Russia has begun evacuating families of its diplomats from Venezuela amid escalating U.S. pressure on the Maduro government. A European intelligence official told the Associated Press that the evacuations, involving women and children, started on Friday. Russian officials are assessing the situation in “very grim tones,” signaling concerns over stability in the country. The move […]

In this episode, we’ll take a look at a particular document in the Epstein File release that implicates Donald Trump, Jeffry Epstein and a 14-year-old girl, as well as a mockery in the face of the American people with 550 pages that were completely blacked out. We’ll also see a bit of the crime family …

Almost as if it was meant to be. Though it didn’t quite reach the meteoric heights of Riley Green and Ella Langley’s recent smash hit collaborations, “you look like you love me” and “Don’t Mind If I Do,” there’s absolutely no denying the success of Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood’s “I’m Gonna Love You” over the past year. Since its release on September 27, 2024, as the lead single off Johnson’s deluxe edition of Leather, the track has already racked up an impressive 99.5 million streams on Spotify alone en route to a Top 10 spot on both of Billboard’s country charts, Hot Country Songs (#7) and Country Airplay (#3). Additionally, it’s been shown quite a bit of love at the award shows, scoring nominations for Music Event and Visual Media of the Year at the 60th ACM Awards as well as Musical Event and Music Video of the Year at the 59th CMA Awards. With all of that being said, “I’m Gonna Love You” has been nothing short of a smash for both Johnson and Underwood, but there was legitimate chance the song never saw the light of day (at least for the “‘Til You Can’t” singer). During a recent conversation with RFD-TV for an episode of On The Record, Johnson would reveal that the road to recording the song was actually quite convoluted. When asked about collaborating with the “Before He Cheats” singer, he’d confirm the fact that Underwood was the first and only option as a duet partner for the song before also noting how much his daughters love her music. “I don’t know why. You know, God makes everything happen for a reason. My daughters love Carrie’s music, and I’ve been listening to her since her very beginning. But me, if I’m driving down the road in my the truck, I’m listening to old Merle Haggard and stuff like that. So there’s a lot of new artists that I find out like, ‘Oh, I  didn’t even know that was them,’ because I stay so glued to the old classics.” Johnson would then reveal that, at the time, “I’m Gonna Love You” was on hold for one of the track’s co-writers, Travis Denning, and amazingly was already pitched to Underwood once before he had even heard the song. “The first time I heard the demo, it was on hold for Travis Denning, one of the writers, and that didn’t work out. I didn’t know that Carrie had gotten the song, and it was talked about and then it didn’t work out. I said, ‘Where did that song go for Leather?’ Then we got it, and I said ‘Carrie Underwood.'” The Texas native would finish by confirming that he was so dead-set on Underwood’s appearance on the track that he was debating scrapping the recording entirely if she passed on it, noting how gracious she was to accept the song after passing on it the first time. “There were some other people in the room that named a few other female artists, a few of the artists I have a good friend/personal relationship with. And I love them, but I just heard Carrie. In my head, I just knew it’s gotta be Carrie. If it’s not her, I just don’t know if I’m gonna cut it. And being the second time that song came into her life, she was gracious enough to say yes.” Completely passing on a song with so much potential as “I’m Gonna Love You” had at the time without one specific artist was certainly a gamble for Johnson, but it turns out it was a pretty damn good one in the long run. Watch the full podcast here: Watch their performance of “I’m Gonna Love You” at the 58th CMA Awards here: Cody Johnson Tour Dates February 6-7 – Birmingham, Alabama – Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex February 13 – Champaign, Illinois – State Farm Center February 14 – Louisville, Kentucky – KFC Yum! Center February 27 – Winston-Salem, North Carolina – LJVM Coliseum February 28 – Columbia, South Carolina – Colonial Life Arena March 6 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – PPG Paints Arena March 7 – Baltimore, Maryland – CGF Bank Arena March 22 – Houston, Texas – Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo March 28 – Little Rock, Arkansas – Simmons Bank Arena April 10 – Bossier City, Louisiana – Brookshire Grocery Arena April 24 – Indio, California – Stagecoach May 2 – Clemson, South Carolina – Death Valley (Clemson Stadium) May 9 – Des Moines, Iowa – Casey’s Corner May 30 – Rosemont, Illinois – Allstate Center July 11 – Cavendish, Prince Edward Island – Cavendish Beach Music Festival July 17-18 – Columbus, Ohio – Nationwide ArenaThe post Cody Johnson Says He Didn’t Want To Record “I’m Gonna Love You” Without Carrie Underwood: “In My Head, I Just Knew It’s Gotta Be Carrie” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

