Big money is speaking louder than ever in American politics. Since the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision enabled corporations and outside groups to spend limitlessly towards candidates and campaigns, money from billionaires rose from near zero to 19% percent of federal campaign contributions in 2024, according to a new analysis by the New York Times. The families of the billionaires gave an average of $10 million each, which equals about what 100,000 average political donors typically give. Mounds of money from the top are also getting more lopsided towards Republicans, who earned five dollars for every one dollar a Democrat candidate or committee received from a billionaire and their family in 2024. And those dollars are often coupled with influence. The Trump administration has given roles to more than a dozen billionaires, according to the Times. And that’s just on the federal level. Billionaire dollars are reaching state and local races, despite polls showing that about three-quarters of Americans prefer limits on individual spending on political campaigns. The New York Times reported that Democratic governor of Illinois J.B. Pritzker spent $152 million of his own money on his own election. The ultra-rich are also shelling out big for state ballot measures, with a former tech executive and his wife spending $2.5 million to support a carbon cap in Washington state, and a hedge fund manager in Florida throwing down $12 million to shoot down a push to legalize marijuana.

The wife of German Major League Soccer player Eduard Löwen tragically died this week following a two-year battle with brain cancer. Ilona Löwen was just 28 years old. Eduard’s soccer club, St. Louis City SC, announced Ilona’s death on X Monday afternoon, calling her “a beautiful example of love, humility, and kindness.” The team’s post included a message from Löwen’s pastor: “We find comfort in knowing Ilona’s suffering is over and that she is now in the eternal presence of her Savior.” The soccer star first spoke publicly about his wife’s cancer diagnosis in 2024, taking time off from his sport to care for her. He took another leave the following year before returning for the back half of the 2025 season. The midfielder has not played a game for St. Louis yet this season, which began in February. Before his time in Missouri, the 29-year-old played for several clubs in his native Germany. In addition to St. Louis City SC’s announcement, the MLS released a statement sending its “deepest condolences and love to Eduard Löwen, his family, and the entire St. Louis City community.”

Gut health plays a big role in overall well-being and may even be tied to mental health and mood. One of the easiest ways to support gut health is by adding a probiotic to your daily routine, like the potent LactoBif probiotics from California Gold Nutrition—an iHerb brand. Right now, you can get 20% off with the code BEAST.

This probiotic delivers eight probiotic strains and 30 billion CFUs (or colony-forming units) every capsule. Think of CFUs as a headcount of the beneficial bacteria in each serving. The higher the number, the more active bacteria cultures are working to support your gut. Together, these powerful strains can promote better digestive and immune health while potentially easing common issues like bloating.

Ordering through iHerb adds another layer of confidence. The retailer stocks over 50,000 wellness products sourced directly from authorized distributors. It offers worldwide shipping and provides free U.S. shipping on orders over $30. Plus, this probiotic has been independently tested for purity and potency for extra peace of mind. Remember to claim 20% off its probiotics with the code BEAST.

LactoBif® 30 Probiotics (60 Veggie Capsules)

Price reflects 20% discount

Buy At iHerb$18

If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission.

Nancy Guthrie’s neighbor, Aldine Meister, believes she may have seen the 84-year-old’s kidnapper. Meister told NewsNation’s Brian Entin she saw a suspicious-looking man on the morning of Jan. 11, nearly three weeks before Today Show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother went missing. “He wasn’t going terribly quickly like a normal person who’s getting exercise. He was kind of going slowly, and when he walked by this street, he really took a long look at it,” Meister said. According to Meister, he was wearing a baseball hat low on his face while hunched over, adding that “he was kind of looking around, and he just didn’t fit.” Meister reported the tip to the FBI. The agency has requested that all of Guthrie’s neighbors hand over footage from their doorbell cameras on the date Meister said she spotted the shifty individual. Guthrie was last seen on Jan. 31 at her home in Tucson, Arizona. She was reported missing by her family on Feb. 1 after she didn’t show up for church. Investigators have questioned multiple persons of interest, but have not yet identified a suspect. The sheriff in charge of the Guthrie case told reporters that investigators are closer than ever to finding the perpetrator. “We’ve got a lot of intel,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said, while adding that the majority of the investigation will remain off limits to the public.

