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Houthis takes responsibility for downing U.S. military plane over Red Sea

Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement – better known as the Houthis – has taken credit for downing an American military plane. U.S. Central Command said initially reported that two U.S. Navy pilots safely ejected over the Red Sea on Sunday after the F/A-18 fighter jet they were in was shot down by what had appeared to be friendly fire. The Houthis is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and its allies, and have exchanged missile fire with Israel and have attacked shipping vessels in the Red Sea to support Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza, leading to military action against them by the United States.

CENTCOM said in a statement that the F/A-18 was flying off of the USS Harry S. Truman over the Red Sea on Sunday when it was downed, an that one of the pilots may have sustained minor injuries during the ejection. At the time, CENTOM believed that the incident occurred when the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the region) “mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18.” (per NBC News.)

Houthi Brigadier General Yahya Qasim Sare’e said in a statement that the Yemeni militia had succeeded in thwarting a joint American-British attack on the country by targeting the American ships on Saturday evening as the airstrikes were being carried out. He added that the Houthi operation was carried out with eight cruise missiles and 17 drones that led to the downing of the fighter jet and “the failure of the hostile attack on Yemeni territory.”

Mohammed al-Houthi later alleged that the U.S. Central Command would not disclose the truth about the crash of the plane “to prevent further collapse of the morale of its soldiers,” sharing in a statement: “The American attacks on Yemen are condemned and illegal terrorist attacks that support the terrorism of the temporary Israeli entity to continue the genocide and siege of the people of Gaza. The American terrorist attacks confirm the lawless rampage and criminality in the region. The reckless terrorist actions against Yemen do not stop the support operations for Gaza.”

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Suspect shot and killed by police after plowing through Texas mall, injuring 5

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a truck driver was shot and killed by law enforcement officers after driving a truck into a busy mall on Saturday night, injuring five people.

Per local NBC affiliate KXAN, a DPS trooper tried to stop a black pickup truck after a 911 caller reported a possible intoxicated driver in Belton (about 20 miles from Killeen) at around 5 p.m. on Saturday. The driver refused to stop, prompting a chase. Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Bryan Washko said during a news conference Saturday night that the man plowed into the front of a JC Penney store at the Killeen Mall in Killen (nearly 70 miles north of Austin), shattering the glass doors and continuing to drive his black pickup about 100 yards while “striking multiple people” and “actively running people over.” The suspect was shot and killed by law enforcement. He was identified by the Texas Department of Public Safety as 53-year-old Darrel Schultz of Kempner, Texas.

At least five people ranging in age from 6 to 75 were injured; four were taken by ambulance to area hospitals, and one person self-transported. Washko said: “Thankfully he was stopped when he was, because it could have been so much worse. This mall is pretty busy this time of year.”

Texas DPS will lead the investigation into the incident, with the Texas Rangers Division (part of Texas DPS) also involved.

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Sports Daypop

Philadelphia Phillies acquire lefty starter Jesús Luzardo in trade with Miami Marlins

The Philadelphia Phillies announced Sunday that they have acquired left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo, 27, from the Miami Marlins, in exchange for top prospects Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd. The Marlins also sent minor league catcher Paul McIntosh, 27, to the Phillies as part of the four-player deal.

Luzardo joined the Marlins in a 2021 trade from the Oakland Athletics, going 3-6 with a 5.00 ERA over 12 starts last season. In over 32 starts in 2023, he went 10-10 with a 3.58 ERA. . The veteran starter has dealt with his share of injuries during his career, with finger, forearm, elbow and back troubles, and he underwent Tommy John surgery when he was an amateur back in 2016.

  • McIntosh, 27, hit .246 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs over 117 games last season for the Class-AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos, and in over his first 308 minor league appearances he hit .249 with 45 home runs and 172 RBIs.
  • Shortstop Caba, 19, hit .228 with two home runs, 26 RBIs and 50 stolen bases over 78 appearances last season at the rookie and Class-A level. Caba is now the No. 3 prospect in the Marlins farm system and ranks as the No. 81 prospect in baseball.
  • Outfielder Boyd, 21, hit .239 with three home runs, 40 RBIs and 27 stolen bases last season for the Advanced-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws; in 2023 for the Class-A Clearwater Threshers, Boyd hit .262 with a home run, 36 RBIs and 56 stolen bases.

