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Beyoncé drops ‘Act II: Cowboy Carter’

Beyoncé has dropped her new album, Act II: Cowboy Carter, the follow-up to her Grammy-winning album Renaissance.

A press release detailing the album drop states in part that “COWBOY CARTER, executive produced by Beyoncé, is about genres, all of them, while deeply rooted in Country. This is the work of an artist who thrives in her freedom to grow, expand, and create limitlessly. It makes no apologies, and seeks no permission in elevating, amplifying, and redefining the sounds of music, while dismantling accepted false norms about Americana culture. It pays homage to the past, honoring musical pioneers in Country, Rock, Classical, and Opera”

Per The Hollywood Reporter the album features 27-songs, including a cover of Dolly Parton’s classic hit “Jolene,” as well as a collaboration with Willie Nelson on a song titled “Smoke Hour.” Post Malone is also reportedly featured on the track “Levii’s Jeans,” while Miley Cyrus is a guest vocalist on “II Most Wanted.”

In addition to her previously released singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the tracklist for Act II: Cowboy Carter includes the songs: “Protector,” “Ameriican Requiem,” “Bodyguard,” “Daughter,” “Spaghettii,” “Smoke Hour II,” “Just for Fun,” “Flamenco,” “Ya Ya,” “Oh Louisiana,” “Desert Eagle,” “Riiverdance,” “Tyrant,” “II Hands II Heaven,” “Sweet Honey Buckin’,” “Alliigator Tears,” “Amen,” and a cover of The Beatles’ classic “Blackbird.”

Beyoncé, who recently shared the artwork and a note prior to the release of Cowboy Carter, stated: “This ain’t a Country album .. This is a ‘Beyoncé album.”

To stream “Cowboy Carter” head here.

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Suspect charged in connection with stabbing attack that left 4 dead, 7 injured in Rockford, Illinois

A man has been charged in connection with a stabbing attack that left four people dead – including one teenager – and seven others injured Wednesday afternoon in Rockford, Illinois. Rockford is a city of around 150,000 about 60 miles northwest of Chicago.

On Thursday morning, the Rockford Police Department confirmed to ABC News that the suspect, 22-year-old Christian Soto, was arrested as a suspect in the knife attack. Soto faces four counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder, as well as two counts of home invasion with a dangerous weapon. Authorities said that Soto is being held in the Winnebago County Jail.

Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said that the brutal attack first began during a home invasion near Florence Street and Eggleston Road; a young woman trying to get away was stabbed in the face and hands and seriously wounded, while a Good Samaritan who tried to help the woman also was stabbed. The attacker then went on a rampage in the areas of Holmes Street, Winnetka Drive, and Cleveland Avenue in Rockford, police said. Calls for police and paramedics were soon coming in at multiple scenes in Rockford and surrounding parts of Winnebago County.

Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said a total of four people were killed, with one critically injured, and four others taken to hospitals, where they remain in stable condition. Redd said not all of the victims were stabbed, but there were no gunshot victims. The victims who were killed include a 15-year-old girl, a 63-year-old woman, a 49-year-old man, and a 22-year-old man.

Police confirmed Thursday, that there were no other offenders involved in the attack, with Mayor Tom McNamara releasing the following statement: “Today, we are shocked by another horrific act of violence against innocent members of our community. We can report that the suspect is in custody and the threat has been neutralized. Now that he is in custody, our primary concern is ensuring that our community members directly impacted by this violence are supported throughout their healing and recovery. We are working with community partners to provide support and services quickly and conveniently to those residents. We will announce those details soon. We have multiple jurisdictions working on multiple crime scenes to develop an understanding of what transpired in an effort to prevent this from happening again. We will continue to provide updates.”

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Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison on fraud charges

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, 32, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday after he was found guilty on fraud charges related to the downfall of the failed cryptocurrency exchange.

Judge Lewis Kaplan delivered the sentence, calling the defense argument ‘misleading, logically flawed and speculative.’ Kaplan said that Bankman-Fried had obstructed justice and tampered with witnesses in mounting his defense, which he weighed in making his decision on sentencing.

