New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said Tuesday that the state is going to stockpile abortion medication in preparation for President-elect Trump's return to the White House next week with GOP control of both chambers of Congress.

The governor made comments about protecting abortion drugs like mifepristone during his state of the state address, when he vowed to work with Trump on issues where they share priorities, but also stressed that the state is ready to push back against the incoming administration in areas where they are opposed.

Murphy is one of a handful of Democrat governors who say they are open to cooperation with Trump's administration. But Murphy emphasized that he will not back down from challenging "anti-choice" policies backed by the Republican-led House and Senate in Washington and said the state will stockpile mifepristone "so every woman can access this crucial form of reproductive care."

"I will never back away from partnering with the Trump Administration where our priorities align," Murphy said. "But just as importantly, I will never back down from defending our New Jersey values — if and when they are tested."

MONTANA AG ASKS SUPREME COURT TO UPHOLD LAW REQUIRING PARENTAL CONSENT FOR A MINOR'S ABORTION

New Jersey is the latest Democrat-led state to announce plans to stockpile mifepristone, one of two drugs used in combination to end pregnancies.

Trump, who will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, said last month he does not plan to restrict abortion drugs, but he also admitted that "things change."

Pro-choice groups have expressed concern that Pam Bondi, who Trump nominated for attorney general, may bring back the Comstock Act, a law passed by Congress in 1873 that banned the mailing of medication or instruments used in abortion.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD CHAPTER PROVIDED HARRIS CAMPAIGN WORKSPACE, VIOLATING TAX LAW: IRS COMPLAINT

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled to preserve access to mifepristone. The case sought to restrict access to the drug, including in states where abortion is legal.

Abortion is banned, with some exceptions, at all stages of pregnancy in 14 states, and after about six weeks of pregnancy in three others.

In Murphy's Tuesday state of the state address, which was his second-to-last, he emphasized his reluctance to become a lame-duck governor before his second term ends, unveiling several proposals for the year. The term-limited governor will be leaving office in a year after November's gubernatorial election. New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states regularly scheduled with gubernatorial races this year.

"During this final chapter of our journey, our absolute top priority — as it has been since Day One — is delivering economic security and opportunity to every New Jerseyan," Murphy said.

Other proposals Murphy announced include directing schools to ban cellphones in grades K-12.

"Our children are inundated with screens," he said. "And they are making it incredibly difficult for our kids, not only to learn, but to retain the substance of what they learn."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Shields was only a newborn when she appeared in her first TV ad, setting off a chain reaction of events that would see her become a generational touchstone of beauty and youth. Her candid new book is a surprisingly optimistic take on aging full of lessons in self-love and self-advocacy, writes Annabel Nugent. But while definitely hopeful, these promises ring hollow in a society that’s yet to catch up with Shields

Trump has echoed Moscow’s rhetoric, which has described its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine as a response to planned NATO membership for Kyiv

Some of the most destructive wildfires in California's history have killed at least 25 people in Los Angeles County, caused hundreds of thousands to evacuate and choked air quality across the region for the past week.

The big picture: The fires erupted in extremely dry conditions last Tuesday as powerful Santa Ana winds struck. As some assess damage in what's set to be among the most costly wildfire disasters ever in the U.S., parts of L.A. and Ventura counties face a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Warning into Wednesday.

Timeline: Wildfires threaten Southern California

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Blue Ivy Carter has a Beyhive all her own.

Members include Jenna Bush Hager and Taraji P. Henson, who defended the gold strapless gown the 13-year-old wore to the Mufasa: The Lion King premiere in Los Angeles after internet trolls questioned if the look was “age appropriate.”

Christian Siriano — who designed the metallic stunner for Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s eldest daughter — appeared alongside Bush Hager and Henson on the Monday, January 14, episode of Today with Jenna & Friends who praised the Project Runway alum for the “gorgeous” gown.

“It’s so beautiful,” Henson, 54, gushed. “I thought she was age appropriate. She looked like a princess!”

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Bush Hager, 43, “totally” agreed with her temporary co-host and added, “For anybody that says differently, we say bye bye.”
“People need to shut up!” Henson quipped. “It was very classy.”

Siriano and his team had a mere 48 hours to make the dress, and they wanted to focus on ensuring the teen looked like Hollywood royalty.
“What girl doesn’t want to have a princess moment?” Siriano, 39, asked hypothetically. “And when your parents are Beyoncé and Jay-Z what are you supposed to wear? A doily? Like, you’re not going to wear a tutu. You want to look like a star, come on.”

Henson was quick to point out that Blue Ivy is still just “a child” and urged everyone to keep “our opinions to ourselves.”

“Kindness really matters, and it’s not as easy to do,” she continued. “You can sit on your phone and Twitter your thumbs all you want to, but let’s see you get on the red carpet and pull off a look.”

Bush Hager also gave Siriano props for how the dress’ golden finish resembled the color scheme of the film she starred in, so it was “what she should be wearing.” (Beyoncé, 43, voiced Queen Nala in the Disney live action prequel, while Blue Ivy voiced her daughter Kiara.)

