New year, new Billie Eilish. The singer has undergone another transformation, trading in her platinum blonde hair for a shaggy brunette chop.
She teased the makeover on Thursday by taking to her Instagram story to share a selfie of just her eyes and a peek at her new, darker fringe. “Guess what,” she captioned the post, before taking to her profile to share the big update.
Unveiling her dramatic, new look, Billie simply captioned the post, “Miss me?”
Fellow Grammy-nominee Olivia Rodrigo approved of the new ‘do and raved in the comment section, “omg.”
This is the second time in a year the “bad guy” singer underwent a radical transformation. In March, she ditched her signature black and green hair she sported for two years and showed off her platinum bob. At the time, Billie revealed it took her six weeks to get the color right and wore a wig until her hair was ready.
This new look comes as Billie announces a new partnership with Gucci, which will release a limited-edition vinyl version of her Grammy-nominated album, Happier Than Ever. “The vinyl is made from recycled vinyl scraps from all the colors of the original pressing of the record and each piece is completely unique!!” Billie raved when announcing the new venture on Thursday, adding, “[T]he set is available starting today at the following boutiques!!!”
The shiny-looking record, which is now being sold worldwide, also treats fans to some nail stickers bearing the Gucci brand.
Elton John and his pal U.K. pop star Ed Sheeran are making sure fans ring in the holidays with a little extra cheer with their new single, “Merry Christmas.”
The song, which they co-wrote and released on Friday, sees the two powerhouse British singers explaining why it’s important to enjoy the season with those you love.
Sheeran begins the festive song by encouraging listeners to appreciate the season’s wonders by singing, “So kiss me under the mistletoe/ Pour out the wine, let’s toast and pray for December snow/ I know there’s been pain this year, but it’s time to let it go/ Next year, you never know.”
Sir Elton adds, “We’ve both known love, but this love we got is the bеst of all/ I wish you could see it through my eyes, then you would know.”
If that wasn’t enough to help bring some joy back to the holidays after another stressful year, Ed and Elton also released the official and ultra-campy music video for “Merry Christmas.” The two are decked out in several of their best holiday outfits, from sequined tuxedos to very short Santa-like robes, as they rotate through various Christmas-like scenes.
“Merry Christmas” is available to stream and purchase now across all platforms. Proceeds from the single will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation.
The track also appears on the “Christmas Edition” of Sheeran’s latest studio album, = (Equals).
While the story of Annie is a classic one, NBC’s Annie Live!was able to add their own pizazz and create some very memorable moments on Thursday.
The beloved story about an orphan who is adopted by a billionaire saw newcomer Celina Smith bring the titular role to life, and you can bet your bottom dollar fans were blown away by her performance.
“Celina Smith as Annie is giving ACTINGGG she full on dropped tears live on tv she is a star and she is the moment,” one viewer raved on Twitter.
Likewise, Taraiji P. Henson‘s Miss Hannigan received lots of praise, with one fan writing, “Taraji p Henson is killing this live annie role the vocals on point.”
In addition to nailing the casting, NBC’s live version also paid tribute to late Broadway legend Ann Reinking, who portrayed Grace Farrell in the 1982 film, by including the epic dance number “We Got Annie” that had previously been omitted from stage versions of the show. Taking things up a notch, Nicole Scherzinger as Farrell, belted out the jazzy hit with a dance number complete with upside-down singing and a somersault.
The show also included its familiar songs “It’s The Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” and, of course, “Tomorrow.”
While fans were overall impressed with the production, there was one aspect that couldn’t be ignored — the bald head that Harry Connick Jr. donned as Daddy Warbucks.
“His bald head is unsettling, but his performance is absolutely crazy good,” one social media user noted.
Annie Live! also starred Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan and Megan Hilty as Lily St. Regis — a.k.a. Annie’s fake parents.
If you missed Annie Live! or simply can’t get enough, it’s available for streaming now on Hulu, Peacock, and NBC.com.
(NEW YORK) — A Columbia University graduate student has been stabbed to death near the Ivy League school’s New York City campus.
The student, 30-year-old Davide Giri, suffered a stab wound to his abdomen just before 11 p.m. Thursday near West 123 St. and Amsterdam Ave., at the north end of Morningside Park, according to the New York Police Department.
A second victim, a 27-year-old man, suffered a stab wound to his torso. He was found nearby, at the northwest corner of Central Park, and hospitalized in stable condition, police said.
While canvassing the area, a 25-year-old man fitting the suspect’s description was taken into custody in Central Park, police said. The 25-year-old “was observed menacing” a third victim, a 29-year-old man, with a knife, police said.