Editorial credit: Adam McCullough / Shutterstock.com

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Tiger Woods’ son Charlie sinks hole-in-one at PNC Championship

Tiger Woods’ son, 15-year-old Charlie Woods, earned his first hole-in-one in his golfing career at the 2024 PNC Championship on Sunday in Orlando, Fla – with his famous father watching nearby.

Charlie carried a 7 iron to the tee box for his perfect shot, sending it above the 175-yard, par-3 third hole. He didn’t realize he made the shot until he heard roars and applause from the crowd at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club course. The father/son duo were teaming up for the fifth appearance at the family golf tournament, and shared a hug shortly after Charlie realized he made the shot.

Charlie later said on the Golf Channel broadcast: “It was a perfect 7-iron, so I just kind of hit it. Just 175, a little down off the left, little cut seven … It was awesome. I didn’t think it went in. I don’t believe anybody until I go up there and see it.”

Paddy Harrington – son of PGA Tour veteran Padraig Harrington – also aced the No. 7 hole about 30 minutes after Charlie’s achievement. The younger Woods’ is currently ranked the No. 889 player in the Universal Golf Rankings for junior boys. He sits at No. 1,017 player in the American Junior Golf Association rankings and No. 4,489 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

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Country Daypop

‘New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash’ adds Luke Combs, Shaboozey, Eric Church, Lainey Wilson to lineup

Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone and Shaboozey are among the latest performers added to the all-star lineup of New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, hosted by Keith Urban and airing live on Tuesday, December 31st from 8-10 pm and 10:30 pm until 1:30 am ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+, hosted by Keith Urban and Entertainment Tonight‘s Rachel Smith.

Additional artists added to the event also include Tyler Hubbard, Big & Rich, Brittney Spencer, Zach Top; who join previously-announced performers Urban, Kane Brown and Jelly Roll (who are headlining from Bicentennial Park) and Parker McCollum, who will perform from the Brooklyn Bowl with special guests.

The five-hour broadcast will feature more than 40 back-to-back performances live from Nashville and going through midnight with the city’s renowned Music Note Drop at the Bicentennial Mall stage.

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Country Daypop

Post Malone teaming up with Jelly Roll for ‘The Big A** Stadium Tour’

Post Malone is teaming up with Jelly Roll for the ‘The Big A** Stadium Tour’ across North America in 2025.

The tour will visit 25 venues across the US and Canada, including shows at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, Dallas’ AT&T Stadium, Chicago’s Wrigley Field, and New York’s Citi Field.

Jelly Roll will be present for all shows excpept dates in Miami and Glendale); Sierra Ferrell will join as special guest on select dates.

The announcement follows Post Malone’s debut country album ‘F-1 Trillion’, which arrived in August 2024, while Jelly Roll released his latest full-length ‘Beautifully Broken’ last month.

Tickets are on sale now via: Ticketmaster.

Editorial credit: L Paul Mann / Shutterstock.com

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Pop Daypop

Post Malone teaming up with Jelly Roll for ‘The Big A** Stadium Tour’

Post Malone is teaming up with Jelly Roll for the ‘The Big A** Stadium Tour’ across North America in 2025.

The tour will visit 25 venues across the US and Canada, including shows at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, Dallas’ AT&T Stadium, Chicago’s Wrigley Field, and New York’s Citi Field.

Jelly Roll will be present for all shows excpept dates in Miami and Glendale); Sierra Ferrell will join as special guest on select dates.

The announcement follows Post Malone’s debut country album ‘F-1 Trillion’, which arrived in August 2024, while Jelly Roll released his latest full-length ‘Beautifully Broken’ last month.

Tickets are on sale now via: Ticketmaster.

