On top of everything else Britney Spears is going through, it’s good to know that at least she won’t face any charges over that incident with her housekeeper last month.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that no charges would be filed due to “insufficient evidence” that a crime had occurred. Britney’s housekeeper claimed that Britney had slapped a phone out of the housekeeper’s hand following an argument over the medical care of Britney’s dog. The housekeeper alleged that her phone was damaged in the incident.
The Misdemeanor Unit Supervisor in the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office decided not to file charges after reviewing the case. In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Britney’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, said, “If this involved Jane Doe rather than Britney Spears it would not have been pursued or covered at all.”
“Sadly, it is apparent that some have learned nothing from the past, and we sincerely hope the media and others will be more respectful of Ms. Spears in the future,” Rosengart added.
Pink Floyd will release a remixed and updated standalone version of their 1987 studio album A Momentary Lapse of Reason in multiple high-res formats in October.
The new mix was created by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and studio engineer Andy Jackson in 2019 for the band’s expansive The Later Years box set. The tracks were updated with previously unused keyboard performances by the late Rick Wright and new drum tracks from Nick Mason.
The album, which you can pre-order now, will be released on CD, as a CD/DVD or CD/Blu-ray set, as a two-LP half-speed-mastered package, and via digital formats with stereo and 5.1 mixes. The record also will made available for the first time in the immersive Sony 360 Reality Audio format, as well as in Dolby Audio and UHD.
The physical versions of A Momentary Lapse of Reason will arrive on October 29, while the digital versions are due out October 19.
Discussing the new mix, Gilmour explains, “Some years after we had recorded the album, we came to the conclusion that we should update it to make it more timeless, featuring more of the traditional instruments that we liked and that we were more used to playing…We also looked for and found some previously unused keyboard parts of Rick’s which helped us to come up with a new vibe, a new feeling for the album.”
The DVD and Blu-ray feature such bonus content as music videos, a short making-of documentary, audio of three 1987 live performances and more.
Pink Floyd has released a special version of the “Learning to Fly” video, featuring the 2019 mix of the song. If you watch the clip on YouTube while wearing headphones, it’ll simulate the 360 Reality Audio experience.
CMA Summer Jam airs Thursday night, September 2, on ABC. The three-hour TV special was filmed during two star-studded nights, on July 27 and 28, at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater, with plenty of stunning collaborations.
Luke Bryan teamed up with Cole Swindell to perform Cole’s recent No. 1 hit, “Single Saturday Night,” while Carrie Underwood performed two songs, “Guitars Cadillacs” and “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere,” with Dwight Yoakam. BRELAND and HARDY joined Dierks Bentley to sing “Beers on Me.” Dierks also returned to sing one of the stand-out performances of the night, “Midnight Rider,” with both Brothers Osborne and Miranda Lambert.
Good friends Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett sang “Round Here,” and Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani earned a rousing standing ovation for their “Happy Anywhere” duet.
Other performances of the night included Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker and Mickey Guyton.
Blake Shelton is clearly madly in love with his new bride, Gwen Stefani, nearly two months after tying the knot with her. Blake, who started dating the No Doubt singer in 2015, says being husband and wife has made their relationship stronger than ever.
“Married life so far is … it’s incredible,” Blake reflects. “I mean, it’s everything that it already was, which was awesome. She just can’t get away from me now.”
Blake and Gwen got married on July 3 on his Oklahoma ranch, with The Voice host Carson Daly officiating the ceremony.
Both Blake and Gwen will appear on CMA Summer Jam. The show, which includes performances by Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Brothers Osborne, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs and more, will air Thursday night, September 2, at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
A previously unseen video of Oasis performing “Live Forever” during their iconic 1996 Knebworth concerts has now been released.
The clip is taken from the upcoming documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996, which chronicles the “Wonderwall” band’s two historic shows at the U.K.’s Knebworth Park. The performance footage is accompanied by a voiceover from Noel Gallagher, who explains how important a song “Live Forever” was to Oasis.
“We were a pretty decent band the night before I wrote ‘Live Forever,’ but it was indie music,” Gallagher says. “The day after I wrote ‘Live Forever,’ we were gonna be the biggest band in the world. I knew it.”
You can watch the “Live Forever” performance streaming now on YouTube.
