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Woo hoo!! 2nd qtr 2026 FReepathon is now underway!!

Extended News (News/Activism)

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  • IMF, IEA and World Bank launch global ‘war room’ on Middle East crisis

    04/02/2026 7:51:05 AM PDT · by socialism_stinX · 10 replies
    The Nation (Thailand) ^ | April 2, 2026 | The Nation (Thailand)
    The heads of the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank said on Wednesday they would form a joint coordination group to strengthen their response to the severe economic and energy fallout from the war in the Middle East, according to Reuters. In a joint statement, the three institutions said the conflict had caused major disruption across the region and triggered one of the largest supply shortages in the history of global energy markets. “At these times of high uncertainty, it is paramount that our institutions join forces to monitor developments, align analysis, and...
  • Easter celebrations cancelled for Greek Catholics in Syria amid tensions

    04/01/2026 7:31:32 PM PDT · by Uncle Miltie · 3 replies
    Greek City Times ^ | 3/27/26 | Bill Gianopolous
    The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate has announced the cancellation of all public Easter celebrations in Syria for 2026, citing ongoing security concerns and unstable conditions across the country. In an official directive addressed to clergy in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, the Patriarchate confirmed that this year’s observances will be significantly scaled back, with services limited strictly to prayers held inside churches. “As we stand at the threshold of Holy Week, and in light of the current unfavorable circumstances, we have decided, in coordination and agreement with the other Churches, that this year’s Easter celebrations (2026) will be limited to...
  • FReeper Canteen ~ Remembering Our Troops!! ~ Thursday, 2 April 2026

    04/01/2026 6:00:07 PM PDT · by beachn4fun · 42 replies
    April 1, 2026 | For the best troops and veterans in the whole world! | Kathy In Alaska
    ~ The FReeper Canteen Presents ~ ~ Remembering Our Troops!! ~ Your Guess Is As Good As Ours! PACIFIC OCEAN (June 7, 2023) Comedian and contortionist Jonathan Burns performs for U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during a visit sponsored by Navy Entertainment. Nimitz is in U.S. 7th Fleet conducting routine operations. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Hannah Kantner) Canteen Mission StatementShowing support...
  • Full text of the open letter from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to the American People [puke alert]

    04/01/2026 3:43:16 PM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 62 replies
    Iran ^ | April 1, 2026 | Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
    In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful To the people of the United States of America, and to all those who, amid a flood of distortions and manufactured narratives, continue to seek the truth and aspire to a better life: Iran—by this very name, character, and identity—is one of the oldest continuous civilizations in human history. Despite its historical and geographical advantages at various times, Iran has never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination. [Unless you count our colonization of Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, neighboring portions of Iraq, Kurdistan, and any other...
  • Iranian President Warns IRGC of Economic Collapse Within Weeks Without Ceasefire

    04/01/2026 2:17:32 PM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 39 replies
    Defense News ^ | March 29, 2026 | Editor
    TEHRAN — March 29, 2026 : Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has cautioned senior leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that Iran’s economy could face total collapse within three to four weeks if a regional ceasefire is not achieved, according to informed sources cited by Iran International. The warning reflects growing internal divisions between Iran’s civilian administration and military leadership as the ongoing conflict enters its fifth week, intensifying both economic strain and governance disputes. Internal Tensions Over War Strategy The reported disagreement centers on the direction and management of military operations. President Pezeshkian is said to have directly...
  • Iran fears Israel’s 'new strategy' after major strikes on steel industry

    04/01/2026 12:12:27 PM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 43 replies
    Jerusalem Post ^ | April 1, 2026 | MAARIV ONLINE
    Iran’s largest steel producer, Mobarakeh Steel Company, has reported heavy losses to its production units following joint US-Israeli strikes on its facilities during the war, with attacks hitting multiple sites in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Mobarakeh, the largest industrial company in Iran and the biggest steel complex in the Middle East, was considered a cornerstone of the country’s economy. Reactions on social media platforms reflected both anger at the regime and growing concern over the broader implications of the strikes. “Mobarakeh was the pride of Iran’s steel industry and a supplier of raw materials for thousands of factories. The most...
  • Iranian naval blunder: Tanker bombed by own forces in Strait of Hormuz

    04/01/2026 12:04:01 PM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 31 replies
    Al-Fassel ^ | March 3, 2026 | Al-Fassel
    An Iranian tanker from the country's shadow fleet caught fire after being struck by its own naval forces in the Strait of Hormuz. Omani authorities reported that 20 crew members, including 15 Indians, were rescued as the vessel continued to sink. The tanker, part of a network used to bypass international sanctions, was reportedly targeted for "illegally passing" through the strategic waterway. After being hit, fires erupted on board, forcing a rapid evacuation by nearby rescue teams. Shadow fleet strike sparks chaos The vessel, managed by Red Sea Ship Management LLC, had been sanctioned by the US Treasury in December...
  • Israeli strikes near Beirut kill at least seven, including senior Hezbollah commander

