Here’s an update on what’s going on in the world of One Direction and its members, past and present.
First, the video for one of 1D’s most popular songs, “Story of My Life,” has hit 1 billion views on YouTube. The 2013 song, from the album Midnight Memories, is the boy band’s third video to hit that milestone. The others are 2011’s “What Makes You Beautiful” and 2015’s “Drag Me Down.”
Next, Harry Styles‘ Pleasing lifestyle brand has now branched out into underwear. Pleasing Ribbed is a collection of ribbed cotton undershirts and boxer briefs, available in sizes XS to 5XL. The collection is available in black, light blue, brown and lavender.
And finally, ZAYN‘s new movie 10 Lives just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The animated comedy is about a cat who uses up all his nine lives and has to beg for another chance. ZAYN voices two side characters and sings original songs, as well. At one point, he duets with a character voiced by Bridgerton star Simone Ashley. The movie arrives in theaters November 8.
(WASHINGTON) — Last week’s Iowa caucuses posed something of a Rorschach test for one of the biggest questions of the 2024 cycle: Will Donald Trump’s GOP continue to shed suburban support — or will enough of them return to the Republican base when faced, again, with choosing him or Joe Biden?
The history of Trump’s problems in the suburbs came back into the spotlight after the Republican nominating race kicked off with Iowa’s caucuses on Jan. 15, where Trump’s margins of victory in many suburban counties were smaller than in rural counties.
Those results followed years of Republican atrophy in such areas, culminating in 2020 losses in key swing states fueled by defections from voters living near major cities like Atlanta, Phoenix and beyond.
But Trump still ended up winning 98 out of 99 counties in Iowa — only losing the last county to Nikki Haley by one vote — including many he failed to take in 2016, the last time there was an open GOP race and before he was bogged down by Jan. 6, two impeachments and four indictments. (He denies all wrongdoing.)
That had GOP allies as well as skeptics and critics of the former president telling ABC News they believe President Biden’s reputation (evidenced by his weak approval rating) and record on inflation and the cost of living are problematic enough to give Trump a chance to win back some of the suburbanites who’ve been voting against Republicans since he first ran for president.
“He actually did a little better in the suburbs than I thought he would. I think Nikki Haley underperformed somewhat. Rubio won those counties, Nikki came closer but didn’t win them,” veteran Iowa GOP strategist David Kochel, who has been critical of Trump, told ABC News, referencing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s 2016 GOP campaign.
Teresa Horton Bumgarner, the chair of the Republican Party in Johnson County just outside Cedar Rapids, considered Iowa’s most liberal enclave and where Trump lost to Haley, estimated that he still has “very strong” appeal in the suburbs and that “coming in and only losing by one vote is a huge victory.”
To be certain, Republican boasts of Trump’s strength in the suburbs run counter to the party’s performances in the cycles after he first emerged as a major candidate in 2015.
Democrats retook the House two years into Trump’s term and then Republicans lost both the White House and the Senate in 2020. All three defeats were fueled, in part, by Trump or the GOP losing votes in key suburban areas.
For instance, Trump lost Johnson County by more than 43 points in 2020, the largest margin of defeat for a Republican in a presidential race there in decades.
He also fell short in 2020 in swing states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin after underperforming around major cities like Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee and Phoenix.
But now, Republicans told ABC News, Trump, if and when he wins the 2024 nomination, is expected to face off against a president with a record marred by negative perceptions of the economy and worries over his age and fitness.
Biden had just a 33% approval rating in an ABC News/Ipsos poll from this month — with only 31% of adults approving of how the president is handling the economy.
Some surveys also show Trump ahead by healthy margins in key battlegrounds like Arizona and Georgia, according to 538’s averages.
“You don’t win those states without doing well in the suburbs,” said Robert Blizzard, a GOP pollster whose firm worked for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ now-ended presidential campaign.
“If you look at ’20, the swing voters in ’20 that decided to pull the lever for Biden and not for Trump, they were thinking much more with their hearts than they were with their heads or with their wallets,” Blizzard added. “And I think now as you head into ’24, I think a lot of those voters are now thinking with their heads and with their wallets.”
