Free Republic

Why I am not a Catholic priest: Deus vultI have been asked to write a little about why, unlike many of my more estimable Anglican former colleagues, I have not been ordained as a priest in the Catholic Church, but remain a layman.It is June 1980. I am standing barefoot in a black cassock in what long before had been the Priory Church of St Mary Overie, on the Feast of St Peter. I had trained at university to be a lawyer. I was now waiting instead to be ordained as an Anglican and to begin work in a parish...

Summary At least 648 protesters have been killed in an ongoing crackdown against anti-government demonstrations in Iran, a human rights group says Norway-based group Iran Human Rights warns the death toll could be far higher, but a nationwide communications blackout is making it difficult to verify information Earlier, Donald Trump said the US was considering "very strong options" to intervene in the country, after previously warning he would act if protesters were killed Following Trump's comments, Iran's supreme leader accuses the US of "deceit" and relying on "treacherous mercenaries", while praising state-organised pro-government rallies Trump must now decide whether to...

As Protesters Are Slaugtered On Iranian Streets By Islamofascism… Thus, Even Before And Regardless Of A Military Strike Trump should send camera drones over Iran so the world can see what the mullahs are really doing to their people. For decades, the regime has controlled the narrative by suppressing journalists, silencing dissidents, and hiding its abuses behind closed borders. Independent aerial footage would strip away the propaganda and expose the reality of repression, corruption, and brutality. Transparency is a threat to authoritarian power, and letting the world witness these crimes could increase international pressure and give a voice to the...

As the Iranian uprising continues to escalate, it’s been reported that hundreds of protesters have been killed by the regime’s security forces.The internet, phone signals and lighting have been cut, and it’s feared the killings are intensifying behind the blackout.Yet the Iranian people have increasingly poured onto the streets to confront the regime’s murder and torture squads. There’s never been such a mass display of raw courage in the teeth of such vicious repression.If the regime does fall, this will be a seismic event, reshaping the region and world politics. The insurrection might be the most consequential global event so...

A volunteer radio show host has resigned after authorities confirmed they are aware of a post on left-wing-dominated social media app Bluesky, in which a person advocated for killing Vice President JD Vance.

Republican Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins launched his bid Monday for Florida governor to replace Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, according to a report. Collins cited his military experience while announcing his run for the governor’s house in a post on X. DeSantis will be leaving the governor’s mansion at the end of his second term next year. Collins, a former state senator and Army Green Beret, was appointed lieutenant governor by DeSantis to replace Jeanette Nuñez after she stepped down to become president of Florida International University. “I’m running for Governor because leadership is forged under pressure, not in soundbites. I...

🚨🚨 CAUGHT: Over 7,600 fake diplomas were distributed for NURSING JOBS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES!The investigation involved many international nursing candidates, including those from INDIA who purchased these credentials to work in the U.S.Aspiring nurses bought fake documents to pass the NCLEX (nursing board exam) and get licensed in various states, securing nursing jobs across the U.S. — Neon White Cat (@NeonWhiteCat) January 12, 2026

At one of the anti-Trump/No Kings/50501/Indivisible rallies I covered last year, I overheard one white woman complain about the lack of young people and people of color coming out to protest the evil President (King) Donald Trump and his ICE enforcement to rein in illegal immigration. While I cannot speak for young people, as a person of color, I know for a fact that Blacks and Hispanics are pretty much over Affluent White Liberal Females (AWFL) and their self-centered campaigns against not only the duly elected president that many of us voted for, but against the rule of law. There...

Circumcision is to be classed as a potential form of child abuse under new guidance for prosecutors, amid concerns from judges and coroners about deaths and serious harms caused by the procedure. A draft document by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on “honour-based abuse, forced marriages, and harmful practices”, classes circumcision as a potential crime alongside breast flattening, virginity testing, hymenoplasty and exorcisms. The wording of the document, seen by the Guardian, has alarmed some religious groups, with Jewish and Muslim leaders defending the cultural importance of the practice. The draft CPS guidance states that, unlike female genital mutilation, “there...

…Amid seismic changes in the Middle East, where new alliances are forming and old powers waning, Iraqi leaders face a daunting task: navigating relations with US-blacklisted pro-Iranian factions. The US has held significant sway over Iraqi politics since leading the 2003 invasion that ousted long-time ruler Saddam Hussein. But another spectre also haunts Iraq’s halls of power: Washington’s arch-foe, Iran. Iraq has long been caught between the two, with successive governments negotiating a delicate balance… A US State Department spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Iraqi leaders know well what is and is not compatible with a strong US-Iraq...

