The holiday season is here, and AXS TV is getting into the spirit with a slew of holiday programming that kicks off this weekend with the premiere of a Sting special.
Sting: A Winter’s Night… Live From Durham Cathedral features the former Police frontman’s special intimate performance at the famous London landmark. It features Sting performing his classic tunes as well as songs from his 2009 album, If On A Winter’s Night. The special premieres Saturday, December 3, at 8 p.m. ET.
Heart is also subject of another holiday special, Heart & Friends: Home For The Holidays From Benaroya Hall, which also airs Saturday, starting at 3 p.m. ET. It features Ann and Nancy Wilson‘s performance of such holiday tunes as “Santa’s Going South,” “Ring Them Bells” and “Remember Christmas.” The concert, shot in their hometown of Seattle, features special guests Sammy Hagar, Shawn Colvin, Pat Monahan and Richard Marx.
And on Christmas day, the network will air three classic concerts: Fleetwood Mac – The Dance at 8:30 p.m. ET; Tom Petty – Live from Gatorville at 11 p.m. ET; and Tomorrow is a Long Time: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan, at 1:45 a.m. ET.
Brittany and Patrick Mahomes have welcomed their second child!
In a joint Instagram post shared Monday evening, the pair announced that they’ve welcomed a baby boy into their family, sharing a snapshot of their newborn from the chest down, in a brown and white onesie atop a blanket branded with “mahomes” all over it.
“Patrick ‘Bronze’ Lavon Mahomes III,” they captioned the post. “11/28/22 7lbs 8 oz.”
Brittany and Patrick, both 27, began dating in 2011 and wed in March 2022. They are also parents to 21-month-old daughter Sterling.
(WASHINGTON) — Early voting in Georgia’s Senate runoff race between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican opponent Herschel Walker opened statewide to all registered voters on Monday, following record-breaking turnout this weekend in the 34 counties that offered early voting on Saturday or Sunday.
Voting locations for the Dec. 6 runoff are now open in all 159 of the state’s counties through Friday, with more than 181,000 Georgians having cast their ballots either in-person or absentee through Sunday, according to state election data.
Of those, more than 166,000 people have voted early in person.
Black Georgians are outpacing other demographic groups, according to the data, with 46.3% of the total turnout as of Sunday. That is 8 points above white voters’ share of total turnout so far, though white people make up nearly double the share of the overall state population.
Among various age groups, the highest turnout through Sunday was for 55-60-year-olds followed very closely by 60-65, 50-55, 65-70 and 18-24-year-olds.
While total numbers weren’t yet available for Monday, as voting continues, state officials said the daily turnout was on track to grow even higher — an indication that local interest in the race has not waned.
“This could be the biggest early voting day ever in Georgia election history,” interim Deputy Secretary of State Gabriel Sterling wrote in a tweet on Monday.
“Turnout so far is blowing doors … This is outpacing the turnout from the last day of early voting in the General Election,” he wrote in another tweet on Monday.
After Georgia saw unprecedented early voting ahead of the 2022 midterms earlier this month, Sunday’s turnout was 130% higher than the previous Sunday record of 37,785, set on Oct. 25, 2020, according to Sterling.
Early voting for the runoff began last Tuesday, though only in some counties, including those around Atlanta, where a majority of the state’s residents live.
Counties had not initially offered Saturday voting either, after the secretary of state’s office issued guidance that it conflicted with a law preventing voting within two days of a holiday like Thanksgiving last Thursday.
But Warnock and Democrats sued and a county judge ruled that Saturday voting was allowed. The state’s higher courts declined to reverse that decision when Republicans appealed.
In the wake of the court ruling, the state’s largest counties opened for Saturday early voting. Some other parts of the state, however, didn’t begin early voting until Monday.
Long wait times are not deterring voters
With tens of thousands of voters taking advantage of the additional voting opportunities, some lines at polling places stretched for hours over the weekend.
The secretary of state’s office sent a memo on Monday that highlighted short wait times statewide but warned of “longer wait times on higher turnout days such as the first day of Early Voting and the last few days of Early Voting” in the metro Atlanta area that includes Fulton, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties, which so far encompass about 63% of the total early vote.
Wait times are often shorter at other locations in counties that offer several early voting spots, the office advised.
Despite questions about potential voter apathy in the runoff — when turnout is historically lower and there is less time for the media and candidates’ campaigns to inform voters — some residents told ABC News they were eager to cast another ballot.
The Dec. 6 Senate runoff will be the third in just two years and the sixth overall Senate race in the state since November 2020.