When “Trigger” is done, Willie Nelson is done. There may not be a more famous guitar in the music world than Willie Nelson’s trusty Trigger. The living country music legend has played the same Martin six-string since 1969. And the story of how he originally got it – and how much he paid for it – only adds to the lore that surrounds Willie Nelson. While Willie was still cutting his teeth in the industry in the late 1960s, his go-to guitar was ruined by a drunk and disorderly fan. Willie was playing gig at the John T. Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas, and suddenly was in need of an instrument to go up on stage with. Nelson without a guitar is like peanut butter without jelly… they’re fine separately, but there’s some real magic that happens when they’re together. As the story goes, Nelson caught wind of a beautiful Martin guitar nearby that was for sale for $750. That might not seem like a lot for a guitar in the modern day, but back in 1969, that was equivalent to over $5,500. Safe to say that it was a steep price for Willie to pull the trigger on (pun intended), but he did it, and boy oh boy what an investment it turned out to be. If you spread out the investment over all these years later, his trusted, reliable guitar comes out to be about a $13 a year investment. And that’s not even figuring in the countless songs that Nelson has penned and played with trigger, undoubtedly bringing in a much larger return on investment. The fateful day that Willie Nelson bought the guitar, he named it after Roy Roger’s horse “Trigger,” and from that moment on, the country singer made sure the instrument wasn’t ever too far out of reach. Nelson even saved it from a house fire that destroyed every one of his belongings… except for Trigger and a pound or so of weed that the “Red Headed Stranger” had stashed away. Now, Nelson and his guitar are almost synonymous. It’s one of the most famous guitars in all of music (if not the most famous one), and other artists recognize how special the six-string is. Billy Strings recently talked about how special it was to play a song on the guitar. Though “Trigger” is undoubtedly important to Willie’s career, Bill Frisell (and other musicians) told The New Yorker it’s Willie’s touch with the instrument that makes the difference: “You can hear the sound of his voice in what he’s playing. If I gave him one of my guitars, it would sound like Willie Nelson. It wouldn’t sound like me.” So there’s evidently some synergy with Willie Nelson and the old, battered-but-beautiful guitar. In case you didn’t know, guitars can last for decades. Higher end guitars have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years with regular play and proper maintenance. The best of the best have been known to last half a century. Willie’s beloved “Trigger” is now 56 years old. If you’ve seen a picture or video of the instrument as of late, it’s beat up… and it’s looked like that for quite some time. But there’s no doubt that Willie takes good care of it, and the 92-year-old artist says that the day his guitar gives out, he’ll likely walk away from music altogether: “When Trigger goes, I’ll quit.” It’d certainly be sad to see “Trigger” retire, but it’d be even harder to accept Willie Nelson hanging it up… even as he enters into his mid-90s. Then again, guitars can usually be repaired… maybe that’s Willie’s way of saying he’ll tour until he dies. Regardless, it’s clear that he has so much love for his guitar, one that’s been in his life across six decades, that it would be hard for him to imagine a music career without it. Willie’s connection with Trigger (they’ve known each other for 56 years) is indisputable, and Trigger’s significance in the fabric of country music history is hard to put into words. Willie and Trigger have been together for a long, long time… and here’s to hoping that their relationship continues to flourish for years to come. @willienelsonI’ll always pick you, Trigger♬ Still Not Dead – Willie Nelson The post Willie Nelson Reveals The One Thing That Will Make Him Quit Music first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night" is one of the most recognizable works of Western art, and van Gogh is a household name even among people who aren't big art connoisseurs. Few artists reach that kind of legendary status, especially when they only paint for a short period of time, like van Gogh did.Most of us know at least a little bit about van Gogh due to the dramatic story of him cutting off his own ear. But there's also a ton of lore and legend ranging in accuracy about the man and his art, so it's worth doing a dive into some of the true fascinating facts about both. A video from Great Art Explained provides a concise but comprehensive overview of who he was and how he worked, giving