Free Republic

Marco Rubio considers it an "overused term" while Friedrich Merz thinks it "no longer exists". But while the US Secretary of State and German chancellor may not believe in the relevance of the rules-based international order, the concept — and its potential collapse — has been at the forefront of global geopolitics of late. The phrase caught the global attention in January after a rare speech, from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, in which a world leader tackled the often unspoken concept head on. "We knew the story of the rules-based international order was partially false, that the strongest would...

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday delivered a blunt warning to foreign nationals entering the United States, saying visas are a privilege and will be revoked if visitors engage in activity deemed harmful to American national interests. Speaking during a joint press conference in Budapest alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Rubio emphasized that entry into the United States carries conditions that extend beyond border screening. “I’ve said this repeatedly — I don’t know why it’s so hard for some to comprehend,” Rubio said. “A visa — no one’s entitled to a visa. There is no constitutional right...

Global energy markets were put on alert after Iran temporarily restricted movement in parts of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most strategically important oil transit routes on Earth. The move came as Tehran simultaneously engaged in sensitive diplomatic talks with the United States over its nuclear program, underscoring how quickly geopolitical tensions in the Middle East can ripple through global markets. While the disruption was limited and short lived, investors, energy traders, and policymakers immediately focused on what the action signals about regional stability, oil supply risks, and the broader geopolitical chess match between Iran and the West....

As high-stakes nuclear negotiations resumed Tuesday in Geneva under mounting U.S. military pressure, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei taunted President Donald Trump and warned that American warships could be sent “to the bottom of the sea,” denouncing the United States as a “corrupt, oppressive empire” in decline. In a series of posts on Tuesday, Ali Khamenei published multiple statements on X escalating his rhetoric against the United States and directly challenging the President Trump and American military power. The remarks came just one day after Trump said he would be “indirectly” involved in the Geneva talks and warned that...

Isadora Borges has been criminally charged for comments shared on X about gender ideology; the first hearing in this case took place yesterday. Case draws online attention after Elon Musk retweeted a post about the prosecution; ADF International is providing legal support for her defence. BRASÍLIA (11 February 2026) — A Brazilian woman, Isadora Borges, appeared yesterday before a federal court after being criminally charged for posting comments on social media expressing her views on gender ideology, exposing her to a possible prison sentence of four to ten years. In November 2020, Borges made two posts on X (then Twitter),...

*** Gu, arguably the most polarizing Olympian of her era, was unable to defend her gold medal in Monday’s freestyle ski big air event. But she rallied from seventh place to win the silver medal with a stellar final jump, becoming the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history. *** As Gu celebrated after her final jump, the NBC commentators gushed, not even a little ironically, “Who isn’t an Eileen Gu fan?” Gu certainly has her fans, and 2.3 million followers on Instagram. But she has plenty of critics. She created a firestorm seven years ago when, at age 15,...

While some dubious policies linger from the Biden administration years, even some Trump administration policy steps in the Middle East — Gaza, Iran, and Syria especially — raise questions about this administration’s and its envoys’ understanding of realities of Islam, jihad, and sharia. ...So far, so good for the Trump administration, but then:“‘No Idea’ of Threat Posed by Afghan Parole Program, Senator Warns” by Virginia Allen at the Daily Signal, January 15, 2026“The Trump Administration’s Delusional Gaza ‘Master Plan’” by Khaled Abu Toameh at the Gatestone Institute, February 3, 2026At the recent annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF)...

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, is readying 1,000 troops to be deployed in Gaza as early as April as part of the UN-mandated International Stabilization Force, an army spokesperson said on Monday.A total of 8,000 Indonesian soldiers will be ready for deployment by June, while the final decision will be made by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. "The departure schedule remains entirely subject to the political decisions of the state and applicable international mechanisms," the spokesman said in a text message to news agency Reuters.via AFPIndonesian Army Chief of Staff Maruli Simanjuntak previously estimated that between 5,000 and 8,000 military...

Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith argued Sunday that while President Donald Trump’s methods may be flawed, he has taken understandable action to solve a crisis former President Joe Biden created. During an interview with “CBS Sunday Morning,” Stephen A. Smith announced that he will soon determine whether he himself will run for president. “I will make a decision in early 2027, but I am not ruling it out because I expect a lot of success to come my way. And Lord help everybody if the amount of success comes my way ensures that I never have to worry about my...

Police arrested a Christian pastor after he commented on Islam and transgender ideology while street preaching in Bristol city centre. Pastor Dia Moodley, 58, was arrested by Avon and Somerset Police officers last November in Broadmead on suspicion of “inciting religious hatred” under the Public Order Act 1986. The arrest was justified for his speech of “anti-islam and transgender rhetoric,” on suspicion of inciting religious hatred, despite the fact that he had "merely publicly shared his Christian views”. Pastor Moodley said: “This latest arrest has had a profoundly negative effect on me and has been extremely challenging personally. “I am...

