As The Scorpions gear up to launch the 2022 North American leg of their Rock Believer World Tour this Sunday in Toronto, the veteran German hard rockers have offered up a couple of goodies for fans.
First, the band has released a new song titled “Hammersmith” that’s available now as a digital download and via streaming services. The heavy-pounding tune finds The Scorpions paying tribute to the famous London venue the Hammersmith Odeon, while also expressing how enthusiastic they are to keep rocking their fans.
“The song takes us back to a time when we played in the smallest clubs, just dreaming about being able to perform in the Temple of Rock, the Hammersmith Odeon,” explains frontman Klaus Meine, who wrote the tune’s lyrics.
Meanwhile, The Scorpions have also just debuted an “official fan video” for the title track of their latest album, Rock Believer, which was released in February.
The clip features footage that Scorpions fans from around the world submitted, showing them rocking out and singing along to the song, and sharing their love for the group, mixed with video of the band performing the song.
The Rock Believer tour features 24 dates and is mapped out through an October 21 concert in Las Vegas. Whitesnake had originally been slated to open most of the shows, but had to drop off the trek recently because frontman David Coverdale has been battling a persistent respiratory infection. All-female Swedish rock band Thundermother will serve as The Scorpions’ support act throughout most of the tour.
Have you ever been catfished by your dad? James Morosini has. He’s the writer, director, and star of the new film I Love My Dad, which is in theaters and streaming on demand now.
The movie, which Morosini describes as as “almost a modern Mrs. Doubtfire,” follows “an estranged father — played by Patton Oswalt — who catfishes his son in an attempt to reconnect, and the son ends up falling head over heels for the girl that the father has created,” he tells ABC Audio. “And the father now has to figure out an off-ramp to this thing without destroying his son’s hopes and dreams.”
I Love My Dad is based on what actually happened between him and his father when he was around 20 years old.
“I think [we] were fighting [and] I think he had lied about something. I got very upset with him. I decided to block him on social media,” he recalls. “I was going through a tough time, and he was very worried about me and wanted to talk with me about it and I wouldn’t talk with him about it. And then I got home one day, and this really pretty girl sent me a friend request online, and she seemed amazing. And then it turned out to be my dad. [He] had catfished me.”
James says he and his dad have a good relationship now, and the film has only made it stronger.
“The idea of making this movie was really stepping into my dad’s shoes and trying to understand our relationship from his perspective,” he explains. “It was kind of a challenge that I posed to myself to see if I could really take a walk in his shoes and if I could really empathize with where he was coming from.”
(NEW YORK) — Hearing aids can be sold over the counter in an effort to increase access and lower costs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday. The move will allow those with mild to moderate hearing loss to directly purchase hearing aids from retailers.
Previously, those with mild to moderate hearing loss needed a prescription to receive a hearing aid, which required a medical exam, possibly by a specialist such as an audiologist.
Not only can this process be costly, but it can also take time, depending on provider availability, experts said.
The news was celebrated by the Hearing Industries Association, a group representing hearing aid manufacturers and other industry stakeholders, which said in a statement the “change will expand access to hearing aids among the estimated 38 million Americans who have perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.”
“In the United States, we see wealthier individuals being able to access hearing aids and individuals who are living at or below federal poverty level struggling to access hearing aids,” Dr. Nicholas Reed, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, told ABC News.
This ruling came just prior to President Joe Biden signing the Inflation Reduction Act on Tuesday, which proponents claim will further reduce drug prices and keep health insurance affordable for millions of Americans.
When will they be available?
“Americans could see over-the-counter hearing aids available as early as mid-October,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said at an FDA briefing Tuesday.
Califf said the ruling will clarify the regulatory requirements for hearing aids and personal sound devices, also referred to as PSAPs. He said it will take time for manufacturers to ensure that they are meeting these new requirements.
“These actions reflect the FDA’s commitment to safely lowering barriers to access, providing consumers with greater choices to lower prices, and helping to facilitate innovation in hearing aid technology,” Califf said.
Who can use them?
“The new over-the-counter category applies to certain air conduction hearing aids, intended for adults aged 18 and older who have perceived mild to moderate hearing loss,” Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, Director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said at an FDA briefing Tuesday.
Air conduction hearing aids are worn inside the ear or on the ear, with an inside the ear component and amplified sound into the ear canal. In an effort to prevent further hearing loss, these devices will have sound limits.
