After squeezing in eight January dates on his Full Throttle Tour, Jason Aldean is stepping off the gas — but only for a couple weeks.
“Pennsylvania and New Jersey, you showed OUT,” he said on Wednesday, posting an array of concert photos. “Next up, we’re taking this thing international. Australia and New Zealand, see you guys in TWO weeks!”
Jason’s dates Down Under kick off Feb. 19 at Auckland’s Spark Arena. He’ll play seven concerts before he wraps March 1 at the Sunburnt Country festival in Canberra, Australia.
This will be his inaugural headlining tour in New Zealand and the first time he’s been to Australia in a decade.
His new album, Songs About Us, arrives April 24, featuring his top-five hit “How Far Does a Goodbye Go.”
(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a bid by California Republicans to block a newly redrawn congressional map backed by Democrats and endorsed by voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The move allows the state to move forward with a map enacted by Proposition 50, approved in November, that could potentially allow Democrats to flip five seats currently held by Republicans.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
In this screen grab from a video, law enforcement vehicles are shown at a homeless encampment in Los Angeles, where former NFL player Kevin Johnson was found dead, Jan. 23, 2026. (KABC)
(LOS ANGELES) — Investigators are working to determine whether four murders of homeless people in Los Angeles that occurred between October and January are connected, officials said.
The killings occurred in the same general location, the 1300 block of East 120th Street in the unincorporated area of Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau.
Among the killings was that of former NFL player Kevin Johnson, whom investigators said was found dead on Jan. 21 at a homeless encampment area, as reported by local ABC News station KABC. Johnson, 55, suffered from a blunt force trauma and stab wounds, they said. All four victims lived in homeless encampments, according to officials.
All four murders remain under active investigation.
The string of murders in the Compton Creek area began on Oct. 5, 2025, when a woman, identified as 52-year-old Michelle Steele, was shot in the head, sources close to the investigation told KABC. She died in the hospital on Nov. 12, 2025, they said.
Three weeks later, on Dec. 4, a homeless man identified as 52-year-old Octavio Arias was murdered in the same area, KABC reported. Arias died from head and neck trauma, according to L.A. County Medical Examiner records.
The fourth victim, following the murder of Johnson, was identified as Mauro Alfaro, also in his 50s. Alfaro was killed on Jan. 26, and the cause of death was blunt force trauma, sources told KABC.
Investigators are now looking into the possibility that all four murders were done by the same killer, KABC reported. A suspect has not been identified, sources inside the L.A. County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau told KABC.
Detectives are still trying to determine motives in the killings and trying to figure out if the suspect is someone who is upset with homeless people being in that area, or if drugs or gangs may be involved, sources told KABC. There is no concrete evidence linking the cases together, according to sources.
Johnson played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders from 1995 to 1997, according to KABC.
Bill Gates watches the Women’s Singles Final at the 2026 Australian Open, January 31, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Microsoft founder Bill Gates is speaking out publicly for the first time since the latest release by the Department of Justice of nearly three million pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, saying he was “foolish” to spend time with the late convicted sex predator.
In an interview with 9News Australia, Gates denied any wrongdoing involving Epstein, including unfounded allegations made against the tech billionaire in draft emails Epstein wrote in 2013 that were included in the latest tranche of documents released by the DOJ on Friday.
“Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. Ah, that email was never sent. The email is false,” Gates said in the interview, conducted in Australia and broadcast on Wednesday. “So, I don’t know what his thinking was there. It just reminds me that every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize I did that.”
Gates, 70, spoke out after his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, said in an interview with NPR’s Wild Card podcast, set to air on Thursday, that Bill Gates and other wealthy men named in the Epstein files should answer questions about their association with him.
“Whatever questions remain there … those questions are for those people, and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me,” French Gates said in an excerpt of the interview released by NPR.
French Gates, who finalized her divorce from Bill Gates in 2021, said the details in the latest tranche of files made public brought back memories of “some very, very painful times” in her marriage. She has previously said that her ex-husband’s association with Epstein was one factor of many that led her to seek their divorce.
In the interview with 9News Australia, Gates said he first met Epstein in 2011, which was after Epstein’s 2008 conviction in Florida for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Gates said he thought Epstein could introduce him to other wealthy people who might donate to the Gates Foundation, which has donated billions of dollars globally to “improve health, alleviate extreme poverty, and advance gender equality,” according to its website.
“It’s factually true that I was only at dinners. I never went to the island, I never met any women,” Gates said of his association with Epstein, referring to the latter’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein allegedly sexually exploited dozens of young women and girls. “And the more that comes out, the more clear it will be that, although the time was a mistake, it had nothing to do with that kind of behavior.”
