Free Republic

From March 26th to March 31st, over 100 crime writers are participating in an auction to support the Transgender Law CenterThese are dire times. Human rights, and especially the rights of trans folks, are under attack. And thankfully, some of the crime fiction community has come together to fight back. For the next week, leading up to the March 31st Day of Trans Visibility, over 100 crime writers are participating in an auction benefitting the Transgender Law Center, including such folks as Roxane Gay, David Baldacci, Gillian Flynn, Louise Penny, and many more. According to the fundraiser’s press release, “this...

<p>Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch said he got the notice Thursday afternoon.</p><p>The chamber makeup is now 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats.</p><p>Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, whose panel holds nominee confirmation hearings for the post, said he got a call from the White House about the matter Thursday afternoon.</p>

Republican Randy Fine holds the edge ahead of a Special Election for Congress. Republican Randy Fine holds the edge ahead of a Special Election for Congress. But his lead over Democrat Josh Weil falls within the poll’s margin of error despite the heavy GOP tilt of Florida’s 6th Congressional District. That’s according to a survey done for Florida Politics by St. Pete Polls ahead of the Tuesday Special Election to succeed former U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz. The results show Fine winning just over 48% of the vote, while Weil received just over 44%. The poll of 403 likely voters in...

Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal Las Vegas police arrested Paul Kim, 36, related to his “targeted attack” on a Tesla center. According to police, Paul Kim used Molotov cocktails and firearms during his attack on the Tesla center last Tuesday morning. Kim was charged with third-degree arson, shooting a gun into an abandoned structure/vehicle, destruction of real property, and possession of a flammable device. Paul Kim is expected in court this afternoon. DEVELOPING: @ClarkCountyNV jail records show @LVMPD have arrested Paul Kim, 36, for the @Tesla collision center firebombing. Charges include arson and destruction of property. First court appearance will happen...

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is renewing efforts to fully eliminate the Transportation Security Administration, accusing the federal agency of inefficiency and invading travelers’ privacy. Lee, along with Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., introduced the Abolish the TSA Act on Thursday, which would dissolve the TSA and establish a separate Office of Aviation Security Oversight to manage airport security. The office would operate completely under the Federal Aviation Administration and transfer security activities and equipment to private companies instead.

AMSTERDAM, March 27 (Reuters) - A man stabbed five people and was arrested near Amsterdam's central Dam square on Thursday, Dutch police said. "The suspect was overpowered with the help of a citizen ... As his leg was injured, he was taken to a hospital," police said in a post on social media platform X. Police had earlier put the number of victims at four. They said they had no further information on their condition. The motive of the assailant was unclear and under investigation, police added. SNIP

Subtitle: Changes would reshape the nation’s health agencies and close regional offices

The United States has halted its financial contributions to the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to three trade sources who spoke with Reuters. This latest action follows a 2019 decision during Trump’s first term to block new judge appointments to the WTO’s top appeals court, weakening the organization’s dispute settlement system. Washington had criticized the WTO Appellate Body for overstepping its judicial authority in trade disputes. In 2024, the WTO’s annual budget stood at 205 million Swiss francs ($232.06 million), with the United States contributing around 11% based on its share of global trade, according to public documents from the...

Andrew Cuomo and his then-married top aide, Melissa DeRosa, were in an “emotional romantic relationship” while he was New York governor, according to bombshell testimony obtained by The Post. But Cuomo — who is running for New York City mayor — seemingly failed to disclose any such relationship to Attorney General’s Office investigators probing sexual harassment allegations that prompted his resignation in August 2021. Another former Cuomo aide, Josh Vlasto, told the AG’s office that June that DeRosa had confided in him about the relationship, according to an unredacted transcript of his testimony. “There was a conversation with Melissa where...

In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said agents detained Ozturk because she “engaged in activities in support of Hamas.” “Rumeysa Ozturk is a Turkish national and Tufts University graduate student who was granted the privilege to be in this country on a visa. DHS and ICE investigations found Ozturk engaged in activities in support of [[Hamas]], a foreign [[terrorism|terrorist]] organization that relishes the killing of Americans,” the statement read. “A visa is a privilege, not a right. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated. This is commonsense security.”... However, Ozturk was already...

