Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Man’s Best Friend’ (Island Records)
Sabrina Carpenter gave her fans a gift on Christmas: She released what had previously been a vinyl-only bonus track to streaming services.
“to thank you for such a beautiful year …and to supply whoever needs a cathartic christmas crashout song… Man’s best friend bonus track edition with one of my favorites ‘Such a Funny Way’ is now officially available on streaming,” she wrote on Instagram.
Sabrina also released a lyric video for the track, which shows her all glammed up at a fancy event, surrounded by men.
“i love you guys so much,” she continued. “Thank you for caring for these songs the way i do and for such a special 2025!! I feel lucky to know there’s still so much good to come.”
After it made its debut on the vinyl deluxe version of Sabrina’s album Man’s Best Friend, “Such a Funny Way” became available for digital download in September. She wrote on Instagram, “‘Such a Funny Way’ is a song i am so proud of. the sentiment is one i always thought could really be the end of Mans Best Friend in another universe!”
Jason Aldean and Brittany Aldean attend the grand opening of Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Bar in Las Vegas, December, 2024 (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany Aldean,expanded their family menagerie by two on Christmas.
Brittany posted video on her Instagram of their kids going on a scavenger hunt throughout the house and finding an English bulldog puppy named Romeo. As they were freaking out over that, Brittany was losing it over a brand new piglet that Jason brought into the kitchen right as she was about to cook bacon, no less.
The Aldeans already have a pig named Betty, which is why you see their son, Memphis Aldean Williams, asking, “Did Betty have a baby?” Turns out Romeo isn’t related to Betty, but the two appear to be getting along.
Meanwhile, Jason’s daughter Kendyl Williams, from his first marriage, was gifted a brand-new Ford Bronco.
Jon Pardi‘s wife, Summer Pardi,wrote in the comments, “This made my entire year.”
Bono and Imelda May take part in the annual Christmas Eve busk on Grafton Street in Dublin, in aid of homeless charity, the Simon Community. Picture date: Wednesday December 24, 2025. (Photo by Conor O Mearain/PA Images via Getty Images)
U2 frontman Bono made an appearance at Dublin’s annual Christmas Eve Busk, a gathering of artists who busk on Grafton Street, a busy shopping area in the Irish cap. This year’s event took place in front of the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin’s city center.
In fan-shot video posted to YouTube, Bono joins Imelda May for a performance of Darlene Love’s classic holiday tune “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” which U2 covered in 1987.
The Christmas Eve Busk started in 2010 when Irish singer Glen Hansard, frontman of The Frames, organized an impromptu performance on Grafton Street to raise money for the homeless community and wound up being joined by several of his fellow musicians. Over the years, a number of big names, including Bono, have taken part alongside him.
This year’s busk raised money for the Dublin Simon Community, which provides housing and treatment services to people facing homelessness.
Parker McCollum performs on ABC’s ‘CMA Fest presented by SoFi’ (Disney/Larry McCormack)
“What Kinda Man” would announce on Christmas that he’s going to be come a dad for the second time? Parker McCollum, that’s who.
Parker and his wife, Hallie Ray Light, announced the news with an Instagram post of them posing in front of their Christmas tree with their son, Major Yancey Tyler McCollum.
“McCollum party of 4 next Christmas!!!! another BOY joining us summer 2026!!! Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you, Jesus! HBD!!” read the caption.
Parker and Hallie Ray welcomed Major in August 2024.
Hopefully, Parker will be home to welcome the new arrival, as his 2026 is packed with tour dates from January through March and again from June to September.
(NEW YORK) — A major winter storm is making the post-Christmas travel extremely dangerous in parts of the Northeast, and the storm is set to bring the most snow to New York City in years.
The storm is also impacting flights. Nearly 800 flights have been canceled so far on Friday, with New York City’s three airports and the Detroit Metro Airport hit the hardest.
The storm first hit the Midwest. People in Wisconsin and Michigan are waking up to a layer of ice on the roads, so drivers should use extra caution.
On Friday morning, the freezing rain moves east into Pennsylvania and will cover the entire state throughout the day, making the roads extremely treacherous. An ice storm warning is in place for nearly 1 million people in parts of western Pennsylvania.
On the north side of this storm, where temperatures are cold enough to create snow instead of ice, heavy snowfall is expected in parts of New York, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, western Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The snow will begin in western New York on Friday morning and reach New York City by 5 p.m. Friday.
The snow will be heavy at times and will greatly reduce visibility, making travel treacherous.
The snow will continue overnight, ending in New York City around 9 a.m.
New York City is forecast to get about 7 inches of snow — the most snow in nearly four years.
A winter storm warning in place for the tristate region. Six to 9 inches of snow is possible in upstate New York, with 10 inches possible in the Hudson Valley. Five to 8 inches is forecast for northern New Jersey, while Hartford, Connecticut, could get about 4 inches.
