Columns

A poster depicts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot, his main rival and leader of the Yashar ("Straight") party, along a pedestrian path on Oct. 26, 2026, in Tel Aviv, Israel, ahead of the country's general election. (David Goldman/AP)

Daniel DePetris: If Israel gets a new prime minister, will anything change?

By Daniel DePetris

October 26, 2026 at 12:42 p.m.

Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger in Israel's elections, Gadi Eisenkot, are more alike than...

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dr. Amy Acton visits with supporters during a campaign event along the Ohio River in Marietta, Ohio, on Sept. 17, 2026. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Clarence Page: Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad in Ohio governor’s race backfires

By Clarence Page

October 26, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The fracas over a campaign ad from governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy could blow back on...

Mayor Brandon Johnson delivers his budget address Oct. 21, 2026, at Chicago City Hall. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

David Greising: The fight over Chicago’s budget is healthy. Now the city needs a charter.

By David Greising

October 23, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

If an independent City Council becomes an expected feature of the budget process, we really...

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering attends Highland Park's annual Day of Service in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 19, 2026. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)

John T. Shaw: Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering knows how to meet the moment

By John T. Shaw

July 27, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Nancy Rotering is a pillar of Highland Park and met her statesmanship moment four years...

Analeidis Arias Marin gets her children ready for school in Santiago de Cuba on May 7, 2026. The U.S. oil blockade has deepened a humanitarian crisis, forcing Cubans to lean on the island’s long tradition of community solidarity to provide a cushion. (Lisette Poole González/The New York Times)

Elizabeth Shackelford: The Trump administration’s aggression abroad is both ruthless and ineffective

By Elizabeth Shackelford

July 24, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The United States is imposing pointless suffering on the people of Cuba and Iran.

New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrives at 10 Downing Street in London on July 20, 2026. (Thomas Krych/AP)

Daniel DePetris: New prime minister assumes the reins as Britain struggles

By Daniel DePetris

July 21, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

As Andy Burnham assumes power, the country’s traditional allies are questioning London’s ability to meet...

A passenger looks on as members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front ride the Washington Metro during Fourth of July celebrations on July 4, 2026, in Washington. (Finn Gomez/Getty)

Clarence Page: White supremacists marched in Washington on the holiday. What does that say about us?

By Clarence Page

July 20, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

I’m curious about what motivates hundreds of young men to take to the streets dressed...

State Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield, center, sits in the House chamber as lawmakers discuss bills at the Illinois State Capitol on April 8, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

David Greising: Rep. Harry Benton resigned after misconduct allegations. The state owes us a report.

By David Greising

July 20, 2026 at 12:34 p.m.

A lack of a report on Harry Benton is a shortcoming in implementation of the...

Katie Benn and Carolyn Pinta before dinner in July 9. Benn, a transgender service member, tracked down Pinta earlier that day to tell her how much Pinta’s holiday card campaign for LGBTQ+ people meant to her during a dark period. (Bob Pinta/TNS)

Heidi Stevens: Message received. This visit is proof that card-writing campaign matters.

By Heidi Stevens

July 17, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Carolyn Pinta was home alone when she heard a knock on the door. She hesitated...

U.S Sen. Bernie Sanders I-Vermont, at lectern, and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, second from right, at a campaign rally for House primary candidates in New York on June 18, 2026. From left: Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, Sanders, Mamdani and Darializa Avila Chevalier. (Angelina Katsanis/The New York Times)

Laura Washington: The socialists and moderates in the Democratic Party must work together to regain Congress

By Laura Washington

July 15, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

No matter how hard left-leaning Democrats try to portray themselves in the majority, they need...

Children play in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz as a plume of smoke rises from an explosion off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on July 13, 2026. (Razieh Poudat/Iranian Students' News Agency)

Daniel DePetris: The US and Iran are back at war. Could it sink Donald Trump’s presidency?

By Daniel DePetris

July 14, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

If gas prices rise again, then pressure to come to a resolution in the war...

Thrive Exchange, a six-story mixed-use building designed by architect Jackie Koo in the city's South Chicago neighborhood, on July 9, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Edward Keegan: A new Goldilocks urban apartment building for South Chicago

By Edward Keegan

July 12, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Thrive Exchange, a six-story-tall building in South Chicago, is not too large and not too...

Runners make their way down State Street in the first miles of the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 13, 2024, through the Loop. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai/TNS)

Heidi Stevens: 5 lessons from marathon training that have (almost) nothing to do with running

By Heidi Stevens

July 10, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Heidi Stevens is committed to learning a new life lesson from each of the 16...

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