Free Republic

Another city is choosing to fly the old Minnesota state flag in what appears to be a growing trend. Elk River is the latest city to opt for the 1983 design in the flag debate. It follows the cities of Champlin, Zumbrota, Plainview and others in reverting to the old state symbol that was originally adopted in 1957. Elk River Mayor John Dietz said over 1,000 Elk River residents weighed in and about 75% of responses were in favor of the old flag. "I have been on the city council for 32 years, 16 as a council member and 16...

The U.S. military, which has been responding to Iran’s loitering drone attacks, has finally adopted Ukraine’s air defense technology. As low-cost drones continued to damage high-value military assets, it is interpreted that the U.S. has deployed Ukraine’s combat-proven response system at key Middle Eastern bases. On the 22nd, Reuters reported, citing multiple sources, that the U.S. has deployed Ukraine’s command and control platform at Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia, a key military asset in the Middle East, to defend against Iranian drones.… Ukrainian military officers are reported to have visited the base over recent weeks to train U.S. forces...

The FBI arrested Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina yesterday and a federal grand jury indicted her today in connection with her alleged transmission of classified national defense information to individuals not authorized to receive it, including a journalist (the Journalist). Williams allegedly violated 18 U.S.C. § 793(d). “Clearance holders accept a solemn obligation to protect the classified information entrusted to them,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “That they do so is critical to the security of our Nation. When clearance holders violate that trust, the National Security Division will act swiftly to hold...

Five weeks into a war that has sent oil prices soaring and left global shipping in disarray, Tehran just blinked. At least for one country. Iran announced on April 5 that it is exempting one of its closest neighbors from the Strait of Hormuz restrictions that have strangled global energy supplies since the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28, according to Al Jazeera. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said restrictions would only apply to “enemy countries.” “Brotherly Iraq is exempt from any restrictions we have imposed on the Strait of Hormuz,” Iran’s military spokesman said...

Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt said Friday on Newsmax that he expects positive news overnight on the recovery of the downed U.S. weapons systems officer from an F-15E Strike Eagle brought down by Iranian fire. Holt, appearing on "Rob Schmitt Tonight," called the officer's status "the most important issue." "Our downed weapon system officer, who I think, and I'm hearing it from a couple of directions now, but this is not confirmation by any stretch, but I think we're going to get some good news. I think we're going to find out overnight that we've got our weapons...

Donald Trump plans to give a primetime address on the war in Iran on Wednesday evening, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced. “Tomorrow night at 9PM ET, President Trump will give an Address to the Nation to provide an important update on Iran,” Leavitt wrote on X. Earlier, Trump told reporters that the war could end in “two or three weeks.” “We will be leaving very soon,” Trump said. Iran has put a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, but Trump said that “if France or some other country wants to get oil or gas, they’ll go up through the strait...

NewsNation) — The White House Instagram and X account has sparked questions after two mysterious videos were posted to the page on Wednesday night, with one of them later deleted. The first video, a four-second clip posted shortly after 9 p.m. EST, had the camera pointed towards a person’s feet with shoes on, with a female voice heard asking, “It’s launching soon, right?” Another voice could then be heard answering “yes,” according to Newsweek. Across the video, on-screen text could be seen that read “sound on.”

English actor and screenwriter John Cleese is coming out in defense of Britain’s Christian heritage. The famous “Monty Python” writer posted to X this month that Great Britain has been impacted by “Christian values” at the “deepest level” and warned against Muslim influence in the U.K. “Despite the many mistakes made by churches,” Cleese wrote, “for centuries, British people have been influenced by Christ’s teaching. If these values are replaced by Islamic ones, this will not be Britain any more.” Cleese’s post came in response to a video from Susan Hall, a leader in the Conservative group in the London...

Exactly 60 years ago today, on March 11, 1966, a song that was widely embraced at the time was the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. While ‘The Ballad of the Green Berets’ by Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler was a huge success, the track would ultimately earn a reputation as one of the most divisive No. 1 songs in U.S. chart history. Released in January 1966, SSgt. Barry Sadler’s ‘The Ballad of the Green Berets’ quickly caught on with many listeners. After the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 5, 1966, it reached No. 1...

U.S. forces in the Middle East have begun deploying A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, commonly known as the “Warthog,” to counter Iranian strike drones, according to data released by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), News.Az reports. The aircraft, traditionally used for close air support and battlefield strike missions, are now being integrated into operations aimed at protecting U.S. forces and allied assets from drone threats across the region. CENTCOM data indicate that the A-10 jets are being used to provide direct fire support to ground forces while also intercepting and destroying Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles and their launch teams. The move...

