Free Republic

In late December, the Voice of America reported that Hong Kong's Dec. 19, 2021, election had "almost completely eliminated pro-democracy voices from the former British colony's Legislative Council" -- colloquially called the Legco. VOA's evidence: pro-Beijing candidates and their local allies took 89 of the council's 90 seats. I prefer the word "took," for in this faux election "won" is a propaganda deceit. In March 2021, the process of choosing Legco members changed. Chinese Communist Party selection replaced election. Seventy seats were "reserved for candidates picked by influential members of industry groups and by a committee of Beijing loyalists." That's...

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked about a number of topics, including Iran, Egypt, China, Hong Kong, and Ukraine, in a press briefing at the State Department.

We live, as you may have noticed, in the age of "woke" capitalism. Companies aren't just selling products, they're selling more than that. You see it everywhere, in movie trailers, corporate press releases and numerous TV commercials. The message is always the same: Companies aren't just soulless profit-seekers; they have values and principles. They care. They probably care more than you do. Once upon a time, corporate America flattered its customers. Consider this. Last Friday, Daryl Morey, general manager of the Houston Rockets basketball team, tweeted what seemed like a noncontroversial statement. He wrote: "Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong...

Over the past two months, the world has seen the people of Hong Kong bravely stand up to the growing threat of totalitarianism. What began as a protest against a bill that would allow prisoners to be extradited to mainland China has evolved into a movement to demand that the Hong Kong government (largely now controlled by China’s Communist Party) adhere to the promises of freedom and autonomy it made when Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997. Protesters have flooded the streets since June – despite the threat of being arrested, smothered with tear gas, pelted with rubber...

Gaza is home to Palestinian people, who have suffered injustices and have a history of legitimate grievances against both Israel and Arab governments. If there's one immutable fact of life, it is that history cannot be changed or controlled. What can be changed and controlled is the future. That points to the most tragic aspect of people in poor territories such as Gaza -- focusing attention on the past, which they can do nothing about, and not paying enough attention to the future. In the case of Palestinians, the first order of business is to recognize that they cannot militarily...

Yep, you heard that right: former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will travel to Hong Kong for her first commercial speaking engagement, a keynote address at the CLSA Investors' Forum September 23. Given that foreign policy was a soft spot for Palin during the 2008 campaign, this will give her a chance to boost her foreign policy cred (and she'll be able to see Taiwan from her hotel room). It could also boost her business cred, while she's at it, depending on what her speech focuses on..."Our keynote speakers are notable luminaries who often address topics that go beyond traditional finance...