‘The Löst Tapes, Vol. 7 (Lemmy’s 50th Birthday, Live in West Hollywood, 1995)’ album artwork. (BMG)
Late Motörhead frontman Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister would’ve turned 80 on Wednesday, and the band is celebrating the occasion with a throwback to another milestone birthday.
The Motörhead YouTube channel has uploaded the band’s full 1995 performance at the famed Whisky A Go Go club in Los Angeles, which celebrated Lemmy’s 50th birthday.
The set included renditions of classics including “Ace of Spades,” “Bomber,” “Iron Fist,” “Stay Clean,” “Metropolis” and “Killed By Death.” Before Motörhead took the stage, Metallica played a surprise opening set billed as The Lemmys.
The Whisky concert is also available as a live album as part of Motörhead’s The Löst Tapes series.
Lemmy died on Dec. 28, 2015, four days after his 70th birthday. The 10th anniversary of his death is Sunday.
(NEW YORK) — This year is expected to be the busiest on record for holiday travel, but rough weather in the West and the East may make getting to and from your Christmas destination even harder.
More than 41 million people across nearly all of California — including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Diego — as well as parts of Nevada and Arizona are under a flood watch on Christmas Eve.
A rare alert for “high risk for excessive rainfall” is in place Wednesday for Los Angeles and the surrounding area, so those traveling on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day should be extremely careful on the roads. Road flooding, rockslides, mudslides and water rescues are possible.
The pounding rain is now underway in Southern California and will continue until around 6 p.m. local time Wednesday.
With rainfall rates possibly topping 1 inch per hour, higher elevations surrounding LA can expected 4 to 6 inches of rain on Wednesday alone.
Winds gusts will reach 40 to 50 mph on Wednesday, potentially causing power outages. Thunderstorms are also possible, as well as brief tornadoes along the California coast.
The rain will take a break Wednesday evening before picking back up overnight.
More rounds of rain will hit on Christmas Day and Friday, prolonging the threat of flooding, mudslides and landslides.
By Friday, rain totals could reach 4 to 7 inches along Southern California’s coasts and valleys, and 6 to 14 inches is possible in the foothills and mountains.
Meanwhile, a new storm is forecast to hit the Northeast on Friday morning.
The storm will bring ice to Michigan, Ohio and then Pennsylvania, potentially causing travel chaos and leaving widespread power outages. Ice accumulation could reach up to half an inch in some areas, which makes driving home after Christmas extremely dangerous.
Further east, the storm will bring snow. Six to 12 inches is possible in western New York, northeastern Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey.
This storm is also forecast to bring the biggest snowfall of the season to New York City. The snow will fall in New York from Friday night to Saturday morning and could reach 3 to 6 inches.
Expect treacherous commutes on Friday on Interstate-80, I-70, I-90 and I-95.
Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips performs at O2 Apollo Manchester on May 04, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images)
The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne has shared a statement on the departure of multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd.
Drozd, who joined the band in 1991 and was the longest-tenured Lips member aside from Coyne, seemed to confirm he left the group in a since-deleted social media post. The post, captured by Stereogum, read, “They’re done with me.”
However, in his statement, Coyne claims, “For anybody who read [Drozd’s] post about the reason he is no longer in the Flaming Lips … I can say that is absolutely not true.”
“The reason he left is sad , and infuriating,” Coyne writes in an Instagram post. “It is HIS responsibility to tell everyone what happened… what he told everyone was a lie.”
“I was trying to give him ( Steven ) his own space and time to let everyone know what REALLY happened,” Coyne continues. “I will post more in just a few days.”
The Flaming Lips will wrap up 2025 with a New Year’s Eve show in Washington, D.C.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians has added three new actors to its cast. Holt McCallany joins the ensemble of the Disney+ series in season 3 as Atlas. He will appear in a recurring guest role as the pivotal villain and the third season’s primary antagonist. Also joining the cast are David Costabile as Dr. Thorn and Jesse L. Martin as Annabeth’s father, Frederick Chase …
The film The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender will no longer get a theatrical release. Instead, Deadline reports the animated feature will make its debut on Paramount+. The film, which was directed by LaurenMontgomery with Steve Ahn and William Mata, previously had the release date of Oct. 9, 2026. Its voice cast includes Taika Waititi, Geraldine Viswanathan, Dee Bradley Baker, Freida Pinto and Ke Huy Quan …
Two classic characters from the original Star Trek series will make their first appearances in the finale of the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Variety reports the characters Hikaru Sulu and Leonard “Bones” McCoy will appear in the episode, played by actors Kai Murakami and Thomas Jane …
Recruits crawl a designated distance with combat gear under the supervision of instructors during the zero day of basic combined arms training with the 65th Separate Mechanized Brigade at an improvised training ground in Ukraine, on December 12, 2025 (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform) (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that he believes the U.S. “wants to reach a final agreement,” to end the war in Ukraine, with Kyiv offering its full backing for a peace deal.
