Author: Karen Givens

Bipartisan US senators met with President William Lai at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Monday (March 30) during a two-day visit to the region, marking the first trip to Taiwan by US lawmakers since last April. The sight of a bipartisan delegation on Taiwanese soil sends a clear message: lawmakers from both parties still see value in direct engagement with allies. This trip underscored the routine duties of governance, diplomacy, and oversight that come with representing American interests abroad. The meeting with President William Lai was both symbolic and practical, reminding partners and rivals that ties remain active. From…

Reporters counted an estimated eight million people across more than 3,300 “No Kings” events, many of which featured largely elderly white leftists holding signs calling President Donald Trump a “dictator” or “tyrant” or a “king,” and the demonstrations played out the usual split between public spectacle and social media commentary. The scale of the weekend protests was dramatic on paper, but scale alone doesn’t tell the full story. Local gatherings varied wildly in size and tone, and many scenes repeated the same imagery: older demonstrators, recycled slogans, and theatrical language aimed squarely at elected conservatives. Those visuals make for memorable…

White House messaging pushed back on claims that a major conservative gathering has faded from relevance, stressing continued ties between President Trump and the broader movement. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that President Trump does not think the Conservative Political Action Conference has become irrelevant. That line landed in the middle of a larger conversation about where conservative organizing goes next and who sets the tone for grassroots activism. For Republicans watching, it was a clear note from the administration about where they place value. The comment is short, direct, and meant to settle chatter about CPAC’s…

Many modern protesters operate from ritual and identity rather than from clear goals, creating a loud culture of grievance that often substitutes noise for solutions. What we see on streets and social feeds is less a focused movement and more a culture of performance. People have adopted the language and rhythms of protest so thoroughly that the act becomes its own form of belonging, separate from any specific demand or outcome. That shift turns public demonstration into a kind of social signaling where the signal matters more than the substance. “They speak in a vernacular of protest out of habit…

Afghanistan’s government accused Pakistan’s military of shelling the outskirts of an eastern Afghan city on Sunday, killing one person and wounding more than a dozen. The incident adds to a string of cross-border confrontations that have strained regional stability and worried residents living along unstable front lines. The Afghan government publicly blamed Pakistan’s military for strikes on the outskirts of an eastern city, saying one person was killed and more than a dozen were wounded in the attack on Sunday. Local officials described damage to homes and vehicles near the city edge, and hospital staff reported treating people with blast…

The Egyptian government is seeking ways to conserve oil-powered electricity during the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, enacting at least one policy that threatens Cairo’s identity as a city that never The Egyptian government is actively exploring measures to reduce use of oil-powered electricity as regional conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran strains supplies and spikes costs. Officials are framing conservation as a necessary response to a volatile energy picture and to protect essential services. Signs of policy shift are already visible and have begun to affect daily life in the capital. Egypt relies on a mix of fuels to…

Vice President JD Vance pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a tense call after questioning the optimistic timeline Netanyahu reportedly sold to President Trump about a war with Iran, and the clash highlights a Republican push for hard-nosed scrutiny before America commits troops and treasure overseas. Reports say the phone call turned sharp when Vance pushed back on Netanyahu’s assurances that the conflict would play out quickly. That pushback came after those predictions failed to materialize, according to reporting. The exchange signals a White House unwilling to accept upbeat foreign promises at face value. Vance told Netanyahu that his…

As the conflict around Iran deepens, the question of putting U.S. combat troops on Iranian soil has moved from theory to a heated strategic debate, weighing the need to stop malignant behavior against the risks of open-ended occupation and heavy American casualties. As tensions in and around Iran build, voices in Washington are divided on whether boots on the ground are necessary to deter Tehran. Some argue that a limited presence would stop aggression and protect regional partners, while others warn it risks a long, costly engagement. The issue forces a hard choice between measured force and the fear of…

Republican leaders in Georgia are pushing for nonpartisan local ballots as a response to recent Democratic gains in Atlanta’s core counties. Georgia’s political map has shifted sharply where it matters most, and Republican strategists are pushing back with a straightforward idea: run most local races without party labels. With Democrats steadily wiping out Republicans electorally in the core Atlanta counties of swing-state Georgia, the push aims to change how voters see municipal contests. The proposal is simple on its face, and it is being sold as a way to refocus elections on local issues rather than national partisan identity. Republicans…

The pledge master for a Northern Arizona University fraternity was indicted Friday on a felony hazing charge after a student died in late January following a night of drinking at a rush event, and the case has raised renewed questions about fraternity culture, accountability, and criminal consequences. The indictment centers on a rush event where alcohol was consumed and a student later died, prompting prosecutors to pursue felony hazing charges against the fraternity’s pledge master. Authorities say the actions that night go beyond a tragic accident and amount to criminal conduct under hazing laws. The move to indict reflects growing…