The 29-year-old wasn’t hurt and the knife was recovered, police said.
Columbia said Giri was a student at the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
“This news is both unspeakably sad and deeply shocking, as it took place only steps from our campus. The University is working closely with NYPD to learn more details of the attack,” university president Lee Bollinger said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire Columbia community, I send my deepest condolences to Davide’s family.”
The scene of his death is near where Barnard College student Tessa Majors was stabbed to death in Morningside Park in December 2019, allegedly by three teenagers who were later arrested.
Former The Daily Show host Jon Stewart has joined Jennifer Aniston, Gabrielle Union, Kathryn Hahn and Allison Tolman in the cast for the Facts of Life segment of NBC’s third Live in Front of a Studio Audience special, set to air December 7.
Stewart will be playing a “surprise role” in the show, per ABC. The Facts of Life re-enactment will be paired with a staging of its parent show, Diff’rent Strokes. That episode will feature Kevin Hart, John Lithgow and Damon Wayans. The Handmaid’s Tale star Ann Dowd will appear in both episodes as Mrs. Garrett, the role played by Charlotte Rae on both shows.
For Stewart, who currently hosts and executive produces The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV, it will be taking on his first on-camera acting role that’s not a version of himself since 2002’s Death to Smoochy.
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.2 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 785,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
Just 59.4% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Dec 02, 9:08 pm
Hawaii latest state to confirm omicron case
Hawaii became the fifth state to detect the omicron variant, after confirming a case through expedited genomic sequencing Thursday, health officials said.
The individual is an unvaccinated resident of Oahu who had a previous COVID-19 infection, the state health department said. The person is experiencing “moderate symptoms,” the department said.
The resident has no recent travel history, indicating that this is a case of community transmission, health officials said.
Dec 02, 8:44 pm
LA County detects 1st omicron case
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Thursday evening it has confirmed its first case of the omicron variant.
The county resident had recently traveled to South Africa, returning via London on Nov. 22, and the infection “is most likely travel-related,” the department said.
The person is fully vaccinated and their symptoms are improving without medical care, health officials said. Several close contacts have all tested negative.
This is the second confirmed case of omicron in California, following identification Wednesday in a resident of San Francisco who had recently traveled to South Africa.
Dec 02, 7:38 pm
Preliminary analysis suggests omicron might be more likely to lead to reinfection
A new study from South Africa suggests that the new omicron variant might be more likely to lead to COVID-19 reinfection than prior variants, though more research is needed.
The study, which is not peer-reviewed, found that in November, there was an uptick in the rate of reinfections seen within three months of a primary infection, compared to prior surges driven by the delta and beta variants.
Researchers, who reviewed records of over 2.7 million people in South Africa with COVID-19 infections in 2020 and 2021, assumed many cases in November were caused by omicron, even though the first cases of the variant were not detected there until late November.
The vaccination status of individuals with suspected reinfections was unknown in the study, so it is unclear if they had immunity from prior infection or vaccination.
Dec 02, 6:27 pm
5 omicron cases identified in New York
Five cases of the new COVID-19 variant omicron have been detected in New York state, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in a press conference Thursday evening.
Hochul emphasized that battling the delta variant is more of a challenge right now, adding that all five cases have been described as mild.
One case was located in Suffolk County, while three others were in New York City — two in Queens and one in Brooklyn, Hochul said. A fifth suspected case has also been detected, the governor said, but did not provide details.
(WASHINGTON) — The Christmas season has begun in Washington, with bright lights, festive trees and a touch of bipartisanship in the spirt of the holiday.
President Joe Biden, joined by first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, lit the National Christmas Tree outside the White House on Thursday evening.
The president delivered a message of optimism, telling the crowd of first responders and military families, “We have so much ahead of us.”
“We are a great nation because of you, the American people,” Biden said. “You’ve made me so optimistic.”
While Biden struck a tone of optimism, the reality of the pandemic was still on display with a smaller crowd allowed than most years and guests required to wear a mask despite being outside.
Last year’s ceremony had no guests and was completely virtual because of the pandemic.
The national Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony began in 1923 with President Calvin Coolidge, when he lit a 48-foot balsam fir tree from Vermont with festive bulbs in red, white and green on Christmas Eve.
This year’s tree came from Middleburg, Pennsylvania, and is adorned with white and red lights. It is surrounded by smaller trees each representing a different state and territory with decorations unique to the area handcrafted by students across the country.
The White House tree was lit one night after the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which featured House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday.
“Now, as always, this tree is our symbol of hope. That it has earned the nickname ‘The People’s Tree,’ is a testament to its special ability to unite us in comfort and joy, no matter who we are where we’re from,” Pelosi said.
