Free Republic

Republican US presidential front-runner Donald Trump is apparently "honored" that Russian President Vladimir Putin considers the real-estate magnate a "flamboyant" and "very talented" man. "It is always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond," Trump said in a statement, according to Politico. He continued: "I have always felt that Russia and the United States should be able to work well with each other towards defeating terrorism and restoring world peace, not to mention trade and all of the other benefits derived from mutual respect." (full article at...

Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw on Tuesday the launch of the second line of Russia's power link to Crimea which will allow to double Russian power supplies to the peninsula to 400 megawatts. Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, was plunged into darkness around three weeks ago after electricity pylons in southern Ukraine that carry the four lines that supply Crimea with the bulk of its power were blown up by unidentified people.

Two protesters have died in the south-eastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir in a clash between police and Kurdish demonstrators over a curfew imposed as part of a security crackdown. Police fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters at a march called by the main pro-Kurdish party, the HDP. A number of areas in the south-east have been put under curfew as security forces battle Kurdish militants.

ISIS is being controlled by Russian secret services says Hon. Ahmed Zakayev, Chairman of Government of Chechnya on Exile. Zakayev received asylum in Britain after escaping Putin's regime revenge.