Free Republic

Two transgender teenagers who were close friends at the same California school have died by suicide less than a year apart. Summer Devi Mehta, 17, stepped into the path of a Caltrain on February 3, just 10 months before her classmate, Ash He, died the same way. Mehta was a junior at Palo Alto High School in the Bay Area, while 15-year-old He was a sophomore. Mehta left a suicide note explaining that she hoped her death would bring people together and raise awareness about the suicide crisis among the trans community. Her family, who found her letter, wrote a...

A man was detained near the Mexican border on Tuesday night in connection with Nancy Guthrie's abduction as police performed a court-ordered search of the property where he had been staying. The unidentified individual was taken into custody following a traffic stop south of Tucson Tuesday night, the Pima County Sheriff's Department announced. 'The subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation,' the department said in a statement. He was taken into custody in Rio Rico, Arizona - a small town near the US border with Mexico, where authorities are now carrying out a court-ordered search...

WASHINGTON — A newly published national report documents shifts in America’s abortion landscape, highlighting the expansion of chemical abortions, shield laws that protect abortionists and not women, and renewed efforts to protect women and unborn children following the fall of Roe v. Wade. The Status of Abortion in the United States 2026, released by National Right to Life, offers a comprehensive overview of abortion policy, statistics, and legal developments at the federal and state levels. Among its findings: * Chemical abortions now account for nearly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions, driven largely by mail-order pills shipped into every state, often...

Senate Bill 3842, introduced by Sen. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport), proposes adding “transgenderism” to the state’s legal definition of mental illness under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. The bill defines the term as identifying with a gender different from the one assigned at birth, according to the filed legislation. Under current Illinois law, “mental illness” refers to disorders that substantially impair a person’s thinking, perception, emotions, judgment, or behavior. The statute specifically excludes developmental disabilities, dementia, and substance use disorders. SB3842 would expand that definition for the first time to include gender identity. ... “We need to rid ourselves...

"Always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all" (Phil. 1:4). Intercessory prayer is a powerful tool in the hands of a righteous person. There's the story of a special nurse who knew the importance of intercessory prayer. Each day she used her hands as instruments of God's love and mercy toward those in her care, so she found it natural to use her hand as a scheme of prayer. Each finger represented someone she wanted to pray for. Her thumb was nearest to her and reminded her to pray for those who were closest and dearest....

The government in West Virginia, instead of trying to thwart federal immigration officers, formed a partnership with them that helped put over 600 illegal alien criminals in handcuffs.While Democrat-run California could be on the cusp of releasing 33,000 illegal alien criminals, Republican-run West Virginia is now prioritizing the safety of its citizens. If only more state governments would work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), there would not be so much violence against ICE and it would be much more straightforward to arrest and deport foreign criminals.In just two weeks in January, the state-federal authorities’ partnership resulted in 650 arrests,...

Buried in new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a bearish sign for a college education, the first time we’ve seen this in 50 years. Trade workers without a college education are gaining new advantages in employment stability and even in earnings. On paper, a college degree still earns more but that edge is slipping too.W. Scott McGill/ShutterstockThe Cleveland Fed explains: “For decades, college graduates have typically faced lower unemployment rates, found jobs faster, and experienced more stable employment than high school graduates without college experience. Combined with higher expected wages, these advantages reinforced higher education as...

I was listening to an episode of the Rob Lowe podcast Literally!, which featured fellow actor Adam Scott. I wanted to hear the two as they bandied about their time together on the former NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. It promised to be a cool listen, as the genuine friends kicked back and discussed a variety of topics in the industry, but the host let slip a surprising nugget.He currently is the host of the Fox Network game show The Floor, and Scott was jarred when Rob let it be known that they film the program entirely in Dublin, Ireland....

Per the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, a person has been detained in connection with the kidnapping of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of TODAY co-host Savannah Guthrie. Earlier on Tuesday, the FBI’s elite hostage rescue team was deployed on the ground in Tucson, along with the mobilization of several SWAT teams in multiple counties. This was following the FBI's release of images and video showing a masked individual approaching Guthrie's front door and making efforts to obscure the Nest camera. BREAKING: The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI, has detained...

