Saturday (5/16) News: “Trump’s Trip to China Proves He’s Truly Broken America”; “[N]o Iran breakthrough — and a decision to make”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, May 16.

• Declare climate crisis a global public health emergency, experts tell WHO
• Wood burning is reintroducing lead pollution into the air, US scientists find (“Study of samples from seven winters suggests neurotoxic metal coming from wood itself rather than old paint”)
• Antisemitic Hantavirus Conspiracy Theories Are Spreading—and the Platforms Are Hands Off (“False claims based on bad translation slip past policies targeting hate speech and medical misinformation.” One of the biggest, most disastrous mistakes U.S. policymakers made over the past couple decades was failing to regulate social media heavily; unregulated social media is a DISASTER on multiple levels.)
• The Winners and Losers of Oil’s New World Order (“Energy expert Jason Bordoff explains the uneven consequences of the war in Iran and the longer term outlook for nations from the U.S. to Russia”)
• Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy vows retribution over deadly Russian bombardments (“President says three days of strikes will not ‘go unpunished’ and points to Ukrainian attack on Russian oil refinery. What we know on day 1,543”)
• How Europe Found Its Nerve (“Trump’s Overreach Has Finally Forged Continental Unity” I’m very skeptical of this…)
• Trump waffles on Taiwan arms deal after Xi talks (Totally uancceptable behavior.)
• Xi Warns Trump of ‘Thucydides’ Trap.’ What to Know About China’s Favorite Greek Reference for U.S. Relations
• Trump news at a glance: president’s China trip was heavy on hype, light on details (“Trump notably failed to push back on Xi Jinping’s rhetoric over the future of Taiwan – key US politics stories from Friday, 15 May at a glance”)
• Trump’s lack of focus on human rights in China is big departure for US diplomacy
• Donald Trump does ‘not feel optimistic’ for Jimmy Lai after speaking with Xi Jinping (“Family and supporters had hoped the US president could help free the 78-year-old British citizen during summit talks in Beijing”)
• Eric Trump says he’ll sue Jen Psaki, MS NOW over report on China trip
• Trump warns Taiwan against declaring independence, hours after summit with China’s Xi
• How Trump’s Trip to China Proves He’s Truly Broken America (“The president went to China looking for a win; he left as a prop for a rising empire.”)
• The Pageantry and Flattery of Donald Trump’s Visit to China (“The President’s talks with Xi Jinping, whose leadership style he seems to envy, yielded potential deals for airplanes and soybeans but no apparent agreement on Iran.”)
• Trump’s China summit shows toll of a difficult year for the president (“A year ago, Trump promised a new era during the first major foreign trip of his second term. On his recent visit to Beijing, the war with Iran and economic strain clouded his diplomacy.”)
• Rubio, Once a China Hawk, Strikes a Softer Tone to Align With Trump (“As a senator, Marco Rubio even hinted at the need for regime change in China. Now he talks about cooperation.” Rubio will do anything for power; that’s it.)
• Trump Just Gave Xi Jinping Exactly What He Wanted
• Trump returns from China with no Iran breakthrough — and a decision to make
• Back From China, Trump Faces Decision on Whether to Resume Strikes on Iran (“Top aides have drafted battle plans as peace negotiations have stalled.”)
• Republicans Waited to Challenge Trump on the Iran War. Now It May Be Too Late.
• Pentagon quietly shut legally required program to prevent civilian deaths by military, watchdog finds (“Trump administration accused of cutting military’s civilian harm program in light of US strike on girls school in Iran”)
• Executions Surge in Iran Since Cease-Fire, Rights Groups Say
• Trump’s geopolitical brinkmanship has hit a wall with Iran
• Israel says it killed the leader of Hamas’ military wing, one of the architects of Oct. 7 attacks
• As Netanyahu spotlights Israel’s ties to the UAE, its rulers prefer to be discreet
• Pentagon halts deployments to Poland and Germany to cut troop numbers in Europe, AP sources say
• Army leaders in hot seat over Poland deployment cancellation
• Trump says ISIS second-in-command Abu-Bilal al-Minuki killed by US and Nigerian forces
• Canada deepens Arctic defense ties with Nordics after Trump threats
• Behind the shiny veneer of the ‘new’ Venezuela (“As direct flights from the US to Venezuela resume, a clearer picture of the country’s political dilemma emerges”)
• Threatened indictment of Raúl Castro ratchets up US pressure on Cuba (“Trump administration move echoes indictment of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro as fuel crisis racks Cuba”)
• A New Kind of Family-Separation Crisis (“At the airport in La Lima, Honduras, planeloads of people arrive every day—many without their children.”)
• She was deported without her toddler. Then ICE blamed her for his killing. (“ICE accused Wendy Hernandez Reyes of leaving her child with a violent uncle, but she says her son would still be alive if officers hadn’t detained and deported her.”)
• Immigrants Are Dying in ICE Detention. A Key Watchdog Office Is Now Gone. (“An utter disregard for safety and just humane treatment.”)
• How Jerome Powell navigated pandemic, inflation and Trump
• ‘Perfect statement’: Trump defends saying he isn’t thinking about Americans’ finances amid Iran talks (“The president also said he’s not considering the political implications of the Iran war on the midterms, when Republicans will be defending slim majorities in each chamber.”)
• What the US Would Lose If It Eliminates the National Center for Atmospheric Research (“I think there’s a great loss for the wrong reasons. There’s no good reason for dismantling this or tearing it down”)
• Trump’s New Grift Is His Most Brazen … Ever? (“The administration is mulling a plan for a massive taxpayer-funded slush fund for Trump’s closest allies.”)
• Trump’s $10 Billion Shakedown of IRS Takes Unnervingly Corrupt Turn (“The president’s ‘settlement’ with the IRS appears set to give him a slush fund of $1.7 billion to dole out to allies. How unconstitutional is it? Jamie Raskin counts the ways.”)
• Trump’s Rumored Payout Scheme For Political Allies Mirrors Proposed J6 Compensation Fund (“Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters have sought restitution for their alleged mistreatment by the Justice Department.” Insanity.)
• Democrats blast Trump over ‘slush fund’ in possible IRS lawsuit settlement (And Republicans are fine with it.)
• Trump went big on tech stocks in first quarter of 2026, new filings show
• Snorkeling at Pearl Harbor: Kash Patel’s Travels Add to Focus on Ethical Issues (“The F.B.I. director continues to come under scrutiny for mixing government business with dates, vacation and leisure time.”)
• Inside Trump’s Midterm Strategy: a Mountain of Cash to Stem GOP Losses (“Redistricting battle provides glimmer of hope for Republicans in November”)
• Demonstrations to sweep the South over voting rights and redistricting
• Why the Midterms Battleground Keeps Shrinking
• The Trump administration is planning a prayer event on the National Mall. All but one of the speakers is Christian (This is glaringly, 100% the government favoring one particular flavor of one particular religion over all others – and over no religion at all. That’s wildly against what the Founding Fathers intended.)
• The 5 most unhinged revelations from Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI (“The Musk v. OpenAI trial is over. Here are the receipts.”)
• US government planning dramatic Colorado River water cuts due to drought, overuse
• American Bar Association votes to eliminate DEI rule for law schools (Pathetic.)
• I’ve interviewed dozens of Epstein victims. There’s one person they still fear (“Women abused by the late financier’s network say fear, silence and rumours of influence wielded by his girlfriend and enabler shape their lives decades later”)
• Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen announces retirement (“Cohen’s Memphis-based district was recently dismantled in a Republican gerrymandering effort.”)
• Gov. Jared Polis reduces Tina Peters’ sentence, says she will be released June 1 (Ugh, Polis…why???)
• Colorado’s Democratic governor will let Trump ally Tina Peters out of prison early
• Election denier Tina Peters will get clemency after admitting she ‘made a mistake,’ Colorado’s Democratic governor says
• Fetterman frustrates Democrats with pro-Trump remarks on Fox News
• Tennessee school district bans Alex Haley’s Roots under 2022 state law (“With third-highest number of books banned, state removes renowned work about slave trade from library shelves”)
• Sen. Bill Cassidy faces a primary for the first time since his Trump impeachment vote (“The Louisiana Republican is running for re-election against Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming.”)
• Texas Children’s Hospital must create country’s first ‘detransition clinic’ under settlement with Paxton (WTF?)
• GOP congressman is under doctor’s care, his father says amid mysterious absence from Washington (Bizarre.)
• Video: Sen. Mark Warner Says He’s “horribly disappointed with the VA Supreme Court decision”; “there’s one set of rules for Democrats, another set of rules for Republicans” (Also warns we’re on “precipice of an absolute energy crisis”; if Houthis shut down route to the Suez Canal, “you could see $6, $7, $8, $9 gasoline”)
• Ben Cline touts his ‘Valley Values’: Which is good PR, but, it’s all an act (Yep, Cline is COMPLETELY full of shit.)
• BREAKING (But NOT Surprising): US Supreme Court Denies Virginia Dems’ Appeal of VA Supreme Court’s 4-3 Rejection of the Redistricting Referendum
• U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear Virginia’s appeal; redistricting is dead (“The move means the districts Virginia has had since the 2022 elections remain in place.”)
• Supreme Court blocks effort to revive Virginia voting map that bolsters Democrats (“The high court’s decision is the latest blow to Democrats amid a nationwide redistricting war in which Republicans have seized the upper hand in recent weeks.”)
• The Democrats Just Laid Down Their Arms. Again. (“Abigail Spanberger’s response to the court decision that overthrew the will of voters on redistricting is a worrying sign of surrender.” Nah.)
• Millions of dollars later, Virginia’s redistricting drama ends with a single, bland sentence from the U.S. Supreme Court (“Texas didn’t complete its redistricting until late August 2025, and that’s what triggered this whole round of mid-decade redistricting. Democrats would have had to act exceptionally fast to convene the legislature before early voting began last Sept. 18. Still, they could have. They didn’t, and didn’t take the prospect of the Republican arguments about early voting seriously enough.”)
• Supreme Court refuses to restore Virginia redistricting plan approved by voters
• US Supreme Court rejects Virginia’s bid to restore congressional map favoring Democrats
• Supreme Court Rejects Virginia Democrats’ Effort to Reinstate New Voting Map
• US Supreme Court tosses longshot appeal from Virginians to use new congressional map that would benefit Democrats
• Supreme Court rejects Virginia’s bid to restore congressional map favoring Democrats
• Trump Court will not hear appeal of Virginia redistricting ruling
• Gov. Abigail Spanberger Signs 25 Bills: Assault Weapons Ban, Marijuana Resentencing, Clean Energy Innovation Bank, Protections Against Immigration Retaliation etc.
• Spanberger signs assault weapons ban; gun-rights supporters immediately sue
• Audio: VA Senate Majority Leader Surovell Says Gov. Spanberger’s Veto of Collective Bargaining Legislation “Not Great” for Their Working Relationship (“Historically, Democratic governors don’t veto Democratic bills”; “we’re still trying to figure out this governor and her style”)
• How a 19th century law, central to a national telehealth abortion case, could impact Virginia (“Should justices uphold it, the federal law could weaken parts of Virginia’s pending constitutional amendment to protect reproductive rights.”)
• Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers Virginia Tech commencement address
• A List Is Not a Name (“A school board chair, an antisemitic post, and sixty-seven days of silence.” That person shouldn’t be on the School Board at all, let alone chair!)
• Pete Hegseth will attend Ford aircraft carrier homecoming in Norfolk
• CWG Live updates: Warmer today and turning hot into early week