Free Republic

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced America First Refining (AFR) is opening the first new U.S. oil refinery in nearly half a century in Brownsville, Texas. Situated in a massive deep-water foreign trade zone, the project will leverage advanced infrastructure and strategic rail and sea connections to transport low-carbon fuels and other energy products. "America is returning to REAL ENERGY DOMINANCE!" Trump wrote in an announcement on Truth Social. "THIS IS A HISTORIC $300 BILLION DOLLAR DEAL — THE BIGGEST IN U.S. HISTORY, A MASSIVE WIN for American Workers, Energy, and the GREAT People of South Texas!"

New York City doesn’t have enough hotel rooms for hordes of visitors coming to this summer’s FIFA World Cup and should suspend the current restrictions on Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms, business leaders told Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin on Friday. Groups including the Partnership for New York City and chambers of commerce for all five boroughs say the city must pause its short-term rental laws from June 1 to July 31 so more people can stay in the Big Apple during the games — along with celebrations for the country’s 250th anniversary and Fleet...

As national Democrats search for a unifying theme ahead of the fall’s midterm elections, a California proposal to levy a hefty tax on billionaires is turning some of the party’s leading figures into adversaries just when Democrats can least afford division from within. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders traveled to Los Angeles on Wednesday to campaign for the tax proposal, which has Silicon Valley in an uproar, with tech titans threatening to leave the state. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is among its outspoken opponents, warning that it could leave government finances in crisis and put the state at a competitive disadvantage...

SpaceX is considering a potential merger with either Tesla or xAI, according to people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg's Loren Grush and Kiel Porter break down what this possible consolidation of Elon Musk's empire could mean with Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow on "Bloomberg Tech." SpaceX Said to Consider Merger With Tesla or xAI | 4:57 Bloomberg Technology | 715K subscribers | 10,262 views | January 30, 2026

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, and the Media. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) THE COLD REALITY OF THIS WORLD IS THAT EACH OF US IS MOVING TOWARD A FINAL DESTINATION. WHETHER THE CURRENT CRISIS WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING ENDS QUICKLY OR STRETCHES OVER MONTHS AND YEARS,...

Three Democratic senators are sounding the alarm about lucrative contracts and loans the Pentagon provided to companies linked to Donald Trump Jr. In a letter sent Thursday to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the lawmakers – Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Andy Kim and Richard Blumenthal – requested information on whether DoD decisions to hand out loans and contracts to companies “associated with the president’s son may have been affected by conflicts of interest.” “If this is the case, it could mean that the Trump family is profiting from funds appropriated by Congress to keep Americans safe, raising both ethics and national...

Another major financial giant is planting its flag in Florida. Wells Fargo confirmed to Fox News Digital that it is moving its wealth management headquarters to West Palm Beach, underscoring a growing exodus of money and corporate influence from traditional financial hubs to low-tax, business-friendly states. The relocation makes Wells Fargo the first major U.S. bank to base its wealth-management operations in the Sunshine State. "Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management (WIM) is advancing its strategic commitment to serving high and ultra‑high‑net‑worth clients by increasing its presence in West Palm Beach," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "Several senior leaders...

A Massachusetts woman is suing the town of Hopkinton, alleging officials negligently approved a criminal immigrant with a history of workplace sexual violence to operate a business where he later assaulted the plaintiff when she was 16 years old. The lawsuit, transferred to federal court Jan. 5, names Greek national Petros "Peter" Sismanis, who is in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. According to court documents, Sismanis was convicted in June 2025 for the 2023 sexual assault of the plaintiff while she worked at Hillers Pizza. The complaint also notes that Sismanis was previously accused in 1998 of rape, indecent...

(The Center Square) – A major American medical device manufacturer is investing $110 million to expand production in Nebraska as part of an effort to restore pharmaceutical manufacturing and improve domestic supply chains. Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) announced this week that it will expand its facility in Columbus, Nebraska, to increase production of prefillable syringes used in biologic drugs, including GLP-1 weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. The investment is expected to create about 120 new jobs, according to a press release from the company. The expansion comes as the Trump administration has urged pharmaceutical and medical manufacturers...

Verizon offered a paltry $20 credit to customers who experienced hours-long outages Wednesday — with the “pathetic” handout prompting even more outrage over the massive disruption. The telecoms giant said on X that the credit was to “help provide some relief” to affected users, claiming the refund “covers multiple days of service.” “This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened,” Verizon wrote.