Blue Ivy Carter Joins Beyonce in ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’

Blue Ivy initially faced some criticism from trolls who deemed the dress “inappropriate,” to which Henson (a regular on the red-carpet best-dressed list) clapped back: “It was very appropriate,”

Several other celebrities — including Sherri Shepherd and Christina Milian — have also joined the conversation to voice their support for Blue Ivy’s show-stopping style.

For her part, Beyoncé hasn’t dignified the naysayers with a response and has yet to acknowledge the mixed reviews. Instead, she proudly joined her daughter at the premiere with her husband, Jay-Z, 55, — in a coordinated black-and-gold Balmain dress from the label’s limited-edition Disney x Balmain: The Lion King collection.

Designed by Creative Director Olivier Rousteing, the strapless column was adorned with gold polka dots made from metal leaves that, while on-theme, didn’t steal the spotlight from Blue Ivy.

After the red carpet was rolled up, the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer praised her mini-me in a heartfelt Instagram shoutout on December 9. “My gorgeous baby girl,” she captioned the post featuring photos of her daughter posing for photographers. “This is your night. You worked hard and you did such a beautiful job as the voice of Kiara. Your family could not be prouder. Keep shining.”

After all, Blue Ivy is a rising fashion star in the making — and according to Beyoncé’s stylist Shiona Turini, Blue Ivy “makes the final choice” when it comes to her stage looks.

Case in point? The all-white wardrobe Beyoncé recently donned for her much-talked-about halftime performance during the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens Christmas Day game. (The 13-minute performance, dubbed the “Beyoncé Bowl,” aired live on Netflix and is now streaming on the platform.)

For the set, the Grammy winner sang tracks from her Grammy-nominated country album Cowboy Carter. Flanked by a massive ensemble on the field — which included Blue Ivy — they all fittingly wore Western-inspired white costumes, with Beyoncé in a custom Roberto Cavalli feather coat and more than 350 carats of diamond Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

Beyonce and Jay-Z's Daughter Blue Ivy Is Growing Up: Photos Over the Years

Meanwhile, Blue Ivy dressed like a mini “Cowboy Carter” in a crystal-covered corset and wide-leg pants from Ukrainian designer Frolov that were festooned with fringe. They both topped things off with a Stetson hat.

“When Bey said she wanted everyone in white, I knew we had to look at different textures, different patterns, different accents — whether it was fringe, suede, crystals, American flags,” Turini said in a December interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “You really have to lean into the elements that are going to make each section feel different so it doesn’t feel repetitive.”

Turini continued: “But for Blue, you can play around with her options because she will be different from anyone else, no matter what.” Standout style, indeed.

We get it — bra shopping isn’t the most exciting, but finding one that achieves the perfect fit is the best feeling. Too often, looking for a new bra comes with frustration: Bulky fit, itchy fabric, terribly uncomfortable . . . we could go on and on.

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Made from 95% nylon and 5% spandex, this bra from Shapermint offers natural support and lift thanks to the thick, stretch-friendly straps. The seamless fabric creates a smoothing effect under any top. Plus, no wires means no uncomfortable digging into your ribs! Bonus: It comes with a complimentary bra extender for an even more customized fit.

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Over 400 shoppers have purchased the wire-free bra this month.

“After spending hours searching for the perfect bra and failing miserably, I ordered this one from Amazon,” one shopper writes. “It’s the perfect fit, has wide straps and even comes with a strap extender for those who want an additional 1/4 inch. I was so impressed I immediately ordered two more. I feel like I hit the jackpot!!”

Break up with your current bra, and stock up on this affordable pick before it goes back to its full price!

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Melissa Gorga Says This $22 Sports Bra Is a ‘Game Changer’

O-Town is making it clear that they have no connection to Sean “Diddy” Combs.

“Of all the bands in Making the Band, we’re the only one not tied to him,” original member Jacob Underwood said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, January 14.“The more people confuse us with a Diddy band and post our pictures with his story, the more it goes against us. We make a living touring and can’t afford to have [bookers] Googling us to find the latest Diddy clickbait.”

Underwood, 44, pointed out that he has never even met the 55-year-old rapper.

O-Town was formed during the inaugural season of Making the Band, which aired in 2000 on ABC. During season 1, Lou Pearlman — who was the infamous mastermind behind the Backstreet Boys and ‘NSync — was on the hunt for the next great boyband. Underwood, Erik-Michael Estrada, Trevor Penick, Ashley Parker Angel and Ikaika Kahoano were selected at first. However, Kahoano departed the group and current member Dan Miller was brought in as a replacement. (Angel later exited the group for good in 2003.)

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After season 1 ended, O’Town was signed to a record label. Following O-Town’s success a new season of Making the Band was in the works. However, the show left ABC and was then broadcast on MTV. The MTV version brought in Diddy to scout the talent where he formed the musical acts Danity Kane, Da Band, Day26 and solo artist Donnie Klang.

While O-Town was not involved in Diddy’s version of the singing competition series, the group has claimed to suffer from fallout amid the rapper’s current legal situation. Diddy remains behind bars awaiting trial after being indicted on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering last year. Diddy has denied all the allegations and has pleaded not guilty.

