Aaron Lewis just added 15 new dates to an already-massive 2026 tour calendar. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
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More than 2,400 lives have reportedly been lost amid violent protests in Iran.
President Donald Trump has vocally backed the protesters, who are attempting to topple the regime that’s been in place since 1979.
And now, Iranian leaders are using some very strong words to caution Trump and the US against getting involved.
On Wednesday, Iranian state television aired a segment featuring footage from the attempted assassination of Trump that took place during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania in 2008.
“This time it [the bullet] will not miss the target,” read a message written on the screen in Persian.
“Islamic republic state TV just crossed a red line,” wrote journalist and Middle East policy expert Emilt Schrader on X (formerly Twitter).
“Airing an image of President Trump after an attempted assassination along with a Persian message reading ‘this time, the bullet won’t miss.’ This is a direct threat against the President.”
The threat seems to be a response to Trump’s comments indicating that he’s considering sending the US military into Iran.
“HELP IS ON THE WAY,” the president posted on his social media accounts on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters this week, Trump stated on more than one occasion that he’s considered the possibility of US military intervention in Iran.
As for the situation on the ground in Iran, there are indicators that things are improving, such as new reports that air space over the country has reopened, and planned executions of protesters have been canceled.
Conversely, US personnel at a military base in Qatar were told to evacuate thid week, seemingly in response to the situation in Iran.
“The IMO reaffirms that the State of Qatar continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority, including actions related to the protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities,” Qatar’s International Media Office said of the move on X.
Trump has yet to respond to the threat issued on Iranian state TV.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available
Iran Threatens to Assassinate Donald Trump Amid Growing Tension: ‘This Time the … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Lainey Wilson was enjoying some rare downtime at home with her dog hippie and her fiancé Devlin “Duck” Hodges when she learned she had just scored her ninth No. 1 hit at country radio with “Somewhere Over Laredo.” While celebrating this achievement with more than 300 members of the Nashville community on Tuesday night, she reflected on the song’s journey and shared her goals for 2026.
The songstress told Country Now and other outlets that the idea for the dreamy track came to hitmaking Nashville songwriter, Andy Albert while he was grilling on his back porch.
“I was grilling on my back porch, just kind of ruminating over some kind of thought. I don’t know where it came from, but I thought about ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,’ the original, and that song just means so much to me,” Albert explained. “My mom used to sing that to me as a little baby, and I sang it at my grandpa’s funeral. It was his favorite song. And I just started thinking about that song itself, and maybe there’s some way to put a little new twist in that.”
He later brought this idea to another one of Wilson’s frequent collaborators, Trannie Anderson. The pair of songwriters were looking for a way to fill some down time while waiting in line for a ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, which prompted Albert to share the unique idea of “Somewhere Over Laredo.”
“Andy threw out that hook and we started talking about different ways to write it, different storylines you could have. And we started it in Nashville a week later, and then next part of the journey, brought it to Lainey,” Anderson recalls.
The idea eventually reached Wilson during a trip to Montana. She remembers looking out at the beautiful scenic setting when she heard the start of the song for the first time and realizing in that moment that they were cooking up something special.
She shared, “Trannie’s like, ‘Man, Andy started working on this idea,’ and she starts keeping time on the side of her chair. No instrument, just singing it. And I knew when what they had started on sounded that good, just by tapping on the side of a vinyl chair, that we had something.”
The remainder of the song unfolded with the help of Wilson alongside Dallas Wilson, Edgar Yipsel Harburg and Harold Arlen. Drawing inspiration from one of the most iconic songs, “Over The Rainbow,” originally sung by Judy Garland for the 1939 film, Wizard of Oz, Wilson’s rendition of the track captures the bittersweet realization of a rodeo romance meant to drift apart, while also tipping her hat to small towns across Texas and the rest of the country.
Since she is now in a joyful and loving relationship, the Louisiana native admits she had to tap into emotions from previous connections in order to truly embrace this narrative.
“I think as a songwriter, there’s moments in time where you have to step back into a pair of shoes that you wore long time ago. Because the truth is right now I’m in a happy, healthy relationship, about to get married, and so I’m definitely not singing about him,” she said with a smile.
“But when I think about the people who are coming to my shows, it’s important for me to have a little bit of something for everybody. It’s also important for me to have lived it at some point in time in order for me to believe it, to tell the story and also have them believe it.”
“Somewhere Over Laredo” saw immediate success and became the biggest streaming debut of her career. It was the most added song at country radio upon impact and garnered over 1.16 million streams across platforms in its first 24 hours. It later served as the lead single from the deluxe edition of her 2024 album, Whirlwind.