“The bad guy is in jail,” Attorney General Pam Bondi declared after a multi-agency raid on the home of the East Coast MS-13 gang leader, early Thursday morning. Another promises-made-promises-kept moment by the Trump administration. The bad guy, whose identity has not been released, is, like 341 other suspected illegal alien gangsters captured in Northern Virginia in the past month, “not going to like where [he is] going.” The MS-13 East Coast leader was living in the declared sanctuary of Prince George's County, just a few miles away from the White House. “This guy was living in a neighborhood right...

It's still not known what caused the Sindbad submarine to sink. One report, from the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, suggested the vessel may have hit a reef at a depth of around 20 metres. A woman now tells Russian outlet Ren TV, in a phone interview, that water flowed into hatches as passengers boarded the submarine. Ekaterina says as they took their reserved seats, water started "pouring in" as two hatches were open. She says it was as if the submarine had fallen off "whatever it was holding on to". Earlier, we learned that tourists are taken out...

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - Discussions are being held on whether Representative Elise Stefanik should step away from her nomination to be President Donald Trump's U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a White House official said on Thursday. Pulling her from the nomination would be done in part because of concern about Republicans' tight majority in the House of Representatives, which she would leave if confirmed for the post.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith responded on Wednesday to the barrage of criticism she's faced from across Canada for her recent diplomatic efforts and media appearances in the U.S. During Wednesday's afternoon session in the Alberta Legislature, Smith said she's been unjustly criticized for her attempts to persuade officials that a trade war between the U.S. and Canada would be a bad idea. She defended her strategy, characterizing her actions as entering the "lion's den" to change the hearts and minds of Americans that Canada needs on its side. "I will not be silent. Alberta will not be silent. We will...

If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadorian prison.

Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY) said Thursday on CNN’s “News Central” that President Donald Trump needed to be “held accountable” for the Signal chat among senior national security officials. Host Wolf Blitzer said, “I know you heard the testimony from Trump administration officials, senior intelligence and national security officials this week. Did they tell the truth about the nature of these very sensitive discussions during the course of this unsecured commercial app conversation on what’s called Signal?” Meeks said, “They absolutely lied. They’ve been lying all along. They’ve tried to cover it up. Look, there’s been no there’s no question once...

There were no reports of injury due to the fire but officials offered the following safety tips for those considering purchasing an electric vehicle: Before buying an EV, have a qualified electrician install a dedicated circuit for your charger as older home wiring may not be suitable. When charging your EV follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and consult your dealership if needed. Use a charging device certified by a nationally recognized testing lab. Plug Level I chargers directly into an outlet, never use an extension cord or adapter. Install a residual current device to detect faults and prevent fires. Keep charging...

It’s apparently Opposite Day. A leftist economic think tank funded by George Soros is crying that the media lied about President Joe Biden’s economy … by trying to convince everyone that it was bad. What is this, the Twilight Zone? Center for Economic and Policy research co-founder Dean Baker put out a nutty blog March 25 headlined, “Yes, the Media Lied About the Pre-Election Economy.” At first glance we would agree with that, but digging into the finer details reveals that Baker wasn’t referencing how much leftist media outlets simped for Bidenomics to the point of beclowning themselves into a...

A government watchdog group is calling for the job of an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) official who played a part in a major-Obama era scandal at the agency before being promoted by the Biden administration now runs a key division of the tax collection agency. Holly Paz was former IRS Commissioner Lois Lerner’s top deputy at the agency as Lerner and the Obama IRS allegedly targeted political opponents, and she is currently listed on the IRS website as the commissioner of the agency’s Large Business and International Division. The American Accountability Foundation (AAF) — a right-of-center government watchdog group —...

Ukraine Is FURIOUS As EU Admits DEFEAT And Changes The Narrative European “Coalition of the Willing” initiative is facing massive challenges with regards to sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. Reuters is reporting that the Europeans will shift to other methods of ensuring peace in Ukraine, as the US is not willing to back this coalition up. Ukrainian officials have responded to these set backs and are not happy. Mark Rutte has tried to reinforce the belief into NATO in a recent interview he gave.