Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott didn’t let a little altitude sickness get in the way of him rocking out in Bogota, Colombia, this weekend.
Blabbermouth.net reports that local news outlets in Bogota reported Elliott was taken to a local hospital Saturday ahead of their show with Mötley Crüe, which prompted the rocker to take to social media to set the record straight about his health.
“[It’s now] 5:20 p.m. We’re on at 8. So I am alive and well,” Elliott shared in the video posted to Instagram. “Little woozy, I’ll be honest. Moderate-to-severe altitude sickness. I would hate to know what ‘severe’ altitude sickness [is]; I wouldn’t wanna wish it on my worst enemy.”
He added, “But here I am … Apparently the internet lit up, so I’m here to put everybody that cares about it minds at rest. I’m here, and we’re going on at 8 p.m.”
Elliott and his band did go on as planned, rocking through a 16-song set that included such Def Leppard classics as “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Rock of Ages,” “Armageddon It” and “Photograph.”
Michael B. Jordan has a memory longer than his filmography, and he proved it over the weekend when he encountered a woman who admittedly used to tease the “corny” kid from Newark.
Podcast host Lore’l had used MBJ’s name to score some cred on her show, boasting how she and her friends would make fun of him at the high school they all attended. “To be honest with you, we teased him all the damn time because his name was Michael Jordan. Let’s start there, and he was no Michael Jordan. And he also would come to school with a headshot,” she derided.
Co-host Dominique also poked fun at his Valentine’s Day gesture to his then-girlfriend Lori Harvey, renting out an aquarium so just the two of them could enjoy it.
Dominique said it proved Jordan was a “nice, corny guy.”
But the actor-turned-Creed III director got his get back on the red carpet, when the Morning Hustle personality Lore’l introduced him to her camera saying, “We go way back,” to which Jordan said, “Yeah, the corny kid, right?”
Jordan kept it professional afterward, plugging Creed III, describing the “family vibe” on the movie and how it was “amazing” to be back in Atlanta, where he was attending a screening of the movie for HBCUs.
“Well, you’re not corny anymore,” Lore’l said, as Jordan ignored the comment and walked on down the red carpet.
Needless to say, Jordan’s fans weren’t pleased and flamed her online, with one snarking, “Now she’s fat, pre diabetic, tacky gold hair, interviewing him on his directorial debut. Life comes at you fast.”
Future Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Neal Schon was born at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
At just age 17, Schon joined the band Santana performing on albums Santana III and Caravanserai. In 1973, he and Gregg Rolie, who was also in Santana, formed Golden Gate Rhythm Section, which eventually became Journey, a band Schon has now been in for 50 years.
Journey’s biggest success came between 1978 and 1987, when Steve Perry was their lead vocalist. They released hit albums like Escape and Frontiers, featuring such classic tunes as “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Faithfully,” “Open Arms” and more.
Schon and Journey were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
U2’s Bono and The Edge showed their solidarity with Ukranians Sunday night by appearing onstage with the Ukrainian band Antytila.
Just days after the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the rockers made a guest appearance at the band’s show at London’s Electric Brixton, where they performed The Joshua Tree track “Mothers of the Disappeared.”
“The people of Ukraine, don’t want to be at war. They want peace, but not without freedom,” U2 writes on Instagram. “Never pick a fight with someone who’s ready to lose everything. This war is much more than territory. More than sovereignty. It’s about dignity and decency confronting domination and darkness.”
Finally, they note, “This song is for the mothers of Ukraine, and so many, who have lost so much. Don’t give up, don’t give up.”
And Antytila took to social media to thank the rockers for their appearance. “Great honor to stand on the stage with you again, guys. More pleasure – not in the underground :),” they share. “Bono and the Edge took part in our gig in London. Thank you for all!”
Antonino D’Urso/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images
(CUTRO, Italy) — The death toll climbed to 62 on Monday after a human smuggling boat packed with migrants slammed into the rocks off the coast of southern Italy on Sunday and “disintegrated” just feet from the shoreline, officials said.
Migrants reportedly from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan — countries ravaged recently by poverty, natural disasters, conflicts and civil unrest — were crammed aboard the 66-foot-long wooden boat that originated from Turkey and crashed into a rocky shore of eastern Calabria, which forms the tip of Italy’s boot shape, according to the Italian Coast Guard.
At least 120 migrants were aboard the vessel, according to the coast guard. Citing rescue workers, Agence France-Presse put the number at more than 200.
Roberto Occhiuto, the regional governor of the Calabria region, told reporters Monday he hopes the death toll does not reach 100.
At least 81 people were rescued, according to the coast guard.
At least 20 migrants were hospitalized, one in need of intensive care, said Manuela Curra, a provincial government official. One survivor was taken into custody for questioning after migrants identified him to authorities as one of the human traffickers, RAI state television reported.
Two more alleged smugglers were found alive and arrested, authorities said.
