Free Republic

Federal authorities are in the preliminary stages of investigating the handling of classified material found at former President Donald J. Trump’s Florida home after he left office, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The effort, led by the F.B.I., stems from the discovery of classified information in 15 boxes that contained documents, mementos, gifts and letters that had been taken from the White House at the end of Mr. Trump’s term in apparent violation of the requirements for turning over all presidential records to the National Archives. The development was reported earlier by The Washington Post.

Despite the availability of life-saving COVID-19 vaccines, so many people died in the second year of the pandemic in the U.S. that the nation's life expectancy dropped for a second year in a row last year, according to a new analysis. The analysis of provisional government statistics found U.S. life expectancy fell by just under a half a year in 2021, adding to a dramatic plummet in life expectancy that occurred in 2020. Public health experts had hoped the vaccines would prevent another drop the following year. "The finding that instead we had a horrible loss of life in 2021...

A diet involving short-term, severe calorie restriction was safe, feasible, and resulted in a decrease of blood glucose and growth factor concentration, reduction in peripheral blood immunosuppressive cells, and enhanced intratumor T-cell infiltration in cancer patients receiving standard-of-care therapy, according to a trial. Preclinical research has demonstrated that severe calorie restriction in the form of cyclic fasting or fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) has potent anticancer effects when combined with standard pharmacological treatments. The researchers administered an FMD regimen to the study participants that consisted of a five-day, low-carbohydrate, low-protein, plant-derived diet, which provided up to 600 Kcal on day 1 and...

“The senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin,” fumed John McCain back in March 2017. His target: Rand Paul, who had committed the unforgivable offense of momentarily delaying the latest round of NATO expansion. Montenegro, a tiny country in southeastern Europe that most Americans have never heard of, was about to join the sprawling military alliance — and McCain was determined to see the final ratification ritual proceed with as little debate as possible. So he hurled the time-honored “working for Putin” accusation, and sure enough, Paul quickly withdrew his minor procedural objection. The glorious ascension of Montenegro...

It’s just a matter of time before we get the news about Biden being infected.The Speaker will quarantine consistent with CDC guidance, and encourages everyone to get vaccinated, boosted and test regularly. (2/2)— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) April 7, 2022The outbreak among Washington power brokers this week is something to behold. It appears to have started over the weekend at the Gridiron Dinner, an event not unlike the White House Correspondents Dinner that’s attended by many top government officials and members of Congress. Merrick Garland was there — and he’s now positive for COVID. Gina Raimondo, the secretary of commerce, also...

Valsartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker drug, delayed disease progression and improved cardiac structure and function in patients with early-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, according to a recent trial. "This is the first time we have identified a treatment that may actually impact the underlying disease process, as opposed to just treating symptoms. In addition, if we can delay disease progression, this may ultimately mean that we can significantly impact the risk of sudden cardiac death in this population," said Philip Thrush, MD. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is characterized by an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle. The disease results from mutations in the...

Shanghai, the global financial hub and China’s biggest city, has become the epicentre of COVID-19 cases in the country as it set a record of six-straight days of logging around 20,000 cases, as the city ramped up mass testing to tackle the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. The Chinese mainland reported 1,284 new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases, including 322 in Shanghai, on Wednesday, China’s National Health Commission reported on Thursday. Wednesday also saw 21,784 new asymptomatic cases, including 19,660 in Shanghai, it said. Shanghai with a population of about 26 million, which remained under lockdown for several days, has already...

At the end of hours of manhunt: The terrorist was located near a mosque in Jaffa, and killed after an exchange of fire More than 1,000 policemen and special unit fighters took part in the search. • Police after the attack: "Continue with the routine of life, avoid crowds"

“Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips” (Proverbs 8:6-7).

"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the...

Ukraine needs heavy weapons and air support. Tanks, multiple-launch rockets, self-propelled artillery, air support — MiGs and Sukhoi aircraft — and mobile air defense. They need hundreds of thousands of 152mm artillery rounds. The US-supplied Javelins and Stingers are necessary but no longer sufficient. Why? Because there is a window of opportunity now — for a week or two perhaps — in which Ukraine can counterattack in the north, south and east to expel Russian forces. This will require mobile armored forces and air power. And if this window is lost, the future is darker and more uncertain. [cut] NO...