Philadelphia can expect 1 to 3 inches of a sleet and snow mix, along with a glaze of ice, making travel challenging on Friday night. Baltimore can also expect icy roads.
Karen Read confers with defense attorneys Robert Alessi, left, and Elizabeth Little on June 9, 2025. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — This year was full of first-of-its-kind stories that got Americans talking. Here’s a look back at some of the most talked about U.S. stories of 2025 outside of politics, from the Los Angeles wildfires to Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial.
LA wildfires
The Palisades and Eaton fires erupted in Los Angeles County on Jan. 7. With severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds fueling the flames, the fires spread quickly, killing at least 29 people and wiping out thousands of homes in the densely populated neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
In October, Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested for allegedly igniting a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 1 — a fire that prosecutors say eventually became the Palisades Fire. Rinderknecht, a former Pacific Palisades resident, has pleaded not guilty to arson affecting property, timber set afire and destruction of property.
3 back-to-back plane crashes
On Jan. 29, an American Airlines regional jet was on approach to Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, sending both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River.
All 64 people on board the plane and all three soldiers on the helicopter were killed.
The collision marked the nation’s first major commercial airline crash since 2009.
The National Transportation Safety Board has not released its final report, which will determine the probable cause of the crash, but investigators said during a July hearing that the Black Hawk pilots likely didn’t know how high they were flying or how close they were to the plane due to faulty altimeters inside the aircraft. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told reporters, “It’s possible there was zero pilot error here.”
After the crash, Sen. Ted Cruz introduced legislation called the ROTOR Act. The law would require nearly all aircraft to transmit Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B), a system which allows aircraft to transmit their location to other aircraft as well as air traffic controllers. It would also close a loophole that allows military aircraft to operate without ADSB-Out. The ROTOR Act is awaiting a vote in the Senate.
The NTSB is expected to reveal the probable cause and its recommendations in late January.
Just two days after the D.C. crash, a medical transport jet crashed in Philadelphia. The jet, which was carrying a child and her mother along with four other people, was in the air for less than a minute after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. All six people on board, as well as one person on the ground, were killed. The NTSB has not released a cause.
Then on Feb. 17, a Delta plane crashed and overturned during landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport. All 80 people on board survived. Twenty-one passengers were injured, including two seriously injured.
A report released in March found that the right main landing gear broke and collapsed on impact as the plane landed at a high descent rate. Once the right main landing gear collapsed, the wing hit the runway, sprayed fuel and caused a fire. The Transportation Board of Canada has not yet released a probable cause for this crash.
Gene Hackman and his wife die in their home
When actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home during a Feb. 26 welfare check, their causes of death were not immediately clear, which sparked national intrigue.
In March, investigators announced that Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted through rodent urine, droppings or saliva, officials said.
Hackman, 95, who died of cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s disease, was likely home with his deceased wife for one week before he died, officials said. Arakawa died around Feb. 12, while Hackman died around Feb. 18, officials said.
Hackman “was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s, and it’s quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased,” an investigator said.
One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead in a crate during the welfare check. The dog likely died of dehydration and starvation, a report found.
Karen Read’s trial
On June 18, a Massachusetts jury found Karen Read not guilty of murdering her Boston police officer boyfriend, ending a criminal case that gripped the nation’s attention.
While Read was acquitted of the most serious charges — including second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene after an accident resulting in death — the jury did find her guilty of operating under the influence of liquor. The judge immediately sentenced her to one-year probation, the standard for a first-time offense.
The first criminal case against Read ended in a mistrial last year.
Prosecutors alleged Read hit her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, with her car outside the home of a fellow police officer after a night of heavy drinking in 2022 and then left him to die there during a blizzard. The defense had argued that Read’s vehicle did not hit O’Keefe and instead said O’Keefe was attacked by a dog and beaten by other people who were in the house before he was thrown outside in the snow to die.
Texas flooding
In the early hours of July 4, heavy rain inundated Texas’ Hill Country region, quickly sparking catastrophic flooding.
Over 130 people were killed, including at least 117 in Kerr County, officials said. More than two dozen of the victims were from Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls sleepaway camp in Kerr County.
Some state leaders and environmental experts told ABC News in July that a number of the cabins were in known flood zones and close proximity to the river, according to officials and FEMA’s road maps.
In September, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law three bills aimed at improving the safety of camps in Texas and protecting Texans from future flooding events, after parents of Camp Mystic flooding victims advocated before the state legislature for better safety measures.
In October, legislative committees were formed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Dustin Burrows to investigate the flooding. No investigative findings have been announced as of December.