us a bigger picture of the legend as well as his most famous piece. - YouTube youtu.be Here are some facts the average person might not know about Vincent van Gogh:1) Van Gogh only painted for a decade, starting in his late 20s.For such a famous artist, van Gogh didn't paint for very long. He didn't seriously begin painting until around age 27, but he dedicated himself fully to his art until he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest at age 37. Still, his prolific talent was legendary, as he created some 900 paintings and over 2,000 pieces of art overall during his decade of work. He had just begun being recognized for his artistic talents when he died, and most of his famous paintings were created in his final two years of life.2) Van Gogh spent time in a mental institution, but it wasn't the typical asylum experience of his time.In 1889, van Gogh was admitted into a mental asylum outside Saint Remy, France. But unlike the overcrowded public mental institutions in large cities, the small asylum only had 41 patients and was run by a progressive doctor who believed in treating mentally ill people with kindness and understanding. Art and nature were seen as healing, and doctors quickly realized that van Gogh wouldn't survive if he didn't have the freedom to paint and create. He spent all of his waking hours painting and created many of his most well-known works—including "The Starry Night"—while gazing out his barred asylum window at the beautiful countryside dotted with olive groves and vineyards or wandering the purposefully planted gardens. Van Gogh painted "Irises" while he as at the Saint Remy asylum.Public Domain 3) He was perfectly lucid and rational most of the time.Today, van Gogh would likely be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and his behavior during manic episodes—like cutting off his own ear and giving it to a prostitute—has planted in people's minds a picture of van Gogh as a crazed lunatic. However, he was actually lucid and rational most of the time. Not only that, but he was intelligent and extremely well-read, spoke four languages, and had lifelong friends as well as a close relationship with his brother and sister-in-law. The history-defining ear incident was not his usual modus operandi. In fact, the video notes that he was "probably the sanest patient at St. Remy."4) He also had syphilis.This fact can't really be separated from his mental illness challenges, as syphilis can cause psychiatric problems. Vincent Van Gogh (left) and brother Theo (right)Public Domain5) Van Gogh's brother Theo was his biggest supporter.Throughout his life, van Gogh's younger brother Theo supported him in every way: financially, emotionally, and artistically. An art dealer himself, Theo encouraged his brother to develop his painting skills. Theo paid for Vincent's treatment at the asylum and was also the one who insisted that he be able to paint there. Much of what we know about van Gogh comes from letters he wrote to Theo, and the two shared a close bond. Theo was with Vincent when he died, two days after shooting himself in the chest. Theo, who also had syphilis, would die just six months later from the effects of the disease.6) Van Gogh's "The Starry Night" was influenced by Japanese art.Like many of his Western colleagues at the time, van Gogh was influenced by art from Japan, and many of his paintings reflect elements of Japanese prints. He was an admirer of Hokusai's "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa," and it's not a stretch to see how it may have inspired the swirl pattern and blue colors of "The Starry Night." Hokusai's "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" and van Gogh's "The Starry Night"Photo credit: Canva 7) Van Gogh tried to poison himself with paints and turpentine a few weeks before painting "The Starry Night."The bright colors that marked the last five years of van Gogh's art also nearly took his life. New techniques in creating pigments in paints led to a dramatic shift from dark, brooding paintings to bright, colorful ones as van Gogh entered his peak years. But his mental health also took dramatic turns, and prior to painting "The Starry Night" in 1889, medical notes from the asylum indicate that he drank paint and turpentine as a suicide attempt.8) Van Gogh became very religious but eventually lost his faith in Christianity.Van Gogh was raised by a Christian minister father and developed a deep religious faith, even becoming an evangelical preacher himself for a time. But later, his relationship with religion morphed into a belief that the divine was expressed in nature, art, and human emotion rather than the church.9) Van Gogh considered "The Starry Night" a failure.With his standards for himself set impossibly high, van Gogh felt that many of his paintings were failures, including, apparently, "The Starry Night." He wrote to fellow painter Emile Bernard several months after painting it, "I have been slaving away on nature the whole year, hardly thinking of impressionism