Bankman-Fried  was accused of using customer deposits on the cryptocurrency trading platform FTX, the company he founded, to cover losses at his hedge fund, pay off loans and buy lavish real estate, among other personal expenses.  He was convicted last November on two wire fraud conspiracy counts, two counts of wire fraud, one money-laundering conspiracy count, plus two counts of commodities fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to commit securities fraud. The wire fraud and money laundering charges each carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the other charges carry a maximum sentence of five years each.

Via NBC News, Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement that Bankman-Fried had orchestrated one of the largest frauds in financial history: “Today’s sentence will prevent the defendant from ever again committing fraud and is an important message to others who might be tempted to engage in financial crimes that justice will be swift, and the consequences will be severe.”

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Milwaukee’s Summerfest 2024 lineup: Maroon 5, Kane Brown, Mötley Crüe, Lil Uzi Vert & more

The lineup for Milwaukee’s 2024 Summerfest was revealed, featuring artists across all-genres including Keith Urban, Maroon 5, Mötley Crüe, REO Speedwagon, Illenium and more (per The Music Universe).

Festival organizers posted on social media: “Living in our mind rent-free 😍 The Summerfest lineup presented by @AmFam is here 🙌 Now sound off and tell us who you’re excited to see and tag your Summerfest Squad to get the party started ✌

The Wisconsin music festival runs across three consecutive weekends in downtown Milwaukee, from noon to midnight on June 20-22, 27-29 and July 4-6. The festival hosts 140 headliners over three weekends, comprising more than 1,000 performances across 12 different stages.

Additional performers at SUMMERFEST 2024 include: Kane Brown with Kameron Marlowe, Tyler Childers, Lil Uzi Vert with Lil Yachty, JID, Rico Nasty, Maroon 5, AJR with Carly Rae Jepsen, Keith Urban, Mötley Crüe with Seether and Buckcherry, Ivan Cornejo, Bryson Tiller, MUNA, Mt. Joy, David Kushner, Hippo Campus, Alison Wonderland, Jessie Murph, Lil Tecca, Cold War Kids, FLETCHER, Sleater-Kinney, Black Pumas, REO SPEEDWAGON, Umphrey’s McGee, En Vogue, Charles Wesley Godwin, Goo Goo Dolls, Ken Carson, Key Glock, Ethel Cain, The Wallflowers, Taking Back Sunday, Mariah the Scientist, Local Natives, Three Dog Night, and many more.

Sarah Pancheri, President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc: “Our 2024 lineup embodies the essence of what makes Summerfest so special. With a curated selection of artists spanning genres and styles, the festival reflects the vibrancy of today’s music scene. With 600 artists at a 75-acre permanent festival park, Summerfest creates a one-of-a-kind environment that our fans look forward to every summer.”

Visit Summerfest.com for ticket information, and for the full festival lineup (including artist date, stage, and times), head here.

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Democrat Marilyn Lands flips seat in Alabama House after running on abortion rights

Marilyn Lands, a Democratic candidate for a state House seat in Alabama, won a special election on Tuesday, defeating Republican Teddy Powell and  flipping the Republican-held seat. The seat representing Alabama’s 10th district (Madison City) in the state legislature had long been held by Republicans. Lands also ran for the seat in 2022, narrowly losing to her Republican opponent.

As a result of a court ruling in Alabama that threw access to fertility treatments into question, Lands focused her campaign on reproductive rights, including support for access to in vitro fertilization and abortion. Lands, a mental health counselor, said a statement: “Today, Alabama women and families sent a clear message that will be heard in Montgomery and across the nation. Our legislature must repeal Alabama’s no-exceptions abortion ban, fully restore access to IVF, and protect the right to contraception.”

After an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that equated frozen embryos to children, leading to major IVF providers in the state to pause fertility treatments, Lands spoke openly about her own abortion when her pregnancy was nonviable. She ran advertisements on reproductive health care, like contraception and in vitro fertilization.

Heather Williams, president of Democrats’ legislative campaign, called the special election “the first real test, and a harbinger of things to come .. Republicans across the country have been put on notice that there are consequences to attacks on IVF — from the bluest blue state to the reddest red, voters are choosing to fight for their fundamental freedoms by electing Democrats across the country.”

