Almost a month after welcoming their first child together, Dancing with the Stars pros Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy have revealed his name.
“Rome Valentin Chmerkovskiy,” Johnson, 28, shared Tuesday on Instagram, alongside a photo of the baby, which also showed his face for the first time.
“Cannot believe it’s been 4 weeks of being completely infatuated with you. Thank you for bursting my heart wide open and showing me what unconditional love is. Mommy and Daddy love you so much!!!!” she added, along with the footnote, **the left dimple melts me every time.”
Jenna revealed the birth in a January 11 Instagram post, writing, “Our world is forever changed 1.10.2023,” along with a black-and-white photo showing a closeup of the baby grabbing her thumb and Chmerkovskiy’s hand wrapping around both of them.
Johnson announced her pregnancy in July, captioning a pic of Val, 36, kissing her belly, “Baby Chmerkovskiy coming this January! My heart has grown beyond comprehension while growing this little miracle inside of me. We can’t wait to meet our precious angel.”
A month later, Jenna wrote on Instagram, “IT’S A……BOY!!!!!!!” alongside images of she and Val popping containers of blue confetti.
“Today we are officially half way there to meeting our son,” she continued. “Saying those words still makes me emotional!! SO EXCITED to be a boy mom.”
It’s the first child for the couple, who who tied the knot in 2019.
(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Parliament in London on Wednesday, as the United Kingdom announced plans to increase its deliveries of “lethal aid.”
“I have come here to stand before you on behalf of the brave,” Zelenskyy said after receiving a standing ovation from members of both Houses of Parliament.
He thanked Britain for training troops “who will be then deployed to the front line — front line — skilled, eager and equipped to win.”
The visit was Zelenkyy’s second known international trip since the Russian invasion began almost a year ago. The trip underscored the United Kingdom’s “unbreakable friendship” with Ukraine, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a statement.
Downing Street announced the surprise visit on Wednesday morning, saying it comes as the United Kingdom expands it training for Ukrainian armed forces. Zelenskyy also met with King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, after saying he wanted to thank him for his support.
“The King was an Air Force pilot, and In Ukraine every Air Force pilot is a king,” Zelenskyy told Parliament members.
Zelenskyy and Sunak were expected to discuss what the United Kingdom’s described as its “two-pronged” approach to aiding Ukraine, which included a “surge” in the supply of military equipment and long-term support with training for troops.
“As part of today’s talks, the Prime Minister will offer to bolster the UK’s training offer for Ukrainian troops, including expanding it to fighter jet pilots to ensure Ukraine can defend its skies well into the future” U.K. officials said in a statement.
About 10,000 Ukrainian troops have been trained in the United Kingdom in the last six months, officials said. More than 20,000 additional troops are expected to be trained this year.
British officials said they expected the program to continue scaling throughout the year. Zelenskyy on Wednesday planned to meet with U.K. defense officials to discuss the training.
“I am proud that today we will expand that training from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a military able to defend its interests well into the future,” Sunak said in a statement ahead of the visit.
British officials said they planned on Wednesday to also announce further sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion. The sanctions will target people who’ve helped Russian President Vladimir Putin build personal wealth, along with “companies who are profiting from the Kremlin’s war machine,” officials said.
Zelesnkyy also laid out a proposal under which any country that acts as an aggressor or terrorist state will eventually be held financially responsible for its crimes.
He called an eventual victory for Ukraine and its allies the “most important victory of our lifetime,” which would amount to a warning for Russia and any other countries considering attacking a sovereign neighbor.
“Any aggressor is going to lose,” he said.
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti, Guy Davies and Zoe Magee contributed to this report.
As pioneers of heavy metal, Black Sabbath has inspired countless bands over the years. Now, the “Iron Man” outfit has inspired something a bit more unexpected.
England’s Birmingham Royal Ballet, based out of Ozzy Osbourne and company’s hometown, has announced Black Sabbath – The Ballet. The production will consist of three acts and will feature “re-orchestrated” versions of classic Sabbath tunes, including “Iron Man,” “Paranoid” and “War Pigs,” as well as “original new compositions” inspired by the band.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how this all develops!” says Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. “Black Sabbath have always been innovators and never been predictable, and it doesn’t come any more unpredictable than this! I’d never imagined pairing Black Sabbath with ballet but it’s got a nice ring to it!”
