During a recent interview on a Dutch radio station, U.K. pop star Ed Sheeran randomly announced that he and Elton John were planning to release a joint Christmas single this year. But Elton wasn’t very amused, since the news was supposed to be kept on the down low — and besides, the record isn’t even complete.
Speaking to the British music publication NME, Elton laughs, “Yeah, he let the cat out of the bag didn’t he? I was sworn to secrecy and then big mouth f***ing Sheeran goes to the Netherlands!” Elton adds, “It’s supposed to come out — we haven’t finished it yet, so there’s still work to be done.”
Elton added, “I can’t say any more than that because it’s in his hands.”
If the record does come out, it’ll likely be Elton’s second big hit of 2021, following the U.K. number-one chart success of his Dua Lipa collaboration, “Cold Heart,” from his new album The Lockdown Sessions.
“Everything’s been a bonus with this record. Whether it sells one copy or a million copies, it doesn’t matter to me,” Elton says of the album. “I had so much fun and I learnt so much from doing it.”
Elton plans to resume his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour next year, and he confirms that yes, this really is it.
“At the moment, I finish supposedly in 2023, in the summer, by which time I’ll be 76,” Elton tells NME. “And that’s it, baby. I can’t wait to do it and have a great time, and I can’t wait to finish and say, ‘No more — I’ve had enough.'”
Elton confirms that he’ll continue to make records but as far as live shows, he admits, “I’ve had enough applause. I wanna be with my family. I wanna be with my boys.”
(NEW YORK) — Rental car giant Hertz announced it was buying 100,000 Tesla electric vehicles that will be available to customers starting next month.
Tesla stock soared on news of the massive order, and its market cap hit the $1 trillion milestone during intraday trading Monday, a feat very few U.S. companies have attained.
The announcement also comes just months after Hertz emerged from bankruptcy, after the COVID-19 pandemic gutted the travel and rental car industry in 2020.
In addition to the initial order of 100,000 Teslas by the end of 2022, Hertz also announced it was adding new electric vehicle charging infrastructure at outposts across its global operations.
Starting in early November, the company said customers will be able to rent a Tesla Model 3 at Hertz airport and neighborhood locations in major U.S. markets and select cities in Europe. It will offer digitized guidance to educate customers about the electric vehicles, and soon hopes to offer an expedited electric vehicle rental booking process through its app.
“Electric vehicles are now mainstream, and we’ve only just begun to see rising global demand and interest,” Hertz interim CEO Mark Fields said in a statement Monday.
“The new Hertz is going to lead the way as a mobility company, starting with the largest EV rental fleet in North America and a commitment to grow our EV fleet and provide the best rental and recharging experience for leisure and business customers around the world,” Fields added.
The company said it was the first U.S. car rental company to introduce electric vehicles to its rental fleet in 2011 and that with the current order, electric vehicles will comprise more than 20% of Hertz global fleet.
Hertz is teaming up with seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady on an ad campaign about its new electric vehicle fleet.
“Although the company has been around for over 100 years, their constant evolution, especially now, is something that is amazing to be a part of,” Brady said in a statement. “I’ve been driving an EV for years and knowing Hertz is leading the way with their electric fleet speaks to how the world is changing and the way companies are approaching being environmentally and socially conscious. I’ve always loved how easy and convenient Hertz makes it for me when I’m traveling to my favorite places like New York, LA and Tampa and can’t wait to see what they continue to have in store.”
The move comes amid mounting pressure on the private sector and beyond to take action on climate change. The transportation sector generated the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, primarily from burning fossil fuels for cars, trucks, ships, trains and planes.
(NEW YORK) — A coalition of Amazon warehouse workers in New York City have officially filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board on Monday.
Kayla Blado, the press secretary for the National Labor Relations Board, confirmed to ABC News on Monday that the union petition was filed in the NLRB’s Region 29. The petition must now go through the NLRB’s formal representation election process before a vote will be held.
