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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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Weather tracker: flash floods in New York and a heat dome in Europe
Rain overwhelms sewer system in parts of US city, while temperatures in France break May recordNew York City saw flash flooding on Wednesday, as large parts of Brooklyn and Queens received about 2in (50mm) of rainfall in as little as 20 minutes. Officials said the deluge caused water to flow into the sewer system at a rate of up to 6in an hour, quickly overwhelming an aged network that was designed to accommodate just 1.75in an hour.Residents and commuters found themselves wading knee-deep through flood water that flowed with dangerous speed in places. One video showed a woman alighting from a bus losing her footing and being dragged along by the torrent of water. Several major roads were blocked, including the Long Island Expressway, and subway services were disrupted as water spilled into stations. Large amounts of mud and other debris was left behind; videos showed bags of rubbish being swept down streets along with loose litter. Continue reading...
Opposition divided: battle among Iranian regime’s opponents plays out on London streets
Supporters of Reza Pahlavi, exiled son of the late shah, are clashing with those who oppose a return of monarchyWearing a bucket hat, a blue Adidas hoodie and khaki shorts, Tony Mohraz, also known as 021kid, chest-bumps a friend in front of a memorial wall in Golders Green, in north London.Photographs can be seen behind him of those who were killed protesting against the Iranian regime. As a large lion and sun flag used in Iran before the Islamic revolution is waved overhead, Mohraz starts to rap. Continue reading...
Focus on jobs, not benefits, to cut welfare bill, says thinktank
Hitting government’s target of getting 80% of workers into jobs would reduce cost of universal credit by £10bnTackling the root causes of joblessness, instead of cutting benefits, is the best way to get the welfare bill down, and polling shows voters support that approach, according to research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.In a forthcoming report, JRF economists show that hitting the government’s target of getting 80% of the working age population into jobs would cut the cost of universal credit by £10bn – an eighth of the current bill. Continue reading...
‘A bridge, not an obstacle’: is Armenia a new crossroads between east and west?
As former Soviet Republic goes to the polls, it finds itself in a strategic tug of war between Russia, the US, Turkey, Europe and AzerbaijanTo describe Yerevan, a charming city of liberal values encased in imposing Soviet architecture, as the centre of the world is a stretch, but Armenia’s claim that it can become the strategic crossroads of the landmass of Eurasia is becoming less and less fanciful. As the former Soviet Republic goes to the polls on 7 June for national elections, it finds itself in a five-way tug of war between Russia, the US, Turkey, Europe and Azerbaijan.The interest has in part been sparked by the possibility of an end to Armenia’s conflict with its neighbour Azerbaijan – and the chance this represents for Armenia to end its physical isolation and become part of the middle corridor, a vital trade route linking western China and Europe, bypassing both Russia’s northern corridor and the Suez canal. Continue reading...
Trump Pick’s ‘Snake Oil’ Supplement Uses Banned Ingredient
John Lamparski / Getty ImagesTrump’s new pick for surgeon general has been branded a “snake oil” salesman. Former Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier has a history of selling health supplements that contain an ingredient banned in the military and several European countries, coming under fire from doctors and consumer advocates for the loosely-regulated products she sells. She is Trump’s third pick to be America’s top doctor, after his first two failed to pass through the Senate. Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump Scrambles After Awkward Wedding Snub to Own Son
Annabelle Gordon / REUTERSPresident Donald Trump has returned his eldest son’s wedding RSVP with only a day’s notice, announcing to Truth Social that he will not attend.Trump, 79, officially snubbed Donald Trump Jr. in a Friday afternoon post—then quickly changed his weekend schedule to show he was no longer planning on golfing in New Jersey as his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., says “I do.”“While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so,” Trump claimed. “I feel it is important for me to remain in Washington, D.C., at the White House during this important period of time. Congratulations to Don and Bettina!” Read more at The Daily Beast.
Anne Hathaway Reveals the One Plastic Surgery Procedure She’d Try
ANDREW KELLY / REUTERSAnne Hathaway is finally addressing the internet’s relentless obsession with her seemingly ageless face—and even admitting the plastic surgery procedure that could be in her future. In a candid interview with Elle published Thursday, the actress responded to months of speculation that she had secretly undergone cosmetic procedures after fans compared her appearance in The Devil Wears Prada to footage from the sequel, which was shot nearly 20 years later. Hathaway was just 23 when the original film debuted in 2006. Now 43, the actress’s appearance has convinced many online sleuths that she discovered the fountain of youth—or at least a very expensive surgeon.Read more at The Daily Beast.