President Donald Trump announced what he described as an immediate and "final" trade order targeting Iran and its global partners. In a post shared on Truth Social, Trump said any country that continues doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran would be hit with a 25% tariff on all trade with the U.S. The president wrote: "Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive. Thank you for your attention to...

AI continues to reshape the job market for both employers and job seekers, as candidates turn to ChatGPT to help with writing and employers use fully AI-driven interviews to screen applicants. Some experts say AI leaves both sides of the job market in a “doom loop” of dissatisfaction as technology fails to help the right people find the right job. The integration of AI into the hiring process has become increasingly prevalent this year, with more than half of the organizations surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management utilizing AI to recruit workers in 2025. Additionally, an estimated third...

In March, Lesia Key was summoned to meet her boss, Graham Walker, near the factory where they worked. At an outside table, Walker thanked Key for her 29 years of service. Then, a colleague handed her a sealed, blue-and-white envelope. She opened it and broke down crying, as Walker struggled to compose himself.

Diamonds aren't just for jewelry. From their cosmic origins in dying stars to their formation deep within the Earth, these gems possess unique properties that could revolutionize our world. This documentary uncovers the science behind both natural and man-made diamonds, exploring how scientists are creating "super diamonds" that are tougher and more efficient than anything found in nature. Discover how these new diamonds could replace silicon in our electronics, power space exploration, and usher in a new technological age. How This Gem Could Be The Future Of Technology | 45:38 | 284K subscribers | 777,488 views | August 2, 2025

Elon Musk’s 2018 CEO pay package from Tesla , worth some $56 billion when it vested, must be restored, the Delaware Supreme Court ruled Friday. “We reverse the Court of Chancery’s rescission remedy and award $1 in nominal damages,” the judges wrote in their opinion. In the decision out Friday, the Delaware Supreme Court judges said a lower court’s decision to rescind Musk’s 2018 pay plan was too extreme a remedy, and the lower court did not give Tesla a chance to say what a fair compensation ought to be. The decision on the appeal in this case, known as...

India has emerged as the world's largest and most active market for large language model (LLM) adoption, according to an analysis by Bank of America (BofA) on Wednesday. The country now leads globally in the number of users for popular AI apps such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, both in terms of monthly active users (MAUs) and daily active users (DAUs). India has the second-largest online population in the world, with more than 700-750 million mobile internet users. Affordable data plans have made AI access easier, with users able to consume 20-30 GB of data a month at around $2....

In 2003, former McDonnell Douglas executive Harry Stonecipher became the CEO of Boeing and described the company as "run like a business rather than a great engineering firm." Stonecipher made the fateful decision to reject proposals to design a clean-sheet airplane to replace the aging Boeing 727, 737, and 757. By 2011, Boeing's aging 737 was losing to rival Airbus's A320neo, but instead of a new aircraft, the decision was made to upgrade the 737 NG to the 737 MAX. This would allow it to stay within the FAA's original type certification and operate with the same flying characteristics. It...

Sydney Kasin spends her days learning to cut precise angles with a miter saw, but she's also cutting a different path than many of her peers. The Waunakee High School senior splits her time between the classroom and construction job sites as a carpentry apprentice, part of a growing trend of students choosing trades over traditional four-year college degrees. "I really wanted to use my hands and see what I'm building instead of sitting in an office every day," Kasin said. Her decision reflects a broader shift in American attitudes toward higher education. About 1 in 4 Americans now say...

Several restaurant chains are sounding the alarm about their customers’ attitudes as the country’s economy worsens due to inflation and slow hiring numbers. Chipotle, Sweetgreen and Cava — all purveyors of “slop bowls” — have seen their stocks drop dramatically in 2025. Chipotle’s stock is down about 50% for the year, while Cava has seen a 60% decline. Sweetgreen last week revealed in its earnings that same-store sales slid 9.5% and visits fell nearly 12%. “The 25-to-35 (year old) consumer is the most under pressure, and they make up about 30% of our consumer base,” Sweetgreen’s CFO Jamie McConnell said....

The upbeat, Spanish music still floats through the aisles of Sav/Way Foods, the Latino supermarket in the heart of the bustling and boisterous Plaza Midwood neighborhood. But at 8:30 on a chilly morning this week, the songs on the loudspeakers are about all the Spanish you hear. “It’s been really, really slow,” says employee Bella Duran as a half-dozen shoppers silently mill about the store. “A lot of our customers have been scared to come out.” Some patrons now afraid to leave their homes are taking Sav/Way up on its offer of free home delivery. Inside the store, rows of...