Opinion

Red Cross needs donors — and offers e-gift cards

The American Red Cross has an urgent need for donors and is counting on people to act now and book a time to give blood or platelets. Donors of all blood types and those giving platelets are needed to keep a strong supply of lifesaving blood products on hospital shelves into the summer, the Red Cross states in a news release. As summer heat ramps up, so do people’s plans, which could lead to postponed appointments or less opportunities to give ─ an especially troubling scenario at a time where the Red Cross has experienced an alarming drop in scheduled donations in ...

Swiss voters appear to reject setting population cap at 10M

GENEVA (AP) — Nearly 55% of voters in Switzerland on Sunday rejected an initiative championed by the top right-wing party to cap the rich Alpine country’s population at 10 million, early results showed. The populist Swiss People's Party, which has the most seats in parliament, has stirred ...

A requiem for privacy

When President Donald Trump appointed an obviously unqualified friend, a home builder executive, to be acting director of national intelligence, he inadvertently triggered attention to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The director of national intelligence is the head ...

Almanac for June 15, 2026

Today is Monday, June 15, the 166th day of 2026. There are 199 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat PS General Slocum in New York’s East River; it remained the deadliest individual event in the New York area until 9/11. Also on this date: In 1215, England’s King John placed his seal on the Magna Carta (“the Great Charter”), which curtailed the absolute power of the monarchy. In 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army. In ...

Editorial cartoon for June 15, 2026

Ways to deal with a bad year for ticks

Although the warm weather is just starting in the region, from what we’re hearing, it’s the worst season for ticks that anyone has seen. Tick season is in full swing and with it, the danger of contracting one of several nasty infections that are becoming all too common in the area. But ticks shouldn’t keep you out of the woods, if that’s something you enjoy doing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has these suggestions to avoid contact with ticks: Before going outdoors • Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas, or even on ...