Free Republic

The United States government shutdown has begun — Oct. 1, 2025 — but for how long? Here's what to know about the longest shutdown in history and the betting odds on when a funding bill will pass. President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans hit a stalemate with Democrats over health-care policy changes and failed to reach an agreement in the funding bill. Democrats blocked a Republican proposal to keep the government operating at existing funding levels through Nov. 21, resulting in the 10 government shutdown since 1980. U.S. government shutdowns occur when funding legislation to finance the federal government is...

Britain’s practically perfect star enters her 10th decade today. To celebrate we look back over the remarkably rich, radical – and sometimes risqué – career of an actor best known for tucking up children in the mid 1960s Dame Julie Andrews, so crisply accented, sweetly tuneful and girlish in her most famous movie musicals, has always had a sense of humour about her angelic image. She won the 1965 Oscar for playing a “practically perfect” English nanny for Walt Disney, but that didn’t stop her from driving around Los Angeles with a “Mary Poppins Was a Junkie” bumper sticker on...

The FBI said Wednesday it had cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish group that tracks antisemitism, after Republicans criticized the group for including slain activist Charlie Kirk's organization in a glossary on extremism. In a social media post, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau "won't partner with political fronts masquerading as watchdogs." The ADL did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear what sort of ties the FBI had with the ADL. Patel's announcement followed criticism of the ADL by conservatives, including billionaire Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr., over...

Brace yourself, America: the federal government has been shut down. Congress will no longer be able to pass any bills and all federal agencies will grind to a halt. But, there will also be some very serious consequences. Here are the 7 most terrifying: The Capitol cafeteria will not be able serve Ted Cruz his customary afternoon Ho Hos: Devastating. That department you've never heard of that does nothing for you will be furloughed: You can kiss the Commission on Overseas Native Fisheries goodbye. Government workers will lose thousands of hours of sleep they would otherwise be getting at work:...

The United States will provide Ukraine with intelligence for long-range missile strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, as it weighs whether to send Kyiv weapons that could put more targets within range. The United States has long been sharing intelligence with Kyiv but Wednesday's report said the new development will make it easier for Ukraine to hit refineries, pipelines, power stations and other infrastructure with the aim of depriving the Kremlin of revenue and oil. According to U.S. officials cited by the Wall Street Journal, approval on additional intelligence came shortly before President Donald...

It seems that the world of technology—including the automotive industry—is undergoing a “re-buttoning” phase. While touchscreens remain a dominant feature in vehicle interiors, automakers are revisiting the value of physical controls as drivers rediscover their importance. Driving, after all, is one area where practicality and safety demand simplicity. But what’s driving this shift in design philosophy?” Rachel Plotnick, an Associate Professor at Indiana University Bloomington and something of a “button guru,” has been studying this tactile resurgence for years. As the author of Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic, and the Politics of Pushing (2018), Plotnick has explored the...

The Mohave County Sheriff's Office in Arizona discovered the sisters alive and well in California through DNA, and now it wants justice for whoever killed their mother.Two California sisters missing for 36 years were found alive and well in their home state with the help of familial DNA, authorities investigating their case in Arizona said. When they were discovered in August, Jasmin and Elizabeth Ramos were living under new names given by foster parents who raised them in Ventura County, California, unaware of their missing status. Now authorities want to find the killer of their mother, Marina Ramos of Bakersfield,...

This police officer with the Leon County (Florida) Sheriff's Office is so paranoid, that he sees a guy (Robert) parked at a gas pump, with a gas pump in his hand, trying to pump some gas, and he immediately thinks it's something else in his hand. He gets scared. He pulls into the gas station, gets out of his police cruiser and draws down on the guy, shouting at him. Details: https://thecivilrightslawyer.com/2025/10/01/paranoid-cop-mistakes-gas-pump-for-a-pistol/

Oct 1 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday became the first person ever to achieve a net worth of nearly $500 billion, propelled by a rebound in the EV company's shares and surging valuations of the tech entrepreneur's other startups this year. His net worth stood at $500.1 billion as of 4:15 p.m. E.T., according to Forbes' billionaires index. Musk's fortunes are tied closely to Tesla, where he held a more than 12.4% stake as of September 15. The stock has risen more than 14% so far this year and closed 3.3% higher on...

A pub has been renamed The George Orwell in protest over Labour's plans for new digital ID cards. Signage with Sir Keir Starmer's face has been placed on the building of the rebranded The James Atherton boozer in New Brighton, Merseyside. While images were also projected onto the side of the building with phrases from George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, such as 'war is peace' and 'freedom is slavery'. In others, the PM is depicted as the leader of the state of Oceania, while 'Big Brother is watching you' flashes before a large eye appears. Landlord Daniel Davies said he...