Black Sabbath – The Ballet will premiere September 23 at the Birmingham Hippodrome theater. For more info, visit BRB.org.uk.
Pat Benatar and husband Neil Giraldo have announced a new set of spring dates that will have them playing venues on the East Coast.
The eight-show run will kick off April 12 in Port Chester, New York, and wrap April 29 in Hollywood, Florida, with tickets set to go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
The new shows add to the pair’s already busy 2023. They kick off the year with an appearance at the annual Love Rocks Benefit in New York March 9 and will later spend part of their summer opening for Pink on her Summer Carnival stadium tour. Those shows kick off July 31 at Boston’s Fenway Park.
For a complete list of Pat Benatar/Neil Giraldo dates, check out benatargiraldo.com.
(NOTE LANGUAGE)Christina Applegate, who has been battling multiple sclerosis since 2021, may be looking to retire from acting following this month’s 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards on the 26th.
“It’s my last awards show as an actor probably, so it’s kind of a big deal,” the Dead to Me star told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published on Tuesday.
“Right now, I couldn’t imagine getting up at 5 a.m. and spending 12 to 14 hours on a set; I don’t have that in me at this moment,” Applegate, 51, explained.
That doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve heard the last of the Married with Children alum, though. Applegate says she’s contemplating producing, development and “doing a s*** ton of voice-overs to make some cash to make sure that my daughter’s fed and we’re homed.”
Her most recent awards show appearance was at the Critics Choice Awards last month — her first awards show since her diagnosis.
(NEW YORK) — A ruling from a federal judge in Texas — that may come as soon as Friday — could potentially block use of an abortion medication across the United States.
A lawsuit is asking that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone be revoked and that the drug be pulled from the market.
If the judge rules in favor of the plaintiffs, there would be a nationwide injunction on mifepristone, affecting even states where the procedure is legal. Another drug used in combination with mifepristone for abortions, called misoprostol, would still be available, but it’s not approved by the FDA to be used for abortions on its own.
Abortion rights groups fear the decision will restrict abortion even more so than the Supreme Court did when it overturned Roe v. Wade last summer.
“This would be devastating,” Kirsten Moore, director of the EMAA Project, which works to expand access to medication abortion, told ABC News of the ruling’s impact. “This would be taking an FDA approved drug off the market for no public health reason.”
What is mifepristone?
Mifepristone is a drug typically used in combination with another drug to induce an abortion or to help manage an early miscarriage.
The medication works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which the body needs to continue a pregnancy.
This causes the uterine lining to stop thickening and to break down, detaching the embryo. The second drug, misoprostol, taken 24 to 48 hours later, causes the uterus to contract and dilates the cervix, which will expel the embryo.
Mifepristone was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000. In the U.S., the drugs are approved up to 10 weeks’ gestation, although the World Health Organization says they can be taken up until the 12-week mark.
Medication abortion now accounts for more than half of all abortion in the U.S., according to the Guttmacher Institute.
In December 2021, the FDA announced it permanently lifted its restriction that abortion pills had to be dispensed in-person. Last month, it went further by allowing retail pharmacies to provide the drug too, either by mail or in person, so long as they meet certain requirements.
What is the lawsuit?
In November 2022, a lawsuit was filed by Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian conservative legal advocacy group working to outlaw abortion, on behalf of four anti-abortion medical groups and four physicians, who claim they have used the drug to treat patients.
The FDA says mifepristone is safe and effective when used as directed and no new safety concerns have arisen in the more than two decades since it was approved.
ADF claims the federal health agency “chose politics over science and approved chemical abortion drugs for use in the United States,” according to the lawsuit.
The 113-page lawsuit also argues the FDA exceeded its authority and ignored “intense side effects” because it was under pressure to approve the drug under then-U.S. President Bill Clinton.
“This case is unusual, because it’s challenging a drug that’s been on the market for over 20 years and extremely safe,” Rabia Muqaddam, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told ABC News. “The evidence that they suggest shows medication abortion is unsafe, has been repeatedly rejected by the FDA. And despite the claims having very little legal merit, and the plaintiffs not really having any injury, this case, has the potential to really undermine the remaining access to abortion that exists.”
What would the case decide?
The case was filed in Amarillo, Texas — a state where abortion is already severely limited — and assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump.
Kacsmaryk is known for his conservative stance on issues and, last year, he issued a decision on Title X, a federal grant program that provides confidential family planning and preventive health services.
