Opinion

Almanac for Aug. 6, 2026

Today is Thursday, Aug. 6, the 218th day of 2026. There are 147 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1945, during World War II, the U.S. B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, resulting in an estimated 140,000 deaths. Also on this date: In 1806, Emperor Francis II abdicated, marking the end of the Holy Roman Empire after nearly a thousand years. In 1825, Upper Peru became the autonomous republic of Bolivia. In 1890, at Auburn Prison in Auburn, New York, William Kemmler became the first person to be executed via the electric chair. In 1926, ...

NM sues DOJ and Blanche, claims they blocked state’s Epstein probe

CEDAR CREST, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s attorney general sued the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday, accusing it of blocking the state from investigating sex crimes at Jeffrey Epstein’s sprawling ranch near Santa Fe. The lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C., said the ...

Editorial cartoon for Aug. 6, 2026

Editorial cartoon for Aug. 5, 2026

Almanac for Aug. 5, 2026

Today is Wednesday, Aug. 5, the 217th day of 2026. There are 148 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1962, South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was arrested on charges of leaving the country without a valid passport and inciting workers to strike; it was the beginning of 27 years of imprisonment. Also on this date: In 1861, Abraham Lincoln signed the Revenue Act of 1861, which levied the first income tax on Americans (a flat tax of 3% on those making over $800/year) to help fund the Union’s Civil War effort. In 1864, during the Civil War, Union Adm. David ...

Report: Trump’s DC arch could harm integrity of other historical sites

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot-tall memorial arch could disrupt the historical significance of dozens of sites near its planned location, according to an assessment by the National Park Service. Many of Washington’s monuments, buildings and sites have been ...