Free Republic

New San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin has instituted a new rule for his club in his first year with the the franchise, and it’s difficult to miss during spring training. Melvin is requiring every person in the team’s dugout to stand for the national anthem, and he explained why. “It’s all about the perception that we’re out there ready to play,” Melvin said, per The Athletic. “That’s it. You want your team ready to play, and I want the other team to notice it, too. It’s really as simple as that.” Melvin also made it clear his reasoning has...

Thailand's coup leaders have declared today a national holiday and ordered top civil servants to a meeting at military headquarters to announce their "new policy". The military declared martial law and suspended the constitution shortly after declaring that they had staged a coup against controversial Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The coup leaders have declared "a holiday for government, banks and the stock exchange in order to quickly restore law and order," according to a statement read on national television. They told top civil servants, leaders of state enterprises, and university presidents around Bangkok to meet at military headquarters at 9:00...

White House Backs Latest Israeli AttacksFocus Shifts to Arab Leaders' Commitment to End Support for Militant GroupsBy Glenn Kessler Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, June 13, 2003; Page A22 The Bush administration signaled strong support for Israel's crackdown on militant groups yesterday, effectively abandoning its earlier criticism of the government ofIsraeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that had sparked an outcry from lawmakers on Capitol Hill and pro-Israel lobbying groups. In coordinated statements, White House and State Department officials tried to shift the diplomatic focus from Israeli actions to the commitment made by Arab leaders at a summit last week in...

It was reported today that a Jenin man had shot his son in the leg after he learned - from the IDF - that his son was planning a suicide attack against Israel. In addition, another father brought his son to an IDF checkpoint and turned him in, claiming that the young man was planning a suicide attack. The army says that these are only two of several recent incidents affirming the effectiveness of its new policy of demolishing homes and expelling terrorist relatives in saving Jewish lives. Another suicide terrorist from northern Jerusalem was arrested today, following the arrest...