Free Republic

Texas Governor Greg Abbott hit out at musicians on Tuesday who are pulling out of the South by Southwest festival (SXSW) over the U.S. Army's sponsorship of the event, telling them "Don't come back" to the state. The internationally recognized event brings thousands of visitors to Austin each March, showcasing music, film and interactive media. This year's festival is running from March 8-16 and includes live panels and special events. However, it comes amid heightened tensions in the U.S. and around the world due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The U.S. is currently the foremost supplier of weapons to Israel,...

WASHINGTON (AP) - With organized labor in disarray, two unions renewed threats Wednesday to break from the AFL-CIO in a deepening feud over how to stem the erosion of membership and revive labor's economic and political strength. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney tried to quell the simmering rancor by directing a committee of about two dozen union leaders to recommend changes and set a February vote by the federation's executive council. Calling the effort an "open discussion, a thorough discussion," he said leaders would "be looking at how we can do an even better job with politics and organizing more members."...