Free Republic

Former President Donald Trump met with former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Tuesday evening, discussing the relationship between the two countries. “The two discussed the enduring importance of the US-Japan alliance to both countries’ physical and economic security and to stability in the Indo-Pacific,” a statement released by Trump said. “They also discussed challenges posed by China and North Korea. President Trump praised Japan’s increased defense spending.”

LONDON (AP) – Ireland is poised to get its youngest-ever premier after Simon Harris secured the leadership of the Fine Gael party on Sunday, replacing Leo Varadkar who announced his surprise resignation last week. The 37-year-old Harris, who is the government’s further and higher education minister, was the only candidate to put his name forward to succeed Varadkar, who had been Ireland’s previous youngest prime minister, or what Ireland calls its taoiseach.

The painting depicts Arthur Balfour, author of the 1917 declaration that established Britain’s aim to create a Jewish state in Palestine. Members of the activist group Palestine Action spray-painted and slashed a portrait of British former Prime Minister Arthur James Balfour on view at Trinity College, University of Cambridge. The protest action was documented in a video posted to Instagram today, March 8, by the organizing group along with other pro-Palestine accounts. In the video, a brown-haired individual wearing a dark blue puffer jacket sprays what appears to be red aerosol paint on the work, a 1914 painting by Anglo-Hungarian...

@disclosetv NOW - Donald Tusk, former president of the European Council, confirmed as Poland's new prime minister.

LISBON, Portugal (AP) – Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said Tuesday he is resigning after being involved in a widespread corruption probe. Costa said in a nationally televised address that “in these circumstances, obviously, I have presented my resignation to the president of the republic.” Costa’s shocking announcement came hours after Portuguese police arrested his chief of staff while raiding several public buildings and other properties as part of a widespread corruption probe.

All of Canada’s major pollsters are now showing at least a 10-point gap between the Conservatives and the Liberals. Were these sentiments to hold up in a general election, Conservative Pierre Poilievre would be looking at one of the largest landslides in modern Canadian history. Polls are pointing to a Conservative majority of 205 seats against a Liberal opposition of just 81. That would represent the most crushing electoral victory since 1984... The Liberals are now in third place anywhere outside of Ontario and Quebec – most notably in the previously Liberal stronghold of Atlantic Canada. And the Conservatives continue...

The first leaked video of partygate has emerged, showing dozens of Conservative members drinking, laughing and dancing at a festive party during the “height” of the coronavirus pandemic. It comes as former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was found to have “deliberately misled MPs” with his partygate denials, a report by the Privileges Committee found. The Christmas celebration took place at the Conservative Campaign Headquarters in London on December 14, 2020 when many parts of the UK were not allowed to socialise during lockdown. It’s reported that there were around 24 attendees at the event, as the unseen footage shows two...

Who are you again? President Biden tripped over British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s title during their White House meeting Thursday — referring to the UK pol as “Mr. President.” The 80-year-old Biden’s gaffe came almost immediately after the two leaders sat down in the Oval Office ahead of their wide-ranging talks. “Well, Mr. President,” Biden started to say before abruptly correcting himself. “Mr. President? I just demoted you.” As Sunak, 43, laughed off the slip-up, Biden continued: “Mr. Prime Minister, it’s great to have you back.”

A pipe bomb was thrown at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a speech in Western Japan, but security guards quickly reacted to protect the politician, multiple outlets report. Witnesses say they saw an object that appeared to be a thin, metal thermos that flew and landed near the prime minister, believed to be a homemade pipe bomb, ABC News has reported. The incident comes just nine months after the former Japanese prime minister was assassinated. In footage posted by the Daily Wire, the bomb bounces toward the prime minister until a bodyguard blocks it with his briefcase and kicks...

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin was one of the youngest leaders on the global stage today. She was also a far-left narcissist and a national disaster. Sanna Marin was a hardliner on the Ukraine War. She says Ukraine represents Western values. Last week Ukraine arrested one of the top Orthodox priests in the country. Only government approved churches are allowed in Ukraine today – sort of like in China. Back in August video leaked of Sanna Marin partying with celebrity friends. She was urged to take a drug test after videos of her partying it up with her celebrity friends...

We will continue to be your single source of truth. . . . Unless you hear it from us, it is not the truth. —Jacinda Ardern On February 19, 2023, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced her resignation, saying she “no longer has enough in the tank” to stay in the role until the coming October election.1 Many New Zealanders, who lived through some of the harshest lockdowns in the world under Ardern’s leadership, are rejoicing. But media and politicians alike have piled praise on Ardern’s premiership while dismissing her critics as an extreme fringe. Guardian journalist Jess Philips...