He ruled that teenagers can’t access birth control without their parents’ permission under the program because it “violates the constitutional right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children.”
If Kacsmaryk rules in favor of ADF, mifepristone would, at least temporarily, be taken off the market and all states where abortion is legal would only be able to offer in-clinic procedures.
This means patients will not be able to access telehealth services to get abortion pills and clinics already experience a surge of patients from states where abortion is illegal could be even more inundated.
“It’s going to impose a really significant burden and cause significant congestion at the clinics that still remain,” Muqaddam said. “We’re seeing long wait times, so many patients trying to travel to access state to seek care. It’s been a huge challenge. It’s going to cause a pretty immediate and extreme constriction and the accessibility of abortion.”
The decision could come as early as Feb. 10, which is the deadline both sides in the case have to file briefs.
Madonna introduced Sam Smith and Kim Petras at the Grammy Awards on Wednesday, but all it seemed anyone could talk about was Madonna’s appearance, with many criticizing her for seemingly having had work done in an attempt to look younger and saying she was unrecognizable. Now, Madonna’s taken to Instagram to respond.
“Instead of focusing on what I said in my speech — which was about giving thanks for the fearlessness of artists like Sam and Kim — many people chose to only talk about Close-up photos of me Taken with a long lens camera By a press photographer that Would distort anyone’s face!!” Madonna wrote.
She continued. “Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny That permeates the world we live in. A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 And feels the need to punish her If she continues to be strong willed, hard-working and adventurous.”
The Queen of Pop, who’s 64, then went on to say that she’s “never apologized” for the way she looks or dresses, “and I’m not going to start.”
“I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career but I understand that this is all a test,” she noted.
“I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come,” she concluded. In the words of Beyoncé ‘You-won’t break my soul.’ I look forward to many more years of subversive behavior -pushing boundaries-Standing up to the patriarchy -and Most of all enjoying my life.”
Madonna signed off, “Bow down b***hes!
The star kicks off her 40th Anniversary Celebration Tour later this year.
(NEW YORK) — When LeBron James came into the NBA, he was laser focused on achieving several goals.
“I wanted to be the rookie of the year my rookie year, I wanted to [be named an] All-Star, I wanted to win championships, I wanted to be the MVP of the league, I wanted to be the Player of the Year,” James told ABC News’ Good Morning America in an interview last week.
What wasn’t on his list was breaking the all-time NBA scoring record, a feat the four-time MVP achieved Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, surpassing the former all-time scoring record of 38,387 points — and doing so in front of the man who held the record for 38 years: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“I never ever was like I want to break the all-time score. I never ever even thought about it and the fact that I’m like literally right here, it is mind-blowing,” James said.
James now has 38,390 points scored during his nearly 20-year career. He holds the record for all-time playoffs points and eighth in career assists.
On Jan. 31, GMA co-anchor Michael Strahan spoke to James before he took the court to face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Madison Square Garden is James’ self-proclaimed favorite place. He said the “history” of the arena is what makes it so special to him.
“I think, not only what’s happened in this building over the years, but also the city,” James said. “I almost think it’s like a great Broadway show and I’m part of the cast.”
Though he hasn’t played for the Knicks — he says he came “very close” in 2010 — James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 before going to the Miami Heat in 2010, where he won his first two NBA championships. In 2014, James, an Ohio native, re-signed with the Cavaliers and led the team to a championship in 2016, breaking the Cleveland sports curse.
Now, James is with the Los Angeles Lakers, another legendary team, where he led the team to his fourth NBA championship in 2020.
When asked if breaking the all-time scoring record officially makes James the greatest NBA player ever, the star said he didn’t know.
“I don’t know if the record does,” he reflected. “The one thing I can tell you… I’ve always prided myself on saying, ‘I want to be.’ ‘I want to be the greatest to play this game,’ you know … and that came from a motivation to myself… my drive is to be the greatest of all time.”
On raising three kids and what he wants his legacy to be
While he leads the Lakers on the court, James has another big job at home: raising three kids — Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri — with his wife, Savannah.
“The best thing I’ve been able to guide my boys and my little girl is showing them the way and showing them you know about how to respect adults, how to be great in the community,” said James, who added his advice for his children is to lead with independence.
“At the end of the day, this is their walk in life, you have to be able to decide what journey you want to go. Mom and Dad are gonna give you the blueprint and you go from there,” James said.
