What happens when you mix “Glycerine” with “Vasoline”? Well, we’ll find out this fall.
Bush and Stone Temple Pilots have announced a co-headlining tour, set to kick off September 30 in Mesa, Arizona. Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 20, at 10 a.m. local time.
Bush’s latest album, The Kingdom, dropped last summer. It includes the single “Flowers on a Grave.”
STP, meanwhile, just dropped a 25th anniversary reissue of their 1996 album Tiny Music…Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop last month. The group’s most recent new effort is 2020’s Perdida.
(CHICAGO) — The Justice Department has arrested a Chicago pharmacist who allegedly sold 125 real CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards on EBay.
According to charging documents, 34-year-old Tangtang Zhao is said to have sold the cards to 11 different buyers for $10 each.
He is the second person to face federal charges for selling vaccination cards. Federal authorities are working to put a stop to this trend as more companies require proof of vaccination.
Zhao is charged with 12 counts of theft of government property. A conviction means he could face a max sentence of 10 years per count.
What is still unclear is the position the DOJ may take against Americans who are trying to purchase vaccination cards as a way of falsely claiming vaccination status.
(CHICAGO) — A judge has temporarily barred Chicago authorities from releasing body camera video, described by a prosecutor in chilling detail, of Chicago police Officer Ella French being gunned down during a traffic stop.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability in Chicago said in a statement that it received the order Monday from a Cook County Circuit Court judge forbidding the “the city of Chicago and its entities” from publicly releasing any material connected to shooting under the city’s Video Release Policy and the Freedom of Information Act.
The video allegedly shows suspect Emonte “Monty” Morgan opening fire on French and her partner, who was critically injured, during an Aug. 7 traffic stop, according to prosecutors.
In the one-page ruling, the judge did not elaborate on a reason for the decision, only writing that body camera video and other evidence can’t be released “during the pendency of the criminal matter.”
“COPA remains committed to transparency and is conducting a full analysis and investigation of the incident,” the police watchdog group said in a statement. “Body-worn cameras, third party video and other materials related to this incident will be released upon the lifting of the Judge’s court order.”
The development comes as French’s colleagues and loved ones prepare for her funeral, scheduled for Thursday at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine in Chicago. Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, announced on Monday that he will deliver the homily.
French, 29, is the first Chicago police officer since 2018 killed in the line of duty and the city’s first female officer killed in the line of duty since 1988, officials said.
Morgan, 21, was arrested after being shot during a gunfight with one of French’s fellow officers, who escaped injury in the encounter, according to a criminal complaint. Morgan has been charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and aggravated use of a weapon by a felon.
Morgan’s brother, Eric Morgan, 19, who prosecutors said was driving the car French and the officers stopped, was arrested and charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and one count of obstruction of justice, according to court records.
A still image of the body camera footage that captured the incident was obtained by ABC Chicago station WLS, along with another chilling image of French in her final moments — standing at the driver’s side door, shining a flashlight into the vehicle that had been pulled over for having expired tags.
During a news conference last week, Risa Lanier, the chief deputy state’s attorney for Cook County, said Emonte Morgan is seen in body camera video stepping over the wounded officers after allegedly shooting them.
French’s 39-year-old partner, whose name has not been released, remains in critical condition with a bullet lodged in his brain, police said.
The shooting came as Chicago police have been dealing with escalating gun violence in the city. Chicago Police Department crime statistics show that as of Sunday 2,176 people have been shot in 2021, a 12% increase over the same time period in 2020.
(KABUL, Afghanistan) — A U.S. official has confirmed that human remains were found inside the wheel well of a C-17 military plane that had been swarmed by hundreds of people on the tarmac as it took off at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
The discovery was made upon landing at al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday.
A dramatic video taken earlier Monday showed some people clinging to the plane as it taxied down the runway in Kabul.
A defense official said the individuals swarming the plane had breached the runway from the civilian side of the airport. At the airport in Kabul, there is a side for military operations and another side for commercial flights.
Air operations were suspended for hours at the airport Monday because of the crush of Afghan civilians desperate to leave Kabul. Operations resumed after the U.S. military, Turkish forces and other troops forcibility removed 15,000 Afghan civilians who had breached the runway, a U.S. official said.
The C-17 had landed on a runway at the airport earlier in the day with a load of cargo, according to the official. After landing, the pilots were surprised when the crew attempted to unload its cargo and it was rushed by hundreds of Afghan civilians. At that point, the aircrew decided it was not safe to unload and began taxiing to fly away to safety
U.S. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Tuesday the U.S. will soon have the capacity to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 individuals a day now on a mix between commercial and military aircraft — but a lot of that depends on if the Taliban will allow those commercial planes to fly.
