A variety of potentially divisive issues, ranging from immigration to gun control, were being discussed by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops during a national meeting in Baltimore this week. Dealing with the elephant in the room ought to be at the top of their agenda. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, who ...

Use of tobacco in all forms can be hazardous to one’s health. That is a fact, not open to dispute. Yet cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco and smokeless tobacco are legal for sale in all 50 states, with some restrictions. That is a puzzle to many who wonder why federal laws intended to ...

One cannot blame the Turks for not wanting to be the world’s jailers for some of the most dangerous people on the planet. When Turkish forces invaded northern Syria to push back Kurdish separatists, they captured some facilities in which the Kurds were holding Islamic State terrorist ...

Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is raising eyebrows with a new book that provides her take on time in President Donald Trump’s administration. The volume, “With All Due Respect,” raises troubling questions about the political establishment. Haley left her post ...

This is the time of year when people will be called upon to help the most needy among us. Different groups will be holding food drives so struggling families can put fabulous holiday meals on their tables. Angel trees will be set up and people will be urged to make a dream come true for a ...

Today is Veterans Day, a day to honor all the men and women who have served in the military, whether in war or peace. Minot and a number of area communities along with others across the country will observe Veterans Day today with programs and other special ceremonies. Speakers will offer ...

Americans who leave our country to reside in another are outside the protection of our government in most ways. But the sheer horror of what happened in Mexico this week — nine women and children massacred, apparently by drug cartel terrorists — cries out for some meaningful reaction by ...

Just when you think it just may be possible that racism isn’t a problem anymore, the bigots remind us it is.     An Associated Press story this week covered two events involving the late Emmett Till.     Till was 14 when, in August 1955, he was visiting relatives in Mississippi. The ...

Beto O’Rourke, the former congressman from Texas who thought extremist demagoguery was the path to the presidency, has dropped out of the race for the Democratic Party nomination for that office. Good riddance. Politicians do not drop out of races until they have been convinced they ...

It has been said that the art of politics is compromise. Mention that these days and it is entirely likely you will be accused of being a traitor by those on one of the poles to which political discourse seems to have been relegated. Perhaps both sides will flail away at you. Former ...

Contrary to popular belief, the United States has not pulled out of the Paris climate accords. But President Donald Trump’s first opportunity to do so is approaching — and he should seize it. Trump pledged during his campaign for president to remove the United States from the Paris ...

Many Americans are aware that Congress writes laws for the rest of us but often excludes itself as an institution and themselves as individuals from having to comply. The same goes for what is deemed politically correct. Imagine how a member of Congress, Republican or Democrat, would reply ...

The resignation of U.S. Rep. Katie Hill, D-Calif., is being questioned by some observers who say she is being held to a higher standard than male members of Congress accused of wrongdoing. It is not dodging the issue to point out the answer to that is no. Hill resigned her position. She was ...

It is doubtful that ISIS — the Islamic State terrorist organization — was without a leader for more than a few hours after its former head, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, died by his own hand rather than be captured in a raid by U.S. forces in Syria. ISIS already had a succession plan in place ...

No doubt many adults are annoyed by reminders that we need to be on our toes to protect children in our communities. After all, we are adults, are we not? We don’t need to be told to watch out for the kids, do we? Apparently, we do, especially on the eve of Halloween. Children are twice as ...

As of Jan. 1, 2020, North Dakota’s 43 social service offices will be replaced with 19 human service zones. By April 1, 2020, these new zones must hire directors and then submit their zone plans to the state by June 2020. A major change like this is not easy but is a wise move if it means ...

First responders must have excellent training. Such training not only is essential to a first responder but also to his or her teammates. A local first responder is being honored for his work in training others. The North Dakota Firefighter’s Association named Capt. Austin Burns of the ...

We Americans have a habit of bragging about our feats of technology. Our chief economic and military rivals — namely Russia and China — seldom do. They prefer to keep their secrets. No one in this country is certain, then, how far the state-controlled economies of those nations have gone ...

For several days, President Donald Trump was viewed as a traitor to the Kurdish people. Suddenly, he has been “rehabilitated.” On Wednesday, a Kurdish military commander in Syria thanked Trump for his “tireless efforts” in defense of the Kurds. So the relationship between our nation ...

ussian trolls who have been successful, probably beyond their wildest dreams, in sowing discord among Americans may be getting a good chuckle out of an announcement by Facebook. Officials at the widely used social media company said this week they will increase efforts to keep Facebook from ...