Author: Kevin Parker

Ghouls, goblins … and gummy bears. This piece walks through how to plan a smart, fun Halloween candy experience for families and hosts, covering taste, safety, budgeting, and a few clever swaps that keep the night satisfying without the sugar hangover. You’ll get practical advice on what to hand out, how to handle allergies and picky eaters, and ways to make candy distribution efficient and safe for everyone. The tone stays upbeat and practical so the holiday feels festive instead of frazzled. Start by thinking like a host: what do trick-or-treaters really want and what will make your porch a…

A newly disclosed April 2022 Justice Department memorandum shows that then-FBI Director Christopher Wray and then-Attorney General Merrick Garland personally approved the investigation known as Arctic Frost, Sen. Chuck Grassley says, and he has released documents to back that claim. The memo centers on early DOJ scrutiny of alleged efforts tied to fake electors and actions around Jan. 6, and it has reignited sharp questions about how high-level officials authorized investigative power. Lawmakers and commentators are arguing over subpoenas, phone-record requests, and whether the special counsel’s approach crossed legal or ethical lines. The document and related responses have opened a…

ILSAN, South Korea — A dramatic, viral clip of a “near-death” moment has become one of the most chilling pieces of footage to emerge from the Ukraine War, and it is still circulating across social platforms. The short video captured attention worldwide and sparked immediate debate over battlefield realities, the ethics of sharing such material, and what it means for public support of Ukraine. This article examines why that clip landed so hard, how people reacted, and what it suggests about media and policy going forward. The clip itself, stripped of context and shared endlessly, is raw and unsettling. Viewers…

Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn is pursuing legal action after learning the Justice Department and FBI collected her phone records and those of several GOP lawmakers during the Biden administration’s probe tied to January 6. She says the targeting violated constitutional protections and amounted to partisan spying that aimed to harm President Trump and his allies. Blackburn’s claims, the subpoena timeline, and the Justice Department’s defense are now part of a legal and political fight over accountability and prosecutorial reach. Blackburn says she will sue Biden DOJ officials, including special counsel Jack Smith, arguing the collection of records trampled free speech,…

The story: a bipartisan group of more than 30 U.S. senators, led by Rick Scott of Florida, pressed President Trump to raise the case of pro-democracy leader Jimmy Lai when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping, arguing that securing Lai’s release should be part of high-level talks and a measure of U.S. resolve on human rights and Hong Kong’s freedoms. More than 30 senators signed a letter urging the president to press China on a narrow but powerful point: the fate of Jimmy Lai. The message was clear and public, and it arrived as President Trump prepared for a meeting…

Sen. Chuck Grassley has put a sharp spotlight on an investigation he says went too far, arguing it “unleashed unchecked govt power at the highest levels.” This article lays out the Republican view of that claim, explains the constitutional and oversight concerns involved, and reviews the tools lawmakers can use to push back. The focus is accountability, limits on executive overreach, and practical steps Republicans favor to restore balance. ‘This investigation unleashed unchecked govt power at the highest levels. My oversight will continue,’ Sen. Grassley wrote on X. Those words cut to the heart of the GOP argument: when investigative…

Committee Democrats moved quickly and approved six radical abortion-related measures despite “over strenuous objections of outnumbered Republicans,” creating a stark clash over process, policy, and voters’ expectations that will ripple beyond the committee room. The vote itself showed the imbalance many Republicans warned about: one side used its numbers to steamroll through major changes while the minority, though vocal, was unable to alter the outcome. That kind of rushed action frustrates people who expect meaningful debate on life-and-death matters. It also raises questions about whether elected officials are listening to constituents or simply following a party script. Republicans objected not…

North Korea says it tested a new hypersonic missile system intended to strengthen its nuclear deterrent, a move that raises fresh security concerns across East Asia and stresses the need for steady, strong defense policies. The tests are another step in Kim Jong Un’s long game to expand strike capabilities and bargaining power. This article breaks down what the tests mean, how they change the regional balance, and why a firm posture matters. The regime announced its latest launches as proof that a new hypersonic capability is operational. Hypersonic weapons travel at many times the speed of sound and can…

This piece looks at a public clash over President Biden’s fitness to lead, focusing on a Late Show exchange where former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended him and host Stephen Colbert pushed back after a concerning debate performance. It lays out the arguments, the exact quotes exchanged, and how that split reflects broader doubts within the Democratic Party. A growing number of Democrats have concluded that President Joe Biden all but doomed their party’s chances when he insisted on running again, and that unease has become a live political issue. Some younger Democrats openly distance themselves from the…

President Trump moved to federalize National Guard troops for Chicago, a move the administration says was needed to protect federal property and agents, but a federal judge temporarily blocked deployment and the fight has reached the Supreme Court. The administration agreed to pause while the high court weighs the case, and both sides are arguing over who controls military decisions when domestic unrest is at issue. The legal back-and-forth highlights a sharp tension between executive authority and judicial oversight. The White House ordered federalization on October 4, calling for 300 Illinois National Guard members plus 200 from Texas and 16…