Even some of the 49% of Iowa Republicans who rejected Trump in the caucuses last week are expected to find their way home to their party’s nominee come November, strategists said.
“It’s a binary choice … and I can’t imagine many choosing Biden,” said Terry Sullivan, a GOP strategist who worked on Rubio’s 2016 campaign.
Nonpartisan pollster Mike Noble noted some suburbanites could choose Trump due to economic “pain points.”
“Certain people think it’s unfathomable that they would vote for Trump, and I have to always explain to them is that it’s not that they’re voting for it, it’s that they have realistically an A/B choice. And of the A/B choice, it’s kind of saying, ‘Hey, would you like anthrax or Ebola?’ And it’s like, both are pretty crappy, but they got to pick one,” Noble said.
Still, some of the Republicans who spoke with ABC News warned not to underestimate the headwinds Trump has and could continue to face in appealing to suburban voters.
These experts pointed to signs suggesting the public still largely rejects what happened on Jan. 6 — and disapproves of Trump’s conduct around the U.S. Capitol attack — as well as the ongoing electoral backlash to the elimination of federal abortion protections.
“People just don’t have confidence in Biden,” said Sam DeMarco, the GOP chair in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. “But I don’t know that that repels people. I think with some … they have a visceral reaction to Trump.”
In 2020, Biden notched a 20-point win in Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh and some of its suburbs. That was the biggest win for a Democratic presidential candidate there in more than 20 years.
“I’m worried about me being able to raise money for a county party because I have people that will not give if they believe any of it will be used to help [Trump],” DeMarco said. “While I believe that the Biden administration is an unmitigated disaster, I’m concerned that we may not have learned from 2020 and the elections since, and we are headed down a road to ruin here if we don’t get it together.”
Democrats, meanwhile, said they feel more sure-footed in the suburbs — as does Biden’s campaign — despite the many polls that portend problems for his reelection bid.
“The broad, diverse coalition that sent Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House has only grown with the strong wins of the Biden-Harris Administration — delivering for the voters who will decide this election on the issues that matter most, while Donald Trump triples down on a losing agenda of ripping away abortion rights and cutting taxes for the ultra-wealthy while the middle class bears the cost,” campaign spokesperson Seth Schuster said. “Like we’ve seen election after election, Donald Trump’s MAGA agenda is a losing agenda, and November 2024 will be no different.”
Democratic pollsters who spoke to ABC News also expressed confidence that Biden will have a chance for a clear one-on-one contrast with Trump based on a potent issue set of abortion rights and democratic norms.
With more than 10 months to go until Election Day, Biden has already been trying to spotlight both — as the GOP hammers him over his stamina and inflation, immigration and foreign affairs.
“Biden needs to needs to rehabilitate himself some with those voters, but unlike Trump, who those voters have been voting against three-plus straight elections, I think Biden has more ability to get a fair hearing to communicate with those voters as to what Biden has done and will do a president, compared to Trump, who I think really the ship has sailed in a lot of ways for,” Democratic pollster Zac McCrary said.
“If non-Trump Republicans in 2022 were not able to make meaningful headway, by and large, in a lot of these races, then Trump himself is much more of a flawed vessel for that,” McCrary said.
Another Democratic pollster, who requested anonymity to discuss the race because of professional concerns, insisted there’s a path for Biden to preserve his standing with suburbanites through a “two-step dance” of touting economic progress while making clear “there is still a long way to go” and underscoring the danger Biden believes Trump poses to the nation’s societal fabric.
But, when asked about Biden’s ability to pull that off, this pollster said: “Well, that’s the question, isn’t it?”
The pollster was “very, very cautiously optimistic,” they said — but added this: “Underline very and cautiously.”
(NEW YORK) — Injuries, overtraining and burnout are contributing to a high dropout rate in youth sports, according to a new report from the nation’s leading group of pediatric doctors.
The report, released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics, found that 70% of kids drop out of organized youth sports by age 13.
