Free Republic

Grab your popcorn, because there’s a full-speed, head-on collision between the left’s competing interests coming, and it’s fixing to be gory. From an item that appeared in The Wall Street Journal at the end of September:Located underneath a distant, swampy expanse of spruce forests and meandering rivers in Northern Ontario that is cut off from major roads, the Ring of Fire is seen by industry and government officials as one of the world’s most important untapped sources of nickel, copper and cobalt—metals essential for making the batteries that power electric vehicles.But the precious commodities are buried under a vast ecosystem...

“Climate change” is in the news daily, with each featured story getting an attention-grabbing sensationalist headline. The frenzy is at its peak now because it’s the time of year for tropical storms and wildfires. However, to appreciate that these stories are pure narratives, it’s a good time to consider the facts behind the so-called “greenhouse gases.” Several atmospheric gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, absorb light in the infrared region. These are collectively known as the “greenhouse gases” because absorbing infrared energy warms up the air—hence the name greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide, on a per-molecule basis, is six...

A new study has identified a compelling link between vitamin B12 deficiency and chronic inflammation, which is associated with a range of health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. The research examined the effects of circulating B12 concentration on the levels of two key inflammatory markers in both humans and mice. Vitamin B12, an essential nutrient with roles in various physiological processes, is known to be critical for overall health. Its deficiency can be the result of dietary insufficiency or inefficient absorption in the body. This can lead to a range of complications, including neurological disorders. While previous...

A new report from a conservative think tank reveals that the rate of homicides have consistently been higher in Democrat-run counties than Republican-run ones since 2002.According to Fox News, the report from the Heritage Foundation directly contradicts an unproven claim that has been repeated by many Democrats claiming that the opposite is true. California Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) recently said that “8 of the top 10 murder states are red,” while far-left billionaire George Soros similarly and falsely claimed that “murder rates have been rising fastest in some Republican states led by tough-on-crime politicians.”But in the new Heritage report, authored...

Reporters and major news outlets claimed without evidence that Israel blew up a hospital in Gaza. They were wrong. When a hospital in the Gaza Strip blew up on Tuesday night, U.S. and international news media uncritically reported Hamas terrorists' claims of an Israeli massacre. The White House and Israel have since refuted that account, citing imagery, intercepts, and open-source information. Many of the same outlets have obsessed over the spread of "misinformation" in recent years yet created their own by parroting Hamas during a war the terror group savagely provoked with Israel. The journalistic fiasco was an example of...

BEIRUT (AP) — Coalition forces were slightly injured in Iraq in a spate of drone attacks over the last 24 hours at U.S. bases in Iraq as regional tensions flare following the deadly explosion at a hospital in Gaza. Two drones targeted the al Asad airbase in western Iraq used by U.S. forces and one drone targeted a base in northern Iraq, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. U.S. forces intercepted all three, destroying two but only damaging the third, which led to minor injuries among coalition forces at the western base, according to a statement Wednesday by U.S....

Researchers have discovered the link between the gut microbiota and Alzheimer's disease. For the first time, researchers have found that Alzheimer's symptoms can be transferred to a healthy young organism via the gut microbiota, confirming its role in the disease. The study supports the emergence of the gut microbiome as a key target for investigation in Alzheimer's disease due to its particular susceptibility to lifestyle and environmental influence. The study shows that that the memory impairments in people with Alzheimer's could be transferred to young animals through transplant of gut microbiota. Alzheimer's patients had a higher abundance of inflammation-promoting bacteria...

Researchers have discovered the link between the gut microbiota and Alzheimer’s disease. For the first time, researchers have found that Alzheimer’s symptoms can be transferred to a healthy young organism via the gut microbiota, confirming its role in the disease. The research was led by Professor Yvonne Nolan, APC Microbiome Ireland, a world leading SFI funded research centre based at University College Cork (UCC), and the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, UCC, with Professor Sandrine Thuret at King’s College London and Dr Annamaria Cattaneo IRCCS Fatebenefratelli, Italy. The study supports the emergence of the gut microbiome as a key target...

ASML's sales to China surged in July-September as chipmakers in the country raced to buy equipment before any further export controls from the Netherlands or the U.S. went into effect. The Dutch semiconductor industry supplier expects around 10% to 15% of current shipments to China will fall under the updated U.S. curbs going forward but said it remains optimistic about demand coming from the country. The world's most valuable chip tool maker logged 2.44 billion euros ($2.58 billion) in sales to China in the three months -- nearly double the previous quarter -- to account for 46% of total revenue...

