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Harry Styles will help tuck British children into bed later this month. He’s the latest celeb to team up with BBC‘s children’s programming channel, CBeebies, and read a bedtime story on the show CBeebies Bedtime Stories.
The BBC made the announcement Monday, saying Harry has chosen to read the book In Every House, on Every Street, penned by author Jess Hitchman. In addition, Harry will be dressed and ready for bed himself, wearing his pajamas for the read-along.
In a teaser, Harry says of his chosen book, “Tonight’s bedtime story is about a house full of love and laughter.” The story follows different families and celebrates their diverse households.
Harry now joins a growing list of artists to have entertained children on CBeebies Bedtime Stories, including Ellie Goulding, Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Dolly Parton and many others.
Harry’s read-along will go live at 6:50 P.M. U.K. time on May 23 on the CBeebies channel. Fans can also listen via the BBC’s iPlayer.
(HOUSTON) — A fight between two groups of people led to a shooting Sunday that left two men dead and three others hurt at a busy Houston flea market, where thousands of people were shopping, authorities said.
The incident unfolded around 1 p.m. at the popular Sunny Flea Market held at the Tia Pancha Center in North Houston, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
All five people shot were involved in a fight and several are suspected of allegedly pulling guns and firing, sparking panic and causing innocent bystanders, including children, to run or dive for cover, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies responding to the call found two men dead at the scene and three others critically wounded.
“A busy Sunday at the flea market with thousands of patrons when this incident went down,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “For now, it appears the wounded were all likely participants in the altercation.”
The sheriff’s office emphasized that the shooting was “not a random act of violence.”
“There is a lot of people … just trying to come out and enjoy the flea market, have something to eat and something to drink, so it’s very tragic,” said Maj. Susan Cotter, of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
No innocent bystanders were injured, Cotter said.
Two pistols were recovered at the scene, officials said.
Two possible suspects were detained at the scene and a third possible suspect was among those critically injured and taken to a hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.
The investigation is ongoing. One man who was uninjured was arrested for his alleged role in the shooting and charged with tampering with evidence, the sheriff’s office said. He was identified by the sheriff’s office as 27-year-old Angel Flores-Lopez.
Sheriff’s office investigators are combing over video and interviewing witnesses in an effort to identify the shooters, and determine what prompted the fight and shooting.
Family members of one of the men killed identified him as Juan Romero, 29, according to Houston ABC station KTRK-TV.
Romero’s sister, Yeraldi Romero, told KTRK that her brother went to the flea market to enjoy his Sunday, like any other weekend. She said her brother was with their cousin, who was one of those wounded and hospitalized.
“This tragedy happened and I don’t know why,” Yeraldi Romero said. “He always made everyone laugh, very happy, joyful, so it just really hurts because he’s my older brother and I look up to him. It’s very hard.”
(BUFFALO, N.Y.) — The relatives of 86-year-old Ruth Whitfield, the oldest victim slain in this weekend’s mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, were overcome with emotion at a news conference on Monday.
Ruth Whitfield was a loving wife of 68 years, a devoted mother of four children and a beloved grandmother, her family said.
She was among the 10 people, all of whom were Black, who were gunned down in a mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Authorities are calling Saturday’s massacre a “racially motivated hate crime.”
Through tears and hugs, her family gathered on Monday to speak to reporters alongside attorneys including civil rights attorney Ben Crump. One family member broke down and sobbed multiple times during the news conference.
Ruth Whitfield went to visit her husband every day in the nursing home where he’s lived for eight years, one of her sons, Garnell Whitfield, a former Buffalo fire chief, told reporters.
He said he doesn’t know how to tell his father that his primary caretaker is gone.
“There’s nothing we can do that’s going to take away the hurt, take away these tears, take away the pain, take away the hole in our hearts. Because part of us is gone,” he said. “For her to be taken from us and taken from this world by someone that’s just full of hate for no reason … it is very hard for us to handle right now.”
He went on, “What I loved most about my mom is how she loved us, how she loved our family unconditionally. How she sacrificed everything for us.”
Daughter Robin Whitfield said, “My mom was my best friend. We went fishing together, we went camping together.”
To the shooter, she said, “How dare you?”
Daughter Angela called her mother an “86-year-old powerhouse. She was beautiful, she was immaculate and she loved us.”
Garnell Whitfield added: “We’re not just hurting — we’re angry … this shouldn’t have happened. We do our best to be good citizens … we believe in God, we trust him, we treat people with decency and we love even our enemies.”
He called out U.S. leaders for not protecting them and said he’s speaking out in hopes of contributing to positive change.
“We need help. We’re asking you to help us, help us change this. This can’t keep happening,” he said.
