The Weeknd‘s hit “Blinding Lights” has more than 5 billion streams on Spotify, while its music video has officially crossed the 1 billion-view mark on YouTube. It’s his seventh video to reach the milestone, reaching the milestone following hits including “The Hills,” “Die for You” and “Starboy,” which, while successful, didn’t reach the same level as “Blinding Lights.”
In case you missed it, Lady Gaga has now shared her reimagined Grammys performance of “Abracadabra” on Instagram. She revealed that her outfit, featuring an intricate basket-like headpiece, was archival Alexander McQueen from the late designer’s Fall/Winter 2009 The Horn Of Plenty collection. Gaga noted that the performance was “In memory of and inspired by Lee,” which is McQueen’s nickname.
Glossy.com reports that Selena Gomez‘s Rare Beauty cosmetics line has become Ulta Beauty’s largest brand debut in the retailer’s history.
A remix of Tame Impala‘s hit “Dracula,” featuring BLACKPINK‘s Jennie, is set to drop on Feb. 6.
‘Kerplunk’ album artwork. (Lookout Records/Reprise Records)
The cover of Green Day‘s Kerplunk is coming to life with the Kerplunk girl action figure.
A toy based on the cover of the punk trio’s 1991 sophomore album is being released by the company Super7.
The figure recreates the Kerplunk girl’s hair and daisy T-shirt, and comes with a smoking gun accessory.
The cover of Kerplunk features a drawing of a girl based on a character named Laurie L. created by Larry Livermore, founder of the label Lookout Records. The original album featured an insert purported to be written by Laurie L., an obsessed Green Day fan who murders her parents to go on tour with the band.
You can order your Kerplunk girl action figure now via Super7.com.
Meanwhile, you can catch Green Day perform ahead of Super Bowl 60 on Sunday during the game’s opening ceremony, airing at 6 p.m. ET on NBC.
Cover art for J. Cole’s ‘The Fall-Off’ (Dreamville Records/Interscope Records)
With The Fall Off arriving Friday, J. Cole has shared the album’s back cover, revealing the track lists for both sides of the double disc. As he’s done with each reveal tied to the project, he also provided some context, describing the album as a full-circle moment connected to his very first release, The Come Up.
“Some of the very first verses for The Come Up were written when I was just 19 years old,” he wrote on his socials. “The title of that project—the first one I would ever release—had a double meaning. There was the obvious one: my ambitions to ‘come up’ in the rap game.”
The second had to do with his decision to leave Fayetteville, North Carolina, and “‘come up’ to New York City on a dream-chasing mission.”
As Cole notes, The Come Up finds him “telling the world how he’s going to make it and proudly put his unknown city on the map,” complete with skits of phone calls home to his mother and friends ahead of holiday breaks.
Disc 29 tells the story of his return to Fayetteville at age 29, when he was “at a crossroads with the three loves of my life: my woman, my craft, and my city.”
Disc 39 is about his trip to the city at age 39, when he was “older and a little closer to peace.”
The back cover features a photo of Cole’s bedroom walls when he was 15 years old. That image and all other photos included on that version of the album were taken by Cole.
Cole also took a moment to thank “every artist and photographer that cleared these pictures.”
“When this album releases,” he added, “please know that you…are in the music too.”
Singer Barry Manilow performs onstage during the “Manilow: The Last Seattle Concert” at Climate Pledge Arena on July 12, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images)
Barry Manilow has postponed February dates of his Las Vegas residency in order to focus on his health.
Manilow announced in December that he was undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous spot doctors found on his left lung. In a post on social media, Manilow says he’s “doing great and recovering well from his surgery,” noting he’s “been getting exercise and spending some time in the studio, which has been fantastic.”
However, based on the recommendation of his doctor, he’s decided to reschedule his shows at the Westgate Las Vegas so he can stay “focused on healing.”
Postponed shows run from Feb. 12-21, with refunds available to those who can’t make the new dates.
Manilow will then launch his 2026 arena tour on Feb. 27 in Tampa, Florida. He’s scheduled to return to the Westgate from March 26-28.
Taylor Frankie Paul and 18 other former leads of ‘The Bachelorette’ in ‘The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose.’ (John Fleenor/ Disney)
Bachelor Nation, get ready to welcome a brand-new Bachelorette to the franchise.
ABC has announced that a special preview of Taylor Frankie Paul‘s upcoming season of The Bachelorette is coming very soon. The special, which is called The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose, will debut on ABC and Hulu immediately after the Oscars live telecast on March 15.
The new special will find 18 former Bachelorettes gathered together to look back on all of their respective journeys and offer advice to the newest leading lady, Paul.
