Paul McCartney performs at The O2 Arena on December 18, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Jo Hale/Redferns)
Paul McCartney was a guest on this week’s Goalhanger podcast, The Rest is Entertainment, where he talked about the importance of his iconic Beatles tune “Hey Jude” in bringing folks together.
“Particularly these days, too, you do something like ‘Hey Jude’ and you see this whole audience singing together,” McCartney says. “I mean, in Trump’s America, and the Republicans and Democrats all at each other’s throats — when we do that song, they’re not.”
“They’re all loving it, and it’s like, wow, this is pretty amazing,” he adds. “You know, suddenly this room has forgotten all of that, and is not, you know, going to argue with each other, they’re just going to sing together. So those kinds of things, I think, are valuable.” He notes, “I like that, and I also like it for them.”
In talking about pleasing his audience, McCartney brought up Bob Dylan, noting he has seen him live a couple times and “I couldn’t tell what song the song was he was doing.”
“I get it if he doesn’t want to do ‘Mr. Tambourine Man,’ you know, maybe he’s fed up with that, but I would like to hear it,” he says. “And I’ve paid.”
McCartney is set to appear on another Goalhanger podcast, The Rest is History, which debuts Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. During the appearance he discusses growing up in Liverpool, The Beatles’ creative process and more. He also debuts a clip of the new song “Salesman Saint” from his upcoming album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which will be released May 29.
Jodie Comer attends The 2025 Fashion Awards presented by Pandora at the Royal Albert Hall on Dec. 1, 2025, in London, England. (Lia Toby/Getty Images)
Jodie Comer is the first link in The Chain.
The actress is set to star in the upcoming HBO series The Chain from creator Damon Lindelof. Comer will play Rachel in the limited series, which is based on the bestselling book by Adrian McKinty.
Comer’s casting was announced in an Instagram post on Thursday.
“Meet Rachel,” the caption reads. “Jodie Comer stars in #TheChain, the new Damon Lindelof limited series based off the book by Adrian McKinty.”
McKinty’s 2019 book follows a suburban mom, named Rachel, who has to consider the unthinkable when her daughter is kidnapped. While details on the show are being kept under wraps, a press release from HBO says Lindelof is “expanding the mythology of McKinty’s award-winning thriller.”
HBO ordered The Chain back in January. At the time it was announced, Lindelof said, “From the moment I heard the wild and original premise of Adrian’s book, I was shocked, surprised and angry I hadn’t thought of it myself.”
He continued, “I’ve always wanted to try to adapt a great thriller and this one has all the dark, weird, exhilarating touches that fire up my imagination.”
The music of Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, The Charlie Daniels Band and Rosanne Cash is officially becoming part of American history, as their work joins the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.
Reba’s Rumor Has It album is one of only 25 recordings chosen this year, alongside Rosanne’s 1993 album, The Wheel, The CDB’s “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and Vince’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain.”
“I’ve been writing songs for over 50 years, and if you asked me straight up what’s the one song you’d want to be remembered for, I would pick this one, hands down. Wouldn’t even be close,” Vince says. “In my era of success, it was probably the least charting record I’ve ever had, but what this song has gone on to do for other people is what makes it special to me.”
Ray Charles’ pivotal Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music from 1962 is also part of country’s 2026 contributions, alongside country alum Taylor Swift’s 1989 album.
Other cultural juggernauts like José Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad,” Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” Chaka Kahn’s “I Feel for You” and Gladys Knight and the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia” also enter the collection.
Paul Simon circa 1986 (Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns)/Johnny Flynn attends party for “The Motive And The Cue” December 18, 2023. (Photo by Matt Keeble/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Ripley star Johnny Flynn has been cast to play Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Simon in the new movie The Road Home, according to Deadline.
The film, directed by Bill Condon, is centered around trumpeter Hugh Masekela, played by South African actor Thabo Rametsi, who toured with Simon in support of his 1986 Grammy Award-winning album, Graceland.
The film will also star Cynthia Erivo as vocalist Miriam “Mama Africa” Makeba, who was married to Masekela in the ’60s and also toured with Simon, and Guy Pearce, who plays anti-apartheid advocate Archbishop Trevor Huddleston. Huddleston called for a boycott of Simon, claiming he violated the United Nations cultural boycott of the country by partially recording the album in Johannesburg.
“For me, there are very few stories that could come closer to home than this. I was born in Johannesburg and moved to London in 1985 – just before the album Graceland was released,” says Flynn, also known for his work in Emma and Lovesick. “The music of South Africa – and especially that of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba IS the sound of my childhood. And Graceland was the most played cassette in our car growing up.”
He adds, “It’s such an honour to be invited to tell this story with artists that I admire so much. It’s the story of hope and the power of music.”
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, has been charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head. (U.S. Attorneys Office/District of Hawaii)
(MAUI, Hawaii) — A tourist on vacation in Maui has been arrested and charged for allegedly throwing a large rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, has been charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii.
Lytvynchuk was filmed walking along the shoreline in the Lahaina area of Maui on May 5, tracking the movements of a Hawaiian monk seal, known as Lani, as she pushed a floating log close to the shoreline, according to prosecutors.