Garnell Whitfield told ABC News on Sunday that his mother went to the nursing home nearly every day. It was important to her to be “taking care of him, making sure he was well cared for by the staff, washing, ironing his clothes, making sure he was dressed appropriately, making sure his nails were cut and clean and shaved,” he said.
Even as her own health began to weaken, Ruth Whitfield still tried to visit her husband each day, taking days off only when she felt too debilitated to make the trip, her son said.
After suffering “a very difficult childhood,” Ruth Whitfield “was all about family” when she became a mother, Garnell Whitfield said.
“And she rose above it, and she raised us in spite of all of that, being very poor,” he said. “She raised us to be productive men and women.”
Latto is letting fans know how she really felt when she watched Mariah Carey retool her smash hit single, “Big Energy.”
The rap track samples the 1981 song “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club, which was re-popularized by Mariah’s 1995 hit, “Fantasy.” While “Big Energy” has been out since last September, it received a major boost after Mariah hopped into the studio with Latto for an all-new remix.
“I think I was in shock,” the rapper told Entertainment Tonight at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards when recalling watching Mariah belt her high notes. “It was so natural for her.”
“She was literally just getting her makeup done like, singing. I’m like, ‘Girl, are you a human?,'” Latto continued, adding that Mariah “was so cool and humble” to work with.
“So normal… I literally overthink the whole process. I was like,’What do I say? how do I act? I don’t wanna do too much, I don’t wanna do too little.’ But she was so cool, and she made the whole process very, very fun,” Latto added. “You know, this stuff can be overwhelming, she made it fun.”
Latto said Mariah’s support means “everything” to her. “Mimi is a legend, and my mom and my aunts are superfans. Growing up, I remember seeing her posters on their wall, and physical CDs,” she raved. “Mimi is that girl, and I got a song with her so it’s all up from here.”
Latto later performed her hit on the BBMA stage, though without Mariah.
On Monday, Fox announced its upcoming slate for the fall season, and in addition to returning hits like 9-1-1: Lone Star and The Cleaning Lady will come new shows with serious cred.
Included is the “Texas-sized drama” Monarch, centering on “America’s first family of country music” and starring Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon and country superstar Trace Adkins.
Also in the mix is Alert, a drama series produced by Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx and focusing on the Los Angeles Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit.
Fox is also adapting the award-winning BBC drama Accused, which looks at a crime through the eyes of the defendant.
Gordon Ramsay will continue his long relationship with the network with a new series called Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, in which the famed chef will search for “the next food and drink entrepreneur,” and which will see him investing his own money in their efforts. Additionally, his Next Level Chef will return, as well as his long-running Hell’s Kitchen.
On the animation side, some newcomers will join longtime Fox tentpoles The Simpsons and Bob’s Burgers, including Grimsburg, in which executive producer Jon Hamm will voice the title character, an ace detective who can’t crack the case of his own family.
Additionally, Emmy-winning Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon will debut Krapopolis, an animated show starring the voices of Ted Lasso Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham and What We Do in the Shadows star Matt Berry. The show, billed as the first-ever animated series curated entirely on the Blockchain, will center on “a flawed family of humans, gods and monsters that tries to run one of the world’s first cities without killing each other.”
The Blockchain relationship will also see Krapopolis producing exclusive NFTs and other digital collectibles.
After being announced as part of the 2022 Riot Fest lineup, beloved emo outfit Sunny Day Real Estate has announced a full North American tour.
The outing launches September 13 in Lawrence, Kansas, and will wrap up December 18 with a hometown show in Seattle. Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 20, at 10 a.m. local time.
Sunny Day Real Estate last played a show in 2010. The reunion will feature original frontman Jeremy Enigk, guitarist Dan Hoerner and drummer William Goldsmith. Bassist Nate Mendel, who went on to join Foo Fighters, won’t be taking part.
Goldsmith was also a member of Foo Fighters, but left the band acrimoniously after his drum parts for 1997’s The Colour & the Shape were re-recorded by Dave Grohl. His departure led to Taylor Hawkins joining the Foos.
Courtesy River House Artists/Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville
Luke Combs has scored yet another #1 single, and it falls in line with theanniversary of another one of his hits.
Lukeis sitting at the top of the charts this week with “Doin’ This,” marking his 13th consecutive #1 single. Among those 13 hits is his debut single “Hurricane,” which dominated the country charts in 2017.
Luke learned of “Doin’ This” reaching #1 on Sunday, which coincidentally was also the five-year anniversary of when “Hurricane” achieved the same feat.
“Today is the 5 year Anniversary of ‘Hurricane’ going #1. I get to celebrate with my 13th in a row with ‘Doin’ This.’ That’s INSANE!” the superstar raved on Twitter. “Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this every step along the way. Wouldn’t be possible without you. Love y’all!”