Former Bachelorettes who will be featured on the special event are Trista Sutter, Meredith Phillips, DeAnnaPappas, Ali Fedotowsky-Manno, Ashley Hebert-Rosenbaum, Emily Maynard-Johnson, Desiree Siegfried, Andi Dorfman-Hart, Kaitlyn Bristowe, JoJo Fletcher, Rachel Lindsay, Becca Kufrin, HannahBrown-Woolard, Tayshia Adams, Katie Thurston, Rachel Recchia, Charity Lawson and Joan Vassos, who is the franchise’s first-ever Golden Bachelorette.
“Consider this our first date. Watch The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose, a special preview of Taylor’s season following the live telecast of The Oscars March 15,” the official Bachelorette account posted to Instagram on Wednesday.
The Bachelorette‘s new season premieres March 22 on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
Fencing surrounds the perimeter of the Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on January 20, 2022 in St Paul, Minnesota. Jury selection begins today in the federal trial of three former Minneapolis Police officers who are accused of violating George Floyds civil rights when he was killed in their custody on May 25, 2020. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
(ST. PAUL, Minn.) — An exasperated and frustrated Department of Homeland Security attorney declared in a stunning moment in court that her job “sucks,” the existing legal process “sucks,” and that she sometimes wishes that the judge would hold her in contempt so she “can have a full 24 hours of sleep.”
Julie Le, who according to public records is a Department of Homeland Security attorney that had been detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s office, was called to testify Tuesday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minn., about why the government has been nonresponsive to judicial orders regarding people in ICE detention.
“What do you want me to do? The system sucks,” Le told Judge Jerry Blackwell, according to a court transcript obtained by ABC News. “This job sucks. And I am trying [with] every breath that I have so that I can get you what you need.”
Blackwell said the administration has routinely not been following court mandates, ignoring multiple orders for detainees to be released that has resulted in their continued detainment for days or even weeks.
“The overwhelming majority of the hundreds [of individuals] seen by this court have been found to be lawfully present as of now in the country,” said Blackwell. “In some instances, it is the continued detention of a person the Constitution does not permit the government to hold and who should have been left alone, that is, not arrested in the first place,” according to the transcript.
Operation Metro Surge has “generated a volume of arrests and detentions that has taxed existing systems, staffing, and coordination between DOJ and the DHS,” Blackwell acknowledged, but said that was no excuse for the government’s lack of response to court orders.
“The volume of cases and matters is not a justification for diluting constitutional rights and it never can be” said Blackwell. “It heightens the need for care. Having what you feel are too many detainees, too many cases, too many deadlines, and not enough infrastructure to keep up with it all is not a defense to continued detention. If anything, it ought to be a warning sign.”
Blackwell also questioned Le regarding why the Donald Trump administration should not be held in contempt for violating court orders.
“I am here as a bridge and a liaison between the one that [is] in jail, because if I walk out – sometimes I wish you would just hold me in contempt, Your Honor, so that I can have a full 24 hours of sleep. I work day and night just because people are still in there,” Le said.
Le also told the judge that she had previously submitted her resignation from her DHS post, “but they couldn’t find a replacement. So I gave them a specific time … to get it done. If they don’t, then by all means, I’m going to walk out,” she said.
An official confirmed to ABC News that Le is no longer detailed to the U.S. attorney’s office. Le did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment.
Le further told Blackwell in court that it was like “pulling teeth” to get a response from ICE regarding judicial orders.
Le said she “stupidly” volunteered for the assignment with DHS because they were “overwhelmed and they need help” and that she has only been in the job for a month.
“When I started with the job, I have to be honest, we have no guidance on what we need to do,” Le told the court.
“You received no proper orientation or training on what you were supposed to do?” Blackwell asked.
“I have to say yes to that question,” Le responded.
Blackwell also questioned Le about concerns he had regarding ICE detainees who were ordered released but that had already been moved to facilities in El Paso or New Mexico, and people who had been unlawfully detained but were told they had to wear an ankle monitor as a condition of their release, “which the court didn’t order because the person was unlawfully detained in the first place.”
“I share the same concern with you, your honor,” Le responded. “I am not white, as you can see. And my family’s at risk as any other people that might get picked up, too, so I share the same concern, and I took that concern to heart.”
“Fixing a system, a broken system,” Le said. “I don’t have a magic button to do it. I don’t have the power or the voice to do it.”
Judge Blackwell began the hearing with a stern admonition that “a court order is not advisory, and it is not conditional,” and “it is not something that any agency can treat as optional while it decides how or whether to comply with the court order.”
“Detention without lawful authority is not just a technical defect, it is a constitutional injury that unfairly falls on the heads of those who have done nothing wrong to justify it. The individuals affected are people. The overwhelming majority of the hundreds seen by this court have been found to be lawfully present as of now in the country. They live in their communities. Some are separated from their families,” Blackwell said.
