Cheat Sheet
Top 10 Right Now
1
Trump Team Searching for Disease to Justify Border Shutdown
COVID REDUX?
Published 01.09.25 8:25PM EST 
The border wall near El Paso, Texas
The incoming Trump administration is reportedly trying to revive a border restriction used during the COVID-19 pandemic. ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is reportedly planning to reimplement Title 42, a border restriction used to block migrants from entering the United States due to public health concerns—but are still searching for the right disease to justify the policy. The first Trump administration first invoked Title 42 in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic surged. President Joe Biden initially kept the policy in place for years, but later ended the restriction in May 2023. The incoming administration has been searching for a disease to justify reimplementing Title 42, The New York Times reported, and has already considered using tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases. They also reportedly asked Border Patrol officials to identify diseases currently being detected at the border. Trump’s reintroduction of Title 42 is expected to be a major component of his sweeping plans to shut down the border, multiple sources told Axios, which he previewed alongside his longtime ally and immigration policy advisor Stephen Miller in a meeting with Senate Republicans on Wednesday. The Trump transition team did not immediately return a request for comment.

Read it at New York Times

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

2
Anti-Gay Beauty Queen Anita Bryant, Famously Blasted With Pie, Dies at 84
PIE IN THE SKY
Published 01.09.25 8:05PM EST 
Anita Bryant (1940-), shown here on May 1977, was once a popular hit singer in the early 1960's who is now best known as an outspoken opponent of gay rights.
Anita Bryant shown in May 1977. Bettmann/Bettmann Archive

Former beauty queen and 1960s pop singer-turned anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant has died, according to a family obituary published in her hometown newspaper, the Oklahoman. Bryant died Dec. 16 in Edmond, Oklahoma, at age 84, according to the obituary, leaving behind four children, two stepdaughters, seven grandchildren and “her legacy of faith and love.” In addition to her early careers, and stints as a spokesperson for Florida orange juice and Coca-Cola, Bryant is best-known for being a devout evangelical Christian and her polarizing stances against what she referred to as the LGBTQ takeover of America. Her stance was celebrated by many religious conservatives but rebuked by LGBTQ rights advocates. When she was famously hit in the face with a pie while speaking at an Iowa event against anti-discrimination policies, she quipped, “At least it’s a fruit pie.” Bryant was a three-time Grammy nominee, singing at the 1971 Super Bowl, and cohosting the televised Orange Bowl Parade for nine years.

Read it at Variety

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Shop with Scouted

This Affordable Squat Machine Revolutionizes Exercising While Minimizing Injuries and Strain on Joints
ASS-PIRATIONAL
Updated 01.09.25 12:18PM EST 
Published 03.17.22 8:27PM EDT 
DB Method
Scouted/The Daily Beast/The DB Method.

Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.

I love doing squats; they’re great for fitness, aesthetics, and supporting joints as we age. And though I squatted pretty regularly, I was concerned my already noisy knee might give out one day. Then I found the DB Method—a machine that turns squats into a cardio workout while relieving all the pressure on your joints. It took weeks (OK, months) before I felt like my form was perfect—the trick is to lean back to keep pressure off your knees and hips, while still engaging your core. Though my first workout was only five minutes, my legs felt it the next day. Aside from ache-free squats, the workouts incorporate variations like plies and pulses to target different muscles.

The DB Method Squat Machine
Down from $329
Buy At $329

Free Returns | Free Shipping

The DB method has helped me to achieve my most toned thighs ever. My muscles are strong without being bulky, and the ass-ets that get flattened from working at a desk all day have also admirably perked up. Now, my knee doesn’t creak so much, and I stopped using a support bandage. Even though I’m slowly considering a return to the gym, there are still plenty of times when I just want the quick rush of adrenaline that comes with a short workout before my day starts or to stay home in inclement weather. I’m so thankful to have had this machine for the last few years, and I can’t imagine ever stopping using it

