(DENVER) — Low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines announced plans on Monday to merge, which would create the fifth-largest U.S. airline by revenue passenger miles.
The deal, which is valued at more than $6 billion, leaves Frontier controlling 51.5% of the combined airline and Spirit with 48.5%.
Together the two airlines offer more than 1,000 daily flights to over 145 destinations in 19 countries with their all-Airbus fleets.
In a joint release, Spirit and Frontier said they expect the deal will allow them to add 10,000 direct jobs by 2026 without the need for layoffs.
The airlines estimate it will create $1 billion in annual savings for consumers.
“Together, Frontier and Spirit expect to change the industry for the benefit of consumers, bringing more ultra-low fares to more travelers in more destinations across the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, including major cities as well as underserved communities,” the airlines said.
The merger is expected to close in the second half of the year with William A. Franke, chair of Frontier’s board, serving as the chairman of the combined company.
“We worked jointly with the Board of Directors and senior management team across both carriers to arrive at a combination of two complementary businesses that together will create America’s most competitive ultra-low fare airline for the benefit of consumers,” Franke said in the announcement.
Combined, the company would have annual revenues of approximately $5.3 billion based on 2021 results.
They have yet to make an announcement on specifics such as the name of the new combined airline, the CEO, or where it will be based.
Jackass Forever proved too much at the box office for the star-studded disaster flick Moonfall. The second movie based on 2000-2003 MTV series, starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O and company, debuted with an estimated $23.5 million.
Moonfall, on the other hand, had a disastrous opening weekend, earning just an estimated 10.1 million bucks — about seven percent of what it cost to make. The film, starring Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson and Donald Sutherland, has not yet opened overseas.
Coming in third was Spider-Man: No Way Home with an estimated $9.6 million in its eighth week of release. Its stateside total now stands at $749 million. Overseas, Sony-Marvel’s third Spider-Man movie has earned $1.03 billion to date, bringing its worldwide tally to $1.78 billion.
Scream landed in fourth place, collecting an estimated $4.7 million in its fourth week in theaters. Its total domestic gross after four weeks is $68.9 million. The latest chapter in the horror franchise tacked on $51.4 million overseas to date, putting its current global total at $120.3 million.
Rounding out the top five was Sing 2, with an estimated $4.2 million, putting its domestic earnings at $139.6 million to date. The animated musical feature has earned $152 million overseas, bringing its seven-week worldwide total to $291.5 million.
Also opening this weekend was The Wolf and the Lion, debuting in tenth place with an estimated $675,027 from 800 theaters, and The Worst Person in the World, landing in 19th place, with an estimated $135,042 from four theaters.
(NEW YORK) — During the Summer Olympics in Tokyo last year, star gymnast Simone Biles shined a light on the mental health struggles many Olympians face when she decided to withdraw from competition.
Now, the United States’ best figure skaters, skiers and snowboarders will be vying for gold medals as they also deal with the strain of a global pandemic for the second year in a row.
“The Olympics present particularly unique challenges for elite athletes,” Dr. Joshua Norman, a sports psychiatrist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told ABC News. “Many of them train their entire life for this one moment and a lot of them are removed from their support systems.”
He continued: “With the isolated experience of being at Olympic Village, with having such intense focus on competition … and particularly in today’s climate with COVID-19 with the athletes being tested multiple times a day and then they’re further isolated out of fear of getting COVID-19, it’s a very unique experience that can place significant physical and mental strain on the elite athletes.”
For the Winter Olympics in Beijing, Team USA has made it a priority to address and protect the mental health of its more than 200 athletes.
What Team USA plans to do
Athletes will have access to therapists and psychiatrists throughout the Olympic Village and venues, ability to attend individual or group therapy sessions and a crisis hotline they can call, Dr. Jessica Bartley, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s director of mental health services, said during a media summit in October 2021.
She said that most of the athletes underwent several mental health screenings.
“The majority of our winter athletes, we actually did some mental health screens around anxiety, depression, eating disorders, sleep, alcohol and drug use over the summer,” Bartley said. “And then we’re going to repeat that. And just trying to keep tabs on them a little bit too.”
Team USA has also compiled a list of counselors whom athletes can contact and will allow free access to wellness apps.
In addition to the pressure of competing, Olympians will have several strict rules in place during the Games including staying within the closed loop system that doesn’t allow outsiders, daily screening and testing, mask-wearing with few exceptions and avoiding hugs or handshakes, according to the Olympics playbook.
Norman said the athletes do what they can to be physically and mentally prepared, but that some of the stringent measures may be hard to handle.
“Certainly, once arriving there and that being such a strange experience — particularly for those who it’s their first time participating in the Olympics — it can be somewhat of an overwhelming experience at times,” he said.
Athletes putting their mental health first
Dr. Leela Magavi, a psychiatrist with several patients who are student and professional athletes, offered some tips for athletes. For example, instead of practicing all day, athletes can take mindfulness walks, write in a journal or spend time talking to family members.
She also recommended that Team USA advocate for athletes expressing their thoughts openly.