In November, a slew of wrongful death cases were filed against Camp Mystic on behalf of many of the parents who lost their children. The families previously criticized Camp Mystic’s decision to reopen one of its campsites next year.
In a December letter to parents, Camp Mystic officials said they plan to implement safety measures that are not only in compliance of the new camp safety laws, but “exceed their requirements.” The camp’s partial reopening is slated for summer 2026.
Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty
Weeks before Bryan Kohberger was set to go on trial for the 2022 quadruple homicides at the University of Idaho, Kohberger admitted to the crimes at a change of plea hearing in July.
At sentencing, Kohberger was given four consecutive life sentences on the four first-degree murder counts and the maximum penalty of 10 years on the burglary count.
Survivors of the attack and relatives of the four slain students spoke out, sharing emotional statements at Kohberger’s sentencing hearing. Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen said Kohberger “took away my ability to trust the world around me” and “shattered me in places I didn’t know could break.” Kristi Goncalves, mom of victim Kaylee Goncalves, told Kohberger that “hell will be waiting” for him.
The judge acknowledged Kohberger’s motive may never be known.
Sean Combs’ trial
Following an eight-week trial in Manhattan federal court that gripped the country, in July, music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution. The jury acquitted Combs of more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
At October’s sentencing hearing, Combs tearfully apologized in court, saying, “I’ve been humbled and broken to my core.”
The mogul is now serving a four-year sentence at FCI Fort Dix, a federal prison in New Jersey. Combs is appealing the conviction and his sentence.
It began on May 30 when Decker picked up his three daughters at his ex-wife’s home for a planned visitation.
On May 31, police announced the disappearance of the three daughters: Paityn, 9; Evelyn, 8; and Olivia, 5.
On June 2, the girls’ bodies were found near a campground. Decker allegedly suffocated his daughters to death, police said.
Decker, a former member of the military with “extensive training,” disappeared, sparking a multi-agency manhunt.
An attorney for Decker’s ex-wife told ABC News that Decker lacked mental health resources and struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder.
On Sept. 18, Decker’s remains were found in a remote, wooded area. The local coroner said an autopsy couldn’t be done due to how little remains were left.
Menendez brothers resentenced, but denied parole and denied new trial
In their continued push for freedom this year, Lyle and Erik Menendez had one big legal win, but two significant losses.
The brothers were convicted in 1996 of the first-degree murder of their parents and sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole. The last several years, they’ve pushed to be released, citing accomplishments in prison and the abuse they alleged they suffered from their parents.
This May, Judge Michael Jesic resentenced Erik and Lyle Menendez to 50 years to life in prison, making them immediately eligible for parole under youth offender parole laws. Jesic said he was moved by letters from prison guards and is amazed by what the brothers have accomplished in their decades behind bars.
But in August, the brothers were both denied parole. Commissioners reviewed Erik Menendez’s time in prison and noted some inappropriate behavior with visitors, drug smuggling, misuse of state computers, violent incidents and illegal cellphone use. Lyle Menendez’s panel of commissioners — who were different from those reviewing Erik’s case — noted he also was caught illegally using cellphones. The brothers will next be eligible for parole in three years.
Their second loss came in September, when Judge William Ryan denied the brothers’ habeas corpus petition, which they filed in 2023 to try to toss their conviction and get a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. The judge said “neither piece of evidence adds to the allegations of abuse that the jury already considered.”
Charlie Kirk killed
On Sept. 10, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in the middle of his outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Kirk, 31, was the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, and the Utah Valley event marked the first stop of his “The American Comeback Tour,” which invited students on college campuses to debate hot-button issues.
Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, said at her husband’s memorial that she forgives Robinson. “That young man, I forgive him. … The answer to hate is not hate,” she said.
Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child. He has not entered a plea.
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner killed
On Dec. 14, renowned Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home.
Hours later, the suspect — the couple’s 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner — was taken into custody.
Nick Reiner — who was living on his parents’ property, according to a former family security guard — was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, with the special circumstance of multiple murders, prosecutors said. He has not entered a plea. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty, prosecutors said.
“The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” they said.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life,” Jake and Romy Reiner said. “We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
ABC News’ Olivia Osteen, Meredith Deliso, Clara Mcmichael, Ayesha Ali and Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.
U.S. President Donald Trump at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on December 22, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said in a post on his social media platform Thursday that he launched a “powerful and deadly strike” on ISIS terrorists in Nigeria, whom he claimed have been “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.”
This comes after the president posted a video in early November threatening to go into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing.” Around that time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump’s message and said in a post on X that the Department of Defense was “preparing for action.”
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” Trump added in the post.
It is not yet clear the outcome of that strike or what the exact target was. ABC News has asked the White House for more information.
In a post on X, Hegseth further said there will be “more to come” and expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation.
