Free Republic

Hillary Clinton has weighed in on what President Joe Biden needs to do as his popularity among American voters plummets amid surging inflation and a cost of living crisis. In an interview with the British magazine the New Statesman, conducted while the former secretary of state and two-time presidential candidate was in northeast England under the invitation of British former Labour foreign secretary David Miliband, Clinton said the nation needs a president who can project "hope," as she said her husband Bill Clinton and Barack Obama did during their presidencies.

In a letter signed by 21 Senators, the lawmakers wrote to Biden saying, “We urge you to include recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions tied to economic conditions in your Build Back Better long-term economic plan.” ore than two million people have also signed onto an effort that calls on Congress to deliver $2,000 monthly stimulus checks to eligible Americans until the pandemic is over. The Change.org petition directly addresses the House and the Senate, urging both congressional chambers to draft a bill that would provide “$2,000 payments for adults and $1,000 payment for kids” until the pandemic...

Something doesn't look quite right A Redditor with a good eye caught this still from NBC's Sunday night pregame show Football Night in America, where if you look closely, the Golden Gate Bridge has an extra tower. Also in this redesign of the bridge, the suspension cables just drift into space from the three towers (No need for those! They're just decoration!). We're not sure who is photo shopping like mad over at NBC, but one would hope that the person in charge would know the Golden Gate only has two towers. And if they didn't know, maybe they could...

‘Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb’ approved by RomeWASHINGTON (March 26, 2012) -- The Vatican has approved the publication of the "Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb," which will be printed in English and Spanish in a combined booklet and should be available for parishes by Mothers' Day. The U.S. bishops who collaborated on the development of the blessing welcomed the announcement of the recognitio, or approval, by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome. "I'm impressed with the beauty of this blessing for human life...

Bishop Armando X. Ochoa Fresno, Calif., Dec 1, 2011 / 01:58 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Bishop Armando X. Ochoa of El Paso, Texas was named today as the new bishop of Fresno, Calif. by Pope Benedict XVI.“I am humbled and deeply honored that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, would offer me this new challenge at my age,” said Bishop Ochoa, who will fill a position left vacant by the death of Bishop John Steinbock in December 2010. Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Vatican's recently appointed representative to the U.S., made the announcement in Washington D.C. on Dec. 1.Bishop Ochoa...

Anwar al-Aulaqi (AP/Muhammad ud-Deen) U.S. officials have given Anwar al-Aulaqi a newly elevated designation on the day of his death by drone strike, describing him as “chief of external operations” for al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen. The new title, cited by officials at the White House and the CIA, reflects Aulaqi’s evolution from Muslim cleric to alleged terrorist plotter, as well as a desire by American officials to persuade the public that the extraordinary killing of a U.S. citizen overseas was warranted. U.S. officials also disclosed what they said were new details about Aulaqi’s operational role, saying that he personally had...

Judge Rules Ex-Firefighter Cannot Sue Over Mosque NY Times A Manhattan judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a former New York City firefighter who is trying to stop the construction of an Islamic community center in Lower Manhattan. The former firefighter, Timothy Brown, sought to overturn a decision by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to deny landmark status for a 150-year-old building on Park Place that would be demolished to make way for the center. [..] In a decision issued on Friday, Justice Paul G. Feinman of State Supreme Court in Manhattan wrote that Mr. Brown was “an...

CBS gave President Obama over 26 and a half minutes to answer 12 questions related to the economy during a town hall aired on Thursday's Early Show. Obama got six uninterrupted minutes to answer one question about Medicare during the hour-long event. Host Erica Hill wondered how the Democrat could "change the mind-set from things are tough to things are turning around" with the economy.Hill led the town hall with her concerned economic "mind-set" question, noting beforehand that "it seems that we have been hearing, whether it's on TV, at the office, around the kitchen table, things are tough,"

A mother who gave birth to her daughter in a hospital toilet said staff had ignored her desperate screams for help. Sharon Willoughby, 40, and her partner Richard Sum said they also rang the emergency alarm but waited in vain for 15minutes because staff thought 'she wanted a cup of tea'. Ms Willoughby had gone into the birthing unit at King's Mill Hospital in Nottinghamshire in November last year and was given drugs to induce the birth.But she claims she was not internally examined and went to the bathroom because of excruciating pain a few hours later that evening.

Food bank mistakenly gives out dog foodPublished: July 18, 2010 at 2:39 PM CLEARWATER, Fla., July 18 (UPI) -- A food bank in Clearwater, Fla., distributed a can labeled as a "superfood" that turned out to be a can of dog food, the recipient said. On Social Security, retired Air Force veteran Frank Viscido made his weekly trip from his home in Largo to the Religious Community Services Food Bank in Clearwater for free food, The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported. Viscido was given the can labeled, "Senior Holistic Superfood" by a volunteer who noticed he wanted products for better...