“The focus was always he [Epstein] knew a lot of very rich people and he was always saying he could get them to give money to global health,” Gates added. “You know, in retrospect, that was a dead end, and I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him.”
Asked by ABC about the latest DOJ disclosure in the Epstein case, a spokesperson for Bill Gates said, “These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false. The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.”
Gates was in Australia partly for vacation and partly on behalf of the Gates Foundation to encourage the Australian government to commit more funds to eradicating preventable childhood diseases.
The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office released this image of a man in connection with a homicide, Feb. 2, 2026, in rural Momence near the Illinois/Indiana border. (Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office)
(KANKAKEE COUNTY, Ill.) — A man has been arrested in the death of a bar owner who was fatally shot Monday morning near the Illinois-Indiana state border.
Julius E. Burkes Jr., 47, was arrested Tuesday in Indiana as he was exiting his residence, according to the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office.
Burkes is now being held in Indiana and is awaiting extradition to Illinois, where he will face charges, authorities said.
Burkes is accused of killing Courtney Drysdale, 30, while she was preparing to open the bar just before 11 a.m., when a suspect entered the bar, brandished a firearm and demanded money from the cash register, according to the sheriff’s office.
Despite Drysdale’s cooperation, the suspect allegedly shot her twice “execution style,” Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey said at a press conference Tuesday.
Before fleeing, the suspect attempted to remove what he believed was a digital recording device from a wall, but investigators were able to recover video evidence, Downey said.
“This type of violent behavior has no place in our society, and I am extremely appreciative of the overwhelming support we received from the public, the media as well as our partners in the criminal justice system near and far,” Downey said in a statement after the arrest.
“I want to praise, not only the extraordinary efforts of the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office, the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force, the FBI, the US Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Hammond Police Department on this quick and peaceful apprehension, but I want to commend the community-at-large for coming together and providing quantities of tips and information that ultimately led to this swift arrest,” said Downey.
Selena Gomez attends the 2025 Academy Awards (Disney/Scott Kirkland)
A slew of female pop stars are releasing exclusive vinyl for this year’s Record Store Day, which takes place April 18 across independent record stores nationwide.
Selena Gomez has collected fan-favorite tracks on an EP called Droplets, pressed on clear glitter vinyl. It includes the songs “Wolves,” “Bad Liar” and “Stained.”
Grammy best new artist winner Olivia Dean is putting out a 7-inch vinyl with live performances of “Man I Need” and a cover of Ravyn Lenae’s “Love Me Not,” from BBC 1’s Live Lounge.
Tate McRae is releasing her song “Hung Up On You” on 7-inch neon violet vinyl, with a 2020 live version of “One Day” on the flip side.
Charli XCX is dropping “party 4 u” as a 7-inch single pressed on ultra-clear vinyl.
KATSEYE is releasing a 12-inch vinyl pink and red splatter version of tour arrangements and a cappella versions of their songs “Gabriela” and “Touch.”
Demi Lovato is putting out a 7-inch vinyl version of “Frequency” on buttermilk vinyl, with a remix on the flip side.
Hilary Duff is releasing (Mine), an LP pressed on silver vinyl that features newly rerecorded versions of her greatest hits.
Carly Rae Jepsen is putting out a 7-inch baby blue vinyl version of “Disco Darling,” an unreleased track that fans have been begging for since it leaked online.
The soundtrack to the NBC special Wicked: One Wonderful Night (Live) is coming out as a two-LP set on splatter color vinyl. It features Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and their Wicked cast members, backed by a 37-piece orchestra.
And finally, the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is being released on special effect vinyl with original cover art, a fold-out poster, sticker sheet and three snapshot cards.
Megan Thee Stallion in ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ (Courtesy of NBCUniversal)
You may know her as Megan Thee Stallion, but in The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, she stars as Denise, a recently divorced mom who engages in playful, flirtatious behavior with Daniel Radcliffe‘s Arthur Tobin.
A trailer shows Denise — seemingly dressed in a postal worker’s uniform — locking eyes with Arther while sipping on a drink.
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins officially premieres Feb. 23 at 8 p.m ET on NBC, with Tracy Morgan in the title role. His character, a disgraced former football star named Reggie Dinkins, is attempting a comeback with a rebrand. He asks for Arthur’s help, but he can’t move forward without confronting ghosts from his past.
Erika Alexander, Bobby Moynihan, Precious Way and Jalyn Hall also star in the series.
Cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Record Store Day release ‘Live From Asbury Park 2024’ (Legacy Recordings)
Record Store Day has unveiled its list of exclusive releases for its 2026 celebration, taking place in independent record stores on April 18.