On-Set Feud Puts Oscar Nominee’s Job in Jeopardy
Luke Varley / Courtesy ParamountParamount’s hit crime show, Mobland, may be missing one of its biggest names when it returns for its third season. Tom Hardy, who plays Harry Da Souza, the Harrigan crime family’s “fixer” in the series, is facing an uncertain future on the show, according to multiple reports. Puck News reported that Paramount made the decision not to bring back the Oscar nominee, 48, for the show’s third season on Thursday, after the actor “clashed with producers.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hardy has not yet been cut from the show, and discussions about how to move forward are ongoing.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Scouted: These Colorful Storage Lockers Cured My Disorganization Chaos (and They’re on Sale Right Now)
Mustard Made.Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.If you came into my home and saw the mountains of beauty products stacked on every available surface, you’d think I was a hoarder. But don’t get it twisted—my skincare and makeup are technically the tools of my trade (which is what I tell my husband every time a new package arrives). I have been a beauty editor for over a decade, which means I have an unhinged number of lipsticks, blushes, serums, and moisturizers (truly enough to stock a small Sephora). Read more at The Daily Beast.
What We Lose by Losing ‘The Late Show’ and Stephen Colbert
CBSThis week:Why I’ll mourn The Late Show.My favorite performance on TV.The hottest ticket right now.Never say sorry, Jessica Simpson.My long-held blind item.The End of an EraRead more at The Daily Beast.
Cops Believe Missing ‘Virgin River’ Actor Has Been Murdered
Squamish RCMPThe disappearance of Stewart McLean has taken a grim turn after Canadian authorities escalated the case into a homicide investigation. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced the development Thursday, just days after asking the public for help locating the 45-year-old actor, who was last seen on May 15 at his home in Lions Bay, British Columbia. The search was initially led by Lions Bay Search and Rescue before the case was handed over to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team. “Squamish RCMP initiated an investigation and, through investigative efforts, uncovered evidence that led investigators to believe Mr. McLean was the victim of a homicide,” officials said in a press release. Authorities said the RCMP, IHIT, and the Integrated Forensic Identification Service are now working together as the investigation intensifies. The actor frequently worked in the Vancouver production scene, roughly 45 minutes away from where he was last seen before his disappearance. McLean was best known for appearances in Virgin River, Arrow, Murder in a Small Town, and Happy Face. Read it at Hollywood ReporterRead more at The Daily Beast.
Trump Tears Into Hegseth for Targeting Wrong Country
REUTERSPete Hegseth apparently created a huge mess for Donald Trump in his rush to keep the 79-year-old president happy. Insiders have revealed that the defense secretary’s abrupt maneuver to cancel the deployment of U.S. troops to Poland triggered an angry phone call from Trump, who was forced to explain that Poland was not one of the European allies that had earned his wrath. Hegseth, 45, blindsided officials on both sides of the Atlantic last week when he canceled the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland at the eleventh hour. The decision stirred confusion within the Pentagon and quickly sparked a firestorm of criticism from American lawmakers and European allies.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump’s New Fed Chief Shamelessly Sucks Up After Taking Orders
Jonathan Ernst / REUTERSDonald Trump has handed his new Federal Reserve chair his orders, urging him to tame inflation and help his administration supercharge the economy—all the while claiming the central bank should remain independent.After years of public warfare between Trump and outgoing chair Jerome Powell over interest rates, Kevin Warsh was sworn in on Friday, in the first ceremony for a Federal Reserve chairman to take place in the White House since 1987.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump Rebel to Take Epstein Files on National Tour
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty/defiance.orgA New York installation displaying millions of physical files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein will be going nationwide. Organizers behind the popular “Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room” exhibit are taking the concept on a nationwide bus tour this summer, the Daily Beast has learned. The exhibit, currently on display in New York’s upscale TriBeCa neighborhood, showcases thousands of printed volumes of files connected to Epstein.Read more at The Daily Beast.
‘Hocus Pocus’ Actress Comes Out as Bisexual
Manon Cruz / REUTERSThora Birch casually came out as bisexual while celebrating one of West Hollywood’s most iconic LGBTQ hotspots. The former child star made the revelation on Wednesday during the 35th-anniversary celebration of The Abbey, while speaking with Us Weekly. Growing up in West Hollywood, Thora Birch, 44, was already deeply tied to The Abbey long before Wednesday night’s celebration. A representative for the actress told Us Weekly the historic gay bar had “always felt like home” to Birch. “As a hometown girl, I’m always here to show my support for the community, which shaped so much of who I am and my identity as well, being a bi person,” Birch said at the event. Birch—who has been married to film producer Michael Benton Adler since 2018—also encouraged people to lean on their communities during difficult political moments. “Find your community where you can, and stand with them and stick with them,” she said. The actress also teased the possibility of revisiting some of her most beloved roles, including Dani from Hocus Pocus and Enid from Ghost World, though she admitted part of her enjoys leaving the characters frozen in time.Read it at US WeeklyRead more at The Daily Beast.
