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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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Trump’s $108 Million Jet Probed Over Embarrassing Blunder
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/GettyTransport authorities have opened a probe into the customized $108 million jet that Donald Trump took from Kristi Noem and gave to the first lady, according to a new investigation by the Daily Beast’s sister Substack, PunchUp. The Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft boasts a luxury boudoir, a shower-sauna, a bar, and a kitchen. After Trump fired Noem in March, Homeland Security transferred control of the plane from Daedalus Aviation to CSI Aviation. The circumstances of the change remain unclear, though Daedalus’ parent company, Salus Worldwide Solutions, is currently under scrutiny as part of a broader probe by the DHS inspector general and Congress into deals struck by Noem and her former close colleague, Corey Lewandowski. Department officials ordered the jet flown last Tuesday from Louisiana to Maryland, but CSI failed to file the documentation required to enter the restricted airspace over Washington, D.C. The lapse, which wasn’t identified until the jet was already airborne, left DHS staff “seriously p----d” as they scrambled to resolve the issue, which has now been referred to the Transportation Security Administration for further investigation.Read it at PunchUpRead more at The Daily Beast.
First Thing: US and Iran inch closer to peace deal as Trump faces criticism from GOP hawks
US president says he is not rushing into a deal after proposed plan to end war prompts Republican backlash. Plus, mood in Russia turns against PutinGood morning.Donald Trump defended himself against criticism from fellow Republicans yesterday as he appeared on the verge of agreeing a deal with Iran to end the war.What has Iran said? Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has been speaking at a news briefing about the contours of a potential deal with the US to end the war: “It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion. But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent – no one can make such a claim.”Why does he think voters are becoming disenfranchised? Massie pointed to several significant constituencies – including “Make America healthy again” campaigners, fiscal hawks pushing for sweeping government budget cuts, and voters who don’t want the US engaged in wars – who he claimed had been “alienated” by the administration’s actions. “And so, I’m worried that in November, this is going to cost the party a lot.” Continue reading...
Musk retweet signals rightwing split that could help Burnham in Makerfield byelection
Far-right party set up by former Reform MP appears to be taking some support from FarageAndy Burnham is unlikely to be Elon Musk’s first pick to be prime minister of the UK. But an intervention by the US tech billionaire on behalf of a far-right offshoot of Reform UK is one of several signs that a divided right wing could deliver the Makerfield seat to the Manchester mayor.On 18 June, Burnham will fight a byelection in Greater Manchester, and polls have him only slightly ahead of Reform’s candidate, Robert Kenyon, a plumber. But a far-right party set up by the former Reform MP Rupert Lowe looks as if it is taking some support from Reform. Continue reading...
Rare Rubens notebook sheet goes on display in artist’s home city of Antwerp
Double-sided page featuring a sketch and text sheds new light on the baroque master and his time living in RomeMore than 400 years ago, the up and coming Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens toured the streets of Rome, notebook in hand, sketching images from Renaissance works adorning the city’s churches and palazzos.Now a rare sheet, thought to be from his Roman sketchbook, has gone on display in his home city of Antwerp, shedding new light on the baroque master. Continue reading...
Enhanced Games claim ‘we changed the world’ but only one record broken and three clean athletes win
Gkolomeev’s 50m freestyle ‘record’ brings reliefGlitzy night lacks excitement forecast by organisersThey promised multiple world records. To redefine what the human body is capable of with performance enhancing drugs. Even to change sport forever. But by the end of the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas organisers were left with one abiding emotion. Relief.Only in the final event of the night, after more than five hours of competition, could they lay claim to having gone quicker than an official world record as Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev swam 20.81sec in the men’s 50m freestyle. Continue reading...
Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP
Ex-husband of Nicola Sturgeon admits reduced charges in court after deal with prosecutorsPeter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National party, has pleaded guilty to charges of embezzling £400,310.65 from the party after agreeing a deal with prosecutors.Murrell, the ex-husband of the former SNP leader and first minister Nicola Sturgeon, appeared in the high court in Edinburgh after being charged last year with stealing from the SNP to fund an expensive lifestyle including a Jaguar car, a luxury motorhome, a luxury pen and shoes. Continue reading...
Metro Bank investors urged to reject executive pay report
Bonus scheme that could hand CEO a £60m windfall is ‘significantly out of line’ with market, says proxy adviserInvestors in Metro Bank are being urged to vote against the lender’s pay report next month, in protest of a complex bonus scheme that shareholder advisers say is “significantly out of line” with market standards.Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), which issues voting advice to some of the world’s biggest investors, made the recommendation weeks ahead of the bank’s annual meeting on 2 June. Continue reading...
