Free Republic

Most of the world found itself confined to their homes in March 2020 as Covid-19 spread at a blistering pace. Some countries didn't impose any lockdown restrictions – so was their decision the right one? Sweden, Taiwan, Uruguay, Iceland and a few others never enacted a lockdown that involved severe restrictions on the movement of people Five years later, the scientific studies and data have piled up, offering a detailed, long-term assessment of whether these countries were right to reject this most drastic of public health interventions. Scientists have tried to answer that question. Ingeborg Forthun at the Norwegian Institute...

The JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) was not approved by Congress through an up-or-down vote the way a treaty would be. Instead, Congress passed the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA) in 2015, which gave Congress the right to review the agreement and pass a resolution of approval or disapproval. If Congress did nothing, the agreement could proceed.

Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels in transport is leaving the country exposed to repeated fuel price shocks as global energy markets remain disrupted, the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has warned. Accelerated investment in public transport, active travel, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and grid capacity would reduce this exposure, the council said in the transport chapter of its 2026 Annual Review. Temporary emergency responses to fuel price increases were not sufficiently targeted, it said, recommending that those most exposed and least able to avoid fuel costs be given support. Welcoming the Government’s pilot scrappage scheme to incentivize the purchase of...

The full report is finally here. From UK politician Rupert Lowe: The Rape Gang Inquiry Report.https://t.co/EuKgGWBRhS pic.twitter.com/SD5G9HPVtV— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) June 16, 2026I'm going to summarize the finer points here because detailed stories on individual parts of this report will likely follow in the coming weeks: 1) The number of raped and trafficked British girls is in the hundreds of thousands. From the report: The scale of the crimes committed is staggering. It has been previously established that, at the very least, 250,000 young white girls have been subjected to repeated rape, gang rape, trafficking, torture, pregnancy, forced Islamic...

Rapper Mystikal — best known for his 2000 hit “Shake Ya Ass” — has been sentenced to two decades behind bars over a 2022 rape case. According to ABC affiliate WBRZ, the Louisiana hitmaker was handed down a 20-year sentence on Tuesday for third-degree rape. Per the outlet, the rapper, whose given name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, responded in court Tuesday after the victim requested the maximum sentence. “If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence,” he said. The Grammy-nominated rapper pled guilty in March in an Ascension Parish, Louisiana court — though on Friday, ahead of...

very once in a while, somebody says something out loud that hasn’t been said but should be. We’re at that point right now, thanks to podcaster Matt Walsh. Walsh weighed in on violent crime and young black male offenders… which apparently is the one conversation America isn’t allowed to have. Supposedly “race” is off limits when the bad guys aren’t white. Because all throughout the Biden regime, we had to hear over and over that “white Trump supporters” were the greatest threat to precious democracy. That phrase was repeated by politicians, cable news talking heads, elite academics, Hollywood celebs, and...

Texas parole officer was canned over a sick social media post supporting killer Karmelo Anthony while celebrating the fact that his 17-year-old victim, Austin Metcalf, was white, according to a report. Donna Murray Robinson, 35, lost her job with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice over the twisted Facebook post about the divisive trial, which ended with the 19-year-old killer being sentenced to 35 years in prison for first-degree murder, according to the Dallas Morning News. “I for one don’t give a fk about the family’s loss,” the Houston native posted on her now-deleted account about Metcalf’s grieving family, according...

Almost all media commentators seem convinced that Donald Trump’s foreign policy in his second term is a disaster. He is bogged down in Iran, snookered in Ukraine, his tariff agenda has failed and he has alienated his NATO allies. But this consensus has been too hastily formed. Looking at the bigger global picture, Trump’s foreign policy has been a spectacular success. Take the western hemisphere. We have the so-called “Donroe Doctrine,” the updated version of the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine. In 1822, president James Monroe, having welcomed South America’s overthrow of Spanish and Portuguese imperial rule, stated that Latin American nations...

Time is officially running out for the crown jewel of America's safety net. Recent projections have determined that the Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is steadily trending towards its insolvency deadline in 2032. If the clock does in fact run out and Congress stalls to act, federal law mandates an immediate 22% reduction in monthly benefits for nearly 70 million Americans.The average middle-class retiree receives a single $1,900 check each month, meaning this looming statutory trigger represents an overnight loss of more than $400 a month, depleting crucial funds for groceries, utility bills, and prescription medications. Touching...

Faith FactsOver 11,000 citizens have signed a petition condemning two-tier policing practices in BritainPolice officer Luke Salmons revealed officers were required to chant ‘Islam is a religion of peace’ during training sessionsThe case highlights growing concerns about religious favoritism and unequal law enforcement standardsA groundswell of public concern is building in Britain as more than 11,000 people have signed a petition opposing what they describe as two-tier policing — the unequal application of law enforcement based on religious or cultural identity.At the heart of the controversy stands the testimony of police officer Luke Salmons, who came forward with disturbing revelations...

