Free Republic

Researchers fear the historic spread of a highly pathogenic, bird-adapted strain of influenza could jeopardize years of conservation success with the bald eagle. Avian influenza, also known as H5N1, has killed a high number of bald eagles along the southeastern U.S. coast since January 2022, new research published in Nature’s Scientific Reports from the University of Georgia shows. H5N1, which was introduced to eastern North America from Europe in December 2021, has been confirmed as the cause of death for at least 136 bald eagles collected from 24 states since January 2022. Some of the eagles were viewed while still...

A leading media watchdog accused Christiane Amanpour of faking poll results to create the false impression that Palestinians support peace with Israel. By United with Israel Staff Last week, CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour interviewed former Israeli ambassador to France Yael German. “I want to know from you, as a diplomat, is there any hope for anything resembling negotiations on a two-state solution, given that the settlements and the settlement-believers are emboldened by now their backers who are in government?” asked Amanpour, displaying an attitude toward the Jewish state that has earned her consistent accusations of anti-Israel bias. When German’s response...

It's a burden that's fallen on women for decades. But a contraceptive that's targeted at men could hit shelves in less than a decade, according to one of the most eminent reproductive health experts who is leading the UK trials of the frontrunner. And rather than a pill, it is a gel — which has a similar consistency to hand sanitiser, dries quickly and is odourless — that men rub onto their shoulders, chest and upper arms once a day. Within weeks, user's sperm count plummets and — once levels are low enough — it can work as a couple's...

Enlisted leaders of the military branches told a House Appropriations subcommittee Tuesday that service members who were forced out of the military due to their refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine now have a process that can allow them to return. The testimony came in a hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies. Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston testified that the Army’s guidance allowing the return of people to the service was published “in the past 24 hours.” The process is the same for anyone who has had a “break in...

A Philippines court has issued an international arrest warrant for Bill Gates, as part of an investigation into the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out in the territory. Excess deaths have spiked in the aftermath of the vaccination drive in the Philippines with hundreds of thousands of citizens dying unnecessarily and many more injured and maimed, according to prosecutors. The judge said Gates, as the founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is “wanted in connection with hundreds of thousands of deaths, a number which cannot be estimated at present and is certain to increase exponentially in time. The Philippines had already...

Dubai (AFP) – Novak Djokovic says he will learn his fate about being granted entry into the United States before the draw is revealed at Indian Wells, adding that he remains focused on his campaign in Dubai in the meantime.Djokovic, who continued his march towards a third title in as many tournaments this season with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in the Dubai quarter-finals on Thursday, is waiting to hear if the US government will allow him to enter the country without being vaccinated. The Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells begins on March 8 and Djokovic...

Hershey is taking heat this week for featuring a man posing as a woman in an advertising campaign celebrating International Women’s Day. The hashtag #BoycottHersheys began trending on Twitter on Thursday after the chocolate maker introduced transgender activist Fae Johnstone as one of its “Her for She” honorees, The Daily Wire reported. Hershey will sell chocolate bars with wrappers featuring Johnstone and four actual women. In a video announcing the campaign, Johnstone says, “We can create a world where everyone is able to live in public space as their honest and authentic selves.” Hershey touted the woke campaign in a...

College graduates who studied liberal arts or education aren't likely to make a lot of money in their careers, but a degree in theology results in the lowest payout of all majors right after college, new data reveals.Graduates who major in theology and religion earn median salaries of $36,000 five years after college, according to a New York Federal Reserve analysis. As an hourly wage for full-time work, that comes out to just over $17 per hour.That's followed by family and consumer science, social service, psychology, performing arts and leisure and hospitality majors, who all make less than $40,000 five...

Ukrainian officials are signaling a potential retreat from the embattled town of Bakhmut. A top Ukrainian presidential adviser hinted at a potential withdrawal on Tuesday, telling CNN that Kyiv was weighing the costs and benefits of holding the city. “So far they’ve held the city, but if need be, they will strategically pull back because we’re not going to sacrifice all of our people just for nothing,” said Alexander Rodnyansky.

Taking vitamin D supplements may help ward off dementia, according to a study. Researchers explored the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and dementia in more than 12,388 participants. The team found that taking vitamin D was associated with living dementia-free for longer, and they also found 40 percent fewer dementia diagnoses in the group who took supplements. Professor Zahinoor said, "We know that vitamin D has some effects in the brain that could have implications for reducing dementia, however so far, research has yielded conflicting results. Our findings give key insights into groups who might be specifically targeted for vitamin...