Antonio Ceraso, the mayor of the seaside resort city of Cutro, told Italian news media outlets that children, including a baby, are among the dead.
Bodies, covered in cloth, were being brought to a local sports stadium in the nearby Crotone that has been turned into a temporary morgue.
A priest was on hand to administer last rites over some some of the dead as bodies washed up on the beach.
Ceraso said the boat carrying the migrants hit rough seas and the rickety vessel “disintegrated” when it hit the rocks. He said wreckage is strewn across 1,000 feet of coastline. Describing what he saw at the scene of the crash, he said it was a “gruesome sight that stays with you for the rest of your life.”
The search for survivors is ongoing with coast guard crews combing the choppy waters in boats and with aircraft and local firefighters searching on jet skis.
At the Vatican, Pope Francis prayed for the survivors and the loved ones of those killed during his Sunday address in St. Peter’s Square.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose right-wing administration has taken a hard line on migration since her election in October, issued a statement expressing “deep sorrow for the many human lives torn away by human traffickers.”
Italy is one of the main landing points for migrants being smuggled across the central Mediterranean, mostly from North Africa and recently from Turkey. At least 20,333 migrants have been killed or have gone missing while attempting the crossing, which experts describe as one of the most dangerous in the world since 2014, according to the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project.
“It is a huge tragedy which shows the absolute need to act firmly against irregular migration channels,” Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said in a statement, adding that Sunday’s tragedy highlights the urgency of cracking down on human smuggling sea crossings.
Jansen Panettiere‘s family, including his sister Hayden, is remembering the late actor a week after he died suddenly at just 28 years old.
“Jansen’s heart could be seen in his eyes, and his charm in his brilliant, engaging smile; his soul in his masterful and revealing paintings, and the joy of life in his dry wit,” his family, including his mother Lesley Vogel, father Skip Panettiere and sister, Scream VI star Hayden Panettiere, said in a statement to ABC News.
The family added, “His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered.”
The family also said in its statement that Jansen died from an enlarged heart, adding the medical examiner’s determination “offers little solace.”
Panettiere was known for his voice acting roles in Ice Age: The Meltdown and The X’s as well as on-screen roles in the Nickelodeon film The Last Day of Summer and the AMC series The Walking Dead.
“We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning,” the family said. “We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever.”
Jansen Panettiere was a talented artist, posting much of his work on Instagram. He had also just shared a photo of his sister, who is five years older, cutting his hair a few weeks before his death.
Following in his older sister’s footsteps, he got his first television role in the hit Disney Channel show Even Stevens, and later appeared in several TV shows. His last television role was in an episode of The Walking Dead in 2019.
The Doobie Brothers are extending their anniversary celebration. The band, including Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons and John McFee, just announced more dates for their 50th anniversary tour.
The additions include 35 new shows, kicking off June 9 in Sparks, Nevada, and wrapping October 8 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
“We are thrilled to be back on the road in 2023 playing some cities we haven’t gotten to yet on this tour,” said Johnston.
Tickets for most of the new dates go on sale March 3 at 10 a.m. local time, with the remaining shows going on sale March 10 at 10 a.m. local time.
Next up The Doobie Brothers’ 50th anniversary tour hits Australia, Japan and Singapore in April, before returning to the U.S. May 2 in Kahului, Hawaii. A complete list of tour dates and ticket information can be found at thedoobiebrothers.com.
(NEW YORK) — Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin on Monday announced her candidacy for a U.S. Senate seat from Michigan, a critical battleground state in the 2024 election.
“We need a new generation of leaders that thinks differently, works harder, and never forgets that we are public servants,” Slotkin said.
Slotkin, who was widely speculated to jump in following Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s retirement announcement, is the first Democrat to announce she’s running in what’s expected be a highly competitive race.
In her video announcement, Slotkin highlighted her career in public service, working in the CIA as a Middle East analyst and completing three tours in Iraq. She emphasized her ability to work across the aisle, serving under President George W. Bush and Barack Obama working in several defense and intelligence positions.
Slotkin won her first House race in 2018, beating incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Bishop in a longtime Republican-leaning district. In 2022, Slotkin won reelection in a tough battleground district by five percentage points, defeating her Republican challenger, Tom Barrett.
Slotkin serves on the House Armed Services Committee, Homeland Security Committee and the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
And while Michigan’s Senate seat is critical for Democrats to maintain, other elected officials have said they would not seek the seat, including Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has residency in the state.
(WASHINGTON) — While no firm conclusion has yet been made among health and government officials as to where COVID-19 came from, the U.S. Energy Department has now reportedly indicated it believes the virus was most likely the result of a lab leak in China — one of two prevailing theories under investigation along with natural human exposure to an infected animal.
The view of the Energy Department, which oversees a network of national labs, some which conduct bioresearch, was reported Sunday by The Wall Street Journal based on a classified intelligence report but has not been confirmed by ABC News.
