Free Republic

Over the last decade, an array of local and state agencies have missed opportunities to fund a flood warning system intended to avert the type of disaster that swept away dozens of youth campers and others in Kerr County, Texas.KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Over the last decade, an array of Texas state and local agencies missed opportunities to fund a flood warning system intended to avert a disaster like the one that killed dozens of young campers and scores of others in Kerr County on the Fourth of July. The agencies repeatedly failed to secure roughly $1 million for a...

Eight years ago, in the aftermath of yet another river flood in the Texas Hill Country, officials in Kerr County debated whether more needed to be done to build a warning system along the banks of the Guadalupe River. A series of summer camps along the river were often packed with children. For years, local officials kept them safe with a word-of-mouth system: When floodwaters started raging, upriver camp leaders warned those downriver of the water surge coming their way. .... In the end, little was done. When catastrophic floodwaters surged through Kerr County last week, there were no sirens...

Israel’s military warned people Thursday to evacuate the area around Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor. The warning came in a social media post on X. It included a satellite image of the plant in a red circle like other warnings that proceeded strikes.

Elon Musk has warned "if the massive deficit spending continues," there will be no money for Social Security, health care or defense, as he continues opposition to President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill." The tech billionaire and former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) made the comment about Trump's spending package on his Truth Social website in the early hours of June 4. Newsweek contacted Musk for comment via the SpaceX and Tesla press offices outside of regular office hours on Wednesday. Why It Matters The House narrowly passed Trump's budget package on May 22 in a 215-214...

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s hostility to the oil industry could lead to the closure of local refineries — which, in turn, could push gas prices past $6 per gallon, or even $9 per gallon, a local analyst has warned. Local ABC affiliate KABC-7 reported: The Phillips 66 Refinery in Los Angeles could close by the end of this year, which would send prices skyrocketing above $6, according to USC Professor Michael Mische. Mische added that if the Valero Refinery in the Bay Area closes by the end of next year, that could send gas prices soaring close to $9 a...

The US has added two countries to its “do not travel” list. Last month, government officials added North Korea and Burkina Faso to the list of countries Americans are advised against visiting. The State Department has four travel advisory levels: exercise normal precautions, exercise normal precautions, reconsider travel, and do not travel. The threat level in North Korea and Burkina Faso has been upgraded to Level 4. It’s the highest of the US State Department’s safety ranking system. Travel to North Korea has been discouraged due to “the continuing serious risk of arrest, long-term detention, and the threat of wrongful...

President Trump issued a stark warning to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, saying Kyiv’s leader was in a “dire” situation and “can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country.” Trump, 78, was responding to Zelensky telling reporters Tuesday that “Ukraine will not legally recognize the [Russian] occupation of Crimea” — a key part of a US-proposed peace plan under discussion in London Wednesday, and a condition that has long been a red line for Kyiv. “This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost...

The fast-approaching deadline for REAL IDs has many Americans rushing to obtain the important new identification, even as travel issues may lie ahead. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a press release reminding Americans of the May 7 deadline while also warning of delays. “Passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID compliant and who do not have another acceptable alternative (e.g., passport) can expect to face delays, additional screening, and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint,” the release said. Air travelers at domestic airports will be required to present a REAL ID...

If you think the CIA keeping JFK files classified is just about history, think again. The real story isn’t what happened in 1963 — it’s what’s happening now. Ben Shapiro recently asked, “Does it really matter who shot John F. Kennedy?” My answer is “yes and no.” If the question concerns whether finding out who shot Kennedy is the most pressing issue facing our country, I concur with Shapiro that the answer is clearly “no.” But the release of 80,000 previously unseen documents isn’t just about who killed JFK. It’s about a long-standing pattern of deception, manipulation, and lawlessness from...

Worried Tesla owners are begging Elon Musk to add a feature to their vehicles that would warn off vandals trying to damage their car. The clamoring for help comes amid vandals and arsonists destroying Tesla dealerships and vehicles across the country. “I really hope Tesla is working on some sort of defensive measures… just something extra to make Tesla owners feel a little bit better about parking in public parking lots,” Tesla owner Sawyer Merritt said Tuesday, according to a report by Fortune. “Honk, flash the lights, do something.” Merritt’s request came the same day an arson attack was carried...

