Free Republic

America is an outlier: New polling by the Pew Research Center indicates that the U.S. is a global outlier when it comes to majority attitudes toward social media. "People in emerging economies are particularly likely to say social media has advanced their democracy," reports Pew. "Assessments are especially positive in Nigeria and Mexico, where nearly eight-in-ten (77% each) say social media has had a positive effect on democracy." In other places, like Poland, "86% of adults under 40 say social media has benefited democracy in their country, compared with 56% of those ages 40 and older." Younger people tend to...

Megyn Kelly on Being Targeted by Moderna for Sharing Her COVID Vaccine Side Effects Publicly "I got targeted by Moderna who is very worried that this would add to the growing concern around autoimmune disorders following COVID-19 vaccinations. They're admitting internally that it's a problem but they're upset that I am talking about it, and Alex Berenson and Russell Brand and Michael Shellenberger and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya are talking about it because they don't want it discussed. And the mainstream media outlets were only too happy to comply." (Video at the link below)https://twitter.com/TheChiefNerd/status/1752667133157286165

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Thursday he tested positive for COVID-19, amid a nationwide spike in infections. The 82-year-old Sanders, said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he was experiencing “minimal” symptoms and will continue to isolate while working from his home in Vermont. “I am glad to be fully up to date with the vaccine,” Sanders wrote. The Senate finished its legislative business for the year last week and won’t be returning for votes until Jan. 8.

One in five young Americans has a positive view of al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden, according to the latest J.L. Partners/Daily Mail survey. The survey asked respondents, “How would you describe your view of Osama Bin Laden?” Across the board, 81 percent say they have an at least somewhat negative view of the famed terrorist behind the September 11 terrorist attacks. Of those, 76 percent have a “completely negative view.” Just eight percent have an at least somewhat positive view, and of those, four percent have a “completely positive” view of Bin Laden. However, those results drastically shift when broken...

Far-left British television personality Piers Morgan has contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated and receiving a booster shot two years ago.The hypocritical host of “Uncensored” announced the news via Twitter, expressed his frustration, and blamed the ‘anti-vaccination’ community for his infection.The 58-year-old host shared a photo of his positive lateral flow test on Twitter, along with a candid description of his condition: “as rough as a badger’s a***.”https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/1732084889367847045In response to a user questioning his disclosure of the news, Morgan implied the uniqueness of the situation, as hosting from home is a deviation from the norm. But the interaction escalated as...

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) on Tuesday said he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would miss votes this week in the Senate. His office confirmed to The Hill he plans to return to Washington next week. Tillis, who had planned to host a Halloween “dog parade” on Tuesday, said he no longer would be able to attend but suggested Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) could take his place. “Unfortunately I have COVID and won’t be able to kick off today’s Bipawtisan Howl-o-ween Dog Parade. But believe me, it will all work out. I know the perfect person for the job…,” Tillis...

A luxury cruise ship carrying 206 passengers and crew was “successfully” freed Thursday amid fears of a potential COVID-19 outbreak on board. The owner of the Ocean Explorer, Copenhagen-based SunStone Ships, said a fishing vessel owned by the Greenland government pulled the cruise ship out of the mud and silt that had immobilized it. “On Thursday early morning the OCEAN EXPLORER was successfully pulled off the grounding in the East Greenland Fjord. This was done based on a pull from the vessel TARAJOQ and the vessel’s own power,” SunStone said in a news release. “There have not been any injuries...

A majority of Americans in a new poll have a positive association with the term “woke,” understanding it to mean “to be informed, educated on, and aware of social injustices.” The USA Today-Ipsos poll released on Wednesday found that 56 percent agreed with the more positive definition, while 39 percent had a negative association with the word and understood it to mean “to be overly politically correct and police others’ words.” However, Americans in the poll are divided on whether they consider it an insult to be described as “woke,” with 40 percent calling it an insult and 32 percent...

More than seven in 10 viewers of President Biden’s State of the Union address had at least a somewhat positive reaction to the speech, according to a CNN flash poll. The poll found 72 percent of watchers had a positive view of the speech, with 34 percent saying it was very positive. It reported that 28 percent of watchers viewed the speech negatively, with 10 percent saying it was very negative. CNN noted in a release that presidential addresses tend to attract viewers who are more supportive of the president, and those who watched overall identified as eight points more...