Oasis Knebworth 1996 will hit theaters September 23, and will be released as a live album and Blu-ray/DVD on November 19. Noel and his estranged brother/former band mate Liam Gallagher are both executive producers on the film.
The tune, “Dare to Know,” is a multiple-part tune featuring classical and prog-rock elements, and sections showcasing orchestral flourishes.
“‘Dare to Know’ presents a guitar theme played within many different arrangements, with different chord structures and altered textures,” says Yes guitarist Steve Howe. “The ‘idea’ mentioned in the first verse gets described later as an awakening to the subtle goings on within our bodies and mind, all geared to nature’s scheme of things, all fluctuating and rearranging according to the principles of life, as we know it.”
An accompanying mixed-media music video for the song has premiered at Yes’ official YouTube channel. The clip features kaleidoscopic animation segments, scenes that present an eagle’s-eye view of various natural landscapes, photos of all of Yes’ members, song lyrics with lettering apparently created by the band’s longtime cover artist Roger Dean.
“Dare to Know” follows the release of The Quest‘s lead track, “The Ice Bridge,” which also was accompanied by a partially animated music video.
The Quest, which was produced by Howe, can be pre-ordered now. The 11-track collection will be available as a two-CD set featuring eight songs on the main disc and three additional tunes on the second CD.
The album also will be issued in additional formats and configurations, including a limited-edition box set boasting two CDs, two vinyl LPs and a Blu-ray disc.
(NEW YORK) — Harrowing stories of survival and rescues are surfacing after a rain-drenched night of deadly storms in the northeastern United States.
The remnants of Hurricane Ida brought historic floods and damaging tornadoes across the region on Wednesday and caused 22 fatalities in areas where the storm hit. Although the death toll is expected to rise as the damage is surveyed, scores of people were also saved or spared.
The New York City Fire Department “rescued hundreds of people citywide during the storm,” removing them from trapped cars and flooded subway stations, FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer told ABC News.
One FDNY water rescue crew saved a family of six who became trapped in their Brooklyn home as floodwaters rose in the basement overnight. The husband and wife, who have four young children, spoke to New York City ABC station WABC about the ordeal.
“When the water came through our walls, it trapped me,” the husband recalled. “So my wife is at the bottom of the stairs, trying to scream to me to get out, and I didn’t know what to do. I was trapped.”
“Thankfully, our fire department was amazing and they came and they rescued us,” the wife added, fighting back tears. “It was so scary.”
Footage from Mullica Hill, New Jersey, showed where a tornado ripped through the area, obliterating homes and scattering debris across green lawns.
Speaking to Philadelphia ABC station WPVI, Troy Bonnenberg said he and his children took cover in the basement of their house in Mullica Hill on Wednesday night. When they emerged unharmed minutes later, the back half of their home was gone and their belongings were scattered throughout the neighborhood.
But Bonnenberg’s neighbor across the street bore the brunt of the storm. The house was destroyed and aluminium sliding, roofing, furniture and children’s toys were all piled atop the family’s car, according to WPVI.
In Passaic City, New Jersey, Mayor Hector Lora was on scene with local authorities and rescue crews amid the pouring rain as he urged residents to stay indoors.
“We have too many areas where the flooding has gotten so bad, the cars are stuck and we have bodies under water,” Lora said in a Facebook Live video on Wednesday night. “We are now retrieving bodies.”
The power of the storms were also felt in Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County. Mike Zajack of Maple Glen, a small suburb of Philadelphia, recalled how his house shook as the rain beat down outside.
“I couldn’t even hear myself think,” Zajac told WPVI. “I see branches start to get carried by the wind past my house, the chair on our front porch got flipped and it was nuts.”
ABC News’ Alexandra Faul and Aaron Katerksy contributed to this report.
It’s been six months since Lady Gaga‘s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was attacked, and now he’s setting the record straight on a few things.
In an interview with Rolling StoneFischer addressed the criticism the “Rain on Me” singer-faced after he set up a GoFundMe asking for $40,000. As of Thursday morning, the campaign had raised nearly $33,000.
“With no vehicle, apartment, and having run out of savings and surviving on donations from generous loved ones, I am humbly asking for your help,” he wrote in the description on the fundraiser’ page. “This is not an easy thing to ask, but I have started to realize sharing your vulnerability with others is exactly when radical change begins to occur for everyone involved.”