or of this, that and the other. And yet, once again I let myself go reaching for stars that are too big—a new failure—and I have had enough of it." Van Gogh painted wheatfields in the weeks before his death. Public Domain 10) Van Gogh painted wheatfields with turbulent skies shortly before taking his life in a wheatfield.Through letters to his brother and art created near the time of his death, we get a glimpse into van Gogh's mindset leading up to his suicide. He wrote to Theo on July 10, 1890:". . . knowing clearly what I wanted I’ve painted another three large canvases since then. They’re immense stretches of wheatfields under turbulent skies, and I made a point of trying to express sadness, extreme loneliness. You’ll see this soon, I hope – for I hope to bring them to you in Paris as soon as possible, since I’d almost believe that these canvases will tell you what I can’t say in words, what I consider healthy and fortifying about the countryside."Sadly, a wheatfield in the "healthy and fortifying countryside" was where van Gogh shot himself in the chest with a pistol just over two weeks later. He would die of his injuries two days later with Theo by his side. 11) Van Gogh was entirely wrong about his own legacy.Less than two months before his suicide, van Gogh wrote to a critic who had praised his work in a Paris newspaper, "It is absolutely certain that I shall never do important things." Though he had started to see some success as an artist, there was no inkling that he would become one of the most famous and iconic artists of all time. If he had lived, he might have seen the full recognition of his artistic genius in his lifetime or he may not have. But as it was, he died believing himself to be an insignificant failure, which might be the most tragic fact of all. There may be many lessons we can glean from van Gogh's story, but perhaps the biggest is to not discount our own talents, skills, or contributions. Like him, we may not be seeing the full picture.This article originally appeared in July. It has been updated.

We all know that the level of fitness achieved by celebrities we see on television isn’t attainable for many, if not most, everyday people. And yet, when their sculpted bodies grace our screens, it can still activate a little voice that says, “Clearly, you’re not doing enough."That’s why it’s so helpful and grounding when a celebrity is actually transparent about the work it takes to achieve their physique, so that it might quiet that self-deprecating narrative and help us get a little more realistic about achieving whatever fitness goals we might have. Jessica Biel’s recent response to a fan who asked her to share her workout routine is a perfect example of that.It all started with a clip from her Prime Video thriller series, The Better Sister, where she plays a super-fit character…as is evident by how clearly toned she looks in a backless white dress worn during the show’s opening. @k_dofinbos I’m slackingggg #thebettersister #jessicabiel #tvtok #primevideo Several women have shared the clip on TikTok, while muttering something along the lines of “I need to get back to the gym.” One person even asked Biel to share the workout routine she uses to get that toned. Biel saw the request, and acquiesced…but not without delivering a truth bomb or two.How does Jessica Biel stay so fit?“Everyone is talking…about the white dress…and I just wanted to share that that peak shape in that show is not maintainable unless you are living the strictest, most rigid lifestyle with your nutrition and with your fitness,” she said, admitting that not even she, someone who’s been notably lean and athletic their entire adult life, who has access to the best foods, best gym equipment, etc. etc., can sustain that look indefinitely. @jessbiel Replying to @tori I’ve heard y’all are talking about the white dress ? I’m no expert but I want people to be healthy, safe, and strong. Remember to warm up and cool down, and let me know what other workouts you’d like to see! A big thank you to #AshleyBrown and @Ben Bruno for being the best teachers. This bit of candor elicited a wave of praise in the comments section, from people who thanked Biel for "being so real."“THANK YOU for saying that many if not most actors look amazing for a moment in time during shooting and that it is incredibly hard to enjoy life and look like that all the time,” one person wrote.Another said, “Thank you for speaking about the lifestyle that comes with maintaining! This kind of transparency is so important ??.”But Biel didn’t stop there. She also took the opportunity to raise awareness on how important it is, especially for women, to prioritize maintaining muscle strength and flexibility as you get older…not just achieving an aesthetic goal, or, for the love of all that is holy, getting skinnier.Jessica Biel shares her workout routineAs requested, she shared a sample lower-body workout routine—something she’s currently doing to get back into Better Sister shape—which included dumbbell exercises such as hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts, as well as curls with a large stability ball and banded kickbacks.She was even so kind as to break down proper form for all the moves, and didn’t edit out her being out of breath at the end of the routine, saying, “My body’s not twenty years old anymore, you know?” She’s a real one for that. For sure.Biel then concluded her video by saying, “Let’s get older and stronger together.” Biel performing a Romanian deadlift as part of her lower body routine.