Free Republic

Harris County commissioners voted Tuesday to demolish and rebuild parts of the under-construction Beltway 8 bridge over the Houston Ship Channel after the original designs were found to have "significant" flaws. The setback will cost the county $291 million, including $50 million to demolish some sections that have already been built, according to the Houston Chronicle's Dug Begley. Work on the new Beltway 8 Bridge began in 2018, the same year another FIGG-constructed bridge collapsed near Florida International University in Miami, killing six people and putting the company's practices into question. COWI determined that there were 21 different "significant" design...

Fast-moving Amazon is pushing for slow-growing chickens that animal-rights groups say are more ethically raised — but they could end up costing consumers more. The US poultry industry will boost its production of the chickens, which are said to have fewer health issues, in a nod to a powerful animal-welfare organization that’s backed by Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market. The Global Animal Partnership unveiled a list of 11 breeds of chicken on Wednesday that meet its certification criteria. The latest list is down from 27 breeds. GAP says that top-tier companies like Chipotle and Popeyes Louisiana Chicken have signed on to...

Germany on Thursday imposed restrictions on the unvaccinated as it sought to break a dramatic surge in daily coronavirus infections exacerbated by the discovery of the Omicron strain. Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor Olaf Scholz agreed with leaders of Germany's 16 states to bar the unvaccinated from access to all but the most essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies and bakeries. They also agreed to pass legislation in the national parliament to make vaccination mandatory.

Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke recently announced his candidacy for governor of Texas against incumbent Greg Abbott after the former's failed campaigns for U.S. Senate in 2018 and president in 2020. One issue that has followed him was his arrest report of a DUI hit-and-run in 1998, released August 2018 by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express. Up until that time, he had admitted to the DUI without mentioning the accident and fleeing the scene. During a debate in September with eventual victor Ted Cruz, a moderator brought it up, and O'Rourke said, "I did not try to leave the...

A student identified among the victims of Tuesday’s shooting at Oxford High School reportedly sacrificed his life during the incident, according to witnesses. Student witnesses say that 16-year-old Tate Myre was shot while attempting to disarm the 15-year-old suspect, Ethan Crumbley, during the shooting, according to Newsweek. Myre later succumbed to his injuries. A star running back for the Oxford Wildcats football team, Myre received praise from his team on Twitter, who said he was a “great young man.” “Tate was on varsity since freshman year and was an honor student. Tate was a great young man with a bright...

The 2022 Australian Open is set to begin on Jan. 17, and it might take place without one of tennis’ biggest stars. Srdjan Djokovic, father of Novak Djokovic appeared on Serbian TV over the weekend to go on a mammoth rant against Australian officials, who are requiring all players at the tournament to be vaccinated prior to entering the country. Srdjan’s comments began with the common refrain that vaccination is a personal choice, and that the Australian Open shouldn’t have a say in what his son does with his body. Then, things went out the window. “As far as vaccines...

Migrants seeking to enter the United States will again have to stay in Mexico as they await immigration hearings, as the Biden administration reluctantly announced plans Thursday to comply with a court order and accept conditions set out by Mexico for resuming the Trump-era policy. Mexico’s foreign relations secretary said Mexico will allow returns, beginning next week, in light of U.S. concessions “for humanitarian reasons and for temporary stays.” Revival of the “Remain in Mexico” policy comes under a court order even as the Biden administration maneuvers to end it in a way that survives legal scrutiny. President Joe Biden...

Former President Donald Trump has denied rumors that his wife, Melania, has no desire to return to the White House should he win the presidency in 2024, describing the claims as “more fake news” in a Thursday interview. “Is it true,” asked “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade, “that the former first lady, Melania Trump, has told you ‘I’m not going back if you run again’?” “No, that’s not true. That’s an interesting one. More fake news,” Trump chuckled in response, before repeating: “No, that’s not true.”

The Russian military has deployed coastal defense missile systems near Pacific islands also claimed by Japan, a move intended to underline Moscow's firm stance in the dispute. The Bastion systems were moved to Matua, a deserted volcanic island in the middle of the Kuril Islands chain. Japan claims four southernmost islands. Russia's Defense Ministry posted a video Thursday showing massive missile carriers moving ashore from amphibious landing vessels and driving along the coast of the volcanic island to take firing positions as part of drills.

unar New Year is just about here: It's the time for food, family, and traditions. And...dumplings. Because what better way is there to celebrate? Indeed, in Chinese culture, jiaozi, or steamed dumplings, are typically folded and eaten on New Year's Eve; they're said to symbolize luck and prosperity for the year ahead. They also symbolize deliciousness. I, myself, am an equal-opportunity dumpling eater, year-round. But for some reason, making dumplings at home has never really occurred to me, but it's actually the perfect weekend project. It's a time investment, sure, but so are those sweet rolls I made this past...