At the time, critics questioned why Gaga couldn’t fork over the funds herself, but Fischer made a point to clarify that his asking for help was no shade to the pop star.
“Everyone thought that I was setting a blame on someone, when it was all love. It’s what happens in trauma — all your loved ones, all your family, everyone: you feel alone. You don’t feel supported because this is your journey,” he explained. “I tried so hard. I tried to navigate that. I really did think about the wording. It’s a weird video and it’s a weird way to go about life. It’s not normal and I understood that. And I really did try to navigate it as best I could.”
Lady Gaga’s three French bulldogs — named Gustav, Koji and Asia — were targeted by armed thieves during a nighttime stroll with Fischer in late February. Fischer was shot in the process. All three dogs were recovered and the suspects were charged with attempted murder and robbery.
(NEW YORK) — The remnants of Hurricane Ida dumped flooding rain, spawned tornadoes across the Northeast and caused at least 22 deaths in areas where the storm landed.
A flash flood emergency was declared for the first time in New York City as subway stations were turned into waterfalls and Midtown streets became rivers. New York City also declared a state of emergency, and as of Thursday morning, at least eight people have died due to the extreme floods.
Five residents of the Oakwood Plaza apartment complex in Elizabeth, New Jersey, were found dead in the aftermath of the flooding Thursday morning, a city spokeswoman told ABC News.
Rescuers have been checking the rent roll and going door-to-door though the entire complex to make sure no other bodies are found. The complex is across from the Elizabeth Fire Department headquarters, which was inundated with 8 feet of water.
Early Thursday in Queens, the New York Police Department said that after responding to a flooding condition at a partially collapsed building, they found two people — a 43-year-old female and a 22-year-old male — unconscious and unresponsive inside. The man was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman was taken to the local hospital, where she later died. “The investigation is ongoing and the Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The identification of the deceased is pending family notification,” they said.
At a second flooded location in Queens, the NYPD said they found a 50-year-old male, a 48-year-old female and a 2-year-old male, unconscious and unresponsive, within the residence. They were all pronounced dead at the scene.
Also in Queens, police responded to a 911 call of a flooding condition and discovered a 48-year-old female, unconscious and unresponsive, within the residence. “The aided female was removed by EMS to Forest Hills Hospital where she was pronounced deceased,” they said. An 86-year-old woman also died in her Queens apartment due to flooding, police said.
After responding to a similar flooding incident in Brooklyn, the NYPD said officers found “a 66-year-old male, unresponsive and unconscious, within the residence.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“FDNY members rescued hundreds of people citywide during the storm, removing occupants from trapped vehicles on flooded roadways and removing New Yorkers from subway stations,” department spokesman Frank Dwyer told ABC News.
The inundating rainfall Wednesday evening broke records.Central Park reported a record of 3.25 inches of rain in one hour from 8:51 p.m. to 9:51 p.m., the National Weather Service reported.
New York issued a citywide travel ban just before 1 a.m. ET Thursday until 5 a.m.
“All non-emergency vehicles must be off NYC streets and highways,” the city said.
Every subway line in the city was suspended, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, due to so many flooded stations. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told ABC station WABC that people were being evacuated from subway cars stuck underground.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also declared a state of emergency to “help New Yorkers.”
“Earlier tonight I declared a State of Emergency in New York State within the counties of Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester in response to major flooding due to Tropical Depression Ida,” she said in a statement, also encouraging New Yorkers to “please pay attention to local weather reports, stay off the roads and avoid all unnecessary travel during this time.”
At least one person also died due to the flooding in Passaic, New Jersey, Mayor Hector Carlos Lora confirmed on Facebook Thursday morning.
“It is … with an extremely heavy heart that I share unfortunately that we have confirmed the loss of a life within the city of Passaic and have unconfirmed reports of additional lives that may have been lost,” he said in a video, later explaining that the person was trapped inside their car, which was “overtaken by water.”
The mayor — who declared a state of emergency in the city — also said that two other residents are reported to have been swept away by the water. The search continues for them.
“We continue to receive reports of incidents that have occurred throughout the city. Vehicles can be repaired, property can be replaced, but loss of life we cannot bring that back,” Lora said.
At the same time, he said, 60 residents are receiving temporary shelter in City Hall.
“We have too many areas where the flooding has gotten so bad that cars are stuck and we have bodies underwater,” Lora said in a video posted to Facebook. “We are now retrieving bodies.”
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy quickly declared an emergency with 3 to 5 inches of rain falling per hour in some locations across the tristate area.
“We will use every resource at our disposal to ensure the safety of New Jerseyans,” Murphy tweeted. “Stay off the roads, stay home, and stay safe.”
He was not specific about how many people may have been killed or injured in the floods.
At Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey, a baggage area was flooded and flights were grounded.
“We’re experiencing severe flooding due to tonight’s storm,” the airport’s account tweeted. “All flight activity is currently suspended & travelers are strongly advised to contact their airline for the latest flight & service resumption information. Passengers are being diverted from ground-level flooded areas.”
The U.S. Open, taking place in Queens, New York, had to pause one tennis match as the court was flooded — despite there being a roof over the court — due to rain coming in the side of the stadium.
Several homes were damaged in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, across from Philadelphia, after warnings went out about possible tornadoes.
“Gloucester County has experienced devastating storm damage,” the county said in a statement. “It is likely that multiple tornadoes have touched down within our communities. Our Emergency Operations Center is fully activated with multiple local, county, state, and regional partners assessing damages and deploying resources.”
In Gloucester County, 20-25 homes were “completely devastated,” and roughly 100 more sustained some damage, when a tornado ripped through Harrison Township, Wednesday, the mayor of the Harrison Township told ABC News.
Mayor Lou Manzo said the community is “blessed” that no one died and only one person had to go to the hospital, but the damage to property across the township is “extensive,” he said.
Fire and emergency personnel made “a few rescues” of people who became trapped after sheltering in their basement, according to the mayor.
There was also a “confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado” located near Woodbury Heights, New Jersey, at about 6:30 p.m. and another “confirmed large and destructive tornado” over Beverly, near Trenton, at 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Early Thursday there were 101,652 customers without power in Pennsylvania, 73,348 in New Jersey, 51,931 in New York and 34,449 in Connecticut, according to poweroutage.us.
The Schuylkill River in Philadelphia is rising into major flood stage early Thursday morning and is forecast to rise a few additional feet before cresting around 9 a.m.. The National Weather Service has increased their predicted water level for the river to 17.2 feet, which would be greater than the highest recorded total of 17 feet. The rain has stopped, but flood risk continues, the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management wrote on Twitter.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hugo Boss UK
(LONDON) — Prince Harry gave an impassioned speech at an awards ceremony last night, pleading with governments and pharmaceutical companies to do more to vaccinate the world.
“Where you’re born should not affect your ability to survive, when the drugs and know-how exist to keep you alive and well,” the Duke of Sussex told attendees of the 24th annual GQ Men of the Year Awards.
Harry was presenting The Heroes of the Year Award to Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, Dr. Catherine Green and the team behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
Speaking via video link, he called them “heroes of the highest order who gave us an instrument to fight this disease,” adding, “They are our nation’s pride and we are deeply indebted to their service.”
But as he hailed “their breakthrough research” he also called on others to do more.
“Until every community can access the vaccine, and until every community is connected to trustworthy information about the vaccine, then we are all at risk,” he said.
He went on, “As people sit in the room with you tonight, more than a third of the global population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. That’s more than 5 billion shots given around the world so far. It sounds like a major accomplishment, and in many ways is. But there is a huge disparity between who can and cannot access the vaccine. Less than 2% of people in the developing world have received a single dose at this point and many of their health care workers are still not even vaccinated. We cannot move forward together unless we address this imbalance as one.”
The duke also spoke about the misinformation campaigns that are adding to vaccine hesitancy: “This is a system we need to break if we are to overcome COVID-19 and the rise of new variants,” he said.
He then called on “global governments, pharmaceutical leaders, and heads of business” to do their part.
“That must include sharing vaccine science and supporting and empowering developing countries with more flexibility,” he said.
Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have previously spoken out on vaccine inequality.
Last May the pair were campaign chairs of “Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World,” an international COVID-19 vaccination effort organized by Global Citizen.
Speaking at that event Harry said, “None of us should be comfortable thinking that we could be fine when so many others are suffering. In reality, and especially with this pandemic, when any suffer, we all suffer,” Harry also said in his remarks. “We must look beyond ourselves with empathy and compassion for those we know, and those we don’t. We need to lift up all of humanity and make sure that no person or community is left behind.”