“Hearing aids for severe hearing loss or for users younger than age 18 will be prescription devices, to assure patient safety as well as effectiveness,” Shuren said.
What are the implications?
“The FDA estimates this rule will save consumers on the order of about $1,400 per individual hearing aid, or almost, or over $2,800 per pair. And that’s the direct savings,” Brian Deese, White House Director of National Economic Council, said at the FDA briefing Tuesday.
While these are just estimates in savings, Deese also believes this ruling will increase innovation and competition in the market.
“The requirement to see a doctor or a hearing specialist was an example of what economists call a barrier to entry. It was a regulation that kept more companies or more innovators from entering the market to compete,” Deese said.
Emma Egan is an MPH candidate at Brown University and a contributor to the ABC Medical Unit.
(NEW YORK) — Monkeypox and related viruses are known for their ability to transmit between humans and animals, but with increasing global spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that household pets may be at risk after a dog in France apparently contracted monkeypox from its owners in July, according to a report published in The Lancet journal.
This is the first reported case of human-to-pet transmission of monkeypox.
“We are still learning what different animal species may be susceptible to infection, and this new case report is important because it shows that dogs are able to get the disease,” Dr. Meghan Davis, associate professor of environmental health and engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told ABC News. The CDC says it’s not clear if other animals, like cats, can develop monkeypox, but recommends that people sick with monkeypox take precautions around all animals to be safe.
Monkeypox cases continue to climb across the globe and in the United States, where more than 12,000 Americans have been diagnosed.
For anyone recovering at home, the CDC said it’s important to stay away from other household members — including pets — or take steps to reduce the risk of household transmission if isolating away isn’t possible.
Isolate away from pets if possible
Monkeypox transmission happens during close contact. With pets, this could be through cuddling, hugging, kissing, licking and sharing sleeping areas or food.
If you are diagnosed with monkeypox and have not yet exposed your pet — meaning you haven’t been in contact with the pet since your symptoms developed — try to find a friend or a neighbor to care for your pet. Your isolation period may last two to four weeks. Once your skin lesions are healed, clean and disinfect your home, including washing your bedding, before bringing your pet back home.
Understandably, this may not be possible for everyone.
Hand hygiene and physical distancing can still help
If your pet stays with you while you are isolated, you can still take steps to reduce their risk of transmitting monkeypox.
“Keep your pets, just keep your distance — and don’t let your pet share your bed — if you are diagnosed with or suspect you have monkeypox,” Davis said.
Echoing guidance given when isolating at home with COVID-19, wash your hands every time you touch your pet, wear a mask and try to keep your skin lesions covered. Maintain your distance and don’t let your pet get into contaminated clothes, towels or sheets.
“Pets that had close contact with a symptomatic person with monkeypox should be kept at home and away from other animals and people for 21 days after the most recent contact,” according to CDC guidance.
Call your vet and try to get your pet tested for monkeypox if your pet shows signs of monkeypox infection after exposure
Though we don’t understand all the symptoms of monkeypox in animals, symptoms could look like lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, fever and pimple-like or blister-like rashes.
If one pet gets sick, try to keep them separate from other pets or people at home — especially from anyone in the household who is pregnant, immune compromised or a child.
Keep caring for your pet, do not abandon or euthanize your pet
Monkeypox exposure or diagnosis is not a reason to consider abandoning or euthanizing your pet, the CDC said.
The CDC also recommends that people should not put a mask on their pets, or clean or bathe their pets with chemical disinfectants such as alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or hand sanitizer. Wash your hands often and clean any contaminated bedding or other pet materials following CDC guidance if your pet gets monkeypox.
Quickly dispose of the pet’s waste — do not just leave it on the ground or in the backyard — using a sealed, dedicated trash can, and contact your local public health department for further details on how to handle the contaminated waste.
Dr. Jade A Cobern, board-eligible in pediatrics, is a part of the ABC News Medical Unit and a general preventive medicine resident at Johns Hopkins.
ABC News’ Sony Salzman and Arielle Mitropoulos contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — Newly updated COVID-19 boosters tailored to target a dominant strain of the virus will be available in the next three weeks or so, assuming the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention work through their processes for authorization as expected.