Racy Trump Super Fan Demands His Removal From Office
Evan Vucci / REUTERSA MAGA super fan who helped boost Donald Trump’s runs for office now says he needs to be booted from the White House before he tips the country into total ruin. “At this point Trump is no longer just a global novelty. He’s no longer simply an embarrassment,” Breck Worsham, a right-wing activist and influencer who styles herself as an independent journalist, posted on X late Sunday night. “He’s a threat to the country he was elected to represent,” she went on. “He is, at best, a narcissist and at worst a sociopath. Either way, he’s out of control and poses a direct threat to this country.”Read more at The Daily Beast.
Megyn Kelly Eviscerates Trump for Cheating on ‘Every Wife’
YouTube/Hodgetwins PodcastFormer Trump stalwart Megyn Kelly launched a fresh attack on the president, accusing him of having a long history of sexual misconduct. In an appearance on the Hodgetwins podcast, Kelly eviscerated Donald Trump for cheating “on every wife he’s had.” The 79-year-old president has been married three times.Kelly’s remarks came in a broader conversation about Trump’s digs at his former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent. Kent resigned from the Trump administration over the Iran war, resulting in Trump throwing a characteristic tantrum and suggesting that Kent remarried “quite quickly” after his first wife, Shannon, died in 2019. She was a technician for the U.S. Navy, and was killed in a suicide bombing in Syria. Kent met artist Heather Kaiser a year later, and the two married in 2023. Read more at The Daily Beast.
French Open 2026: Swiatek, Boulter, De Minaur and Jodar in action on day two – live
Updates from the second day’s play at Roland Garros Raducanu slumps to defeat in first round | Mail YaraBonjour! The sun is shining in Paris and day two of Roland Garros brings a packed slate of opening-round action with the biggest stars beginning their campaigns across the courts.Iga Swiatek opens her title bid against Emerson Jones, with the world No 3 expected to set the standard on her favourite surface where she has won four grand slams. Elena Rybakina is also in action, hoping to follow up her Australian Open victory with a strong showing on the clay. Katie Boulter also takes the court, hoping to equal and eventually go beyond her best finish in Paris – the second round. Continue reading...
Australian flotilla activists arrive home alleging sexual assault and beatings in Israeli detention
Activists detained by Israel after attempting to deliver aid to Gaza as part of Global Sumud Flotilla arrive in AustraliaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralians returning home from detention in Israel say they were abused, tortured and demeaned while in custody and have asked to meet with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.Nine of the 11 Australians who joined more than 400 people from around the world on an aid flotilla to Gaza returned home on Monday, where they were met with hundreds of supporters after landing at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane airports. Continue reading...
Parts of England expected to hit 35C in ‘unprecedented’ May heatwave
Monday predicted to be hottest May day on record by large margin, as UK braces for ‘super El Niño’ summerTemperatures are expected to hit 35C in parts of England on Monday, in an “unprecedented” May heatwave.The Met Office is already predicting that records will be broken. A spokesperson said: “Today will be the hottest day in May in the UK in our temperature records, with highs of 35C expected. The current May record is 32.8C. Records are usually only broken by tenths of a degree, making this heatwave unprecedented for the time of year.” Continue reading...
Kai Trump Gets Restraining Order Against 26-Year-Old
MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump’s eldest grandchild, Kai Trump, pleaded with a judge for a restraining order against a “homeless” man. The 19-year-old daughter of Trump scion Don Jr. and his ex-wife Vanessa Trump, said Gabriel Garza Jr. “lives in a car in the area of Jupiter/Palm Beach County” and had been bothering her, according to TMZ.After moving a hearing at Palm Beach County Court so it wouldn’t clash with her last day of high school, a judge granted Trump’s wish, slapping Garza with an extended order that bans him from going within 500 feet of the teenager’s home or workplace until May 2027. Kai announced on May 4 that she would be studying at the University of Miami. The order will reportedly also ban Garza Jr. from approaching her there. Read more at The Daily Beast.
Misinformation about perimenopause on social media ‘putting women at risk’
Dangers include unintended pregnancies, taking unnecessary medication and missed diagnoses, say expertsMisinformation about perimenopause is putting women at risk of unintended pregnancies, unnecessary medication and missed diagnoses, experts have said.Awareness of menopause and treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been raised by efforts including a prominent documentary by Davina McCall. Continue reading...
Marco Rubio Brutally Undercuts Trump’s Nonsensical Boast
Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Pool/AFP via Getty ImagesSecretary of State Marco Rubio has started to do President Donald Trump’s flip-flopping for him. Trump, perhaps bogged down by a lack of progress in negotiations with Iran, has taken to double-speak. In a Sunday afternoon Truth Social brag, the 79-year-old talked up his “deal,” saying that it far surpasses former President Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear agreement with Tehran, even though, by his own admission, “It isn’t even fully negotiated yet.” Tasked with spinning Trump’s latest whim, the United States’ top diplomat, who was in India for unrelated reasons, fielded questions from a baying press gaggle. Read more at The Daily Beast.
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.