By the time Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office in March 1861, his election already seemed larger than mere politics. It confirmed the collapse of the one-party system, established the ascendancy of another, and precipitated the secession crisis that culminated in the Civil War. In retrospect, Lincoln’s rise can appear almost predestined — a […]
Even among organized crime groups, which are everywhere a subject of fascination, the yakuza hold a special place in the public imagination. Perhaps it is their reputation for honor, their ornate tattoos, the fact that they operate in such an orderly society, or all of the finger cutting. In Yakuza: A 400-Year History of the […]
President Trump is tapping his charismatic, straight-talking former lawyer, who has helped free hundreds of political prisoners from Belarus, to serve as the U.S. official charged with bringing home unjustly detained Americans abroad. John Coale, who serves as special envoy to Belarus, has detailed “vodka infused” negotiations with that country’s authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, to...
Lawmakers across the aisle are pushing for stronger protections for sexual violence survivors after a former Cornell University student's fraternity house gang rape allegations drew national attention last week. While the woman first accused the seven men of raping her for several hours at a fraternity house in 2024, the reports sparked a nationwide controversy...
President Trump’s super PAC and affiliates have injected tens of millions of dollars into pivotal Senate and House races just one month from Election Day as the GOP looks to keep control of Congress. Trump’s MAGA Inc. and several affiliated groups — No Going Back PAC Inc. and Safety & Affordability PAC Inc. — have reported some of their...
President Trump defended data centers at a midterm campaign rally in Vandalia, Ohio Saturday, arguing that the U.S. will risk losing ground in the global artificial intelligence race against China without the massive facilities that have come under heightened scrutiny in recent years. “There’s so much money to be made for Ohio. You can't just...