A top tennis star suffered a stunning on-court meltdown after a crushing defeat, unleashing a profanity-laced outburst at the crowd and even striking herself in frustration. Mirra Andreeva, 18, lost 6-3 to Katerina Siniakova, 29, at Indian Wells on Monday night. After dropping the second-set tiebreaker, the 18-year-old lashed out in frustration—striking herself and hurling her racket before smashing it, an outburst that drew a code violation from the chair umpire. After the final point, she tossed her racket again and, following a quick handshake with Siniakova at the net, stormed off the court while gesturing at the stands and shouting, “f--- you all,” according to The Athletic. At a press conference later, Andreeva said she wasn’t proud of how she handled the moment. “I’m not really proud of how I managed it. I’m not really proud of how I handled it in the end,” she said. “Those are the things that really need to work on soon. I don’t know. Not in the future but whenever I get the chance.”

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

Summer is a little over three months away, which means our beauty routines are bound to shift to lighter moisturizers, darker foundation shades, and less eye makeup (after all, mascara isn’t known for playing nice with sweat and ocean water). If you’re looking to try out the no-mascara trend this spring and summer, now’s a great time to invest in a quality lash serum for a fluttery set sans the smears, clumps, and flakes. Achieving fuller, more voluminous lashes can take around 90 days, so now is the ideal time to start a new formula to get them prepped and ready.

Flash Cosmetics Ultimate Duo 2.0 Lash Serum and Mascara Set

See At Flash Cosmetics

Flash Cosmetics’ eyelash serum mascara set to give your lashes the boost they need, and it’s only $58. Flash’s Ultimate Duo 2.0 is formulated with peptides, botanicals, and prostaglandin to give you visibly longer, fuller lashes in just three months or less. The duo includes a physician-formulated, ophthalmologist-tested Flash Eyelash Serum and Flash Happy High-Definition Mascara. It’s great for growing your lashes while still not abandoning your mascara just yet. Plus, if you do decide to use its mascara on a pool or beach day, the waterproof formula will stay put. Most single lash serums cost $50+ for a 30-day supply, so this serum and mascara duo is a serious steal.

A NASA satellite weighing a staggering 1,323 pounds was hurtling down to Earth on Tuesday and was set to crash land at around 7:45 p.m. ET. “NASA expects most of the spacecraft to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, but some components are expected to survive re-entry,” NASA said of Van Allen Probe A, which is coming back home after a 14-year journey in space. Officials are not sure where the satellite will end up, but the chance that it strikes a human is incredibly unlikely at 1 in 4,200. “The risk of harm coming to anyone on Earth is low... NASA and Space Force will continue to monitor the re-entry and update predictions,” the agency said. The satellite has been in space to collect data from Earth’s two permanent radiation belts, helping to analyze space weather and understand how solar activity affects technology on Earth. The probe made a major discoveries, including uncovering for the first time a transient third radiation belt that sometimes forms during increased solar activity. Van Allen Probe A launched in 2012 with its twin, Van Allen Probe B, for a two-year mission and operated for seven years, until it went out of service in 2019. Van Allen Probe B is set to come home in 2030.

Former NFL Player Darron Lee, 31, allegedly turned to ChatGPT for advice after his girlfriend was found stabbed to death. During a court hearing Monday night, prosecutors revealed messages showing the former Kansas City Chiefs player asking the chatbot how to handle the situation after his girlfriend, Gabriella Carvalho Perpétuo, was found dead in the couple’s Tennessee rental home, according to WDEF. In one exchange read to the court, Lee allegedly told the AI: “Fiancee did her crazy thing again....she stabbed herself, silt her eye? Idk but she isn’t waking up or responding, what do I do?” Before adding that he “doesn’t want to” call police, the outlet reported. Prosecutors said Lee then continued asking the chatbot whether stab wounds could plausibly be explained as injuries from a fall. The messages sharply contradict Lee’s account to police, shown in body-camera footage played in court. The former linebacker told responding officers he had called 911 “immediately” and suggested Perpétuo’s injuries may have resulted from a fall in the shower related to narcolepsy. Lee has been charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering, and prosecutors have raised the possibility of seeking the death penalty, according to the outlet.

Three brothers accused of using their power and wealth to lure and sexually abuse dozens of women could face life in prison after being convicted of sex trafficking on Monday. The verdict against A-list real estate brokers Oren and Tal Alexander and their brother, Alon Alexander, followed a month-long trial that presented disturbing evidence that the trio drugged and raped several women and girls for more than a decade. Prosecutors accused the Alexanders, who are all in their late 30s, of taking videos and photos of their crimes. The prosecution team relied on the harrowing accounts of eleven victims to make their case. Before their arrest, Oren and Tal Alexander were powerful luxury real estate moguls with an extensive celebrity rolodex. Known as “The A Team,” their clients included Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Kanye West. The third brother, Alon, worked at the family’s private security firm after graduating law school. Their defense attorney, Marc Agnifilo, argued the brothers’ conduct was consensual and that their sometimes “obnoxious” behavior was not criminal. Jay Clayton, Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, said the sex crimes detailed in the trial “all too often go unreported and unpunished.” Following the guilty verdict, Agnifilo vowed to keep fighting. Sentencing for the Alexander brothers is set for Aug. 6.

