Author: Kevin Parker

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs said Thursday the U.S. blockade of Iran will be enforced inside the Islamic republic’s territorial waters, as well as international passages.

By Elizabeth Lawrence During the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on what lawmakers described as “growing threats” against the Second Amendment, Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY) shone a spotlight on the State of Virginia’s “hypocrisy” related to recent legislation targeting gun ownership. Just one day before the session, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger suggested an amendment expanding […]

Justice Sonia Sotomayor offered a rare public apology Wednesday to fellow Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh for “hurtful” comments she made suggesting he was out of touch with working people.

Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon overnight into Wednesday, coming a day after a first round of historic talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington, and smoke was seen rising over a coastal city. Overnight strikes rattled southern Lebanon and carried on into Wednesday, marking a sudden spike in cross-border violence. The strikes came just a day after a first round of historic talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington. Smoke was visible over a coastal city as residents faced another night of uncertainty. The timing underlines how fragile any diplomatic progress remains on that front. The Washington meetings…

Thomas Friedman publicly expressed he does not want the fall of Iran to be credited to Donald Trump or Benjamin Netanyahu, despite saying the Iranian regime deserves to fall; the piece examines his record, the facts about Iran’s attacks on Americans, and why recent U.S. military moves represent a decisive shift that Friedman refuses to acknowledge. On Saturday morning Thomas Friedman told Michael Smerconish that Iran’s regime deserved to fall, then added he did not want Donald Trump or Benjamin Netanyahu to get credit because they are “terrible, terrible people doing terrible things to America’s standing in the world.” He…

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has put several gun control bills on hold, sending them back to the Democrat-run General Assembly and postponing action until after the state’s referendum on Democrats’ gerrymandering scheme, a move announced Tuesday that critics say is plainly political. Increasingly unpopular Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger deferred consideration of several extreme gun control bills until after the state’s referendum on Democrats’ gerrymandering scheme. The all but certain political move by the commonwealth’s leftist governor was announced Tuesday, when Spanberger revealed that she had sent the bills in question back to the Democrat-run General Assembly. That decision pauses any…

Warner Bros. is taking advantage of recent Oscar momentum—after best picture, best actor and best director wins at the Oscars last month—to bring its next wave of films directly to movie theater owners as it maps out the year ahead. The studio’s timing is deliberate: a strong awards showing gives a marketing lift and a talking point when talking to exhibitors. Theater owners want to know which films will drive foot traffic, and Warner Bros. is using that credibility to underline the commercial potential of its upcoming releases. Expect the presentation to blend franchise fare with titles aimed at awards…

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed six gun-control bills and amended four others that reached her desk last month. The moves mark a clear push by the state’s Democratic leadership toward tighter firearm rules, and they’ve set off a heated debate over rights, safety, and government reach. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed six gun-control bills and amended four others that reached her desk last month. That sentence lays out the basic fact — a package of legislation now has the governor’s approval after recent sessions. For many voters this is more than a list of laws; it’s a signal…

Iran is demanding compensation from five Arab countries that Tehran says are letting their territories be used by American forces in Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike campaign. Iran’s demand for compensation points to a rising diplomatic confrontation with several Arab governments over foreign military activity in their territories. Tehran frames the issue as a matter of sovereignty and reparations, insisting the presence of American forces operating under Operation Epic Fury violates its security and regional balance. This move signals Tehran’s intent to turn tactical disputes into political leverage. The claim centers on five unnamed Arab countries that Iran…

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut for seven weeks, sending tanker traffic and regional production sharply down while global energy prices spike and U.S. businesses and consumers feel the squeeze. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted a key artery of global oil flows and forced a re-evaluation of supply routes. Tanker traffic has cratered and regional output has fallen at a historic pace, creating immediate pressure on markets. The price shock is rippling through industries that rely on steady, affordable energy inputs. In the United States, companies are already paying more for raw materials and…