U.S. military superiority may delay Beijing's worst ambitionsIn our 50-year-long twilight struggle with the Soviet Union, it was often said — especially by those who leaned politically rightward — that the U.S. overestimated the capabilities of the Russians and consistently underestimated their threat.It was a short way of communicating that the Red Army looked a lot more imposing than it really was, but at the same time, the goals of the Russians were more ambitious than we appreciated.The recent strike on Venezuela made me think about that bit of received wisdom.It has been reported that the U.S. armed forces...

2017-2021 The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday reversed the third-degree murder conviction of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an Australian woman in 2017, saying the charge doesn't fit the circumstances in this case. Mohamed Noor was convicted of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Justine Damond, a dual US-Australian citizen who called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. He was sentenced to 12 1/2 years on the murder count but was not sentenced for manslaughter. Noor was later sentenced on the manslaughter charge: Manslaughter sentencing Quaintance sentenced Noor to the...

When President Trump sent American forces into Venezuela and walked out with Nicolás Maduro in handcuffs, the world took notice. Critics called it reckless. Supporters called it overdue. But while the chattering class debated the raid’s legality, the administration was already eyeing its next move on the global chessboard. The Arctic has quietly become one of the most contested regions on the planet. Russian vessels patrol waters they haven’t touched in decades. Chinese “research” ships appear with uncomfortable regularity near strategic chokepoints. And no, these aren’t fever dreams from hawkish think tanks — this is happening right now. Sitting in...

Bush’s second term in office ended in 2009, and he took up painting early on in his retirement, essaying his interest in portraiture with his depictions of world leaders. He then turned to his attention to war veterans. These newer portraits are thickly painted in the loose, vivid style Bush has developed since his early experiments with a more photorealistic technique. They were first shown at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, in 2017. A book of the paintings, accompanied by the stories of the 98 men and women portrayed – their injuries, recoveries and lives afterward...

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was told over the weekend that a new Nick Shirley video being released soon - maybe even as early as Monday — is "ten times worse" than the "Quality Learing Center" daycare scam. In Shirley's previous video, he and his source, David Hoch, who has been investigating this billion-dollar-plus scam for years, discovered multiple daycare centers in one building without children in them for years. And this is where Hoch says is the heart of the ongoing continuing criminal enterprise. Hoch says the new video will show that most of these companies are Somali-owned, and...

Ranya Brooks will serve as the inaugural director of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Office of Belonging, Community, and Connection, Dean Jeremy M. Weinstein announced Friday afternoon in an email to students, faculty, and staff. Brooks, who most recently served as director of workforce engagement for Harvard University Campus Services, will begin her new role on Jan. 26. The appointment follows a six-month search launched after the departure of Robbin Chapman, who previously led the school’s diversity office. Chapman left during the broader rebranding of the Kennedy School’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts into what is now the OBCC. During the...

For him, extreme volatility and risk are not a problem but an opportunity.Is Iran next? That was the question the world was asking this weekend. As both protests and repression escalated, President Trump repeatedly warned that the U.S. would not stand idly by if the theo-thugocracy in Tehran fired on protesters. The mullahs’ response came from their usual playbook. They carried out a bloodbath and threatened to attack American bases and assets across the region if Mr. Trump raised a hand against them. As in Venezuela, Russia and China aren’t doing much either way. Joint exercises involving the Chinese, Russian,...

A billboard next to a Southern California freeway was hijacked with pro-ICE messaging and a chilling remark about the fatal federal officer-involved shooting of Renee Good.

A group of Australian scientists have revealed how we may be able to learn to speak with aliens, and the answer is found right here on Earth. If we do make contact with extraterrestrial life, it will likely require sending messages across vast distances of interstellar space. The question for astronomers looking out for distant civilisations is how this communication would even be possible if we don't share a language. Now, scientists say we might be able to develop a 'universal language' with an unlikely inspiration: The humble honeybee. With six legs, five eyes, and a radically different social structure,...

Several monuments on the Gettysburg Battlefield were recently defaced with oil, resulting in costly damage, according to park officials. In a release issued Friday, Jan. 9, 2025, the National Park Service at the Gettysburg National Military Park shared that several monuments on the Gettysburg battlefield had been "defaced with oil-based substances." "While possibly intended as symbolic or ritualistic, the damage is real and lasting," the release stated, adding that "porous stone absorbs oil deeply, making stains nearly impossible to remove."