Free Republic

The four leading European states are planning a naval mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz. This much is clear: the hot phase of the conflict appears to be over, and the key players have already made their moves. The loss of Europe’s geopolitical power is the defining decline narrative of our time. As Europeans, we are condemned to become unwilling witnesses of continental decay. And in no field of politics does the toxic amalgam of eco-socialism, elite arrogance, and rampant infantilism become more visible than at the level of the European Union. What we are witnessing in Brussels and...

How easy is it for illegal votes to be cast in California? Consider the absurd example of Laura Yourex. After receiving six voter registration cards at her home of two residents, Yourex, as a lark, and to prove a point, successfully registered her dog Maya to vote –– and then submitted ballots on her canine’s behalf. The real scandal is not that a woman was able to get her dog to vote, however. The actual threat to California’s democracy lies in the response of state officials when presented with evidence or allegations of serious problems in the state’s elections. Rather...

Women living under Hamas rule describe how they are sexually abused by the terror group's fighters. 02:12 EDT , updated 02:12 EDT 18 Apr 2026 By - Middle East Correspondant. The world has heard harrowing accounts of Israeli men and women sexually brutalised in Hamas captivity — but now chilling new testimony is emerging from inside Gaza itself. Gazans living under Hamas rule are beginning to break their silence, describing sexual abuse by multiple men, sexual blackmail for aid or money and abuse by people in positions of power. It comes as concerns grow that the group is re-establishing control,...

Christiane Amanpour, a CNN “reporter” claimed on X that her “dog tag” during the Gulf War in 1991 had the “rank of Major” on it. In point of fact, it had to be her press pass, not an actual US Military dog tag. Military dog tags never include the rank of those who wear them. Either she is lying and it’s stolen valor or she’s so mistaken as to be an embarrassment to the already embarrassed CNN.

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. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men,...

Diners at a growing number of restaurants and bars are being asked to stash away their phones — or even lock them up — as part of a push for more memorable nights out. The trend is gaining traction across the U.S., with more spots experimenting with restrictions, incentives or locked pouches, Fox News Digital recently reported. Charlotte cocktail bar Antagonist places guests' phones in locked pouches for about two hours, while Delilah, an upscale supper club with locations across the country, has a no-phones, no-posting policy, according to Axios. Even Chick-fil-A has tested the tactic with a Maryland location...

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Statement by Benjamin Roberts-Smith VC MG, 19th April 2026For the past 10 years, my family and I have been subject to a campaign to convince Australians that I’ve acted improperly in my service in Afghanistan.As I’ve always maintained, I categorically deny all of these allegations and while I would have preferred these charges not be brought, I will be taking this opportunity to finally clear my name.I’m proud of my service in Afghanistan.While I was there, I always acted within my values, within my training and within the rules of engagement.I’d also like to say I’m extremely proud of all...

US intelligence assessments have suggested that Iran likely still has access to around 70 percent of its pre-war ballistic missile stockpiles, and around 60 percent of its missile launchers, The New York Times reports. It also still retains around 40% of its drone arsenal, the report says, citing US intelligence and military officials. According to the Times, when a two-week ceasefire came into effect between Iran and the US on April 8, Tehran had access to around half of its ballistic missile launchers. Since then, the report says it has managed to dig out another 100 launchers from under the...

Pope Leo XIV has sent 80 electric generators and thousands of medical supplies to Ukraine to help civilians cope with freezing winter temperatures and constant attacks, the Vatican announced on Feb. 9. The aid was arranged in response to appeals from bishops who warned of mounting difficulties caused by Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure and subzero temperatures across the country. Three trucks carrying the generators and medical supplies departed from the Basilica of Saint Sophia in Rome and have already arrived in Fastiv and Kyiv, areas heavily affected by recent strikes. Alongside the generators, thousands of medical supplies were delivered,...

Daily Readings from the USCCBThat very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. Luke 24:13–16These two disciples were overwhelmed by grief and bewildered by the events that had taken place. As they walked the seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, they expressed their sadness and confusion. Jesus, Whom...

