(PHILADELPHIA) — A $20,000 reward is being offered in the search for a pair of gunmen caught on security video apparently stalking and then opening fire in broad daylight at a busy Philadelphia gas station, killing a 30-year-old man.
The Philadelphia Police Police Department released surveillance video Wednesday of the brazen ambush shooting in the Mt. Airy section of the city.
The footage captured the two gunmen pulling into the Liberty gas station in a 2009 red Mazda 3 sedan at around 2:30 p.m. Monday and opening fire on the victim as he was pumping gas into his vehicle.
The video shows the suspects’ car with the New Jersey license plate V62-PWX first stopping near the crowded gas pumps and backing up after apparently spotting the victim. The footage showed the car, driven by a third person, parking nearby and the gunmen, both dressed all in black, springing from the rear seat, rushing up to the victim commando-style and unleashed a barrage of gunfire.
Police said one of the gunmen appeared to be armed with an AK-47 rifle and the other looked to be firing a handgun with an extended magazine clip.
“The offenders fired multiple shots at the victim, striking him throughout the body,” police said in a statement.
The victim, identified by police as Brandon Dixon of Philadelphia, was taken to Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
Police described the shooting as a “brazen act of viciousness” that put multiple innocent bystanders in jeopardy as the gunmen fired wildly at Dixon, who tried to run as he was being shot. The video showed the gunman running back to the four-door Mazda and driving away.
Dixon’s mother, Lisa Dixon, went to the gas station on Wednesday, saying she was “searching for answers.”
“I’m just hurt,” Lisa Dixon told ABC station WPVI in Philadelphia. “I came back here because I just need to be where he was last alive.”
Fighting back tears, she added, “He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve this. My son did not deserve to die like this.”
Chlöe Bailey is Allure’s new cover star. The singer opens up to the mag about body image, her sexy on-stage persona, and what she’s looking for in a relationship.
She tells Allure her relationship to her body is “complicated.” “I’ve always had thick thighs and a butt,” Chlöe says. “But I was growing up at a time when, if someone on television told you that you had a big butt, they meant it as an insult. So I was a little ashamed of my curves. I tried to hide them. It took a very, very long time. Now my favorite thing about [my body] is my butt.”
Chlöe cites Beyoncé and Jill Scott as singers who championed body positivity and made her feel more confident in her own skin. Now, she expresses that confidence while performing.
“I’m fearless. I feel sexy. I feel strong. I feel like nothing can hold me back,” she says of her on-stage persona. “…When I’m [not performing], I’m a bubbly, corny, clumsy person.”
That’s something she says can be confusing to men who want to date her.
“I present myself in my music videos as this really sensual girl, but when it comes to love and relationships, that’s not how I am,” she says. “But that’s what guys think of me sometimes. So, I’ve been pretty protective of my heart and figuring out guys’ true intentions.”
She adds, “I just want them to appreciate my nerdy side, my work ethic, and be my best friend. It has to be someone who’s really intellectual because that’s sexy. You can teach me things.”
Dierks Bentley and Elle King team up once again in their newest duet, “Worth a Shot.” It’s the second time they’ve worked together on a song — their first collaboration was “Different for Girls,” which was a number-one country hit back in 2016.
It’s no coincidence that they’re teaming up again: Dierks and Elle are a match made in musical heaven, as the pair explain in a new interview on Apple Music Country’s Today’s Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen.
“I feel like I’m the perfect foil to Elle in so many different ways,” Dierks explains. “My voice just holds the line there pretty good, down the middle. It’s good for her to bounce her amazing voice off of, because mine’s just toeing the line.”
As for their real-life friendship? Dierks says that even though they’re very different, that part works well, too.
“I don’t have any tattoos, so I’m the opposite there in that way,” he continues. “We yin and yang really well together.”
Collaborating with Dierks has also been a way for Elle to explore her country side, starting from the very first time they worked together. She’s currently at work on a country-leaning album, and she says this musical chapter isn’t coming out of left field — on the contrary, it’s a part of her that’s always been there in her songs.
“And I also got signed to a rock and pop label because of a banjo song called ‘Good to Be a Man,’” Elle points out. “Which is a country song. So I feel like it’s a nice nod of, I had to go through all these things to end up where I feel most at home now. And I’m very happy to be here.”
After teasing it on Instagram last month, Post Malone has dropped his new single, “Cooped Up,” featuring Roddy Ricch.
The last time the two worked together was on a remix of “Wow” back in 2019, and Ricch also seems grateful that Posty gave him a career boost: In the song, he raps, “Posty took me on my first damn tour date/He had me rockin’ every night, sold-out arenas.”
On the song, Post talks about returning to music and live performances after being sidelined by the pandemic, singing, “I’m about to pull up, hit switch, pull curtain/And I been waitin’ so long, now I gotta resurface…’Cause I been feelin’ cooped up.”
Speaking toZane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Post explains, “I’ve been out of my bag for a long time, and I’m trying to hop back in there, man.”
“Quarantine has been just so wacky. It’s just so strange going up in front of people and being able to sing for people again,” he notes, adding, “It’s about gaining that confidence back…I’m pumped to go out and meet fans again. I’m the most excited man in the world.”