That was White House COVID coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha’s prediction Tuesday at an event hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
In late June, the FDA directed Moderna and Pfizer to make vaccines for the upcoming winter that targeted the more contagious BA.5 omicron subvariant, along with the original COVID strain. That work has been underway and the next step is for the FDA and CDC to review data from the companies, once they’ve received it.
Neither the FDA nor the CDC has announced a timeline.
The rollout was expected sometime in September, but Jha’s estimate on Tuesday was the most specific to date.
“We’re going to know more about this in the upcoming weeks and these vaccines will become available by early to mid-September,” he said, again including the caveat that FDA and CDC need to act before anything can be official.
“But the big picture, bottom line, is these are substantial upgrades in our vaccines,” Jha said. “And those vaccines are coming very, very soon.”
Jha also said that he was hopeful there will eventually be enough vaccine supply for any adult who wants a new booster to be able to get one, despite funding squabbles that forced the federal government to order only enough for the most vulnerable Americans.
“We’re still working on trying to pull more resources from other places. I would like to get to a point where every adult in America who wants a vaccine can get one. I’m hopeful we will be there. We’re not quite there yet in terms of how many vaccine doses we’ve been able to buy,” Jha said.
“What’s really limited us is a lack of resources, but we are pulling from other high-priority items. So my hope is that we’re gonna be able to have this for every single adult in America. We will know more about that in the upcoming weeks I think,” he added.
So far the U.S. has contracted for 105 million doses of the newly-updated boosters from Pfizer and 66 million doses from Moderna, the two leading COVID vaccine manufacturers for the country. Both contracts with Pfizer and Moderna include an option for hundreds of millions of more doses down the line, should the U.S. secure the money.
Between Pfizer and Moderna, if both companies were able to complete their orders, the U.S. would have about 171 million doses of the new shots. But more than 260 million Americans have had at least one vaccine dose already and would theoretically consider getting a booster.
On the other hand, demand for boosters has dropped with each campaign for people to get another shot. About 108 million people have received their first booster shot, for example.
The White House said it had pulled $5 billion to cover the cost of vaccines for this fall and winter. Between the $3.2 billion awarded to Pfizer and the $1.74 billion awarded to Moderna so far, the government has hit that ceiling.
Because fall and winter usually bring a high volume of flu cases, Jha also urged the public to get both their flu shots and updated COVID boosters as soon as they could — or else risk a harsh winter of disease with far looser mitigation efforts than each winter of the pandemic so far.
“Our health care system is going to get into serious trouble unless we are very proactive about preventing it — so if we do nothing and just sort of hope for the best, I think we could end up getting into a lot of trouble this fall and winter,” Jha said.
People can get their flu and COVID shot on the same day, Jha noted, and he said he hopes that next year technology will have improved to the point that there’s a two-in-one combination booster available for both the flu and COVID.
He also emphasized the importance of improving ventilation in businesses and schools, which was also prioritized in the latest CDC guidance issued last week.
Status Quo will release a new compilation titled Quo’ing In — The Best of the Noughties that focuses on the veteran English rock band’s career since 2000.
The retrospective, which will be released on November 25, will be available as a two-CD set, as a limited-edition three-CD deluxe package and via digital formats.
Quo’ing In features key tracks from most of the albums that Status Quo has released since 2000, including selections from 2002’s Heavy Traffic, 2005’s The Party Ain’t Over Yet, 2007’s In Search of the Fourth Chord, 2011’s Quid Pro Quo, 2013’s Bula Quo!, 2014’s Aquostic: Stripped Bare, 2016’s Aquostic II: That’s a Fact! and 2019’s Backbone.
The compilation also includes some non-album singles, new mixes of older tunes, collaborations and newly recorded versions of three of Status Quo’s major U.K. hits from the 1970s — “Caroline,” “Paper Plane” and the John Fogerty cover “Rockin’ All Over the World.”
The collaborations featured on the album are a rendition of Buddy Holly‘s “Raining in My Heart” featuring Queen‘s Brian May and a duet with The Beach Boys on that group’s classic “Fun Fun Fun.”
The three-CD version of Quo’ing In features a bonus disc that includes previously unreleased live performances that were recorded in June 2008 and mixed and mastered this year.
“This was a time of change and the band that recorded Heavy Traffic is different to the one that laid down Backbone,” notes frontman Francis Rossi about the period covered in the compilation, “but what did not change was the passion, energy, and desire to build on what had gone before.”