“The DOJ, the DHS, and ICE are not above the law. They do wield extraordinary power, and that power has to exist within constitutional limits. When court orders are not followed, it’s not just the court’s authority that’s at issue. It is the rights of individuals in custody and the integrity of the constitutional system itself.”
Blackwell adjourned the hearing saying he would all that he heard under advisement.
Noel Gallagher of Oasis performs onstage during the Oasis Live ’25 World Tour at Rose Bowl Stadium on September 06, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Noel Gallagher will receive the songwriter of the year award at the 2026 BRITs, the U.K. equivalent of the Grammys.
The honor recognizes “exceptional songwriting talent, and is decided by a select panel of expert judges.” Gallagher is the fifth songwriter of the year recipient, following Ed Sheeran, Kid Harpoon, RAYE and Charli xcx.
While Gallagher hasn’t actually released any new music over the past year, his reunion with formerly estranged brother Liam Gallagher on the Oasis comeback tour in 2025 was a worldwide phenomenon, selling out stadiums across the globe.
“For more than three decades, Noel has crafted songs that have become part of our collective story – bold, brilliant, and always recognisable,” says 2026 BRIT Awards committee chair Stacey Tang. “His songs have soundtracked memories for multiple generations and defined the spirit of British music globally. Honouring Noel as Songwriter of the Year celebrates a remarkable body of work and a creative force that continues to connect and inspire artists and fans worldwide.”
The 2026 BRIT Awards take place Feb. 28 in Gallagher’s hometown of Manchester, England. Wolf Alice is among the performers.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister speaks at a press conference on Feb. 4, 2026. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
(WIMAUMA, Fla.) — A 14-year-old is in custody after allegedly discussing plans to carry out a shooting at a church in Wimauma, Florida, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced Wednesday.
The teen suspect allegedly “engaged in an online chat room that’s designed or designated for violent extremists,” Chronister said.
The sheriff said that the suspect is also allegedly linked to a Neo-Nazi Satanic group.
The sheriff’s office served a search warrant at the teen’s residence, where they allegedly found multiple firearms, ammunition, and electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material.
Sheriff Chronister said the firearms recovered included one from his father’s nightstand “that he easily could have had access to.”
“Think about the potential of the violence that could have occurred,” Chronister added.
The suspect was arrested at his home on Jan. 31. Just days earlier, the Joint Terrorism Task Force received information from the Internet Predator Unit that they were investigating a computer at the same residence, Chronister said.
In addition to terrorism charges, the suspect is charged with fourteen counts of solicitation or possession of child pornography.
(L-R) Ronald Townson, Lamonte McLemore, Marilyn McCoo, Florence LaRue, Billy Davis, Jr, The 5th Dimension, on ‘The 5th Dimension Traveling Sunshine Show’ television special. (Photo by Andy Sackheim /Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
LaMonte McLemore, one of the founding members of the popular ’60s/’70s soul and R&B group The 5th Dimension, died Tuesday at the age of 90.
According to McLemore’s representative, he passed away at his Las Vegas home from “natural causes following a stroke suffered several years ago.”
The 5th Dimension, whose original members also included Marilyn McCoo and husband Billy Davis Jr., Florence LaRue and Ronald Townson, scored 20 top-40 hits between 1967 and 1973. Those include the #1 track “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” a medley of songs from the musical Hair, which also won the Grammy for record of the year.
Other hits included “Up, Up and Away,” a cover of “One Less Bell To Answer,” “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Wedding Bell Blues” and “Never My Love.”
“Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
Remembering McLemore, McCoo and Davis said in a statement, “All of us who knew and loved him will definitely miss his energy and wonderful sense of humor.” Davis added, “[H]e will certainly be missed.”
“We were more like brother and sister than singing partners,” LaRue added. “I didn’t realize the depth of my love for Lamonte until he was no longer here. His absence has shown me the magnitude of what he meant to me and that love will stay in my heart forever.”
In addition to music, McLemore was a well-known photographer in areas of entertainment, sports and editorial portraiture, with his photos featured in Jet magazine.
(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.
California’s mid-decade map change was backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democratic Party in response to efforts by Texas and other Republican-led states to redraw their maps — at President Donald Trump’s urging — in order to give Republicans a better chance at retaining majority control of Congress.
“Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more Congressional seats in Texas. He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November,” Newsom posted on X on Wednesday after the Supreme Court’s order.
The California Republican Party in January filed an emergency application with the nation’s high court to try to prohibit California from using the map while their appeal moved forward, arguing it was drawn predominantly based on race.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday did not explain its decision in a single-sentence order. There were no noted dissents.
Late last year, the Supreme Court declined to block the Texas map, citing a desire to refrain from interference in the political process too close to an election and broad deference to state legislators who insisted they acted in good faith and no racial animus.
