Free Republic

From the early seventeenth to the late nineteenth century, the West African Kingdom of Dahomey, now part of the Republic of Benin, was renowned for its legendary female fighting force known as the Dahomean "Amazons," who served as soldiers and palace guards. The kingdom was also known for its artistic and aesthetically pleasing swords. Since Dahomean rulers frequently imported luxury goods, including weapons, from European nations, scholars have long speculated whether these distinctive swords were locally made or perhaps custom ordered from foreign sources. According to a statement released by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, a research team...

John Gomes, 51, the resident who is accused of starting the blaze near his home, was apparently inspired by “Forged in Fire,” a television series on History (formerly known as The History Channel) in which bladesmiths compete to create swords and other edged weapons. “He was trying to bend metal and make a hammer or something,” Mr. Morse told reporters on Thursday. But the winds were not in Mr. Gomes’s favor. Gusts in Cohoes reached up to 30 miles per hour and sparks quickly made their way to apartment buildings near the barrel fire. Mr. Gomes’s apartment was among those...