“We sense that America wants to reach a final agreement, and from our side, there is full cooperation,” Zelenskyy said. “Ukraine has never been, and will never be, an obstacle to peace.”
Ukraine and Russia continued their nightly exchange of long-range drones overnight into Wednesday. Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that its forces downed at least 195 Ukrainian drones, including five over Moscow region of which two were “flying toward” the capital.
Russia’s federal air transport agency, Rosaviatsiya, said flight restrictions were introduced at two of Moscow’s four international airports — Domodedovo and Vnukovo — during the attacks. Restrictions were also put in place at airports in Volgograd, Yaroslavl, Orenburg, Ufa and Orsk, Rosaviatsiya said.
Ukraine’s air force, meanwhile, said Russia launched 116 drones into the country overnight, of which 60 were shot down or suppressed. Forty-eight drones impacted across 19 locations, the air force said.
On Tuesday night, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian repair crews were working to restore power after a major Russian drone and missile strike on Monday night. “Throughout the day, repair crews have been working at energy facilities — putting in maximum effort to ensure that Ukrainians have electricity for Christmas,” Zelenskyy said.
“Of course, the Russians are trying to ruin this holiday, this sacred day, as well. No surprise there,” Zelenskyy added.
At a briefing in Kyiv with journalists on Tuesday, Zelenskyy revealed details of the 20-point peace plan negotiated with the U.S. which is now being reviewed by Moscow.
Zelenskyy told reporters that said all sides were “much closer” to finalizing the documents. Kyiv expects to receive a response from Moscow on Wednesday, Zelenskyy added.
The proposed framework includes security guarantees from the U.S., NATO and European partners, though territorial questions remain unresolved. Under the draft plan, Ukraine would hold a presidential election as soon as possible after any deal is signed.
Zelenskyy said the deal would see Article-5-style security guarantees kick in if Russia attacks the country again, even without Ukrainian NATO membership. Zelenskyy again stressed that Kyiv rejected any ban on joining the alliance — a key Russian demand.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on recent U.S. contacts.
“We now intend to formulate our future position based on the information received by the head of state and continue our contacts in the very near future through the existing channels that are currently operational,” Peskov said, as quoted by the state-run Tass news agency.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, meanwhile, said Moscow and Washington have “significant similarities” in their positions on a possible settlement.
(GAZA and LONDON) — As Palestinian Christians prepare for their first Christmas without the constant threat of bombardment and attacks after two years of war in Gaza, rare scenes of color, glitter and light can be spotted in a city that is mostly covered with rubble and collapsed buildings.
With the fragile ceasefire broadly holding more than two months since the first phase went into effect, the small remaining Palestinian Christian community in Gaza hopes for long-lasting peace as they practice holiday traditions like putting up Christmas trees and baking pastries.
“This year, Christmas is not just a religious ritual but celebrating a new beginning that we all work towards, which is the beginning of peace and stability in the region,” Mousa Ayyad, coordinator of Princess Basma, a Christian center in Gaza, told ABC News last week while standing by a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments and lights.
The center is located inside Al-Ahli Hospital, the only Christian hospital in Gaza, and provides vital rehabilitation for children.
“You must prepare the atmosphere for the children, and continue to welcome happiness into your home, even if you aren’t at your home and you are displaced,” Ayyad said.
Over 80% of all structures in the Gaza Strip have been damaged as of Oct. 11, according to a United Nations assessment.
The Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, remains standing, though has signs of damage.
Since the war broke out between Israel and Hamas, the terrorist group that launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, almost half of the Christian population in Gaza has left the strip and at least 23 Palestinian Christians have been killed, according to the Holy Family Church. About 500 people in the community are still in Gaza, with the majority of those currently sheltering in the church, according to the Holy Family Church.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, led his first prayer in Gaza following the ceasefire during Mass at the Holy Family Church on Sunday, in what he called a “new phase.”
Amid modest decorations and damaged walls, Pizzaballa led the first communion for several children and baptized a baby, continuing a pastoral tradition he has upheld during each Christmastime visit to Gaza.