“Doin’ This” is the lead single off Luke’s highly anticipated new album, Growin’ Up, set for release on June 24.
Luke’s previous record-setting album, What You See Is What You Get, and its deluxe edition spawned seven consecutive #1 singles: “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “Even Though I’m Leaving,” “Does to Me” featuring Eric Church, “Lovin’ On You,” “Better Together,” “Forever After All” and “Cold as You.”
Luke’s other hits came from his debut album, This One’s for You, which features “When It Rains It Pours,” “One Number Away,” “She Got the Best of Me” and “Beautiful Crazy.” He’s also a guest vocalist on Jameson Rodgers‘ chart-topper, “Cold Beer Calling My Name.”
Gorillaz has announced a North American headlining tour.
The trek kicks off September 11 in Vancouver, and will cross all the way over to the opposite corner of the continent before concluding October 23 in Miami.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 20, at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Gorillaz.com.
Gorillaz’s most recent album is the 2020’s colalborative Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, which features guest spots from Elton John, Beck, St. Vincent and The Cure‘s Robert Smith, among many others.
Before The Wanted‘s frontman TomParker passed away, he penned a memoir titled Hope: My Inspirational Life, which is set to arrive on May 26. According to an excerpt of the posthumous autobiography, the “Glad You Came” singer revealed how Ed Sheeran stepped up in a big way for him.
British tabloidThe Sunobtained an excerpt of Hope, which reads, “I’ve never publicly said this before (and he’ll probably be mad that I’m doing it now) but Ed is a very special man. He even helped out with my medical bills when I was seeking other treatment options and having private immunotherapy.”
“He didn’t need to do any of that, but my wife Kelsey and I are so grateful to him for his support,” the memoir adds. “It meant the world.”
Parker also revealed, “Pretty much from the moment I was diagnosed, Ed Sheeran reached out to me with an offer to do anything he could to help.” The late artist added he had been friends with the “Shivers” singer for over a decade and they always “had a great relationship.”
As previously reported, Parker was diagnosed in October 2020 with an inoperable glioblastoma, a stage four brain tumor, after experiencing seizures. His wife confirmed his passing on March 30.
Ed paid tribute to Parker after the tragic news broke, writing on Instagram, “So sad to hear of Tom’s passing. Thoughts and love are with Kelsey, his children and his family. Very sad day, what a lovely guy.”
Parker and The Wanted achieved fame in 2012 with their hits “Glad You Came” and “Chasing the Sun.” He leaves behind his wife and their two-year-old daughter, Aurelia, and one-year-old son, Bodhi.
(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority Monday struck down a 20-year-old campaign finance limit aimed at curbing corruption in politics, delivering a win to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who had challenged the federal law.
Chief Justice John Roberts, in an opinion joined by the five other conservative justices, said that caps on a candidate’s use of campaign contributions to repay a personal loan to his or her campaign violate First Amendment rights to engage in political speech.
Cruz loaned $260,000 to his reelection campaign in 2018, one day before the vote. After the election, he was unable to recoup the full amount from campaign coffers because the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 set a $250,000 limit and imposes a strict 20-day post-election grace period for repayment.
“This limit on the use of post-election funds increases the risk that candidate loans over $250,000 will not be repaid in full, inhibiting candidates from making such loans in the first place,” Roberts wrote.
“The First Amendment ‘has its fullest and most urgent application precisely to the conduct of campaigns for political office,'” Roberts wrote, quoting from a 1971 court decision. “It safeguards the ability of a candidate to use personal funds to finance campaign speech, protecting his freedom ‘to speak without legislative limit on behalf of his own candidacy.'”
“This broad protection, we have explained, ‘reflects our profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open,'” Roberts continued. “This provision, by design and effect, burdens candidates who wish to make expenditures on behalf of their own candidacy through personal loans.”
The decision means Cruz can legally recover the remaining $10,000.
Justice Elena Kagan, in a dissent joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer, blasted the decision as a blow to public integrity, opening the door to self-enrichment by politicians.
“Political contributions that will line a candidate’s own pockets, given after his election to office, pose a special danger of corruption. The candidate has a more-than-usual interest in obtaining the money (to replenish his personal finances), and is now in a position to give something in return,” she wrote. “The donors well understand his situation, and are eager to take advantage of it. In short, everyone’s incentives are stacked to enhance the risk of dirty dealing.”
“At the very least—even if an illicit exchange does not occur— the public will predictably perceive corruption in post-election payments directly enriching an officeholder,” Kagan added. “Congress enacted Section 304 to protect against those harms. In striking down the law today, the Court greenlights all the sordid bargains Congress thought right to stop.”
