Free Republic

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to issue a statement Wednesday afternoon suspending his presidential campaign, The Washington Times has learned. The announcement follows a disappointing sixth-place finish in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary, where Mr. Christie was hoping a strong showing would give him more breathing room in a race where the tough-talking governor competed with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida to emerge as the most viable alternative to businessman Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas...

On Wednesday, about 200 South Koreans attached thousands of chocolate snacks to 50 giant balloons and released into North Korea after Pyongyang reportedly banned the coveted treats from the country earlier this month. The pies, which have become popular among hungry North Koreans, are considered as a symbol of capitalism and represent a cultural impact that might encourage an uprising. “We will continue to send Choco Pie by balloons because it is still one of the most favorite foodstuffs in North Korea,” said Choo Sun-Hee, one of the organisers of Wednesday’s balloon launch.In response to the activity, Pyongyang has pressed...

DUBAI (Reuters) – Dubai's Al Nassma, the world's first brand of chocolate made with camels' milk, plans to expand into new Arab markets, Europe, Japan and the United States, its general manager said Tuesday. Martin Van Almsick said the United Arab Emirates company planned to enter Saudi Arabia first, followed by Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United States within the next few months. The company plans to enter the Saudi market in a month through a partnership with a Jeddah-based distributor, said Van Almsick, adding the company plans to deliver the first ton of chocolates to Saudi Arabia soon. ......

Now that Valentine's Day is over, it's time to parcel out leftover chocolates. Select some nougats from my supply: Butterscotch square: No children should develop gray hair. When your kids start graying, it destroys the illusion that you, yourself, haven't changed all that much over the years. Chocolate-almond cluster: I don't remember ever dealing with as much ice as we have this year. I spent a whole afternoon attacking the tundra with an ice chipper and only produced sore elbows. Caramel chew: Since money is no object, the federal government should skip the middle man and simply cut a million-dollar...

PARIS - Ten tons of chocolate bonbons could stuff a lot of stockings this holiday season — but instead they will be under the lock and key of French customs agents. The French customs service announced Tuesday that officers at the giant Rungis international market outside Paris seized nearly 33,000 boxes of gold-foil-wrapped morsels, on suspicion that they were counterfeit Ferrero Rochers, a popular Italian chocolate brand.

NEW ORLEANS - Mayor Ray Nagin suggested Monday that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and other storms were a sign that "God is mad at America" and at black communities, too, for tearing themselves apart with violence and political infighting. "Surely God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it's destroyed and put stress on this country," Nagin, who is black, said as he and other city leaders marked Martin Luther King Day. "Surely he doesn't approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses. But surely he is upset at black America also. We're...

Chocolate's dark secret: it's good for your heart By Celia Hall (Filed: 20/12/2005) A couple of squares of dark chocolate every day could help stave off heart disease, researchers say today. Swiss scientists say that just two ounces of good quality chocolate with a high cocoa butter content can help to prevent narrowing and hardening of the arteries. A study was carried out on smokers - smoking is known to damage arterial function - but the effect of eating dark chocolate is believed to be true for non-smokers. The subjects ate either two squares of dark chocolate with 74 per...