PBS News Hour full episode, May 27, 2026

Attorney General Ken Paxton's decisive victory over long-time incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Texas Republican primary runoff, by nearly 30 points, underscores the continued and powerful influence of former President Trump's endorsement within the Republican Party. This outcome signals a significant shift away from traditional 'Bush era' Republican politics in Texas.

Geoff Bennett notes John Cornyn's loss as 'the end of Bush era Republican model politics in Texas.' Brandon Rottinghaus states, 'President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement is the most powerful force in politics.'

Cuba is experiencing severe food and fuel shortages, leading to hours-long power outages and postponed surgeries, directly attributed by the Deputy Foreign Minister to US economic pressure. Despite an open dialogue channel, Cuban officials express doubts about US sincerity, citing continued measures that negatively impact the Cuban people and denying US allegations of posing a national security threat or hosting foreign intelligence operations.

The Deputy Foreign Minister states, 'Imagine a country not receiving in five months one drop of oil.' She also asserts, 'The United States has never presented any evidence' for its allegations of Cuba being a threat.

Artificial intelligence, specifically deep neural networks, is dramatically accelerating the search for new antibiotics, a process historically slow and inefficient. Researchers at the Broad Institute used AI to screen billions of molecules, identifying novel compounds like Halicin and a new drug effective against multi-drug resistant gonorrhea, by predicting antibacterial properties and non-toxicity to human cells.

Jim Collins explains how AI analyzes 'bond by bond, substructure by substructure' to associate properties with being antibacterial. Melis Anahtar demonstrates how AI identified a novel compound that 'killed drug-resistant gonorrhea, without causing serious harm to human cells.'

Over 315 million people globally face acute hunger, more than double the number in 2019, driven by new conflicts, climate change, and environmental impacts. The World Food Program (WFP) faces unprecedented challenges, including two simultaneous famines (Gaza and Sudan), attacks on humanitarian workers, and significant funding cuts from major donors like the US, which could lead to an additional 58 million people facing starvation.

Cindy McCain states, '315 million, that is more than double the number that it was in 2019.' She also notes, 'Funding is a large part of that and without the political will of the world we won't be able to do that.'

The Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman' uses a reimagined, timeless setting (an industrial warehouse with a 64 Chevy) to highlight the play's enduring themes of the American Dream, economic struggle, and societal disillusionment. The production connects Willy Loman's feelings of being 'replaced or erased' to contemporary sentiments among men in the US, linking it to modern issues like AI and DEI.

Nathan Lane states, 'By taking it out of the domesticity of the house in 1940's I think it has freed the play, it feels like Greek tragedy.' He also suggests, 'Willy was seen as the victim of capitalism... and just like there are a lot of men in this country who feel they were replaced or erased... by AI, D.E.I., they were promised something, they are angry. I think Willie could be counted among them.'