Free Republic

t the beginning of March, Aria Babu quit her job at a think tank to dedicate herself to something most people have never heard of. Having worked in public policy for several years, the 26-year-old Londoner had come to an alarming realisation about the future of the UK, the world – and the human species. ‘It became clear to me that people wanted more children than they were having,’ Babu says. ‘Considering this is such a massive part of people’s lives, the fact that they were not able to fulfil this want was clearly indicative that something was wrong.’

An official meeting of all ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors kicked off on Tuesday (March 28) in Indonesia. Top of the agenda are discussions to reduce dependence on the US Dollar, Euro, Yen, and British Pound from financial transactions and move to settlements in local currencies. The meeting discussed efforts to reduce dependence on major currencies through the Local Currency Transaction (LCT) scheme. This is an extension of the previous Local Currency Settlement (LCS) scheme that has already begun to be implemented between ASEAN members. This means that an ASEAN cross-border digital payment system would be expanded further...

Small businesses are struggling to pay rent due to higher rent inflation and fewer customers. The struggles vary by type of business. ... Record Surge in Small Business Delinquencies Alignable reports Record Surge In Rent Delinquency: Up 7% In October, Totaling 37% For U.S. SMBs Due to ongoing economic challenges, small business owners' ability to pay their full rent on time in October took a major hit based on a new Alignable poll. In fact, the U.S. rent delinquency rate among small businesses jumped 7% in just one month, marking the largest, most rapid increase in 2022. In September, rent...

Making bank doesn’t mean you have loot saved in the bank. Roughly 45% of those making more than $100,000 say they live paycheck to paycheck; 47% of those making between $150,000 and $200,000-a-year; and 28% of those making over $200,000, a new report from PYMNTS.com found. What’s more, a 2022 survey from LendingClub revealed that 30% of those earning $250,000 or more live paycheck to paycheck. And that’s too bad, as many savings accounts are now paying more than they have in a decade — see the highest rates you may get on a savings account now here. “The combination...

As war rages in Ukraine and China continues to develop its nuclear capabilities, some military officials are warning the United States is unprepared to be dragged into warfare. The warnings come after it was reported in October that America's military had become weaker over the last several years and is at risk of not being able to respond to outside threats. The Heritage Foundation, in its 2023 Index of U.S. Military Strength, noted that the military is “weak” and that it was “at growing risk of not being able to meet the demands of defending America’s vital national interests” —...

Kids are expensive and single, child-free women are taking note. New data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis showed that single women without kids pocketed $65,000 more in wealth in 2019 than single, child-free men, who has an of $57,000. Single mothers, on the other hand, had only $7,000. This is unsurprising since on average, it takes about $286,000/year to raise two children in the US according to the USDA as reported by Bankrate. These staggering figures, along with improved sex education and more financial independence among women, may correlate to the drop in US births. *Based on...

If US-led bloc refuses Moscow's proposal, 'regional conflicts would increase' By Yang Sheng Published: Dec 19, 2021 10:29 PM Updated: Dec 19, 2021 10:37 PM The intense situation around Ukraine between Russia and NATO is unlikely to ease, as it is almost impossible that NATO will accept the security guarantee proposed by Moscow due to entrenched hostility to Russia, Chinese analysts said, adding that the US-led bloc will not give up expansion to the east, and Russia will definitely take action to retaliate. They noted that although China hopes the two sides can resolve the situation peacefully, the two sides...

Hundreds of British special force troops are ready to deploy to the Ukranian border at a moment’s notice, amid rising tensions and fears of a possible Russian invasion in the region, according to reports. The UK’s Special Air Service and Parachute Regiment are prepared to enter the region with medics, engineers, signalers, and hundred of paratroopers, The Mirror reported. “The high readiness element of the brigade was told it may need to deploy at very short notice, a source told The Mirror. “Between 400 and 600 troops are ready. Their equipment is packed and they are ready to fly to...

