Free Republic

The Walt Disney Company appears to be scaling back its DEI initiatives according to its latest SEC filing – and activist investors are pushing the entertainment conglomerate to go even further. Disney dropped its "Reimagine Tomorrow" program from their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion section of its 2024 SEC 10-K report. The program was mentioned in the 2023 report, which defines the program as "the Company’s digital destination for amplifying underrepresented voices and features some of Disney’s DE&I commitments and actions." The program hosted a controversial 2022 leaked "all-hands" meeting in which a Disney executive touting her "not at all secret...

President Donald Trump said in a Monday interview with Fox News that Iran is terrified after losing almost all its air defenses amid last year’s Israeli aerial attack and is now seeking to make a deal with the Untied States. “Iran is very concerned. Iran is very frightened, to be honest with you, because their defense is pretty much gone,” Trump said of the October Israeli airstrikes. US intelligence has described that several Russian-supplied S-300 anti-air defense systems were destroyed. “Maybe they are trying to get new defense as we speak but their defense is largely gone… Iran is very...

PBS fired two diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) executives and scrapped the department after Bari Weiss’ online publication Free Press was tipped off that the broadcaster was ignoring President Trump’s executive order eliminating the controversial initiative. On Monday, PBS CEO Paula Kerger informed staff that it was parting ways with Cecilia Loving, senior vice president of DEI, and Gina Leow, director of DEI. In the email, Kerger explained that the departures were necessary in order to adhere to Trump’s executive order from Jan. 20, which mandates the elimination of DEI-focused positions and funding in federally supported organizations. “I know you...

Well, who could've seen this coming? The UK's Labour government, in its infinite commie wisdom, decided that family farms should be treated like corporate cash cows. Jeremy Clarkson just joined the protest against the UK's commie plan to tax farmers out of existence and gave the BBC a piece of his mind If you haven't heard about Europe's communist war on farmers, it's time to start paying attention. Now, thanks to their brilliant 20% inheritance tax on agricultural land over £1 million, thousands of farmers have taken to the streets — again. [Warning: Language in the next video] VIDEO AT...

A close-up view of the center of the NGC 6505 galaxy, with the bright Einstein ring around its nucleus, captured by ESA’s Euclid space telescope. The Einstein ring is formed by gravitational lensing, with the mass of galaxy NGC 6505 bending and magnifying the light from a more distant galaxy into a ring. NGC 6505 is a well-known galaxy only around 590 million light-years from Earth, and Euclid’s discovery of a spectacular Einstein ring here was unexpected. (Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre, T. Li) MUNICH — When the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope launched on July...

The legendary rock singer and iconic figure of glam rock, David Johansen, whose indelible influence stretches through his time with New York Dolls to his alter ego as Buster Poindexter, has revealed the distressing details of his battle with stage 4 cancer. Johansen's diagnosis includes a brain tumor, a condition he bravely kept private since 2020. He remained active and engaged with friends and family for as long as his condition allowed. His battle, however, escalated to a new level of urgency following a serious fall in November 2024, which resulted in his back breaking in two places. The severity...

For decades, the deep state has quietly manipulated American institutions, consolidating power beyond the reach of the electorate. Two distinct efforts—Operation Mockingbird and the contemporary DOGE (Disclosure of Government Expenditures) movement—highlight different aspects of this subversion. While Operation Mockingbird sought to control public opinion through media infiltration, DOGE aims to expose the unchecked bureaucratic network that leeches taxpayer dollars. By examining these two movements, we can recognize the systemic corruption within our government and advocate for true conservative reform. Operation Mockingbird: A Deep State Propaganda Machine Operation Mockingbird was a covert CIA initiative designed to control American media narratives, ensuring...

NATIONAL GUITAR DAY Each year on February 11, National Guitar Day strikes a chord with music lovers and musicians alike. This musical day honors one of the most iconic and versatile instruments in the world--the guitar. Whether you’re a beginner strumming your first chords or a seasoned professional shredding on stage, National Guitar Day is the perfect time to appreciate the instrument that has shaped countless music genres and inspired generations. #NationalGuitarDay The guitar’s roots trace back over 4,000 years. Records show stringed instruments appeared in ancient civilizations, such as Mesopotamia and Egypt. It wasn't until the 16th century the...

Aformer executive inside the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) warns of corruption in the agency that is currently being reviewed and purged by the Trump administration, alleging that among politicians, it is mostly Democrats who benefited from its funding. Mark Moyar, former director of the Office of Civilian-Military Cooperation at USAID in the first Trump administration, explains the corruption he saw within the agency and the lack of transparency, as he looks forward to its reduction. He also claims that Democrats have benefited more from the agency’s funding than Republicans, based on his own personal experience. During the first...

