Free Republic

Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday barred the liberal Yabloko party from contesting September’s parliamentary elections, sidelining the only officially registered party that opposes Moscow’s war in Ukraine. More than four years after Russia launched its full-scale war, the decision highlights the authorities’ intolerance of anti-war views and further narrows the already limited space for dissent in Russian politics. “Excluding Yabloko from the election means refusing dialogue with people who ask questions that are uncomfortable for the authorities,” Nikolai Rybakov, the party’s leader, said, vowing to appeal the decision.

The Iranian government flat-out rejected President Trump’s claim that new negotiations were due to get underway later Monday, with officials stating that no talks were taking place or scheduled.Trump, 80, told reporters en route to Washington Sunday night that he had called off a planned “massive attack” on Iran at the request of US partners in the region — including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.“They thought that a deal is imminent,” said the president, later adding: “Now what we’re doing is talking to them [Iran], in the form of a ​negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon.” Iran Foreign...

Reporter: Did you post that picture of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ? Trump: It wasn't a depiction. I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor. And had to do with red cross as a red cross worker, which we support and only the fake news could come up with that one.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conceded defeat Sunday in the country’s parliamentary election, calling the result "clear" and "painful" as partial vote counts showed a decisive win for opposition leader Péter Magyar.

Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution Tuesday aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, just hours before President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to cease threatening the key waterway.

A newly reported operation suggests Kyiv may have found another low-cost way to disrupt Russian forces away from the front line: heated insoles allegedly rigged with small explosive charges and sent through volunteer aid channels. According to Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi, operatives from Ukraine’s special services allegedly inserted explosive-filled heated insoles into shipments destined for Russian military units. The items were reportedly moved with the help of Russian volunteers and charitable foundations, allowing them to pass as ordinary humanitarian aid. That is what makes this sort of sabotage effective, Treston Wheat, chief geopolitical officer at Insight Forward, told me: it exploits...

The Great Russian Lockdown — Putin Turns His Country Into a Cage!

The sons of US President Donald Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., have invested in the startup Powerus, which plans to acquire Ukrainian drone manufacturers. The company intends to license Ukrainian technologies to produce drones in the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal.

US Iran War Updates: Iran's IRGC struck a US-linked oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, setting it on fire. Multiple ships hit near Strait of Hormuz. IEA releases 400M barrels of oil as prices surge.

MOSCOW, March 6 (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it would respond if Finland ​placed nuclear weapons on its territory, saying such a move would make the Nordic country more vulnerable. ‌The Kremlin reacted sharply after NATO member Finland said on Thursday it was planning to lift a longstanding ban on hosting such weapons, in a move that could open the door to placing them there during times of war. "This is a statement that leads to an escalation ​of tensions on the European continent," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "This statement adds to Finland's vulnerability, a ​vulnerability provoked...

Russia has been sharing intelligence with Iran on the location of US forces in the Middle East in an attempt to help Tehran fight back, according to a new report. The Kremlin has passed on the locations of American warships, aircrafts and other military assets ever since “Operation Epic Fury” kicked off a week ago, three sources told the Washington Post Friday. “It does seem like it’s a pretty comprehensive effort,” one official familiar with the intel told the outlet.

UK's Keir Starmer reacts to US strikes on Iran

French President Emmanuel Macron called President Trump’s attack on Iran “dangerous” and urged both sides to go back to the negotiation table. “The ongoing escalation is dangerous for all,” he said in a statement posted on social media. “It must stop. The Iranian regime must understand that it now has no other option but to engage in good faith in negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic programs, as well as its regional destabilization activities. This is absolutely necessary for the security of all in the Middle East.” He also called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security...

Russian soldiers and military bloggers have railed against the Kremlin after it restricted access to the Telegram messaging app. Widespread disruptions to the app were reported on Monday and Tuesday as Roskomnadzor, the Russian state media regulator, said it would levy its strongest restrictions on Telegram’s operations yet. The internet watchdog said the move would safeguard Russian citizens against “criminal and terrorist” content, in Moscow’s latest crackdown on the free internet. Roskomnadzor, which has for years crusaded for a “sovereign internet” liberated from Western influence, has over the past six months imposed new limits on Telegram and WhatsApp at least...

European opposition ⁠to President Donald Trump's bid to acquire Greenland and his proposed "Board of Peace" initiative has disrupted plans for an economic support package for postwar Ukraine, the Financial Times reported ‍on Wednesday. A planned announcement of an $800 billion prosperity ‍plan to be agreed between Ukraine, Europe, and the U.S. at the World Economic Forum ⁠in Davos this week has been delayed, the report said, citing six officials. Reuters could not immediately verify ​the report. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "Nobody is in any mood to stage ‍a grand spectacle around...

Pro-Scottish independence accounts on X have gone dark after Iran's Internet shutdown - after experts exposed their links to the regime in Tehran. Multiple accounts, which regularly pumped out pro-independence messages, abruptly stopped posting on January 8 - the date the Iranian authorities began their blackout in a bid to quell nationwide protests. The profiles claimed to be ordinary Scottish people, with names including 'Scottish Lad' Jake and 'Proud Scottish lass' Fiona.

The Russian economy has officially entered stagnation mode, reports Foreign Intelligence Service. The Kremlin can no longer hide the systemic crisis behind optimistic statements. The figures show a collapse in the aggressor country's economic performance. After 4.5% GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, a sharp slowdown began: the indicator fell to 1.4% in the first quarter of 2025, then to 1.1% in the second quarter, and in the third quarter it was only 0.6%.

Europe's leaders boldly confronted Donald Trump on Tuesday night after his administration threatened to use the US military to seize Greenland. A joint statement from leaders including Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy vowed to defend Greenland's 'territorial integrity' - following days of escalating tensions between the US and NATO ally Denmark. It comes as Trump and his top advisers explore plans including purchasing the Danish territory or taking charge of its defense, according to a senior administration official. The White House said that 'utilising the US military is always an option'...

Jahvijaa Reza Pahlavi, Maata Khamenei, etc. Lots of videos. Day 10 and IRGC can't get a handle on it. Khamenei might go to Moscow with his family and entourage. Transcript linked below video.

Cargo planes don’t lie. Belarusian Il-76 aircraft continue to land in Tehran, quietly unloading Russian and Chinese weapons, crowd-control systems, surveillance tools, and security equipment for the Islamic Republic’s internal forces. These flights are not routine. They are not symbolic. They are deliberate, repeated, and coordinated. And they are not defensive.