The White House said Tuesday that both sides of the airport are open and operational with flights able to land and depart. There were 3,500 U.S. troops on the ground to help control airport operations as of Tuesday morning.
On Monday, more than 700 people were evacuated by the U.S. military, including 165 American citizens, the Pentagon said.
Kirby, at a briefing with reporters Monday, was matter of fact, saying the crush of civilians at the airport came about because “there were a lot of Afghans that wanted to get out of the country.”
Adam Lambert is apparently happening in Vegas, so he’s staying in Vegas.
The singer’s limited engagement at The Venetian Theatre at The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas has just expanded by one show: He’ll now perform six dates at the venue. The new date is October 20; the other dates are October 22, 23, 27, 29 and 30.
Tickets for the new show go on sale to the general public Saturday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com, venetian.com, the box office or by calling 866-641-7469.
Adam is also set to perform on the worldwide Global Citizen Live telecast on September 25, along with stars including Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello, Billie Eilish, Alessia Cara, Ricky Martin, Shawn Mendes, Black Eyed Peas, The Weeknd and more. If you want to see him right now, he’s got a series of makeup tutorials on YouTube you can check out.
One of the most famed musician/guitar brand partnerships is no more.
The estate for late Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott has cut ties with Dean Guitars after 17 years with the company. Additionally, Rita Haney — Dime’s longtime partner and trustee of his estate — has filed a lawsuit against Dean, alleging fraud, breach of written agreement and false endorsement, among other counts.
In a long statement posted to Dime’s website, Haney writes, “It became clear to me that Dimebag’s relationship with Dean Guiars had come to an end when the CEO of Dean Guitars told me that Dime has been dead for 16 years, and then could not make the money they once did…and then continued on to tell me I should go somewhere else.”
“Well…we will!” Haney says.
The lawsuit accuses Dean of continuing to use photographs of Dimebag, as well as his name and likeness, to continuing to allegedly promote and sell guitars and merchandise despite the expiration of its endorsement deal. Haney also accuses Dean CEO Evan Rubinson of being “incredibly disrespectful and often times belligerent to the legacy” of Dimebag.
“Moving forward, our goal will be to ensure the rightful and respectful celebration of Dime’s legacy and the indelible mark he and his music made on this world,” Haney writes. “It is with absolute conviction that we say that this can no longer happen whilst continuing to partner with Dean Guitars.”
Dean Guitars has not yet publicly addressed the lawsuit.
(WASHINGTON) — The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are expected to announce that all vaccinated people will be eligible for booster shots at least eight months after their second dose.
But experts caution that vaccine efficacy is declining along a gradual slope — not a sudden cliff that drops off suddenly after eight months. For the nation’s public health experts, the question has become: What’s an acceptable threshold?
Currently available data suggests all three authorized vaccines are offering good protection at least six months after initial vaccination — likely even longer.
“We believe sooner or later you will need a booster for durability of protection,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, speaking at Thursday’s White House press briefing. “We do not believe that others, elderly or non-elderly, who are not immunocompromised, need a vaccine [booster] right at this moment.”
“We are evaluating this on a day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month basis,” Fauci added. “So, if the data shows us that, in fact, we do need to do that, we’ll be very ready to do it and do it expeditiously.”
Vaccine experts have said protection from current COVID-19 vaccines is expected to wane slightly over time. Meanwhile, the delta variant is expected to chip away slightly at overall vaccine effectiveness. Executives from both Moderna and Pfizer have said booster doses eventually will be needed.
But so far, vaccines are still holding up well, experts said. Some studies have indicated a slight dip in efficacy, but mostly when it comes to protection from symptomatic and mild illness. Data thus far indicates that vaccines are still extremely effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths.
Moderna and Pfizer both reported positive data from their ongoing phase 3 trials, which have continued to monitor volunteers at least six months after their initial shots. Moderna has said its vaccine remains more 93% effective against symptomatic illness after six months, while Pfizer reported a dip in efficacy to 84%, though both studies were conducted with slightly different criteria and prior to the emergence of the delta variant.
Although an independent study from the Mayo Clinic hinted that Pfizer immunity might wane faster than Moderna immunity, experts said it’s likely too soon to say that for sure.
Johnson & Johnson, meanwhile, has yet to report six-month data for its single-shot vaccine. The company, however, has released promising laboratory data showing a strong immune system response up to eight months later. And a real-world study from South Africa showed good protection against delta.
That said, some Americans aren’t waiting for a formal recommendation to get an additional shot. According to an internal CDC briefing reported by ABC News, approximately 1.1 million already have taken booster shots.
Many doctors have cautioned against this. Booster doses are still being studied formally, and there could be still-unknown risks associated with getting them. Researchers are still evaluating side effects, proper dosages and the right time to get one.
