Free Republic

The quintessential ice cream flavour is under threat, and many other dessert staples along with it, according to climate change researchers at the University of Costa Rica and Belgium's KU Leuven university. Increasing climate extremes are changing the habitats of wild vanilla species — primarily found in the tropical regions of Central America — and their mainly animal pollinators, the researchers say. This, in turn, is putting global production of vanilla at risk. In some regions, the plants may find more favourable conditions, but the insects that pollinate them may no longer find suitable habitats, according to the study published...

Calling the trade talks a stalemate, US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on the EU on June 1. European markets took an immediate tumble following Trump's social media post. US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is recommending a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union, citing a stalemate in trade talks. "Our discussions with them are going nowhere! Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025," he wrote on social media. In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated his criticism of...

The problem with promising all things to all people is that eventually tradeoffs become inevitable.While running for president, Donald Trump pledged he would tackle the scourge of inflation that sparked a cost-of-living crisis for many Americans, while simultaneously leading the country to record wealth and prosperity—a difficult balancing act to pull off.Now, just three days into his new administration, he’s already pressuring Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell to stimulate the economy by reducing the cost of borrowing. This comes in spite of the U.S. central bank’s concerns that recent consumer price data is coming in hotter than it would like.“I’ll...

CNN journalists avoided mentioning the most sordid elements of President Donald Trump’s past—including his felony conviction and two impeachments—during inauguration day broadcasts after the network’s top boss told them to show some deference to the most powerful person on earth.That’s according to a report in media news publication Status, authored by the well-sourced erstwhile CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy.During a routine editorial meeting on Sunday, meant to plan the extensive logistics of an inauguration, CNN CEO Mark Thompson told journalists to avoid “pre-judging Trump,” Status reported.In addition to instructing them to keep an open mind about Trump’s second term—three days...

Near the close of the vice-presidential debate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio was on the verge of capping off a fantastic night for a Republican ticket that has been lost in a news cycle of its own making over false claims about Haitian migrants eating people's pets in Springfield, Ohio. And then January 6, 2021, and the 2020 election came up.

The Russian army is suffering high casualties in the war against Ukraine and Vladimir Putin badly needs fresh troops. He wants to avoid a general mobilization, so the military is relying on other methods. -snip- The hidden mobilization has been particularly intense in Buryatia. The army has been using the messenger service Viber to send attractive offers, which include generous salaries, social benefits and a healthy pension – the complete package. "They have called everyone I know: Don’t you want to participate in the special operation?" reports one woman from the region who asked to remain anonymous. "As if it...