@jessbiel/TikTok The video received widespread praise from viewers, who commended Biel for “keeping it real” and “being a great advocate for women.”"JB is a girl's girl," one person gushed.Ultimately, we can achieve amazing fitness goals while juggling what life throws our way. But we are doing ourselves a disservice to think that a) it can be done with a quick fix and zero lifestyle changes, and b) that we are supposed to remain at peak fitness levels 24/7. Not even the pros do that. Biel has also adjusted her fitness goals to align with her stage of life. “When I was in my 20s, it was important to me how much I could bench press and how ripped my shoulders are, and all that stuff is less important to me now,” she told Women’s Health. “What’s important to me now is mobility. I don’t want to be living with pain.”If getting more fit is your goal, rather than simply stealing Biel's routine, it might be beneficial to adopt her mindset as well. Just sayin’.Fortunately, if you are still on the hunt for a Biel-approved workout, one of her longtime trainers, Ben Bruno, offers fitness programs to try.Here's to getting older and stronger together.This article originally appeared in September.

Back in 2023, Drew Barrymore experienced her first perimenopausal hot flash in front of a live television audience. And even though the viral moment has since passed, it's still a very relevant topic of discussion. While speaking with guests Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler on her talk show, Barrymore abruptly appears flustered, fanning herself and removing her jacket.Without missing a beat, she says, “I am so hot, I think I'm having my first perimenopause hot flashes.”“Oh, I feel so honored!” Jennifer Aniston quips as she fixes Barrymore’s mic, which is a sweet moment in and of itself.“I’m so sorry!” Barrymore continues, laughing through it all. “Do you feel this?!” she says, placing Aniston’s hand just below her neck. “Or maybe I’m just excited!”Sandler, then reaching for Barrymore’s palm, assures her, “Yeah you got a hot hand.”“Well, I’m so glad I have this moment documented!” Barrymore exclaims.One viewer on TikTok gushed, “I don’t know that I have ever heard a celebrity talk about a hot flash in the moment. Thank you for being so real.” @drewbarrymore I either had my first perimenopause hot flash or got really exciting! Maybe both? @thedrewbarrymoreshow ♬ original sound - Drew Barrymore Another echoed, “Drew, we have a whole generation (X) entering the change. Let’s normalize it. Just wait until you’re soaked with sweat, then cold lol.”One person commented on the exchange between Aniston and Barrymore, noting how refreshing it was to see two “beautiful, authentic, powerful women my own age to look up to.”Moments like these resonate not just because a celebrity shared them, but because they reflect what millions of women experience privately as they go about their daily lives. Perimenopause doesn't pause for work meetings, parenting, caregiving, or public-facing roles. For many women, symptoms are confusing, disruptive, and often brushed aside as they continue trying to adhere to these myriad responsibilities. Seeing someone speak about it openly helps validate this rarely talked about reality. See on Instagram Only a week prior, Barrymore had again been an unofficial spokeswoman for perimenopause when she sat down with Gayle King of “CBS Mornings” to share more of her personal experiences, including having a period “every two weeks.”"One doctor also just told me this could last, in the worst-case scenario, 10 years. And I was like, ‘I will never make it 10 years like this!’" she told King.Together, these conversations show a clear pattern rather than an isolated viral moment. Considering that every woman who lives past their 40s will probably go through at least some version of this—even earlier, for some—one would think that there should be more conversations about this pivotal life chapter. Maybe then it wouldn’t be so daunting.Or at the very least, there might be less stigma around it. As Barrymore eloquently put it in her interview, “The way menopause has been branded is, 'You're old, you're done.' That's not it." Instead, she feels that in reality, "more women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s are looking so attractive, feeling so vibrant, living their best lives.”Imagine that—life getting better as you grow older. What a radical thought. - YouTube www.youtube.com This article originally appeared two years ago.

