Recommended Stories
- The Independent
Montana man dies following attack by grizzly bear
Investigators later shot and killed male bear near site of mauling
- The Independent
Nine shot at child’s 12th birthday party in Louisiana
Police has claimed that more than one weapon was used at the birthday party in which nine sustained gunshot wounds
- The Independent
Supreme Court scraps last GOP election lawsuit, ending five-month challenge to results
The decision has wider implications for future elections
- Raleigh News and Observer
President Biden to make virtual visit to SC to promote his infrastructure plan
President Joe Biden is coming to South Carolina on Tuesday — virtually — to promote his infrastructure plan and, more specifically, explain how the president says his American Jobs Plan will reduce bus emissions to zero by 2030.
- The Independent
‘Give back her socialist cash’: Democrats pushed to return campaign donations from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
NRCC launches ‘Socialist Give Back’ website slamming those ‘bankrolled by radical socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’
- The Independent
Police officer’s powerful TikTok message on Daunte Wright goes viral
Officer Brian B says someone shouldn’t be doing a police job if they can shoot someone in heat of moment
- The Independent
‘I’m not going to be bullied’: Maxine Waters hits back at GOP criticism after she urged protesters to get ‘more confrontational’ in Minneapolis
Congresswoman’s comments come as jury set to consider verdict in Derek Chauvin murder trial
- The Independent
George Floyd news: Jury retires in Chauvin trial as judge says Maxine Waters could overturn verdict
Follow latest updates from the Hennepin County Courthouse
- The Independent
Marjorie Taylor Greene does U-turn on ‘America First’ caucus after GOP blowback
Rep. Greene accused the media of ‘false narratives’ and focusing on race to ‘divide the American people with hate through identity politics’
- BBC
Covid-19: US to advise against travel to 80% of countries
Coronavirus continues to pose "unprecedented risks to travellers", the US state department says.
- BBC
Climate change: Carbon 'surge' expected in post-Covid energy boom
This year should see the second-biggest-ever rise in CO2 emissions as economies rebound from Covid.
- Raleigh News and Observer
Help Wanted: SC Gov. McMaster, state agencies launching job fair for veterans
Registration is now open for the May 4 virtual career fair.
- The Daily Beast
‘Cruel Summer’ Is Your New Teen-Thriller TV Obsession
FreeformIt’s the summer of 1993 and shy Jeanette Turner seems to have a peculiar fascination with the town’s “It girl,” Kate Wallis. By the following summer, Kate has vanished, and Jeanette has seamlessly stepped into her shoes—sporting a similar look, hanging out with her best friends, and smooching her boyfriend. But fast forward to 1995, and Jeanette’s become the most hated girl in America after being accused of knowing Kate had been kidnapped and doing nothing to save her.Cruel Summer, premiering April 20 on Freeform, is the network’s newest series and it doesn’t disappoint, delivering a whiplash-inducing storyline that bounces between a series of days in 1993, 1994, and 1995.The episodes also juggle the viewpoints of Jeanette and Kate, played by newcomers Chiara Aurelia and Olivia Holt. As viewers are slowly clued in on how Kate was abducted, you’re left wondering whether Jeanette really stood by while Kate was being held captive, or if Kate is hellbent on revenge after being so easily replaced.Despite being both Aurelia and Holt’s biggest project to date, the series allows them to show off their considerable acting chops, as they essentially play three different versions of the same character over the course of a single episode.Since rebranding from ABC Family in 2017, Freeform has struggled to find a hit series, and it desperately needs one with its most popular show, The Bold Type, drawing to a close this year.‘Are You the One?’ Contestant Gianna Hammer Claims Production ‘Drugged’ Her and Covered Up Sexual Assault Luckily, Cruel Summer has all the hallmarks of a hit, echoing the network’s past successes Pretty Little Liars and The Secret Life of the American Teenager—a compelling and attractive cast, potential love triangles, and characters who all seem to be hiding secrets.It also has Jessica Biel in its corner, with the veteran actress serving as executive producer. Biel is no stranger to TV sitcoms and mystery-thrillers, having got her start in the family/teen drama 7th Heaven as well as starring in and producing The Sinner. Series directors Daniel Willis, Bill Purple, and Max Winkler also boast solid track records, with credits on Grey’s Anatomy, New Girl, and The Blacklist.The show’s tone is quickly set within its first five minutes, as Jeanette goes through three incarnations of herself. She’s first seen as an awkward teen, complete with braces and glasses, celebrating her 15th birthday by running around the small town of Skylin, Texas, and engaging in goofy antics with her two best friends. During a trip to the mall, she crosses paths with Kate, sidling up to her and stumbling through a conversation about it being her birthday.The show suddenly flashes forward to a year later, with a much more stylish Jeanette waking up to a birthday cupcake from her new boyfriend Jamie—who was dating Kate at the time of her disappearance. He brings her to a roller rink where she mingles with her new friends, who also used to be in Kate’s inner circle.But by her 17th birthday, Jeanette wakes up to the news that her lawyer is waiting downstairs. A volatile Jeanette is now persona non grata after Kate accused her on national television of witnessing her locked up in a basement and ignoring what she saw so she could steal her life.The second episode follows a similar format, only this time it’s Kate’s turn to tell her side of the story. Kate is the princess of this small town—wealthy, attractive, and equipped with a devoted posse and a doting boyfriend. Still, she goes out of her way to be kind to Jeannette during the summer of ’93.By the following year, Kate has been rescued but is now a shell of herself, resenting her mother and her friends, who quickly moved on to a new ringleader. She publicly lashes out at Jeanette while privately admitting to a fellow abduction survivor that she hasn’t been entirely honest about what happened to her.In 1995, both Kate and Jeanette are finally on an equal playing field—two outcasts boiling with rage and contempt for one another. Over the following eight episodes, we’ll venture ever closer to the truth about who has been lying, and who else in their lives may have played a role. Buckle up.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
- The Independent
Secret Republican memo that ‘would burn down the internet’ revealed
Republican lawmakers seek to modify Section 230 to rein in big technology firms
- The Independent
US House condemns China over Hong Kong crackdown in near-unanimous vote
Republican Thomas Massie was the lone member to vote against the resolution
- The Independent
Justice Amy Coney Barrett receives reported $2m advance for book deal
Supreme Court judge to write on importance of separating personal feelings from legal rulings
- The Independent
Biden news: White House warns Russia of consequences if Navalny dies as John Kerry apologises for Trump
Follow the latest in US politics
- BBC
India coronavirus: Delhi announces lockdown as Covid cases surge
With record daily spikes all of last week, the Indian capital is now the worst-hit city in the country.
- Associated Press
In death, long after loss, Mondale's liberal legacy stands
In the last days of his life, former Vice President Walter Mondale received a steady stream of phone calls of appreciation. Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris all called to say goodbye and thank you. Under President Jimmy Carter, he became the first vice president with a day job, as adviser to the president, not just a bystander.
- The Independent
Derek Chauvin: How mostly white jury could affect trial of George Floyd’s alleged killer
Studies show that race affects who gets put on juries – and whom they decide to convict