Taylor Frankie Paul stars as the lead of ‘The Bachelorette’ season 22. (Disney/Michael Kirchoff)
Taylor Frankie Paul has opened the book of more men.
ABC has announced the 22 contestants who will compete for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star’s heart on season 22 of The Bachelorette.
Among the men competing are a cowboy, an ocean lifeguard, a former pro baseball player and a physical therapist.
“I’m not a by the book kind of girl, but I’m ready to start my next more-men chapter,” Paul said in a promo for the upcoming season released on Sunday. “This journey is a page turner.”
The Bachelorette premieres March 22 on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
A special preview of the upcoming season, called The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose, will debut on ABC and Hulu immediately after the Oscars live telecast on March 15.
Here’s a look at the 22 men Paul will meet on her journey to find love:
Aaron, 32, a product manager from Vineyard, Utah Brad, 29, a cowboy/entrepreneur from Newport Beach, California Brandon, 28, a loan officer from Spearfish, South Dakota Casey, 30, a mechanical engineer from Nashville, Tennessee Christopher, 35, a business owner from Vacaville, California Clayton, 36, a singer/songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee Conrad, 32, a startup founder from Santa Monica, California Doug, 28, an ocean lifeguard from San Diego, California Johnnie, 30, a former pro baseball player from Massapequa, New York Josh, 28, a sales manager from Provo, Utah Kevin, 32, a physical therapist from Miami, Florida Lew, 32, an insurance tech founder from Salt Lake City, Utah Malik, 30, a tech executive from Brooklyn, New York Marcus, 28, a creative director from Elmont, New York Matt, 43, a real estate broker from Carmel, Indiana Michael Baba, 36, a chiropractic healer from San Diego, California Mike T., 36, a brand protection manager from Lavallette, New Jersey Richard, 35, a photographer from Charleston, South Carolina Rod, 35, an entrepreneur from Austin, Texas Ronn, 28, an account executive from San Francisco, California Shane, 28, a private wealth planner from Atlanta, Georgia Trenten, 35, a pro athlete from San Juan Capistrano, California
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One star-studded video and multiple remixes later, Taylor Swift’s “Opalite” has topped the Billboard Hot 100.
The song had previously reached #2 back in October when its parent album, The Life of a Showgirl,was released. It had since fallen farther down the chart, but thanks to the recent release of the song’s elaborate video — plus two extended versions of the video, multiple collectible CD remixes and a 7-inch vinyl version of the song — “Opalite” has now jumped seven spots to reach #1.
“Opalite” is the second #1 from The Life of a Showgirl, following “The Fate of Ophelia.” That makes Showgirl the first Taylor album to spin off more than one #1 hit since her 2014 release, 1989.
In addition, Taylor is now tied with Rihanna for the third-most #1 hits on the Hot 100, behind Mariah Carey, with 19, and The Beatles, with 20. Overall, it’s Taylor’s 14th #1 hit on the chart.
Rapper T.I. speaks onstage during the ‘Nothing To See Here: Watts’ red carpet screening and Q&A at College Football Hall of Fame on January 15, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
It seems the king may be open to battle: T.I. has released a new song titled “War.”
“The bear hibernating, don’t poke him/ When you see the giant sleeping, shouldn’t have woke him,” Tip raps on the track.
“Know the dawg hold your head down/ Did a diss record, better edit now/ I’ll turn your head around/ All that cap n****, better get a gown/ But the only place your head is in the ground,” Tip later adds, before ending the clip with, “Oh, you n***** want war?”
“War” has dropped amid T.I.’s back-and-forth with 50 Cent and is presumed to be a diss toward the rapper. Their feud appears to have stemmed from 50’s refusal to battle him in a Verzuz.
“It was really about celebrating each other’s catalog,” T.I. said on Million Dollaz Worth of Game, noting 50 declined after their discussions about the potential event.
“F*** all of it,” T.I. continued. “Now, I question your character. N****, just say you don’t want to do it.”
50 has since responded, writing on Instagram, “I know Atlanta pick and choose who they support, but yall gotta do better. LOL keep my name out ya mouth!”
He recently shared a bad photo of T.I.’s wife, Tiny, prompting responses from Tip and his son King Harris.
“War” marks T.I.’s latest release and is now available on streaming services. He’s currently working on his final album, Kill the King, according to a recent update on social media.
Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys performs onstage during day 2 of Warped Tour at Shoreline Waterfront on July 27, 2025 in Long Beach, California. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Dropkick Murphys have announced a show in Minneapolis paying tribute to Alex Pretti and Renee Good, the two U.S. citizens shot and killed by immigration officers in the Minnesota city.
