Free Republic

On March 18, 1965, the world saw the first person to venture outside a spacecraft, floating in the vastness of space. This is the story of how two cosmonauts almost died several times while performing this historical move. First spacewalk by Alexei Leonov On March 18, 1965, at 10 a.m. Moscow time, the Soviet spacecraft Voskhod-2 with a crew consisting of Pavel Belyaev and Alexei Leonov launched from the base in Baikonur (modern-day Kazakhstan). At 11:35 a.m., Alexei Leonov left the airlock of the ship and became the first man to perform a spacewalk. He spent 12 minutes and 9...

After Iran, Israel does not have a greater enemy than Qatar. In addition to Qatar providing Hamas with financial and diplomatic support, Qatar is also funding the ‘Palestinian’ propaganda war against Israel in America. Most especially in our schools, but also on television and on social media. Qatar’s goal is to erode American public support for Israel, thereby destroying American diplomatic and military support for Israel in the years ahead. ... Qatar shaping anti-Israeli curricula for 8,000 American schools in all 50 states ... Pro-Hamas, Iranian-aligned Gulf state using its petro dollars to shape the curriculum used by thousands of...

NASA's stranded astronauts are finally on their way home after a brutal nine months in space. After months of tense anticipation, Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) at 1.05am ET (5.05am GMT) on the Dragon spacecraft made by Elon Musk's SpaceX. The pair, along with NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Aleksandr Gorbunov, will now make the 17 hour descent back to Earth and, if all goes according to plan, should splash down off the coast of Florida at 5.57pm ET (9.57pm GMT). 'Crew nine is going home,' Hague, the commander of departing Crew...

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This story stinks worse than that which was rotten in Denmark. So, Some Quick Thoughts (SQT) on it. This was and is a planned op. It clearly was expected that the new administration would try to deport him. Hence, his comment to his wife when getting picked up; the huge legal team including several $1,000/hr high-profile litigators; the PR teams at work; etc. They had things ready to go, and I think the only thing that caught them off guard was how fast he was taken to Louisiana. Someone, and I don’t think it purely domestic, wanted to make him...

The Youngbloods reached widespread recognition in 1969 with the release of "Get Together."Jesse Colin Young, the co-founder and vocalist for ‘60s folk-rockers The Youngbloods, has passed away at the age of 83. Young’s passing was announced by his wife and manager, Connie Young, who confirmed that he died at his Aiken, South Carolina home on Sunday (March 16). No cause of death was given alongside the announcement. Born Perry Miller in New York City in 1941, Young grew up in a musical household and was encouraged by his parents to learn piano from a young age. Attending Massachusetts’ Phillips...

In just seven short years, Malone Lam Yu Xuan went from being a student in a secondary school in Choa Chu Kang to being dubbed crypto whizz-kid by some in the US in 2023. Many who saw his spending spree were amazed a 19-year-old could afford large mansions, a fleet of expensive cars and luxury clothes. In truth, Lam was living off the millions in crypto he stole from various investors, he later told investigators in the US. This was before August 2024, when he allegedly got involved in the theft of Bitcoin valued at more than US$240 million (S$320...

For decades, commanders have dreamt of unlimited ammunition in the form of laser beamsIsrael has said it will deploy its Iron Beam this year, potentially beating most countries in fielding a high-powered laser defence system. Behind the claims – one analyst called it a “watershed” moment – there are important limitations of laser systems that could delay their widespread use. To illustrate how difficult it has been to turn a laser design into something that can be brought on to the battlefield, Iron Beam was announced by manufacturer Rafael at a defence show in Singapore in 2014. Eleven years later,...

The last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, John "Paddy" Hemingway, has died at the age of 105. Mr Hemingway, who was originally from Dublin, joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a teenager before World War Two. At 21, he was a fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain, a three-month period when air force personnel defended the skies against a large-scale assault by the German air force, the Luftwaffe. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Mr Hemingway, saying his courage and those of all RAF pilots had "helped end WWII and secure our freedom". Those who fought...