The group of workers, which calls themselves the Amazon Labor Union, are being led by a former fulfillment center employee of the e-commerce giant, Chris Smalls. He became the face of the labor movement at Amazon when he was fired under contentious circumstances at the beginning of the pandemic after organizing a demonstration over working conditions amid the health crisis.
The milestone comes some six months after a high-profile union bid by Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, who sought to be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The unionization efforts garnered support from lawmakers and even President Joe Biden. Ultimately, however, the election resulted in the Alabama workers overwhelmingly voting not to form a union — though the RWDSU has accused Amazon of union-busting techniques — Amazon denies this — and has filed objections over the election with the NLRB.
“We’re completely independent, worker-led through and through, grassroots,” Smalls told ABC News Friday of the New York-based group, adding that they felt there were “missed opportunities” with the failed effort in Alabama.
“We’re just trying to navigate our way — we think we know the ins-and-outs of the company better than a third party or an established union,” Smalls said in describing why they’re seeking to create an independent union. He said he’d worked at Amazon for almost five years before his termination and that his fellow lead-organizers have similar experiences.
Smalls said organizers are seeking to obtain better job security, pay and working conditions through collective bargaining.
“Amazon has a high turnover rate — they hire and fire all the time,” he said. “We want to protect workers with their job.”
“We also want a decent living wage,” he added. “I know Amazon’s going to claim that they pay better than competitors, but with the cost of living in the New York state area, it’s still not sustainable.”
He said Amazon can afford to pay workers better, pointing to the wealth of founder Jeff Bezos, who was only recently unseated by Elon Musk as the richest man in the world, per Bloomberg’s real-time data on billionaires.
Smalls told ABC News on Friday that they have more than 2,000 workers who have signed union cards, and they plan to deliver these to the NLRB’s office on Monday to file for the union election for four facilities in Staten Island. There are approximately 7,000 workers at the facilities, according to Smalls, and organizers need signatures from at least 30% of the workers. He said they’re confident they’ll secure the remaining portion before Monday.
A statement from the newly formed coalition of workers said that they built trust among colleagues through months of organizing efforts that included hosting barbecues, handing out food and cold water and holding rallies.
“This is truly a remarkable historical moment for all Amazon workers all over the country,” the Amazon Labor Union stated. “Workers under the banner of the ALU have already broken barriers, and we will continue to do so. We’re not getting complacent, and we now need the support of the communities more than ever as our fight is just getting started.”
The move comes amid a spate of strikes and new employee activism in the workplace as the pandemic wanes in the U.S.
“The timing is, like, perfect, everybody’s been paying attention to the strikes, especially Amazon workers as well,” Smalls said. “So it’s kind of like we all stand in solidarity, even though we’re in different industries.”
“I think what we’re doing here is historical, and I think the Amazon workers are happy to be a part of it,” he added.
Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, told ABC News in a statement Friday that they don’t feel unions “are the best answer for our employees.”
“Our employees have the choice of whether or not to join a union. They always have,” Nantel said. “Every day we empower people to find ways to improve their jobs, and when they do that we want to make those changes — quickly. That type of continuous improvement is harder to do quickly and nimbly with unions in the middle.”
(CAIRO) — After initially being put under house arrest by military forces Monday, Sudan’s acting Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and his wife Muna Abdalla were “kidnapped” at dawn from their Khartoum residence, according to the prime minister’s office.
The move happened after the military forces arrested several top civilian officials, including cabinet ministers. Soon after, Sudan’s de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the ruling transitional sovereign council and the government on Monday. It led to a backlash from the opposition and the United States.
Opposition figures said bridges and roads were blocked and that the internet was cut off in Khartoum. Videos posted on social media showed a large number of protesters taking to the streets, setting tires on fire and chanting against the apparent coup.
“What happened today in Khartoum is an attempt to erode the democratic gains of our December 2018 revolution,” Ismail El Taj, a leading member of the Sudanese Professionals Association, one of the main coalitions that rose up against the autocratic regime of Omar al-Bashir, told ABC News. “We will resist this coup with all peaceful means, such as peaceful marches, sit-ins and civil disobedience. The trembling hands that are trying to turn back the clock will not succeed.”
