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This reader is upset that her abusive relationship has practically ruined the lives of her two daughters.

Luke Kornet wasn’t thinking about making multiple trips to the NBA Finals or making a play that would live in franchise lore.

"He calls two hookers and tries to frame me. He sends two hookers up to the house for me. I'm not even there. As a smokescreen."

US Warns Ally Oman That It Better Pick The 'Right' Side In Hormuz Standoff

The saga of rare Washington pressure on its longtime regional ally Oman continues, with on Tuesday The Wall Street Journal reporting that US officials are growing "increasingly frustrated" with Muscat's neutral stance, which they now view as hostile to US interests.

Oman has stood accused of cooperating with Iran on a proposed toll collection scheme which would benefit Tehran and circumvent America's aims for the region.

Via container-news

"In recent days, the Trump administration has threatened to sanction and even bomb Oman, after a new intelligence assessment concluded that Muscat was planning to join Iran in tolling vessels in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to another U.S. official," WSJ writes. "Oman has repeatedly denied that it plans to do so."

Interestingly, Oman actually provided some level of military assistance to the US even as it launched an unprovoked attack on the Islamic Republic alongside Israel.

"Omani territory was used to provide some logistical supplies to the U.S. military at the start of the war, say Arab and U.S. officials," notes the report. "But the U.S. official said the military assistance was small."

During a cabinet meeting last week, President Trump made clear that Muscat must align with US-backed 'international norms' or face consequences, warning, "Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up."

Omani Information Minister Abdulla al-Harrasi has recently emphasized that the Sultanate remains "ready to work with the United States and all responsible partners to promote stability" and protect mutual interests. 

The small strategically located Arabian peninsula country has sought to walk a fine line, but Washington is angered as it has yet to explicitly condemn Iran, even after weeks of attacks on Gulf states (at the height of Operation Epic Fury):

Since the war started, Oman has assisted ships, including from the U.S., by providing navigational guidance, search-and-rescue services and medical assistance to ship crews, said a person familiar with the matter.

Harrasi said the country remained committed to the free flow of commerce and energy through the strait. “Any threat to freedom of navigation in these waters would harm the interests of the entire international community, including the United States,” he said.

In May, Oman was the only Persian Gulf country that refused to sign an Emirati-led U.N. statement condemning Iran’s move to charge tolls in Hormuz. 

Some have called Oman the "Switzerland of the Middle East" - a status that Omani diplomats are proud of. Likely they are also very wary of being seen as is America's or Israel's corners - especially before their domestic Arab population.

One analyst quoted in the WSJ has summarized where things stand: Oman's approach to Tehran so far has "opened the door to criticism and unwelcome scrutiny of a country that has long prided itself on its impartial foreign policy."

Meanwhile, via Financial Times on Tuesday: "Greek shipping tycoon Evangelos Marinakis ready to pay Strait of Hormuz transit fees."

Marco Rubio on Iran:

We can't have a world in which only Iranian ships get through the straits.

If they are going to shut down the straits for everybody, we are going to shut down the straits for them. pic.twitter.com/OU2unUVGum

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 2, 2026

If this trend of different shipping companies and nations approaching Tehran to do separate deal-making to transit the strait continues, we could see Iran placed in a stronger position globally than before the war began.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/03/2026 - 02:45

On the eve of the NBA Finals, the Spurs’ superstar center indicated his team was still in the process of refocusing for the next — and final — round against the Knicks. 

Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt is looking ahead to November, calling out incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and laying out his plan to unseat her after Tuesday's election returns put him in position for a potential runoff.

"Operation Turf War was this FBI answering the call of a community that needed it the most," FBI Director Kash Patel said.

When Jose Alvarado found out he was coming home, he was so happy that tears ran down his cheeks.

Russia Weighs $50 Million Plan To Influence Armenia's Election

Via Eurasianet,

• Reuters reported that Russian officials discussed influence operations aimed at weakening Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ahead of Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary election.