Exclusive: Americans consider withholding veto protecting Israel at UN if building goes ahead at Ramat Shlomo The US has given private assurances to encourage the Palestinians to join indirect Middle East peace talks, including an offer to consider allowing UN security council condemnation of any significant new Israeli settlement activity, the Guardian has learned. The assurances were given verbally in a meeting a week ago between a senior US diplomat and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. Since then – and after months of US diplomacy – it appears Israeli and Palestinian leaders are close to starting indirect "proximity" talks, which...

After selling a majority stake in Miami-based City National Bancshares last November, all he did was take $60 million of the proceeds -- $60 million out of his own pocket -- and hand it to his tellers, bookkeepers, clerks, everyone on the payroll. All 399 workers on the staff received bonuses, and he even tracked down 72 former employees so they could share in the windfall. For longtime employees, the bonus -- based on years of service -- amounted to tens of thousands of dollars, and in some cases, more than $100,000. At a time when financial titans are...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2007 – What’s another marathon, really, for Jill Stevens? Sgt. Jill Stevens, Utah National Guard member and the 2007 Miss Utah, smiles after crossing the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., Oct. 28, 2007. Photo by Staff Sgt. Mary K. Flynn, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The 2007 Miss Utah is no stranger to the physical and mental discipline required to knock out 26.2 miles. She ran the Marine Corps Marathon here on Oct. 28, finishing in about 3.5 hours. It’s the third marathon she’s run since winning the pageant...

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2007 – Covering the rent just got a little bit easier for military personnel in Ohio thanks to Empirian Property Management’s “Service Appreciation Program.” Through the company’s program, military personnel and civil servants can get $50 to $100 off their rent, Julie Yesnick, a senior regional manger in Ohio, said. “We felt that it was a good way to honor people that are serving our country,” she said. The program honors active-duty, reserve-component and retired military personnel, as well as fire and police department employees, Yesnick said. Though the management company would eventually like to offer...

Arnold Schwarzenegger is following the wrong script. After taking over as governor in 2003, he was expected to vanquish business-as-usual politicians in Sacramento--and pull California from the brink of fiscal ruin. Instead, he has decided to put his own political future ahead of the economic survival of his beloved Golden State. How else to interpret his recent move to join ranks with his opponents in Sacramento to put a pork-heavy $37 billion bond infrastructure proposal on the November ballot? --snip--

MUSAYYIB, Iraq—Fighting insurgents with tanks and guns is only half the battle for Sierra Vista native Capt. Irvin Oliver. As a Company Commander in the 2nd Brigade of 4th Infantry Division, Oliver learned that in Iraq it requires more than bullets to defeat insurgents. On July 22, during a routine patrol in Musayyib, Oliver’s soldiers came under fire. The fight lasted an afternoon and escalated to point where most of his battalion was called in. When the fight was over, 33 insurgents were killed. U.S. soldiers received only minor injuries. Oliver, 32, was assigned Musayyib as his company’s area of...

Israel gives army a free hand as Lebanon seeks withdrawal By Patrick Bishop (Filed: 08/08/2006) Diplomatic efforts to stop the war in Lebanon failed to slow the bloodshed yesterday as at least 32 civilians were killed in Israeli air raids. Air raids on a crowded area of Beirut that had so far escaped the violence killed at least eight people Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, said no limits had been placed on the army's actions and leaflets warned Lebanese living south of the Litani river not to remain outdoors after 10pm. Targets in south and east Lebanon were bombed...

ALTA GRACIA, Argentina - Fidel and Hugo went on a pilgrimage Saturday to Che's house. In an emotional journey, Cuban President Fidel Castro and Venezuelan ally Hugo Chavez toured the Argentine boyhood home of Castro's fallen comrade and legendary guerrilla, Ernesto "Che" Guevara. It was a first visit for both. "Fidel! Fidel!" and "Hugo! Hugo!" the crowd of 2,000 chanted as the 79-year-old Castro, wearing his trademark green military fatigues, got out of his limousine. Chavez was right by Castro's side as they entered the house amid a crush of security agents. While Castro made no public comment, he smiled...

7/21/2006 - BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- Soldiers and Airmen from the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team traveled to Nyazi Geranshakh in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan on July 19 to replace eight tents at its local school that were burned down earlier this week by arsonists. Team members were equipped with replacement tents as well as backpacks and other supplies to better the lives of the people of Afghanistan. "This is a really great mission," said 1st Lt. William Warner, the security forces detachment commander and a native of Glastonberry, Conn. Warner was one of many servicemembers who passed out supplies donated...

China gives Rumsfeld secret papers on friend's mystery death By Francis Harris (Filed: 20/07/2006) When communist Chinese jets shot down an American surveillance aircraft 50 years ago, the Beijing government did not care that the co-pilot was a close friend of a young US naval officer called Donald Rumsfeld. But now China cares so much that when it sent its most senior military officer to the United States for a visit this week, Gen Guo Boxiong handed over previously classified papers on the incident to Defence Secretary Rumsfeld. An American official said the documents had yet to be translated, but...