Free Republic

At the end of Ayn Rand's novel, Atlas Shrugged, the main characters are in an airplane, fleeing New York City, which is undergoing an economic collapse after the left took over and all of the producers fled. As they pass over the city, the lights go out; all of them, plunging the city into darkness. One of the protagonists, railroad mogul Dagny Taggart, sees this and says, "It's the end." The main character, inventor John Galt, corrects her: "No. It's the beginning." Seattle's new socialist mayor, Katie Wilson, seems determined to replicate the ending from Ayn Rand's novel. Her lunatic...

IDF strikes village of Haboush near Nabatieh following evacuation warning. The IDF is conducting a series of strikes on the village of Haboush near Nabatieh, following an evacuation warning issued earlier by the Idf spokesperson in Arabic. Lebanese sources report the IDF is attempting to establish a "red" kill zone around Nabatieh, extending beyond the security zone marked by the yellow line—an area approximately 8-10 km from Israel's northern border spanning from eastern to western Lebanon.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is releasing this week 34 notices of final and proposed rulemaking following a comprehensive review of existing regulations conducted in accordance with Executive Order 14206, Protecting Second Amendment Rights. Consistent with ATF's commitment in 2025 to rebuild trust with Federal Firearms and Explosives Licensees (FFLs/FELs) and industry stakeholders, this review included a consideration of industry and expert feedback and concerns. This landmark release is the first in a series of regulatory updates ATF plans to issue.The resulting rules are an effort to reduce unnecessary burdens...

The alleged wannabe assassin at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was radicalized by rhetoric and believed that murdering members of the Trump administration was justified morally and spiritually. While no evidence thus far directly links him to the Southern Poverty Law Center, one must wonder how many acts of violence like this one could have been inspired by the SPLC’s misguided manifesto that the ends justify the means.The Southern Poverty Law Center has long cloaked itself in the mantle of a noble crusader against hate and extremism. The 11-count federal indictment handed down by a grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama,...

Diocese of Rome announces Christian-Muslim gathering at Grand MosqueThe Vicariate of Rome has announced that the Grand Mosque of Rome will host an interreligious gathering titled “Cristiani e musulmani in dialogo alla Grande Moschea” on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 5pm. The move has prompted debate over what is proper conduct in interfaith and ecumenical meetings.The event is jointly organised by the Centro Islamico Culturale d’Italia and the Diocese of Rome. Catholic participants will include Auxiliary Bishop Marco Valenti of the Northern Sector, Mgr Marco Gnavi, responsible for the Office for Ecumenism, interreligious dialogue and new cults, and Prof Wasim...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is ramping up efforts to crack down on food stamp fraud nationwide, targeting what officials say is a loophole allowing some wealthy individuals to qualify for government benefits. Secretary Brooke Rollins posted on X this week that a single state has 14,000 individuals on SNAP benefits who also drive luxury vehicles like Ferraris, Bentleys and Lamborghinis. She warned fraudsters the USDA is working to close a loophole under the Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility policy used to qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits despite having the financial means to purchase cars for hundreds of...

President Donald Trump notified Congress on Friday that the conflict between the United States and Iran has been terminated, just as the 60–day War Powers Act deadline for congressional approval lapses later in the day. “On April 7, 2026, I ordered a two-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has since been extended. There has been no exchange of fire between United States forces and Iran since April 7, 2026,” Trump wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in a Friday letter. Trump was asked about seeking Congressional approval earlier in the day at the White House and replied, “So many presidents, as you...

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court didn’t just tweak Louisiana’s map; it quietly detonated the Voting Rights Act’s entire race‑engineering regime, and now that shrapnel is ripping through Congress, blue‑state fortresses, and the forgotten local boards, commissions, and councils that for forty years have co-opted our democratic institutions via identity politics pods. In plain English, the ruling is already triggering at least four massive downstream shocks— three of which nobody has bothered pointing out to us, even though they are probably the biggest stories of all: 1. A red‑state rush to redraw maps before the midterms, now unshackled from court‑mandated “majority‑minority”...

🚨 BREAKING — IT’S OFFICIAL: Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has called a special session on MONDAY to redraw Alabama’s Congressional map following this week’s HUGE Supreme Court win LET’S GO! 🔥 Democrats could potentially lose ALL US House seats in Alabama, with Republicans picking up 1-2 Several maps proposed make ALL districts safely Republican. Go hard, GOP.