As federal agencies prepare for a “mass migration event” at the United States-Mexico border due to President Joe Biden’s ending Title 42 on May 23, Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) are setting their sights on amnesty for illegal aliens. Last week, Biden officials announced that the administration would end the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Title 42 authority that has allowed U.S. Border Patrol to quickly return illegal aliens to their native countries over the last two years.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced Wednesday that it aims to raise postage prices by July 10 and has filed a notice of the desired changes with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The Forever stamp will move from 58 cents to 60 cents, marking what would be its second price hike in a year, CBS noted. In August, it moved from 55 cents to 58 cents. Between August of last year and this upcoming July, the stamp’s cost would have gone up nine percent, or five cents, should the prices take effect. But the Forever stamp is not the...

Walmart (WMT) is driving up pay for its truckers. In a blog post Thursday, the nation's largest retailer announced it will be increasing starting salaries for its freight drivers to between $95,000 and $110,000 a year, up from an average starting salary of $87,500, according to a Walmart spokesperson. "Drivers who have been with Walmart longer can earn even more, based on factors like tenure and location," the blog noted. The push comes as supply-chain problems further exacerbate an already troubled trucking industry. The American Trucking Association estimates the nation is short about 80,000 drivers. Walmart has hired 7,000 drivers...

U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson – Texas District 13 is under investigation by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Ethics, according to a statement from the committee released Thursday. According to the statement, attributed to U.S. Rep. Theodore E. Deutch, the Democratic Chairman from Florida, and U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski, the Republican Ranking Member from Indiana, the committee has decided to extend the investigation into Jackson, first transmitted to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Ethics by the Office of Congressional Ethics in late December 2021.

Every political campaign’s dream is to get potential voters to glance at piece of mail they find in their mailboxes, then their hearts pound quicker if those voters stop and read the mailing cover. Then they hope the voter will open the piece and read what they want those voters to know – either good stuff about their candidate or bad stuff about their opponent. And that’s all besides the great money the printer gets for doing the mailer, the piece designer gets for putting it together and the political consultants commonly get for, well, being campaign consultants. That’s the...

“Plaza Suite” star Sarah Jessica Parker has tested positive for COVID just days after her husband and co-star, Matthew Broderick. The Broadway show’s Instagram account said Thursday afternoon that the night’s performance would be canceled. “Today Sarah Jessica Parker tested positive for COVID with a second test confirming the diagnosis,” the social media statement said of the 57-year-old actress. “With both Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker positive for COVID, tonight’s performance of ‘Plaza Suite’ is canceled. The producers apologize for the inconvenience this has caused audience members.” There was no word on how long the shutdown would last. The...

457 years after the Great Siege of Malta, Pope Francis surrenders to IslamPope Francis, despite being the head of worldwide Catholicism, always seems to be apologizing for the faith. In Malta, that apology extended to hiding the cross from illegal Muslim aliens. This act of Christian cowardice was more poignant than usual, given that Malta, in the mid-16th century, was the site of one of the Catholic world's bravest and most successful stands against Islam's push to take over Europe.The Republic of Malta is a tiny island located southwest of both the toe of the Italian boot and the island...

In an interview with Ukrainian journalists broadcast on state television on Tuesday after a period of alleged war crimes carried out by the Russian army against his people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to rebuild after the conflict, turning his country into a “big Israel.” “Ukraine will definitely not be what we wanted it to be from the beginning. It is impossible. Absolutely liberal, European – it will not be like that,” Zelensky said. “I think all our people will be our great army. We cannot talk about ‘Switzerland of the future’ — probably, our state will be able to...

The tennis world has been shocked this week at the Miami Open. Fans witnessed an unprecedented number of withdrawals/retirements from the tournament at Hard Rock Stadium. The most shocking moments of the event occurred when both favorites, Italian Jannik Sinner and Spaniard Paula Badosa retired from their quarterfinal contests on the same day. Yahoo Sport reported: Soon to be World No.3, Badosa was in tears as she was forced to bow out of the quarter-final after not feeling well against American Jessica Pegula. On Monday, Badosa admitted she wasn’t sure if she could compete in her fourth round match that...