Speaking on the moment Wilson learned it had soared to the top of the charts, she revealed, “We were watching it pretty close. And I will say my radio team really, they did their thing with this. They rolled their sleeves up and got it across the finish line. And yeah, I’ve got a great team.”
The song has now earned her two of three nominations for the 2026 GRAMMY awards. Going into the coveted evening next month, Wilson is up for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “Somewhere Over Laredo” and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the collaboration “Trailblazer” with Reba McEntire & Miranda Lambert.
“It just means a lot to me that people in the industry think [it’s] as good as what we thought it was the day that we finished it. And I’m just so thankful that you were blessed with this idea at your grill,” Wilson joked, looking to her co-writer.
Between the success of this single and all the other milestone accomplishments she crossed off in 2025, it’s going to be a hard year to top. However, in true Lainey Wilson fashion, she is feeling fired up about 2026 and noted that new music has already been in the works for some time.
“We’re already cooking some stuff up. To tell you the truth, we were already in the kitchen cooking it up before ‘Whirlwind’ was even out, which was a year and a half ago now,” she admitted. “I feel like we’re always writing because I don’t feel like I’m myself if I’m not creating and writing. I feel like that’s the thing that gets me through all the busyness and all the other parts of the job that exist. And so I think people are really going to love what we’ve been working on.”
She added that these forthcoming songs are going to show a new side to her artistry while also staying true to her roots and the real experiences she has through life.
“The more experience I have, the more I realize that I’ve got more to say and share and it’s going to be good.”
Wilson added, “I feel like I’m also right where I’m supposed to be and feeling more creative than ever. And it’s good. 2026 is going to be an exciting year.”
Fans already have plenty to get excited about this year with Wilson, from her headline tour hitting New Zealand, Australia, and beyond, to her acting debut in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Reminders of Him.
Plus, she’s set to join Chris Stapleton on select dates of his All-American Road Show and take the stage at major festivals, including RODEOHOUSTON.
The post Lainey Wilson Celebrates Ninth No. 1 Hit, Teases New Music in 2026: ‘Feeling More Creative Than Ever’ appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
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Is Rosemarie Vega about to make the worst mistake of her life?
This is a woman who was previously dating one of 90 Day Fiance‘s worst villains, so that’s a tall order.
But if she were to get back with Big Ed Brown … yes, that would be worse.
While some fans debate whether it’s a “second chance” or a PR move, others are just watching nervously to see what happens.
She wouldn’t … would she?
On Thursday, January 8, 90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days alum Rosemarie Vega shared an ominous Instagram post.
“Maybe the universe didn’t let me meet the right man yet because our story wasn’t finished,” she wrote.
“Life is crazy like that — plot twists, lessons, healing, and unexpected reunions,” she threatened.
Rosemarie remarked: “I never imagined we’d cross paths again … but here we are.”
In case you didn’t feel a lump of dread in your throat already, her tags on the post explicitly mentioned Ed.
Then, on that Friday, Rosemarie shared another video post featuring her old clips with Ed.
“The universe doesn’t use clocks. It uses alignment,” she wrote in the caption.
“Sometimes it takes years for two timelines to match, two hearts to open, and two souls to recognize each other,” the caption went on.
“When it’s right, it just happens. it’s destiny… you’ll see,” Rose’s post menaced. “Stay tuned.”
Well, that is enough to give us all nightmares.
Is she just trolling?
Immediately, fans began casting doubt upon whether Rosemarie is serious about allowing Big Ed into her presence again.
We all remember how he treated her on 90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days.
Rose was a struggling single mom, younger than Ed’s daughter (Tiffany). In other words, she’s exactly Ed’s type.
He harassed her over her breath, her STI status (while declining to take his own test), all while lying to her about multiple things.
When Ed finally came clean, Rose dumped him. He went on to out her as bisexual during the Tell All special. Classy guy!
Since then, Ed went on to absolutely terrorize Liz Woods for years. (They finally broke up for good)
With that in mind, commenters are casting serious doubts upon Rose’s threat to make the worst mistake of her life.
Some accused her of “trolling” her followers.
Other suggested that she’s baiting for some other reason, like to draw more eyes to one of her projects.
Whatever kind of engagement bait this may be, some are considering unfollowing her. Big Ed is brand poison for anything but 90 Day Fiance itself.
What is this really about?
Assuming that Rosemarie Vega has not lost her senses, what is going on?
There is speculation that she is angling for a return to 90 Day Fiance in some capacity.
For example, she and Big Ed could hypothetically hash things out on 90 Day: The Last Resort.
90 Day Fiance fans overall want good things for Rose. We cannot honestly say the same for Ed.
Anyone willing to appear on camera with that creep deserves a generous paycheck.