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Settlement reached in lawsuit between allies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney

Following the takeover of the Walt Disney World theme park resort’s government by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Disney and allies of DeSantis reached a settlement agreement on Wednesday after a court fight over how Walt Disney World is developed in the future.

The board of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District –which provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, for example — was controlled by Disney supporters for most of its five decades.  The board members approved the settlement agreement, ending almost two years of litigation that was sparked by DeSantis’ takeover of the district from Disney supporters following the company’s opposition to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bans classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. As punishment for Disney’s opposition to the law, DeSantis took over the governing district through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and appointed a new board of supervisors. Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees, claiming the company’s free speech rights were violated for speaking out against the legislation. A federal judge dismissed that lawsuit in January.

Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said in a statement Wednesday: “this agreement opens a new chapter of constructive engagement with the new leadership of the district and serves the interests of all parties by enabling significant continued investment and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and economic opportunity in the state.”

Under the terms of Wednesday’s settlement agreement, Disney lets stand a determination by the board of DeSantis appointees that the comprehensive plan approved by the Disney supporters before the takeover is null and void. According to the settlement terms, Disney also agrees that a development agreement and restrictive covenants passed before the takeover are also not valid. As such, a comprehensive plan from 2020 will be used with the new board able to make changes to it, and the agreement suggests Disney and the new board will negotiate a new development agreement in the near future.

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/settlement-reached-lawsuit-disney-florida-gov-ron-desantis-108552678

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs speaks out after raid of his homes by federal agents

The attorney for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ has released a statement after Homeland Security raided the rapper’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles on March 25.

In a statement to E! News, Diddy’s attorney, Aaron Dyer, is accusing the government of using excessive force while searching his home reportedly as part of a sex trafficking investigation in his statement. Dyer denounced Homeland Security’s use of force while searching Diddy’s homes, saying: “Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”

The statement said that Combs, 54, spoke to the authorities and he was not arrested, and maintained Diddy’s innocence: “This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”

The raid comes four months after Diddy settled a lawsuit after his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who accused him of sexual assault. In total, five women have come forward accusing the rapper of sexual assault since late 2023; Diddy released a statement denying the allegations against him.

A rep for Homeland Security Investigations confirmed that their New York branch “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation” on March 25, with sources familiar with the investigation telling NBC News that the raid may be tied to a federal investigation regarding accusations of sex-trafficking and sexual assault, as well as the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms against Combs.

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Cardi B and Shakira team up in the video for “Puntería”

Cardi B and Shakira have teamed up in the music video together, “Punteria,” which appears on Shakira’s 12th studio album, Las Mujeres Ya No Llorana.  Shakira posted: “Puntería @iamcardib official video 🎯🌸 OUT NOW!”

Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran features 15 other tracks, including “Te Felicito” with Rauw Alejandro, “Monotonía” with Ozuna, “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” with Bizarrap and “TQG” with Karol G.  The video for Puntería shows the two women amongst chiseled centaurs and goddesses in a pastel, intergalactic setting.  Shakira is seen holding a bow and arrow as Cardi sits atop a half-horse, half-man, wearing a white, roped ensemble and platinum-blonde tresses.

Ahead of the single’s release, the two superstars spoke about working together. Said Cardi: “When I first met Shakira, it was in Paris at the Fendi show, and I was very, very nervous. I was nervous because I wanted to get next to her, but I was like, ‘I’m not gonna get next to her until they call me.’ I manifested it, but I didn’t know when it was coming …I knew this day would come. It came. God is good, Jesus. I don’t care if she wants me to meow — I’m doing it. Seriously, that is my dream. I always look at your videos and it’s so crazy doing a video with you because all of your videos — you could just tell you take your time from the angle, to the dancing, to the things that pop.”

Shakira added, “I wanted to do something with Cardi. We were always discussing internally if it was a good idea to put someone on this song. I always pictured Cardi on this song. I reached out, and here we are. It’s been so fun to work with you. It’s so easy, honestly. She’s like, ‘I’ll do everything.’ I’m like, ‘Are you ready to work long hours? Because I work long hours.’ She’s like, ‘I’ll be there from 6 to 6 a.m.’”

