Free Republic

A German politician has suggested that boycotting the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico could be a “last resort” in response to Donald Trump’s threats against Greenland. US President Donald Trump believes his country needs to acquire Greenland, the world's largest island, for national security reasons. The demands have been rejected by Greenland's leaders and by Nato member Denmark, of which the island is a semi-autonomous territory. Trump, meanwhile, has not ruled out using military force. In fact, Trump recently threatened to impose tariffs on countries that do not “go along” with his plan to annex...

The survey of 1000 Scots voters also signalled that support for Scottish independence would increase even further should Nigel Farage's Reform UK take power at Westminster. It is the latest of a series of polling results compiled for The National by polling firm Find Out Now which will be published this week. The poll found that 49.9% of Scots would support Yes if a vote on the constitution were held tomorrow, while 43.7% would vote No and 6.4% said they were undecided. Excluding these “don’t knows” and rounding to the nearest whole number, Scots would back independence by 53% to...

During the winter, coughing becomes one of the most common reasons for clinic visits. Many people mistake a persistent cough for an unresolved cold, turning to over-the-counter medications or throat lozenges, only to see little to no improvement. Meanwhile, in some cases, symptoms may worsen. In Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), treating a cough begins with identifying the pattern and determining whether it is caused by cold or heat, or by external factors or internal imbalances. This approach helps address the root cause rather than simply alleviating symptoms. With proper home care and guidance, a chronic cough can often be effectively...

[Catholic Caucus] Open Letter to the Priests and Pastors of the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, USAJanuary 15th, 2026Feast of Our Lady of Prompt SuccorTo my dear Brothers in the Vineyard of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,Grace and peace to you in this holy Season of the Nativity of Our Lord.With pastoral concern and fraternal affection, I write to you at a moment of genuine trial for the Church, to recall to your hearts the true nature of that obedience which must ever animate the soul of the priest. You are called, above all, to obedience to Christ Himself,...

….that’s led several immigrant-owned businesses across the state to temporarily close their doors or reduce their hours because even staff members who are in the U.S. legally are worried about being profiled and detained by ICE. ….. At least eight local restaurants in Rochester are closed or have been forced to reduce their hours this week… That includes Corona's Tacos. It had to close temporarily after many staff members didn't show up for work. Owner Jesus Corona Ortiz says many of his workers are scared to leave their homes. "People are talking a lot. They get afraid, especially the workers...

2028 Democrat presidential candidates should learn a lesson from California Governor Gavin Newsom. Anything less than denouncing ICE as a terrorist organization will quickly disqualify from any hope of winning the nomination from their increasingly deranged party base. Newsom made the intolerable error of backing down from his own press office's description of ICE as "state-sponsored terrorism" while speaking to Ben Shapiro on his podcast. The New York Post's Brad Appleton described the scene on Thursday which incurred the wrath of the left in "Gavin Newsom backtracks on outrageous ICE claims made by his own team."

Ronald Loftis, an alleged carjacker, appeared in court this past Monday to face charges of attempted murder, felonious assault, and aggravated robbery, among other charges. Loftis, who was recently released from prison, is accused of stealing a Cleveland woman’s car in front of her home. He allegedly shot her in the face in the presence of her one-year-old son, who he threw to the ground before stealing the car on January 2nd.

... Alberto Cabral, 73, came to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 15. He has worked as a landscaper for decades with clients in Westwood, West Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills and has lived in the L.A. area for nearly 60 years. ... Cabral remained undocumented and on Jan. 7, as he was working at Llamas’ West Hollywood home, he was surrounded and detained by federal immigration agents. ... Cabral was later transported to a detention center in downtown L.A., where he was given the option to leave the country voluntarily. He agreed and decided to self-deport to Tijuana,...

This week the appeal trial of Marine Le Pen and her co-defendants accused of misusing European Parliament funds. Last year Le Pen convicted and sentenced to four years in prison with a five-year ban on running for public office. That effectively prevents her from running for President next year... On Wednesday there were attempts to censure the government of President Emmanuel Macron following the EU approval of the free trade deal with MERCOSEUR that angered French farmers. The proposals of La France Insoumise on the Left and the National Rally on the Right fell short...

Scientists have uncovered how exercise helps aging muscles regain their ability to repair themselves, shedding light on why physical activity remains one of the most effective ways to preserve strength and mobility later in life. The team found that exercise helps restore a critical balance in muscle cells that is disrupted with age. Strong, healthy muscles are essential for movement, metabolism, and overall vitality. From midlife onward, muscle function gradually declines. At the center of muscle health is a growth pathway known as mTORC1, which regulates protein production and muscle tissue maintenance. As muscles age, this pathway can become overactive,...

