Free Republic

On the third day of a union strike of municipal workers, garbage is piling up in Philadelphia, and some workers are resorting to threats and vandalism against residents who dare to break the strike. The City of Philadelphia is negotiating with members of the AFSCME District Council 33 union, who are asking for a wage increase of 8% per year. The city has offered to increase wages by 7% over three years, which led to the worker strike beginning Tuesday. Since then, residents are reporting that garbage is piling up and threatening their standard of living. "This is a nightmare,"...

Claire Shipman, the acting president of Columbia University, issued a private apology this week after leaked messages revealed she suggested removing a Jewish trustee over her pro-Israel advocacy, sparking a firestorm amid ongoing federal scrutiny of the university’s handling of antisemitism on campus. “The things I said in a moment of frustration and stress were wrong. They do not reflect how I feel,” Shipman wrote Wednesday in an email obtained by Jewish Insider, which she sent to “trusted groups of friends and colleagues.” The messages, sent in 2023 and 2024 while Shipman was co-chair of Columbia’s Board of Trustees, were...

A man has died after he was attacked by a bear in one of Romania's most scenic mountain regions. The victim, who had been riding a motorcycle, stopped at a popular tourist area on the Transfagarasan road on Tuesday morning, authorities said. The bear dragged him down a steep ravine with an elevation drop of around 80 metres (262ft), they added. "Unfortunately, he was already dead when we arrived," Ion Sanduloiu, head of the Arges County Mountain Rescue Service, told the BBC. "The injuries were extremely severe. Even though he was wearing a helmet and full protective gear, it wasn't...

In a move that has sparked outrage among religious communities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has escalated his administration’s campaign against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), a cornerstone of spiritual life for millions of Ukrainians. The latest blow came when Zelensky signed a decree stripping the revered 80-year-old leader of the UOC, of his Ukrainian citizenship, according to Ukraine’s SBU security service agency. The SBU claims Onufriy, also known as Orest Berezovsky, acquired Russian citizenship in 2002, a charge the metropolitan has denied. In April 2023, Onufriy admitted to briefly holding a Russian passport but insisted he relinquished it, affirming his...

Former President Joe Biden made a rare reentry into the spotlight Thursday to attack President Donald Trump’s landmark legislative victory, posting on X just hours after the “One Big Beautiful Bill” cleared the House. “The Republican budget bill is not only reckless — it’s cruel,” Biden wrote. “It slashes Medicaid and takes away health care from millions of Americans. It closes rural hospitals and cuts food assistance for our veterans and seniors. It jacks up energy bills. And it could trigger deep cuts to Medicare while driving up the deficit by $4 trillion. All of this to give a massive...

The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the deportation of several immigrants who were put on a flight in May bound for South Sudan, a war-ravaged country where they have no ties. The decision comes after the court’s conservative majority found that immigration officials can quickly deport people to third countries. The majority halted an order that had allowed immigrants to challenge any removals to countries outside their homeland where they could be in danger. The court’s latest order makes clear that the South Sudan flight detoured weeks ago can now complete the trip. It reverses findings from...

Amid rumors surrounding the health of Chinese President Xi Jinping, sparked by his unexplained absence from public view in recent times, speculations are rife that a major change may be coming soon within the political leadership of China. While Xi Jinping is believed to be firmly in charge of affairs at this point, there are other high-ranking leaders within the Communist Party of China (CCP), that potentially replace him. Li Qiang - The current Premier of China Ding Xuexiang - The First Vice Premier and Politburo Standing Committee Member Wang Huning - The current Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political...

Mossad to Tehran: We already know your ‘secret’ war commander. “We know exactly who he is and know him well. Unfortunately, such basic information is hidden from the Iranian people. Please send us your guesses about his name.” By Jerusalem Post Staff. July 1, 2025. An account said to belong to Israel’s Mossad intensified its online campaign against Tehran on Tuesday, seizing on a Tasnim News Agency report that the Islamic Republic would not reveal the name of the newly appointed commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters and declaring on its Persian-language X account: “We know exactly who he...

The Democrat Party is grappling with internal divisions following Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York City’s Democrat mayoral primary election this week. Mamdani, a 33-year-old New York State Assembly member, decisively defeated disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo with 56% to 44% in the final ranked-choice voting results. Two prominent Obama-era officials, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and former Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag, have publicly opposed Mamdani’s candidacy, warning that his progressive economic policies could harm New York City.

