Free Republic

Citing a technical difficulty, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer on Monday bailed on a live television interview immediately after the host asked a question about the Democrat's pandemic record. "Do you have any regrets," the Fox 2 Detroit anchor asked Whitmer, who in response stared blankly into the camera. The governor then asked someone off-camera if she botched the audio by moving her AirPod, to which the person replied, "It's okay." Whitmer, who frequently disobeyed her own COVID-19 rules, lied about the number of deaths in Michigan nursing homes after she required facilities to take patients who tested positive for coronavirus....

Donald Trump's super-charged return to the political stage over the weekend was a ratings smash for Newsmax, which trounced Fox News in key ratings. According to Nielsen, 1.9 million cable viewers tuned into Newsmax to watch the network's coverage of the former president's rally Saturday in Wellington, Ohio. Newsmax estimates another 1.3 million viewers watched through free streaming devices, bringing Newsmax's total viewership over 3 million. Fox News did not air the President's rally live. Newsmax's Nielsen ratings success is even more astounding considering Newsmax is carried in about 30 million less U.S. cable homes than Fox. Still, in a...

A married mother of two and meteorologist for Fox 2 Detroit died by suicide, the station said Thursday. Jessica Starr, 35, who lived in Novi, Michigan, is survived by her husband, Dan, and her two children, a 5-year-old son named Noah, and a 3-year-old daughter named Riley, the Springfield News-Sun reported. The station did not provide more details about her death. [snip] Prior to her death, Starr spoke out publicly about her recovery from Lasik surgery, which she had done in October. She was out of work for several weeks and struggled with dry eye following the procedure, reported the...

Russia has launched its Su-35 fighter-jet program. Russia's Sukhoi Co. has begun implementing a contract to deliver the Su-35 to the Russian Air Force. Under the contract signed in August 2009, the Russian Air Force, in the largest purchase in 20 years, would acquire 48 Su-35 fighters. "Long-term contracts for the fighter aircraft delivery to the Russian Air Force and foreign customers allow Sukhoi Co. to provide for a steady work load of its serial plants by combat aircraft production and shift from modernizing aircraft in the Russian Air Force inventory to manufacturing new products," Sukhoi said. In a statement...