You can preorderQuo’ing In now. Here’s the track list:
CD 1: Quo’ing In
“Backbone” (Out Out Quoin’ Mix 2022)*
“Looking Out for Caroline”
“Two Way Traffic”
“In the Army Now” (Studio Version 2010)
“Beginning of the End”
“Round and Round”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ You”
“Raining in My Heart” (with Brian May)
“Liberty Lane”
“Jam Side Down”
“Running Inside My Head”
“Electric Arena”
“Twenty Wild Horses”
“Blues and Rhythm”
“Gotta Get Up and Go”
“The Way It Goes”
“Bula Bula Quo – Kua Ni Lega”
CD 2: Quo’ing Out
“Caroline” (2022 Studio Version)**
“Paper Plane” (2022 Studio Version)**
“Rockin’ All Over the World” (2022 Studio Version)**
“Face the Music”*** (7” Single A-Side)
“Cut Me Some Slack” (Out Out Quoin’ Mix 2022)*
“The Party Ain’t Over Yet” (Single Mix)***
“Fun Fun Fun” (with The Beach Boys)
“Pictures of Matchstick Men” (Aquostic Studio Version)
“That’s a Fact” (Aquostic Studio Version)
“I’m Not Ready”***
“Tilting at the Mill”***
“I’m Watching Over You”***
“Mortified”***
“Temporary Friend”***
“I’ll Never Get Over You”***
“Live Medley”***
“Down Down” (Aquostic Studio Version)
“It’s Christmas Time”***
CD 3: Quo’ing Live (previously unreleased; only available with deluxe digipak edition)
“The Wanderer”
“Rain”
“Don’t Waste My Time”
“Don’t Drive My Car”
“Hold You Back”
“Creeping Up on You”
“Paper Plane”
“Living on an Island”
“Roll Over Lay Down”
“Rock and Roll Music/Bye Bye Johnny”
* = new 2022 mix
** = new 2022 studio recording
*** = rare recording previously only available as single or on limited-edition release
This September 9 marks what would’ve been late soul legend Otis Redding‘s 81st birthday, and coinciding with the milestone, the Otis Redding Foundation has organized a weekend of special events celebrating his legacy in his hometown of Macon, Georgia.
The events, which include two special tribute concerts, will also serve as fundraisers for the planned Otis Redding Center for the Arts, an 11,000-square-foot facility that will help support the foundation’s “mission to empower, enrich, and motivate youth through education programs involving music, writing, and instrumentation.”
The weekend festivities will kick off on September 9 with a groundbreaking ceremony for the Center of the Arts. The building will house spaces for musical collaboration and rehearsal, learning rooms and a performance stage for the students.
That night, a concert dubbed An Evening of Respect will be held at Macon’s Grand Opera House that will include performances by country star Mickey Guyton and Grammy-winning jazz/R&B pianist Robert Glasper.
Then, on Saturday, September 10, another concert, called The Big “O” Homecoming Show, will take place at Macon’s the Capitol Theatre, which will be headlined by the husband-and-wife Americana duo The War and Treaty, and will feature performances by several other artists. The event is inspired by the Home Coming Show and Dance concerts Otis held in Macon throughout the 1960s that would include a lineup of Redding’s contemporaries and peers.
“Our family is elated to celebrate my dad’s legacy in person for the first time since the pandemic,” says Otis’ daughter, and Otis Redding Foundation executive, Karla Redding-Andrews. “We are happy to bring the weekend-long celebration back to Macon and thank the countless patrons who have supported the Otis Redding Foundation since my mother established it in 2007.”
(DENVER, Colo.) — Federal government officials announced a more severe water shortage level in the Colorado River Basin Tuesday, saying it is essential that states like Arizona dramatically reduce water use before drinking water supplies or power production are affected.
“The system is approaching a tipping point and, without action, we cannot protect the system and the millions of Americans who rely on this critical resource,” Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton said in a briefing with reporters.
Reservoirs in the Colorado Basin, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, are both at historically low levels after 23 years in drought conditions. Currently, Lake Powell is at 26% capacity, and Lake Mead is at 27% capacity. Combined storage of the two reservoirs is 28% of capacity.
More than 70% of the western U.S. is experiencing extreme or severe drought conditions, amplified by climate change.
But the federal government is stopping short of forcing water cuts under its emergency authorities, saying that although state action has been insufficient, they would rather work together to find a solution that avoids harming people that rely on Colorado River water.
