Joel Smallbone attends Lionsgate’s ‘The Unbreakable Boy’ New York premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Feb. 19, 2025, in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
A version of “The Little Drummer Boy” by the Australian duo for KING + COUNTRY has been returning to the charts every holiday season for the past few years. Now it seems the song has inspired a movie.
Joel Smallbone will co-direct and star in the film, Drummer Boy, set to hit theaters Nov. 6. A press release describes it as a “Christmas musical about two brothers who find themselves on opposite sides of the American Revolutionary War.”
Joel’s co-director is his brother Ben Smallbone; there are seven Smallbone siblings in all, including Joel’s bandmate Luke Smallbone. Joel and Ben say in a statement that the “fabric of the film” is “a nation built on 250 years of independence” and “a Christmas story that began over 2,000 years ago.”
They go on to say that Drummer Boy is a movie “created by brothers, about brothers,” adding, “We’re humbled beyond words to bring it to life.”
Joel also has a role in Young Washington, a film about George Washington’s early years. It stars Ben Kingsley, Kelsey Grammer, Mary-Louise Parker and Andy Serkis, and will hit theaters on Independence Day weekend.
he Terrorism Containment Center (CECOT) maximum security prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. (Camilo Freedman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday halted a criminal contempt inquiry into former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials for last year’s deportation of more than 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison, marking the second time in less than a year that the probe has been frozen.
A divided panel of judges on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered an end to the inquiry, concluding that the probe into whether the officials knowingly defied a court order with the deportations “encroaches on the autonomy” of the executive branch.
The Trump administration, in March 2025, invoked the Alien Enemies Act — an 18th century wartime authority used to remove noncitizens with little-to-no due process — to deport two planeloads of alleged migrant gang members by arguing that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is a “hybrid criminal state” that is invading the United States.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order and ordered that the planes be turned around, but Justice Department attorneys said his oral instructions directing the flight to be returned were defective, and the deportations proceeded as planned.
Boasberg subsequently sought contempt proceedings against the government for deliberately defying his order, and had concluded that “probable cause exists to find the government in criminal contempt” — but his inquiry was frozen by the same appeals court last year.
When Boasberg attempted to continue with his probe within the confines of the court’s order, the Trump administration filed an interlocutory appeal to stop the investigation outright.
“The district court proposes to probe high-level Executive Branch deliberations about matters of national security and diplomacy,” Judge Neomi Rao, one of two Trump appointees on the panel who ruled in favor of the government, wrote in Tuesday’s order. “These proceedings are a clear abuse of discretion, as the district court’s order said nothing about transferring custody of the plaintiffs and therefore lacks the clarity to support criminal contempt based on the transfer of custody.”
Judge J. Michelle Childs dissented from the majority and argued that Boasberg should have the latitude to proceed with basic fact-finding into the deportations.
“There is no question that there could be much to fear in a factual inquiry about the actions of potential contemnors who may have defied a court order. However, that does not mean that this court must intervene to end a criminal case before it begins, even for the Executive Branch,” she wrote.
In a sharply worded dissent, she argued that “the fate of our democratic republic” depends on whether courts can properly investigate and punish contempt.
“Without the contempt power, the rule of law is an illusion, a theory that stands upon shifting sands,” she said.
Kenny Chesney surprised fans with special appearances by Megan Moroney and Uncle Kracker during his first concert of 2026.
In a set that included “We Do,” “Living in Fast Forward,” “Young,” “Beer in Mexico” and “Keg in the Closet,” the superstar closed the 13th Tortuga Music Festival on Sunday. It was his sixth time headlining the oceanside party on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
A dozen songs into his performance, Uncle Kracker appeared in time to sing the second verse of “When the Sun Goes Down,” going on to do “Follow Me” and “Drift Away.”
“With Kracker playing the festival, we had to do it,” Kenny says. “Nobody makes me laugh harder, brings more soul to that stage or understands this crowd better — and it’s hard to believe anyone can love music as much as we do, but he does.”
From there, Kenny’s set continued with “Get Along” and “All the Pretty Girls,” which was a perfect intro for Megan.
“Megan at our first show in 2026 sets a pretty high bar,” he says. “But between our duet (‘You Had To Be There’) and ‘Am I Okay?,’ her music fits so well with ours, it’s always so much fun when we can sing together. Talk about hitting the beach!”
Kenny kicks off his remaining shows of 2026 June 19 at Sphere Las Vegas.
Rachel Zegler attends The Standard Theatre Awards 2025 winners dinner on March 22, 2026, in London, England. (Dave Benett/Getty Images) | Amanda Seyfried attends the ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ premiere during the 76th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Feb. 19, 2026, in Berlin, Germany. (Dominique Charriau/WireImage via Getty Images)
The cast for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s film adaptation of the musical Octet has been revealed.
