Riley Green performs on ABC’s ‘CMA Fest presented by SoFi’ (Disney/Connie Cornuk)
Riley Green has just been announced as a co-founder of Duck Clubbourbon, and it might be the perfect thing for you to drink if your Thanksgiving weekend plans include hunting.
AsSouthern Living reports, Riley says the bourbon is “made for the people who feel at home in the wild—and for anyone who appreciates quality built on authenticity, tradition, and respect for the land.” That’s not just lip service: The brand is actively supporting the conservation of North America’s wetlands.
“I spend as much time as I can outdoors; the sport and the lifestyle around it are a big part of who I am,” Riley said in his statement to Southern Living. He added, “I’m proud to be a part of a brand that honors the lifestyle I love.”
You can purchase the bourbon in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, though not in Riley’s home state of Alabama. You can also buy it in online in 42 states via Duck Club’s website.
One Direction and Simon Cowell celebrate 1D Day, a 7-hour livestream event broadcast exclusively on YouTube and Google+, November 23, 2013 (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
One Direction member Liam Payne died in October 2024 after falling from the balcony of his hotel in Argentina; toxicology reports revealed he had a number of substances in his system at the time of his death. Simon Cowell, who helped launch One Direction to stardom on the U.K. version of The X Factor, tells the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast that the news “really hit me.” Simon says the last time he saw Liam, he thought he was “in a really good place.”
“I saw him a year before this happened. He came over to my house. We talked about his son and being a dad. I remember saying, ‘Music is not everything. Don’t let it run your life anymore. Find something else that you are passionate about,’” Simon recalls.
“You ask yourself that question: ‘Could I have done anything more? What would’ve happened to Liam if he hadn’t been in the band?’” Simon continued. “Having spoken to his mom and dad recently, all they kept telling me was he was so proud of what he had achieved.”
“I wish I could turn back the clock, of course. When I spoke to him that day, I felt really good about him. I thought, ‘Wow, you seem in a really good place.’”
Asked about the blame he received in the media after Liam’s death, Simon says, “The idea that you are essentially responsible for somebody’s life, 10 years after you’ve signed someone? You can’t do that.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Simon says that he wished the finale of the first season of America Idol had been a choice between Kelly Clarkson and Tamyra Grey, not Justin Guarini. He claimed Justin “would be the first to admit [to] himself” that he wasn’t good enough to go up against Kelly.
Ciara got “Low” in the New York City streets for her very own flash mob. In a newly released video, she joins a group of 40 dancers, who kick off the clip showing off their moves to her song “BRB” right in the middle of Times Square. She dances with them to “Low” featuring Diamond Platnumz and “Nice n’ Sweet” before posing for pictures and hopping into her ride.
“I just knew being in the streets of New York dancing to ‘Low’ and ‘Nice n’ Sweet,’ which are very New York-ish, there’s an Afro-Caribbean influence in it — we know New York breeds that kind of energy throughout the streets,” Ciara told Billboard’s Delisa Shannon. “So it just felt like the perfect place to have this moment and another ‘this place feels like home’ moment for me, which I loved.”
Though she’s from Atlanta, she says she has a second home in New York, where her family moved after husband Russell Wilson was drafted to the New York Giants.
“New York is showing our family tremendous love,” Ciara says. “And as an artist, I feel like New York has put their arms around me too. And so this is another place that I call home.”
“There’s just something so magical about being in the streets of New York,” she continues, noting this is the first time she had a flash mob where she just went “out in the middle of the streets and start dancing.”
You can watch Ciara’s New York City flash mob on YouTube.
Jeffrey Epstein in Cambridge, Ma., on Sept. 8, 2004. Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice is facing new scrutiny over the decision to withhold the Jeffrey Epstein files earlier this year.
A federal judge on Monday ordered the DOJ to expedite processing of a Freedom of Information Act request related to the Trump administration’s decision in July not to release files from the investigation of Epstein.
With the DOJ already facing a Dec. 19 deadline to turn over the Epstein files, as mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the ruling could shed light on why the Trump administration reversed course on its earlier vow to release the files. A joint FBI and DOJ memo in July concluded there was “no basis to revisit the disclosure of those materials” and that their review “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”
Progressive legal nonprofit Democracy Forward brought the lawsuit after the Justice Department “constructively denied its expedited review request” regarding the internal records, according to the ruling, including whether Attorney General Pam Bondi “misled the American people in representing that the ‘client list’ was on her desk and ready for review,” and whether the DOJ “reversed course on the decision to disclose the Epstein matter case files out of a desire to cover-up the content within.” Specifically, the FOIA request sought records that might show that the reported mention of Trump’s name in the files prompted the reversal.
Judge Tanya Chutkan – who oversaw Trump’s criminal case related to his effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election result – ruled on Monday that Democracy Forward demonstrated that their request was reasonably tailored to a “matter of widespread and exceptional media interest in which there exist possible questions about the government’s integrity that affect public confidence,” clearing the legal bar to order expedited processing.