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

3
Champion Swimmer Reveals He Lost Olympic Medals and Home in L.A. Fire
UP IN SMOKE
Published 01.09.25 5:21PM EST 
Gary Hall Jr. attends The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis’ 39th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner, at the Hilton Midtown on September 30, 2024 in New York City. The event raises the much-needed funds for The Buoniconti Fund, the fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a designated Center of Excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of medicine and the world’s premier spinal cord injury research center.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for The Buoniconti

Three-time Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. revealed that he lost his home and medals in the fires currently ravaging Los Angeles. “It was worse than any apocalypse movie you’ve ever seen, and 1,000 times worse,“ he said in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald Tuesday. “It’s mayhem in Los Angeles. We were surrounded by flames.” The American added that he was only able to grab his dog and a few items while fleeing his house. “I did think about the medals. I did not have time to get them,” he said. “Everyone wants to know did the medals burn? Yeah, everything burnt. It’s something I can live without. I guess everything is just stuff. It’ll take some hard work to start over. What can you do?” Hall Jr. has 10 medals--five gold, three silver and two bronze medals from three Olympic appearances. He swam for the U.S. in Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. His sister set up a GoFundMe to support Hall Jr., which has already raised $36,000. The Olympian said he’d return to the place where his house stood and see if the medals melted together. “Will I be able to find anything worth saving?” he said. “Probably not. I don’t know.”

Read it at People

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

4
Tattoo Artist Spills on Tom Holland and Zendaya’s Matching Ink
LOVED UP
Published 01.09.25 4:29PM EST 
Zendaya and Tom Holland pose at a photocall for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" at The Old Sessions House on December 5, 2021 in London, England.
Zendaya and Tom Holland pose at a photocall for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" at The Old Sessions House on December 5, 2021 in London, England. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage

Tom Holland and Zendaya sealed their love with matching tattoos a month before they got engaged, People magazine reports. The couple both got tattoos of each other’s initials on Nov. 27 at the Boston Tattoo Company. Zendaya got a “t” tattoo underneath her armpit, while Holland got a “z” tattoo above his ribcage. “They were lovely to meet and it was a lot of fun,” the pair’s tattoo artist, Lily Jarnryd, told People. The actors met while working on 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and began publicly dating in 2021. Earlier this week, it was confirmed that they had gotten engaged over the holidays, with TMZ reporting that Holland proposed at the home of one of Zendaya’s family members. The Euphoria star sent the internet into a frenzy Sunday night when she arrived at the 2025 Golden Globes donning her new diamond ring.

Read it at People

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Shop with Scouted

Bring a Real Personal Trainer Anywhere With This 360 Fitness and Nutrition App
FITNESS SCIENCE
Published 01.09.25 5:56PM EST 
Man tying his shoes on the street.
Man tying his shoes on the street. Alexander Red, Unsplash

Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.

Quitting season is here again. Now that the ball has dropped and the champagne has popped, it’s time to decide if that fitness resolution is real or not. For those who aren’t ready to quit, there’s a science-based program offering support.

Caliber Fitness matches users with personal trainers and nutrition coaches. Their expertise is based on experience and research. This means that all of their recommendations are informed by studies from institutions like the University of California, the American Medical Association, and Iowa State University.

These human resources look at your goals holistically to ensure progress. They balance training and nutrition all in one place, monitor your progress 24/7, and check in every week—it’s like having a personal trainer and fitness scientist in your pocket at all times.

Right now, they are offering $100 off all programs through January.

Caliber Fitness Coaching
$100 off all programs through January

For many people, the roadblock to fitness success is figuring out where to start. Caliber solves that problem up front with an in-depth questionnaire. It calculates your fitness level and then curates a personal profile for your coach. The effort required is minimal, so you can focus on the workouts, not the planning.