“We already inherited our own infamous producer/manager from our version of Making the Band and now another version and its mogul is affecting us.”For our livelihood to be impacted this many years after the brand was moved to him is so unfortunate, ” Estrada, 45, said to The Hollywood Reporter, referring to Pearlman’s legal scandals. In 2008, Pearlman was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of conspiracy, money laundering and making false statements during a bankruptcy proceeding. He died of cardiac arrest in 2016 at age 62 while in prison.

The band’s agent Matt Rafal added that O-Town has had offers “pulled due to the perception of the group being attached to Diddy” despite making it clear there was no connection between them and Diddy.

“I can’t play victim because there are people who have experienced atrocities from this person and are scarred for life,” Estrada said to the outlet. “We have financial and booking stress, but they have emotional stress. We just have to take this on the chin and keep going.”

Before appearing on season 3 of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, Marion Jones had waged plenty of battles in the court of public opinion. 

Jones, 49, won five medals — three gold and two bronze — at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, but was later stripped of the medals after admitting to lying about taking performance-enhancing drugs. 

In addition to giving her medals back, Jones was sentenced to six months in prison in 2008 for her role in the scandal. 

During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly before the Special Forces premiere, Jones said the show gave her the chance to “revisit the intensity level” of her Olympic past. 

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“I think the general public sees us excel in a small window, but you don’t know that from the time that we were 3, 4, 5 years old until whenever our sport ended, we’ve been at that level,” Jones said of her and her Special Forces castmates. “And when you’re removed from it, for whatever reason, and you start life there’s always something, at least for me, like, ‘Ah, there’s something more. I need to be challenged somehow.’”

She added, “No doubt this experience satisfied that for me.”

Special Forces soldier Rudy Reyes exclusively told Us Weekly that he looked at Jones’ appearance on the show as an attempt to rewrite her public narrative. 

“She was the fastest woman on the planet,” Reyes said. “I really, really admired the work and her speed and her training. She had many world records. And then she got hit with the charges for doping, and she really became a scapegoat and a sacrificial lamb and ultimately went to prison.”

Reyes added, “I just love a comeback story. That’s really quintessentially American. We always give someone another chance. And it was really wonderful to see her out there.”

For everything to know about Marion Jones, keep reading. 

Marion Jones Was A Dual Sport Athlete in College

During her time at the University of North Carolina, Jones was also a member of the women’s basketball team in addition to her starring role on the track and field team. 

Jones was on the roster of the Tar Heel team that won the 1994 national title, and was a two-time All-ACC selection and the Most Valuable Player of the 1997 ACC Tournament.

Following her track and field career, Jones played two seasons in the WNBA with the Tulsa Shock from 2010-2011. 

Marion Jones Lied About Her Performance-Enhancing Drug Use for Years

In December 2004, Victor Conte, the founder of a company called BALCO, said he had given Jones four different illegal performance-enhancing drugs before, during, and after the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games during an interview on ABC’s 20/20. 

Jones denied the allegations for years, before ultimately admitting to lying to federal agents under oath in October 2007. 

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In a press conference, Jones issued a mea culpa to the American public. 

“It is with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust and you have the right to be angry with me,” Jones said. “I have let them down. I have let my country down. And I have let myself down.”

In July 2006, Jones was also linked to a check-counterfeiting scheme in which documents showed a $25,000 check had been deposited into Jones’ bank account. Jones eventually pleaded guilty to her knowledge of the scheme.

Jones was sentenced to six months in jail in 2008 for her involvement in the check fraud case and her use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Marion Jones Has Been Married Twice

Jones got married to shot putter C.J. Hunter in 1998 after the pair met while Jones was a student-athlete and Hunter was a coach at North Carolina. 

At the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Hunter abruptly withdrew from the shot put competition, citing a knee injury. However, the International Olympic Committee announced shortly after that Hunter had failed four pre-Olympic drug tests.

The couple divorced in 2002. After their split, Hunter gave testimony to a grand jury in 2004 saying Jones’ steroid use started well before the Sydney Games. 

Jones would not publicly admit to the drug use until years later. 

Hunter died in 2021 at the age of 52. 

In February 2007, Jones married Barbadian Olympian Obadele Thompson. Jones and Thompson had two children together before the couple divorced in 2017.

Jones also gave birth to a son with ex-boyfriend, Tim Montgomery Jr., in June 2003. 

Marion Jones Now Spends Her Time Paying Things Forward

In 2024, Jones helped launch Driven Performance, which is “dedicated to helping you achieve your potential, and exceed what you thought possible by developing the discipline and mindset to start winning at every area of your life.”

During an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts in July 2024, Jones said she wants people to look at her life and “ultimately come to the conclusion that failure isn’t forever.”

“I would hope that when people see my story ultimately they say, ‘You know what? Yeah, she went through some stuff,’” Jones said. “Lot of it [is] because of her own choices. But she didn’t stay there, and she didn’t allow it all to ultimately consume her.”