• One alleged proposal involved temporarily bringing Armenian passport holders living in Russia back to Armenia to vote for opposition candidates.

• Despite the reported efforts, polling suggests Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party remains the clear frontrunner as Armenia debates its future relationship with Russia and the West.

Russia has mulled an extraordinary measure of exporting humans to Armenia in an effort to undermine Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s chances of retaining power in the fast-approaching parliamentary elections on June 7, according to an investigative report published by the Reuters news agency. 

Despite the Kremlin’s best efforts to manipulate the election’s outcome, recent polling data shows that Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party is pulling away from a collection of opposition forces and appears increasingly likely to have a majority in the next parliament.

According to Reuters, citing four sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Kremlin set up an agency in October called the Directorate for Strategic Cooperation and Partnership to run a wide array of influence operations in Armenia, including disinformation campaigns.

Another initiative reportedly considered involved transporting Armenian passport holders living in Russia back to Armenia temporarily so that they could vote for opposition candidates. Up to 2 million Armenian citizens are believed to be living and working in Russia. Election rules bar expats from voting.

Several Reuters sources said that Russian officials estimated that it would cost about $50 million to send 100,000 Armenians back to their homeland to cast ballots. Reuters could not confirm whether the repatriation-to-vote operation had been set in motion, and, if it had, how many Armenian citizens had actually returned for the elections.

Any such effort would appear to be a waste of time and money. A recent poll published by the International Republican Institute showed that Pashinyan’s public support is growing, the percentage moving from the low 20s to over 30 percent now. 

Given the fragmented support for opposition forces, Pashinyan’s party should be able to retain a parliamentary majority if it can maintain 30 percent support on June 7.

Pashinyan has sought to break Armenia out of Russia’s geopolitical orbit over the past two years and steer the country towards greater integration with the United States and European Union. Russia, meanwhile, is keen to maintain its political hold on Yerevan.

The parliamentary vote is widely seen as a referendum on Armenia’s geopolitical future.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/03/2026 - 02:00

A proposed countywide half-cent sales tax increase to fund healthcare services is struggling in early election returns Tuesday night, with voters so far rejecting the measure.

The line comes from rapper Fetty Wap’s 2015 hit “Trap Queen,” a song that includes references to drug dealing and strip clubs.

The Competition and Markets Authority says it would put publishers "in a stronger position to negotiate content deals with Google".

Sacramento City Councilwoman Mai Vang — who has infuriated local residents by her refusal to say the Pledge of Allegiance while turning her back on the US flag — was trailing Tuesday night in her bid to unseat longtime Congresswoman Doris Matsui in a bitter primary fight.

“After last night’s protest without a single arrest, we are lifting this curfew to allow full expression of the American right to free speech and to peacefully assemble,” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said.

A challenging schedule awaited the Mets as they departed Queens late Sunday afternoon, and two games into that slate, all is hardly well

Thousands of California Democrats cast ballots for Eric Swalwell even though the disgraced ex-congressman's zombie campaign for governor was suspended after allegations of rape and sexual assault.

Early Returns Show Surprises In California As Other States Wrap Up

Update (0030ET): Voters in six states went to the polls today for key primaries. While many races followed expectations, California delivered notable early drama with slow-counting mail ballots still to come.

California Governor (Top-Two Primary)

The race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom remains the biggest story. In a crowded nonpartisan jungle primary, early returns (approx. 45-50% counted) show:

• Steve Hilton (R) leading at ~26.7%
• Xavier Becerra (D) close behind at ~25.8%
• Tom Steyer (D) trailing at ~19.6%

Chad Bianco (R) is further back. If trends hold, Hilton and Becerra are positioned to advance to November - setting up a potentially competitive general election in deep-blue California. Mail ballots could still shift the order.

Polymarket: Will Xavier Becerra advance? (Yes 93% · No 7%) View on Polymarket

 

Los Angeles Mayoral Primary

Incumbent Karen Bass (D) leads with ~36.5-38% (46%+ counted), followed by a strong surge from Spencer Pratt (R) at ~30%. Nithya Raman (D) trails at ~20%. Bass and Pratt are heavily favored to advance to the November runoff. Pratt’s performance reflects voter frustration with homelessness, crime, and city governance.

Pre-election Polymarket: Will Karen Bass win the 2026 LA mayoral election? (Yes 68% · No 33%) View on PolymarketIowa

• U.S. Senate (open seat): Rep. Ashley Hinson (R) won the GOP nomination decisively. State Rep. Josh Turek (D) won the Democratic nod. This sets up a key battleground race in November.
• Governor (open): Early leads for Republican Zach Lahn in the crowded GOP field; Democrat Rob Sand unopposed.

Other Notable Races

• Montana Senate (open): Kurt Alme (R) secured the GOP nomination.
• California’s 11th Congressional District (replacing Nancy Pelosi): Scott Wiener (D) won with a strong lead.
• New Jersey: Rebecca Bennett advanced in NJ-7; progressive Adam Hamawy won the open NJ-12.

Overall Takeaway: A night of outsider energy and tight races, particularly in California. Full results may take days or weeks due to mail-in ballots. These outcomes will shape the November midterms.

* * *

Authored by Joseph Lord via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The California gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral primaries are among the most closely watched races today.

A voter fills out a ballot at a polling station in Des Moines, Iowa, on Nov. 6, 2018. Joshua Lott/Getty Images

Voters in six states will go to the polls today for a series of key races.

The biggest item of the night will be the litany of races in California, the nation's largest state. Others will be held in Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey, and South Dakota.

Here are the most important races to watch.

California Governor

The race to replace outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom is one of the most-watched in the nation.

California's gubernatorial elections are designed to be nonpartisan. With about six candidates polling with at least 5 percent support, only the top two vote-getters will be on the general gubernatorial election ballot in November, even if both are of the same party.

In the final weeks leading into the primary, the election underwent a total shake-up when front-runner Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) left the race - and Congress - following multiple allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Swalwell has denied the allegations.

Currently, the Democratic front-runners are former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and billionaire Tom Steyer. The two are polling close, although Becerra retains a slight advantage.

//--> //--> //--> Will Xavier Becerra advance from the 2026 California Governor primary election?
Yes 93% · No 7%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

The main Republican candidates in the race are Steve Hilton, a British American TV show host and conservative commentator, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

Polling leaves it unclear whether Hilton or Steyer is favored for second place.

Los Angeles Mayoral Primary

Residents of Los Angeles will also vote in the nonpartisan mayoral primary.

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is facing off against 10 other contenders. She is expected to win the top spot in the primary.

//--> //--> //--> Will Karen Bass win the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election?
Yes 68% · No 33%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

Meanwhile, the top Democratic contender for the second-place spot - member of the Los Angeles City Council Nithya Raman - is seeking to hold off a challenge from former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, running as a Republican, and make it to the general election.

California's 22nd Congressional District

In California's 22nd Congressional District, Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) will face off in a nonpartisan primary with state Rep. Jasmeet Bains and Randy Villegas, both Democrats.

Valadao is expected to win a place in the general election, although his final opponent will be decided by the outcome on June 2.

//--> //--> //--> Will David Valadao advance from the CA-22 Primary?
Yes 90% · No 10%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

Polling in the district is sparse. A single poll conducted at the beginning of May by Data for Progress, a left-leaning pollster, showed Valadao with 44 percent support, Villegas with 25 percent, and Bains with 21 percent.

California's 48th Congressional District

In California's 48th Congressional District, a flurry of candidates have put their names into the ring.

Republican Jim Desmond leads in polls in the nonpartisan election, with fellow Republican Kevin O'Neil coming in second in some polls. Marni von Wilpert and Ammar Campa-Najjar are the Democratic front-runners.

The seat was one of five redrawn to favor Democrats last year - but that advantage only holds if a Democrat wins the nonpartisan primary.

California's 11th Congressional District

In California's 11th Congressional District, a slate of Democrats is competing to replace outgoing Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Most polls show a lead for candidate Scott Wiener, a Democrat, while Pelosi has endorsed San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan. Chan has come in second in some polls, and Wiener enters the primary as the clear front-runner.

//--> //--> //--> Will Scott Wiener receive the most votes in the CA-11 primary?
Yes 99% · No 1%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

The two Republicans in the running - when they have made it into the polls at all - have pulled less than 5 percent support.

Iowa Senate

Although Iowa has long been a lock for Republicans, it is among Democrats' targets this year, as there are indications that the party could flip Senate seats previously considered safe. This year, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will not be seeking reelection, leaving the seat open.

Polls indicate that Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) is favored for the Republican nomination over her rival, state Sen. Jim Carlin.

//--> //--> //--> Will the Republicans win the Iowa Senate race in 2026?
Yes 62% · No 38%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

The polls leave it unclear whom the Democrats will nominate between candidates Josh Turek and Zach Wahls. Turek has led in more recent polling.

//--> //--> //--> Will Josh Turek be the Democratic nominee for Senate in Iowa?
Yes 93% · No 7%
View full market & trade on Polymarket Iowa Governor

Iowa's gubernatorial race is open after Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, announced that she would not seek reelection in 2026.

Several Republicans are contending for the nomination to replace her. The polls show that candidates Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Zach Lahn, and Adam Steen are leading in that race. On the Democratic side, only state Auditor Rob Sand is running.

A general election poll conducted in April by Echelon Insights, a Republican-aligned pollster, found that Sand had 51 percent support against Feenstra, who was polling at 39 percent.

Montana Senate

In Montana, the last-minute exit of Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) from the race left Republican challengers little opportunity to register against former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who registered for the GOP nomination just as Daines exited the race.

On the Democratic side, no polls have been conducted, leaving it unclear who is in the lead for the nomination.

As recently as 2024, the state was represented by Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat. Some general election polls have shown 44 percent support for a generic Democrat.

New Mexico Governor

In New Mexico, Democrat and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland is highly favored to win the Democratic nomination in the blue-leaning state, which some Republican strategists had eyed as a potential target in 2024.

On the Republican side, Gregg Hull narrowly leads Doug Turner in polls for the nomination.

New Jersey's 7th Congressional District

One of the two top targets for Democrats in New Jersey is the seat of Rep. Tom Kean (R-N.J.).

Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, is favored to win the nomination, leading in most polls. Her closest rival is Brian Varela.

New Jersey's 12th Congressional District

In New Jersey's 12th Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) is retiring, leaving open a safely Democratic seat in a district where the primary essentially is the general election.

The race has exposed ideological rifts in the Democratic Party.

Leading the progressive side in the race is Dr. Adam Hamawy, a Princeton trauma surgeon and Army veteran with endorsements from progressive heavyweights such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

The main other contenders for the Democratic nomination include East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen, state Rep. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, and Somerset County Commissioner Shanel Robinson.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/03/2026 - 00:29

San Francisco state Sen. Scott Wiener dominated early returns in the bitter showdown to replace retiring Rep. Nancy Pelosi in Congress, claiming victory in the primary contest. Wiener won 43.4% of votes in the first batch of returns posted Tuesday night — with Pelosi’s pick Connie Chan and lefty tech millionaire Saikat Chakrabarti trailing behind at...

Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra lost the Republican nod for Iowa governor to businessman Zach Lahn, marking a rare endorsement defeat for the president in a GOP primary this cycle.

So if the three-time AL MVP is about to miss extended time, the rest of the roster will now be Judged on how they perform in the absence of the Yankees’ best player.