Scientists have discovered widespread differences in metal levels in the brains of patients with Huntington's disease, a type of dementia. The elements, including selenium (a metalloid), sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese, were studied in 11 parts of the brain. In particular, the scientists found substantial decreases in selenium levels in all 11 regions of the HD brains, calculating there was a high risk of having the disease when levels are low. Increased sodium and potassium ratios were observed in every region except the substantia nigra, and many of the regions showed increased calcium and/or zinc levels....

TOKYO -- An analysis of satellite images has revealed that around 400 vehicles have gathered within Israel that touches northern Gaza, which is Palestinian territory. This points to the possibility that Israel is rushing to deploy forces within 10 kilometers of the border in preparation for a ground invasion. Nikkei analyzed images taken on Sunday by Planet Labs, a U.S.-based satellite operator. Around six km from the northern Gaza border there appears to be a large number of vehicles deployed. "Around 200 vehicles thought to be Israeli are gathered. The possibility that the Israeli military is preparing for a ground...

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business; End to Sex Slavery; Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14) I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Religion Forum Threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to...

About ten days ago, after the Hamas attacks in Israel, Drew Holden had a threat about the worst of the hack media takes. The "journalism" that followed Palestine's claims of Israel attacking a hospital in Gaza and killing hundreds of people might even put that to shame, which was a high bar to clear. Holden (@DrewHolden360) has another thread chock full of examples of media malpractice following reports that were more concerned with setting a narrative instead of publishing factual information: One of those threads I knew was coming, knew it’d be bad, and it’s still worse than I thought...

... China has vowed to push forward its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through eight major steps, including the opening up of its manufacturing sector and the launch of more high quality overseas investment projects and research laboratories. China will provide more financing support for BRI projects on the basis of market and business operations, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a speech at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing held on Wednesday (October 18). “The Belt and Road cooperation was proposed by China but its benefits and opportunities are for the world to share,”...

A team of reproductive biologists has found that spermidine, a polyamine metabolite, helps oocytes clear away damaged mitochondria in mice, thereby improving mitophagy during female reproductive aging. Prior research and anecdotal evidence have shown that many animals experience declining fertility as they grow older. In this new effort, the research team found a link between spermidine levels in aging mice and fertility issues. The researchers began by measuring spermidine levels in ovarian tissue samples of mice of different ages—they found that as the mice grew older, their levels of spermidine were reduced. They also noted that the quality of oocytes...

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) said she received death threats after voting against Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for House speaker. Miller-Meeks voted in favor of Jordan for speaker initially, but she retracted it in the subsequent vote. She said one of the reasons why she retracted her vote was a concern over "threatening tactics" from his supporters. The Iowa Republican said her concerns were confirmed when she received death threats after voting against him. "I voted for Chairwoman Granger because she has demonstrated great leadership this year by bringing forth, and passing, fiscally responsible, single-subject appropriations bills and is a staunch...

Just a reminder to all concerned. The actual Speaker of the House is not yet selected and named. (Interim is holding the gavel as we replace McCarthy.) Presidential line of succession then is the VP, then the Senate Leader. Schumer. (I wonder if he - or Newsome - realize this yet.)

Erick Peretz and his daughter Ruth – who was wheelchair-bound with cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy — were located by volunteers on Wednesday at the site of the Supernova Sukkot Gathering near the Re’im Kibbutz, where at least 260 Israelis were massacred, according to officials and local reports. They were “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists,” Israel wrote on its official X account. “[My father] was really happy, and everything was fine,” his older daughter Yaarit Peretz, 26, told Israeli outlet Ynet on Monday. “For years he goes to these parties and takes Ruth, because it makes her really good and...

Many of the same outlets have obsessed over the spread of “misinformation” in recent years yet created their own by parroting Hamas during a war the terror group savagely provoked with Israel. The journalistic fiasco was an example of the media’s tendency to adopt the Palestinians’ narrative about the conflict with Israel, even when that narrative is unsupported by the facts. In this case, there were geopolitical consequences: U.S. Democratic lawmakers and Arab leaders condemned Israel for the bombing, Jordan canceled a planned summit with Biden, and riots broke out in the West Bank and elsewhere in the Muslim world....

Political tensions are never far from the surface in this Canadian province, even when it comes to this beloved snack of French fries, cheese curds and gravy. "It is the unofficial official dish of Canada. In fact, if they could make it look good on a flag, the maple leaf's days might be numbered," Jamie Oliver quipped in an article about making the perfect poutine. As harmless as Oliver's comment appears, it's the perfect example of how a dish that stirs real feelings of heritage and culture in the Canadian province of Quebec may slowly be losing its regional identity....