The genome of the Javan horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus affinis ), a carrier of coronaviruses closely related to SARS-CoV-2, was also sequenced by the international research team. Credit: Burton Lim, Royal Ontario Museum ===================================================================== A study on bat genomes, involving Texas Tech University, discovered genetic adaptations that help bats resist viral infections, including COVID-19. Researchers found that a bat gene, ISG15, can reduce SARS-CoV-2 production by up to 90%, while the human version showed no effect. Five years after the COVID-19 outbreak, scientists worldwide continue to study its long-term effects and explore strategies to mitigate future pandemics. Now, an international...

Key Points * Chinese electric car giant BYD announced late Monday that it was releasing a “DiPilot” assisted driving system for its cars, which includes a 69,800 yuan ($9,555) low-cost vehicle. * BYD also said it was integrating artificial intelligence from Chinese startup DeepSeek into at least the most advanced version of the new driver assist system. * Tesla’s most advanced version of driver assistance, called “Full-Self Driving,” has yet to receive Beijing’s approval. ================================================================= BEIJING — Chinese electric car giant BYD shares hit a record high in Hong Kong trading Tuesday after the company said it is going all...

Several Meta employees who said they received positive performance ratings in their mid-year reviews last year had their jobs cut Monday, as the company let go of nearly 4,000 workers in its latest round of job reductions. Business Insider spoke to eight terminated employees, who said they received “At or Above Expectations” ratings — the middle tier in Meta’s three-level mid-year review system — in their 2024 assessments. These employees said they were surprised to learn their ratings had been downgraded to “Meets Most,” one of the lower tiers in Meta’s year-end performance system that refers to meeting most, but...

NATIONAL CREAM CHEESE BROWNIE DAY On February 10, National Cream Cheese Brownie Day shines a spotlight on an irresistible dessert bar. Combining chocolate and cream cheese has long been a favorite in the bakery. When it's added to a brownie recipe the results are spectacular. #CreamCheeseBrownieDay The brownie has been around since the 1800s but was first documented in 1906 in the cookbook The Boston Cooking School Cook Book. There are hundreds of cream cheese brownie recipes. However, we also enjoy them cut up into parfaits or mixed into ice cream. Add a dollop of whipped cream, berries or a...

Groundbreaking research indicates that controlled peanut exposure can help children with certain peanut allergies build lasting tolerance, challenging the traditional avoidance method and offering a new, effective treatment pathway. A study at Mount Sinai has shown that children with a high tolerance for peanuts can significantly increase their resistance to allergic reactions by consuming controlled, increasing amounts of peanut butter over time. This approach, safer and cheaper than current therapies, suggests a major shift towards personalized allergy treatments that could revolutionize how food allergies are managed. Breakthrough in Peanut Allergy Treatment Children with high-threshold peanut allergies who gradually increased their...

President Donald Trump is expected to pardon former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to a person familiar with the plans. Blagojevich served eight years in prison on charges stemming from his effort to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat after Obama won the 2008 presidential election, until Trump commuted his 14-year sentence in 2020. Why it matters: Trump and Blagojevich have a relationship dating back to 2010, when the former governor appeared on the Trump-hosted "Celebrity Apprentice" after being impeached and removed from office. Blagojevich, who was a Democrat while in office, supported Trump in the 2024 election and attended the...

In a move potentially foretold by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), it seems the U.S. could be on the verge of ending penny production. President Donald Trump on Sunday said that he had asked the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, calling them “wasteful.” “For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time,”...

I have some sad news. This morning, three of the Mountain Mules, who became famous for carrying supplies through the mountain passes of Western North Carolina to Hurricane Helene victims, have tragically passed away. Rest in Peace: Vader, Amigo, and Kev According to news reports, a tree fell on the fence that was holding the mules. They escaped and were struck in the road. Full statement is below: We could not be more heartbroken over this incredible loss, and it is with great pain that we share it with you, as we know many of you have also fallen in...

The Trump administration is making an urgent push to end a court order barring top officials’ access to the federal government’s massive payment system operated by the Treasury Department, saying the “remarkable intrusion” is unconstitutional and should be “dissolved immediately.” “Basic democratic accountability requires that every executive agency’s work be supervised by politically accountable leadership, who ultimately answer to the president,” Justice Department attorneys wrote in the 11-page filing, calling the order “impermissible” and “anti-constitutional.” The attorneys are asking Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas to quickly end or modify the order to ensure Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his...

President Donald Trump on Monday said he had ordered the firings of the boards of visitors for all of the U.S. military’s service academies, the outside advisory panels that help oversee academic programs and student life, saying that the government’s training grounds for military officers had been invaded by so-called “woke” ideology. “Our Service Academies have been infiltrated by Woke Leftist Ideologues over the last four years,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I have ordered the immediate dismissal of the Board of Visitors for the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard.” The president did not immediately announce the appointment...