“I will go out as many times as I need to go out,” said Manuel Rodriguez, who waited for almost an hour before he was able to vote in Fulton County. “It makes me feel that I’m part of something, that I’m contributing to the society that I want to live in and to the country that I love.”
Warnock, Walker back on the trail
Warnock, a noted Atlanta reverend, was one of those Georgians taking advantage of weekend voting, casting his ballot on Sunday alongside faith and community leaders after waiting in line for about an hour in Fulton County, the fifth time he has voted for himself in just two years following two general elections and two ensuing runoff elections, along with primary challenges.
In the final days of the race, he has largely campaigned on the concept of character — contrasting his background with that of Walker, a businessman and local football legend with a controversial past. Before Warnock walked to cast his ballot, he hosted a “Souls to the Polls” rally.
“This is an important election. And it’s really about competence and character. That’s what this is about who’s ready and who’s fit to serve in the United States Senate. I’m proud of my record,” he said on Sunday.
He also continues to soar in fundraising, outpacing his Republican opponent by more than double.
Though the runoff won’t determine control of the Senate, both Republicans and Democrats have cautioned voters not to underestimate the consequences of December’s election.
Democrats have emphasized a 51-seat majority would create an easier pathway to accomplishing their legislative priorities. In contrast, Republicans have highlighted how a power-sharing agreement across the aisle works to their advantage, pointing to the ways in which a split chamber has allowed them to block Democratic legislation.
Warnock’s campaign announced this week that they were investing more than $1 million for an “out of home” advertising campaign. The campaign includes billboards in high-traffic areas, mobile signs deployed across the state, planes that tow messages above metro Atlanta, posters at college campuses and ads at transit stops.
Walker was publicly absent on the trail from last Tuesday through the Thanksgiving holiday, making his first appearance during a campaign stop on Monday. He drew his own contrast with Warnock.
“You either stand up or you get out, because too many people have sacrificed. Too many people have died for us to have the freedoms and liberties that we have today to have these people to disrespect what we got going on,” he said at a campaign stop in Toccoa on Monday.
“Raphael Warnock is just another hypocritical Washington politician,” said campaign spokesman Will Kiley. “Warnock says character counts but refuses to take a look in the mirror.”
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Washington 142, Minnesota 127
Philadelphia 104, Atlanta 101
Boston 140, Charlotte 105
Toronto 100, Cleveland 88
Brooklyn 109, Orlando 102
New Orleans 105, Oklahoma City 101
Chicago 114, Utah 107
Denver 129, Houston 113
Phoenix 122, Sacramento 117
Indiana 116, LA Lakers 115
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Toronto 4, Detroit 2
New Jersey 5, NY Rangers 3
Tampa Bay 6, Buffalo 5 (OT)
Vegas 3, Columbus, 2 (SO)
Dallas 4, St. Louis 1
Edmonton 4, Florida 3 (OT)
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 24, Indianapolis 17
TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(9)Kansas 87, Texas Southern 55
(11)Arkansas 74, Troy 61
(NEW YORK) — As of Monday, more than 52.4 million birds across the United States have died of avian influenza, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This makes the outbreak the deadliest in history, surpassing the 2015 outbreak that killed 50.5 million birds in 2015.
While the 2015 outbreak was mainly contained to poultry farms, the current outbreak has spread to nearly every state.
What is so-called bird flu and what does it mean for Americans?
What is avian flu?
Avian flu is a disease of birds, which occurs when they are infected with avian influenza Type A viruses.
Domestic poultry, including chickens and turkeys, can be infected and spread the disease as well as other bird and animal species, according to the CDC.
“There are multiple versions of influenza, some that infect humans, some that infect animals,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor. “It’s been something we’ve been monitoring for two decades now and it creates a real problem, not only for wildlife but it can have dramatic impacts on domestic stock.”
He added, “Because this virus is so contagious, drastic measures have to be put into place to stop the spread and that ultimately results in the death of millions of birds.”
Can people be infected with avian flu?
Avian flu viruses do not usually infect people but there have been rare cases.
Because the virus is shed through mucus, saliva and feces, most infections occur when a human comes into contact with these fluids or inhales them.
Symptoms can range anywhere from mild to severe and, sometimes, result in death, according to the CDC.
“We have to remind people the risk to humans is low, but at the same time, unprotected contact with birds that look sick can pose a risk,” Brownstein said. “An additional layer is when you have this much virus spread, there’s opportunities for mutation and this is where there’s an opportunity for a version of this virus that could actually have deeper impact in the human population as well.”
He said there is no evidence to suggest people can contract bird flu from eating poultry meat or poultry products, such as eggs.
Why is there an outbreak?