In addition, nearly 1 in 10 youth athletes experience burnout, and as many as 35% experience overtraining, according to the report.
“Sports are such a powerful and fun motivator to keep youth physically and mentally active, but some youth may feel pressure from parents, coaches and others to measure success only by performance,” Joel S. Brenner, M.D., MPH, a fellow of the AAP and an author of the report, said in a statement shared by the AAP.
Here are three questions answered about the AAP’s report and takeaways for parents.
What are the details of the report?
The AAP’s latest report replaces its first clinical report on the topic of kids and sports, which was released in 2007.
The report is meant to be a guidebook for pediatricians in how to treat youth athletes, both mentally, with risk factors like burnout, and physically.
The report notes that youth sports are the “primary route to physical activity” for kids in the United States, and can help promote lifelong habits of physical activity that help people both mentally and physically.
Noting the high percentage of kids who drop out of youth sports, the report states, “Discontinuation of sports during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of adolescents in the United States who fail to meet physical activity recommendations.”
What are signs of burnout and overtraining?
Symptoms of burnout may include fatigue, sleep problems, muscle pain, weight changes and decreased enjoyment in sports.
Overtraining is when athletes have decreased performance with persistent fatigue or mood changes. It is estimated to affect 35% of young athletes by the time they reach adulthood.
Overuse injuries are also common in youth athletes, which researchers suspect is because young growing bones are less tolerant of stress than those of adults.
Single sport athletes, girls, children who are overweight and those who engage in repetitive movements such as running, pitching and gymnastics were found to be at higher risk for these injuries.
“Whether training is specialized or multisport, it becomes a problem when an athlete no longer has any free play time or opportunity to engage in other non-sport-related activities,” Andrew Watson, M.D., MS, a fellow of the AAP and another co-author of the report, said in a statement.
What does the report recommend for kids and sports?
To play safely, the AAP recommends young athletes participate in no more than one sport per day and ensure at least one day of rest per week, in addition to two to three months off from each sport per year.
Children and teens interested in endurance sports such as marathons should discuss their supervised training plans and undergo an evaluation prior with their pediatrician, according to the report.
Parents can also help young athletes by promoting good nutrition and sleep habits to help kids “optimize recovery,” according to the report.
The AAP acknowledges in the report that organized sports can be beneficial for kids.
Playing organized sports can help support psychosocial development, according to the report, as well as help children and teens meet their recommended physical activity of 60 minutes a day, as long as it is done in a way that is well-rounded, age-appropriate and fun.
The AAP recommends parents and coaches “measure success” in ways beyond wins and losses, noting that it should be based on the participation and effort, as well as “skill acquisition, safety and sportsmanship.”
“It’s important to teach our athletes to focus on wellness and to listen to their bodies,” Brenner said in a statement. “We can encourage mindfulness, time away from sports and other ways to prevent injury or burnout. If you have questions, always talk with your pediatrician.”
Erin Hannon, MD is a resident physician in pediatrics from Columbia University/New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
Lucasfilm has released the trailer to the third and final season of its acclaimed animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
The 15-episode season kicks off with a three-chapter premiere on Wednesday, February 21.
Created by Clone Wars Emmy winner and The Mandalorian executive producer Dave Filoni, the third season has the remaining heroes pledging themselves to a final mission against a growing Empire: to rescue Omega, their special young clone friend.
Lucasfilm teases, “[T]he Batch will have their limits tested in the fight to reunite with Omega as she faces challenges of her own inside a remote Imperial science lab.”
It continues, “With the group fractured and facing threats from all directions, they will have to seek out unexpected allies, embark on dangerous missions, and muster everything they have learned to free themselves from the Empire.”
The action-packed trailer also sees the unexpected return of some fan favorites, including the bounty hunter Cad Bane, seen in live-action in The Book of Boba Fett, and Asajj Ventress, the former Sith apprentice from The Clone Wars animated series. This season again features voice stars Wanda Sykes, Keisha Castle-Hughes and Dee Bradley Baker as all the clones.
