Lawrence Lease
Bio
Alaska born and bred, Washington DC is my home. I'm also a freelance writer. Love politics and history.
Stories (252)
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Uganda’s Elections are a Critical Flashpoint. Here’s What to Know
On January 15, 2026, Uganda will hold a nationwide general election. The contest will once again pit the country’s long-serving strongman, Yoweri Museveni, against prominent opposition figure Bobi Wine, reprising their 2021 showdown. After decades of uninterrupted rule and multiple re-elections, Uganda’s opposition believes—perhaps more out of necessity than optimism—that this could finally be the year Museveni is forced from power.
By Lawrence Lease19 days ago in FYI
Young People Are Getting REALLY Conservative. Here's Why.
In the early months of 2025, The New York Times published a headline that would have felt almost surreal just a few years earlier: When Your Son Goes MAGA. Not long ago, a story like that would have been treated as a curiosity, a fringe cultural anomaly, or at most an amusing reversal of expectations rather than a serious political trend worthy of sustained attention.
By Lawrence Lease19 days ago in The Swamp
Yemen is Dead. Here's What Will Replace It
If you look at a map of Yemen dated December 1, 2025, it’s already wrong. In just two weeks, a separatist group called the Southern Transitional Council (STC) has upended nearly a decade of assumptions about the country’s balance of power. Through a rapid, coordinated lightning offensive, the STC seized Yemen’s southern coastline, its most valuable oil fields, and the overwhelming majority of the territory once governed by the Cold War–era state of South Yemen.
By Lawrence Lease24 days ago in FYI
ISIS Killed Three Americans in Syria. Much Worse is Coming
On Saturday, December 13, the war that many Americans barely remember reached out and killed three of them. In the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, a lone gunman opened fire during a lunchtime meeting on a joint base shared by U.S. forces and Syrian security personnel. Within moments, two American soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter were dead. Three more Americans and three Syrian personnel were wounded before the attacker was finally shot and killed.
By Lawrence Lease24 days ago in FYI
The Top 10 Christmas Movie Sequels That Actually Delivered
Christmas movies are not just films. They are rituals. Most movies are watched once, maybe twice, and then filed away as “something you saw.” Christmas movies, by contrast, are revisited annually, often at the same time, in the same rooms, with the same people. They become embedded in personal history. You remember watching Home Alone while wrapping gifts. You remember Christmas Vacation playing in the background during chaotic family gatherings. You remember A Christmas Story looping endlessly on cable while everyone drifted in and out of the room.
By Lawrence Lease25 days ago in Geeks
The Missing Murder Weapon! Nick Reiner Hires Prominent Lawyer
By nightfall, the fog had rolled into Brentwood. Standing outside Rob Reiner’s home for the second night in a row, the scene felt different. Quieter. Darker. The media presence had thinned, but the weight of what happened here hadn’t lifted. People still walked their dogs past the gates. Neighbors slowed down. Some stopped. Everyone seemed to be processing the same unthinkable reality.
By Lawrence Lease25 days ago in Criminal
Belgium’s Narco Paradox: How Europe’s Political Heart Became a Criminal Crossroads
On January 9, 2023, just after 6:30 p.m., gunmen opened fire on a garage door in a quiet Belgian neighborhood. Authorities initially described it as a routine settling of scores between drug traffickers—tragic, but familiar in the world of organized crime. Then came the detail that changed everything. Behind that garage door was an 11-year-old girl. She was killed instantly.
By Lawrence Lease26 days ago in Criminal
Holocaust Survivor Killed in Bondi Beach Shooting
The oldest victim of the Dec. 14 mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, was a Holocaust survivor. The attack, now described as Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in more than 30 years, left 15 people dead and several others wounded. Victims ranged in age from 10 to 87, according to local officials cited by NBC News. The shooting took place during a Hanukkah gathering, transforming what should have been a moment of community and celebration into one of horror and grief.
By Lawrence Lease27 days ago in Criminal
Gunther Retires John Cena at Saturday Night's Main Event
There was nothing dramatic or chaotic about the moment itself, just the heavy realization that came from being in Washington, D.C., after watching John Cena wrestle the final match of his career. The night as a whole was strong, with a card that delivered across the board. The women’s match stood out, the tag team bout was excellent, and the segment featuring The Miz, R-Truth, and Joe Hendry struck the right balance between fun and importance, giving all three a meaningful spotlight on a show built around John Cena. Everything worked, everything had purpose, and yet none of it was what lingered most once the night was over.
By Lawrence Lease28 days ago in Geeks
Brock Lesnar Potentially Retiring from WWE in 2026
At September’s Wrestlepalooza PLE, John Cena went head-to-head with Brock Lesnar in a match that quickly turned into a dominant showcase for the returning Beast. Lesnar overwhelmed the 17-time WWE Champion with ease, and with Cena’s retirement just hours away, it was clear there was never any plan to extend their latest—and final—encounter beyond that night. The bout felt less like a competitive clash and more like a statement, reinforcing Lesnar’s aura as WWE’s ultimate final boss rather than serving as a sentimental farewell for Cena.
By Lawrence Lease28 days ago in Geeks
Gen-Z Revolutions Have Spread to Europe. The Continent Isn't Ready
As 2026 looms just over the horizon, it feels oddly appropriate that one of the most consequential political stories of the year has returned for an encore. The global wave of Gen Z–driven protests—already responsible for shaking governments in parts of Africa and Asia—has now firmly arrived in Europe. And it didn’t knock politely.
By Lawrence Leaseabout a month ago in The Swamp