The free, acoustic performance will take place on March 6 in the Black Forest Inn parking lot, near the memorial site for Pretti. It was also stream live online.
“We are so proud of how Minnesota stood up and met this moment and we are so sad for the community and for the Pretti and Good families for what they’ve gone through,” says Dropkick frontman Ken Casey. “So it is an honor to come down and be able to play some music for the people and let them know we stand in solidarity with them.”
Dropkick Murphys recently released a new song called “Citizen I.C.E.” in protest of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. It’s a reworking of a past Dropkick song called “Citizen C.I.A.”
Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony at Peacock Theater on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
A number of bands have announced upcoming shows in the U.K.
Spiritbox will head across the pond in September for a tour in continued support of their latest album, 2025’s Tsunami Sea. The trek, which will also feature Jinjer and Dying Wish, kicks off Sept. 12 in Glasgow, Scotland, and will then jump to England and Wales before heading off through the rest of Europe.
Visit Spiritbox.com for the full list of dates and all ticket info.
Turnstile will play a one-off headlining show in Halifax, England, on Aug. 26. You can sign up now for a presale happening Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time; tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
England’s Download Festival has added new names to its 2026 lineup, including A Day to Remember and Daughtry. They join a bill headlined by Linkin Park, Guns N’ Roses and Limp Bizkit, and also including Bad Omens, Trivium, Ice Nine Kills, The Pretty Reckless, Architects and Halestorm, among many others.
Download 2026 takes place June 10-14. For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit DownloadFestival.co.uk.
The reformed Sex Pistols, featuring original members Steve Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook alongside singer Frank Carter in place of John “Johnny Rotten” Lydon, have announced a run of U.K. and Ireland dates for December as part of their 50 Years of Punk tour.
Miranda Lambert is just one of the honorees still processing what happened Saturday night at ACL Live in Austin.
“Last night was one I will never forget as long as I live,” she wrote on Sunday. “Being inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame along with King George, Keith Gattis, and Don Cook was the biggest honor I could ever dream of.”
“Thank you to @parkermccollum, @nataliehemby, @ashleymonroemusic, @jonrandallmusic and @jackingram for singing my songs and [producer] Frank Lidell for the most heartfelt speech.”
Parker McCollum performed “Famous in a Small Town,” while Natalie Hemby and Ashley Monroe did a medley of “Bluebird” and “Heart Like Mine.” Miranda joined Jack Ingram and Jon Randall for “Tin Man.”
“Texas is always home and the music that came from our great state is the music that built me,” she closed her post. “Big lone star love to all that have supported me all these years. My heart is full.”
Jamey Johnson sang “Kicked Out of Country” for honoree George Strait, while Dean Dillon offered “Drinkin’ Man.” The legend himself joined his son Bubba Strait for “Here for a Good Time.”
George would also do “I Got a Car” for Keith Gattis, in addition to Randy Houser’s performance of “Reconsider.”
Ronnie Dunn emceed the event, put on by the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association, joining parter Kix Brooks to honor Don Cook with “Brand New Man,” “You’re Gonna Miss Me” and “That Ain’t No Way to Go.”
President Donald J. Trump addresses a joint session of Congress as Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson listen in the Capitol building’s House chamber, March 4, 2025. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump is set to give the first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday amid a backdrop of looming midterm elections and lingering questions about the economy, immigration and foreign policy.
Trump’s address comes as lawmakers are still at an impasse over funding for the Department of Homeland Security amid the administration’s immigration crackdown — and with the partial government shutdown in its second week. The United States’ tensions with Iran, affordability and the economy, the upcoming high-impact midterm elections and the Supreme Court’s recent rebuke of his tariffs will likely be topics the presidents touches on as well.
Though his allies have called Trump’s second term transformative and historic on many fronts, his address comes as majorities of Americans disapprove of how the president is handling inflation, tariffs, relations with other countries, immigration and the economy, according to a recently released ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll.
Trump last delivered a joint address to Congress in March — the longest in history. On Monday, Trump previewed that this year’s address with be “a long speech because we have so much to talk about.”
Here’s what you need to know about the speech and how to watch.
When is the State of the Union address?
Trump will speak before Congress at the Capitol on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST.
The State of the Union is a presidential duty mandated in the Constitution, which calls for the president “from time to time to give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union.”
Speaker Mike Johnson invited Trump to speak before the joint session of Congress last month.