“Cooped Up” is from Post’s new album, Twelve Carat Toothache, due out June 3. He tells Zane that it’s about “the bipolar aspect, the duality of everything.”
Posty says, “There’s a lot of things, very much so, on this record that are tongue-in-cheek. I think this whole record is the most honest record I’ve made…But every song in there tells a story, so this is kind of like, ‘Here’s the life that we live, but there’s always something going on in the background.’”
Arcade Fire has shared a cover of the Harry Styles song “As It Was.”
The performance, which Win Butler and company recorded for BBC Radio 2, stays true to the melody of the pop star’s original while adding extra instrumentation to turn it into a full Arcade Fire jam.
Arcade Fire just released their new album, WE, last Friday. They also announced a North American tour in support of the record, which is set to kick off in October.
(LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif.) — A fast-moving wildfire in Southern California that has destroyed more than 20 homes grew to approximately 200 acres as of Thursday morning, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.
The Coastal Fire, in the hills southeast of Laguna Beach, has spread quickly due to a combination of extremely dry brush and winds gusting from 25 to 35 mph.
One firefighter was injured fighting the blaze Wednesday. They were taken to the hospital in stable condition after suffering from a medical condition, Assistant Chief of Field Operations for the Orange County Fire Authority TJ McGovern said at a press conference Thursday.
Winds of 30 mph are common in the coastal hills of Southern California throughout the year, according to the National Weather Service.
However, the record dry start to the year in California is making the region extra vulnerable to wildfires. The first four months of 2022 were the driest start to a year in the state’s history, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Gusty winds will continue for coastal Southern California. But these winds will not be unusual and there are no wind alerts for Orange County.
Further up the coast, north of Los Angeles, a high wind watch has been issued for gusts expected to reach nearly 65 mph.
Orange County activated and staffed its Emergency Operations Center with county agency representatives Wednesday afternoon.
Laguna Niguel communities north of the intersection of Flying Cloud Drive and Pacific Island Drive to the intersection of Highlands Avenue and Pacific Island Drive are under a mandatory evacuation order. The area south of Flying Cloud Drive and Pacific Island Drive to the intersection of Pacific Island Drive and Crown Valley Parkway is currently under a voluntary evacuation order, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
An evacuation warning has been lifted for the Balboa Nyes (Portafina) neighborhood in Laguna Beach, and those who chose to voluntarily evacuate can return to their homes, according to the sheriff’s department.
The city asked residents to remain vigilant overnight, but there is no immediate threat to the city of Laguna Beach from a vegetation fire burning in Laguna Niguel, according to the sheriff’s department.
A red flag warning has been issued from New Mexico to Nebraska, where critical fire danger if forecast on Thursday. Winds could gust to 65 mph with bone dry conditions.
FILE photo – Ed Sloane/World Surf League via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The Federal Aviation Administration this week revoked pilot certificates for the two men involved in a Red Bull-sponsored plane swap that resulted in a crash last month.
Luke Aikens, the lead pilot for the stunt, had requested an FAA exemption in February from a federal law requiring that aircraft be manned by a pilot at all times. He argued in his request that the planned plane swap was in the “public interest” as it was meant to raise awareness for science, technology, engineering and math fields and encourage students to pursue careers in STEM.
But two days before the stunt, the FAA denied Aikens’ request, saying it “would not be in the public interest and cannot find that the proposed operation would not adversely affect safety.”
Despite the rejection, Aikens and partner Andy Farrington, who is also his cousin, went on to attempt the plane swap on April 24 — while they were being live-streamed online — but they failed, causing one of the single-engine Cessnas to crash. Neither pilot was harmed.
The FAA described their behavior as “careless or reckless so as to endanger the life or property of another,” according to letters to both men dated Tuesday, notifying them of the revocations.
The agency also proposed a $4,932 fine against Aikens for “abandoning his pilot’s seat and operating an aircraft in a reckless manner.”
Red Bull did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday; neither did Aikens nor Farrington.
In a previous statement on social media, Aikens said he would be cooperating with the agency in its review and acknowledged that “as project lead and chief pilot, it was entirely my responsibility to operate within the regulatory framework to ensure a successful outcome.”
He said then that he was aware of the FAA’s denial of his exemption before attempting the swap: “I made the personal decision to go forward … I regret not sharing this information with my team and those who supported me.”
Both pilots must surrender their pilot certificates “immediately,” the FAA said this week. Because of this, both Aikens and Farrington cannot fly legally.
The agency noted, however, that an appeals process is available for the revocations and that Aikens could participate in an “informal conference” regarding the possible fine.
He and Farrington cannot apply for or be issued new airman certificates for one year.
Shawn Mendes is a big proponent of making environmentally conscious choices: His upcoming tour will be cutting CO2 emissions by 50% per show compared to his 2019 trek, for example. Now, he’s extended that attitude towards the outfits he’ll be wearing onstage.