Editorial credit: L Paul Mann / Shutterstock.com

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Entertainment Daypop

Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride star in preview for Season 3 of ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’

A new teaser for “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” Season 3 shows Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) traveling through Spain. Reedus and McBride played the characters for 11 seasons on the flagship Walking Dead series, which ran from 2010 to 2022. Season 2 of “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” wrapped up on November 3, 2024, and season three is expected to premiere in 2025. McBride joined the show in its second season after a cameo in Season 1.

The 30-second clip reveals that new episodes of the drama will premiere on AMC and AMC+ in 2025, previewing glimpses of zombies, a boat and a man on horseback.  Daryl and Carol are shown walking through well-populated streets, people dancing around a bonfire and Daryl taking off alone on a motorcycle with a rifle strapped to his back. Daryl tells Carol during an intimate moment sitting close together, lit by what appears to be a candle: “I was ready to give up. I thought it was all over.” Carol responds, “You and me both.”

AMC’s synopsis of Season 3 reads: “Season three will follow Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier as they continue their journey to somehow return home and to the ones they love. As they struggle to find their way back, the path takes them farther astray, leading them through distant lands with ever-changing and unfamiliar conditions as they witness the various effects of the Walker apocalypse.”

Also starring in Season 3 will be Eduardo Noriega, Óscar Jaenada, and Alexandra Masangkay, in addition to Candela Saitta, Hugo Arbués, Greta Fernández, Gonzalo Bouza, Hada Nieto, Yassmine Othman, Cuco Usí,n and Stephen Merchant. Filming on Season 3 is taking place in Madrid as well as the Galicia, Aragón, Catalonia, and Valencia regions of Spain.

See the trailer for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon”: HERE.

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Entertainment Daypop

Justin Baldoni responds to Blake Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit claims as ‘categorically false’

Actor/director Justin Baldoni is responding to the lawsuit filed against him by his It Ends with Us co-star Blake Lively, which accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment, followed by a retaliatory public smear campaign to “destroy” her reputation.

An article printed by The New York Times said that Lively, 37, accused Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath of repeatedly violating physical boundaries and making inappropriate, including sexual, comments to her during production of the film.

TMZ first reported news of the lawsuit Lively filed this week against the men and their production company, allegeing that they sexually harassed her and then tried to ruin her professional reputation when she complained about their actions. The suit said they damaged her business and caused her family, including her husband, actor-producer Ryan Reynolds, “severe emotional distress.”

Through his attorney, Baldoni, 40, issued a statement which called the allegations that Lively made against him “categorically false.” Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions. These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media. Wayfarer Studios made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film, to work alongside their own representative with Jonesworks employed by Stephanie Jones, due to the multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production which included her threatening to not showing up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”

Editorial credit: Liam Goodner / Shutterstock.com

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Bill Maher HBO comedy special ‘Is Anyone Else Seeing This?’ coming in January

Bill Maher has a new comedy special coming to HBO next year. Per Variety, Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This? will premiere in January, marking Maher’s 13th stand-up comedy special for HBO.

Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This? will be taped in front of a live audience at the CIBC Theater in Chicago, and apparently comes with a content warning. Said Maher: “I almost called this special ‘You Won’t Feel Safe’, because if you’re purely a team player in American politics, you won’t. This one is for the 80 percent of Americans who want to see crazy called out no matter where it comes from. And the last twenty minutes on my sex life, that’s for everybody.”

Maher released his first comedy special for HBO in 1989 and dropped his most recent special, #Adulting, in 2022. He has also hosted the HBO talk show Real Time with Bill Maher since 2003. HBO EVP of late night & specials programming Nina Rosenstein said in a statement: “Bill’s comedic commentary has been an extraordinary part of HBO for 12 specials and 22 seasons of Real Time with Bill Maher. We truly value his steadfast commitment to honesty and humor, which we know will be front and center in his next special.”

A new episode of Real Time with Bill Maher will air Friday at 10 p.m. EST on HBO, featuring actor and producer Michael Douglas, along with journalist John Heilemann and attorney Sarah Isgur.

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