Tag Archives: May 2026

Guernica Magazine ——— May 2026 Preview

GUERNICA MAGAZINE: The latest issue features striking original artwork courtesy of creators Jérémie Guiguen, Mike Blackman, Deepak, Taelor Worthington, and Cliff Warner.

Fiction & Nonfiction: You can explore the Fiction – Guernica section for recently published narrative stories and ongoing literary additions.

Special Issues: Guernica frequently publishes thematic special issues ranging from “Climate Fiction” to “Race in America,” all of which can be browsed via the Guernica Magazine Explore page. [1]

I Was Trying to Photograph a Feeling: Showkat Nanda on Buried Archives, Generational Memory, and Dreaming Against Forgetting in Kashmir

By Youmna M. Chamieh 

How do photographs carry the afterlives of violence? Threading together personal and collective histories, photographer Showkat Nanda reflects on documenting Kashmir not merely as a site of conflict, but as a lived world shaped by endurance and the struggle against forgetting.

Notes on Going Viral

By Isaac James Richards 

What I dream of, then, when I think about what Jürgen Habermas called “the postsecular society,” is a foggy middle path. I’m not willing to fall for the false choice between religion and democracy simply because either feels like more solid footing than walking the tightrope between them.

BARRON’S MAGAZINE ———- MAY 18, 2026 PREVIEW

Barron's | Financial and Investment News

BARRON’S MAGAZINE: The latest issue features ‘Beyond Hormuz’ – Oil and gas production won’t rebound quickly, even if the Iran war ends soon. 11 stocks to play the worst supply shock ever, from our Energy Roundtable pros.

11 Stocks to Play the Biggest Energy Supply Shock Ever, From Our Energy Roundtable Pros

Oil and gas production won’t rebound quickly even if the Iran war ends soon. Why Devon Energy, Baker Hughes, and other stocks can weather the storm.

Tomato Prices Aren’t the Only Problem. How Retirees Can Beat Inflation.

Own some dividend stocks and bonds funds that inflation won’t chisel away.

IonQ and 5 More Stocks to Play Quantum Fever

Quantum computing may soon take off. Are the pure plays ready to go the distance?

10 Quality Stocks That Hit New Lows This Week—and Look Like Bargains

Even as tech surges, many other sectors in the market are trading at surprisingly attractive prices.

Nvidia’s Rally Is Just Getting Started. The Stock Is Still Cheap.

Nvidia trades at a discount to other semiconductors and can gain 50% from here.

Polymarket’s Most Contentious Debates Are Being Decided by Anonymous Crypto Votes

The prediction market outsources its disputed resolutions to an anonymous vote of crypto token holders. Some of those voters have financial incentives that could affect their votes.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2026

The Secretive Conglomerate That Controls Cuba’s Economy

A shadowy state enterprise run by the military is a focal point of Washington’s pressure campaign against Cuba.

Pressuring Cuba to Submit to Demands, U.S. Eyes a Castro Indictment

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.

Trump Turns Taiwan Arms Sales Into Bargaining Chip With China

China Will Host Putin, Days After Trump’s Visit

How a Nature Cruise Turned Into a Nightmare

The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius set off alarms for a world still traumatized by Covid. For those on board, the danger was much closer.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026

Trump and Xi Play Up Stability Without Announcing Major Breakthroughs

As President Trump left Beijing, there was no indication that he and Xi Jinping had resolved any big points of contention on trade, Iran or other issues.

Trump Announces a Boeing Jet Order From China. Beijing Stays Silent.

As Powell Steps Down, the Fed Confronts ‘Regime Change’

Jerome Powell is passing the baton to Kevin Warsh, President Trump’s pick, who says the Federal Reserve needs an overhaul.

How Iran’s Energy Exports Are Still Headed Toward China

The U.S. blockade has intercepted dozens of vessels since mid-April. But a small number of ships with Iranian cargo are still sailing.

Oil Prices Climb on Fears of Broader Energy Crunch

C.I.A. Director Visits Cuba as Island Runs Out of Oil

John Ratcliffe, the C.I.A. director, is the highest-ranking official in the Trump administration to visit the country.

LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS – MAY 21, 2026 PREVIEW

LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS: The latest issue features

Lead Essays & Politics

  • “America’s Afghanistan Delusion” by Tom Stevenson: Stevenson examines the legacy of the War on Terror, arguing that the 2021 withdrawal from Kabul was viewed by the Western establishment as a “mistake” or “cautionary tale” rather than the “crime” he suggests it was. He traces the expansion of American power through “black sites” and military advisers across the globe.
  • “Short Cuts: Labour’s Failure” by James Butler: Butler analyzes the results of the English local elections (held on May 7). He criticizes Keir Starmer’s leadership style as “all injunction and no argument” and explores why national revulsion toward the Labour Party overshadowed local government issues.
  • “Where’s All the Cash?” by John Lanchester: A characteristically lucid investigation into modern economics, focusing on the circulation of physical currency and the shifting nature of wealth in a digital-first economy.