… Oregon transportation officials say that without more funding, residents like (Timothy) Taylor could see further declines in the quality of roads, highways and bridges starting this year. But revenues from gas taxes paid by drivers at the pump are projected to decrease as more people adopt electric and fuel-efficient cars, forcing officials to look for new ways to fund transportation infrastructure. States with aggressive climate goals like Oregon are facing a conundrum: EVs can help reduce emissions in the transportation sector, the nation’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, but they also mean less gas tax revenue in government...

A French Parliament member is demanding the US return the Statue of Liberty, claiming America has lost its way and no longer stands for what the iconic sculpture represents. “We’re going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: ‘Give us back the Statue of Liberty,’ ” the left-leaning French dip, Raphaël Glucksmann, said during a recent convention of his political party, Place Publique, according to the French newspaper Le Monde.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz instruct the IDF to act forcefully against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Dozens of targets struck from the air, senior officials eliminated. Hamas claims 250 dead. The IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) began conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday morning, in accordance with the political echelon, said the IDF and Shin Bet in a joint statement. … “ Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength. The operational plan was presented by the IDF over...

President Donald Trump removed Hunter and Ashley Biden's Secret Service detail after learning of the 'ridiculous' cost to taxpayers, citing Hunter's recent trip to South Africa. Joe Biden gave his children six months of Secret Service protection after he left office. It's not an unusual move by a president. Trump gave his children six months of protection after his first term. But Trump blasted Biden's son for going to South Africa and taking his detail, citing the high cost to the U.S. taxpayer. Hunter's wife Melissa Cohen is originally from South Africa. Hunter has 18 agents. Ashley has 13 in...

Security footage circulated on social media showed people waving pythons around in a Tennessee gas station in an apparent attempt to steal cannabis oil. Employees reported seeing the group of snake-wielding men and women inside the Citgo truck stop on Highway 138 in Denmark, a small town roughly 75 miles outside of Memphis. The Madison County Sheriff's Office, which provided photos of the March 4 incident, said the suspects were holding two pythons and stole about $400 worth of CBD oil, WREG reported. The video showed the men placing the snakes on the counter. One was completely coiled up, while...

I have supported aiding Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. I don’t understand conservatives who want America to watch Russia crush an independent country. That is not the America I thought conservatism embraced. At the same time, the opponents of aid to Ukraine do make valid points. For example, America should not seek regime change in Russia; peace should be pursued as vigorously as war; and compromises — such as an agreement that Ukraine does not apply for NATO membership, at least for a specified amount of time — will be necessary. But there is one argument made by...

A disgruntled United Airlines passenger punched a gate agent in the face which knocked the airport staffer to the ground, leaving him unconscious. The violent outburst happened last Thursday evening at 5:30pm at Virginia's Dulles International Airport by gate D12 when Christopher Stuart Crittenden, a 54-year-old man from Frederick, Maryland, suddenly lost control and lashed out. Video footage, which has since gone viral, captures the moment as Crittenden strides toward the gate agent and without warning swings his fist striking the unsuspecting employee squarely in the face. The force of the impact was so severe the agent instantly fell to...

NASA's Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams undock from the ISS tonight and you can watch their departure live online. Watch live here and read our preview story and read our live updates.

amid reports suggesting these carriers, namely USS Carl Vinson, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and USS Abraham Lincoln, might be heading towards Iran. This movement is part of broader strategic military positioning in the region, possibly in response to heightened tensions involving Iran and its allies, like the Houthis in Yemen. No official statement has confirmed Iran as the specific target, but the deployment signals an increase in military readiness.

and wide-ranging strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip by Israel happening simultaneously. Gaza ceasefire officially over, according to the Prime Minister’s office.

Jimmy Lai, Catholic imprisoned for crticizing the CCP, heads to trial; Trump promises to "get him out"Almost five years since Communist China charged Jimmy Lai for allegedly breaching its draconian National Security Law (NSL), the show trial of the Hong Kong media mogul, pro-democracy activist, and Catholic convert, is still ongoing. Most recently, President Trump promised to "get him out" of jail. "It'll be easy to get him out," said Trump, "but people don't talk about it."On March 11, Sebastien Lai, Jimmy’s son, urged for his dad’s liberation from the long arms of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to...