A pardoned Jan. 6 rioter who was arrested after allegedly filming himself secretly touching women’s hair was detained again just moments after leaving court. Bryan Betancur, 28, was charged last week with assault and battery after allegedly recording “inappropriate” videos of himself creepily fondling women’s hair while riding a Silver Line Metro train servicing the Calrendon Metro Station and live-streaming the footage on social media. On Monday, Betancur appeared at the Arlington District Courthouse to plead not guilty to the charges and post bond. Just moments after he left the court, Betancur was placed in handcuffs again by Metro Transit Police for an unrelated outstanding warrant for an incident in Washington, D.C. The suspect is due back in court over the original assault charges on May 8. Betancur, who wore Proud Boys attire during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and was described as a “self-professed white supremacist” in a federal affidavit, served four months in prison after pleading guilty to charges connected to his participation in the Capitol attack. He was among around 1,500 rioters whom Donald Trump pardoned on his first day back in the White House. Betancur has also been previously convicted of burglary and violating an anti-stalking order.

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

Self-pleasure (and partnered play) should feel empowering, not overwhelming. With so many sex toy options on the market—each with interesting shapes and sizes—finding the right fit can feel daunting, especially if you’re a newcomer. Womanizer Peach clitoral stimulator takes the guesswork out of pleasure with a cute, quiet, and compact design that doesn’t skimp on the power. Many traditional sex toys rely on direct contact for stimulation, but the Peach uses Pleasure Air Technology that surrounds the clitoris with soft, rhythmic pulses, creating mind-blowing sensations whether solo or with a partner.

Wrapped in velvety-soft, body-safe silicone, the Peach is shaped to fit naturally in your hand. With 14 intensity levels, you can fine-tune the pace—whether it’s soft and gentle or powerful and intense. Each level is perfectly balanced and offers the right settings for any mood.

Peach Toy

Down From $69

Shop At Amazon$39

Free Returns | Free Shipping

A full charge gives you an hour of playtime. Though according to reviewers, you likely won’t need that long. “My girlfriend really, really, really enjoyed this,” one five-star Amazon reviewer said. “It makes for some very fun evenings and has become a bit of a treat for us.” Other reviews also praise the clitoral stimulator’s ergonomic design. “This product is really ergonomically designed, which makes it extremely comfortable to hold,” another pleased Amazon shopper wrote, adding that it’s super quiet and discreet enough for travel.

Right now, the Peach is only $39 (normally it’s $69). Whether you’re exploring solo or turning up the heat with a partner, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

A meteorite smashed through the rooftop of a house after blazing across the skies in western Germany. Astronomers say the fireball lit up the twilight sky over large parts of northwestern Europe at around 6:55 p.m. local time and was also visible in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Based on its brightness and duration, astronomers estimate the object was likely 3-10 feet long. The event was captured by AllSky7, a network of 24-hour sky-watching cameras launched in 2018 and operated by private citizens to detect falling meteors. Authorities later reported damage to several buildings in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. In the city of Koblenz, debris believed to be from a meteorite appears to have punctured the roof of a home and landed inside a bedroom that was, thankfully, unoccupied. No deaths or injuries were reported. The dramatic sight came during a period of conflict in the Middle East, prompting speculation online that the fireball could be an Iranian missile—though Iranian rockets do not have the range to strike Germany.

A live-action series focused on Peter Pan’s favorite sidekick, Tinker Bell, is reportedly in the works at Disney+, with Deadline reporting that the streamer is now developing ​Tink. The project was first announced as a live-action romantic comedy with Elizabeth Banks in 2010, and later, Reese Witherspoon was reportedly attached to star in a live-action film called Tink that never materialized. The project, which is considered high priority by the studio, is being developed by former Friday Night Lights writers Liz Heldens and Bridget Carpenter. Former President and Chief Creative Officer at Disney Branded Television Gary Marsh is executive producing the series. The character of Tinker Bell was first introduced in J.M. Barrie’s 1904 play Peter Pan, and first appeared in a Disney production in the 1953 animated film Peter Pan. Other Disney productions she has been featured in include 1991’s Hook, where she was played by Julia Roberts, and 2023’s Peter Pan & Wendy, where she was played by Yara Shahidi.