Both the U.S. embassy in Khartoum and the U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa issued statements condemning the military takeover.
On Saturday, U.S. special envoy for Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman met with Hamdok and coup leader Gen. Burhan together and “urged all actors to recommit to working together to implement the constitutional declaration and Juba Peace Agreement.” The agreement lays out the transition to democratic rule, according to the embassy.
“The US is deeply alarmed at reports of a military take-over of the transitional government,” Feltman said in a statement Monday. “This would contravene the Constitutional Declaration and the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people and is utterly unacceptable. As we have said repeatedly, any changes to the transitional government by force puts at risk U.S. assistance.”
Following Monday’s military takeover, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum urged Americans to shelter in place in Monday and to avoid traveling to the embassy or international airports. It said armed forces were “blocking certain areas in and around Khartoum” and that internet in the capital is “non-functional.”
“There are unverified reports of violence against protesters. Flights are not leaving the country,” the embassy said in an alert.
The U.N. secretary-general called on the immediate release of the prime minister and all others who have been detained.
“The unlawful detention of the PM, government officials, and politicians is unacceptable and contravenes the constitutional document, and the partnership critical for the success of Sudan’s transition,” a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement Monday.
Regardless of the objections by other parties and the international community, coup leader al-Burhan said in a live television statement Monday that he was keen on completing a transition to democracy, adding that “a government of independent competent figures will be formed to lead the country until the elections (in July 2023). The equitable representation of all the people of Sudan, its factions and groups shall be taken into account.”
Sudan’s information ministry said military forces had stormed state TV offices in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman on Monday.
The prime minister’s office condemned the military forces’ move, saying the military leaders of the Sudanese state “bear the criminal, legal and political consequences of the unilateral decisions they have taken.” In a statement, they describe it as “a complete coup against the gains of the revolution and our people, who sacrificed their blood in search of freedom, peace and justice.”
ABC News’ Conor Finnegan contributed to this report.
Ed Sheeran is supposed to be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on November 6, but his COVID-19 diagnosis has thrown a wrench into those plans. Page Six reports that the show’s producers are now trying to fill his slot with another act, despite Ed’s offer to perform virtually.
“Ed is offering to perform live via video link, but this isn’t something SNL does,” a source tells Page Six. The show likes to have the performer in studio.” As a result, the show is now “scrambling” to find another artist “who appeals to the same demo” to replace Ed. Among the suggestions: Shawn Mendes or Justin Bieber.
There is a chance that Ed might be allowed to perform remotely, but that has yet to be decided. When he announced his diagnosis, Ed said he was going to “be doing as many of my planned interviews/performances I can from my house.”
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier writer-producer Malcolm Spellman has high hopes for Chromatic Black’s newly launched Ida B. Wells: Disrupting the Master Narrative Fund, a historic investment in the future of Black filmmakers whose work reflects a spirit of exploration and deep inquiry.
“The hope is that these new voices shake things up and innovate,” Spellman tells ABC Audio. “Not just as far as story but even the business of making film and TV. Maybe they’ll find ways to pull in Black banks and use Black business. Who knows. But we need to get these new underrepresented voices in. There is only upside for everyone of all races — and even old school established folk — if we can open the door for some disruptors.”
Those 10 disruptors, which include Lamard W Cher-Aime, Elishia Constantine and Kristina Pupo, Chuck Gomez, Mylrell Miner, Javier Molina and Gabriel Furman, Jana Smith, Christine Swanson, Lynelle White, Renée Wilson, and Riley S. Wilson, were chosen from over 400 applicants. As finalists they will received a $10,000 investment for the creation of a short film to be produced by December 2021. Spellman says giving these filmmakers the resources to create authentic projects serves as a catalyst for change.
“Having disruptive voices access these platforms that reach 100s of millions of people gives these voices a megaphone for change,” he explains. “It also allows them, on a creative level, to shine light on new ways to tell stories which is good for business. Very soon the shifts in our society will have to acknowledge the underrepresented voices who are striving to be heard…”
For more information on Chromatic Black and the Ida B. Wells: Disrupting the Master Narrative Fund, visit the Ida B. Wells Fund online.