Among this year’s releases:
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band‘striumphant 2024 return to Asbury Park, New Jersey, at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival will be released as Live From Asbury Park 2024, afive-LP or three-CD set, featuring more than three hours of music.
Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts have contributed The Live Album, a double album on clear vinyl, that comes with a lyric poster.
Joni Mitchell’s 1972 album For The Roses is being released with the original artwork Joni had submitted for the record. It was vetoed by music exec David Geffen because he didn’t like the images of roses coming out of a horse’s behind.
Def Leppard’s sixth studio album, 1996’s Slang, will be released on two-LP pink vinyl, featuring B-sides and rarities personally curated by frontman Joe Elliott.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers have contributed July 16, 1978 – Paradise Theater, Boston, MA, a previously bootlegged concert, getting its first official release on pink and green translucent splatter color vinyl.
The Who is releasing the 1966 album A Quick One on two-LP colored vinyl. It will include the original album along with an LP of B-sides, alternate versions and instrumentals.
Robert Plant and his band Saving Grace have recorded a new four-song EP, Saving Grace: All that GlitterswithSuzi Dian.
RSD 2026 will also feature releases from David Bowie, The Cars, Jerry Garcia, Bryan Adams, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Brian Wilson, Stewart Copeland, Foreigner, Peter Gabriel, Grateful Dead, Rod Stewart, John Lennon, George Harrison and Steely Dan.
For the full list of releases and all participating stores, visit RecordStoreDay.com.
National Guard soldiers respond to a shooting near the White House on November 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. At least two National Guardsmen have been shot blocks from the White House. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The man accused of ambushing West Virginia National Guard members near the White House in November, where one was killed and another severely wounded, pleaded not guilty in federal court on Wednesday.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan, was arraigned on nine charges, including first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill and illegal possession of a firearm.
Lakanwal appeared in court on Wednesday in a wheelchair, seemingly still recovering from the injuries prosecutors say he sustained in the incident.
The Justice Department’s push for the death penalty remains incomplete, with prosecutors telling Judge Amit Mehta that none of the current charges allow them to seek capital punishment. Prosecutors said in court they are reviewing potential additional charges that could make the case death penalty-eligible. Lakanwal is due back in court in early March.
“We will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News in November.
While the District of Columbia abolished the death penalty decades ago, prosecutors can still seek capital punishment in federal court, where Lakanwal’s case is being handled, under limited circumstances. It remains unclear what additional charges the Justice Department is pursuing — officials with the department did not return a request for comment.
Lakanwal was one of thousands of Afghans evacuated to the United States after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 and his application for asylum was approved in 2025 under the Trump administration.
Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died of her injuries on Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe suffered a gunshot wound to the head and remains in recovery.
Court documents say Lakanwal shot Beckstrom and Wolfe in the back of the head with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. A National Guard major returned fire, and another Guard officer subdued Lakanwal. Wolfe is still recovering and will have cranioplasty, or skull reconstruction surgery, in March, according to Melody Wolfe, his mother.
In Afghanistan, Lakanwal was affiliated with a so-called Zero Unit, working closely with the CIA and special operations, ABC News reported in December. He was considered a trusted member of the unit, which carried out U.S. counterterrorism missions, officials with direct knowledge explained.
Investigators believe Lakanwal was under financial strain after his work permit expired and may have been experiencing a mental health crisis, sources told ABC News. Investigators are also examining whether the recent death of an Afghan commander Lakanwal had worked with and might have admired may have worsened his mental and emotional state, according to sources.
The two guard members were a part of President Donald Trump’s surge of troops into Washington, D.C., for law enforcement. After the shooting, the president deployed an additional 500 guard members into D.C., where some 2,600 are currently deployed performing civic duties like cleaning garbage off the street and patrolling the city’s tourist spots and Metro rail stations.
The guard deployment will last through 2026, two officials told ABC News in January.
Brent Faiyaz attends the Dior Homme Menswear Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 21, 2026, in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurore Marechal/Getty Images)
Brent Faiyaz is gearing up to release the follow-up to 2022’s Wasteland. The singer announced his next project, Icon, is set to drop on Feb. 13.
Brent revealed the news with a trailer highlighting the everyday lives of people in the DMV, and also unveiled the artwork — a closeup photo of his face with his eyes closed and thumb resting on his nose. Alongside both the trailer and artwork Brent wrote the word “icon” in 17 different languages, including English.
Icon will feature 10 new tracks from Brent, with Raphael Saadiq serving as executive producer. The project is being mastered by Mike Dean, whose credits include Kanye West‘s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Travis Scott‘s Astroworld. It’s now available for preorder.