Miranda took to his Instagram to reveal the star-studded cast list for his movie adaptation of the Dave Malloy musical on Tuesday. He posted a photo of a rehearsal sign-in sheet, which features the eight names of the main cast members.
Amanda Seyfried, Rachel Zegler, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Phillipa Soo, Gaten Matarazzo, Jonathan Groff, Tramell Tillman and Paul-Jordan Jansen make up the movie’s cast. They will play the roles of Jessica, Velma, Paula, Karly, Toby, Henry, Marvin and Ed, respectively.
“Rehearsals have begun,” Miranda wrote in the post’s caption.
Zegler shared an acknowledgment of her casting in the post’s comment section, simply writing, “hey.”
Soo and Groff’s casting mark a Hamilton reunion. Miranda, of course, created the musical phenomenon and originated the titular role on Broadway. Meanwhile, Soo originated the role of Eliza Hamilton and Groff was the first King George III.
According to an official synopsis, Octet “follows an octet of people struggling with digital dependency, charting their compulsions using only the analog vibrancy of their own voices.”
At the time the project was announced, Miranda said in a press release that he hasn’t “stopped thinking about Octet since I saw Annie Tippe’s premiere production in November of 2019. Dave Malloy’s score is versatile, brilliant and grows more relevant with each passing year. It won’t leave me alone so here we are.”
Malloy is set to adapt his own musical’s book for the film’s screenplay. He will also executive produce the project.
M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold performs during the concert at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot on January 14, 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Gladys Vega/Getty Images)
Avenged Sevenfold has announced their first shows in Australia and New Zealand in 12 years.
The tour consists of four shows in October. The bill will also include Coheed and Cambria and the Australian band Thornhill.
Members of A7X’s Deathbats Club can submit requests for tickets now. Presales begin at 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, and tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday at 11 a.m. local time.
English drummer, singer, songwriter, and former member of the rock band Genesis, Phil Collins performs onstage at the Joe Louis Arena during the first show of the band’s Invisible Touch Tour, on September 18, 1986, in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Ross Marino/Getty Images)
Phil Collins says he’s honored to be chosen as part of the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.
“Obviously I’m pleased and honored to be inducted,” Collins wrote on Instagram. “It wraps up what has been a wonderful life in music.”
This was Collins’ first time being nominated to the Hall of Fame as a solo artist, but it will be his second time as a member of the Rock Hall. He was previously inducted in 2010 as a member of Genesis.
Collins released his debut solo album, Face Value, in 1981, and all eight of his solo albums reached the top 40 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. Two of those albums — 1985’s No Jacket Required and 1989’s …But Seriously — hit #1. In total Collins has sold over 150 million solo records worldwide.
The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and will be taped for broadcast in December on ABC and Disney+.
Olivia Troye, former national security official under the Trump administration, speaks during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Olivia Troye, a former aide to Vice President Mike Pence who was among the highest-profile Trump administration officials to become a vocal critic of the president during his first term, is launching a bid for Congress as a Democrat in Virginia.
Troye served as Pence’s homeland security adviser but spoke out against President Donald Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and has since become a fierce critic of Trump. She also spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention as one of the Republicans supporting then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid.
“They sent MAGA after me. Tried to bankrupt me. Threatened to kill me. They thought they could silence me. They obviously don’t know me very well,” Troye said in a video released by her campaign.
“In 2024, nothing could keep me from telling the truth on the stage of the Democratic National Convention. Because I believe in fighting for what’s right — for those who can’t fight for themselves. That’s why I’m a Democrat and that’s why I’m running for Congress.”
A press release from her campaign says that Troye is set to run in the “new proposed seventh district” in Virginia. That refers to the district lines in a new congressional map proposed by Democrats; voters are deciding in an April 21 statewide ballot measure vote in Virginia if the Democratic-controlled legislature should be allowed to implement it.
The current 7th district is represented by Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman, although under the proposed map Vindman would be in the new 1st district. Troye’s campaign says she is working on helping the measure pass, but would not mount a primary challenge to Vindman if it does not.
Multiple other notable candidates such as former Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, former federal prosecutor JP Cooney, and state Delegate Dan Helmer are also running for the proposed 7th district.
Severe weather outlook for Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (ABC News)
(NEW YORK) — More than 50 million people across the Midwest are bracing for severe weather on Tuesday, a day after baseball-sized hail and multiple tornadoes were reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas.
The threat of damaging storms has shifted slightly south from where strong winds blew the roofs off several buildings on Monday, including the collapse of a nursing home roof in Lodi, Wisconsin.
A level 3 out of 5 “enhanced risk” for severe storms is in place on Tuesday for parts of Iowa, southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, far northern Indiana, far northwestern Ohio and southern Michigan. Strong tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail are possible for parts of the Midwest on Tuesday, including the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, Des Moines, Iowa and Detroit.