“The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end.
“The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas.”
Hegseth ended his post with, “Merry Christmas!”
In a post on X, U.S. Africa Command confirmed the strikes, which it said were conducted “in coordination with Nigerian authorities.”
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja later released a statement saying that the U.S. strikes were carried out together with Nigerian authorities and are part of the ongoing security work they do with the U.S. and other partners to tackle ISIS and extremist groups.
“In line with established international practice and bilateral understandings, this cooperation includes the exchange of intelligence, strategic coordination, and other forms of support consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared commitments to regional and global security,” the ministry said.
The Defense Department also reposted President Trump’s statement, along with a brief video clip labeled “unclassified” that shows a missile being launched from a ship, presumably at targets in Nigeria.
The strike against ISIS in Nigeria Thursday comes just days after U.S. strikes were launched against ISIS in Syria, following an attack on U.S. and partner forces in Syria that killed three Americans earlier this month.
Trump in November instructed the Pentagon to prepare for possible action against Nigeria after accusing the Nigerian government of not doing enough to protect Christians from violence.
Asked if there was a possibility of U.S. troops being boots on the ground in the West African country, Trump replied, “Could be.”
“They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers, we’re not going to allow that to happen,” he said.
Days later, the State Department officially updated its designation for Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for its alleged “severe violations of religious freedom” and persecution of Christians.
Last week, Nigeria was also added to the U.S. travel ban list of countries facing partial restrictions and entry limitations.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu doesn’t deny the violence against Christians in Nigeria, but says previous claims that Nigeria is religiously intolerant “does not reflect our national reality.”
Independent experts say extremist groups have targeted both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria, killing tens of thousands of civilians in recent years.
On Christmas Eve, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu posted on X, saying that he prayed “for peace in our land, especially between individuals of differing religious beliefs.”
“I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence,” the post continued.
2025 was a big one for Kenny Chesney. In the past year he became the first country artist to play Sphere Las Vegas; became one of the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame; and a became a bestselling author.
In May, Kenny kicked off his 15-night residency at the much-hyped Sin City venue, becoming not only the first Nashville artist but the first solo artist to play the one-of-a-kind stage. During the residency, he surprised fans with special appearances by friends and collaborators Kelsea Ballerini, Grace Potter, Megan Moroney, Uncle Kracker and Mac McAnally.
Kelsea and Megan would both be back to surprise Kenny at his October induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, performing his hits in his honor at the prestigious Medallion Ceremony in the Hall’s CMA Theater. Kelsea traveled “Somewhere with You,” while Megan accompanied herself on guitar on “Knowing You.”
Eric Church stepped in at the last minute to sub for another big name who’d fallen ill, improvising a six-song medley of “I Go Back,” “Anything But Mine,” “El Cerrito Place,” “Never Wanted Nothing More,” “The Boys of Fall” and “Old Blue Chair.”
Record executive Joe Galante officially inducted Kenny into the hall, remarking on how rare it is for an artist to have both parents present for the prestigious honor.
In just a matter of weeks, Kenny’s Heart Life Music would top two New York Times rankings after its November release, landing at #1 on both the Hardcover Nonfiction Best Sellers and Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction Best Sellers lists.
After wrapping his Sphere residency, the superstar wasted little time announcing he’d be returning. He’ll be back starting June 19, 2026, for a five-show run set to conclude June 27, 2026.
Good morning, America — and good bye to 2025. As the year draws to a close, Robin Roberts is once again inviting viewers to pause and reflect with her 15th annual year-end special.
The Year: 2025 finds Robin revisiting the moments that defined the past 12 months, alongside a lineup of ABC News voices, including David Muir, Michael Strahan, Linsey Davis and Sunny Hostin, along with special guests such as The Jonas Brothers, WNBA champion A’Ja Wilson and Sinners star Miles Canton.
The special looks back at headline-making events including the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement. It airs on Dec. 29, but Robin says the process of tracking potential moments began at the top of the year.
“It’s just trying to get a sense from folks, what have you remembered?” Robin explains of her year-end special. “What have you forgot? What should you remember? What do you want to forget?”
She’s most eager to revisit the stories that are no longer in the headlines but still matter deeply, like the devastating LA wildfires early in 2025 and the people still affected by its impact. She’s also excited to highlight lighter moments, including the story of a father who built a pantry during the government shutdown and was met with overwhelming support from his neighbors.
“It’s the holidays,” Robin shares. “You want a moment to exhale and breathe. So I just love the mixture that we bring to the year.” She credits her “fabulous team of producers” for putting the show together, as well as the anchors and correspondents who she calls “the best in the field.”
The Year: 2025 begins at 8 p.m ET on ABC and streams the following day on Disney+ and Hulu.