Big Ed Brown & Rosemarie Vega: Oh No, Are They Getting Back Together? was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Brad Paisley’s son shared an (alcohol-free) drink with Mick Jagger — and asked him a question that had Paisley bursting with pride. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Brad Paisley’s son shared an (alcohol-free) drink with Mick Jagger — and asked him a question that had Paisley bursting with pride. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
The New York Giants reversed more than a decade of misfortune overnight when they hired John Harbaugh, the coach they desperately needed.FOX Sports Digital
Cracker Barrel has often found itself at the center of heated controversies. Here are four times that changes ended up backfiring, big time.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Progresso Soup Drops aim to condense the flavor and comfort offered by a bowl of soup into a single hard candy. But do they succeed in their mission?
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
In 2024, the most recent year for which we have data, an estimated 1 million immigrants from Venezuela lived in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, these Venezuelans constitute about 2% of the total immigrant population.
We are demographers – social scientists who specialize in understanding the changing U.S. population, including changes due to immigration.
With all the coverage of Venezuela in the U.S. news right now, we were interested in looking at the data to learn about this group of immigrants and where they live.
By the numbers
Notably, Venezuelan immigrants have lived in the United States for barely 10 years on average, considerably less than the nearly 23-year average for the total immigrant population. More than half of Venezuelan immigrants report arriving in the U.S. in the past five years, coinciding with the highly disputed 2018 Venezuelan election in which Nicolas Maduro retained power.
Data from the Office of Homeland Security Statistics illuminates this difference, pointing to recent dramatic growth in the Venezuelan population in the U.S. Annual counts of Venezuelans obtaining legal permanent residence permits, commonly called green cards, have more than doubled since 2018. Moreover, the number of green cards going to Venezuelans has increased 600% since 1999, when Venezuela’s previous autocratic leader, Hugo Chavez, took power.
A large number of Venezuelans living in the U.S. arrived within the past five years under temporary protected status. In 2021, just 21,000 Venezuelans were in the U.S. with this status. By the end of 2025, more than 600,000 Venezuelan immigrants had been granted this status, making them the largest nationality with temporary protected status. Of that number, more than 200,000 were living in Florida.
At the same time, the number of refugees and asylum-seekers has also spiked dramatically in recent years. More than 5,000 Venezuelans were granted these statuses in 2023.
In 2023 – the most recent year of data – fewer than 20,000 Venezuelans received green cards, making up less than 2% of all newly granted permanent resident permits. For comparison, over 180,000 green cards were granted to Mexican immigrants in that year.
While there is no reliable data on undocumented immigrants by nationality, the Office of Homeland Security Statistics reports that the federal government removed just 488 Venezuelans from the country in 2022 – a tiny fraction of all reported removals. This suggests to us that most Venezuelans living in the United States have legal status. However, there is no available data yet on removals during the second Trump administration.
At the same time, the share of Venezuelan immigrants who are U.S. citizens is relatively small. Data from the 2024 American Community Survey shows that just a quarter have become citizens, compared to over half of immigrants overall. Because U.S. law requires many green card holders to reside in the U.S. for at least five years before applying for citizenship, this difference likely reflects the fact that most Venezuelans arrived recently.
A highly concentrated population
Venezuelans stand out from other immigrant groups with respect to where they settle after arriving in the United States. The 2024 American Community Survey data indicates that 40% of Venezuelan immigrants live in Florida.
Indeed, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has asked the state’s Department of Justice to press additional charges against Maduro, claiming that Maduro’s policies are responsible for an outsize population of Venezuelan immigrants in Florida. DeSantis also claims Maduro has encouraged gang activity and drug running in the Sunshine State.
The state of Texas constitutes a distant second, home to 18% of Venezuelan immigrants.
Zooming in geographically, Venezuelans are highly concentrated in just a few cities nationally, with the Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Houston, Dallas and New York City metro areas home to the majority of this population.
Like many recently arrived immigrant groups, Venezuelans in the United States tend to be low income. The 2024 American Community Survey tells us that 18% live in poverty, which is nearly double the national average of 10.4%. In addition, 6.9% of adults are unemployed, and 19% lack health insurance of any kind. However, 82% of Venezuelan immigrants speak at least some English, and 44% of adults have a college degree.
What now?
After Maduro’s removal was announced, Venezuelans celebrated in the streets of major U.S. cities, with many expressing the hope of returning to their homeland.
But when or whether that will be possible is unclear. Maduro may be gone, but his administration remains in power, which may make mass migration back to Venezuela difficult.
However, the U.S. government is encouraging Venezuelans to return home. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem revoked TPS status for more than 500,000 Venezuelan immigrants in October 2025, effectively immediately. At this point, it has not been reinstated.
Where the 1 million Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. who hold various statuses may go next remains unclear. Florida in particular is likely to feel the impact of whatever comes next, given its large population of affected immigrants.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Politics + Society – The Conversation