Free Republic

Ukrainians forced to shelter in Kyiv metro stations broke out into tender songs of defiance Monday as Russian missiles rained down on the capital. Moving videos showed stations completely packed with people on platforms, stairs and stationary trains — and a respectful silence other than a chorus of voices singing the national anthem and other traditional songs. One clip caught people cheering and giving a huge round of applause after one of the underground performances came to an end. “How I adore our people,” said one of the Ukrainians sharing footage, Lina Molina, calling it proof they are a “nation...

Arizona faith leaders are urging U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema to expand child tax credits as part of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. If the credits aren’t at least extended by the end of December, the recurring monthly payments of up to $300 for every child under the age of six and $250 a month for children ages 6-17 would lapse in the new year. As passed by the House last month, the Build Back Better bill includes a one-year extension of the child tax credit. Tamera Zivic, the CEO of WHEAT, an anti-hunger and poverty...

MIDDLE EAST—The United States has long been buying weapons for both sides of various conflicts in the Middle East. But now, with multiple financial crises going on at home, the U.S. is looking for ways to reduce the cost of these conflicts. Finally, they landed on a solution: they'll cut out the middleman -- defense contractors -- and just have the countries lob giant sacks of American tax dollars at each other directly. "Instead of going through the whole rigamarole of buying weapons for them, or letting them buy weapons from us at a discount, or supplying insurgent groups with...