Blinken honors Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday honored Queen Elizabeth II in a statement, celebrating her 70 years on the British throne. The Platinum Jubilee kicked off on Thursday as the 96-year-old ruler continues to serve as Great Britain's longest-reigning monarch. “On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the people of the United Kingdom on the occasion of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee and official birthday,” Blinken wrote. The festivities for Platinum Jubilee will go on for four days with street p
Read MoreRussian forces take control of most of Sieverodonetsk, UK says
The U.K. defense ministry said in an intelligence update on Thursday that Russia has taken over most of Sieverodonetsk, a Ukrainian city in the Luhansk region. The ministry said that “over half of the town is likely now occupied by Russian forces, including Chechen fighters.” “The main road into the Sieverodonetsk pocket likely remains under Ukrainian control but Russia continues to make steady local gains, enabled by a heavy concentration of artillery,” officials added, noting that “Russian forces ha
Read MoreCould Russia win a public relations war against the West?
Foreign wars tend to be most popular at the outset, particularly if they are “marketed” to the American public effectively in morally unambiguous terms, but unless they end fairly quickly in decisive victory, achieved at reasonable cost, public support and policy consensus begins to erode, sometimes swiftly. This appears to be happening with the war in Ukraine. Not since Pearl Harbor — which burst upon American consciousness with shocking suddenness and was instantly perceived as a clear case of good versus evil, in which American national interest faced a clear existe
Read MoreThe Hill's Morning Report — The latest on gun negotiations
Congress returns to Washington on Monday, and a bipartisan group of senators this week continues exploring legislation in response to recent mass shootings, now including at a grocery store, an elementary school and a hospital. A group of nine senators met virtually Wednesday to discuss possible legislation to respond to mass shootings that have gripped the nation in recent weeks as they attempt to thread the needle to win approval in the upper chamber. Taking part in the discussions were Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bill Cassidy
Read MoreTV’s Dr. Phil backs gun reforms after Uvalde and Buffalo massacres
The TV host and celebrity psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw is wading into the gun violence debate as Congress mulls new legislation in the wake of mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, N.Y. In an on-camera interview with The Hill, McGraw blasted those who argue that modest gun control laws amount to infringements on Second Amendment rights. But he also contended that there was a need for a “mind shift” when it comes to spotting psychological or behavioral warning signs that hint someone may commit violent acts. Better public education around those traits would l
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