Arizona’s water allocation must be reduced by 21% in 2023, one of the largest cuts of the seven basin states.
California currently has no required water savings planned for the upcoming year. But the country of Mexico, which also receives an allotment, will need to reduce their allocation by 7% in 2023.
The Bureau of Reclamation could announce additional actions down the line if states don’t reach these targets. Officials said the drought threatens the entire future of the Colorado River Basin, including drinking water supplies, power generation, wildlife and the river itself.
“Without prompt, responsive actions and investments now, the Colorado River and the citizens that rely on it will face a future of uncertainty and conflict,” Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo told reporters.
Lake Powell is projected to be at 3,521.84 feet by the end of the year, which is 23% capacity. Glen Canyon Dam stops generating power at 3490 feet. Future projections show that under the driest scenario, Lake Powell may drop below 3,490 feet in the middle of 2023. ABC News is working to see if modifications can be made to Glen Canyon Dam to operate below this critical threshold.
Lake Mead is projected to be at 1047.61 feet by the end of the calendar year. Under the driest scenario, Lake Mead could drop below Level 3 shortage as early as the summer of 2023 and reach below 1000 feet as early as 2024.
ABC News is also looking to see if modifications can be made at Hoover Dam to operate below current minimum elevations.
The Grease and Xanadu soundtracks are surging on Billboard charts following Olivia Newton-John‘s death — they are fifth and 18th, respectively. “Hopelessly Devoted to You” surged to fifth on the Digital Song Sales chart.
Joe Jonas just turned 33 and admits he uses injectables to smooth his fine lines. “There were all these talks at one point, like, ‘Oh, men can’t do this or it’s weird for guys to do that,’ and I think there’s a stigma that’s fading, and I like that,” he told People. Fans are not loving the revelation and are panning him on Instagram.
Madonna turned 64 Tuesday but plans on celebrating all week. She took to Instagram to preview her “birthday week,” which consists of fancy dinners, plenty of kisses, drinks, limo rides and more. She previously revealed she is in Sicily to celebrate her birthday.
Encanto is up for several Imagen (Ee-mah-hen) Awards! It’s up for best music composition for film or television, as well as best music supervision for film or television. It’s the only movie to be nominated in both categories. The Imagen Awards, which salute Latino talent, take place on October 2 in Los Angeles. Disney is the parent company of ABC News.
Meghan Trainor not only released a clean, acoustic version of “Bad for Me,” with Teddy Swims — she also made a new music video for it. The two wanted to make the song more intimate and shot the video in a recording studio.
Harry Styles is one of the most searched-for celebrities on Google — but what are the majority of people asking? Google Trends reveals people search for his age (28), his height (6’0″) and who he is dating (actress Olivia Wilde) — in that order. So, which country Googles him the most? The honor goes to Ireland.
BLACKPINK released the trailer for their “Pink Venom” music video, which drops Friday. Scenes include someone sharpening a blade, a bunch of mysterious cloaked figures and sand blowing in the wind.
Joe Jonas just turned 33 and admits he uses injectables to smooth his fine lines. “There were all these talks at one point, like, ‘Oh, men can’t do this or it’s weird for guys to do that,’ and I think there’s a stigma that’s fading, and I like that,” he told People. Fans are not loving the revelation and are panning him on Instagram.
The late Anne Heche oncerevealed she wanted Miley Cyrus to play her should a biopic ever be made about her life. TheBehind the Velvet Ropepodcast spoke with Heche before she died, and she said Miley is “a f***ing great actress.” The late actress also praised Miley’s singing voice and her compassion for others.
Zayn Malik threw it back to his One Direction days by singing a cover of “Night Changes” on Instagram. Fans are wondering what this means because this isn’t the first time he’s sung a 1D song. He shared a clip of him singing “You & I” in June.
BTS‘ J-Hope and RM had a blast at Billie Eilish‘s show in South Korea. Both artists shared moments of the Grammy winner’s concert to their respectiveInstagram accounts — including their meetup back stage. Billie shared the images to her Instagram Story and captioned it with two giggling emojis.
Selena Gomez is up for an Imagen Award thanks to her show Only Murders in the Building. She is up for best actress in a comedy series. The Imagen Awards, which salute Latino talent, take place on October 2 in Los Angeles.