Adria (Force) Hight, 56, of Terre Haute, Indiana, passed away peacefully on April 28, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on June 4, 1969, in Huntington Park, California and grew up along the west coast in different beach cities. As a child she loved skating, swimming, playing restaurant and collecting matchbox cars. After graduating from Huntington Beach High School, she joined the family drag racing business working for her father John Force as one of the first employees of John Force Racing. Adria helped build the company from the ground up; everything from answering...

Explanation: Near the heart of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, a string of galaxies known as Markarian's Chain stretches across this telescopic field of view. Anchored in the frame at bottom right by prominent lenticular galaxies, M84 (bottom) and M86, you can follow the chain's gentle arc up and toward the left. Near center you'll spot the pair of interacting galaxies NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, known to some as Markarian's Eyes. An estimated 50 million light-years distant, the Virgo Cluster itself is the nearest galaxy cluster. With up to about 2,000 member galaxies, it has a noticeable gravitational influence on...

The head of a Memphis, Tennessee-based nonprofit that works with law enforcement to fight human trafficking was charged with trespassing on Little St. James, the island formally owned by financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Authorities responded to reports of a kidnapping and assault on the island, according to Virginia Island police. Once there, police say they confronted three people. One of those people was aggressive toward law enforcement, WREG reported. The people escorted police to a holding area, where they found Benjamin Owen, founder of We Fight Monsters. He was restrained by duct tap and his body and...

Hollywood insiders and executives at Paramount Global are growing increasingly suspicious that Netflix is playing a behind-the-scenes role in efforts to prevent the proposed combination of Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global, a deal commonly referred to in industry circles as WarnerMount, according to a report from Puck News.The streaming giant, led by co-chief executive Ted Sarandos, has faced accusations of quietly supporting campaigns aimed at blocking the merger and potentially reaching out to regulatory authorities to voice concerns about the transaction. These allegations come amid a broader push within parts of the entertainment industry to halt further consolidation among...

FIFA president Gianni Infantino affirmed on Thursday that Iran will take part in this summer’s World Cup despite the country’s current conflict with the United States. "Of course, Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and of course Iran will play in the United States of America," Infantino said during his opening remarks of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver. "The reason for that is very simple, dear friends, is because we have to unite. We have to bring people together. It is my responsibility." Among the 211-member FIFA congress, Iran was the only absentee. DOOCY: The president...

Kirk Bangstad, the owner of the Wisconsin brewery who offered free beer for President Trump’s assassination, has doxxed the phone numbers of agents who visited him over his threat and told his followers to harass the agents. Call Wisconsin’s Division of Alcohol and demand the removal of his license.

Police said ‌the bomb squad had detonated what ​they assessed ​to be a ⁠hand grenade in ​a controlled ​explosion, rendering it harmless, after cordoning off ​several streets ​in Malmo, southern Sweden, ‌on ⁠Friday. Police had asked residents, as well as people ​in ​restaurants, ⁠stores and other establishments ​to remain ​inside ⁠after the object was found. SNIP

"It is fully understood and agreed that, if they produce Cars and Trucks in U.S.A. Plants, there will be NO TARIFF," he added. ---- President Donald Trump on Friday announced that he would raise tariffs on European cars and trucks to 25%, asserting that the bloc was not complying with its trade deal with the U.S. "I am pleased to announce that, based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States,"...

The sign, which was approved by the Westminster City Council last Nov. in a 4-1 vote, honors the conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA. The installation across from Westminster City Hall comes nearly eight months after Kirk was shot and killed while speaking to college students at an event in Utah. Westminster Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen: “As Mayor, I am proud that Westminster, CA is the first city in the country to dedicate an official Charlie Kirk Way. We honor Charlie for his faith, his love of country and his devotion to his amazing family. We are inspired...

President Trump on Friday suggested that the War Powers Act, which requires presidents to seek congressional authorizations for foreign conflicts, is unconstitutional, as the Iran war hit 60 days, a key milestone under the Vietnam War-era law. The U.S. and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28, but Trump formally notified Congress on March 2 about U.S. military operations against the country — 60 days ago Friday. Ahead of his departure for a weekend in Florida, Trump was asked whether he would now seek approval from lawmakers. “It’s never been sought before, there’s been numerous, many, many times and...

For example, somebody's refusing to exit a vehicle and cops sound like 3rd grade teachers trying to coax a child to drink his milk. Are they staged? Or did Rodney King do this?