Brooklyn black community runs off Antifa thugs Brooklyn, NYC — Antifa showed up in Crown Heights to agitate for a riot in honor of a black child who was killed in 1991 when a Jewish person was involved in a car accident there. Antifa were not welcomed by the black people in the neighborhood.

Elon Musk had a message for his social-media followers on Wednesday morning: "Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids." The Tesla CEO, who made the remarks in response to criticism of an animated Netflix show featuring a teenage protagonist who is trans, indicated earlier on Tuesday that he had canceled his subscription to the streaming service. It's the latest example of Musk wading into the culture wars and urging his 226 million followers to take action against a company with which he disagrees. Netflix's stock was down around 2% on Wednesday amid a volatile market. Musk's denouncement of Netflix...

The case has raised numerous questions about Roberts’ background. A NewsNation investigation found discrepancies in his birthdate across various records — athletic competition records list Dec. 18, 1973, while court documents and his 2017 marriage certificate show Dec. 18, 1970. Universities deny credentials listed on Ian Roberts’ official biography Roberts’ LinkedIn profile and official biography list degrees from multiple institutions, including Morgan State University. However, Morgan State said Roberts “did not receive any degree or certificate” from the institution. St. John’s University confirmed he received a master’s degree but not a doctorate. Roberts’ attorney said his client obtained a doctorate...

Yom Kippur concludes at sundown Thursday, ending the 10-day period on the Jewish calendar known as Days of Teshuvah.The San Diego Police Department said its officers would be on heightened alert against any potential threats to the Jewish community starting Wednesday, when Yom Kippur begins at sundown. "As always, when it comes to Yom Kippur, or any other significant event, we will conduct extra patrols in the areas where there are places of worship," SDPD spokesman Lt. Travis Easter said Tuesday. The department cited tension in the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war and recent attacks on places of worship,...

When federal agents led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided a South Shore residential building early yesterday, it understandably raised eyebrows. So what was that all about? And why was that particular building targeted? On Tuesday night, Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) claimed on Twitter that the Venezuela-based street gang Tren de Aragua was behind it. “TdA’s took over the building,” Lopez wrote, adding, “they will not be missed — except by @ChicagosMayor & the Leftinos!” In fact, CWBChicago has learned the building raided by the feds was the site of a murder where a migrant was shot dead while...

Democrats want to provide extravagantly expensive free healthcare to illegal aliens from throughout the world so as to draw them here to receive benefits at other people’s expense, thereby building their voter base for generations to come. This treasonous strategy may have worked for them in the past due to their stranglehold on the media. But that control is slipping. Journalists sometimes ask uncomfortable questions. Watch prominent congresskook Maxine Waters (D-CA) squirm and snap when called on her party’s willingness to shut down the government over free healthcare for foreign invaders: video on link When a Democrat calls you “divisive,”...

Confusion and fear gripped H-1B visa holders over the weekend as a sudden US policy change forced some to choose between family commitments abroad and their careers in the United States. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, part of a broader immigration crackdown, sent shockwaves through the tech and finance sectors, prompting workers from India and China to abandon travel plans and rush back to the US. At San Francisco airport, an engineer whose wife was scheduled to fly to Dubai described the impossible decision he faced. “It is a situation where we...

A member of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints has raised nearly $200,000 for a shooter who fatally gunned down four Mormons while they were worshipping at church. Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of Burton, rammed his pickup truck into the Grand Blanc Township church on Sunday morning, before opening fire and setting it ablaze, killing four. He was then shot dead by police who were responding to the bloodbath. Now, David Butler, a Mormon, has started a GiveSendGo to help Sanford's family despite him taking the lives of his fellow churchgoers which has so far raised more than $192,000. 'Like...

A government shutdown may worsen conditions for the already struggling economy of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, hammering a region that has been affected by dramatic federal job losses under the Trump administration.With congressional leaders unable to reach an agreement on federal funding levels and health care policy changes, the government shut down at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, with no clear resolution to the impasse or indication of how long it will last. Shutdowns typically involve hundreds of thousands of federal employees being furloughed or working without pay. Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget released a memo last week...

Elon Musk told his 226 million X followers to “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids” at 7:42 AM on October 1, 2025, and he had already replied “Same” to a user’s cancellation the night before, which sparked a #CancelNetflix wave. His posts followed a clip of the animated series Dead End: Paranormal Park and renewed circulation of screenshots attributed to creator Hamish Steele after the September 10, 2025, killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Within hours, “#Cancel Netflix” trended on X, and the call drew millions of views. Netflix shares slipped about 2 percent in early trading, though...