Bronny, a high school senior and top draft prospect, is eligible for the NBA draft in 2024 and Bryce, a high school sophomore, in 2026, according to ESPN, creating a potential opening for James and his sons to play in the NBA together.
The 38-year-old player is only a few years shy of becoming the oldest active NBA player, but he said he’s not hanging up the crown just yet.
“No, I ain’t there yet, I ain’t there yet. My wife wishes I was there, though,” he said. “I tell her, ‘I got a little bit more time left.'”
Reflecting on his legacy, James shared what he wants to be remembered for both on and off the court.
“I want my legacy to be that all my teammates, and the people that played against me, know I play the game the right way and I competed at a high level. I never cheated the game … I never cheated a process,” he said.
“But for me off the floor, I think you know me [as] having my own school in my hometown, [meeting] inspiring kids all over the world, being active in politics at times or social injustice and things that go on in regular life. Those are the things that I hope people talk about as well because those are things that last forever,” he added.
One unexpected moment at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, besides Bonnie Raitt winning Song of the Year, came when host Trevor Noah surprised Adele by introducing her to a celebrity she loves and had never met: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Johnson tells Varietythat moment was 100% not scripted — Adele really didn’t know about it.
“We wanted to do something special for Adele,” Johnson tells Variety. “I know that she is a very big fan of mine and has made that clear publicly many times. But I’ve got to tell you, I am a huge fan of hers, as well — her music, her journey, her openness and directness in how she speaks. I’ve always admired that about her.”
Johnson was initially set to attend the taping of Adele’s CBS special in 2021. He couldn’t make it, so he sent her flowers instead, which Adele later said made her “nearly fall off my chair.” That show’s producer, Ben Winston, is also the producer of the Grammys, so when Johnson confirmed that he and his wife would attend the show, Winston pitched him on the idea.
“We had kicked around ideas all week,” Johnson says. “The key to a surprise like that is to actually keep it a surprise. Myself and the Grammys went to great lengths to make sure that Adele was authentically surprised in the moment, and she was.”
Johnson says later that evening nobody was more surprised than he was when he gave out the Record of the Year award and Adele’s name was in the envelope.
“That’s why I was able to say, ‘Get up here best friend, Adele!’” he explains. “It was such a special night. And she’s such a special, iconic, brilliant, inspiring artist … I love that woman.”
(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Parliament in London on Wednesday, as the United Kingdom announces plans to increase its deliveries of “lethal aid.”
“I have come here to stand before you on behalf of the brave,” Zelenskyy said after receiving a standing ovation from members of both Houses of Parliament.
He thanked Britain for training troops “who will be then deployed to the front line — front line — skilled, eager and equipped to win.”
The visit is Zelenkyy’s second known international trip since the Russian invasion began almost a year ago. The trip will underscore the United Kingdom’s “unbreakable friendship” with Ukraine, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a statement.
Zelenskyy is also scheduled to meet with King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy and Sunak are expected to discuss what the United Kingdom’s described as its “two-pronged” approach to aiding Ukraine, which includes a “surge” in the supply of military equipment and long-term support with training for troops.
Downing Street announced the surprise visit on Wednesday morning, saying it comes as the United Kingdom expands it training for Ukrainian armed forces.
“As part of today’s talks, the Prime Minister will offer to bolster the UK’s training offer for Ukrainian troops, including expanding it to fighter jet pilots to ensure Ukraine can defend its skies well into the future” U.K. officials said in a statement.
About 10,000 Ukrainian troops have been trained in the United Kingdom in the last six months, officials said. More than 20,000 additional troops are expected to be trained this year.
British officials said they expect the program to continue scaling throughout the year. Zelenskyy on Wednesday plans to meet with U.K. defense officials to discuss the training.
“I am proud that today we will expand that training from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a military able to defend its interests well into the future,” Sunak said in a statement ahead of the visit.
British officials said they planned on Wednesday to also announce further sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion. The sanctions will target people who’ve helped Russian President Vladimir Putin build personal wealth, along with “companies who are profiting from the Kremlin’s war machine,” officials said.
Zelesnkyy also laid out a proposal under which any country that acts as an aggressor or terrorist state will eventually be held financially responsible for its crimes.
He called an eventual victory for Ukraine and its allies the “most important victory of our lifetime,” which would amount to a warning for Russia and any other countries considering attacking a sovereign neighbor.