Caliber offers coaching options that combine human support with researched recommendations. So, if you’re resolved to get more fit this year, get $100 off the program before the end of January.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

5
WATCH: Chuckling Obama Gets Chatty With Trump at Jimmy Carter’s Funeral
TWO PEAS IN A POD
Published 01.09.25 10:43AM EST 
Barack Obama and Donald Trump
C-SPAN

Cameras inside Jimmy Carter’s funeral captured Donald Trump and Barack Obama making each other laugh as they chatted up a storm while former—and current—U.S. leaders took their seats on Thursday morning. What the men spoke about remains unknown, but the two ex-presidents shared whispers for more than five minutes after they greeted each other with a handshake. Melania Trump sat stoically next to her husband during the conversation and Michelle Obama did not turn up for the funeral at the Washington National Cathedral. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden—who took seats in a row in front of the Trump’s, Bush’s, Clinton’s, and Obama—did not share handshakes with any of the ex-presidents or their wives. Harris, however, did appear to turn her head to take a peek at Trump and Obama as they continued their mystery—but apparently funny—funeral convo.

Read it at X

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

6
‘Actively Dangerous’: RFK Jr. Confirmation Faces Opposition From 15K Doctors
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
Published 01.09.25 3:49PM EST 
Jason Mendez/Getty Images
Jason Mendez/Getty Images Getty Images

More than 15,000 doctors urged the Senate not to confirm Robert Kennedy Jr. as the secretary of Health and Human Services in an open letter Thursday. “The health and well-being of 336 million Americans depend on leadership at HHS that prioritizes science, evidence-based medicine, and strengthening the integrity of our public health system,“ the letter, circulated by the Committee to Protect Health Care, read. ”RFK Jr. is not only unqualified to lead this essential agency – he is actively dangerous.” The letter cites Kennedy’s documented skepticism towards vaccines, including his misinformation campaign against the measles vaccine, which resulted in 83 deaths in Samoa. The letter added that Kennedy has no experience in healthcare or medicine, and he plans to reduce staff and funding for the agency. “His appointment threatens to reverse decades of progress in improving health outcomes for patients across the country and the world,” it concluded. “This is not leadership – it’s sabotage.”

Read it at The Guardian

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

7
Hundreds of the California Firefighters Are Prison Inmates
ON THE FRONTLINES
Published 01.09.25 5:33PM EST 
Inmate firefighter crew in California.
Inmates make up hundreds of the firefighters battling the inferno in Southern California. San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst N/San Francisco Chronicle via Gett

Hundreds of prison inmates are battling the inferno tearing across Southern California, according to The Guardian. The incarcerated firefighters account for 395 of the nearly 2,000 firefighters currently on the frontlines. They volunteer for the program and work alongside firefighters employed by the state’s forestry and fire protection department. The inmates make between $5.80 and $10.24, with a bonus dollar per hour when responding to an emergency, The Guardian reported. During a 24-hour emergency shift, they can make $26.90. It is among the better-paying jobs behind bars. In a statement to The Guardian, the department of correction’s secretary, Jeff Macomber, called the incarcerated firefighters “essential,” adding that “their commitment to protecting lives and property during these emergencies cannot be overstated.” Some critics of the program have said that it exploits the inmates' labor. Amika Mota, though, who battled fires between 2012 to 2015 while he was incarcerated, told The Guardian that the firefighters “are walking into these horrible conditions proud to be there.” He remarked, however, that the wages do not reflect the heroism or difficulty of the work. According to NPR, graduates of the program struggle to find work as firefighters upon their release.

Read it at The Guardian

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

8
How Mariska Hargitay Convinced ‘Law & Order’ Creator to Give Her Star-Making Role
A STAR IS BORN
Updated 01.09.25 2:04PM EST 
Published 01.09.25 2:03PM EST 
Mariska Hargitay as Capt. Olivia Benson
NBC/Peter Kramer/NBC via Getty Image

Mariska Hargitay has revealed how she landed her iconic role as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in a new interview on the Today show. Hargitay said she had left the show ER and was looking for a new opportunity. “After ER I said, ‘What am I—what am I going to do? This is the greatest show ever. There’s no other show. Oh, except for Law & Order,” she recalled. “And I was making jokes, ‘I need to get on that Law & Order.’” Hargitay said she and producer Dick Wolf “kind of hit it off” during her audition, but she grew nervous when she saw a “stunning girl in the waiting room.” Hargitay recalled how she convinced Wolf to give her the part. “I panicked,” she said. “And I walked in, I go, ‘Listen, I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re a little confused: This is my role. This is my part. I am Olivia Benson.’ And he was sort of laughing, I could tell, and I was like, ‘No, no, you don’t understand.’” Hargitay added that once she auditioned opposite co-star Christopher Meloni, the role was a done deal. “It was a sort of once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said.