A fictional war scenario showcases how emerging technological capabilities could be used in a future Sino-U.S. military confrontation over Taiwan. The question as to whether Taiwan can or should be defended by the United States in the event of Chinese military aggression has caused considerable debate in recent months within the U.S. defense and foreign policy communities. Discussions on this subject have been made more difficult as a result of emerging military technologies, especially in artificial intelligence (AI), cyber, robotics, and hypersonic systems, and questions about how they will impact both the quantitative and qualitative cross-strait military balance between China...

Notre Dame faculty in open letter ask Barrett to 'halt' nomination process This is not a big deal: Jefferies managing director on Eli Lilly pausing… Newsweek logoChina Threatens U.S. With 'Necessary Reaction' for Selling Weapons to Taiwan, Warns India and Japan Over Territory China has warned it would take new measures in response to a planned U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, a self-ruling island claimed by Beijing, which also called out Washington partners India and Japan over territorial disputes across Asia. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian decried the sale of three advanced weapons systems to Taiwan. He called it...

apanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday his country will form a space defense unit to protect itself from potential threats as rivals develop missiles and other technology, noting that the new unit will work closely with its American counterpart recently launched by President Donald Trum

Cruise Automation, a subsidiary of General Motors and a developer of driverless vehicles, today unveiled a new vehicle that it designed to operate without a driver on-board in San Francisco. The all-electric minivan does not feature manual controls such as pedals or a steering wheel.

A Southern California company is hoping to bring its dorm-like facility for adults to San Diego for locals looking to save cash and enjoy communal living. Los Angeles-based Haven Coliving has almost a hundred people who are sharing the same space and the same mindset.

Organised child abuse is happening up and down the country and requires billions of pounds to fix, writes children's commissioner Anne Longfield OBE.

RUSH: Reiterate that point. I really have to reiterate, because to me it is crucial. It is, well, crucial. Yeah, key. It’s very important to understand this. Greetings, folks. Great you have to here, Rush Limbaugh revved and ready for yet another three hours of broadcast excellence right here behind this the Golden EIB Microphone at the distinguished and prestigious Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative, anti-media, and Anti-Leftist Studies. The curriculum keeps expanding. No graduates, no degrees, the learning never stops. The telephone number if you want to join, 800-282-2882. The email address, ElRushbo@eibnet.us. First things first. Want to go...

The Worst Is Yet To Come

When Yasser Arafat first addressed the U.N. General Assembly in November 1974, he told the world body he came bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun. "Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand," stated the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, at that time still considered a terrorist organization by the United States and Israel. Today, the odds have increased. The gun has been replaced by nuclear warheads. Despite a mysterious air raid by the Israeli air force last Sept. 6 on what it said was a nuclear processing facility in the Syrian desert, Damascus...

MOSCOW AND BOSTON – At a Moscow conference in 2000 on stopping the global migration of nuclear-weapons know-how, a Russian security official revealed that Taliban envoys had tried to recruit a Russian nuclear expert. That expert didn't go to work for the Afghan regime. But three of his colleagues did leave their institute for other nations - and Russian officials had no idea which ones, US experts say. With the threat of nuclear terrorism looming large in a post-9/11 world, the brain drain of Russian nuclear expertise is an even more critical concern than it was six years ago, many...

Iran seeks to enrich uranium at home Russia confirms nuclear talks took place: Tass TEHRAN: Iran’s agreement to discuss Moscow’s plan to enrich uranium in Russia does not mean that Tehran has abandoned its drive to enrich uranium on its own soil, a senior Iranian official was quoted as saying on Friday. The remarks by Javad Vaeedi, deputy of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, appeared to dash faint hopes that Russia’s proposal could resolve the Islamic state’s nuclear standoff with the West. The proposal, which is backed by Washington and the European Union, involves the creation of a joint Iranian-Russian...

NEW DELHI: After the storm comes the deluge of questions. What if the government is understating the scale of the tragedy? How is India going about the woeful task of counting the dead? In turn, how will this affect relief mobilisation and disbursal of financial aid? Already there are indications that the number of dead projected by authorities is way below the reality. Senior officials in Delhi are already admitting that the task before them is very complicated. Red Cross is estimating the toll could shoot up to 1,00,000 dead (from the present 80,000) in Asia once more information comes...