14+ min ago (1004+ words) A mysterious fossil foot discovered in Ethiopia more than a decade ago has now been linked to its most likely owner, and the revelation adds an important twist to the story of how our ancient relatives lived. The foot probably belonged to Australopithecus deyiremeda, a 3.4-million-year-old human ancestor that shared the East African region with the famous "Lucy" species. But unlike Lucy's kind, which was evolving toward more human-like walking, this species kept its tree-climbing abilities, new research reveals. But there was a problem. Without teeth or jaw bones from the same individual, researchers couldn't definitively identify which species the foot belonged to. The puzzle deepened because the foot came from the same geological layers that had produced fossils of A. deyiremeda, a species named just three years earlier, but the connection couldn't be proven. Now, newly discovered fossils have provided…...

15+ min ago (192+ words) President Trump gave Venezuelan President Nicol's Maduro a chance to escape the country with his life " but he had to do it immediately, according to a bombshell report. During a call between Trump and Maduro last week, the South American dictator demanded that he be allowed to maintain control of the military and wanted global amnesty for all crimes, according to the Miami Herald, citing sources. Trump's response was reportedly blunt, and the talks quickly broke down. Maduro, his wife and son would be allowed to leave Venezuela safely, but they must do it immediately. President Trump gave Venezuelan President Nicol's Maduro a chance to escape the country with his life " but he had to do it immediately, according to a bombshell report. During a call between Trump and Maduro last week, the South American dictator demanded that he be…...

20+ min ago (466+ words) Last week's surprise release of a draft Ukraine war peace plan has raised hopes that the nearly three-year bloody conflict may finally come to an end. Ukraine has suffered horrible losses that may change the demographics of that country for decades to come. If this peace plan can be negotiated in a way that satisfies all sides and the guns finally go silent, I will be the first to cheer. However, the continued failure to understand the nature and origin of the current conflict leaves me skeptical that a real peace can be reached this way. From the Orange Revolution... Last week's surprise release of a draft Ukraine war peace plan has raised hopes that the nearly three-year bloody conflict may finally come to an end. Ukraine has suffered horrible losses that may change the demographics of that country for…...

29+ min ago (655+ words) They didn't stop there, adding that Walz is "100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota." These aren't isolated gripes from disgruntled staff. The accusations come as federal prosecutors peel back layers of schemes that have siphoned more than $1 billion from programs meant to feed kids, house the homeless, and support families with autistic children. At the heart of it: fake companies set up by individuals in the state's Somali community, billing for services that never happened. The flagship case, Feeding Our Future, alone involved $250 million in federal child nutrition funds funneled through sham nonprofits during the pandemic. Last week, prosecutors charged the 78th defendant in that mess, with over 50 already convicted. What makes this more than just theft? Reports from federal counterterrorism sources point to stolen funds wiring back to Somalia via informal hawala networks'clan-based money transfers that skirt banks. And some…...

35+ min ago (271+ words) Democratic Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Sunday declined to retract her claim that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin received money from deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Crockett made the false suggestion on the House floor Nov. 18, but the contributions in question were from a different Jeffrey Epstein. On MS NOW's (formerly MSNBC) "The Weekend," host Jacqueline Alemany offered Crockett a chance to correct herself, but the congresswoman declined to retract her accusation. "You made a little bit of news last week when you mistakenly accused Lee Zeldin and other Republicans" " Alemany said before Crockett interrupted to clarify her accusation was not an accident. Alemany then explained that Federal Election Commission (FEC) data showed Zeldin and other Republicans she accused did not take money from the deceased sex offender. "I want to give you the opportunity to amend that," the…...

40+ min ago (772+ words) Zelensky might be next after Yermak was just taken down unless he complies with Trump's demands for peace, in which case it's not unforeseeable that he too could be formally implicated in this scandal as the catalyst for a US-backed regime change carried out in collusion with his domestic allies. Zelensky's warmongering grey cardinal Andrey Yermak, who formally serves as his Chief of Staff, submitted his resignation after his apartment was raided as part of the investigation into Ukraine's $100 million energy graft scandal. Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik believes that he was fired, however, to protect Zelensky as the walls... Zelensky might be next after Yermak was just taken down unless he complies with Trump's demands for peace, in which case it's not unforeseeable that he too could be formally implicated in this scandal as the catalyst for a US-backed regime…...

1+ hour, 5+ min ago (265+ words) That's a great graphic! Lol! HO, HO, GO DONALD GO ! ! ! 8-) Love the memes " Good to see you, FRiend. I can't believe December is here, already! Time flies when we're with President Trump :-) Died Suddenly @DiedSuddenly_ " 16h Message directly from Melody Wolfe, the mother of Andy, the soldier shot in DC. Hello to all my wonderful family and friends " My goal is to give a daily update and I'm sorry I haven't been on that. I want all of you to know that our family is able to be somewhat uplifted because of ALL OF YOU! Here is an update on our sweet boy " Andy has been surrounded all daily by family and friends, his fellow guardsmen, soldiers, airmen, US Marshals, MPD, our local sheriff's office, and many other law-enforcement representatives. They have all been such angels to all of us " We continue to…...

1+ hour, 25+ min ago (260+ words) President Donald Trump shared a social media post claiming Afghans would 'chop off your head' and 'assume you were a witch' if you showed them a Nespresso machine. Robert O'Neill, the Navy Seal veteran who claimed to have killed Osama bin Laden, shared a post on X appearing to oppose the immigration of people from Afghanistan to the United States. The president then reshared the post on Truth Social on Saturday following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington DC by an Afghan national rescued from Kabul during the US withdrawal in 2021. O'Neill, who has come under fire for claiming sole responsibility for shooting bin Laden, stoked debate online over his stance on immigration. The Navy Seal veteran previously described himself as a Trump supporter and defended the president's ban on immigration from 'majority-Muslim' countries during his first…...

1+ hour, 31+ min ago (304+ words) Glenn Medical Center in Willows closed Oct. 21 after losing "critical access" status for being 3 miles closer to the nearest hospital than rules require. The closure strips emergency care from a poor farming community, eliminates 150 jobs and puts rural residents at risk of preventable deaths. Many other California hospitals also face risks of closing because of federal healthcare cuts affecting cash-strapped rural healthcare systems. But things could get far worse: A June analysis released by four Democrats in the U.S. Senate found that many more hospitals in California could be at risk of closure in the face of federal healthcare cuts. "It's like the beginning of a tidal wave," said Peggy Wheeler, vice president of policy of the California Hospital Assn. "I'm concerned we will lose a number of rural hospitals, and then the whole system may be at risk." We lost…...

1+ hour, 38+ min ago (77+ words) Pope Leo XIV concluded the first day of his apostolic visit to Lebanon with a vist to the Monastery of the Carmelite Sisters of the Theotokos in Harissa. Pope Leo XIV concluded the first day of his apostolic visit to Lebanon with a vist to the Monastery of the Carmelite Sisters of the Theotokos in Harissa. Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you....