Pizzaballa said during a press conference on Sunday that he has witnessed “a desire for a new life” in Gaza, but that “all the problems are still on the table: housing, schools, hospitals, the condition of life and poverty are catastrophic.”
“At the same time, we saw that the resilience of these people is what, at the end, will prevail,” he said, describing Palestinians’ steadfastness as a lesson to the world.
George Messaqo, an 11-year-old displaced Christian who attended the Mass, told ABC News that he feels “very happy” this Christmas, though his joy was tinged with longing.
“Before the war, Christmas was more beautiful,” he said. “There were more people, all our relatives and loved ones, and the atmosphere was warmer.”
George said his aunt was killed during the war and other family members now live abroad.
“We only communicate through video calls,” he said. “I wish to see our friends, relatives and loved ones again, and to live in peace.”
It’s a very special Christmas at Cody Johnson‘s house this year, as he and his wife Brandi Johnson celebrate for the first time as a family of five.
Jaycee Daniel Johnson arrived Oct. 21, joining 10-year-old Clara Mae Johnson and 8-year-old Cori Johnson.
“He’s perfect. Man, it’s been so great,” Cody tells ABC Audio. “I was so thankful. I’ve thanked God every day for a perfect pregnancy, perfect delivery. He’s healthy. I mean, you really can’t ask for anything better.”
“And my daughters are going crazy over him. And he’s gonna be spoilt,” he laughs. “He’s gonna to be so spoilt with those two sisters.”
Cody says this year’s yuletide celebration will be simple, with a likely focus on the new baby.
“Just stayin’ at home,” he says of his plans. “I mean, really taking this time and saying, ‘Look, let’s focus on our family.’ We’re not doing any big plans and we’re just gonna be home and probably dote on that little boy.”
Cody’s next show isn’t until Feb. 6 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Nelly performs at IHEARTRADIO JINGLE BALL 2025 (Disney/Ben Hider)
“It’s Christmas time again/ Can’t wait to hear those sleigh bells ringing,” sings Ashanti on her 2003 holiday song “Christmas Time Again.” With the holiday falling on Thursday, her husband, Nelly, says the couple is simply looking forward to spending time together, noting that they don’t really have any “new holiday traditions.”
“I just think for me and her, we work so much,” he tells ABC Audio. “The tradition is really just being together and keeping our family together around the holidays, I think is the mainstay for both of us.”
The couple, who have been married since 2023 and share a son, Kareem “KK” Kenkaide Haynes, were together in St. Louis on Monday, where Nelly partnered with Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers to gift 100 brand-new bikes to kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis. The children were also treated to holiday cookies, drinks, Santa hats and festive fun.
“I think that’s every kid’s dream on Christmas, right?” Nelly said in an interview with Fox 2. “Waking up and going downstairs—I know what it’s like to wake up on Christmas and have nothing under the tree. That’s not hyperbole. That’s facts. To see their faces, that’s what it’s about. Christmas is about the kids.”
Attending the annual Pentatonix holiday tour is a Christmas tradition for many families, and listening to the group’s Christmas songs is also a part of many a fan’s celebration. But you may be surprised to learn that members of Pentatonix don’t celebrate Christmas together as a group. In fact, they do the opposite.
“We always make a joke that we leave each other alone for Christmas,” laughs Pentatonix member Kirstin Maldonado. But it’s true: after the tour, she and her four bandmates go their separate ways.
“I think, just, like, the Christmas tour in general is our tradition, because it feels like we’re at camp,” she explains. “And we do it every year and every stop that we go to is so festive because it’s a Christmas show.”
But since the Christmas tour starts in early November and ends right before Christmas, it forces Kirstin to do some of her own traditions with her 3-year-old daughter Elliana Hausdorff super-early — like putting up the tree, for example.”
“It was already up before Halloween,” she laughs, adding, “We were so busy right before we left [for the tour], so I wanted the tradition of decorating the tree to be something [I do] with her.”
But the tour has also kept Kirstin from participating in a cherished childhood tradition with Elliana.
“I would love to do a whole baking thing with her because it was such a part of my childhood, like making cookies for Santa, and we did a little like birthday cake for Jesus,” she notes.
“But honestly, by the time I’ve gotten home, I’m so tired and need to wrap all the presents,” she adds. “But I definitely do [want to], as she’s getting older and can be more helpful in the kitchen … add that to our list [of activities].”