Colonel Henry Bouquet led British troops, Highlanders & American volunteers to rescue hundreds from certain death at Fort Pitt. (Based on a true story) ‘Love & Courage’ tells the story of Colonel Henry Bouquet, who leads a ragtag force of British soldiers, Scottish Highlanders, and American volunteers on a desperate mission to rescue hundreds of men, women, and children trapped at Fort Pitt and facing certain death. As danger closes in from all sides, Bouquet and his outnumbered men must rely on courage, strategy, and sheer determination to fight their way through hostile territory and deliver hope to those awaiting...

As of Saturday, March 14, 2026, the intensity of Iranian drone and missile strikes has significantly declined from the peak seen at the start of the conflict on February 28. Defense officials report that Iran's launch capabilities have been degraded by over 90% due to "Operation Epic Fury." While specific exact totals for every 24-hour period are often classified or updated in waves, here is the data compiled from military reports (CENTCOM, IDF, and regional defense ministries) for the last five days:Iranian Strikes: March 10 – March 14, 2026 (Date, #Missiles, #Drones) March 10: ~10-15 Missiles, 30–40 Drones- barrages toward...

ROTC students subdued and killed a gunman who yelled “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire Thursday in an Old Dominion University classroom, killing one and wounding two, according to the FBI, which said the shooter had been in the Army and pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to aid the Islamic State. Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Norfolk field office, said at a news conference that the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps students showed “extreme bravery and courage” and prevented further loss of life by stopping the suspect, identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh. The ROTC students subdued him...

Olympic bobsled champion Kaillie Humphries surprised President Trump Thursday by awarding him the Order of Ikkos medal during White House women’s history month event with Melania Trump. “Every Olympic medalist in the United States gets an Order of Ikkos that they get to hand to somebody in honor and recognition of somebody who’s made a meaningful contribution to their journey to the podium, because Olympic medals are never achieved alone,” Humphries explained. “I’m so honored to present this, my Order of Ikkos medal, to you, Donald Trump,” she revealed. Humphries, who took home two bronze medals at the Milano Cortina...

Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2017 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS The suspected gunman who opened fire at Old Dominion University (ODU) has been identified as a former Army National Guard soldier convicted of supporting ISIS. Multiple federal sources confirmed to Fox News that the suspected shooter at ODU is Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36. Jalloh is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone, Fox News has learned. In 2017, Jalloh, a former member of the Virginia National Guard, was sentenced to 11 years in prison plus five years supervised release...

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — USS Nimitz, the U.S. Navy’s oldest serving aircraft carrier, which supported military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, pulled into San Diego for the last time on Tuesday before being decommissioned this year. USS Nimitz is considered a “supercarrier” of the U.S. Navy, the lead ship of her class and one of the largest warships in the world. It was named after Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet during World War II. The carrier was commissioned in 1975 and was homeported on the East Coast in Norfolk, VA, before...

Iran's fragile regime suffered another blow today as reports emerged that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the man briefly installed as supreme leader, has been killed... Mojtaba, long viewed as the hardline favorite to inherit power despite no formal public role, was reportedly named successor earlier this week amid chaos and Israeli warnings that any new leader would become a target,.. Circulating accounts, including from sources inside Iran, claim Mojtaba was eliminated today—his tenure lasting mere hours—after strikes hit his location. Social media erupted with claims of confirmation, including posts noting his "career" from appointment...

Gemini AI: Here is the latest "Kurd Update": 1. Iranian Preemptive Strikes This morning, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry and the IRGC confirmed they launched joint strikes against "separatist terrorist groups" in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). • The Toll: At least one member of an exiled Iranian Kurdish group was killed and several others were wounded. • Target Locations: Strikes specifically hit the headquarters of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) near Dekala and Komala party sites in the Zargwez area of Sulaymaniyah. • The Regime's Stance: Tehran claims these groups were preparing to infiltrate Iran "with the support of...

The arrival of the B-52 Stratofortress over the Iranian battlespace on March 4, 2026, serves as a loud, eight-engine declaration of the current tactical reality. While the opening salvos of Operation Epic Fury relied on the “hidden” lethality of stealth, the sight of the non-stealth “BUFF” (Big Ugly Fat Fellow) suggests that the “door” to Iranian airspace hasn’t just been kicked in—it has been unhinged...

WASHINGTON -- The United States and Ecuador conducted joint military operations against "designated terrorist organizations in Ecuador," U.S. Southern Command announced on Tuesday. This marks the first time that the U.S. military has engaged in a land operation against South American drug cartels. Until now, the U.S. military had only carried out airstrikes targeting smuggling boats in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.