I'm asking Secretary Burgum to put Trump on Mt. Rushmore. Given the scale and scope of President Trump’s recent achievements—especially the impending enactment of the Big Beautiful Bill, the historic act that will ignite America’s Golden Age—it is essential that we immortalize President Trump’s likeness on Mount Rushmore. Like Washington, Trump did not seek his position for glory but out of love for his country, championing American independence and reshaping the presidency with dynamism, clarity, and purpose. Like Jefferson, he expanded America’s horizons by pursuing new frontiers and breaking away from deep state tyrants. Like Teddy Roosevelt, Trump took on...

A Minnesota Department of Education headquarters employee has been forced out after a conservative news site reported on the man’s prior conviction of criminal sexual conduct. Agency officials confirm that Wilson Tindi's employment ended last week, although the department hasn’t said if he was fired or he resigned. The departure came after Alpha News, a news site that caters to the political right, posed questions to the agency about Tindi's 2016 conviction on fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges for which he served time in a county workhouse. Tindi worked as director of internal audit and advisory services for about two...

ICE agents have set up shop at NYC immigration court and have been clearing it out on a daily basis. Activists are appalled, calling these deportation arrests illegal and immoral, however proponents say ICE remains within their legal authority to deport people who do not have permission to live in America... especially after due process has concluded. Journalistic report, includes news footage, commentary and analysis.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) just four days after fighting Jake Paul at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the arrest on Thursday, saying Chavez was being processed for "expedited removal from the United States." The announcement also stated that Chavez has an arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement with the Sinaloa Cartel.

President Donald Trump's administration released its annual report revealing the salaries for every staffer inside the White House. The report shows employees' earnings in a range of $59,070 at the lowest to $225,700 at the highest, though a few aren't accepting salaries at all. The top-paid staffer at the White House is Jacalynne Klopp, senior advisor and ONLY staffer earning $225,700. Behind her is Edgar Mkrtchian, an associate counsel, making $203,645. Behind them comes a group of 33 staffers making $195,200, which includes many well-known names. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt takes in this level of salary, as does...

It's been quite a few months for Donald, his administration and the Congress. I doubt any president has had his successes in the same first 5 or so months - or even a 4 year term - that he has had. Which now begs the question - now what?? My 2 cents is to win the mid terms and codify all or most of those executive actions. Pick them off one by one so the next president can not easily unwind these E.A.'s And when given the opportunity, fill a SCOTUS seat with a true constructionist. Your thoughts???

Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist candidate for New York City mayor, has come under fire from critics who label him a "communist" – a charge he dismisses as a distraction. However, the criticisms may not be as unfounded as Mamdani claims. Videos show the NYC mayoral candidate espousing language and theories rooted in communist revolutionary language. In one 2021 video, Mamdani urges fellow socialists at a conference to not compromise on goals like "seizing the means of production." In a second video, released on YouTube by progressive advocacy group The Gravel Institute that same year, Mamdani discusses the need to...

Congress passed a massive tax and spending cuts package Thursday that curbs billions of dollars in spending across clean energy. That means people will be paying a lot more for home solar, energy efficiency and other green technologies — and the nation’s efforts to address climate change just got a lot more challenging. The bill supports mining, drilling and production of the oil, coal and gas that are largely driving Earth’s warming and the increasingly deadly and costly extreme weather that comes with it. Producing and burning these fossil fuels also contributes to air pollution and human health problems.

Former Vice President Kamala hasn’t decided whether she will run for California governor next year, but a new poll released Wednesday shows that she would be a favorite of voters if she does. Though many voters were undecided, Harris was the choice of 41% of survey respondents, compared to 29% who opted for an unnamed Republican candidate, according to a poll by the University of California Irvine. She also had the greatest favorability ratings and is most well known compared to all of the candidates who have announced. “The path to governor seems well-paved for Vice President Harris if she...

This criminal illegal alien's rap sheet is below: On January 22, 2012, California Highway Patrol arrested Chavez and charged him with DUI alcohol/drugs and Driving Without a License. On June 23, 2012, the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, convicted Chavez for the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol and sentenced him to 13 days in jail and 36 months’ probation. On January 14, 2023, a District Judge issued an arrest warrant for Chavez, for the offense of organized crime for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking and manufacturing crimes, in the modality of...

Russian President Vladimir Putin swiftly exited an interview to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump. A video that emerged online shows Putin amid a panel interview with a packed crowd, informing them that he needs to leave to speak with Trump or risks upsetting him. "Please don't be angry, I understand that we could talk more, but it's so awkward to make [Trump] wait, he could get offended. Thank you very much, good luck," Putin told the crowd.