Breaking News

Columns

World cup tourists see what too many Americans have forgotten

Americans are routinely told that our nation is hopelessly divided, irredeemably flawed and perhaps even in terminal decline. Public polling reflects this pervasive frustration, pessimism and anomie. If someone halfway around the world only followed the polls, he might be forgiven for believing our republic is all but over. But something remarkable is happening during the 2026 World Cup, which is jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Fans from all across the world have arrived in America — and they are absolutely loving it. We too often take our way of life for ...

Pride isn’t about labels. It’s about making sure our kids feel loved.

Last weekend, our family participated in the local pride parade with a group from my husband’s work. Before the parade, our son wanted to get a pride flag to wave. He has always loved flags and can identify the flags for most countries of the world. Flags are powerful symbols of identity, which is why the artist Gilbert Baker chose to make a rainbow flag the symbol of gay pride in 1978. It wasn’t until the 1990s that pride flags multiplied and got more specific. Like most human traits, sexuality and gender identification exists on a spectrum. So having different pride flags is a ...

The background that made the revolution possible

As we inch toward the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, let me share a couple of reflections on the background of how this extraordinary, unprecedented and daring event succeeded. Two decades ago, I set out to write a book about the events known as the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89. I suspected that this revolution — the ouster of the Catholic King James II of England and the installation of his Protestant son-in-law (and nephew) William III and daughter Mary I — was helpful, perhaps a necessary precursor of the American Revolution. “Our ...

Dear Annie: Promotion creates distance between best friends at work

Dear Annie: My best friend, “Ashley,” and I have worked at the same marketing agency for three years. We started on the same day, bonded over bad coffee, and we have been inseparable ever since. We have lunch together almost every day and text constantly. We have even taken a few vacations together. She was the first person I told when I found out I was pregnant last year, before I’d even told my mother. Last month, I was promoted to Senior Manager, which means I am now directly responsible for overseeing her work, giving her performance reviews, and if it ever came to it, ...

Leg cramps and digit spasms occur due to lactose intolerance

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 74-year-old woman who’s quite healthy (I am active and don’t take any medications), but I have a history of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C). Recently, I experienced bad-smelling gas, leg cramps, and finger and toe spasms. I quit eating milk products, and my symptoms almost immediately disappeared. My question is: Do food intolerances increase with age? Also, can leg cramps and digit spasms be attributed to a food intolerance? — H.W. ANSWER: The most likely diagnosis is lactose intolerance. This is caused by a deficiency in the enzyme lactase, which is ...

From London’s tennis courts to California, aggressive taxes always disappoint

Last week, nearly every elite men’s tennis player skipped one of London’s marquee tournaments. Only one of the world’s top 10 showed up at Queen’s Club, the traditional Wimbledon warmup; stars including Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton were playing 300 miles away in Halle, Germany. A culprit was likely Britain’s tax code, which doesn’t stop at taxing prize money earned on British soil. It also taxes a slice of a player’s global endorsement income, prorated by how many days of the year they happen to spend in the UK. Fail to advance far ...