How to watch and stream the State of the Union
ABC News will air the State of the Union live at 9 p.m. EST, ABC News Live will stream special coverage starting at 7 p.m. EST and ABC News Digital will have a live blog with up-to-the-minute updates, key takeaways of the address and analysis.
“World News Tonight” Anchor and Managing Editor David Muir will lead coverage from Washington, featuring ABC News’ political team, including “World News Tonight” Sunday and ABC News Live “Prime” Anchor Linsey Davis, Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce, “This Week” Co-anchor and Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz, “This Week” Co-anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl, Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas, Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott and Correspondent Jay O’Brien.
Contributors Donna Brazile and Chris Christie along with former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy will provide analysis across ABC News’ platforms, too.
Muir will anchor a special edition of “World News Tonight with David Muir” from Washington on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. EST. “Good Morning America,” “GMA3” and “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” will have pre- and post-show coverage of the State of the Union.
The speech is also set to stream live on the White House website, its YouTube and social media platforms.
An estimated 36.6 million people watched Trump’s speech to Congress last year — a 13% increase over former President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address, according to Nielsen.
What is Trump expected to say?
While we don’t yet know what Trump will say or announce during his address, it is expected that he will touch on tensions with Iran amid ABC News’ reports that he is considering a range of options for military strikes against Iran, including a possible limited strike aimed at enhancing the United States’ negotiating position.
When asked last week about the president’s thinking on potentially striking Iran and whether he would address the topic during his State of the Union address, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt implied more information will become clear during his speech.
“I will say with respect to the State of the Union you’ll be hearing more about what is to come from the president’s speech very soon at the appropriate time. It is going to be a very good and powerful speech,” Leavitt said.
Trump’s role in global conflicts was the focus of a video the White House posted on Sunday, saying that the “the State of the Union is STRONG because America is RESPECTED again on the world stage.”
Trump has claimed credit for ending a number of conflicts during his second term and taking limited military action to effect change.
Trump may also discuss his new tariff policy after the Supreme Court struck down most of his global tariffs, a key part of his economic policy, as illegal. Trump will face the Supreme Court justices in person on Tuesday night when he delivers his State of the Union address. The justices who attend are typically seated in front of the president in the first few rows.
Immigration, another key issue for the administration, will likely be discussed as Democrats demand changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — both U.S. citizens — at the hands of federal law enforcement in Minneapolis. Democrats’ demands and the ongoing negotiations with Republicans and the White House have held up funding for DHS, causing an ongoing shutdown of the agency.
Who will be there?
The State of the Union marks one of the rare times all branches of government are under the same roof. The president, members of Congress and Supreme Court justices attend — although all may not be there.
The speaker of the House and vice president sit behind the president while he speaks.
The White House and members of Congress typically invite guests with specific backgrounds and stories that are important to them both personally and politically — people they want to thank, to honor or even to highlight a particular issue.
Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin and Suhas Subramanyam shared their guests would be Sky and Amanda Roberts — the brother and sister-in-law, respectively, of the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a survivor of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Who is speaking for the Democratic Party?
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to Trump’s State of the Union address.
Spanberger’s 2025 win, which flipped control of the governor’s mansion from red to blue, marked the first time a woman has held the position in Virginia.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week that in her speech, Spanberger “will lay out a clear path forward: lower everyday costs, protect healthcare, and defend the freedoms that define who we are as a nation.”
California Sen. Alex Padilla will deliver the Spanish-language response.
Dozens of Democrats are poised to skip Trump’s State of the Union address, opting instead to attend a counterprogram sponsored by MoveOn.org on the National Mall. The optics of their absence may not be apparent inside the chamber, as the Senate, Cabinet, Supreme Court and other dignitaries fill the already-crowded space.
The majority of congressional Democrats are expected to attend. As Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “you don’t let anyone ever run you off of your block.” He has made the case for his caucus to show its presence without any shenanigans or outbursts after Democratic Rep. Al Green was ejected and ultimately censured for shaking his cane and shouting at Trump during last year’s joint address.
ABC News’ John Parkinson, Lauren Peller and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.
A view of the site where Mexican Army troops killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho,’ leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (Jalisco New Generation), during a federal operation in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico on February 22, 2026. (Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — President Claudia Sheinbaum said there is a “greater calm” in Mexico on Monday, a day after violence ignited in the country following the killing of the drug lord known as “El Mencho.”
Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed in an operation led by Mexican authorities on Sunday in Jalisco, Mexican officials said.
Widespread cartel-organized violence erupted following his death, with vehicles set on fire, hundreds of road blockages and attacks on gas stations and businesses, according to Mexican authorities.
