Free Republic

TORZHOK, Russia (Sputnik) - Statements about alleged plans of Russia to attack Europe after Ukraine are nonsense, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. During a working visit to the Russian town of Torzhok in the Tver Region on Wednesday, Putin met with military pilots. "What is being said that we are going to attack Europe after Ukraine - it is utter nonsense and intimidation of own population just to beat the money out of them, out of their people. Especially against the backdrop of the fact that the economy is shrinking and living standards are falling. It is obvious, and...

Swedes have been warned to brace for the possibility of war in the wake of their country's anticipated NATO membership in 2024 and the backdrop of Russia's conflict in Ukraine. Speaking at the Folk och Forsvar conference in Salen, Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin stressed the urgency of enhancing Sweden's resilience, citing concerns over the sluggish modernisation of the civil defence system. Mr Bohlin urged a collective effort from all segments of society, emphasising the need for swift action. "Many have said it before me, but let me say it with the force of my office - there could be...

Officials ordered nine Muslim passengers, including three young children, off an AirTran flight headed to Orlando from Reagan National Airport yesterday afternoon after two other passengers overheard what they thought was a suspicious remark. Members of the party, all but one of them U.S.-born citizens who were headed to a religious retreat in Florida, were subsequently cleared for travel by FBI agents who characterized the incident as a misunderstanding, an airport official said. But the passengers said AirTran refused to rebook them, and they had to pay for seats on another carrier secured with help from the FBI. Kashif Irfan,...

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Jonathan Chakhtoura, a 19-year-old Lebanese-American, is eager to escape the outbreak of Mideast fighting here. But he says he's extremely disappointed with the way U.S. authorities have handled the evacuation. "Every time I call to see what's going on the lines are busy," he said of the U.S. Embassy. "When they answer, they say they don't know," said Chakhtoura, who wants to be back in Boston before his fashion design classes start Sept. 6. "A lot of people don't know what is going on. There is so much confusion. If it's security they are worried about, then...