“The request for ‘records reflecting all correspondence between Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein’ is plainly tied to the concern discussed in the media that the Justice Department reversed its position on the disclosure of the Epstein documents only after Attorney General Bondi reportedly informed the President that his name appeared in the files,” Judge Chutkan wrote.
In the same ruling, Judge Chutkan partially denied Democracy Forward’s request for records mentioning “whistleblower” and “flight logs” – concluding that those terms were overbroad – but granted the bulk of their request.
Chutkan ordered both sides to file a report by Dec. 5 to determine the next steps in the FOIA request and lawsuit.
Separately, on Tuesday, the Department of Justice asked two judges in the Southern District of New York to authorize the release of grand jury transcripts and exhibits from the prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, ahead of the Dec. 19 deadline for the DOJ to release the Epstein files, per the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton – whom Attorney General Pam Bondi tapped to lead an investigation into prominent Democrats associated with Epstein – signed a motion asking the judges who oversaw the Epstein and Maxwell cases to approve the release of the grand jury materials, subject to the necessary redactions.
“In the light of the Act’s clear mandate, the Court should authorize the Department of Justice to release the grand jury transcripts and exhibits and modify any preexisting protective orders that would otherwise prevent public disclosure by the Government of materials the disclosure of which is required by the Act,” the motion said.
Cover of Warren Haynes’ ‘Tales of Ordinary Madness’ (Megaforce Records)
Warren Haynes is revisiting his 1993 debut solo album, Tales of Ordinary Madness.
The Gov’t Mule frontman is releasing a remixed and remastered version ofthe album on Jan. 30, featuring one bonus track, “Tear Me Down,” which didn’t appear on the original album.
And Haynes is previewing the release with the remixed version of the album’s opening track, “Fire in the Kitchen,” which is now available via digital outlets.
The album, co-produced by Haynes and Allman Brothers Band‘s Chuck Leavell, was originally released in March 1993. Since then Haynes has released several solo records, his most recent being 2024’s Million Voices Whisper.
Haynes is set to hit the road on an 11-date intimate solo tour starting Feb. 12 in Grass Valley, California, and wrapping Feb. 26 in Pelham, Tennessee. He’ll also be going on tour with the Warren Haynes Band starting March 1 in Birmingham, Alabama, and wrapping March 7 in Ithaca, New York.
Next up, Haynes will headline his annual Christmas Jam on Dec. 13 in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. The lineup includes Stone Temple Pilots and MJ Lenderman & The Wind, along with a specialChristmas Jam tribute to Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, featuring Haynes, Lesh’s son Grahame Lesh, Widespread Panic‘s Jimmy Herring and more.
In this June 4, 2024, file photo, House Judiciary Committee member Rep. Eric Swalwell speaks during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, FILE
(WASHINGTON) — A member of Congress is suing a Trump administration official who over the last year has triggered mortgage fraud investigations into several of President Donald Trump’s political adversaries.
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., filed suit Tuesday against William Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, for violating his First Amendment rights and privacy by allegedly using government databases to “concoct fanciful allegations of mortgage fraud” against him.
Swalwell alleges that Pulte “abused his position” by using databases maintained by mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to pull private mortgage records of prominent Democrats he has accused of fraud, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Fed governor Lisa Cook and Rep. Adam Schiff.
According to the complaint, Pulte issued a criminal referral against Swalwell earlier this month based on private mortgage records. Swalwell’s lawyers argue the referral violates his First Amendment rights — allegedly punishing him for his criticism of the president — as well as a federal law that prohibits federal officials from disclosing sensitive information about any individual unless it is explicitly authorized by law.
“Pulte’s referral to the Justice Department was not only a gross mischaracterization of reality. It also represented a gross abuse of power that violated the law,” the complaint says.
Pulte has maintained that the documents from his referrals are part of the public record. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.
Swalwell has denied committing mortgage fraud, arguing that he maintains his primary residence in California while his wife’s primary residence is in Washington, D.C.
James, who successfully brought a civil fraud case against Trump last year, was indicted on Oct. 9 on charges that she falsely described a property she purchased in Norfolk, Virginia, as a second home instead of an investment property in order to obtain a lower mortgage rate. She pleaded not guilty to all charges.
A federal judge on Monday dismissed the case against James on the grounds that the interim U.S. attorney who brought the case was unconstitutionally appointed.
“Since taking office, President Trump has engaged in unprecedented efforts to leverage the power of the Federal Government to seek retribution against his political enemies,” Swalwell’s lawsuit said. “Those efforts have resulted in the Department of Justice conducting a series of high-profile criminal investigations and prosecutions nakedly targeting some of the President’s most outspoken critics.” ]”Defendants’ unlawful actions in this case were not the result of some inadvertent failure to comply with obscure or technical legal requirements. Rather, they represent a purposeful attack on core democratic norms and reflect a base desire to achieve exactly what the First Amendment and the Privacy Act exist to prevent: the use of government machinery to chill and silence the government’s critics,” said the complaint.
Swalwell asked a federal judge to declare Pulte’s actions unlawful, force the withdrawal of the criminal referral, and issue damages.
The Department of Justice, according to sources, is scrutinizing whether Pulte and U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin potentially jeopardized the probes into James and Schiff by enlisting unauthorized individuals outside the Justice Department to help conduct the investigations, ABC News previously reported.