“The main thing I really want to stress to everyone,” said Dr. Simone Wildes, an infectious disease specialist at South Shore Health and an ABC News contributor, “is that, right now, we are not recommending booster shots. However, that could change.”
Other doctors and public health specialists also said they’re also not rushing to recommend boosters for the general public. Not only are current vaccines proving to be overwhelmingly effective, but doctors are also still collecting data on the potential impacts of an additional shot. And vaccine producers are still researching whether lower dosages will suffice as potential boosters.
“Everyone wants to know — when is the timeline?” Wildes said.
Experts still aren’t sure.
“We don’t know how long immunity lasts,” said John Brownstein, chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor. “We don’t know what ‘waning’ means. We will clearly see that in the fall as we see a surge, and we’ll understand what delta or any future variant means for cases in the population.”
Madonna celebrated her 63rd birthday by going back to her Italian roots and taking her family along for the fun.
In video posted yesterday on her Instagram captioned “Mambo Italiano,” Madonna and her children are shown traveling on a private plane, and one of her twin daughters says in French, “We’re going to Italy.” We then see Madonna striking a pose against a stone balustrade, smoking and declaring, “Happy Birthday to me!”
As Dean Martin‘s classic song “That’s Amore” plays, we see Madonna walking hand in hand with her boyfriend, Ahlamalik Williams, to a massive dining table set up outdoors, surrounded by what we assume are all her birthday guests. There is also plenty of video of Madonna seductively licking an ice-cream cone, both with and without her boyfriend.
A separate post shows Madonna and all her children having fun during the party, and there’s more footage of the birthday preparations and surroundings on her Instagram Stories.
Last week, Madonna said that for her birthday she wanted fans to contribute money to purchase more beds for the pediatric hospital she established in Malawi four years ago.
Yesterday, Madonna announced a huge new deal with Warner Music Group that will, in part, see her reissuing deluxe editions of some of her classic albums in 2022 to mark the 40th anniversary of her recording debut.
After their End of the Road farewell tour was put on hold last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, KISS is set to relaunch the trek on Thursday in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth was the tour’s original support act, but in a new Rolling Stone interview, KISS bassist/singer Gene Simmons confirms that Diamond Dave is no longer part of the outing.
While Simmons doesn’t explain specifically why Roth isn’t touring with KISS anymore, he says, “[I]t bears noting that during Dave’s heyday, nobody did what he did. He was the ultimate frontman. Not [Robert] Plant, not Rod Stewart, nobody. He took being a frontman way beyond anything. And then, I don’t know what happened to him…something. And you get modern-day Dave. I prefer to remember Elvis Presley in his prime. Sneering lips, back in Memphis, you know, doing all that. I don’t want to think of bloated naked Elvis on the bathroom floor.”
It’s worth noting that Roth did open the first run of KISS dates in early 2020 before the pandemic began. The support act for KISS in 2021 will be rock painter Garibaldi.
Meanwhile, with COVID-19 continuing to be an issue in the U.S. and around the world, Simmons has a message for fans coming to his band’s shows.
“I would highly recommend for everybody to get two Pfizer or Moderna shots, please — for the rest of us,” he says. “Even if you believe the Earth is flat, it’s not.”
Gene adds, “The entire road crew must be vaccinated twice. Nobody gets backstage or onstage without wearing masks, and everybody stays at a safe distance and you’ve got to wash your hands and do everything else the CDC says.”
Check out KISS’ full concert schedule at KISSOnline.com.
John Boyega is reminiscing about his first film role in Attack the Block, the 2011 U.K. sci-fi comedy where his character Moses, along with a gang of teens, help to save their neighborhood from a group of aliens.
Boyega tells ABC Audio that his seminal film did not receive the credit that it was due.
“The significance of Attack the Block is big,” he says. “I feel like Attack the Block was a movie that wasn’t understood because it was kind of before its time in a sense.”
Thankfully for Boyega, there’s now an opportunity for people to “revisit that world” with an Attack the Block sequel that’s currently in the works.
“[S]o much things have happened, especially in the U.K., between now and the first movie… We have so much to take from,” he teases.
While Boyega jokes that wielding a katana in his most recent film, Naked Singularity, was simply “muscle memory” from chopping down aliens in his film debut, the Star Wars actor says he’s all business when it comes to reuniting with his Attack the Block creatives.
“I actually have to leave the United States soon to get back to the U.K. to start the writing process with [writer-director] Joe [Cornish],” he reveals. “We’re actually gonna do that in my house.”
He continues, “We’ve already had a few creative sessions with the rest of the team, [producer] Nira Park, and some of the creative guys that were behind the first one. And yeah, we’re plotting. We’re bringing back… some cool people and definitely some new cast members as well.”
Aside from the new and familiar faces, Boyega says fans can also expect the same absurdity showcased in the first film.