The Capitol Hill Christmas tree is a tradition dating back to 1964.
The 84-foot white fir, nicknamed “Sugar Bear,” made its way to D.C. after venturing across the country from Six Rivers National Forest in California. The tree features hand-painted ornaments made by California residents.
“A tree is the lungs of the earth. A tree breathes in CO2, captures the carbon but releases the oxygen, and purifies,” McCarthy said. “So it’s a rightful symbol of why we have it here.”
Both the National Christmas Tree and the Capitol Hill tree are free to visit for the public until early January.
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for MTV, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Juice Wrld and Justin Bieber join forces for their new track “Wandered to LA,” released at the stroke of midnight.
On the new single, the two artists candidly sing about their experiences since wandering to Los Angeles.
“I wandered to LA hoping to explore / Little did I’d know I’d find a little more,” Juice sings in the chorus, before adding in his opening verse, “Maybe it’s the love / Maybe it’s the drugs.”
Justin, who has also previously opened up about his past drug use, sings about how his relationship was affected but is “Thankful that we worked it out / We come so far.”
Prior to the song’s drop, a teaser trailer was released, which featured interviews from those in Juice’s camp discussing how the rapper had agreed to go to rehab before he died of an accidental overdose in December 2019. Bieber also shared his experiences with drugs in an attempt to encourage others who may be struggling to seek help.
“Wandered to LA” is the latest single released from Juice’s forthcoming posthumous album, Fighting Demons, due out December 10.
On December 9, before the album’s release, Chicago will host the first-ever Juice Wrld Day. According to a press release, “the event will bring together a number of his closest family, friends, collaborators and fans for an immersive experience celebrating his life and music.” Attendees will also get a first look at Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss, a documentary film focused on Juice’s life and death, which hits HBO Max December 16.
Tickets to Juice WRLD Day range from $35 to $99 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.
(NEW YORK) — At least until June 2021, Facebook had significant gaps in its efforts to tackle COVID-19 misinformation from one of the most prominent anti-vaccine groups in the world, according to a study from ISD Global, a U.K.-based think tank that studies polarization, extremism and misinformation.
During the first year of the pandemic, Facebook pages associated with the World Doctors Alliance — an anti-vaccine group whose members regularly post false information about COVID-19 — ballooned in popularity, according to ISD Global, despite consistent breaches of Facebook’s own COVID-19 and vaccine policies. The group’s primary page was removed from the platform in July 2021.
“The World Doctors Alliance is a collective of pseudo-science influencers … that hijacked the pandemic to build up a significant audience online in a multitude of languages in multiple continents,” Ben Decker, CEO of Memetica, a digital investigations consultancy firm, told ABC News.
On its website, the WDA lists 12 key members from seven different countries, a number of whom have become leading voices within the COVID-denier and vaccine-skeptic movements.
The ISD Global study also says that Facebook failed to implement its own policies “at a very basic level.”
For example, the report outlines some of the false claims from members of the WDA group that were allowed on Facebook, from claims that the COVID-19 virus does not exist, to others acknowledging its existence but downplaying its severity.
The report also claims that other WDA members have propagated overarching conspiracy theories that allege the entire pandemic has been a “scam” or “hoax” “perpetrated by governments, health care authorities and the media.”
Last October, documents released by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen showed that employees were concerned about how the social media giant was handling COVID-19 misinformation.
Researchers at ISD Global looked at the WDA’s presence on other social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter and TikTok but primarily focused on Facebook as it’s where the group has the largest following. WDA is also an international group with members posting in multiple languages, even though the members with the largest followings come from English-speaking countries.
According to the research, Facebook is fact-checking some of the COVID-19 misinformation posted by the group but failing to take appropriate action and in many other cases failing to detect the misinformation altogether. The data also suggests that Facebook’s fact-checking in languages other than English is insufficient and almost nonexistent in some languages.
“Facebook should use the knowledge of fact-checking organizations to take action on misinformation super-spreaders”, the study author, Aoife Gallagher, told ABC News. “Our report highlights how often some of the WDA members have been featured in fact-checks, yet no decisive action seems to be taken.”
The Facebook pages of WDA members have increased their number of followers by 13% since the start of the pandemic, according to ISD Global. Their posts have garnered 5.7 million interactions since January 2020 and those numbers have increased by 85% in the first six months of 2021. The data also showed that the Facebook posts containing false claims and misinformation got more engagement (likes, views etc.) than others.
Dr. Scott Jensen (with 394,857 Facebook followers) and Dr. Dolores Cahill (with 128,942 Facebook followers) are responsible for the vast majority of the group’s followers, according to the study.