Take a look at the music video for “Punteria”here.

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6 presumed dead after Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

Six construction workers are presumed dead after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday when a support column was hit by a large container ship that had lost power. Search and rescue operations were suspended at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, as officials transitioned to recovery efforts.

Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath told reporters, confirming that the length of time the workers have been missing, combined with the cold temperature of the water, made rescue unlikely: “At this point, we do not believe we are going to find any of these individuals still alive.”  Col. Roland Butler Jr. and Maryland State Police said conditions in the water, including changing currents, low visibility and sharp metal objects, made it dangerous for divers and first responders.  Divers were to begin recovery operations at 6 a.m. ET Wednesday, Butler Jr. said, adding that officials didn’t know where the victims are located.

Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said in a mid-morning press conference that two other people were rescued from the water, and all eight people were part of a construction crew that was filling potholes on the bridge at the time, employed by local company Brawner Builders. According to news outlets, one of the rescued workers was unhurt, and the other was treated at the University of Maryland Medical Center and has been discharged.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said during a news conference Tuesday that a preliminary investigation pointed to the cause of the crash being “an accident …We haven’t seen any credible evidence of a terrorist attack.” Moore said the ship’s crew issued a “mayday” before crashing into the bridge as they confirmed the ship lost power, noting the warning prevented traffic from flowing onto the bridge: “we’re thankful that between the mayday and collapse that we had officials who were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic so more cars were not up on the bridge.”

The MarineTraffic website has identified the involved vessel as the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali operated by charter vessel company Synergy Marine Group and chartered by Maersk, carrying Maersk customers’ cargo, the companies said.  The ship was en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka, when the crash occurred. According to a statement from Synergy, there were 22 crew members, including two pilots, aboard the ship, with all crew members Indian nationals. Synergy said it had activated its incident response team and is cooperating with state and federal officials.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River- a key waterway that serves with the Port of Baltimore as a hub for East Coast shipping. The 1.6-mile span was used by some 31,000 people per day and carried 11.5 million vehicles annually. The Maryland Transportation Authority said all lanes were closed in both directions on I-695, with traffic being detoured to I-95 and I-895. All ship traffic at the port, which is the second-largest seaport in the mid-Atlantic region, has been halted.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. names attorney Nicole Shanahan as vice presidential running mate

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that Nicole Shanahan, a donor and California-based attorney and entrepreneur in the San Francisco Bay Area, will be joining his campaign as his vice presidential selection. Kennedy made the announcement at a rally in Shanahan’s hometown of Oakland, saying in part: “I’m so proud to introduce to you the next vice president the United States, my fellow lawyer, a brilliant scientist, technologist, a fierce warrior mom, Nicole Shanahan.”

Shanahan, 38, was thought to be a leading contender as Kennedy’s running mate, in particular due to her campaign funding for Kennedy. Shanahan contributed $4 million to the Kennedy super PAC American Values 2024 and was involved in coordinating the production of an ad highlighting the Kennedy campaign, which aired during the Super Bowl. Said Kennedy of Shanahan: “I wanted a partner who is a gifted administrator, but also possesses the gift of curiosity, an open, inquiring mind and the confidence to change even her strongest opinions in the face of contrary evidence. I wanted someone with a spiritual dimension and compassion and idealism and, above all, a deep love of the United States of America. I found all of those qualities in a woman who grew up right here in Oakland.”

Kennedy’s announcement comes after his campaign threatened legal action against the Nevada Secretary of State’s office over his petition to appear on the ballot after it was reported that the signatures he had gathered could be invalid because his petition did not include a vice presidential candidate. Documents requested from the Nevada office revealed that Kennedy only named himself, without a running mate, on his candidate petition, in violation of the rules, potentially making the signatures collected in the state void.

Earlier this month, Kennedy teased his vice-presidential selection by sharing potential candidates including NFL player Aaron Rodgers, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, and Mike Rowe, 62, former host of the “Dirty Jobs” TV series.

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