(WASHINGTON) — Cases of norovirus are rising across the United States, doubling over the last few months, according to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nearly 14% of tests came back positive for norovirus during the most recent week ending Nov. 15, compared to roughly 7% about three months ago.
Test positivity is a metric used to identify how many people are confirmed to have norovirus after an illness is suspected.
Health experts have said that, like other measurements, test positivity is imperfect as it depends on the number of tests that are ordered, which can vary.
Last December saw a record-breaking rate of norovirus cases in the U.S. with nearly 25% of tests coming back positive. Cases had been trending down since then but have begun to rise in recent weeks, CDC data shows.
Electronic health records data from Epic Research show that Alabama, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming are some of the states currently experiencing the highest number of norovirus cases. Emergency department visits have been on the rise since July, Epic Research data shows.
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, which is an inflammation of the inside lining of the gastrointestinal tract.
Although it’s often referred to as the “stomach bug” or “stomach flu,” norovirus illness is not related to influenza.
Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., causing 58% of foodborne illnesses each year, and responsible for about 2,5000 outbreaks annually, according to the CDC.
The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. Patients, however, can also experience fever, headaches and body aches.
Typically, an infected person will develop symptoms between 12 to 48 hours after being infected. However, norovirus typically resolves quickly and, in most healthy adults, lasts one to three days, according to the CDC.
Health experts say the best way to prevent getting norovirus is to wash hands with warm soap and water for 20 seconds. Hand sanitizer alone does not work well against norovirus.
The CDC says people should wash their hands after using the toilet or changing diapers as well as when eating, preparing or handling food.
Taylor Swift, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ back cover image (Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot)
You don’t know the life of a turkey, babe — and you’re never gonna wanna. That’s why one particular turkey is looking to be adopted this Thanksgiving.
Serena isa formerly abused turkey who now lives at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York. The sanctuary posted a video of Serena listening to “Wi$h Li$t,” from Taylor Swift‘s new album, The Life of a Showgirl. The caption reads, “Our care team discovered Serena loves music, especially Taylor Swift! If you want to support Serena, speak now and make a difference in her life today!”
Since 1986, Farm Sanctuary has been running an Adopt a Turkey project, where donors can symbolically “adopt” a bird by donating $35 toward its care. The video says that Serena’s own holiday wish list includes “love & kindness,” “for you to skip the turkey dinner” and “sanctuary for all.”
In other Taylor news, “The Fate of Ophelia,” which has been #1 on the Hot 100 for seven weeks, has now been remixed by TheChainsmokers. You can download it now. Taylor co-signed it by posting a link to her Instagram Story.
Dave Mason and Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam perform at NJPAC at Prudential Hall on July 16, 2015 in Newark City. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)
Artists including Dave Mason and Steve Hackett are taking part in the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund holiday auction.
Mason, former guitarist for Traffic, has donated a signed Fender Player II Stratocaster in red, while former Genesis guitarist Hackett has also signed a guitar for the auction.
Also up for bid are instruments signed by George Thorogood & The Destroyers, The Black Keys, Hozier, Dream Theater and more, as well as a signed Pearl Jam poster, and tickets to shows by bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Three Days Grace, Third Eye Blind and Dropkick Murphys.
The Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides “financial assistance to musicians and music industry workers who are facing illness, disability, or age-related challenges,” according to a press release.
“Wow, another year of incredible generosity from our music industry supporters!” says Sweet Relief Executive Director Aric Steinberg. “All of the proceeds will help us to continue to provide a safety net for musicians and music industry professionals in need of physical or mental health care.”
The auction will be hosted by the site Fandiem. Visit Fandiem.com for more info.
Honoree, Tasha Cobbs Leonard attends the 14th Annual Merge Awards presented by Walt Disney World Resort, in collaboration with Sony Music Publishing and AHF at The Beverly Hilton on November 02, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for the 14th Annual Merge Awards)/John Legend attends the One Drop Gala Los Angeles at Audrey Irmas Pavillion on November 18, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for One Drop Foundation)
“The sound, the lyrics and the heart behind it seemed to resonate across audiences,” Cobbs Leonard tells Billboard when reacting to the news. “I’m so grateful to the stations who gave it a chance and to the listeners who kept showing up for it.”
While “Church” marks Tasha’s 10th Gospel Airplay leader, it’s the first time Legend has had a #1 on the chart. The song also recently became his first to be nominated for a best gospel performance/song Grammy. “I grew up singing and playing in the church,” he says in his own statement to Billboard. “So, I have a profound respect for the tradition of gospel music and gospel radio. To have ‘Church’ reach No. 1 on the Gospel Airplay chart and to get my first ever Grammy nomination in the Gospel category is a blessing.”
Tasha now joins James Fortune and FIYA as the second-most gospel airplay leaders, following closely behind Kirk Franklin and Tamela Mann, who both have 12 number ones. She also has the second-most leaders among women in the chart’s history.
Her album Tasha, which debuted at #1 on Top Gospel Albums in August, is nominated for best gospel album at the 2026 Grammys.