Lytvynchuk then picked up a large rock and threw it directly at Lani’s head, prosecutors said. The rock narrowly missed Lani’s nose, causing her to rear up out of the water, according to prosecutors.
Witnesses told investigators the rock was “the size of a coconut,” according to court documents.
Another witness told investigators the seal “clearly seemed hurt,” but Lytvynchuk did not check on the welfare of the animal before walking away, according to court documents.
Witnesses confronted Lytvynchuk, informing him they had contacted law enforcement. Lytvynchuk allegedly responded that he was “rich enough to pay the fines,” before walking away, prosecutors said.
Witnesses reported that Lani remained “largely immobile for an extended period of time after the incident,” causing concern over her welfare, according to prosecutors.
“The unique and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii’s special place in the world and its incredible biodiversity. We are committed to protecting our vulnerable wild species, in particular endangered Hawaiian monk seals, like Lani,” U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said in a statement.
If sentenced, Lytvynchuk could face up to one year in prison for each charge and supervised release, prosecutors said.
Lytvynchuk was arrested on Wednesday and is currently in custody. He is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing on Thursday.
Court records do not list an attorney for Lytvynchuk.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during an event on advancing health care affordability in the Oval Office of the White House, April 23, 2026 in Washington. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — One of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s top public affairs spokespeople resigned from his post over the FDA’s fruit-flavored e-cigarettes authorization and its potential impact on minors, according to a resignation letter to President Donald Trump reviewed by ABC News.
In the letter, Richard Danker, the former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, accuses senior agency officials in Kennedy’s immediate office of approving e-cigarette flavors that would allegedly expose children to “nicotine addiction, lung damage, and a higher risk of cancer.”
Danker also said the vape authorization “undermines” the department’s recent guidance document related to youth risks of flavored nicotine, according to the letter.
He thanked Trump for the “honor of a lifetime” to serve in both presidential administrations. Danker’s work portfolio includes economic regulatory roles, including a senior advisor position at the Department of Treasury during the first Trump administration. Danker hadn’t worked in healthcare prior to his time at HHS.
The Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again movement has touted its focus on combatting chronic disease and improving children’s health. In a statement to ABC News, an HHS spokesperson said Kennedy is advancing the MAHA agenda to confront the chronic disease epidemic head-on.
“Political appointees are here to execute that mission with urgency, discipline, and focus,” according to the spokesperson.
“Individuals who lose sight of the mission and the responsibility they were entrusted with are free to move on from the agency. HHS remains fully committed to delivering results for the American people,” the spokesperson said.
Danker provided ABC News with a copy of the resignation letter, but did not provide further comment.
The White House did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for comment.
The news comes as former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary left office after clashing with the White House over pressure from Trump to authorize the flavored vapes, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The issue has raised concerns with Makary, pediatrician groups and advocacy organizations about the potential impact on minors, ABC News reported.
The FDA approved four new devices made by Glas, including classic menthol, fresh menthol, gold, and sapphire pods. “Gold” is mango-flavored and “sapphire” is blueberry-flavored.
While the FDA said on its website last week that it continues to prioritize the removal of illicit vapes — including those that target minors — the approval of a flavored vape represents a significant shift for the agency.
Makary told ABC News’ Linsey Davis in July, “There is not an approved vaping product in the United States that has one of these cutie-fruity flavors.”
A view of the dome of the Pennsylvania State Capitol. (Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
(LEBANON, Pa.) — A Pennsylvania man who allegedly had a “hit list” and threatened to shoot Democratic state legislators in online posts has been charged with making terroristic threats, court records show.
Adam Berryhill, 42, of Lebanon, allegedly made “politically violent posts” on his X account that included a “hit list,” according to Pennsylvania State Police.
“The posts also included a picture of a firearm and made mention of a ‘Memorial Day Operation,'” state police said in an incident report.
Between April 7 and April 22, Berryhill allegedly posted “hit lists” and claimed to “‘start shooting’ multiple elected officials” in posts on X, according to the criminal complaint.
The 20 victims in the case identified by police in the report are all Democratic members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, including House Speaker Joanna McClinton.
The investigation began on April 28, when a state trooper tasked with conducting regular safety and security checks on McClinton “was alerted to several concerning social media posts” involving her and other state legislators made by an X account named “Pennsylvania Militia,” according to the complaint.
One post on April 7 stated, “I’ll approach every legal avenue and when they all fail I start shootings,” and then listed the names of 18 elected officials, according to the complaint.
Five days later, the account posted, “Can’t wait for the Memorial Day operation,” according to the complaint.
“Oh you like posting hit lists? Here’s mine b——,” the account posted on April 22, listing four officials referred to as “gun grabbing communists,” according to the complaint.
“Conservatives need to stop b——- and whining on this platform. The solution I have is war,” the account posted on April 24, according to the complaint. “Learn the law and know when it’s your God given right to kill your authorities.”
That post also referenced Cody Balmer, who committed an arson attack at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s main residence in Harrisburg last year, according to the complaint.
