Opinion

Almanac for April 9, 2026

Today is Thursday, April 9, the 99th day of 2026. There are 266 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1865, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the American Civil War. (Remaining Confederate units elsewhere would formally surrender by early June of 1865, closing out the bloodiest conflict on American soil without further major combat.) Also on this date: In 1939, Marian Anderson performed at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, ...

Editorial cartoon for April 9, 2026

Yes, boldly go

So much for journalistic objectivity. The BBC science editor covering the launch of Artemis II couldn't contain her enthusiasm when the first plumes of smoke spread out from the launch pad. "Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness!" she exclaimed, clapping like a schoolgirl. As the rocket ...

Pope Leo’s flawed war doctrine

Pope Leo XIV used part of his Palm Sunday message to castigate the United States for attempting to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power and threatening the world with mass destruction. In doing so, the “American Pope” confused the real enemy in the war. Addressing thousands in St. ...

Trump tells US Postal Service to create a federal voter list

Can the President order the U.S. Postal Service not to deliver mail he doesn’t like? Add this to the list of, er, innovative questions that President Donald Trump is posing to the courts. On March 31, he signed an executive action to create a federal list of people pre-approved to vote by mail, while telling the USPS to refuse to deliver ballots from anybody who isn’t on it. Democrats have already filed lawsuits, saying Mr. Trump’s plan tramples on the authority over elections that the Constitution gives to the 50 states. The USPS is an independent agency, and the Postmaster ...

Almanac for April 8, 2026

Today is Wednesday, April 8, the 98th day of 2026. There are 267 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit his 715th career home run in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, breaking Babe Ruth's home run record that had stood since 1935. (Aaron would go on to hit 755 career home runs, only to be surpassed in 2007 by Barry Bonds, who finished his career with a record 762 that still stands). Also on this date: In 1820, the Venus de Milo statue, likely dating to the 2nd century B.C., was discovered by a farmer on the Greek island of ...