Warner Bros. Television has fired back again at former Batwoman star Ruby Rose, this time in defense of co-star Dougray Scott, who Rose accused of “abusing women” on set.
“We condemn the comments made by Ruby Rose about Dougray Scott,” the studio said in a statement quoted by Deadline. “Warner Bros. has found Mr. Scott to be a consummate professional, and never received any allegation against him of bullying, or of abusive behavior on his part.”
The studio added that Scott, who played Rose’s onscreen dad, “was greatly respected and admired by his colleagues,” and called him a “leader on the set.”
WBTV had fired back against what they described as Rose’s “revisionist history,” regarding claims that she was fired from the series for speaking up against unsafe working conditions.
“Warner Bros. Television did not pick up Ruby Rose’s option for an additional season because of multiple complaints about workplace behavior [against her] that were extensively reviewed by the Studio,” the studio said.
Over the weekend, Rose added to her accusations, with Deadline quoting her Instagram story as saying, “Dougray. I have too many witnesses coming forward with worse than just your anger Issues .. but [your suing] me for 10 million cos [Batwoman producer Greg Berlanti] shared his lawyer with you.. please.. come first so I can use the money from that case to take on [Berlanti].”
JoJo recently released her latest EP, Trying Not to Think About It, and she then did a series of intimate, sold-out dates across the country. Now she’s announced a world tour for 2022.
The tour kicks off February 19 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and the first leg wraps up April 16 in Ottawa. In between, the “Leave (Get Out)” singer will visit 24 U.S. cities. She’ll then head to the U.K. and Europe for 15 shows, which are scheduled through May 30. Tickets go on sale this Friday starting at 10 a.m. local time via IAmJojoOfficial.com.
“Performing live is one of my favorite parts of being an artist,” says JoJo in a statement. “It felt so right being back onstage for those dates in October, and I can’t wait to do it on a bigger scale in more cities next year!”
After performing the six-date mini tour, JoJo told E! News, “To have the audience singing back the lyrics of this new music was just so special and so affirming and gratifying.”
The songs on the EP tackled JoJo’s struggle with anxiety, depression, negative thoughts, self-sabotage and more, but she told E! that being able to perform them live has “been a part of me coming back to feeling like myself again.”
The U.K. rocker has announced a U.S. tour for next year, set to kick off January 26 in Athens, Georgia. Artists including Palaye Royale and Upsahl will also be included on the bill for select dates.
Tickets will go on sale this Friday, October 29, at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit YungbludOfficial.com.
Yungblud released a new single, “Fleabag,” over the summer. That followed his sophomore album, Weird!, which dropped last December.
Bow Wow is now legally the father of a one-year-old son following the results of a paternity test.
Model Olivia Sky previously sued the “Like You” rapper, born Shad Moss, for child support, and court documents confirm he is the biological father, according to The Neighborhood Talk.
“It is the Judgment of this Court that the Child of the parties, STONE KAMIN (‘Child’) born in 2020 is hereby declared to be the legitimate son of Respondent, Shad Moss, capable of inheriting from Respondent in the same manner as if born in lawful wedlock,” the documents read. “The Child shall hereafter be known as STONE MOSS and the Department of Vital Statistics shall show the Child’s birth certificate to include Respondent as father.
Following the announcement, Bow Wow commented on Instagram, “Such a blessing to have him in my life.”
The 34-year-old entertainer previously denied the child during a Twitter Q&A with fans in September, only acknowledging his 10-year-old daughter Shai, whom he shares with model Joie Chavis.
“HELL NO i’m fine w shai!” Bow Wow responded to a fan who asked if he wanted more kids. He also posted Michael Jackson‘s song, “Billie Jean,” featuring the lyric, “The kid is not my son.”
Bow Wow is continuing on the Millennium tour headlined by Omarion. Their next show is Thursday in Milwaukee, and the tour wraps up November 26 in Las Vegas.