Lucasfilm is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
Ann Reynolds, Chris Kilmer, and Caitlyn Goodhue, ABC News
(QUINCY, Ill.) — When Becky Bliefnick was found murdered on February 23, 2023, in her Quincy, Illinois, home, the city was left reeling over the shocking crime.
“Our entire city was on edge because no one was able to explain what happened,” Chief of Quincy Police Department Adam Yates said.
At the time of her death, Becky was divorced from her husband Tim, and during two years of separation and a protracted divorce the two lived just blocks apart and shared custody of their children.
Tim Bliefnick’s friends described him as a man who found humor in everything and as someone who loved the spotlight. He was often seen on his TikTok videos telling hokey dad jokes and he also performed in community theater.
“Tim was always very goofy and very fun,” said Bliefnick family friend Rachael, who asked ABC News to use only her first name. “Every time you saw him, he would run up and hug you and be like, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’”
Becky was an athlete, a sunshine blonde who met Tim in college. When Becky and Tim decided to marry, there was no ring or honeymoon because they decided to use the money to buy a home. As their family grew, Becky enrolled in nursing school, pursuing a certification as a nurse practitioner.
Becky’s sister, Sarah Reilly, described her as a devoted mother who was “a people person.”
“She can walk into a room and talk to anybody, and they would be her best friend by the end of the night,” Reilly said.
The murder of Becky Bliefnick is part of a new ABC News “20/20″ limited series premiering Monday, January 22, and streaming the next day on Hulu, called “Bad Romance,” which tells the stories of the husbands, wives and lovers who ended up destroying lives.
Eleven years into their marriage, Tim won a spot as a contestant on the popular game show “Family Feud.” Becky was not a part of the show.
“What’s the biggest mistake you made on your wedding day?” host Steve Harvey asked during the game.
Tim is then seen making a joke that may have given their family, friends and the public a glimpse into some possible cracks forming in Tim and Becky’s marriage.
“Honey, I love you,” Tim answered to Harvey on the show, “but – said, ‘I do!’”
It was a funny answer for the show, and friends may have thought it was just Tim’s sense of humor peeking out. But Tim filed for divorce weeks after his appearance on the game show.
Then, on February 23, 2023, while the Bliefnicks’ three children were sleeping at Tim’s house and Becky was at her home alone, an intruder broke into Becky’s home through a second-floor window.
Police later discovered her body in the bathroom with 14 gunshot wounds.
As part of their investigation, authorities said a surveillance camera in the neighborhood provided a mysterious clue about who could have killed Becky: a ghostly figure on a bicycle patrolling the streets in the middle of the night. Was it Tim, or was there another suspect who would eventually draw the attention of police?
Lainey Wilson and Coors Light have teamed up for a new partnership.
As part of the collaboration, Coors Light will join Lainey as the official partner on her upcoming Country’s Cool Again Tour.
“Hold my beer because I’m going on tour with Coors Light,” Lainey says in a statement. “2024 is going to be another rule breaking year, and I’m thrilled to have Coors Light along for the ride. We can’t wait to bring moments of chill to all my fans across the U.S on my upcoming ‘Country’s Cool Again’ tour, and through some fun surprises we have in store.”
“Music is the universal language of chill — just like Coors Light, it brings people together and can refresh any moment, person or room,” adds Marcelo Pascoa, vice president of marketing for the Coors Family of Brands. “Lainey Wilson puts her own country spin on chill and we’re pumped to join her on tour and wherever she is connecting with fans.”
The new partnership will include a fresh advertising campaign and exclusive Lainey Wilson x Coors Light merch, which is available for purchase now.
For more information on the newly launched collab, head to Coors Light’s Instagram.
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Navy has identified the two SEALs lost in the waters of the Gulf of Aden during a risky nighttime mission to board a boat carrying Iranian-made missile parts to Yemen.
On Sunday, U.S. Central Command announced the end of an exhaustive 10-day search and rescue operation involving multiple aircraft and surface ships to look for the two missing SEALs over a 21,000 square mile area.