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported that nine people were found dead as a result of a mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in the small rural British Columbia community of Tumbler Ridge. RCMP confirmed that the shooter was also found dead from a "self-inflicted injury."Six of the victims were discovered inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, with one victim who was rushed to the hospital dying en route. Two other victims were found dead at a residence near to the school. CBC further reported that 25 other persons were injured, and...

If Helen of Troy were meant to be an African woman, Homer might have told his readers that fact in his telling of the greatest and most timeless epic poems in Western history – The Iliad and The Odyssey. Her appearance being so contrary to everyone else in the Greek world certainly would have warranted a mention. This much, at least, should be obvious to everyone. Imagining Helen’s appearance to be that of an African woman is just farcical, if one has any respect for the source material at all. It would make no sense for a high-budget production to...

KALAMAZOO, MI -- A woman says she was fired from the Kalamazoo YMCA for wearing an “ICE out” pin, but officials from the YMCA say there’s more to the story. Abbey Thompson posted a picture of herself wearing an “ICE OUT” pin and flipping off the camera on Facebook on Thursday, Feb. 5. The post has received almost 600 reactions, comments and shares. “I just got fired from YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo for wearing this because a member complained to the CEO - in case anybody wanted to know how they feel about immigrants, refugees and human rights,” Thompson said...

When someone becomes the president of the United States, the attention is not only on them, but also on their family. This includes the first lady and their children. It can be especially hard if those sons and daughters are still kids. Malia and Sasha Obama know all about this, as does Barron Trump. The same was true of Chelsea Clinton. When her father, Bill Clinton, was the leader of the free world, Chelsea was often mocked for her looks. Thankfully, she overcame it, outgrew her difficult teen years, and became a confident woman who refused to be held...

An introduction to one of the most important songwriters of the 20th century.Antonio Carlos Jobim, better known as “Tom Jobim” in his homeland, is arguably one of the most important songwriters of the 20th century, rivaling Gershwin, Porter, McCartney & Lennon, and Wonder for sheer consistency and diversity of output. The sheer number of cover versions in circulation since the 60s keeps Jobim relevant globally among jazz and pop musicians. While Jobim will forever be associated with the Bossa Nova style he helped create alongside Vinicius de Moraes and João Gilberto, his legacy cannot be contained in one genre....

A grand jury has refused to indict several former military and intelligence lawmakers who made a video urging military members to disobey illegal orders, according to multiple reports. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, under Jeanine Pirro, sought an indictment related to a video featuring six U.S. lawmakers, including Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ). It was not immediately clear which of the lawmakers were targeted in the failed indictment, according to the New York Times and NBC News.

[Catholic Caucus] The Long Shadow of Vatican II: Ambiguity as Ecclesial CancerOn February 8, Bishop Bernard Fellay of the Society of Saint Pius X delivered a sermon in which he spoke of the necessity for the Society to consecrate new bishops. The purpose of this piece is not to address the merits or challenges of that decision, but rather to focus on some of the problems he identified as plaguing the Church today and how these flow from a reading of the Second Vatican Council that has led to profound confusion—confusion that was aggravated by Pope Francis. The Second Vatican...

...it'll just keep recording and storing whatever it sees, forever?

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business; End to Sex Slavery; Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14) 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...

Multi award-winning film composer John Williams has created a stunning legacy that has changed the way soundtracks are thought of. We trace his genius.The term “genius” is far too often, bandied about – alongside its catchall companion, “icon.” But in the case of John Williams both words apply, while barely doing justice to the magnitude of his talent. John Williams isn’t just a soundtrack composer, he is the undisputed master of the film score. He is also a creator of contemporary classical music with a post-romantic style, and a grand conductor, pianist, and jazz buff who used to play...

Singapore's economy has grown above 5 per cent for two consecutive years – a feat last achieved in 2010 and 2011.SNIP MTI attributed 2025's robust GDP expansion primarily to manufacturing, wholesale trade, and finance and insurance sectors. The electronics cluster and machinery, equipment and supplies segment experienced particularly strong growth, driven by surging demand for artificial intelligence-related electronics. Accommodative financial conditions supported growth in the finance and insurance sector.