Brooke Shields Reveals the Truth About JFK Jr. Fling
Jeenah Moon / REUTERSBrooke Shields is setting the record straight.During her Thursday night appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Shields was asked about her fling with John F. Kennedy Jr., whose last years and marriage to Carolyn Bessette were dramatized in the FX series Love Story. “We dated,” she acknowledged, when asked by fans for her take on the series since she had her “own love story” with Kennedy. The pair were romantically linked in the 1980s.She clarified, however, “I didn’t have a love story. I had a crazy, crazy crush.” She then added, “We dated, but I never slept with him, so I don’t know if that counts.”Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump Lackeys Launch Frenzied Bid to Throw Out Legal Migrants
Mike Blake / REUTERSThe Trump administration is banning most foreigners from applying for green cards while in the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, has claimed the change in policy is merely a realignment with the original intent of immigration law. But it also aligns with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to limit legal immigration.“Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the U.S. for a short time and for a specific purpose,” USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said in a statement. “Our system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process.”Read more at The Daily Beast.
Colbert Gets Ultimate Revenge on Trump With Final Show
DANIEL COLE / REUTERSStephen Colbert has gotten the last laugh over President Donald Trump. Colbert’s final The Late Show episode on Thursday night was also his most-watched weeknight show ever, according to preliminary Nielsen data obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. The data shows that an estimated 6.74 million people tuned in to watch Colbert, 62, roast the 79-year-old president one last time in the final episode of his late-night talk show, which also featured celebrity appearances by Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, and Tim Meadows—plus a performance by Paul McCartney to close the show.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Opinion: This Is What Makes Trump’s Slush Fund Worse Than Nixon’s
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/GettyIt seemed inconceivable when Richard Nixon won a historic presidential election victory in 1972 that his own Republican Party would turn on him two years later and drive him from office.There was the subsequent Watergate break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters, of course, and the discovery that the president bugged the Oval Office. But it was Nixon’s secret $700,000 slush fund that was the final nail in the coffin.He used this money from rich friends—including $100,000 from reclusive millionaire Howard Hughes—to pay for the dirty tricks exposed by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Princess Diana’s Iconic Blue Dress Returns to Cannes 39 Years Later
Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty ImagesA young actress paid homage to the late Princess Diana by replicating her iconic Cannes Film Festival look.On Monday, French-Russian star Anastasia Andrushkevich walked the red carpet at the premiere of Fjord in Cannes. Her icy-blue gown was reminiscent of a look Princess Diana wore at the same event almost four decades earlier.In 1987, Princess Diana attended the Cannes Film Festival for the first and last time in a light blue look with a flowing hem and a matching chiffon scarf.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Harry Styles Reveals Odd Song He Lost His Virginity to
Temilade Adelaja / REUTERSHarry Styles made a wildly candid confession while honoring Radiohead at the Ivor Novello Awards on Thursday. The former One Direction star was presenting frontman Thom Yorke with the Academy Fellowship award when he stunned the crowd by declaring he lost his virginity to the band’s 1996 song “Talk Show Host.” But Styles, 32, quickly realized the statement needed a little editing. “I lost my virginity to the intro of ‘Talk Show Host,’” he clarified, stating it wasn’t the entirety of the band’s four-minute-and-42-second song but only the 10-second opening instrumental. Styles also reflected on discovering Radiohead while growing up, recalling how he absorbed the band’s music through the floorboards from his older sister’s bedroom while doing homework downstairs. He credited his uncle Michael with introducing the family to the group’s catalog, which makes sense given “Talk Show Host” was released when Styles was only two years old. The “As It Was” singer said he “found them again at parties [and] in treasured moments alone.” The singer, who has been linked to multiple high-profile stars, including Kendall Jenner, Taylor Swift, and Nicole Scherzinger, is now reportedly engaged to Zoë Kravitz, 37, after a nine-month romance, according to Page Six.Read it at The SunRead more at The Daily Beast.
Celebs’ Bellybuttons Are the Breakout Stars of the Cannes Film Festival
Reuters;Getty ImagesDespite the strict dress code, some celebrities are finding loopholes to show serious skin at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.The Festival de Cannes is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious film festivals, bringing together international talent and the most anticipated films each year. Over its eight-decade history, the festival has evolved into a hub for the entertainment industry’s most glamorous and, at times, its most gaudy.To uphold the event’s esteemed nature, the organizers have set a few restrictions on attire: no voluminous garments, no sneakers, and no nudity.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump’s Too Busy for Don Jr.’s Wedding—But Not Too Busy for Golf
Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump says he is too busy to attend his eldest son’s wedding—but the demands of the presidency have not kept him off the golf course. Despite hitting the links at least 14 times since going to war with Iran, according to online trackers and a Daily Beast analysis, Trump said his son’s Memorial Day weekend wedding was “not good timing” for him and that he needs to be in Washington.Read more at The Daily Beast.
The Fate of Colbert’s Set Revealed
Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty ImagesFollowing speculation about what would happen to Stephen Colbert’s Late Show set and high hopes from fans that it wouldn’t be tossed, CBS News has revealed its fate. According to the outlet, Colbert will donate the set to the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. The museum, which already houses Colbert’s desk from when he broadcast live from the city during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, has an extensive collection of late-night memorabilia, including Tonight Show desks from both Johnny Carson and Jimmy Fallon, as part of its “The Johnny Carson Centennial” and “The Evolution of Late-Night Television” exhibits.Read more at The Daily Beast.