NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Bieber is set to infuse his signature style into the World Cup’s highly anticipated halftime show. This event, comparable in grandeur to the Super Bowl’s halftime spectacle, will also feature prominent performers such as Madonna, Shakira, and BTS, as announced by FIFA on Wednesday.

The lineup of performers doesn’t end there. Nigerian afrobeats sensation Burna Boy, celebrated Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and the enchanting PS22 Chorus, an elementary school choir from Staten Island, New York, will also grace the stage, with the latter group sharing the spotlight with Coldplay.

The much-anticipated 11-minute musical performance is being orchestrated by Chris Martin of Coldplay and is slated to occur during the World Cup final near New York on July 19. Beyond entertainment, the event is aligned with a noble cause, as it aims to bolster the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. This initiative is ambitiously working towards raising $100 million to enable children’s education and soccer opportunities worldwide.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Bieber remarked, “The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can. I’m grateful to be part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful knowing it’s already helping expand access to education for children around the world.”

Among all the performances, Burna Boy’s participation holds particular significance. He is a vital contributor to this year’s official World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” which is led by Shakira. Merging the vibrant sounds of afrobeats and Latin rhythms, this pop anthem presents a global, multilingual appeal. In one of the verses, Shakira energetically acknowledges some of the world’s renowned soccer teams: “Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia,” she chants enthusiastically, followed by “Mexico, Japan, Korea, Netherlands.”

“The FIFA World Cup is one of the few moments that truly brings the entire world together,” Burna Boy said in a statement. “To represent Africa on the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show is a privilege and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly.”

And while the Super Bowl is famed for its halftime show, such performances are not commonplace in soccer, with events like the Champions League final featuring a pre-match concert.

This year’s World Cup halftime performance will also feature some characters from “Sesame Street,” as well as Muppets like Kermit and Miss Piggy.

A public bus accident near Baltimore, Maryland left over 30 individuals injured on Wednesday. Emergency responders extricated one critically injured person, who was then taken to a nearby hospital, according to local authorities.

Local news outlet Fox 45 News reported that first responders were deployed to the scene following a crash involving a Maryland Transit Administration bus on Reisterstown Road in Pikesville.

Officials from Baltimore County stated that “numerous civilian vehicles” were part of the collision, with at least one vehicle overturning during the incident.

Responders had to rescue two individuals who were trapped, one inside the bus and another in a car, as reported by officials.

A building engineer was en route to the crash, the Baltimore County Fire Department said.

A second mass casualty incident alarm was issued shortly after the crash, officials said.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he was monitoring the situation.

“Dawn and I are keeping everyone impacted in our hearts and prayers. We are deeply grateful for our first responders who acted with speed and skill to ensure the safety of our neighbors,” he wrote on X. “We’ve been in close coordination with local officials to provide any support needed on the ground.”

The Maryland State Highway Administration said roads near the crash were closed as crews responded. Drivers were urged to use alternate routes.

This week, Chick-fil-A is offering customers a chance to enjoy free waffle fries as part of its annual Cow Appreciation Day festivities.

The popular fast-food restaurant is providing Chick-fil-A One members with a complimentary medium-sized order of waffle fries between July 7 and July 13, while supplies are available.

To take advantage of this offer, customers need to engage in the limited-time “Spot the Cows” digital game on the Chick-fil-A mobile app.

Participants are challenged to find cows, who have shed their costumes, in different scenes before time runs out, according to the fast-food chain.

Once the task is completed, the reward will be placed in the app’s “Rewards” tab and can be redeemed either through a mobile order or by scanning a QR code at participating locations.

The promotion comes ahead of Cow Appreciation Day on July 14, an annual event the chain has used for years to offer special promotions for customers.

The free offer is available only once to members of Chick-fil-A One, the company’s free loyalty program. Members earn points on purchases that can be redeemed for rewards, with additional perks available at higher membership levels.

Chick-fil-A is also offering a free entrée to customers who dress up like a cow on July 14.

The free fries promotion comes as Chick-fil-A continues to roll out its limited-time summer menu.

