Usher is taking a walk down memory lane to his surprise wedding with Jennifer Goicoechea.

Two years after secretly tying the knot in Las Vegas, the Grammy winner paid tribute to wife Jennifer Goicoechea with a heartfelt anniversary post on Instagram, celebrating the day they said “I do” following his Super Bowl LVIII halftime performance.

The couple wed on February 11, 2024, at Vegas Weddings’ drive-thru tunnel, The Fast Lane, just hours after Usher lit up Allegiant Stadium. Late Wednesday night, the eight-time Grammy winner shared a carousel of never-before-seen wedding photos along with a romantic message for his wife.

“Soft as cotton, strong in the weave. Here’s to the life we’re building thread by thread,” Usher wrote. “Happy 2nd Anniversary, my love.”

The post featured nine snapshots from their big day, including sweet moments of the couple kissing, holding hands and posing beside vintage red-and-white cars that matched Goicoechea’s bouquet.

Their blended family also took part in the celebration, with all four children dressed in white. Usher and Goicoechea share daughter Sovereign, born in 2020, and son Sire, born in 2021. 

He is also dad to sons Usher V and Naviyd from his previous marriage to Tameka Foster.

COLOMBO: Ticket demand for Sunday’s blockbuster ICC World Cup T20 clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India has sent Colombo into a frenzy days ahead of the first ball at the R Premadasa Stadium, The News reported.

A visit to the stadium’s ticket booths on Thursday showed long, restless queues still forming outside the counters despite officials saying the match had already sold out.

“We do not have any tickets available for the Sunday match. I don’t know why fans are still lining up,” said one of the attendants at the booth. “The entire 37,000-capacity stadium was sold out yesterday. Most of the tickets were purchased online.”

Interestingly, there was no visible ‘Sold Out’ signage displayed at the counters, adding to the confusion among supporters who had travelled from different parts of Sri Lanka and even overseas in the hope of securing last-minute entry passes.

“We have not received any instructions from the organisers to put up a sold-out notice,” another official at the booth clarified when asked about the absence of public information.

The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, often dubbed the “mother of all battles,” has historically shattered ticket sales records wherever it has been staged, from Melbourne to Manchester, Dubai to New York. Colombo is no exception. In fact, this is the first time Sri Lanka is hosting a World Cup T20 encounter between the two cricketing giants, making the occasion even more historic and emotionally charged.

Hotels in the city are reportedly operating near full capacity, while airline bookings from Karachi, Lahore, Delhi and Mumbai surged earlier this week. Local transport services and vendors around the stadium are also gearing up for unprecedented match-day activity.

However, where demand soars, opportunists follow.

The black market has already begun operating discreetly around the venue and online platforms. According to local sources, tickets originally priced at Rs 500 are expected to fetch anywhere between Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 or even more on match day.

“You will see a Rs 500 ticket selling for Rs 10,000 on Sunday,” said a local organiser on condition of anonymity. “People purchased tickets in bulk through online portals. Now they will resell them at massive profits.”

Authorities are expected to increase security around the stadium to curb illegal reselling, but experience suggests that controlling the underground ticket trade during an India-Pakistan encounter is no easy task.

For many fans, however, price is secondary to passion. The opportunity to witness Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam take on India’s formidable bowling attack, or to see Indian batsmen square off against Pakistan’s pace battery under lights at Premadasa, is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.

Hilary Duff has announced her first world tour in nearly 20 years, confirming a major return to the global stage with The Lucky Me Tour, which launches later this year. 

The run of shows will support her upcoming album, luck… or something, and marks her first full international tour since 2008.

The announcement was shared on Thursday, Feb. 12, alongside a playful Instagram video that nods to key moments from Duff’s career. 

In the clip, she rummages through a wardrobe filled with iconic outfits from past projects, joking in a voiceover, “What can fit in my suitcase? Why is this still in my closet?” 

As she pulls out each item, she reflects on the memories attached to them, from a unicorn jumper worn in Lizzie McGuire, which she labels “Honestly, trauma,” to a headset microphone paired with the line, “Sing to me, Paolo.”

She also revisits Isabella’s green skirt from The Lizzie McGuire Movie, quipping “More like Fran Drescher,” before holding up pieces from A Cinderella Story and asking, “Well, if Austin Ames can’t recognise me, who will?” 

Other throwbacks include pink camouflage trousers from Cadet Kelly, which she admits are “kind of fierce… Not for this one.” 

After sifting through early 2000s accessories and a dark bob wig reminiscent of her “Wake Up” and “With Love” eras, Duff settles on a fluffy jacket to signal the start of a new chapter, closing the video with, “Ooh, she’s cute. Lucky me.”

The tour kicks off on June 22 in West Palm Beach, Florida, with a North American leg that will take Duff through major cities including Houston, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia and Toronto. 

That stretch wraps up on Aug. 16 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

From there, Duff will take the tour overseas, performing in Mexico, the U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand between September and February 2027. 

Support across the tour dates will come from La Roux, Lauren Spencer Smith and Jade LeMac.

Tickets for the U.S. and Canada shows will first be available via an artist presale starting Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. local time. 

Further presales will follow ahead of the general on-sale on Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. local time, with full details shared through a presale guide on Duff’s official fan Instagram account.

The tour announcement comes just ahead of the release of luck… or something, which arrives on Friday, Feb. 20. 

It also follows her recent Small Rooms, Big Nerves shows held in January across London, Toronto, New York City and Los Angeles. 

Duff is also set to play additional dates at Voltaire at The Venetian Las Vegas in February and May.

For Duff, who last toured globally with the Dignity Tour in 2008, the Lucky Me Tour represents a long-awaited return to international touring and a milestone moment in her music career.

Hilary Duff’s ‘Lucky Me Tour’ full dates below:

JUNE

22 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre *^

23 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre*^

25 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre *^

27 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Sponsored by Huntsman *^

28 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater *^

30 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory *^

JULY

3 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre *^

8 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum *^

11 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre *^

12 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre *^

14 – Ridgefield, WA – Cascades Amphitheater *^

15 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre *^

17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre *^

20 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre *^

22 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater *^

23 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center *^

25 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater *^

26 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *^

28 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center *^

30 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater *^

AUGUST

1 – Charlotte, NC – Truliant Amphitheater *^

2 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live *^

5 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden *^

8 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center *^

9 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann *^

12 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre *^

15 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre *^

16 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater *^

SEPTEMBER

6 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena *

8 – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena Cardiff *

10 – London, UK – The O2 *

12 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena *

13 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro *

OCTOBER

20 – Auckland, NZ – Spark Arena *

22 – Brisbane, AU – Brisbane Entertainment Centre *

24 – Sydney, AU – Qudos Bank Arena *

26 – Melbourne, AU – Rod Laver Arena *

29 – Perth, AU – RAC Arena *

JANUARY 2027

22 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena &

26 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome &

27 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place &

30 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre &

FEBRUARY 2027

2 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum &

4 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre &

5 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre &

7 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre &

12 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes