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M and M Extra: American Impatience

We may not always agree with Michael Smerconish—but hey, we can admit when he's right. All these Americans rushing to bash Trump over Iran, crying about our military strength in the Strait of Hormuz? You're doing the Iranian PR team's job for 'em. Just trust Trump. Simple as that.

M and M Extra: Democrat Desperation

We look at the Democrat Party right now, and who's their front-runner? Kamala Harris. Could we be that lucky? I mean—think about it. The same Kamala who can't finish a sentence without giggling through a policy disaster. The same Kamala who got put in charge of the border and somehow made it worse. If the Democrats are dumb enough to make her their nominee, folks, we're buying popcorn. This is gonna be fun. ---- Two iconic talk radio hosts. One unfiltered daily conversation. No scripts. No spin. Just Mike Gallagher and Mark Davis breaking down the news the way it should be — with decades of experience and zero apologies. If you love smart unscripted talk show chemistry, you’re in the right place. Subscribe & Watch M and M Extra Live ?? Youtube | @mandmextra ?? Weekdays at 12 PM ET Watch The Mike Gallagher Show Live ?? salemnewschannel.com/watch-live ?? Weekdays 9 AM – 12 PM ET Listen to The Mark Davis Show ?? 660amtheanswer.com/listenlive ?? Weekdays at 7AM - 10AM CT

Several Injured When Tank Implodes At Washington Pulp And Paper Mill

LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — Authorities say several people suffered chemical burns and inhalation injuries when a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded at a pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington state. It was not immediately clear how many people had been injured. Mike Gorsuch, battalion chief with the fire department in Longview, Washington, said first responders had decontaminated patients and taken them to nearby hospitals. The Nippon Dynawave facility is a pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging plant that makes material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, cartons and other goods. It employs about 1,000 people, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology. Authorities said there was no immediate threat to the public.

Several People Suffer Burn, Inhalation Injuries When Tank Implodes At Washington Pulp And Paper Mill

Thousands Still Evacuated Near Southern California Chemical Tank Despite Eased Explosion Fears

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of people who live near a damaged hazardous chemical tank in Southern California still can't return home, even as officials say the risk of a catastrophic explosion had largely passed. Officials ordered evacuations in Garden Grove near Los Angeles last Thursday after the tank at an aerospace plane overheated. About 16,000 of roughly 50,000 evacuees are still waiting for the all-clear. The tank contains methyl methacrylate, which is highly flammable. Health officials have assured residents that there was no contamination or fumes released. Officials say they will keep monitoring the air for several months and checking the sewer and storm drains.

Uber, Lyft Drivers In Massachusetts Form First U.S. Ride-Share Union

BOSTON, May 26 (Reuters) - Ride-share drivers for app-based companies such as Uber and Lyft have unionized in Massachusetts, forming what state officials and labor leaders said was the first officially recognized organization in the U.S. to represent such gig workers. The newly formed App Drivers Union received certification from the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations on Friday to represent nearly 70,000 ride-share drivers operating as independent contractors in the state. "It changes the game for ride-share workers across this country," Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, said at a rally with drivers and labor activists in Boston on Tuesday. The certification occurred after voters in November 2024 approved a ballot measure that created a novel framework to allow drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft to organize and bargain collectively over pay and benefits. That vote followed a years-long, nationwide battle over whether ride-share drivers should be considered independent contractors or employees entitled to benefits and wage protections. Drivers for Uber and Lyft do not have the right to organize under the National Labor Relations Act, a federal law that covers only traditional employees. But under the state law, drivers could form a union after collecting signatures from at least 25% of active drivers in Massachusetts - a condition that was met by union supporters. The union is backed by 32BJ SEIU, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. "The workers who built these billion-dollar corporations deserve a union contract and a seat at the table," IAM President Brian Bryant said at Tuesday's rally. He and other union leaders held up Massachusetts as a key labor victory as unionization efforts mount in other states. In California, ride-share drivers gained the right to unionize under legislation signed into law in October by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Similar legislation is pending in Illinois. Lyft and Uber did not campaign against the Massachusetts ballot measure. Lyft said on Tuesday it was committed to engaging in good faith as the Massachusetts process moves forward. "Lyft does well when drivers do well, and we'll stay focused on helping drivers succeed while keeping rideshare affordable and dependable for everyone who counts on it," Lyft said in a statement. Uber did not respond to a request for comment. In the months before the 2024 vote, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell secured a settlement with Uber and Lyft requiring them to adopt a $32.50 hourly minimum pay standard for Massachusetts drivers and pay $175 million to resolve claims they had improperly treated drivers as independent contractors, rather than employees, under state law.

