Free Republic

Washington -- I could not reach my colleague Wlady Pleszczynski for most of the day on Saturday. He was mysteriously missing. On Saturdays, we talk for at least an hour on the telephone about the past week's events, but not this Saturday. His telephone rang and rang, all for naught. The same was true for two more of my weekend confidants. I had important news to convey to them, but no one was answering the telephone. At the end of the day, I finally roused Wlady. Where had he been? He had been engrossed in the British Broadcasting Corporation's coverage...

By the word “Anglosphere” we mean the countries whose primary language is English, and whose legal, political, cultural, and religious traditions are directly descended from Britain and Magna Charta. Specifically: the U.K., the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand -- and there was a time when we might have mentioned South Africa, and the English-speaking elites of India and other parts of the former Empire. United by a language, to begin, but through that language with a common-sense view of the world that is distinguishable from continental Europe’s; the “west of the West”, as it were. Andrew Roberts is a British...

REFUGEES fleeing war, violence and discrimination could be made to take English lessons before they reach Australia under a Government plan made public today. People who nominate refugees for visas could also have to prove minimum standards of financial competency and have a good track record of employment. They could also need a minimum period of residence in Australia, and have limits placed on the number of refugees they propose for resettlement. The Federal Government today released a discussion paper on Australia's humanitarian migration program. In the paper, it proposes expanding its Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) program, which was piloted...

(CBS4) DENVER Arapahoe County is threatening to fire a veteran Public Works employee for promoting the fact that he is an English speaking American. "They claim it's offensive and I've been accused of discrimination and harassment, believe it or not, because of this," said Mike Gray, a heavy equipment operator with the Arapahoe County Road and Bridge Department for 16 years. The problems began last spring. Gray, 50, owns a lawn service business on the side. He was routinely driving to work in his pickup truck towing a trailer that he uses to carry lawn mowing equipment for his business....

LEBANON, Tenn. - The judge who ordered a Mexican immigrant to improve her English or possibly lose custody of her daughter has been disciplined by state judiciary officials. Documents from the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary - which is in charge of overseeing the conduct of the state's judges - show disciplinary action was taken against Judge Barry Tatum but do not reveal the exact nature of the action because state law and the court's own rules forbid it. The disciplinary action against the Wilson County juvenile court judge stems from controversial court orders he issued requiring Hispanic mothers to...