Karmelo Anthony supporters & BLM.. Where is your outrage for these Black babies who were killed

MJTruthUltra@MJTruthUltra DAM… Trump is going off“I didn’t like that Netanyahu attacked over a very minor drone attack— they’re attack was too much— and Without the United States, without me, there would be NO ISRAEL.I’ve had a great relationship with Bibi but now he has to be more responsible with Lebanon— and out of all the countries they’ve been treated the worst, and they can’t defend themselves and they have Hezbollah which is a problem for them— and I’m not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and Hezbollah— they should have been able to do the job...

Vice President J.D. Vance went on The View Tuesday morning in the vain hope of talking about his new faith-focused book, Communion. Instead, he found himself locked in a debate with a group of ladies who subjected the VP to a show trial.Vance was questioned on topics including immigration and deportation, President Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and the release of the files. The most eye-catching exchange was with the show’s moderator, Whoopi Goldberg, concerning race.“What did black people do to this administration that has allowed it to really stigmatize folks of color?” she asked. “And you know how hard...

US negotiators are working to quickly release the text of the agreement between Washington and Tehran, even as they downplay the significance of the specific language in the document, US officials told CNN.The officials described the text of the agreement as incredibly vague, mainly intended to create a more favorable environment for the highly technical, in-person talks to come. They added that the framework is aimed at providing Iran the ability to sell it politically to their internal audience.Additionally, the officials said that the text of the memorandum of understanding — which Vice President JD Vance told CNN Monday is...

Karoline :(05:03)On another matter, over the past few days, Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has unveiled shocking new evidence that former President Barack Obama and top aides in the Obama administration conspired to subvert President Trump's 2016 election victory and undermine the democratic will of the American people. While publicly pretending to engage in a peaceful transfer of power, in private, former President Obama went to great and nefarious lengths to try to sow discord among the public and sabotage his successor, President Trump.(05:39)The new evidence released by the Director of National Intelligence, who is here with me today,...

CHICAGO - The Obama Foundation has assembled a star-studded lineup of musicians and entertainers for the grand opening ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center on Thursday. What we know: The Obama Foundation on Tuesday announced the performers who will take part in the presidential center's grand opening celebration at John Lewis Plaza. According to the foundation, the event will bring together global leaders, artists, changemakers and community members to celebrate the values that shaped former President Barack Obama's administration and continue to inspire civic engagement across generations. Scheduled performers include: The Roots, Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Common, Eddie Vedder, Jennifer...

Trump-backed Mike Collins won the Georgia US Senate Republican runoff. Collins defeated Derek Dooley, a candidate backed by Governor Brian Kemp. Mike Collins will face off against Democrat Senator Jon Ossoff this fall. Decision Desk HQ projects Mike Collins wins the GA US Senate Republican Runoff#DecisionMade: 8:05 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/VSJoq30c7w — Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 17, 2026 President Trump endorsed Mike Collins over the weekend. Trump called Mike Collins a "true friend, fighter and warrior." Full statement from Trump: It is my Great Honor to endorse “MAGA” Mike Collins, a Highly Respected Congressman who has been with me from...

At a recent “counter-disinformation” conference at the University of Cambridge, European technologist Robin Berjon suggested that “military force” may have to be used against American tech platforms to bring them into line.“I’m not advocating that we should go and start shooting Google just yet,” said Berjon. “But the thing is, if you want to do just regulation, you have to be willing to go all the way up to force.”(snip)Above all, it must be remembered that this new hostility to the tech giants, from every corner of the progressive universe both foreign and domestic, is almost entirely downstream of Silicon...

The Iranian military on Tuesday accused Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire with continued fighting in Lebanon and threatened to retaliate militarily if Jerusalem did not stop fighting.The New York Times reported on the threat, citing Iranian state media warnings of a "hard response" in the face of continued fighting.Lebanon has been a sticking point for the peace negotiations. Israel is currently engaged in fierce fighting with Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy based in southern Lebanon.Hezbollah entered the war after weeks of fighting between Israel and Iran, prompting an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. Earlier this month, the Iranians...

A UC Berkeley camp counselor accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl while she slept in a campus dormitory has been slapped with eight felony charges, authorities said. Quaylin Wesley, 27, a former youth basketball trainer, substitute teacher and Cal graduate, was arrested after the alleged attack during a summer camp hosted at the university on Saturday. According to The Scanner, the girl was in a bed in a UC Berkeley residence hall when Wesley — who was serving as an overnight counselor — allegedly fondled her while she pretended to be asleep. The suspect fled the room when one...