It's easy to poke fun of young people complaining about "adulting," but in truth, everyone runs the How To Do All The Grown-Up Things gauntlet at some point. Some adult things we pick up intuitively, some things we figure out through trial and error, and some things have to be explicitly taught.But there are some things that fall into the gap between what kids need to know and what parents think to teach them, and many of those things are found on forms at the doctor's office. A viral post from a mom sharing texts from her 17-year-old son on his first solo trip to the doctor provides a perfect illustration of that fact and it has people everywhere rolling.Going to the doctor by yourself for the first time seems simple at first glance, but then come all the forms and all the paperwork. Most teens aren't super sharp on insurance, family medical history, and what questions they should be asking in the exam room. So when Cheryl's son took on this endeavor for the first time, he quickly found himself in over his head."My 17 year old went to the doctor alone for the first time," the post from @wisco_cheryl reads. "Here are the frantic texts I got…he barely survived." @wisco_cheryl #boymom #17 #adulting #doctor #text #funny #momsoftiktok #momlife #haha #humor #wisconsin #fyp #myson #funnymoments #momtok #momsover30 #momhumor #vibes #parentsoftiktok #dadsoftiktok With "I'm Just a Kid" by Simple Plan playing in the background, we see a series of texts from the son:"What do I even say when I get there""What's my social security number""What's DOB""Nevermind I got it""They gave me so many papers to write on""They're gonna touch my nustack""Nvm fault alarm" (He meant "false alarm.")And for her part, Mom responded with a half dozen laughing emojis followed up by a hand and peanut emojis. Mom Cheryl got a kick out of her teen son's panicked messages. Giphy The son's texts are funny in part because they're totally to be expected. Seriously, at some point, you run across acronyms like DOB for the first time—how are you supposed to know what it means? Maybe you figure out by context, or maybe you have to ask, but it's not like that's something they teach you in school. And the social security number? At some point, every American has to commit their social security number to memory, but you just don't until you do.And that's just the basic stuff. Forms can be legitimately confusing beyond that. Heck, I have my own adult children and I still find myself baffled by questions on forms at the doctor's office sometimes. What the heck does co-insurance even mean? Do I have it? No idea. I don't think I do, but maybe I'm wrong? Insurance details remain a mystery decades into adulthood.Add in the extra anxiety a lot of young people have when it comes to in-person interactions, and you can see how a simple doctor's visit could be completely overwhelming.So naturally, a teen who is just starting to walk the path of adulthood is going to have a million questions, and it's truly fortunate when young people have parents they're able to text and ask all their "silly questions" when needed.With compassionate hilarity, people in the comments shared their own examples of not-quite-adult mishaps from their lives and their kids. It did not disappoint:"At 21 I said my occupation was white and it still keeps me up at night. I'm 32.""My son text me 'what's my maiden name' for the application for a job.""While at urgent care, my son wrote 'mom' on the line asking for his primary care provider.""My brother asked my mom when his last menstrual cycle was when he went to the doctors by himself for the first time.""One time kid i hired back in the day filled out 'Next of Kin: Mom' and then 'Relationship: Good' on a onboarding packet. lol.""My son when asked if he had the chicken pox shot 'I don't think so I'm not around chickens' ????"But one doctor's office worker had the best response of all:"As someone who works in a drs office I’m always so proud of the teens. You can tell they’re nervous but they do such a good job ?." @madmedicine Y’all got this! ? #doctorsappointment #tiktokdoctor #adulting101 #humanbody #SyncYourMiO #spanglish #cameraroll There's no one set age when your teenager will be "ready" to go to the doctor on their own. Experts recommend a gradual approach rather than throwing them in the deep end. You could handle the paperwork and let them handle the exam on their own. Next time, you could coach them through check-in before finally letting them do the whole thing independently on the next visit.In any case, that's what we love to see—an acknowledgment that these young folks are doing alright as they learn the million little things they need to learn to go out on their own in the world. Here's to the parents and other grown-ups who remember what it was like to not know things and help the kids out, even when their questions might seem silly to us.This article was originally published in September. It has been updated.