It’s believed that the outbreak began from wild birds. In January, the United States Department of Agriculture announced a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza was found in wild birds for the first time since 2016, mainly in North Carolina and South Carolina.
The birds then migrated, spreading the virus to farms, with the first outbreak confirmed Feb. 9 at a turkey farm in Dubois County, Indiana.
Since then, birds across 46 states have either died as a result of infection or been killed due to exposure of infected birds, according to the USDA.
By comparison, the 2015 outbreak only affected birds in 21 states.
What should people do?
The CDC recommends that people should avoid contact with wild birds whenever possible, especially because they can be infected with avian flu and not appear ill.
In addition, those who work directly with birds such as in zoos, in wildlife conservations centers at meatpacking plants or on farms — or those who have backyard poultry — should use protection.
“Right now you want to use protective equipment, like gloves and N-95 masks,” Brownstein said. “Just like any virus, you want to avoid touching your mouth, nose, your eyes after contact with birds. It’s important changing clothes if you’ve had any contact.”
He also recommended that people receive their flu vaccine as soon as possible.
“It won’t prevent infection from bird flu but can reduce the risk of getting sick,” Brownstein said.
(NEW YORK) — Parts of the Northwest could get up to two feet of snow on Monday and Tuesday, as a cross-country storm will bring snow and tornadoes in parts of the U.S.
A winter storm watch has been issued for Spokane, Washington late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with heavy snowfall expected, the National Weather Service Spokane office tweeted.
A cross-country storm moving east is expected to bring heavy snow from Nebraska to Michigan on Monday night into Tuesday morning. Eighteen states are on alert for snow and strong winds due to the incoming storm.
Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; and Casper, Wyoming, are expected to get between 6 and 12 inches of snow in the next two days.
Warm moist air could help produce tornadoes in parts of the South Tuesday afternoon into the evening.
The storm system could also bring strong, long-tracked tornadoes Tuesday evening to Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee; Greenville and Jackson, Mississippi; and Monroe, Louisiana.
In addition to tornadoes, damaging winds of more than 60 mph and large hail are also possible for the lower Mississippi River Valley and the Gulf Coast states.
Around 15 million Americans in the South will remain on alert as New Orleans to Nashville could see severe storms on Tuesday night.
(WASHINGTON) — Multiple high-profile Republican lawmakers returning to Washington on Monday chastised former President Donald Trump over his dinner last week with white nationalist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.
Their remarks are the latest round of rebukes after Trump met with the pair — in what he insisted was an inadvertent group meal — last week at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, news of which broke over the holiday and sparked outcry soon after Trump announced his third presidential campaign.
Fuentes has a history of racist, sexist and antisemitic comments and has been banned on all major social media platforms.
The dinner was attended by Fuentes, Ye — who recently lost major business deals over his own antisemitic remarks — and Florida Republican political operative Karen Giorno.
“It was wrong and inappropriate to have that meeting. White supremacy has no place in our nation’s culture. It’s antithetical to everything we stand for as Americans,” retiring Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said Monday.
“I think it’s ridiculous he had that meeting. Just ridiculous. That’s all I’m going to say,” Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, added.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a frequent Trump detractor and former Republican presidential candidate himself, called the dinner “disgusting.”
“I think it’s been clear there’s no bottom to the degree to which President Trump will degrade himself and the nation,” Romney said.
Their comments marked some of the first by congressional Republicans, who were largely silent about the dinner over the holiday weekend but were faced with questions by reporters in the halls of Congress on Monday.
Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell, the GOP leaders in the House and Senate, respectively, have not spoken publicly about the dinner. McCarthy is a legislative ally of Trump’s. McConnell has previously criticized Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection but declined to comment on the Mar-a-Lago meeting.
Trump has maintained that meeting with Fuentes was not intentional: He said in multiple statements that he only sought to meet with Ye and that the rapper brought Fuentes to the two-hour dinner without his knowledge. He also said he did not know who Fuentes was when Fuentes came to Mar-a-Lago.
Some Republican lawmakers on Monday declined to criticize Trump directly but said the meeting was still wrong and that it indicates Trump is not being served well by his aides.
“That’s just a bad idea on every level. I don’t know whose advising him on his staff, but I hope that whoever that person was got fired,” said Senate GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota.
“I’m gonna take at face value that the president didn’t know who the guy was. I didn’t know who it was. Whoever allowed anyone with his background to get that close to the president should not have a job in the Trump team,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
Others took a different view.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said, “I suppose he can have dinner with whomever he wants. I wouldn’t have had dinner with him.”
And Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said “the meeting was bad” but accused the press of a “double standard” because he said that Democrats didn’t face similar coverage when associating with polarizing figures. Still, he said, “I think Trump should be talking about what he did as president and how he could fix the problems that America is living with, and any day he is not doing that is a bad day for him.”
