As C.I.A. director, William J. Burns was deeply focused on China and Russia when the Middle East conflict plunged him back into his old life.

No one would ever refer to CIA Director William J. Burns as “Wild Bill,” the nickname of William J. Donovan, who led the OSS, the agency’s swashbuckling predecessor, during World War II. But the self-effacing Burns has bravely commanded a CIA force in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion nearly three years ago.

While the United States tries to spy on one of the hardest targets, Burns has also tried to reopen a dialogue with Beijing, including via his counterpart, Chen Yixin, the security minister. (The head of the China Mission Center, a career CIA officer fluent in Mandarin, accompanied Burns on one of his trips to Beijing.)

Do you think that you would be remembered 229 years after you died, especially after passing at the tender age of 37, not even living out the full potential of a long life?

He has offered a vision for a more aggressive spy agency, and his focus on the threat from China is widely shared by Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

A warning on D.E.I.: The Trump administration on Wednesday threatened tens of thousands of federal employees with “adverse consequences” if they fail to report on colleagues who defy orders to purge diversity, equity and inclusion efforts from their agencies. Read more ›

A fire early this morning left one person dead in Waukesha. Investigators are now working to determine how it started.

President Trump is speaking up against FEMA, a federal agency, as he visits North Carolina and California to meet with victims of natural disasters. This comes as Tulsi Gabbard and Pete Hegseth await movements in their confirmation processes.

It was 80 years ago this month that James Burnham’s article titled “Lenin’s Heir” appeared in Partisan Review. It was the top article advertised on the magazine’s cover. It is, unfortunately, unknown to most Americans,

📷 Photos: San Diego County fires ⚾ Padres retiring City Connect uniforms 🐍 Lunar New Year events 🎹 3 local concert picks Shakira, Bilie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter among artists set to ...

We are nearing the end of the SpyCops inquiry in London, an extraordinary (partial) exposure of the actions of the British state over the past fifty years. Bella readers are likely to be aware of

The Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe as CIA director, making him President Trump's second cabinet member. Ratcliffe plans to enhance the CIA's use of technology to counter threats like Russia and China while safeguarding civil rights.