It's the two hundred-million-pound movie that has been plagued by controversy from replacing dwarf actors with CGI and its lead star panning the original Disney cartoon for its 'sexist' romance plot. And now woke Snow White has struck again as trigger warnings such as ‘A woman is deliberately poisoned’ and ‘a girl is surrounded by ominous trees’ have been issued for audiences. The British Board of Film Classification has slapped a hefty list of disclaimers on the live-action Disney remake starring Rachel Zegler, 23, as Snow White and Gal Gadot, 39, as the Wicked Witch. The $270million remake of the...

Trump pressured NATO, armed Ukraine, and imposed tough policies on Russia, while Europe postures without action—leaving real deterrence to the U.S. Fable One: Donald Trump Is Appeasing Russia?Who wiped out the Wagner group in Syria? Who sold offensive weapons to Ukraine first? Who warned Germany not to become dependent on the Russian Nord Stream II deal? Who withdrew from an unfair missile deal with the Russians? Who cajoled and berated NATO members to meet their military investment promises made following the 2014 invasion of Ukraine? In contrast, who originally conceived a Russian “reset” in 2009? Who publicly virtue-signaled pushing the...

More rallies in Hawaii as DOGE cuts hit NOAA in the islands HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -- A march and rally in support of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) was held on Saturday. A newly formed citizen group called Allies in Resistance hosted the event in honor of human rights champion and former U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink. Mink was a champion of Title IX, which is part of the Education Amendments of 1972. It is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on gender in any school or education program. Organizers said the march started at 11 a.m. at Iolani Palace. The...

Billionaire Elon Musk has said there is widespread fraud taking place in the payment of "federal entitlements" like Social Security. **SNIP** What to Know Musk wrote on X on February 11: "At this point, I am 100% certain that the magnitude of the fraud in federal entitlements (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, Disability, etc) exceeds the combined sum of every private scam you've ever heard by FAR. It's not even close." It follows another post from February 8 in which Musk said he was told there are currently over $100 billion per year of entitlements payments to individuals with no...

Donald Trump repeated his warning to Hamas: the “gates of hell” will open if they do not free the hostages they are still holding by his Inauguration on January 20, the President-elect told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday. The Iran-backed Palestinian terrorist group took roughly 250 hostages from Israel during the October 7, 2023 terror attack. Over 100 — mostly women and children — were freed during a truce in November 2023, which Hamas broke. Further negotiations, overseen by the Biden-Harris administration, have gone nowhere. Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted recently that pressure on Israel had encouraged Hamas...

United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a warning to Americans on Friday about the link between alcohol and cancer. Murthy’s advisory outlines the direct link between the beverage and increased cancer risk, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The news release continued: The Surgeon General’s Advisory includes a series of recommendations to increase awareness to help minimize alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths, including updating the existing Surgeon General’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages. “Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and...

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum fired a warning at incoming U.S. President-elect Donald Trump over his threats to impose tariffs because of the ongoing immigration and drug trafficking issue. “A tariff will be met with another tariff in response and so forth until we place common companies at risk,” Claudia Sheinbaum said during her morning news conference. The comments were part of a letter that Sheinbaum read out loud and said she would be sending to Trump. The letter is in response to a series of comments made by the president-elect where he claimed that one of his first orders of...

BERLIN — Newly uncovered footage appears to show Adolf Hitler doing the famous Trump dance. "The similarities between Trump and Hitler run much deeper than we thought," said CNN's Jake Tapper as he unveiled the footage. "They even danced the same. We in the media tried to warn the country, but no one listened." The footage, recovered by German officials while cataloging their archives and converting hard copy files to digital, shows Adolf Hitler dancing at one of his many rallies. He is seen pumping his arms, feet planted firmly in place, while his body sways gently back and forth...

Mayor Eric Adams declared a drought warning Monday — and halted a major aqueduct repair project to preserve the city’s waters supply — as New York City faces the threat of severe water shortages. Adams also directed city agencies to roll back water usage and urged New Yorkers to voluntarily do the same amid the historic rainfall shortage and dwindling water reserves. “Our city vehicles may look a bit dirtier, and our subways may look a bit dustier, but it’s what we have to do to delay or stave off a more serious drought emergency,” Adams said at a press...

Kamala Harris finally phoned Donald Trump on Wednesday afternoon to concede the election, hours after the race was called and her devastating defeat was confirmed. But she had a warning for the president-elect, lecturing him even as she congratulated him. 'She discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans,' a senior Harris aide said. Harris, during her campaign, repeatedly vowed to a be a president 'for all Americans.' She will concede to the nation at Howard University later today - almost 12 hours after the election was called for her Republican rival....