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8). The way you think determines the way you behave. God is concerned about the way you think. That's why Paul said, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:2). In Philippians 4:8 he instructs us to think about that which is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and praiseworthy. When Jesus spoke of a pure heart...

Buckley Carlson, the son of conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, has stepped down from his role as deputy press secretary to Vice President JD Vance, leaving the White House as his father's escalating feud with President Donald Trump continues to escalate. Carlson's departure, first reported by Politico, comes amid a widening rift between Trump and the elder Carlson. The clash appears to have been fueled by sharp disagreements over the war with Iran and has only intensified by the pundit's extraordinary suggestion that the president could be the 'antichrist.'

President Trump’s decision not to attend the NRA’s 2026 Annual Meetings is bringing the group’s influence into question.The NRA’s Annual Meetings are currently underway in Houston, Texas.The Hill reported that Trump “[skipped the NRA’s] annual convention this weekend, his second snub in as many years of an organization long seen as a key political ally for Republicans.”NRA director of public affairs Justin Davis spoke on Trump’s absence, claiming the organization was not concerned by it. He said, “The president is obviously incredibly busy with worldwide affairs right now, and we’re incredibly close to the administration. We work hand-in-glove with them...

An already-expensive trip to the World Cup just got even more costly, as NJ Transit and the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee announced fare hikes to attend eight matches at MetLife Stadium this year. The East Rutherford, New Jersey, stadium will host those matches, beginning June 13 and ending with the final on July 19, but a roundtrip train ticket to and from New York Penn Station and MetLife Stadium will be $150, up from the usual $12.90. Shuttles are also available for $80. NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the fare hikes on Friday, saying that the...

After a little more than 100 days in office, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has a new catch phrase: "pothole politics." The new rallying cry is not just about the 102,000 potholes the city has filled since Mamdani took office, but also is meant to suggest that socialists can solve small problems at the street level, not just advocate for big revolutionary ideological change. So what do New Yorkers think of the approach? Some call it a smart strategy, while others view it as a distraction or a return to "broken windows" politics.

Accounts on social media have managed to find audio from the Indian oil tanker that was targeted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.Audio of the Indian oil tanker Sanmar Herald pleading with Iranian forces to stop shooting at it in the Strait of Hormuz this morning. pic.twitter.com/7Y5n7Jb7o0— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 18, 2026The captain of the Indian vessel pleaded with the Iranians to stop firing upon their ship, and attempted to remind them that they were the ones who granted clearance to the vessel in the first place. The attack on the Indian vessel led...

Russia struck a Baptist church in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia during a prayer meeting this week, killing at least one person, a minister, and injuring at least eight others. The Embassy of Ukraine in the U.S. gave the casualty figures in a public statement issued while rescue workers were still on the scene, identifying the targeted building as The House of the Gospel Church, which had served the community for years, according to Baptist Press.The embassy called the strike a deliberate attack on people of faith who had gathered peacefully to pray.Promoters of “A Faith Under Siege,” a...

Several Trump administration officials helped break ground on a new natural gas pipeline in New York that could be an energy grid saver for millions who have suffered from the impact of stupid Democrat energy policies.The 2019 New York Climate Act is driving up fuel and energy prices in the blue state and setting it up for rolling blackouts and grid reliability collapse. Obviously, Democrats will never solve the problems they caused, so it is up to the Trump administration to take action, as it is doing. Energy Secretary Chris Wright declared in an April 14 press release, “For decades,...

In a stunning performance that would have any stage magician green with envy, the amazing sudden wealth of Democrat Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05) has evaporated, like dandelion fluff on a windy summer's day.The Squad member claims that the $30 million in wealth supposedly in the hands of her and her husband was just a mistake in accounting records.Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said she is not a millionaire and blamed a major accounting error after a congressional financial disclosure listing her assets as high as $30 million drew scrutiny from Republicans and a congressional watchdog.An amended filing reviewed by The Wall...