Jensen is a Minnesota state senator who came to prominence with anti-vaccine groups when in an interview he gave to Fox News he expressed concerns that COVID-19 fatality numbers could be exaggerated.
Subsequent studies found that the number of deaths due to COVID-19 was actually likely underestimated. Four anonymous complaints challenging his medical license based on his COVID-related comments were investigated and dismissed by state regulators last year, a CBS Minnesota news outlet reported.
Cahill is an Irish scientist who lost her job as a professor at University College Dublin earlier this year, after the college’s student union called for an investigation into her for “gross misconduct, ” according to Irish newspapers. She was also fined for breaching U.K. lockdown restrictions.
Cahill did not respond to ABC News when asked for comment on the ISD Global study and the fine.
Facebook uses third-party investigators to fact-check posts to determine whether a post containing false or misleading information needs to be either labeled or removed. However, the study states there was “minimal application of these labels across the 50 most popular posts mentioning the World Doctors Alliance or its members in English, Spanish, Arabic and German, despite these posts containing problematic claims.” Only 13% of English-language posts were labeled and even less in German (8%) and Spanish (4.5%).
Moreover, the report states that the labeled posts received even more engagement from Facebook users than the posts which were not labeled.
According to Decker, a relatively small number of independent fact-checkers can never hope to police the billions of Facebook posts on the platform. “Fact-checking has always been a Band-Aid on a broken leg to this problem because fact-checking can’t address scale,” he said.
There was also a huge disparity in fact-checking across different languages, according to the report. The study examined 189 fact-checking articles mentioning the WDA. There were 61 articles written in English, 26 in Spanish and 13 in German, but there were none at all in Romanian, Hungarian, Swedish and Italian despite there being more than 5,528 posts mentioning the WDA in those languages.
Report author, Aoife Gallagher, called on Facebook to put more human resources into its fact-checking efforts but also to improve its automated detection methods. The ISD found examples of one video in English which was labeled as containing misinformation but the exact same video translated into Spanish was not labeled and seemingly went undetected. There were other examples such as an interview Dolores Cahill did with infamous spreader of COVID-19 misinformation, Del Bigtree, which was fact-checked and labeled, yet clips of the same video that were in the form of embedded videos uploaded to Facebook, went undetected.
“It’s not about new rules, it’s about enforcing the ones they already have,” said Gallagher. “Facebook’s policies on COVID-19 and vaccine misinformation go into a lot of detail on what content is prohibited and removed, but this report shows they are failing to implement these at a very basic level,” she added.
Decker of Memetica said that Facebook should be using the same automated technology to track COVID misinformation that it uses to detect ISIS content and child pornography. “You could feed 5,000 COVID-19 conspiracy memes into a system and it would learn to go seek out those things and either prevent them getting uploaded, prevent engagement or apply a fact-check label,” said Decker. “The question is why are these resources not being made available.”
ABC News reached out to all 12 members of the WDA for comment.
Only Belgium’s Dr. Johan Denis, who had his medical license suspended earlier this year after a Belgian provincial commission found he was placing patients and the public health at risk by violating mask requirements, responded by calling the study “revolting” and incorrectly claiming that COVID-19 is a “scam.”
Facebook responded to ABC News saying that the study only looked at a narrow sample of 14 accounts. “This small sample is in no way representative of the hundreds of millions of posts that people have shared about COVID-19 vaccines in the past months on Facebook,” according to a Facebook spokesperson. However, when asked, Facebook did not provide ABC News with data to support a claim that this sample was not representative of a wider trend.
Facebook also said, “Since the pandemic began, our goal has been to promote reliable information about COVID-19, take more aggressive action against misinformation, and encourage people to get vaccinated. So far, we’ve connected over 2 billion people to authoritative information from health experts, removed 24 million pieces of COVID misinformation, and labeled more than 195 million pieces of COVID content rated by our fact-checking partners.”
The study authors told ABC News that one of the reasons they chose this group was that it was a prominent well-known spreader of misinformation which, in theory, should be easier to police than lesser-known accounts.
“I think it’s just a sliver of the pie, just a tiny part of how bad the actual problem is,” said Decker. “What about other [Facebook]-owned properties like Instagram and even worse, WhatsApp, where disinformation can spread really quickly because it’s already in these kind of baked-in trusted family and local communities,” he added.
Decker also said that after the improvements Facebook promised following the 2016 election that the pandemic was a real stress test to see if Facebook has learned anything. “My inclination is that based on what we see now that they haven’t really learned anything,” he said.
Though ISD Global has publicly released its methodology, the study has not been peer-reviewed or published in an academic journal.