MSNBC regular and The Nation’s justice correspondent Elie Mystal said Wednesday on “The ReidOut” that conservatives believe a fetus “should have the same legal rights as full-grown black people” while reacting to the Supreme Court oral arguments on Mississippi’s law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

In Australia there is a culture of silence surrounding injustices done to individuals by police and the courts. Yesterday, the 2nd December, while the government of Socialist Left premier Daniel Andrews accrues more and more power, one woman in Victoria's state parliament spoke up against physical abuse of one man by an arrogant normally unaccountable police force. I was present when the man (who wishes to remain anonymous) was dragged out of his bed in the early morning on December 1st at a round the clock protest against legislation passed the next day which concentrates power to call lockdowns in...

A Trump Administration effort to track sex crimes committed by teachers against students was canceled by the Biden Administration. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona explained that "there are two main reasons why we feel the Trump policy must be discarded. First and foremost, any Trump policy that can be undone has to be a good thing. Second, sexual offenses by teachers against students are so rare that it seems a waste of time and money to try to even track it, much less punish it." "Most of the recent cases have involved female teachers having inappropriate contact with male students,"...

Two Georgia election workers who became the target of conspiracy theories around the 2020 election are suing The Gateway Pundit, a far-right website that published false information about them as part of a sweeping effort to sow doubt about the integrity of the vote. The election workers, Ruby Freeman, a retired 911 call center worker, and her daughter, Shaye Moss, allege in the lawsuit that Jim and Joe Hoft, twin brothers who operate and write for The Gateway Pundit, conducted “a campaign of lies” that “instigated a deluge of intimidation, harassment, and threats that has forced them to change their...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the first batch of documents related to Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine after a federal judge ordered that they must comply with a massive Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that was filed by a government accountability group called Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency. The esteemed group of more than 30 professors and scientists asked the federal government to share any and all data that factored into the agency’s hasty decision to grant Pfizer’s experimental mRNA vaccine an emergency use authorization (EUA) – which amounts to a trove of over 329,000 documents. In...

The two countries have been holding consultations for decades to conclude a World War Two peace treatyMOSCOW, December 2. /TASS/. Russia maintains the political will to continue talks with Tokyo to search for solutions that will lead to signing a peace treaty, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday."Japan is our partner and we value our bilateral relations," he said. He also stated that Moscow and Tokyo have a "problem in relations."

If Fauci’s “victory” over AIDS is the reason he can proclaim himself the embodiment of “science”, then the time has come for a hard assessment of the realities of that victory and his role in the response. I am old enough to remember the first significant infectious disease scare of my lifetime: the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). As the media presses the “expertise” of the bloviating godlet, Dr. Anthony Fauci [Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Chief Medical Advisor to Biden], it’s good to remember that he...

A man made anti-Asian remarks after striking a woman with his bicycle’s handlebars Saturday, police said Wednesday. The incident happened about 6:30 p.m. inside the 116th Street Station in Manhattan, police said. The victim — a 53-year-old woman — was walking on the platform when the man hit her from behind. When the victim asked him why he struck her, the man responded by making anti-Asian slurs, police said. The suspect then fled to the other end of the station. Police said the victim was treated privately for lower back injuries. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the...

Almost exactly one year ago, three British Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliners sustained engine damage from foreign object debris while at Chicago O’Hare. The airline needed to perform heavy maintenance on all six engines, resulting in unforeseen costs and canceled flights. BA has now launched a suit against the city of Chicago, requesting over $3 million in damages. In the complaint filed with a court in Illinois, BA says that while traversing the runway, the three aircraft’s engines ingested debris that had been left behind following resurfacing and expansion work on one of ORD’s terminals.

Stephanie Gard was recently injected with Pfizer and just two days later, she was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy, which has compromised her brain and nerve function leaving Stephanie unable to feel her legs from the knees down, and unable to walk. She has also been diagnosed with Pericarditis which is affecting her heart. Steph will remain in hospital, working through her treatments to help her walk and function again. She is not the first equestrian athlete injured by the injection… Stephanie Gard: 3rd Equestrian Athlete Severely Injured After Pfizer Vaccine. Stephanie was rushed to the ER...