An earlier post, on March 23, included what is believed to be an original photograph of a gun, “showing [Berryhill’s] possible access to a firearm as a means to carry out the threats,” the complaint stated.
Investigators linked the X account to Berryhill through email records and IP address data, according to the complaint. He was arrested on May 6 and charged with terroristic threats, authorities said.
“The statements made by Berryhill were not isolated or vague, but specific, targeted, and directed toward identifiable public officials, including Joanna McClinton and numerous members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly,” the complaint stated. “These communications included references to ‘hit lists,’ explicit threats of future shootings, and mention of a planned ‘Memorial Day operation,’ indicating premeditation and a potential timeline.”
Berryhill is being held on $250,000 bail. He waived his preliminary hearing, scheduled for Thursday, and his arraignment has been scheduled for June 11.
The Lebanon County Public Defender’s Office said his attorney is not making any statements at this time.
Gov. Shapiro said he has spoken with McClinton and Senate Leader Jay Costa about the threats against members of the state legislature.
“I told them that while these threats of political violence seek to intimidate and silence, my Administration will continue to do everything in our power to keep them safe and ensure their members can continue to make their voices heard as the people’s elected representatives,” Shapiro said in a statement Wednesday.
The leaders of the state legislature condemned the threats.
“These threats are extremely disturbing, not just to the members identified, but to all public figures who are contending with an increasingly hostile environment,” the leaders — McClinton, Costa, Majority Leader Matt Bradford and Republican Leader Jesse Topper — said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
“We condemn any threat against any of our colleagues who are faithfully serving their communities and pledge to support mental health care, intervention, and law enforcement funding that make our state safer,” the statement said.
The governor said that Pennsylvania State Police have implemented a new process to notify state legislators “immediately and directly of any and all threats of violence against them.”
Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse are seen at the Hotel Martinez during the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2026, in Cannes, France. (Arnold Jerocki/GC Images via Getty Images)
Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse are expecting their first child together.
The model and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody star announced that Palvin is pregnant with their first child in an Instagram post on Thursday.
In the post, which Palvin created and collaborated on with Sprouse, the happy couple pose for the camera while they both hold Palvin’s baby bump. They are dressed up to attend the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. Palvin wears a light blue gown while Sprouse is suited in a tuxedo.
The carousel continues with an ultrasound photo of their baby, whose hands look to be raised in the rock music hand gesture, colloquially known as heavy metal horns.
In the post’s final photo, both Palvin and Sprouse copy the same hand gesture. The post is captioned with three heavy metal horns emojis.
ABC News has reached out to Sprouse’s rep for comment.
Sprouse and Palvin were married on July 15, 2023, in Palvin’s home country of Hungary.
In August 2025, Palvin shared that she’d had surgery for endometriosis in an Instagram post.
“For some years now I’ve been dealing with the difficulties that can come with my periods. Fatigue, severe pain, heavy and irregular flow, sleepless nights on the bathroom floor. I thought this was just how it works for me,” Palvin wrote. “[The surgery] helped me a lot, and I’m grateful I did it. Early diagnosis and treatment are very important to prevent long-term complications, and now I’m more mindful about my body to act fast if needed.”
Palvin ended her post by saying she is “excited about this new chapter of my life and now ready to get back to work.”
Michael Banks, chief of the US Border Patrol, speaks during a news conference in Nogales, Arizona, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Ash Ponders/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Michael Banks, the head of U.S. Border Patrol, is stepping down, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott confirmed on Thursday.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Lainey Wilson & Devlin “Duck” Hodges (Disney/Michael Le Brecht)
Lainey Wilson and Devlin “Duck” Hodges were married Sunday, May 10, at Ruskin Cave in Dickson, Tennessee, the couple revealed in an extensive spread via Vogue.
“Pretty inseparable since” being set up on a blind date in 2021, the former NFL quarterback surprised Lainey with a proposal at George Jones’ estate in February 2025.
The two discovered their wedding venue by chance.
“Duck and I were driving backroads in Tennessee and saw a billboard for The Ruskin Cave,” the CMA and ACM entertainer of the year tells Vogue.
On her wedding day, Lainey arrived by horse-drawn carriage, wearing a custom Oscar de la Renta gown emblazoned with tiny Japanese cherry blossoms representing “living in the moment.”
“I have never seen Duck smile as big as he did then,” she recalls. “It made me feel giddy about turning the page into this next chapter of marriage. We were both anxious to say ‘I do!’”
Married on a cobblestone ledge by a waterfall, the two kept their big day true to their roots.
“We wanted it to be special and beautiful, but really welcoming and comfortable,” Lainey says. “Being from Louisiana, I wanted to bring in a little bit of Cajun flair, so naturally we hired a 12-piece jazz band called Rebirth and had a Cajun meal from the chefs at my bar, Bell Bottoms Up.”
After cocktail hour, it was time for the reception in the cave, complete with a prayer from Lainey’s mom.
“Our family and friends know how to have a good time, and the dance floor was packed all night,” Lainey says. “To close out a perfect evening, Duck and I followed the band through a send-off line of sparklers and cheering loved ones, climbed into an old white Ford truck, and drove off!”