    04/01/2026 7:51:34 AM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 7 replies
    Arab News ^ | 1 April 2026 | Staff
    BEIRUT: At least seven people were killed and 24 ​wounded in two Israeli strikes in the Beirut area, the Lebanese health ministry said on Wednesday, in attacks that hit vehicles in Beirut's southern outskirts and in an area just south of the capital. One of the strikes killed Hezbollah's top commander for Iraq military affairs, Yousef Hashem, a Lebanese security source and a Hezbollah source both told AFP. The security source said "a senior Hezbollah official, who is the military chief for the Iraq file, named Youssef Hashem, was killed in the strike on the Jnah area in Beirut," adding...
  • Lebanon indicts Hizbullah members on weapons charges

    04/01/2026 7:40:47 AM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 3 replies
    Al-Fassel ^ | 30 March 2026 | Nohad Topalian
    Lebanon indicts Hizbullah members on weapons charges Four Hizbullah members face legal proceedings in Lebanon on charges of possessing weapons, part of a broader government strategy to ban the group's military activities. First responders work at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Hanouiyeh, east of Tyre, on March 30, 2026. Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East conflict after Hizbullah launched missiles at Israel. [Kawnat Haju/AFP] First responders work at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Hanouiyeh, east of Tyre, on March 30, 2026. Lebanon was pulled into...
  • IRGC takes de facto control of Iran government amid deepening power struggle

    04/01/2026 7:22:34 AM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 41 replies
    Iran International ^ | 1 April 2026 | Staff
    Rising tensions between the Pezeshkian administration and Iran’s military leadership have pushed the president into a “complete political deadlock,” with the Revolutionary Guard effectively assuming control over key state functions, informed sources told Iran International. The IRGC has blocked presidential appointments and decisions while erecting a security perimeter around the core of power, effectively sidelining the government from executive control. Efforts by Masoud to appoint a new intelligence minister last Thursday collapsed under direct pressure from IRGC chief-commander Ahmad Vahidi, sources with knowledge of the situation told Iran International. All proposed candidates, including Hossein Dehghan, were rejected. Vahidi is said...
  • Sectarian attacks rock a Christian town in Syria after a dispute

    03/31/2026 8:57:32 PM PDT · by Uncle Miltie · 3 replies
    AP ^ | 3/28/26 | Omar Albam
    An argument between two men in a Christian town in central Syria led to sectarian attacks that caused widespread damage to homes, shops and cars in a reminder of religious violence that followed the fall of longtime leader Bashar Assad two years ago. The attacks in the predominantly Christian town of Suqaylabiyah in Hama province are the latest to target members of Syria’s Christian minority, many of whom have left the country since the conflict began 15 years ago, leaving half a million people dead and the population deeply divided. There was no immediate word on casualties in the attacks...
  • Al-Qaeda-linked group kills 14 soldiers in Burkina Faso

    03/31/2026 8:45:20 PM PDT · by Uncle Miltie · 4 replies
    Punch ^ | 3/24/26 | Agency Report
    A jihadist attack on a military post killed at least 14 soldiers in northern Burkina Faso, which has seen a flare-up in violence in recent weeks, security officials told AFP on Tuesday. Al-Qaeda’s branch in the Sahel, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), claimed responsibility for the attack in Bagade on Saturday. Burkina Faso, which has been ruled by a military junta since a coup d’etat in 2022, has endured deadly attacks by jihadists affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group for more than a decade, particularly in the north. After a relative lull in...
  • Berlin Court Jails 4 Men in Landmark Hamas Weapons Case, First German Ruling Treating Membership as Terror Offense

    03/31/2026 8:34:05 PM PDT · by Uncle Miltie · 1 replies
    Algemeiner ^ | 3/26/26 | Ailyn Arguello
    Four men were sentenced to prison in Berlin on Wednesday for operating a covert Hamas weapons-stockpiling network across Europe in preparation for potential terrorist attacks — a landmark ruling marking the first time a German court convicted members of the Palestinian terrorist group under the country’s terrorism laws. The Berlin State Protection Senate — a special national-security chamber within the Berlin Court of Appeal — convicted the defendants of stockpiling weapons for future attacks in Europe, including possible targets in Germany, sentencing them to four and a half to six years in prison for membership in a foreign terrorist organization...
  • Dozens Killed During Palm Sunday Attacks in Nigeria