“Rather than asking a close-ended question, ‘Are you depressed or anxious?’ ask ‘How are you coping with the anxiety?'” Magavi told ABC News. “When they’re anxious and internalizing those feelings, they don’t sleep as well, they don’t eat as well, they don’t play as well.”
Norman said that it’s important not only for athletes to keep on top of any current treatments, but to have constant communication with their support staff for any new or evolving conditions that may be affecting them.
Biles is not the first athlete to speak out about mental health. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, has been candid about his struggles with ADHD, depression and even suicidal thoughts.
However, Biles is perhaps the most high-profile athlete to pull out of events to focus on her mental health after she revealed she had “the twisties,” which is when a gymnast loses their sense of where they are in the air.
“Whenever I think about Biles’ decision, she really helped people speak up,” Magavi said. “I’ve had people say, ‘I never thought you could even do that. If you were experiencing something like twisties, that could even say that.’ I do think that her decision did bridge the gap between mental and physical health.”
And it seems like some professional athletes have followed suit.
Prior to the NHL announcing that no hockey players would be traveling to the Olympics due to Beijing’s strict COVID measures, Las Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner said he would not be playing for the Swedish national team, citing mental health struggles.
Lehner, who has been open about his bipolar disorder diagnosis, said that after consulting with his doctors, he had made the difficult decision to stay in the U.S. instead.
“Reality is that what [has] been said about how it’s going to be is not ideal for my mental health,” he tweeted Dec. 6. “Took long time to make [a] decision with my psychiatrist and family. My well-being [has to] come first and being locked down and not knowing what happens if you test positive is [too] much of a risk for me.”
The experts commended Lehner for his decision and called it “courageous.”
“It takes an enormous amount of confidence to speak up,” she said. “Athletes are accustomed to internalizing their feelings. When athletes are unable to sleep, eat or function, it’s often tied to a poor sports performance.”
How athletes speaking up removes the stigma
Magavi said that she hopes more athletes speaking out about mental health removes some of the pressure they face.
“Athletes are human beings like you and I,” she said. “Athletes have all kinds of insecurities. They want to win the gold as much as we want them to win it for us. But they also have the right to determine whether they want to play.”
“They are more attenuated with their bodies, their emotions and, if they’re feeling the time is not right, it’s their decision,” she added.
Norman said that athletes speaking up could also remove the stigma around mental health for everyday Americans and help them realize how common mental health conditions are.
“You’re not alone. Folks who are extremely high achieving like Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, a lot of elite athletes, also struggle with mental health conditions,” he said. “I think having folks like that with those types of platforms speaking out, it really helps not only other athletes but folks within the general population that may look up to these athletes. It may help them seek treatment.”
The psychiatrists added that giving Olympians a chance to address their mental health concerns will lead to better performances and, in turn, lead to more medals for the U.S.
“If we come back with healthy, safe players, we may also bring back the gold,” Magavi said. “It’s a win-win situation.”
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.7 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 902,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 64.1% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 07, 5:48 am
Ottawa declares state of emergency over trucker-led protests
Canada’s capital declared a state of emergency on Sunday because of trucker-led protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic-related restrictions.
The move by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson “reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government,” according to a statement from the city.
“It also provides greater flexibility within the municipal administration to enable the City of Ottawa to manage business continuity for essential services for its residents and enables a more flexible procurement process, which could help purchase equipment required by frontline workers and first responders,” the city said.
Seven people were arrested in Ottawa on Sunday due to enforcement measures around the demonstration, according to a press release from the Ottawa Police Service.
“There are over 60 criminal investigations so far related to the demonstration,” police said. “They are primarily for mischief, thefts, hate crimes and property damage.”
Sunday marked the 10th straight day of the so-called “freedom convoy” protests, which began with truckers critical of a new rule that they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to cross the United States-Canada border. The demonstrations have since grown into broader challenges to pandemic-related public health measures and opposition to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Thousands of protesters have occupied the streets of Ottawa and other cities across Canada in support of the movement, paralyzing the capital’s city center with traffic jams, nonstop noise and complaints of harassment. Protesters have said they won’t leave until all COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions are lifted nationwide. They are also calling for the removal of Trudeau’s government, even though most of the public health measures were put in place by provincial governments.
Kanye West appears to have deleted all the Instagram posts where he called out his estranged wife Kim Kardashian.
In the since-deleted posts, the Donda rapper, 44, slammed Kim, 41, and voiced concerns about his oldest daughter, North, being on TikTok, made claims that she stopped him from seeing their children, and even claimed that he was accused of putting a hit out on Kim.
“YESTERDAY KIM ACCUSED ME OF PUTTING A HIT OUT ON HER,” Ye claimed in a lengthy post shared to Instagram on Sunday, according toPage Six.
“SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT I BEG TO GO TO MY DAUGHTERS PARTY AND IM ACCUSED OF BEING ON DRUGS THEN I GO PLAY WITH MY SON AND I TAKE MY AKIRA GRAPHIC NOVELS AND IM ACCUSED OF STEALING,” he continued. “THESE IDEAS CAN ACTUALLY GET SOMEONE LOCKED UP.”
