Free Republic

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a case that sparked national attention, watched as new testimony and never-before-seen footage from the day of his arrest in a McDonald's was unveiled during a hearing this week. Mr Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state charges related to the 2024 murder of Mr Thompson, a father of two, as well as federal counts that carry the possibility of the death penalty. The pre-trial hearing is focused on the defence's attempts to keep certain evidence out of the trial, which has not been scheduled yet,...

The normally proud and defiant French are waving the white flag in the face of migrant terror. Paris has shockingly decided to dim the lights on its annual New Year’s Eve fête along the iconic Champs-Élysées. The massive midnight concert that drew a jubilant crowd of a million people last year — with the festivities having drawn throngs to the “most beautiful avenue in the world” for six decades — has been scrapped and replaced by a pre-recorded video to be viewed in the safety and comfort of French living rooms. The fireworks will still illuminate the Arc de Triomphe...

VILNIUS, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko freed 123 prisoners on Saturday including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski and leading opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava in a deal brokered by an envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump. In return, the U.S. agreed to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash. Potash is a key component in fertilisers, and the former Soviet state is a leading global producer. The prisoner release was by far the biggest by Lukashenko since Trump's administration opened talks this year with the veteran authoritarian leader, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Western governments had...

Left-wing Canadian lawmakers are working to introduce a new bill that would end existing protections for people of faith against prosecution under national “hate speech” laws. Canada’s Criminal Code, which bans what the government deems “hatred against any identifiable group,” contains a so-called religious exemption that protects Canadians who “in good faith” cite religious texts or beliefs. But the left-wing Liberal and Bloc Québécois parties are currently negotiating new legislation, Bill C-9, with an amendment that would remove this exemption.

Texas A&M University generates nearly $1 billion in tuition and fee revenue each year while educating thousands of international students, including those from adversarial or strategically competitive nations such as China, Iran, Russia, and India. This information comes from an analysis of the university’s FY 2025 Executive Budget Summary and newly obtained public records from a Texas Public Information Act request filed by The Dallas Express. A&M’s FY 2025 budget shows the university collects $981,724,000 in tuition and fee revenue, and its public records response confirms that foreign students constitute a significant revenue stream. In 2024–2025 alone, international students generated...

Are we witnessing an unprecedented cultural shift in America? Jack Hibbs sounds the alarm about the rapid growth of Islam and its impact on politics, law, and everyday life from city councils to national headlines. Is America undergoing an expected awakening or an invasion nobody saw coming? Video is 3:39 minutes long.

Corrections officers at a South Carolina prison intercepted a covert package dropped by a drone containing a selection of indulgent fare and banned substances. Guards unwrapped the package to find steak, marijuana, crab legs, an abundance of cigarettes, and to spice it up, a tin of Old Bay seasoning. The illicit meal was dropped into the Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, S.C., by a drone, the South Carolina Department of Corrections said on X on Monday, with the caption, “seems some folks were planning an early holiday Old Bay crab boil and steak dinner along with their marijuana and cigarettes...

Two U.S. soldiers and an American civilian interpreter were killed during an attack Saturday near the city of Palmyra, Syria, according to the Pentagon. Three additional U.S. soldiers were wounded in the assault, the Pentagon added. President Trump in a social-media post called it “an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria.” He warned “there will be very serious retaliation,” adding that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former al Qaeda and Islamist rebel commander, “is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack.”

Police are responding to a reported multi-victim shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. At least two persons were injured by gunshot wounds. Authorities said that more victims are feared. Authorities confirmed that a masked suspect opened fire and then fled the spot. Officers have secured parts of the campus and are searching for the suspect. The condition of the victims is not yet known. Police have urged people to avoid the area as the investigation continues.

A decade-long study of older women found that tea drinkers had slightly stronger bones, while moderate coffee drinking caused no harm. Heavy coffee intake—over five cups a day—was linked to lower bone density, especially in women who consumed more alcohol. Tea’s benefits may stem from catechins that support bone formation. The researchers say small daily habits could make a meaningful difference over time. Share: FULL STORY Tea May Strengthen Bones in Older Women Tea showed a gentle positive effect on bone strength, while excessive coffee appeared to weaken it. Moderate coffee is fine, but a daily cup of tea may...