In November the EU proposed to give impoverished Ukraine — with over 80% of its nation without electricity, among other necessities — $18.6 billion in critical humanitarian aid, including support for energy and healthcare facilities.But Hungary has vetoed the transfer of the critical aid package.Budapest has stood out as the only member of the 27 country organization to block the EU package, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban having effective veto power because EU budget rules require the unanimous approval of all 27 member countries.American and European officials have been noting Orban's "persistent pattern" of obstructionism in aid to Ukraine,...

President Biden met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday at the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, where the two leaders recommitted their support for Ukraine. The White House said the leaders “discussed Russia’s barbaric missile strikes in Ukraine and underscored their governments’ strong support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression.”

Benjamin Netanyahu has become prime minister of Israel for a record third time as interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid called him on Thursday evening to concede defeat. The election was close, but in the end, Netanyahu’s coalition of right-wing religious parties edged out Lapid’s coalition of moderate, labor, and Arab parties by winning 64 of the 120 seats. Netanyahu first served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, and then again from 2009 to 2021. He is currently on trial in three different courts on corruption charges, casting a cloud over this continued service. Times of Israel:All eyes are expected...

Politics in the state of Israel has never been more complex. One coalition is held together by the slimmest of reeds: opposition to one man — Benjamin Netanyahu. It’s a collection of liberal, conservative, and Arab parties that was formed primarily to defeat Netanyahu last year with Yair Lapid as its leader. Some oppose the two-time former prime minister for his alleged corruption. Others blanch at his policies in the Palestinian territories. But because the only real unifying factor for the opposition is hatred of Netanyahu, the governing coalition lasted only a few months. Netanyahu’s Likud coalition is a mish-mash...

Rishi Sunak happens to be Hindu by faith, but this fact is unlikely to make him pro-India With Rishi Sunak becoming the third Prime Minister in two months, there are great expectations from him, especially because he has experience, as a former finance minister, to tackle the economic crisis that Britain faces. Just like his immediate predecessor, Liz Truss, he is a Thatcherite. “My values are Thatcherite. I believe in hard work, family and integrity. I am a Thatcherite, I am running as a Thatcherite and I will govern as a Thatcherite,” he wrote in a newspaper. But there is...

Former UK Treasury chief Rishi Sunak won the race to become the new prime minister on Monday, the third since the summer and the nation’s first non-white leader. Sunak won the latest leadership battle after his only remaining rival, Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt, conceded and withdrew. “Rishi has my full support,” Mordaunt said in a concession statement. Sunak will be invited by King Charles III to form a government. The results of the race will make the multimillionaire former hedge fund boss Britain’s first non-white leader and the first Hindu to take the top job. At...

At first, the idea of a Boris Johnson Restoration looked remote after his “hasta la vista” two months ago from 10 Downing Street. After the leadership collapse this week, rumors began circulating that Johnson wanted to change that Schwarzeneggerian valediction for a Terminator reminder — “I’ll be back,” the New York Times reported this morning, although skeptically:For all of his charisma, it is also not clear that Mr. Johnson retains the same power to turn out voters that he did three years ago. The scandals that brought him down eroded his popularity with many Britons, and it was under his...

LONDON — After a whirlwind two months packed with drama and crisis, Britain finds itself right back where it was before with some of the same faces competing to become the third prime minister in just eight weeks. Supporters for the three presumed front-runners — Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt and, yes, Boris Johnson — were out of the blocks early on Friday, setting out their pitches for why their person should get the keys to 10 Downing Street, the prime ministerial residence. Could Boris Johnson stage an extraordinary political comeback? What about Rishi Sunak, the bookies’ favorite who fell to...

Is it a comeback, or just a fantasy? Is it in the “national interest,” or in personal ambition only momentarily thwarted?Whatever it is, it’s apparently on like Donkey Kong now that Liz Truss has resigned as UK PM, according to the Times of London’s Ragip Soylu. Once-and-future-PM Boris Johnson is already taking “soundings” and lining up support now that Truss’ government has collapsed:BREAKING: Boris Johnson is expected to stand in the contest to replace Liz Truss as PM and believes it is a matter of “national interest” — The Times— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) October 20, 2022Boris Johnson is expected to...