    03/31/2026 7:57:53 PM PDT · by Uncle Miltie · 8 replies
    Gunmen killed at least 30 people during a Palm Sunday attack in Ungwan Rukuba, a community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state, Nigeria. The incident occurred during the evening, when armed men reportedly entered the community and opened fire on residents. Eyewitnesses described the attack as coordinated, with multiple casualties recorded and several homes affected. Following the incident, the Plateau state government imposed a 48-hour curfew in parts of northern Jos to contain the situation. Despite the restriction, residents, including youth, were seen on the streets protesting the killings and blocking roads in some areas. Separate reports...
  • Nick Shirley Drops a Teaser for Part Two of His Fraud Investigation in CA: More Childcare Fraud

    03/31/2026 7:08:17 PM PDT · by bitt · 4 replies
    https://townhall.com/ ^ | March 31, 2026 | Dmitri Bolt
    Independent journalist and YouTuber Nick Shirley is set to release part two of his California fraud investigation, this time targeting alleged childcare scams. In a teaser clip, Shirley examines a San Diego facility listed as serving 14 children, yet state inspectors had never seen the children, citing missing records and the absence of an official roster. In the brief clip, the woman Shirley question's becomes immediately confrontational, threatening to call the police and accusing him of targeting Somalis. https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2038740552158421088? - 2 MIN "Here is Hayden Serra Family Child Care," Shirley said. "This is a daycare right here. Apparently, they have...
  • THE FREEPER CANTEEN - The Easter Word Partners Trivia Quiz - Wednesday, April 1, 2026

    03/31/2026 6:00:29 PM PDT · by luvie · 67 replies
    For the best troops & vets in the world...& their families, too | luvie and the Easter Bunny
    ~ Freeper Canteen ~--Canteen Mission Statement--Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies' military and family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. Today We Want You To Take The.....Easter Word Partners Trivia Quiz Click HERE to take the quiz! Have fun! Please remember that The Canteen here to support and entertain our troops and veterans and their families, and is family friendly.
  • Iran’s leadership is struggling to function with internal chaos - report

    03/31/2026 12:33:23 PM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 10 replies
    i24 News ^ | 31 March 2026 | Staff
    Sources quoted by The New York Times overnight described a situation of deep dysfunction in Tehran, where decision-making has been severely disrupted following joint US and Israeli strikes. Officials said damage to communications infrastructure has fueled paranoia among senior figures, who now fear their conversations are being intercepted, leading many to avoid direct contact altogether. This has hindered coordination of military responses and stalled efforts to formulate positions in potential negotiations. According to the report, the breakdown in communication has also intensified internal power struggles. Intelligence assessments indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei currently serves largely as a symbolic figure, while decision-making...
  • Iran’s military uses schools and civilian sites during US-Israeli war

    03/31/2026 12:06:22 PM PDT · by MeanWestTexan · 22 replies
    Iran International ^ | 31 March 2026 | Azadeh Akbari
    Iran’s security and military forces moved personnel, weapons and equipment into at least 70 civilian sites during the US-Israeli airstrikes, an Iran International investigation found, exposing what appears to be a nationwide pattern of using public spaces for military purposes. The sites span 17 provinces, 28 cities and two villages. Nearly half of them – 34 in total – were primary or secondary schools. Other locations identified in eyewitness accounts and documents reviewed by Iran International included hospitals, stadiums, universities, mosques, parks and government offices. The accounts were gathered over a 10-day period from March 2 to March 14, 2026,...
  • US deploys B-52 bombers over Iran for first time

    03/31/2026 9:44:39 AM PDT · by BradtotheBone · 78 replies
    Fox News ^ | 03/31/2026
    The U.S. has deployed B-52 Stratofortress bombers to the skies over Iran for the first time since Operation Epic Fury began, Pentagon officials say. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine made the announcement Tuesday morning during a press conference alongside War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Caine said the U.S. and Israel have dismantled Iran's air fighting capability to such an extent that the lumbering bombers can now operate safely in the region. "Given the increase in air superiority, we've successfully started to conduct the first overland B-52 missions, which allow us, as we've said before, to continue to get on top...
  • Eric Swalwell escalates war with FBI chief Kash Patel over Fang Fang scandal (video)

    03/31/2026 8:57:55 AM PDT · by bitt · 44 replies
    https://nypost.com/ ^ | March 30, 2026 | Annie Gaus and Benjamin Brown
    Eric Swalwell has issued a cease-and-desist letter to FBI Director Kash Patel over threats to release investigative files about a suspected Chinese spy who infiltrated his office. In the letter, Swalwell, who is considered the Democratic frontrunner in the race for California governor, demanded the FBI agree within three days not to release the files, and that doing so could result in legal action, according to the Washington Post. Swalwell held a press conference Monday, insisting the “case is closed” and accused Patel as a “temporary employee” engaged in a “horrendous abuse of power” in digging up the investigative files...