Claudia Lenz uses imaging techniques to visualize injuries that are not visible to the naked eye. Credit: University of Basel, Eleni Kougionis Bruises are one of the most common injuries observed on victims of violent crime, especially victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. However, bruises can be difficult for forensic nurse examiners to detect, particularly on victims with darker skin tones. An inaccurate documentation of injuries can be detrimental to the victim’s legal case against their attacker, as well as to the victim’s medical treatment. In cases of strangulation, visible traces such as strangulation marks on the neck fade...

“It’s not the monsters under the bed you need to be worried about, it is the ones you invite into your home.” These are the words of a woman who has spoken of how she believes a forensic marking spray saved her life. When her ex-partner attacked her one day and smashed her car up, she was left fearing for her life. Terrified of what he might do if he came back, she was offered several safety measures by Durham Constabulary, including SelectaDNA personal defence spray, which she accepted. This is a compact forensic marking device which, when sprayed, provides...

A bombshell new report found “insufficient evidence” to back up most of its supposed benefits — and raised serious red flags about hidden risks. “Patients deserve honest conversations about what the science does and doesn’t tell us about medical cannabis,” Dr. Michael Hsu, an addiction psychiatrist at UCLA and lead author of the study, said in a statement. SNIP Even though more than half of users try it for acute pain, Hsu and his team found no solid clinical evidence that it works. Current guidelines don’t recommend cannabis-based treatments as a first-line option for pain management.

Explanation: On December 5, 2022, a camera on board the uncrewed Orion spacecraft captured this view as Orion approached its return powered flyby of the Moon. Beyond one of Orion's extended solar arrays lies dark, smooth, terrain along the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum. Prominent on the lunar nearside Oceanus Procellarum, the Ocean of Storms, is the largest of the Moon's lava-flooded maria. The lunar terminator, the shadow line between lunar night and day, runs along the left of this frame. The 41 kilometer diameter crater Marius is top center, with ray crater Kepler peeking in at the edge,...

Sometimes living with your adult children feels like you’re running a small grocery store, and not in a fun way. One reader shared with Bright Side how her patience ran out after months of watching her daughter-in-law eat everything in sight while her son turned a blind eye. Hi Bright Side,My name is Susan D., I’m 56, and my son and his wife moved in “just for a few months” after some personal issues. I was happy to help (I stocked the fridge, cooked meals, and tried to make everyone comfortable). But 8 months later, it feels like my home...

The EU has agreed to indefinitely freeze Russia’s sovereign assets in the bloc, as Moscow stepped up its threats to retaliate against Euroclear, the keeper of most of the Kremlin’s immobilised money.The decision by the EU to use emergency powers to immobilise €210bn (£185bn) of Russia’s central bank’s assets marks a significant step towards using the cash to aid Ukraine’s defence.European Council president António Costa confirmed on Friday that EU leaders had delivered on a commitment, made in October, to “keep Russian assets immobilised until Russia ends its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates for the damage caused”.Before this...

Ronald Exantus was released early from 20-year sentence for stabbing 6-year-old Logan Tipton in Kentucky home invasion A man who was released from prison early after racking up good behavior credits following his conviction for fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Kentucky boy during a 2015 home invasion was arrested weeks later for violating his parole. Ronald Exantus, 42, of Indianapolis, was serving a 20-year sentence for the killing of Logan Tipton, who was brutally slain in his Versailles, Kentucky, home, when he was released back onto the streets in October. Despite confessing, Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason...

Peter Greene, the actor known for playing villains and criminals, including in his role as Zed in "Pulp Fiction," died at his New York City home Friday, his manager confirmed. He was 60. Greene was found dead inside his Lower East Side apartment, manager Gregg Edwards said. He did not disclose a cause of death. Greene's death was first reported by the New York Daily News.

🚨 JUST IN: Scott Adams says he is paralyzed below the waist. Absolutely heartbreaking. Pray for Scott 🙏 "I am paralyzed below the waist. I can't move any muscles. I do have feeling - just can't move any muscles." "The solution is to ambulance me to a facility to get radiated. They're gonna try to radiate that pesky tumor around my spine." "If all goes well...I could go home. The good news is, we've MRI'd it and looked at it. I got all the help I need at Kaiser."

Battery tech is evolving at such a pace that it’s difficult to keep up with what’s happening across the industry. On a global level, several OEMs have committed to commercialising solid-state batteries by the end of the decade. Toyota plans to launch its first solid-state battery-powered EV by 2028, while BYD and CATL are looking at 2027 for introducing their version of these new-age batteries. Enter, BMW. While the Bavarian marque was already invested in the idea with Solid Power, this new arrangement with Samsung SDI aims to fast-track...