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, the central bank announced Wednesday. The Fed leader is isolating at his home and plans to work remotely, in accordance with COVID-19 guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Powell is vaccinated and boosted, according to the release. No further details on Powell’s illness were provided. Powell’s positive tests comes as the Fed faces the issue of inflation and an economic slowdown with the risk of a recession looming. The Fed chair was in Sweden last week to deliver remarks on central bank independence.

Washington(CNN)Former President Bill Clinton announced Wednesday that he has tested positive for Covid-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms. "I'm grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, which has kept my case mild, and I urge everyone to do the same, especially as we move into the winter months," Clinton said in a tweet. The former president, 76, added that he is "doing fine overall and keeping myself busy at home."

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has tested positive for COVID-19, the Department of Education announced on Tuesday. Acting Assistant Secretary for Communications and Outreach Kelly Leon said Cardona tested positive on Tuesday morning. Cardona is experiencing mild symptoms but is fully vaccinated and boosted, according to the statement. “Secretary Cardona will continue attending meetings and performing his duties as Education Secretary while working remotely and in isolation. The Secretary will return to in-person meetings and events when he tests negative,” Leon said. President Biden and first lady Jill Biden, both of whom had their own coronavirus breakthrough cases earlier this year,...

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced on Monday that he has tested positive for COVID-19. “Just wanted to let Marylanders know that after testing positive for COVID-19, I am working from home,” Hogan wrote in a tweet on Monday. “Fortunately, I’m up to date on my boosters and my symptoms are minimal,” added Hogan, whose second term as Maryland’s governor is coming to an end in January. Hogan, who has been mentioned as a potential 2024 presidential candidate and is a frequent critic of former President Trump, tested positive for the virus in a breakthrough case last

During a portion of an interview with NBC News released on Monday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she’s confident that “inflation will come down over the next year or two,” but while there are “good indications” that inflation will decline, she isn’t certain that inflation has peaked and doesn’t want to predict inflation numbers on a month-by-month basis. Yellen stated, “I have confidence that inflation will come down over the next year or two, so I believe that what [the Federal Reserve is] doing will work.”

First Lady Jill Biden has caught a rebound case of COVID-19, just three days after leaving quarantine. Biden tested positive again Wednesday, her office announced, but she’s not showing any symptoms. She will stay in Delaware in isolation until she clears protocols again.

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan tested positive on Saturday for COVID-19, according to the White House. President Joe Biden but last was in contact with the president early in the week, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Sullivan had been keeping his distance from Biden after “a couple” of people he had been in close contact with had tested positive for the virus, the official said.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Monday he had tested positive for the coronavirus and will quarantine while working remotely from home. “I have tested positive for COVID-19 and am experiencing mild symptoms,” Buttigieg wrote on social media in a statement.

President Biden’s daughter Ashley Biden tested positive for COVID-19 and had to scrap plans to join her mother, first lady Jill Biden, on a trip to Latin America. Michael LaRose, Jill Biden’s spokesman, disclosed Ashley Biden’s positive test on Wednesday, before the first lady departed for the trip. Ashley Biden is not considered a close contact of either President Biden or the first lady, White House officials said. Jill Biden is scheduled to stop in Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica on the trip, which is otherwise moving forward as planned.

Wednesday’s game between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox has been postponed due to several positive coronavirus tests, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced on Wednesday. The game, which was set to take place at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago Wednesday afternoon, has been postponed after several individuals in the Guardians organization tested positive for the virus. “Following multiple positive COVID-19 tests within the Cleveland Guardians organization, their afternoon road game on Wednesday vs. the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field has been postponed to allow for continued testing and contact tracing,” the league said in a May 11...

White House domestic policy adviser Susan Rice said Monday that she had tested positive for COVID-19 — just five days after attending a meeting with President Biden. “I’m feeling fine and grateful to be vaccinated and double boosted,” Rice wrote on Twitter. “I last saw the President in person on Wednesday—masked—and under CDC guidance he is not considered a close contact.”