Yes. I think they will. But not because Russia is running out of shells and rockets. Nope. I think China wants a chance to field test some of its weaponry and drones against a foe that shoots back in order to see how they perform in a combat environment. Firing artillery or surface-to-air missiles on a closed range does not compare with lighting them up on a bona fide battlefield.The warnings to China to not help Russia is not new. One year ago the Biden team put out the word that:China will face consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions...

Sitting on the aisle a few rows behind his father, the 26-year-old’s left hand rested against the side of his face as each jury member confirmed their verdict, according to live courtroom footage. As a handcuffed Alex Murdaugh was led from the courtroom, he said a few words to his lawyer, but did not turn to look at Buster, who remained seated. Alex Murdaugh’s conviction comes after a weekslong trial where he stood accused of fatally shooting his 52-year-old wife Maggie and 22-year-old son Paul.

Democrat Senator John Fetterman is currently under doctor’s care and being treated for ‘depression’ at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.But he “sponsored” another bill from the hospital on Thursday.This is one day after he ‘sponsored‘ a bill on Wednesday.

Earlier this week Jazz Shaw wrote about an unusual request made by Nike directly to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. Nike’s store in Northeast Portland has been closed for months because of ongoing retail theft and the company wrote to ask if it could either pay to hire additional cops to patrol the area or pay off duty cops to do so. Today, Mayor Wheeler said no.Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has asked Nike to reopen its shuttered community store in Northeast Portland “on a limited basis,” even though he says the city can’t meet the company’s request to detail off-duty police...

Christian pastor Derek Reimer was arrested Thursday afternoon by members of the Calgary Police Service (CPS) after being warned the previous day there were two warrants out for his arrest because he protested at a children’s drag queen story time at a public library last weekend. A video posted online by Rebel News shows Reimer, who serves as the pastor of Mission7 street ministry, being put into the back of a police cruiser by two female officers. Before the window was raised, Reimer could be heard saying, “This is what happens when we go against the drag queens.” Reimer told...

This is news to almost everyone.I support D.C. Statehood and home-rule – but I don’t support some of the changes D.C. Council put forward over the Mayor’s objections – such as lowering penalties for carjackings.If the Senate votes to overturn what D.C. Council did – I’ll sign it.— President Biden (@POTUS) March 2, 2023I’m guessing the ardent left-wingers in the White House took off their socialist shades for a second or two to take a steely-eyed glance at the 2024 election landscape and realized some face-saving was in order.Perhaps they simply ran the numbers and realized math and prevailing public...

The relentless churn of famous figures who’ve hosted Saturday Night Live over the years has left the show with not a few regrets. Being a bad host is one thing, with SNL’s shark-like momentum simply shaking off a bummer of an episode and moving on. (Or, as in the cases of such universally reviled outings from hosts Milton Berle and Frank Zappa, being pulled from syndication by producer Lorne Michaels for a time.) But then there are the host bookings that, thanks to the host’s life away from the SNL spotlight, leave a stain that Michaels and NBC would much...

Mug shot of Patrick Wojahn, disgraced former mayor of College Park, MD. Credit: Prince George's County Police DepartmentThe Democrat mayor of College Park, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. and home to the University of Maryland, has been arrested on 56 counts of possessing and distributing child pornography.Patrick Wojahn, a mentee of Pete Buttigieg who was first elected mayor in 2015, resigned his position after he was taken into custody this morning by the Prince George’s County Police Department.According to local news reports, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children first notified police on February 17 of a social...

South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius, who killed his girlfriend 10 years ago, will know in about a month whether he will be released on parole, his lawyer said on Thursday (Mar 2). "We have been advised by the parole board that (the) hearing will take place on the 31st of March, 2023," his lawyer Julian Knight told AFP. "It's an internal process". Pistorius, 36, shot dead Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013 when he fired four times through the bathroom door of his ultra-secure Pretoria house.

Norway's government on Thursday (Mar 2) apologised to indigenous Sami reindeer herders affected by wind farms that were declared illegal after they were built, following a week of protests by activists. The country's highest court unanimously ruled in October 2021 that the expropriation and operating permits issued for the construction of 151 turbines in the Fosen region of western Norway were invalid. The court found that the project violated the rights of Sami families to practise their culture of reindeer husbandry.