Read it at Today

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Shop with Scouted

This First-Of-Its-Kind Marketplace Makes It Easier to Buy (and Sell) Luxury Watches
TICK TOCK
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Watch from Bezel App
Bezel

Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.

Few items exude elegance like a luxury watch; the right timepiece can elevate your style and transform a simple outfit into a statement of sophistication. The process of acquiring such a watch, however, is often catered exclusively to connoisseurs with deep knowledge—and even deeper pockets. Fortunately, Bezel is revolutionizing the world of watch-buying by making it easier for everyday buyers to shop for sought-after watches without needing to worry about fakes or unreasonable prices.

Bezel is the first fully-authenticated marketplace for luxury watches, offering a seamless and trustworthy experience for buyers and sellers of all backgrounds and knowledge levels. With Bezel, you can explore thousands of the world’s most desirable timepieces to find the perfect watch for you, using the app’s curated browsing to guide your search.

Once you make your selection, Bezel’s in-house team of watchmakers and authentication specialists will meticulously examine and certify the watch you buy to guarantee it is genuine and exactly as described, helping ensure peace of mind and confidence in your purchase. Plus, if you already have watches that you’re looking to sell, Bezel can also help you stand out to prospective buyers and get paid as soon as your items are bought.

With over half a billion dollars’ worth in inventory and thousands of glowing reviews, it’s easy to see why Bezel has quickly caught buzz within the watch world. There’s no need to let the clock tick any further—download the Bezel app, and start browsing today.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

9

‘Dexter’ Star to Divorce ‘Superman’ Husband of 17 Years

STAR-STUDDED SPLIT
Updated 01.09.25 12:47PM EST 
Published 01.09.25 11:55AM EST 
Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford.
Courtney Ford filed for divorce from Brendan Routh. Todd Williamson/Getty Images

The actress best-known for guest-starring on Dexter has divorced her husband of 17 years, according to a report. Courtney Ford filed paperwork for her split from Superman Returns star Brandon Routh on Wednesday, citing “irreconcilable differences,” The Daily Mail reported. Ford is best known for portraying journalist Christine Hill on season four of the hit serial-killer TV show. Her notable acting credits also include appearances on the DC superhero show Legends of Tomorrow and the vampire series True Blood. Routh is famous for playing the Man of Steel opposite Kevin Spacey’s Lex Luthor in the 2006 Superman movie. He also appeared in the cult-classic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and DC superhero shows like The Flash, The Arrow, and Supergirl. Ford is seeking joint custody of the couple’s 11-year-old son, Leo James. She also asked the court for alimony from Routh. The two actors had been together for more than 20 years before their split on Wednesday.

Read it at The Daily Mail

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

10
Venezuelan Opposition Leader ‘Kidnapped’: Allies
NABBED
Published 01.09.25 4:00PM EST 
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses supporters at a protest ahead of the Friday inauguration of President Nicolas Maduro for his third term, in Caracas, Venezuela January 9, 2025.
Machado’s opposition movement has published voting tallies contradicting Maduro’s claim to power. Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters

Venezuela’s most influential opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was “kidnapped” in Caracas by regime officials, her allies allege. She was reportedly “violently intercepted” after coming out of hiding to lead protest against the country’s president Nicolás Maduro. Despite widespread suspicions that he rigged the Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, Maduro is set to be sworn in for his third term on Friday. Meanwhile, Machado’s opposition movement has published voting tallies contradicting Maduro’s claim to power. On Thursday, thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets in cities across the country in protests organized by Machado. She went into hiding in late July, shortly after the vote, reappearing Thursday afternoon to speak to protestors. After her speech, her spokespeople claim “Regime officials opened fire on the motorbikes that were transporting her.” Several prominent Venezuelan journalists circulated the allegations and Panama’s president slammed her disappearance on X. “The dictatorial regime is responsible for her life,” he wrote.

Read it at The Guardian

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT