by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, May 26.
- To Understand Pope Leo’s Efforts on A.I., Look at the Man Shaking His Hand (“The co-founder of a prominent A.I. company was nearby as the pope implored A.I. leaders to slow down and consider the technology’s possible perils.”)
- 5 ways Pope Leo says AI could warp humanity (“AI can erode human judgment…AI can simulate care without relationship…AI can deepen inequality …AI can destabilize democracy…AI can make war easier”)
- Pope Leo’s Unsettling Vision of the AI Future (“His new encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, seeks to counterbalance alarm with hope but lands firmly on one side.”)
- Pope Leo demands AI rules to ‘safeguard humanity’ — before it’s too late
- Exclusive: Trump admin shutting key US researchers out of global virus response talks, documents and sources reveal (Insane and wildly irresponsible!)
- The bond market is telling us the free lunch is over
- Lavrov tells Rubio of Russian decision to strike Kyiv sites linked to military (And the U.S. should be pushing back HARD! But Trump is a puppet of Putin, so…)
- How Ukraine Put Russia on the Back Foot in Year 5 of the War (“…time is increasingly not on Russia’s side”)
- Ukraine war briefing: Russia pressures US to clear way for attacks on Kyiv (The response to Putin should be FUCK YOU WAR CRIMINAL!)
- Global Oil Price Rises After U.S. Strikes in Iran Cloud Peace Deal
- U.S. launches new strikes in Iran, targeting boats and missile launchers
- US strikes Iranian targets in ‘self-defense,’ as deal hinges on wording disputes
- Trump’s Brain Flips Back to the 1970s in a Ludicrous Ultimatum Misfire (“…it remains a bizarre choice for a president to all but admit publicly that he doesn’t know what body deals with such important matters, especially since bombing in Iran has resumed.”)
- Trump’s Pressure Had Little Effect on Iran’s Terms for a Peace Deal (“President Trump had sought to force Tehran to accept American demands for a peace deal with a mixture of threats and military operations.”)
- U.S. Carries Out Renewed Strikes in Southern Iran (“Military officials said that the strikes targeted missile sites near a major Iranian port that threatened U.S. ships”)
- Why Any Plausible Iran Deal Is a Humiliation for Trump (“Even as the U.S. claims to be nearing an agreement to end the conflict, Tehran’s ability to close the Strait of Hormuz and hold the global economy hostage has reinforced the power of regime hard-liners.” Bottom line: Trump lost BIGLY!)
- Bill Kristol: Trump’s Iran Disaster Is Also a Defeat for the U.S.
- Taking the L … And Trump’s Long Iran Walk Into the Twilight
- Trump says it should be ‘mandatory’ for more countries to join the Abraham Accords as part of Iran deal (Yeah, not happening absent major progress on the Israeli-Palestinian front.)
- ‘If Iran gets a bomb it will be Bibi’s’: Trump’s deal outline sparks alarm in Israel (“Netanyahu’s joint war with the US began with talk of regime change in Tehran but may leave him with few strategic gains”)
- Netanyahu says Israel will intensify strikes against Hezbollah
- Netanyahu’s effort to remake the Middle East is backfiring
- Sheinbaum: Mexico to host Iran’s World Cup team amid US tensions
- Doctor evacuated from Congo is ‘helpless’ watching colleagues die of Ebola (“As Patrick LaRochelle waits in a specialized hospital room in Prague to see whether he has Ebola, his former colleagues in Congo are beginning to die of the deadly disease.”)
- North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles in Latest Weapons Test
- The Socialist Banker Venezuela Hired to Fix Its Finances and Bring Back Investors
- Scoop: Rubio aide promoted to top White House national security post (“Needham’s new post as assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser is one of the more important jobs in a Trump administration consumed with foreign policy challenges from Iran to China, Cuba and Venezuela.”)
- Immigration courts are using a new tactic to speed up deportations
- Truck drivers say ‘racism’ behind Trump administration’s license restrictions on immigrants (100%, no question whatsoever!)
- Senate Democrat pepper sprayed at protest outside ICE detention facility in New Jersey (Outrageous!)
- Protesters Block Newark ICE Detention Facility as Hunger and Work Strike Enters Day 3 (“Striking Delaney Hall detainees are demanding the immediate release of the young, the elderly and medically vulnerable people.” Absolutely!)
- Trump is paying companies to quit offshore wind. These projects could be next. (“Contenders are near projects that have already been canceled, are still far from construction and are saddled with hefty price tags.”)
- US wind and renewable energy generation rises in first quarter of 2026
- Behind the Curtain: Trump’s irreversible choices (“…it’s the choices he’s made with that power — often alone, often impulsive — that explain his plunging popularity and will define his second term.”)
- The President and his Bullshit (“Trump is testing the limits of governing by nonsense”)
- Trump’s advanced age and threats to his life serve as reminders of his own mortality
- Manic Trump, 79, Fires Off Bizarre 5:52AM Posting Spree
- Trump friction with GOP senators may imperil his agenda, say senators
- Trump to get ‘routine annual’ medical exam 7 months after last visit to Walter Reed (Hmmm…)
- Trump claims 2020 election ‘rigged’ at least 107 times in six months (Headline should read “At last 107 times in six months, Trump claims…” More horrible writing by the “mainstream” media.)
- Trump’s vulgarity is poisoning public life (“The president’s bad behavior Isn’t incidental — it’s the bedrock of his fascist project”)
- Trump fumes at Congress and courts for holding up his ballroom
- Elon Musk is about to get richer and more powerful than ever (“The SpaceX IPO is built on hype, but it will make him a trillionaire.”)
- Republicans worry the Cornyn-Paxton fight is tearing their party apart (“After months of mudslinging, several Republicans are bracing for a messy primary finish — and an even more costly general election.”)
- A runoff in Texas primary will test Trump’s grip on GOP
- Massie files to run in 2028 after losing House primary (“GOP Rep. Thomas Massie filed on Monday to run for his Kentucky House seat in 2028, less than a week after losing a primary fight against a challenger backed by President Donald Trump.”)
- Absent Congressman Calls Allies, but Stops Short of Public Appearance (“Republican officials said they have talked to Tom Kean Jr., who has been absent from Congress for weeks. His office said Mr. Kean will eventually explain his absence.” WTF?)
- How a Texas Democrat rebuked by her party for antisemitism made it to the runoff (Someone like this should NEVER hold public office of ANY kind!)
- Meet the Aspiring Texas Oil Regulator Who Wants to Deport 100 Million People (“A far-right Republican is running for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission on an anti-DEI and Islamophobic platform. But the culture war-heavy campaign masks an intra-GOP battle over establishing basic environmental protections in Texas oil drilling.”)
- Virginia joins lawsuit to block EPA rollback of emission standards
- Virginia eyes toll revenue for transit as express lane debate grows
- Background checks for private firearm sales not happening, one month after bill’s emergency enactment (“The governor’s office and Virginia State Police have said they’re working to implement the bill, but neither will provide a timeline for when the background checks will resume, or details as to why the checks are not yet happening.”)
- Residents Wrangle Over Transmission Line Proposal for Rural Virginia (“Valley Link would connect a potential nuclear reactor and fossil fueled-powered plants to serve suburban data centers.”)
- Lynchburg Republicans are about to have a political showdown between 2 rival factions (“On Saturday, the party picks three candidates for the city council. After planning to used ranked-choice voting, the party recently reversed course and now will go with whoever gets the most votes. That makes it more likely that one faction may sweep the other.”)
- Richmond judges refer courthouse dispute to the Virginia Supreme Court
- Aircraft carriers under construction in Newport News seeing spiking costs, significant delays
- The Roanoke Valley is experiencing a drought, but it’s far from raising red flags (“However, the Western Virginia Water Authority is considering changes to its drought policies, particularly in response to Google’s Botetourt County data center project.”)
- Inside one woman’s effort to bring tiny homes to Richmond (“Cathy Ritter believes Eden Village’s housing model can create a path to stability.”)
- Loudoun crash victim dragged into car, driven to hospital by another driver (“No charges have been filed in the case, but the sheriff’s office says this is not considered a case of abduction.”)
- CWG Live updates: Shower potential sticks around through Wednesday, then brighter and drier