Beyond Washington, Trump also faced criticism from his former vice president and potential 2024 primary opponent, Mike Pence.
“President Trump was wrong to give a white nationalist, an antisemite and a Holocaust denier a seat at the table, and I think he should apologize,” Pence told NewsNation in an interview.
Still, Pence said, “I don’t believe Donald Trump is an antisemite. I don’t believe he’s a racist or a bigot.”
The dinner and Trump choosing not to directly denounce Fuentes, as the controversy has unfolded, also became fuel for criticism from Democrats.
“For a former president to sit down and have dinner with an antisemite is disgusting and dangerous,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Monday. “To give an antisemite even the smallest platform much less an audience over dinner is pure evil. Even assuming the former president didn’t realize Mr. Fuentes was coming to Mar-a-Lago, for him to refuse to condemn Fuentes and his bigoted words after the dinner is appalling and it is dangerous.”
The White House, too, has weighed in.
“We should all be condemning this, and we should be very clear, very clear and say it in really absolute clear terms,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday. “This is something that we condemn, and we will continue to speak out against.”
ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky contributed to this report.
Former Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum plays on a new charity cover of the Tom Petty classic “I Won’t Back Down.”
The recording also features Eagles members Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit and country star Blake Shelton, and supports the organization Miraculous Love Kids, which provides music lessons to young women in Afghanistan.
“In ‘I Won’t Back Down,’ Tom Petty so powerfully wrote, ‘You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won’t back down,'” says Miraculous Love Kids founder Lanny Cordola. “The girls and I are honored to have Blake, Joe, Timothy and Matt join us in spreading this message far and wide.”
You can listen to the cover now via GoodNoise.io, which describes itself as “a metaverse destination for people who are passionate about music, the arts and good causes.”
Bonham Carter and Depp in 2005 — John Shearer/WireImage
Helena Bonham Carter is famous for speaking her mind and did so in a new interview with The Sunday Times. The former star of The Crown, who also starred in movies including Sweeney Todd with frequent collaborator Johnny Depp, vented to the publication about cancel culture.
“You can’t ban people,” the English actress stated. “I hate cancel culture. It has become quite hysterical and there’s a kind of witch-hunt and a lack of understanding.”
She mentioned Depp has “been through it,” adding that the godfather to her three children has been “completely vindicated” by his defamation victory against Amber Heard, who a jury decided falsely accused him of physical and sexual abuse in a Washington Post op-ed.
A U.K. court decreed Heard’s accusations had merit in a previous case. That said, Bonham Carter noted of the Aquaman actress, “My view is that she got on that [#MeToo] pendulum. That’s the problem with these things — that people will jump on the bandwagon because it’s the trend and to be the poster girl for it.”
The cancel culture situation also involved J.K. Rowling; Bonham Carter played Bellatrix Lestrange in the filmed adaptations of the author’s Harry Potter books. While the actress’ Potter co-stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson joined the online fray against Rowling over comments that some saw as “transphobic,” Bonham Carter says the accusations against Rowling were “horrendous, a load of bollocks.”
Carter says of Rowling, “I think she has been hounded. It’s been taken to the extreme, the judgmentalism of people. She’s allowed her opinion, particularly if she’s suffered abuse…”
She expressed of her younger co-stars’ comments, “I feel they should let her have her opinions, but I think they’re very aware of protecting their own fan base and their generation…”
Selena Gomez had a sweet reunion with BLACKPINK and tossed it back to their 2020 collaboration “Ice Cream.” She captioned the Instagram photos, “Selpink chillin,” which is a reference to the sultry song’s lyrics.
Is Dua Lipa about to collaborate with Mick Jagger? She shared a series of Instagram photos of her and the Rolling Stones legend at the studio. She also used the caption “Sweeeet weeeek.” She has yet to clarify what this means, but fans think the two have a song coming out. That shouldn’t be all that surprising considering Dua’s ultra successful “Cold Heart” collab with Elton John.
Gwen Stefani will be assisting Pink at her BST Hyde Park shows in London. The venue, where Pink will play two headlining shows, confirmed the good news on Twitter. The shows will be held in June 2023.
Lady Gaga might need a refresher on how to do a Boomerang after fans noticed something off with the Black Friday ad for her beauty line on Instagram. A fan captured the bizarre video of Gaga making the same gesture over and over, thus sparking theories she was being deliberately campy — or doesn’t know how to make a Boomerang.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Madonna shared rare photos of herself with her six children, who range in age from 26 to 10. She captioned the Instagram collection, “What I’m thankful for…………”
