Thomas Hobbes took a very dim view of rebels and insurrectionists. He believed that insurrectionists relinquish their status as citizens the moment they seek to overthrow the government and should never be rewarded for doing so.

Hobbes, one of the finest political theorists of his time, said this in his great political treatise, “...Read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin left Beijing after a day of talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, with the two leaders seeking to underscore the strength of their relations amid global tensions over wars in Ukraine and Iran.

“It was successful, fruitful and intensive work,” Putin said at a meeting over tea with Xi late Wednesday. Xi ...Read more

NEW LONDON, Conn. — President Donald Trump delivered the keynote address at the 145th commencement ceremony at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy as the war in Iran and global threats abroad mean uncertainty for the 260 graduating cadets.

Family members, friends and alumni of the graduating cadets with the class of 2026 packed the stands at Cadet ...Read more

MIAMI — In a watershed moment for the Cuban American community, the U.S. Department of Justice has indicted Cuba’s longtime ruler Raúl Castro in Miami on Wednesday with the murder of four people in the 1996 shoot-down of two civilian planes belonging to the Cuban exile organization Brothers to the Rescue.

While the indictment itself was ...Read more

BOSTON — Massachusetts leaders spoke out quickly after the death of former Congressman and House Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank was announced Wednesday morning, praising his service to the state and the country.

Frank, who served as a U.S. representative for parts of Greater Boston for 32 years and was the first member of ...Read more

Two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, sued Wednesday to block President Donald Trump's $1.8 billion self-proclaimed “anti-weaponization” fund that could compensate their attackers.

Former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges say Trump and acting Attorney ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Former Rep. Barney Frank, the first member of Congress to voluntarily announce he was gay and who rose to lead the House Financial Services Committee at a seminal moment in American economic history, died Tuesday night. He was 86.

The progressive Frank had among the sharpest wits of members of the House and was known at times for...Read more

The gunman who killed three people at the San Diego Islamic Center left behind a 75-page document that preached hate, anti-Islam and antisemitism and promoted violence and chaos, law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told the Los Angeles Times.

The manifesto was titled “The New Crusade: Sons of Tarrant” and made reference ...Read more

Despite objections over the expedited process to redraw congressional districts, the South Carolina House passed a new map aimed at electing seven Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms.

After just three days of floor debate, lawmakers opted against any changes to the proposed map. The proposal heads to the state ...Read more

Iran warned it would retaliate beyond the Middle East if the U.S. or Israel attacks it again, following renewed threats from President Donald Trump.

The U.S. and Iran seem deadlocked over how to turn their fragile ceasefire into a more permanent peace, with neither side toning down its belligerent rhetoric in recent days.

Trump said late ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Human rights advocates on Tuesday rallied outside the state Capitol to push back on Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed budget plan to reduce state-sponsored healthcare coverage for undocumented immigrants.

"We are here to demand a budget that protects California's values," said Kiran Savage-Sangwan, executive director of ...Read more

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin praised the strength of their relationship during talks in Beijing as both countries seek to reinforce bilateral ties in the shadow of wars in Ukraine and Iran.

The two leaders signed a pact on deepening strategic cooperation on Wednesday before looking on as officials from...Read more

Speaking to Cubans directly in a recorded video message in Spanish to mark the anniversary of Cuba’s Independence Day on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a “new relationship” between the United States and the Cuban people that could open up the way to a future in which Cubans could freely elect their leaders and be ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The critically endangered Torrey pine tree only grows naturally two places in the world — a state park near San Diego and on Santa Rosa Island — and one of those places is on fire.

A wildfire sparked by a flare from a shipwrecked sailor has burned through nearly one-third of Santa Rosa Island, including the Torrey pine grove...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Computers — and all other digital screens — would be banned for Los Angeles public school students until second grade, according to a draft plan to limit screen time.

The ban would start at the beginning of the school year this fall. Older students would see screen-time limitations phased in over the 2026-27 school year.

...Read more

With the 2026 midterms less than six months away, the Election Security Group would normally be busy helping prepare the nation’s election infrastructure. The federal task force typically briefs Congress on upcoming threats and engages with state and local leaders to game out scenarios ranging from ransomware to critical infrastructure ...Read more

Imagine this scenario: In late 2025, a social worker sits down with a transgender teenager and his parents. The family is trying to decide whether, and when, to begin gender-affirming hormone treatment.

No one in the family was questioning this young person’s gender identity. The teen had been living as a boy for years. By all ...Read more

For decades, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has relied on an independent scientific program to answer two basic questions when chemicals come up for review: Does the chemical pose a threat to human health? If so, how much exposure is necessary before it becomes a problem?

The scientists involved in that program, known as the...Read more

Iran warned it would retaliate beyond the Middle East if the U.S. or Israel restart attacks on the Islamic Republic, following renewed threats from President Donald Trump.

The U.S. and Iran seem deadlocked over how to turn their fragile ceasefire into a more permanent peace, with neither side toning down its belligerent rhetoric in recent days....Read more

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin praised the strength of their relationship during talks in Beijing as both countries seek to reinforce bilateral ties in the shadow of wars in Ukraine and Iran.

The two leaders signed a pact on deepening strategic cooperation on Wednesday before looking on as officials from...Read more