Free Republic

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed that Iran will not halt work on its nuclear programme. He said the country would not back down "even one iota", despite mounting international pressure after it announced that it has enriched uranium. The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, is in Tehran for talks aimed at defusing the stand-off. He said he hoped to convince Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment "until outstanding issues are clarified". Western nations suspect Iran of wanting to develop a nuclear weapon, but Tehran insists its plans are for a peaceful, civilian energy programme only. Speaking...

MOSS BLUFF, Fla. - A man accused of fatally beating his roommate with a sledgehammer and a claw hammer because there was no toilet paper in their home has been arrested. Franklin Paul Crow, 56, was charged Monday with homicide in the death of Kenneth Matthews, 58, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Capt. Thomas Bibb said Crow initially denied his involvement, but confessed during questioning.

Call with your support: Tom DeLay office -- 202.225.5951. A call is much more effective than an email. I just spoke with a staffer at Tom DeLay's office and asked about getting a signed photo of his wonderful smiling mug shot in exchange for a contribution. They have had many, many such requests and are discussing the idea. The smiling photo was an absolutely brilliant move that has really angered the DemocRATS. The next photo I want is a screaming Ronnie Earle being physically removed kicking and screaming from his office.

Why is Tom DeLay smiling? After all, he's been indicted. Forced out of his job as House majority leader. And called into court for fingerprinting and a mugshot like a common criminal. Answer: A photo of DeLay grinning from ear to ear doesn't pack quite the punch in a Democratic attack ad as one that looks more like the mugshot of, say, actor Hugh Grant. Note the House of Representatives security pin on DeLay's lapel. He looks in the photo like a proud member of Congress who might just have won the lottery, not one indicted on charges of money...

The embattled Majority Leader Tom DeLay rose on the floor of the House Thursday to note the unexpected rediscovery in eastern Arkansas of the supposedly extinct ivory-billed woodpecker. He added that the budget resolution pending in the House contained federal entitlement reforms, "whose prospects for survival, critics said, were not much better than the survival of the ivory-billed woodpecker." Indeed, only a few hours earlier, House-watchers felt DeLay faced an uphill fight to pass the budget agreed to the previous night. Conservatives threatened to rebel, claiming insufficient restraint on Medicaid. Could DeLay avoid disaster? He did, with the final version...

3 Dems unable to agree on who will face DeLay Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Three Democrats who want to challenge House Majority Leader Tom DeLay without a divisive primary were unable Friday to agree on a single candidate against the powerful Sugar Land Republican. Sugar Land lawyer Richard Morrison, who ran against DeLay last November, former U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, of Beaumont, and Houston City Councilman Gordon Quan met at Morrison's behest. Morrison said he and Lampson still are committed to the race. Quan said he will form an exploratory committee. Lampson could not be reached. Staff reports

ATHENS, August 22 - Adrian ANNUS (HUN) won the final of the men's hammer throw with 83.19m ahead of Koji MUROFUSHI (JPN), who recorded 82.91m. The pair were the only ones to break the 80m barrier. The 2003 IAAF World Champion Ivan TIKHON (BLR) took the bronze on his fifth attempt with 79.81m. The event had no other leader than ANNUS from the beginning to the end. The Hungarian opened his series with a throw of 80.53m before improving his result twice. He recorded his best throw in the third round. ANNUS was never really challenged but MUROFUSHI had a...

Good afternoon, or, as John Kerry might say: “Bonjour!” I'm sure you've already heard a good many speakers today and will hear a bunch more after I'm done. So you'll probably judge my speech more on its brevity than its persuasiveness. But that's okay, because as you may have heard, we Republicans from Texas aren't known for our el-o-qua-city. But we are known for being clear. So in the interests of clarity, I have a simple message to pass along: the national Democrat party seems to have lost its marbles. Though they remain a potent electoral machine, armed with battalions...