One of the European Central Bank’s most complex and controversial projects is heading for a crucial test in the first half of 2026, when the European parliament is expected to vote on the digital euro. The plan cleared a key hurdle in late December, when the European Council backed the ECB’s plan to launch an electronic equivalent to cash: a digital currency that works in stores, online and in peer-to-peer transactions. One of the European Central Bank’s most complex and controversial projects is heading for a crucial test in the first half of 2026, when the European parliament is expected...

Praying daily since 2015:Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Religion Forum Threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind.

The US capture of Nicholas Maduro sent a shockwave of fear through the regime in Havana. Heeding the words of Marco Rubio – “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit” – the communist government put the military on high alert. “The regime carried out military mobilizations,” Camila Acosta, a Cuban journalist detained multiple times for her reporting on the regime, told The Spectator. “They are conducting military exercises at their units, keeping the troops confined to their barracks.” But while the regime looks fearfully to the skies for...

[Catholic Caucus] Sunset Boulevard and Vatican IIOnce upon a time, Hollywood used to produce movies. Real movies, that is. They were like serious novels but on celluloid. They were movies that explored the depths of the human condition, with its soaring peaks and dreadful valleys. It was a time when formidable creativity was placed at the service of truth and beauty. Not to put too fine a point on it, but Hollywood was the closest thing modernity had to Quattrocento Florence. No longer. Today’s Hollywood is more a landfill for Woke ideology and degenerate carnality. This billion-dollar industry is insulated...

FOR SEVEN decades Tokyo was considered the world’s most populous city. That was 15 years too long, according to data released last month by the UN. Until recently the organisation’s statisticians accepted national governments’ definitions of where their cities began and ended; their latest report accepts the reality of urban sprawl. By their new measures, Jakarta (pictured), Indonesia’s capital, jumps to the top of the board with 42m people, about as many as Canada. Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, with 37m, has also pulled ahead of Tokyo, with 33m. Delhi and Shanghai, with around 30m people each, fill out the top...

AJ Kern, who ran for congress herself, joined Liz Collin on her podcast to talk about the shocking details in documents related to Rep. Omar's personal history and immigration status. Rep. Omar has repeatedly "claimed that she became a citizen at the age of 17," Kern explained. However, based on public records, Kern said it seems as though Rep. Omar "was actually 18 in the year 2000, when her father became eligible to apply for citizenship." After requesting and reviewing official documents, Kern believes that Rep. Omar "actually wasn't a minor when her father could apply for naturalization. It kind...

The FBI said it is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and capture of individuals who allegedly stole government property out of an FBI vehicle in Minneapolis, as it announced the arrest of one suspect. FBI Director Kash Patel on Thursday announced the arrest in a post on social media, saying the bureau is “continuing to pursue other subjects involved” in the incident. The suspect was identified as a member of the Latin Kings street gang who has a violent criminal history, Patel said, adding that “there will be more arrests” in the...

A group of nurses has won their case against the NHS after they were forced to share their changing room with a trans-identifying biological male. Employment Judge Sweeney and tribunal members Denise Newey and Malcolm Brain ruled that the policy enforced by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust had failed to take the concerns of the nurses seriously and amounted to unlawful harassment and discrimination. The Darlington nurses outside Parliament. (Photo: Christian Legal Centre) The tribunal concluded that the policy violated the dignity of the nurses and created "a hostile, humiliating and degrading environment".It is the latest landmark judgment...

Attorney Dr. David Feinwachs joined Liz Collin on her podcast. He is former general counsel of the Minnesota Hospital Association. He was fired for asking too many questions after four HMOs in Minnesota were making an extraordinary amount of money from the state Medicaid program. The federal government has put Minnesota on notice: fix the fraud or lose the federal funds. Dr. Feinwachs said a recent filing from the feds is a “bombshell” and could lead to severe consequences for Gov. Tim Walz and his administration. How this was made

An outbreak of deadly bacteria at a Bay Area homeless encampment has sparked urgent calls for action in Los Angeles, with officials warning the disease may already be circulating in the city. The bacterial disease leptospirosis was found in rats at encampments in the hippie college town of Berkeley, leading health officials there to issue an urgent warning to the homeless to clear out. Officials told them to relocate at least a third of a mile from the “red zone” encompassing several square blocks as soon as possible. The warning comes as authorities attempted remove the encampment last year but...