Shawn has partnered with Tommy Hilfiger for #PlayItForward, an initiative that will see Shawn rocking a “sustainable” tour wardrobe — which means, essentially, recycled clothing. He’ll wear custom-made designs crafted from leftover fabrics and trimmings from previous Hilfiger collections.
Shawn also stars in Tommy Hilfiger’s “Classics Reborn” campaign, launching May 16, in which he wears vintage styles from Hilfiger’s “1985 Program” collection, including the brand’s iconic 1985 polo, now made of organic cotton. He’s also shown wearing denim made from 20% recycled cotton, which requires less water and energy to produce.
In addition, the brand and Shawn will collaborate on a capsule collection for Spring 2023, which will include “material recycling innovations.”
“I’ve always been inspired by Tommy and the iconic brand he built, and I’m excited to share our journey together with my fans,” Shawn says. “Everyone has a role to play in creating a more sustainable future and I’m inspired to see what we can achieve.”
As part of the partnership, Tommy Hilfiger is also donating $1 million to mitigate and offset the tour’s environmental impact.
Dan + Shay and Machine Gun Kelly are two late additions to the lineup of the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, after rock mainstay act the Red Hot Chili Peppers had to drop off the bill.
Billboard confirms Dan + Shay’s booking on the awards show, which will take place on Sunday. They’re up for an award at the show, too: The duo is a finalist in the top country duo/group award, which they previously won in 2019.
They’re joining a lineup that already has some acts repping the country genre: Miranda Lambert and Elle King are performing their collaboration, “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” which topped the country charts.
Controversial hitmaker Morgan Wallen is also among the evening’s performers, despite the continuing fallout from his early 2021 scandal, in which he was filmed using a racist slur. After announcing his addition to the bill, Billboardissued an internal memo explaining the decision to book Morgan.
The Peppers dropped out of the BBMAs lineup with a message on social media, citing “unforeseen circumstances.” It would have been the group’s first BBMAs performance since 1999.
(NEW YORK) — Companies like British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International don’t typically come to mind as environmental stewards. But a new report from the World Health Organization and STOP, a global tobacco watchdog, outlines how the tobacco industry has been working to rehabilitate its image by showcasing sustainability efforts that critics claim is a form of “greenwashing.”
The term, which refers to a form of disinformation published by an organization to appear to be environmentally friendly, is a common practice in numerous industries.
“This kind of activity gives the impression that the tobacco industry is socially and environmentally responsible,” the report warns. “Yet this industry is causing an incalculable toll on health to smokers, non-smokers and farmers. And not only is tobacco harming humans, it is also damaging the environment.”
The report says its goal is to call on governments to ban tobacco industry greenwashing and to avoid partnerships with cigarette companies engaged in environmental activities that could promote the industry as an environmental partner.
The website of British American Tobacco (BAT), for example, promotes news releases with headlines such as, “BAT in Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for 20th Consecutive Year” and “BAT recognized as Climate Leader by the Financial Times.”
Philip Morris International (PMI) has a full sustainability landing page on its website that outlines everything from a low-carbon transition plan to “achieving a smoke-free future” that the company says can be done in a sustainable manner.
But critics have pointed out that many environmental, social and governance (ESG) rankings and accreditations, like the ones BAT and PMI promote on their websites, rarely consider a company’s end-product or service, in this case, ignoring the fact that tobacco products are harmful to human health, according to the report.
The report says there are more than 600 different ways to assess corporate ESG activity and there are no global, standardized disclosure requirements for companies to follow, which means businesses can edit sustainability data to promote a favorable outcome.
PMI declined to comment on the report because they said they had not reviewed it.
“Some well-funded anti-tobacco lobbying groups with strong links to WHO are committed to shutting down debate and closing doors to cooperative efforts that can drive better outcomes for the world. We take a different approach. Philip Morris International (PMI) is fully in favor of complete disclosure and encourages open and honest, fact-based dialogue with all stakeholders,” the company said in a statement to ABC News.
The statement added, “The company regularly shares updates on our sustainability objectives and achievements at PMI.com/sustainability. Our Integrated Report 2020 shows the progress we are making toward a world without cigarettes. (The company’s forthcoming Integrated Report 2021 will be published on May 17, 2022.)”
BAT did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.
In addition to the greenwashing examples, the report highlights the ecological impact of the tobacco industry. Annually, 32 million tons of tobacco leaf is grown globally to produce 6 trillion cigarettes, the report notes.
It takes about 22-billion cubic meters of water to grow the global crop, or the equivalent of 15-million Olympic-sized swimming pools, often in places where water is limited, the report says. It is estimated that nearly 1.5 billion acres of global forest have been lost to tobacco farming since the 1970s, according to the report.
Electronic cigarettes are no less friendly to the earth, the report says.
The report notes that “e-cigarette waste is potentially a more serious environmental threat than cigarette butts since e-cigarettes introduce plastic, nicotine salts, heavy metals, lead, mercury, and flammable lithium-ion batteries into waterways, soils and to wildlife.”
Among its recommendations, the report says it is calling on all governments, especially those who are members of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to ban greenwashing activities. It is also calling on environmental and sustainability accreditation organizations not to endorse industry greenwashing or provide awards to the tobacco industry.