Far-left New York City Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being widely mocked for erroneously claiming that Venezuela is “below the equator” while trying to show off her foreign-policy chops in Germany. Venezuela sits just above the equator, but that didn’t stop the Democratic socialist — who majored in international relations at Boston University — from making the embarrassing gaffe while speaking at a Technical University of Berlin panel Sunday. “[Nicolas] Maduro canceled elections. He was an anti-democratic leader,” Ocasio-Cortez said, describing the Venezuela elections that took place under the Maduro regime and which many international organizations have said were rigged.

China’s carrier program is accelerating fast, with the Fujian already in sea trials and reporting suggesting a fourth “supercarrier” could follow. -The Fujian’s flat-deck design and electromagnetic catapult approach resemble the U.S. Ford-class, raising concern about how quickly Beijing is closing the capability gap in launch efficiency and sustained sortie generation. -Yet carriers matter only as much as their air wings. China’s current deck-aviation weakness—limited fifth-generation carrier fighters—still constrains near-term combat credibility against U.S. Navy F-35Cs and allied regional AirPower. -The danger is trajectory: mass production, improving catapults, and the J-35 could shift the balance sooner than expected. China is...

Tucker Carlson Sparks Outrage by Allowing Pastor to Blame Christian Zionists for Oct. 7. Tucker Carlson allowed Bethlehem Pastor Munther Isaac to use his platform to sanitize the October 7 massacre. Without a single interruption, Carlson sat silent as Isaac blamed American Christian Zionists for the deaths of "thousands of Palestinians" on October 7th. JFeed Staff. Feb 16, 2026. .. commentator Tucker Carlson did not interrupt or challenge his guest during a recent interview when [antisemitic] Rev. Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor from Bethlehem, appeared to hold Christian Zionists responsible for the deaths of "thousands of Palestinians" on October...

"The South Carolina GOP senator is using golf, good humor and frequent White House visits to try to influence foreign policy and keep Trump close as he faces a primary challenge.I’m his north star,” Graham told NBC News in an interview this week, a bold remark few in his party would dare make. “We disagree, but he knows where I am coming from. He sees me helping him as much as anybody in the Senate.” ADVERTISING Late last month, Graham temporarily blocked a $1.2 trillion deal to avert a government shutdown. Asked by reporters why he would block something that...

Among those attending the 40th anniversary bash for the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, one guest stood out – King Charles III. The presence of the UK’s sovereign at an Islamic studies institute was hardly a surprise, however. And not just because he is the centre’s patron. Charles, it is fair to say, is an unabashed Islamophile. He may have claimed some three decades ago that, as king, he intended to be the defender of faith – rather than the defender of the faith as his official role has it – but there is definitely one faith that he prefers...

The United States has directed its military forces in the Middle East to prepare for potentially extended operations against Iran, positioning them for action should President Donald Trump order strikes on the Islamic Republic. It remains unclear whether Trump will pursue a diplomatic solution or move toward military action against the Iranian regime. Speaking to U.S. forces at a base in North Carolina on Friday, Trump said it has "been difficult to make a deal." "Sometimes you have to have fear. That's the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of," Trump told the U.S. troops. White...

We gather here today as members of a historic alliance, an alliance that saved and changed the world. When this conference began in 1963, it was in a nation – actually, it was on a continent – that was divided against itself. The line between communism and freedom ran through the heart of Germany. The first barbed fences of the Berlin Wall had gone up just two years prior. And just months before that first conference, before our predecessors first met here, here in Munich, the Cuban Missile Crisis had brought the world to the brink of nuclear destruction. Even...

Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email licensing@ft.com to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://help.ft.com/faq/gifting-and-sharing-an-article/what-is-a-gift-article/. https://www.ft.com/content/dbd1d803-ab37-43f1-920f-fce74952313a Recruiters and propagandists who previously worked for Russia’s Wagner Group have emerged as a main conduit for Kremlin-organised sabotage attacks in Europe, according to western intelligence officials. The fighter group’s status has been uncertain since a failed rebellion...

An elite British Army battalion is going all in on drones after working closely with Ukrainian soldiers and seeing how central these systems have become in modern warfare. The 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards now has 78 of its 300 members qualified as drone operators, its commanding officer, Lt. Col. Ben Irwin-Clark, told Business Insider. The unit has big plans to increase its training and work with drones further."That just gives you an idea of how important this is," he said.The battalion has built a training facility with drone warfare in mind, and its soldiers are heavily invested, he...

-Excerpt- Banging drums and chanting for regime change, the giant and boisterous rally in Munich was part of what Pahlavi described as a “global day of action” to support Iranians in the wake of deadly nationwide protests. He also called for demonstrations in Los Angeles and Toronto. Police said in a post on X that the number of protesters reached some 250,000, more than the organizers had expected. -excerpt- An estimated 350,000 people marched on the streets of Toronto as part of the Global Day of Action Rally, Toronto Police spokesperson Laura Brabant said.