Daily Briefing: The people of ‘South Park’ apologize

NEWS

Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert. Debate: Google Maps v. Waze.

Close out the week with Friday’s news:

‘South Park’ creators ‘apologize’ for latest episode

The day after one of the most controversial episodes in the show’s history, “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said “we’re terribly sorry” for the ruckus they caused. The Season 27 premiere of “South Park” blasted President Donald Trump, showing him literally getting into bed naked with Satan, and referenced their Paramount bosses’ settlement with the president, the “60 Minutes” flap and the surprise cancellation of CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” It all followed an agreement between Paramount and the “South Park” creators for 50 new episodes and a lucrative new streaming deal on Paramount+. The episode ended with the people of South Park settling with Trump and agreeing to do pro-Trump messaging as part of their deal.

Trump’s visit to Fed is latest twist in feud over interest rates

President Trump and Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell clashed as they toured ongoing renovations of the Fed’s headquarters, with the chairman correcting the president over the scale of cost overruns.

The takeaway: It’s not unprecedented for U.S. presidents to push for lower interest rates boost the economy. But no president has tried to bully a Fed chief as persistently and overtly.

More news to know now

  • Trump heads to Scotland on Friday.Golf is likely on the agenda.
  • Israel and the U.S. recalled teams from Gaza truce talks.
  • Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwellmet with the DOJ.
  • A college sports executive orderaddresses NIL and pay-for-play.

What’s the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Blistering heat may grip your city this weekend

An unrelenting heat wave that has baked the Midwest for days promises temperatures approaching 100 degrees in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., on Friday. Record high temperatures are “likely to be challenged” in parts of the Northeast over the next two days, meteorologists said, and all regions affected are also likely to see some record warm minimum temperatures broken. A “heat dome” has mixed a cocktail of high heat and humidity to push heat indices over 100 degrees in many areas. And the heat dome could linger.

Advocates for homeless react to executive order

‘The safest communities are those with the most housing and resources, not those that make it a crime to be poor or sick … People need stable housing and access to healthcare. Rather, Trump’s actions will force more people into homelessness, divert taxpayer money away from people in need, and make it harder for local communities to solve homelessness.”

~ Jesse Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law Center, in reaction to Trump’s executive action on Thursday making it easier for cities and states to remove homeless people from the streets.

Today’s talkers

Hulk Hogan, WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling legend, dies at 71

Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan died at the age of 71 after suffering cardiac arrest. Considered one of the most popular pro wrestlers of all time, Hogan was instrumental in the rise of pro wrestling’s popularity, considered one of the first larger-than-life personas. He influenced several stars that joined the business after him. Read more about his life and legacy.

Photo of the day: Alone at the front of the pack

Tadej Pogačar didn’t win the hardest stage of the 2025 Tour de France on Thursday, but the defending champion and this year’s favorite showed again that there’s likely nobody capable of taking the yellow jersey from him. Riders had to overcome 5,450 meters in climbs up three different summits.

Pogačar’s lead

leaves little room for drama with just three stages remaining.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at [email protected].

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *