10 things you need to know today: June 2, 2015

Caitlyn Jenner makes her debut, a top aide to FIFA President Sepp Blatter is implicated in a bribe, and more

Caitlyn debuts.
(Image credit: (Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair via AP))

1. Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce, makes her debut

Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, introduced herself to the world in a glamorous Vanity Fair photo spread on Monday, showing herself for the first time since completing gender transition. Jenner, who won the gold medal in the men's decathlon at the 1976 Olympics, launched a new Twitter account — @Caitlyn_Jenner — and broke a record by reaching a million followers in four hours and three minutes. Jenner, 65, said on Twitter that she was ending a "long struggle" and finally "living my true self." "As soon as the Vanity Fair cover comes out," she said, "I'm free."

2. Blatter aide reportedly tied to $10 million bribe transfer

Law enforcement officials say the top lieutenant of FIFA President Sepp Blatter made $10 million in 2008 bank transfers at the heart of a bribery scandal, The New York Times reported. FIFA denied that the aide, Secretary General Jerome Valcke, had a role in the payments. Blatter has said he had nothing to do with the alleged bribery at FIFA, soccer's global governing body, but the report that Valcke transferred money to another official — for help with South Africa's 2010 World Cup bid — would bring the scandal closer to him.

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The New York Times Reuters

3. TSA scanners fail to spot weapons in tests

Undercover agents got fake explosives and banned weapons past Transportation Security Administration checkpoints in 96 percent of tests in a recent investigation at U.S. airports, Homeland Security officials confirmed on Monday. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson reacted by ordering increased screener training and revised security procedures. He also replaced the TSA's acting administrator, Melvin Carraway, with its acting deputy director, Mark Hatfield, until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Fox News

4. Hundreds missing after ship capsizes in China

A ship sank in central China's Yangtze river with 458 passengers on board, state media reported Tuesday. At least 15 people were rescued, including the captain and chief engineer. Five bodies had been recovered by late Tuesday, but hundreds remained missing. The captain said the boat capsized after being hit by a "cyclone." Officials did not immediately confirm the cause of the disaster. The ship, the Eastern Star, was on its way from the eastern city of Nanjing to Chongquing in the southwest.

AFP

5. Muslim woman denied job over head scarf wins at Supreme Court

A Muslim woman who was denied a job at Abercrombie & Fitch because she wore a headscarf won a discrimination case against the retailer on Monday. The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in her favor in a landmark case for religious freedom and workplace discrimination. In 2008, an Abercrombie Kids store in Oklahoma told Samantha Elauf, then 17, that she wasn't hired because the headscarf she wears for religious reasons violated the company's "look policy."

Reuters

6. Lindsey Graham enters the presidential race

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) formally announced Monday that he will run for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. As expected, Graham, a military hawk, launched his campaign in his hometown of Central, S.C., with a focus on foreign policy. Graham enters an increasingly crowded GOP field, but said he is better prepared to be commander in chief than rivals in either party. "I have more experience with our national security than any other candidate in this race," he said. "That includes you, Hillary."

The Washington Post

7. Egg shortage forces Whataburger to reduce breakfast hours

Whataburger announced on Monday that it was reducing its breakfast hours due to a national egg shortage. The Southern fast-food chain was known for serving breakfast items from 11 p.m. to 11 a.m., but now that it is having trouble getting enough eggs it is cutting back, serving breakfast only from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. Whataburger said its supply problems came after a recent outbreak of avian influenza killed millions of chickens and turkeys in the Midwest.

Houston Chronicle

8. Greece proposes new reform package to unlock bailout money

Greece has sent its European creditors a broad, "realistic" package of reforms aimed at resolving its financial crisis, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Tuesday. The Greek government sent the proposal on Monday night to the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Greece needs an agreement with its lenders to unlock the next payments in its $275 billion bailout to avoid default. The talks have been stalled for months, with European leaders accusing the anti-austerity Tsipras of refusing to accept sufficient concessions.

Reuters

9. Former UK Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy dies

Charles Kennedy, former leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats, died on Monday at his home in Scotland. He was 55. No cause of death was announced, but police said Kennedy's death did not appear suspicious. Former Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said the loss "robs Britain of one of the most gifted politicians of his generation." Kennedy was nicknamed "Chat-show Charlie" for his frequent TV appearances and gregariousness. Under his leadership, the Liberal Democrats were the only major party to oppose the 2003 U.S.-led Iraq invasion.

The Associated Press

10. Lego introduces Minecraft rival

Lego announced Monday that it is releasing a game called Lego Worlds that is being called a clear competitor for Minecraft, the wildly popular game Microsoft purchased for $2.5 billion last year. The Lego title features block-like, pixelated graphics similar to those in Minecraft, with the same open, virtual world feel. A test version of Lego Worlds is available on the digital distribution platform Steam, with decisions for a full launch expected next year.

The Washington Post

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.