Free Republic

Several years ago, I was the sponsor for a guy going through conversion from what he was (in a religious sense) to Catholic. He wasn’t just any guy; he was a very senior CIA officer who has frequently appeared on television since he transitioned to think-tank denizen. The Rite of Christian Initiation as an Adult (RCIA) experience builds a bond between sponsor and candidate/catechumen that often goes beyond religious conversations. On one occasion, we talked politics and foreign policy.What separates us from the Third World in our politics, he opined, are the twin concepts of peaceful transfer of power via...

Palm Beach Preparing For Possible Trump ArrestClick here to read the full article (Politico Playbook) Law enforcement officials in Palm Beach County, Fla., have actively prepared for the possibility that Manhattan District Attorney CY VANCE could indict former President DONALD TRUMP while he’s at Mar-a-Lago, according to two high-ranking county officials involved in planning sessions. Among the topics discussed in those meetings: how to handle the thorny extradition issues that could arise if an indictment moves forward. An obscure clause in Florida’s statute on interstate extradition gives Gov. RON DESANTIS the ability to intervene and even investigate whether an indicted...

We think we’ve just found our happy place. The town of Caldari di Ortona, Abruzzo, Italy, has always been a delightful destination. It’s a spot on a popular pilgrimage route, the Cammino di San Tommaso, and has glorious sights to be seen and vineyards to visit. But recently, the town has introduced a feature that takes it from ‘ooh, I’d like to visit there, maybe’ to ‘TAKE ME THERE, NOW’. If you visit Caldari di Ortona, you will find a fountain. But not just any fountain. We’re talking about a wine fountain, that dispenses free wine 24/7. The fountain sits...

(CNN) -- Authorities in Italy have called off the search for two Americans who went missing during a hot-air balloon race. The search ended Monday afternoon and will not resume, said Massimo Maccheroni of the Italian coastal guards. No balloon debris was found during more than four days of searching, he said. A balloon carrying Richard Abruzzo of New Mexico and Carol Rymer-Davis of Colorado over the Adriatic Sea near Italy made a rapid descent during rough weather, conditions that would make their survival "unlikely," race organizers have said. "This is very pessimistic information," said a statement from the race...

A report from VIS: "I am well aware that, despite the solidarity forthcoming from all sides, there are many daily discomforts involved in living outside your homes, in cars or tents, especially because of the cold and rain. ... My poor presence among you is intended as a tangible sign of the fact that the crucified Lord is risen and does not abandon you. ... He is not deaf to the anguished cries of so many families who have lost everything: houses, savings, work and sometimes even human lives. Of course, His tangible response comes though our solidarity, which cannot...