Free Republic

More than 50,000 people have signed a petition accusing Disney of “colonialism and robbery” after it trademarked the Swahili phrase “hakuna matata”. The expression means “no problem” in Swahili, which is spoken across east Africa and is a national language of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The petition, which calls on Disney to drop its trademark, precedes the release of the company’s motion capture remake of The Lion King next summer, which will be voiced by Beyoncé, Donald Glover and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The phrase was popularised in 1982 by the Kenyan band Them Mushrooms, whose...

It is a story of war between two nations, the conflict of love rivals and the looming fate of death. But the antagonistic themes of Aida seem to have spilled into the wings after a student production of the musical Aida was cancelled amid a row over suggestions of “cultural appropriation”. A theatre at the University of Bristol said yesterday it had cancelled all showings after a revolt by students.

Former Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and Horry County Council Chairman Tim Rice will face each other in a runoff for the Republican nomination in South Carolina new 7th Congressional District. Bauer led a field of nine Republicans, getting about 32 percent of the vote in Tuesday's primary. Because he did not get a majority of the vote, he will face the second-place candidate, Rice, in a runoff June 26. Rice got about 27 percent of the vote, attorney Jay Jordan was third with about 22 percent.