“THEY PLAY LIKE THAT WITH BLACK MENS LIVES WEATHER [SIC] ITS GETTING THEM FREE OR GETTING THEM LOCKED UP,” the Yeezy founder wrote, adding, “IM NOT PLAYING ABOUT MY BLACK CHILDREN ANYMORE.”
Kim, filed for divorce from Ye in February 2021 after almost seven years of marriage and filed to be legally single in December 2021. They have four children together North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 2.
Beartooth has launched a new, signature whiskey brand.
The 96-proof beverage is called Barry’s Batch Whiskey, and was created in collaboration with Middle West Spirits, based in the “Hated” outfit’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
“We are so thrilled to be partnering with Columbus, Ohio’s own Middle West Spirits to present to you our first-ever whiskey — Barry’s Batch!” says bassist Oshie Bichar. “This exceptional straight rye whiskey was hand-picked by us, and we can’t wait for you to taste how delicious it is.”
Along with Barry’s Batch, Beartooth is also selling a special edition vinyl variant of the band’s 2021 album Below with a whiskey and barrel-inspired color.
(BEIJING) — U.S. Olympic alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin’s quest to make Olympic history will have to wait for another day after she didn’t land a medal in the Giant Slalom competition Monday.
The 26-year-old fell during her first run, disqualifying her from the event.
“Could blame it on a lot of things…and we’ll analyze it till the cows come home, but not today,” Shiffrin said on Instagram. “Today I chalk it up to really awful timing of a really frustrating mistake. Moving focus to slalom now, AND cheering for my teammates in the second run of the GS and the DH!”
Sweden’s Sara Hector took the gold with a time of 1:55:68, followed by Italy’s Federica Brignone with a time of 1:55.97 and Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami with a time of 1:56:41.
Shiffrin is one medal away from tying the record for most Olympic medals by a female American Alpine skier, four. She is two gold medals away from holding the record for most golds ever by a female Alpine skier, also four.
Shiffrin aims to have many chances to attempt those feats during the games as she plans on competing in four other Alpine events over the next two weeks.
She is expected to compete in the Slalom on Wednesday, the Super-G on Thursday, the Downhill on Valentine’s Day and the Combined on Feb. 17.
Shiffrin, a Colorado native, has been competing since she was 16, and quickly became one of the sport’s all-time greatest skiers with her record-setting performances. She is the most decorated Alpine skier in the world circuit having won 11 World Championship medals, six gold.
At 18 years old she became the youngest Slalom champion when she won a gold medal in the 2014 Sochi games. Shiffrin won a gold medal in the Giant Slalom competition and a silver medal in the Combined competition during the 2018 Pyeongchang games.
(LAS VEGAS) — New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara was arrested in Las Vegas Sunday, police said.
The arrest happened shortly after the 26-year-old played in the Pro Bowl on Sunday.
The Las Vegas Police Department confirmed that at around 5:50 p.m. local time on Saturday, LVMPD was dispatched to a casino, where they found a victim who was beaten at a nightclub by Kamara.
Police said they located Kamara on Sunday and arrested him.
He has been booked into the Clark County Detention Center for battery resulting in substantial bodily harm.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Kevin Mazur/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
It’s official! Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott have welcomed baby number two!
Taking to Instagram Sunday night, Kylie shared a precious black and white photo of the newborn’s hand along with the caption, “2/2/22.”
Kylie, 24, and Travis, 30, are also parents to daughter Stormi Webster, who turned four-years-old on February 1, just one day before meeting their new bundle of joy.
The makeup mogul did not reveal the gender or name, however, a rep confirmed to People that she gave birth to a baby boy.
Following the public announcement, the makeup mogul’s family took to the comments section to celebrate the new addition.
Travis left a comment of one blue heart followed by six brown hearts. Meanwhile, Kourtney Kardashian commented, “Mommy of two life” and Kris Jenner simply wrote, “Angel Pie.” Khloe Kardashian also left four blue heart emojis under the post.
If an album of 17 new Red Hot Chili Peppers songs isn’t enough to satiate your needs, then we have good news.
Speaking to NME, frontman Anthony Kiedis teases “another wheelbarrow of songs” to follow the band’s just-announced new record, Unlimited Love.
“We’re gonna put out music by the handful — literally,” Kiedis says.
“Don’t be surprised if another wheelbarrow of songs comes your way in the near future,” he shares. “We have a lot of s*** to turn people onto.”
Returning guitarist John Frusciante adds that the Peppers already have a “loose plan” for an Unlimited Love follow-up.
“We definitely have enough material that we love,” Frusciante says, revealing that the leftover tunes have a “relaxed energy that’s distinct from the intensity” of Unlimited Love.
Before we get to hear those songs, we’ve got a two-month wait for Unlimited Love, which drops April 1. Lead single and opening track “Black Summer” is out now.
Red Hot Chili Peppers will embark on a world tour in support of Unlimited Love this summer. The U.S. leg launches in July.