A level 3 out of 5 “enhanced risk” for severe storms is also in place on Tuesday for parts of central Oklahoma. Some tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail are possible for parts of the south-central Plains on Tuesday, including Oklahoma City.
A widespread area from the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas to the U.S.-Canadian border in Michigan is under the threat of slightly less severe storms on Tuesday.
Tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma, are possible, along with large hail and damaging winds.
In the Northeast, there is also a chance for severe storms in parts of the region on Tuesday, with damaging wind gusts expected from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire, including the cities of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Binghamton and Albany, New York, and Burlington, Vermont.
The storms are expected to pop up in the Northeast sometime after 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday and continue into the evening.
The severe weather comes after destructive storms hit on Monday in parts of rural Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas.
At least 14 tornadoes were reported on Monday across Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.
The sheriff’s office in Franklin County, Kansas, reported that three people suffered minor injuries when a suspected tornado touched down in Ottawa, Kansas.
Video taken by ABC Kansas City affiliate station, KMBC, showed the roofs ripped off several buildings in the Ottawa area, including a motel in the city.
In nearby Hillsdale, Kansas, in Miami County, more than 50 homes were damaged by a suspected tornado, according to the Red Cross, which was providing support for displaced families.
On Wednesday, severe storms are expected to be in place from Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Tulsa, to southern Wisconsin. Parts of Kansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Ohio, including the cities of Pittsburgh and Cleveland, could also be in the path of severe weather on Wednesday.
In Michigan, heavy rains over the past few days, combined with snow melt, caused flooding on Monday when several rivers, including the Manistee River in northwest Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, overflowed, officials said. Several roads and bridges were washed away in the flood and some homes were damaged by the floodwaters, authorities said.
The Manistee River, near Sherman, Michigan, reached a new record level on Monday and was still rising early Tuesday morning as heavy rain continued to fall. The river has surpassed 18 feet, topping its previous record of 16.9 feet set in April 2014, authorities said.
Residents living downstream from two Michigan dams were advised to evacuate after seepage was found at the base of the Bellaire Dam in Antrim County. The Cheboygan Dam in Cheboygan County, near Lake Huron, was at risk of failing, authorities said Monday night.
Rain in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is expected to taper off on Tuesday afternoon, but another round of thunderstorms is expected to bring more rain to the area on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, increasing the flooding threat and adding pressure to the Bellaire and Cheboygan dams.
The Paramore frontwoman sang lead vocals and played theremin on a cover of the song “Ffunny Ffrends,” originally by the band Unknown Mortal Orchestra, while Tweedy played guitar and provided backup vocals.
“Paramore’s Hayley Williams joins Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy for a special collaboration, putting their own spin on Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s “Ffunny Ffrends” in honor of all of the funny friends who work at The Late Show,” the video description reads.
Williams is currently on a solo tour in support of her 2025 album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. Her show Sunday in New York City featured a surprise appearance by Jason Isbell for a joint performance of his song “Cover Me Up.”
The 52nd American Music Awards (Courtesy of CBS and Dick Clark Productions)
Morgan Wallen and Ella Langley picked up some major all-genre nominations going into the 52nd American Music Awards, which take place on Memorial Day, May 25, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas.
Morgan is up for artist of the year alongside Taylor Swift, who’s the most-nominated artist this year, with eight chances to win. He’s also up for album for I’m the Problem and collaboration for “What I Want” with Tate McRae.
Bailey Zimmerman and BigXthaPlug show up in the collab category, too, for “All the Way,” alongside Shaboozey and Jelly Roll’s “Amen.”
Morgan and Ella compete against each other for song of the year for “I’m the Problem” and “Choosin’ Texas,” which vies for song of the summer, as well. Ella could also take home the new artist trophy.
Megan Moroney gets recognized in the breakout tour category for her Am I Okay? trek, too.
Here’s a rundown of the country categories at the AMAs, with fan voting now open for the CBS/Paramount+ show hosted by Queen Latifah:
Best Male Country Artist Jelly Roll Luke Combs Morgan Wallen Riley Green Shaboozey
Best Female Country Artist Ella Langley Kelsea Ballerini Lainey Wilson Megan Moroney Miranda Lambert
Best Country Duo or Group Brooks & Dunn Old Dominion Rascal Flatts Treaty Oak Revival Zac Brown Band
Breakthrough Country Artist Sam Barber Tucker Wetmore Zach Top
Best Country Song BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman – “All The Way” Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” Morgan Wallen – “Just In Case” Russell Dickerson – “Happen To Me” Shaboozey – “Good News”
Best Country Album BigXthaPlug – I Hope You’re Happy Megan Moroney – Cloud 9 Morgan Wallen – I’m The Problem Sam Barber – Restless Mind Tucker Wetmore – What Not To