Iran restoring internet after long shutdown

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran on Tuesday denounced the most recent U.S. strikes as a sign of “bad faith and unreliability” as negotiations pressed on toward a possible deal to end the war, and the Islamic Republic began restoring internet access after one of the longest nationwide shutdowns ever. The U.S. military characterized Monday's strikes in southern Iran as defensive, saying targets included missile launch sites and minelaying boats, and said the U.S. acted with “restraint" in light of the weekslong ceasefire. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities eased a monthslong internet shutdown that they cast as a wartime necessity, but that has cost the country's economy an estimated $30 million to $40 million a day. Internet users reported that access was gradually being restored, at least in some places. State media reported that fixed broadband service was partially restored. Mobile internet wasn't yet working. Iran has long enforced filters and policed content on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. But before the war, Iranians could bypass restrictions with cheap virtual private networks, known as VPNs, and other easy workarounds. Then authorities cut off internet access in January during massive anti-government demonstrations and maintained the restrictions after the U.S. and Israel attacked on Feb. 28. The internet outage made it difficult for Iranians outside the country to maintain contact with loved ones, and the lack of connectivity devastated the country’s relatively vibrant online businesses, putting further pressure on an already battered economy.

Paxton vs. Cornyn: Who Will Prevail?

Trump Declares Himself In Perfect Health After Physical Exam

WASHINGTON, May 26 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump, who turns 80 next month, said "everything checked out perfectly" after having his physical on Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical ?Center, following a year of public attention on apparently minor health issues. Trump offered no details of the physical in a brief Truth Social post saying he had completed his six-monthly exam. Trump frequently casts himself as more energetic and fitter than Joe Biden, his Democratic predecessor who left office last year at age 82 after facing questions about his fitness for the job. Still, recent photographs showing a blotchy neck rash have added to questions about Trump's health, following images in July 2025 of swollen ankles and a bruised hand concealed with makeup. Trump, whose birthday is June 14, became the oldest person to assume the presidency when he began his second term in January 2025. The visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was Trump's third in 13 months. Trump maintains an active golf schedule, but joked about his relative lack of exercise at a recent Oval Office event where his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, said the president walks nine miles (14.5 km) every time he goes golfing. "When I am not using the cart," Trump said. White House physician Sean Barbabella has said Trump is using ?a common cream as "a preventative skin treatment" to address the neck rash, but he has not given details of the condition being treated. After the photographs of the president's legs and hands were published last July, Barbabella said in a letter that the ailments were benign and that there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. Trump's leg swelling was from a "common" vein condition, and his hand was bruised from shaking so many hands, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters. Trump said last October that he had received a magnetic resonance imaging exam that month. The White House initially declined to share further details on the reason for the scan. Leavitt said only that it indicated "exceptional physical health" for Trump. The president later told reporters he got the MRI as part of a second physical exam. "Getting an MRI is very standard. What, you think I shouldn't have it? Other people get it. ... I had an MRI. The doctor said it was the best result he has ever seen as a doctor," Trump said. Medical experts noted that MRIs are not typically part of a routine physical and are usually prescribed to get detailed images of the body. In a memo after the second exam, Barbabella said the president's cardiac age - a validated measure of cardiovascular vitality via ECG - was found to be approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age. Trump has also faced questions after appearing to fall asleep during several meetings, including a session with his Cabinet. "Some people said, he closed his eyes. Look, it got pretty boring," Trump told laughing officials in February. "I didn't sleep. I just closed them because I wanted to get the hell outta here." Biden last year was diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer that spread to his bones, and underwent radiation therapy.

Iran condemns US strikes as show of 'bad faith'

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has denounced the most recent U.S. strikes as a sign of bad faith as negotiations press on toward a possible deal to end the war. Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic began restoring internet access after a national shutdown that began in January. The U.S. military characterized Monday’s strikes in southern Iran as defensive, saying targets included missile launch sites and minelaying boats. American military officials said the U.S. acted with restraint in light of the weekslong ceasefire. On Tuesday, Iran’s foreign ministry called the strikes a ceasefire violation and warned that Washington would bear responsibility for all consequences, without elaborating.

Man Charged After Injuring 5 Police Officers In Chicago

A man is facing charges after five Chicago police officers were wounded after being struck by a car while trying to break up a teen takeover on Sunday. 18-year-old Rashad Johnson has been charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, and criminal damage to property. President Trump says Chicago's mayor and the Governor of Illinois should call for help.

Cornyn Tries To Keep Texas Senate Seat In Runoff With Paxton

PLANO, Texas (AP) — Texans are choosing a Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. The election brings to a close a bitter and expensive primary. President Donald Trump endorsed state Attorney General Ken Paxton last week over four-term Sen. John Cornyn. It's the president's latest effort to rid the GOP of leaders he views as less devoted to him. Cornyn is backed by Senate GOP leaders, and allies have spent roughly $90 million in advertising since last year. Most of it attacked Paxton. Cornyn risks becoming the first Republican senator in Texas history to seek the party’s nod and lose. The winner of Tuesday's runoff will face Democrat James Talarico in November.