Free Republic

"Viking genetics and Viking ancestry is used quite a lot in extremist right-wing circles," says Cat Jarman at the University of Bristol in the UK, who wasn't involved in the study. Many white supremacists identify with a "very pure Viking race of just people from Scandinavia, who had no influence from anywhere else".

Many commentators have suggested that the greatest threat to the authoritarian regime in Russia would be a Ukraine that successfully navigated the difficult passage to economic development and political freedom, but apparently even Ukraine’s moves in that direction are a problem for the Kremlin. That is because, as the SerpomPo telegram channel put it, the chief reaction of Russians to the debates between the two Ukrainian presidential candidates is envy, envy that each of those who watched as many Russians did could decide for himself or herself who won and how they would if they could vote, something not possible...

The Department of Defense on Friday tweeted about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, saying that it's carefully planned and organized. The department described the course of action as being “deliberate, well thought-out, mutually supportive, and controlled,” while also guaranteeing “our troops’ safety and protection.”

The United States is concerned by reports of an impending Assad regime operation in southwest Syria within the boundaries of the de-escalation zone negotiated between the United States, Jordan and the Russian Federation and reaffirmed between President's Trump and Putin in DaNang, Vietnam in November. The United States remains committed to maintaining the stability of the southwest de-escalation zone and to the ceasefire underpinning it. We also caution the Syrian regime against any actions that risk broadening the conflict or jeopardize he ceasefire. As a gurantor of this de-escalation area with Russia and Jordan, the United States will take firm...

Kerry did aid in creating the vacuum that the Islamic State filled, with the precipitous withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and the American support for the weak Shia government in Baghdad. He also helped arm the Islamic State by sending weapons to “moderates” who either weren’t moderate and gave their weapons to the Islamic State, or who were weak and allowed their weapons to be captured by the Islamic State. USA Newsflash, February 5, 2016: “ John Kerry’s recent voyage to Italy almost ended in him getting a black eye. He traveled here in order to meet with Italian...

urkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday condemned an attack on the rebel-held Syrian city of Idlib, believed to have been carried out by Russian jets, and said Syria will not be part of "Russian imperialist goals". Relations between Ankara and Moscow are already at their worst in recent memory after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane over Syria last month. This weekend's air strikes killed scores of people in the center of Idlib in northwest Syria on Sunday, rescue workers and residents said. Turkey, which has long called for the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and supports the...

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia's defence ministry on Saturday accused the United States of turning a blind eye to the trafficking of oil into Turkey from Syrian areas under Islamic State control, after Washington called the amounts involved insignificant. "When US officials say they don't see how the terrorists' oil is smuggled to Turkey... it smells badly of a desire to cover up these acts," the ministry said on its Facebook page. "The declarations of the Pentagon and the State Department seem like a theatre of the absurd," the statement added, suggesting that Washington "watch the videos taken by its (own)...

Haider Al-Abadi: "The unauthorized presence of Turkish troops in Mosul province is a serious breach of Iraqi sovereignty"

Russian airstrikes have torched more than 1,000 tankers taking stolen crude oil to Islamic State refineries. This blow against the jihadists comes as the Russian Air Force has hit 472 terrorist targets in two days in Syria, making 141 sorties. All Russian aircraft have successfully returned to the Khmeimim airbase near Latakia, Major General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said in a daily briefing.

Israel's prime minister is accusing a German department store of a "boycott" after it removed products made in Israeli settlements under new European Union labeling guidelines. Benjamin Netanyahu noted Sunday that Berlin's KaDeWe department store was once owned by Jews before the Nazis seized it. He says its decision to label products from Israeli communities and remove them from its shelves is "a boycott in every respect." ...

The row was sparked after a by-election leaflet claimed Labour want uncontrolled immigration and to abolish the army. UKIP have been accused of trying to stir up racial hatred in Oldham following the Paris terror attacks. A by-election leaflet distributed by the anti-EU party -- which at first sight looks like a Labour pamphlet -- lists 'uncontrolled, mass immigration', the 'axeing' of the armed forces, the abolition of the monarchy and handing back the Falklands as Labour party policies. But Labour said Nigel Farage was attempting to 'divide Oldham again' -- a reference to the bitter race riots of 2001....

Syrian President Bashar Assad considers Russia's Vladimir Putin as the "only defender of Christian civilization one can trust.""When I look at the present state of things in the world I realize that Vladimir Putin is the sole defender of Christian civilization one can rely on," Assad said in an interview with French magazine Valeurs Actuelles. The Syrian leader also said that he would step down only if asked to by the Syrian people and the Syrian parliament, adding that the issue of his possible resignation had not yet been raised on an international level. Syria will only share intelligence information...

Putin 'forced Obama's hand' on ISIS: Russia hailed for making Jihadi John death 'possible' BRITISH butcher Jihadi John could not have been targeted WITHOUT Russia strongman Vladimir Putin stepping in and ramping up the pressure against Islamic State (ISIS), according to political commentators around the world. By Rebecca Perring PUBLISHED: 13:03, Fri, Nov 13, 2015 | UPDATED: 14:57, Fri, Nov 13, 2015 Putin has been hailed a "hero" after the British ISIS militant Mohammed Emwzi, AKA Jihadi John, was reportedly killed in a US drone strike alongside three other most wanted fighters. Although American military are responsible for the savage...

An American researcher says it is highly likely that the United States is responsible for the crash of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt this week. On Saturday, the Airbus A321-200 broke up in midair and crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing 224 people on board. An investigation is underway to find out how the disaster happened; however, the airline has said that technical faults or human errors could not have caused the tragic crash. "New information from sources with contacts in the CIA are reporting that the US recently sold ships to Egypt in return for a drone base...

Russia says Syria 'opposition' guided warplanes to bombing targets AFP 22 hours ago Moscow (AFP) - Russian jets bombed 24 targets in Syria Tuesday using coordinates supplied by "opposition representatives" -- the first time Moscow has claimed to work with opposition groups since the start of its air offensive. "The coordinates of all of these targets were given to us by opposition representatives," senior military official Andrei Kartapolov said, without specifying which groups Moscow had cooperated with. Kartapolov said Moscow's jets hit targets close to Palmyra, Deir Ezzor, Ithriya and eastern Aleppo with assistance from the opposition, destroying "terrorist" command...

Governor Backs Eminent Domain For Pipelines Posted 10:11 pm, November 2, 2015, by Aaron Brilbeck, Updated at 10:16pm, November 2, 2015 DES MOINES, Iowa -- This week, the Iowa Utilities Board will discuss whether to use eminent domain to seize property from landowners to use for a massive oil pipeline. Dakota Access, LLC wants to use the land for an underground pipeline that would carry roughly a half million barrels of crude oil from North Dakota, through Iowa and to a distribution center in Illinois. Governor Branstad says he believes eminent domain can and should be used for some pipeline...