“Today there is greater calm,” Sheinbaum said during a press briefing Monday. “The public can rest assured that peace, security, and normalcy are being safeguarded across the country.”
Sheinbaum said that as of Monday morning, there are no longer any blockades and “normal activity has largely been restored.”
Oseguera Cervantes was one of the most wanted criminals in both Mexico and the United States. He was one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into the U.S., and last year President Donald Trump designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the White House said.
When Mexican forces moved in to arrest him on Sunday, “El Mencho’s security detail opened fire,” Mexico’s Secretary of National Defense Ricardo Trevilla Trejo said Monday.
El Mencho “fled the location, leaving behind a group heavily armed,” Trevilla said. “The attack by organized crime members was extremely violent.”
Mexican special forces members continued to pursue El Mencho and eventually were able to injure him and two of the bodyguards with him, according to Trevilla.
El Mencho and the two bodyguards died during the helicopter evacuation flight that was heading towards a medical facility in Jalisco, Trevilla added.
Ultimately, 25 members of the Mexican National Guard and 30 cartel members were killed in Jalisco, Mexican officials said. Four cartel members were also killed in Michoacan, officials said.
Among those killed was a “principal confidant” of El Mencho in Jalisco who was “coordinating road blockades, vehicle burnings, and attacks on military and government facilities,” Trevilla said.
Seventy cartel members have been detained across seven states, Mexican officials said Monday.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico on Monday continued to urge Americans in locations throughout Mexico to shelter in place due to “ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity.”
“While no airports have been closed, roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with most domestic and international flights cancelled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta,” the U.S. Embassy said in a security alert. “All ride shares are suspended in Puerto Vallarta. Some businesses have suspended operations.”
Ed Sheeran appears on ABC’s ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ (Disney/Randy Holmes)
Ed Sheeran grew up about 15 miles from the town of Ipswich, England, and has a minority stake in Ipswich Town Football Club, his favorite soccer team. He’s also been named the honorary co-mayor of Ipswich — but a completely different Ipswich, halfway around the world.
During his current Australian tour, Ed dropped by the town of Ipswich, located in the Australian state of Queensland, which had launched a massive citywide campaign urging him to visit. While there, he signed a mural of himself that the town had painted in his honor, and added, “There’s a new mayor in town.”
The actual mayor of Ipswich, Teresa Harding, has posted on Instagram photos of herself meeting Ed at his show in Brisbane on Sunday. She wrote, “I had the chance to meet Ed and thank him on behalf of our whole community.” She added, “When he visited Ipswich on Friday, he joked and asked if he was now the new Mayor.”
“So at his concert on Sunday night, I made it official and presented him with the Mayoral chains, naming him an honorary co‑Mayor of Ipswich,” Harding continued.
“He loved it, and while he insisted our Ipswich was the ‘second‑best Ipswich,’ I assured him ours is absolutely number one.”
Ed’s LOOP tour of Australia continues through March 5.
Alicia Keys poses at the first anniversary celebration of Alicia Keys musical “Hell’s Kitchen” on Broadway at The Shubert Theatre on April 09, 2025. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage)
It’s been 25 years since fans were introduced to Alicia Keys via her debut single, “Fallin.'” In an interview with People, she describes how she feels about the song’s milestone anniversary.
“I’m not sure how I wrap my head around this whole existence called life. It’s very crazy and wonderful and exciting and amazing,” she said. “And just thinking back to that girl in me at that time and how she had no idea, none. That she was completely what you call ‘fake it till you make it’ — that’s what she was doing, and she did a damn good job.”
Alicia added that she’s appreciative of the 20-year-old version of her “because she was strong, she was clear.”
“Even though she didn’t know everything, she knew what she didn’t want and she knew what she had to hold onto,” she said, “and that was authenticity and truth and honesty and music.”
“So I’m very proud because I recognize her in me today. So that’s a beautiful thing,” Alicia concluded, noting she has “not even hit the tiny bit of where I’m going.”
“Fallin'” topped the Billboard Hot 100 on Aug. 18, 2001, and spent six nonconsecutive weeks at #1. It also won song of the year, best R&B song and best female R&B vocal performance at the 44th annual Grammy Awards.
The song appears on her debut album, Songs in A Minor, and was featured in Keys’ Broadway musical, Hell’s Kitchen, which ended its run at the Shubert Theatre Sunday.
Keys’ husband, Swizz Beatz, congratulated her for the run. “700 shows on broadway and now on to the world tour My love we’re so proud of you beyond !!” he wrote. “Congrats on this amazing run and leaving NYC with the trophy’s [sic].”