Literature & History

  • “On Marlen Haushofer” by Becca Rothfeld: A deep dive into the work of the Austrian writer, specifically her 1963 masterpiece The Wall. Rothfeld explores Haushofer’s recurring themes of entrapment and isolation, noting the paradoxical “joy” found in her most barricaded characters.
  • “Baltic Snake Cults” by Diarmaid MacCulloch: The eminent historian reviews the long survival of paganism and “serpent worship” in the Baltic regions, challenging the standard narrative of a monolithic Christian Europe during the Middle Ages.
  • “Should We Punish?” by Thomas Nagel: The philosopher engages with the ethics of the penal system, weighing the traditional justifications for punishment against contemporary moral and legal theories.

Other Features

“The Clearance of Aoineadh Mòr, 1824” by Tarn MacArthur: A historical account of the Highland Clearances, specifically focusing on the displacement of communities in Scotland.

At the Movies: Michael Wood provides his regular column of film criticism, likely focusing on current European or art-house releases.

Poetry & Correspondence: The issue also contains poems and a robust letters section, which in this period has been heavily occupied by debates over the Arctic (following Laleh Khalili’s piece in the previous issue) and the fallout of the UK local elections.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2026

China’s Xi Warns Trump on Taiwan at Beijing Summit

  • Xi Jinping told President Trump that the issue of Taiwan, if handled poorly, could lead to a clash with the U.S. They are also expected to discuss trade and the Iran war.
  • Both leaders attended a state banquet in Beijing, where they emphasized cooperation and Mr. Trump invited Mr. Xi to visit the White House.

Why Xi Doesn’t Need a Deal With Trump

China’s leader is buying time for Beijing and may see an opening with a U.S. president weakened by the war in the Middle East.

Elon Musk Returns to Trump’s Side in Beijing

Mr. Musk is part of a delegation of business leaders to China, where his interests include Tesla’s electric vehicle factory and solar panels.

Gen. Caine’s Silence on Iran War Leaves Questions About Military Strategy

President Trump’s top military adviser is walking a tightrope as he leads the military through a divisive and unpopular war.

Senate Again Rejects Bid to End Iran War, but G.O.P. Opposition Grows

TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT – MAY 15, 2026 PREVIEW

TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT: The latest issue features ‘Among Putin’s Russians’…

Anti-communist or antisemitic?

The ideology behind Hitler’s assault on the Soviet Union By Richard J. Evans

‘Send on anything human’

Previously unseen letters between Ezra Pound and Gladys Hynes By Ed Vulliamy

You say lee-do …

The rise, fall and survival of open-air swimming pools By David Horspool

Main-character syndrome

Video games and political violence By Regina Rini

THE NEW YORK TIMES – WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2026

Trump Arrives in China for High-Stakes Summit

President Trump landed in Beijing for a two-day summit with China’s leader, Xi Jinping. The war in Iran has complicated the issues they hope to address.

The Lecturer and Philosopher King: Xi Jinping Behind Closed Doors

How China Could Wield Its Control of Rare Earths Against Trump

Iran’s Military Is Stronger Than Trump Claims, Reports Show

Secret U.S. intelligence assessments say Iran has access to 30 of its 33 missile sites and could threaten American warships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

What You Need to Know About the Federal Gas Tax

THE NEW YORK TIMES – TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2026

U.S. Inflation Jumps 3.8%, the Fastest Rate in 3 Years

Consumer prices rose at the fastest rate since May 2023 last month, as sharp increases in energy costs caused by the Iran war made life more expensive for Americans.

Steel Tariffs Are Harming Tin Can Makers and Lifting Food Prices

The cost to put food in cans remains high because manufacturers must still import steel from overseas. U.S. Steel plans to reopen a tin-plate factory.

Xi Is Poised to Press Trump on Arms Sales to Taiwan

Beijing has called Taiwan the “core of China’s core interests.” Xi Jinping is likely to focus on getting President Trump to slow approval of weapons for the island.

China Seeks A.I. Independence, Weakening Trump’s Leverage

Before this week’s U.S.-China summit, Beijing reached a milestone in its quest for technological self-sufficiency.

Truce Hangs in the Balance After Trump Rejects Iran’s Offer

President Trump called an Iranian proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz “garbage.” An Iranian official raised the prospect of escalating nuclear enrichment.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – MONDAY, MAY 11, 2026

As Trump Heads to Beijing, China Is ‘Locked and Loaded’ for a Fight

As President Trump and Xi Jinping prepare to meet this week, Beijing is signaling that it is ready for a showdown over trade.

What Middle Powers Fear About the Trump-Xi Summit

Asian nations worry that President Trump might trade security commitments for better economic terms with China.

Iran Lists Demands That Trump Deemed ‘Unacceptable’

Tehran demanded U.S. war reparations, recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and an end to American sanctions, Iranian state media reported.

Oil Prices Rise as Prospects for U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Fizzle

What Middle Powers Fear About the Trump-Xi Summit

Asian nations worry that the president might trade security commitments for better economic terms with China during his planned meeting with Xi Jinping this week.