The military is now conducting recovery operations for the two service members, CENTCOM said Sunday night.
The two SEALS were aboard a small Navy craft that was approaching the smuggling boat on the night of Jan. 11, when one of the SEALs fell into rough waters and, following protocol, a second SEAL dove into the water in a rescue attempt, according to officials.
The incident remains under investigation the Navy said Monday.
The two missing SEALs were identified as Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram, both of whom were serving with a U.S. West Coast-based SEAL team.
Chambers, aged 37, enlisted in the Navy on May 17, 2012, and graduated from boot camp at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Ill., in July 2012. He had served with west coast-based SEAL units since graduating from SEAL qualification training in Coronado, Calif., in 2014.
Chambers’ awards and decorations include the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat “C,” three Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and other personal and unit awards.
Ingram, aged 27, enlisted in the Navy on Sept. 25, 2019, and graduated from boot camp at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Ill., in November 2019. Ingram and had also served with West Coast-based SEAL units since graduating from SEAL qualification training in Coronado, Calif., in 2021. His awards and decorations include various personal and unit awards.
“We extend our condolences to Chris and Gage’s families, friends, and teammates during this incredibly challenging time. They were exceptional warriors, cherished teammates, and dear friends to many within the Naval Special Warfare community,” said Capt. Blake L. Chaney, the commander, of Naval Special Warfare Group 1.
“Chris and Gage selflessly served their country with unwavering professionalism and exceptional capabilities,” said Chaney. “This loss is devastating for NSW, our families, the special operations community, and across the nation.”
On Monday, President Biden also issued a statement praising the two Navy sailors.
“Jill and I are mourning the tragic deaths of two of America’s finest—Navy SEALs who were lost at sea while executing a mission off the coast of East Africa last week,” said the statement.
Over ten days, the United States military conducted an extensive search and rescue mission. Recovery efforts are still continuing as we grieve this profound loss for our country.,” said Biden.
“These SEALs represented the very best of our country, pledging their lives to protect their fellow Americans,” he added. “Our hearts go out to the family members, loved ones, friends, and shipmates who are grieving for these two brave Americans. Our entire country stands with you. We will never fail to honor their service, their legacy, and their sacrifice.”
(NEW YORK) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 38,000 for the first time ever on Monday, setting a record high and capping a steady rise that stretches back to last week.
The S&P 500 also reached a record high, closing at about 4,850.
The major stock indexes kicked off the year with sluggish performance but began to turn upward in the middle of last week.
The recent surge follows a stellar showing for markets in 2023, driven in large part by optimism about the prospects for a “soft landing,” in which inflation comes down to normal levels while the economy avoids a recession.
Investor enthusiasm about AI also helped drive returns.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
First, there was “Cobra.” Now, there’s “Hiss” — a new song featuring a snake-themed title Megan Thee Stallion is gearing up to release Friday, January 26.
She announced the song on Instagram Monday, revealing the single cover art of herself with a white, open-mouthed snake wrapped around her neck.
Over on Twitter, she released another cover art image, one with no snake and instead a full body display of her dressed in a red cut-out ensemble. In the picture, she stares down at the camera and holds the ceiling in her hand.
Aside from her Reneé RappMean Girls collaboration, “Not my Fault,” “Hiss” will mark Megan’s first release since November’s “Cobra.” It will also serve as her second official single as an independent artist after she severed ties with 1501 Certified Entertainment.
“Hiss” is available for presave on major platforms.
Jon Bon Jovi is set to be honored next month as the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year, and it looks like the occasion may include a Bon Jovi reunion.
Showbiz411’s Roger Friedman reports that former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora will be on hand to help Jon celebrate his big night, although there’s no word on whether he’ll be performing.
Sambora left Bon Jovi in 2013. If the MusiCares gala does include a reunion performance it will be their first performance together since 2018, when all of Bon Jovi performed at their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year gala is set to take place Friday, February 2, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, two nights before the Grammy Awards. A star-studded lineup of musicians is expected to perform Jon’s songs at the event, but so far there’s been no official announcement regarding the lineup.