People who read the report said the assessment was made with “low confidence,” according to the Journal, referring to the lowest of three confidence intervals in the intelligence community.
It’s the latest development in the ongoing work, in the U.S. and internationally, to determine where COVID-19 came from: to both trace back the virus in order to hold any responsible parties to account and to understand its inception in order to prevent the next pandemic.
But with no “smoking gun” and limited access to raw data, discussion of the science has played out in a haze of circumstantial evidence.
At the same time, the virus’ origins have become a contentious wedge issue at home while the Chinese government vehemently denies COVID-19 could have come from one of its labs in Wuhan.
A spokesperson for the Energy Department did not comment Sunday on the Journal’s new article but said in a statement to ABC News that the department “continues to support the thorough, careful, and objective work of our intelligence professionals in investigating the origins of COVID-19, as the President directed.”
A spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee said in their own brief statement that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence had “provided a response to Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Select Subcommittee Chairman Brad Wenstrup’s February 13th letter requesting information about the origins of COVID-19 and we are reviewing the classified information provided.”
The White House’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said in an appearance on CNN on Sunday that he could not confirm or deny the Journal report but that “right now there is not a definitive answer” from the intelligence community on where COVID-19 started.
“Some elements of the intelligence community have reached conclusions on one side, some on the other. A number of them have said they just don’t have enough information to be sure,” Sullivan said. “Here’s what I can tell you. President [Joe] Biden has directed, repeatedly, every element of our intelligence community to put effort and resources behind getting to the bottom of this question.”
“If we gain any further insight or information, we will share it with Congress, and we will share it with the American people,” Sullivan said.
The White House declined on Sunday to say if Biden had been briefed on the Energy Department’s view, referring to Sullivan’s comments.
In 2021, the president launched a 90-day push for the U.S. intelligence community to “redouble their efforts” to find a more definitive conclusion regarding the source of the virus.
In a declassified summary of that work, released in August 2021, U.S. intelligence agencies said they remained “divided on the most likely origins of COVID-19” but that the two key hypotheses remain possible: either natural exposure to an infected animal or an accidental lab leak.
Consensus among top officials in the Biden administration has similarly been that the pandemic originated in one of those ways.
Four elements of the U.S. intelligence community said in 2021 that they had “low confidence” COVID-19 was initially spread from an animal to a human, while one element assessed with “moderate confidence” that the first human infection was the result of a “laboratory-associated incident, probably involving experimentation, animal handling, or sampling by the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” and pointing to the “inherently risky nature of work on Coronaviruses.”
The agencies, however, generally agreed that the virus was most likely not developed as a biological weapon and that China’s leaders did not know about the virus before the start of the global pandemic.
This analysis marked something of an evolution from the earliest prevailing view after the pandemic began in early 2020 when, despite some fringe skepticism — often emanating from voices with a long record of criticizing China — the idea that COVID-19 jumped from animal to human somewhere in nature became the overwhelming consensus.
Political voices in favor of the lab-leak theory, particularly from former President Donald Trump, served to polarize the issue further and largely pushed the scientific community away from a willingness to consider that possibility.
The U.S. intelligence agencies said in their 2021 summary that baring new information, a more definitive explanation would not be possible without Beijing’s cooperation.
“Origins tracing is a matter of science,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said following the report’s release. “China always supports and will continue to participate in the science-based origins study.”
A joint World Health Organization-led team had presented a range of options in its own March 2021 report, calling a lab leak “extremely unlikely” but offering pathways for further investigation.
Team members voiced frustration with the lack of cooperation from the Chinese government — echoed in international criticism that politics had stymied science.
Since then, the WHO has become increasingly receptive to the possibility that the virus resulted from a lab leak. In July 2021, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged that ruling out a lab leak theory was “premature” and recommended audits of the Wuhan labs in further studies.
China’s subsequent rebuff left the WHO to proceed without them as part of the U.N. agency’s recommended phase two study.
ABC News’ Will Steakin contributed to this report.
SZA‘s SOS album doesn’t need anyone to rescue it: It’s just notched its 10th week at number one on theBillboard Top 200 album chart.
The last woman to have an album spend that many weeks at number one was Adele, whose album 25 did it between 2015 and 2016. SOS has the most weeks at number-one for any R&B/hip-hop or R&B album by a woman since Mariah Carey‘s self-titled debut, way back in 1991, spent 13 weeks total on top.
Billboard notes that in terms of just R&B albums overall, SOS has the most weeks at number one since The Bodyguard soundtrack spent 20 weeks on top between 1992 and 1993.
Meanwhile, Pink‘s new album Trustfall debuts at number two. Her last four albums have all either reached number one or number two.
Elsewhere on the chart, Rihanna’s ANTI-, which reappeared in the top 10 after the Super Bowl, is still hanging on, but drops down to number nine.