The chain announced last month that it was bringing back several seasonal favorites, including the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich, a lineup of Pineapple Dragonfruit drinks and peach-flavored desserts. The items are available now.

The Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich features a spicy chicken filet topped with pimento cheese, honey and pickled jalapeños.

The Pineapple Dragonfruit lineup includes lemonade, Frosted Lemonade, Sunjoy iced tea and a Pineapple Dragonfruit Sprite drink.

The peach offerings include the returning Peach Milkshake and Peach Frosted Lemonade.

Last week, a dad of three went viral for sharing a budget-friendly ordering strategy that kept his family’s Chick-fil-A meal under $45.

The family of Charlie Kirk has called for the complete playback of testimony from Tyler Robinson’s transgender partner in court, following a judge’s decision to partially redact it.

Robinson, facing allegations of assassinating Kirk, is currently undergoing a preliminary hearing stretching over a week. Prosecutors aim to establish sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.

If convicted of the alleged murder during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, the 23-year-old Robinson could be sentenced to death.

On Wednesday, Judge Tony Graf determined that a video testimony from Robinson’s partner and roommate, Lance Twiggs, could be shown to the public. However, he allowed an approximately 80-second segment to be omitted, which the prosecution intends to edit and present in court on Thursday.

In response to the judge’s decision, a representative from the Kirk family expressed concerns in court, stating, “A lack of transparency and openness will breed doubt and distrust in the judicial process, which benefits no one.”

‘That’s not what any of us believe should happen here and we’d ask the court to consider the position of the family and making this decision,’ the representative added. 

Robinson’s defense argued that portions of the video are irrelevant and that playing it could impact his right to a fair trial, and they submitted a 20-page transcript of the interview, along with proposed redactions.

The testimony in question comes from two interviews police conducted with Twiggs, one of which occurred on September 12, the day after Robinson turned himself in, and the other on April 20. 

Kirk’s widow, Erika, and his parents, Robert and Kathryn, have been at court every day this week for the evidence hearing. 

Prosecutors on Wednesday also showed a video of Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin turning himself in to cops. 

Robinson has remained in custody since his family convinced him to turn himself in after recognizing him in surveillance photos shared nationwide during a frenzied manhunt for Kirk’s killer.

The video of Robinson turning himself in was introduced as evidence while Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Brian Davis was testifying.

The video depicts Robinson, dressed in a maroon shirt, jeans and a hat, in a room in the Washington County Sheriff’s Office while his parents and friend waited.

Davis said after Robinson and his parents were interviewed, Robinson was placed under arrest.

He also added that he interviewed Robinson’s mother, and other law enforcement officers interviewed Robinson and Robinson’s father.

A family friend who came in with the Robinsons also was interviewed, Davis said

The clip was one of several presented during days of testimony to decide whether the case should proceed to trial.

On Tuesday, prosecutors presented bombshell evidence that they say places Robinson at the scene of the murder.

In surveillance allegedly showing Robinson moments before Kirk was killed, the suspect was seen walking with an apparent limp – keeping his right leg straight as he climbed stairs on the way to the ‘snipers perch’ on a nearby rooftop.

The video blew a hole in conspiracy theories that claim Robinson ‘never set foot on the campus.’

Former Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent David Hull described the footage as it was played to court.

He revealed that Robinson spoke with members of Kirk’s group, Turning Point USA, and got Chick-fil-A before the shooting, then changed his clothes before the murder.

On Monday, Utah Valley University police officer Chris Bagley – the first officer at the scene – testified that he was near the stage when Kirk was hit by a single bullet in the neck, sending the crowd scrambling for safety.

Bagley described the moments as ‘chaotic,’ but said he quickly realized there was a raised roof across from where Kirk was shot that could have been where the assassin fired from.

He testified that he raced to the rooftop of the Losee Center building and found a ‘sniper pad,’ with the gravel on the roof imprinted from where the suspect had laid down to take the fatal shot.

The weapon was described as a bolt-action rifle with one spent round. It was found after in a wooded area near where Kirk was shot and, according to police, a towel wrapped around the weapon tested positive for Robinson’s DNA.

Investigators have also claimed to have found bullet casings engraved with political messages in the gun.