In fact, there are still some seasoned politicians who stand as staunch defenders of the Constitution. Among these patriots is none other than Edwin Meese, former U.S. Attorney General during the Reagan era. At the ripe old age of 91, Meese has not only offered his perspective on the Georgia racketeering (RICO) trial involving former DOJ Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark, and calling it as a “noteworthy challenge to federal authority,” but he...

Big pharma spends more money on advertising for drugs that have lower health benefits for patients, according to a study published in JAMA on Tuesday, shedding new light on the almost uniquely American practice amid fierce debate over whether direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads should be banned.

Authorities announced Monday that two incredibly rare Roman cavalry swords were uncovered in the Cotswolds, England, during a metal detectorist rally.The two Roman cavalry swords were found along with their wooden scabbards and fitments, according to a press release from the Cotswold District Council. There was also a broken copper alloy bowl discovered with the weaponry.Fitments were discovered by Glenn Manning during a metal detectorist rally in the north of the Cotswolds.The swords have been appraised by Professor Simon James from Leicester University who says that these weapons are middle imperial Roman swords, which are often referred to as a...

Archaeologists from the Haskovo Regional Museum of History discovered a third Thracian tomb with murals the likes of those in Kazanlak and Alexandrovo, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported. The tomb dates from the late 4th and early 3rd century BC.The Odrysian Kingdom was established around 460 BC by the Thracian tribe the Odrysians and lasted until the Roman conquest in 46 AD. The Odrysian Kingdom included the territories of the entire modern-day Bulgaria, Northern Greece, the European part of Turkey, and a small part of Southeastern Romania.Unfortunately, at this point, the Thracian murals in the tomb itself have been damaged;...

Seems like COVID's everywhere again. But here's good news from Pfizer! This season's updated COVID-19 shots are now available for ages 6 months and up, and they're designed to help protect against recent variants. That is why today, at 8pm, the Empire State Building turned its iconic building blue to announce that the CDC recommends everyone 6 months of age and older get this season's updated COVID-19 shot. The blue light symbolizes our gratitude and appreciation for the updated vaccines and all those who made it possible.