Free Republic

Ukrainians are taking to the streets after the passage of a controversial bill threatening the autonomy of two anti-corruption agencies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now facing the largest protests since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Demonstrators gathered outside the presidential administration in Kyiv, while other protests took place in smaller cities across the country. European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos expressed concern over the vote, saying "the dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU’s independence is a serious step back." The Ukrainian government’s latest move risks endangering its bid to join the European Union, as a crackdown on internal corruption is a...

Six B-2 stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri appear to be en route to a U.S. Air Force base in Guam, according to flight tracking data and voice communications with air traffic control. The bombers apparently refueled after launching from Missouri, suggesting they launched without full fuel tanks due to a heavy onboard payload, which could be bunker-buster bombs. The B-2 can carry two 15-ton bunker-buster bombs—which only the U.S. possesses. Experts say the bombs could be critical to targeting Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear site: Fordow.

World leaders across the globe are reacting to President Donald Trump’s "Liberation Day" tariff announcements, with some expressing disappointment and others making threats. On Wednesday, the president announced a baseline tariff of 10% on imports, in addition to reciprocal tariffs based on what each nation imposes on U.S. goods. Trump believes these tariffs will incentivize foreign investment in the U.S. and spur domestic job growth. While several U.S. allies articulated their frustration with the tariffs, they also expressed a lack of interest in launching trade wars. Many called for negotiations with the U.S. for new trade agreements. European Commission President...

A senior military leader of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, was killed in a precision airstrike in Syria carried out by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, according to a press release. Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay was killed in an airstrike that CENTCOM says is part of its efforts to "disrupt and degrade" terrorists’ plans to harm civilians or military personnel from the U.S. and its allies. "As we have said in the past, we will continue to pursue relentlessly these terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region," Gen....