(LONDON) — Queen Elizabeth II canceled a planned public appearance Sunday after spraining her back.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said the queen “has decided this morning with great regret that she will not be able to attend today’s Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph.”
It said she was “disappointed that she will miss the service.”
This is the first time the 95-year-old monarch has missed the Cenotaph because of ill health, ABC News royal contributor Victoria Murphy said. She has missed the event, which commemorates the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars for other reasons, in the past.
The queen’s son, Charles, the prince of Wales, attended the event in her place Sunday, and placed a wreath at the memorial on her behalf. Charles’ wife, Camilla, the duchess of Cornwall, and Prince William and Kate Middleton, the duke and duchess of Cambridge, also attended.
Others who attended included the earl and countess of Wessex, the princess royal and vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the duke and duchess of Gloucester, the duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.
Last month, the queen spent one night in the hospital for “preliminary investigations.” She was released on Oct. 21 and was back at her desk at Windsor Castle that afternoon, according to a palace spokesperson.
The queen had also been scheduled to attend an evening reception on Nov. 1 at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, in Glasgow, but had been advised by doctors to rest. Murphy said the queen’s sprained back is unrelated to that advice.
Since doctors have advised Queen Elizabeth to rest, the royal household has scaled back her diary, keeping engagements light.
“As we start this new chapter as a band, we hope this song will set the tone for what’s to come,” the “Take It All Back” outfit says.
“It’s a song about changing as a person,” the band explains. “It is extremely hard to let go of the old self, and press on to something new. But that surrender comes with a lot of growth and freedom.”
“Find Another Reason Why” is available now for digital download. An alternate version of the song is also featured on the soundtrack for the Netflix film The Starling.
Judah & the Lion’s most recent album is 2019’s Pep Talks. The band is currently in the studio working on a follow-up, which is set to arrive in 2022.
Adele‘s CBS special One Night Only, which aired on Sunday, featured the Grammy-winning artist performing some of her big hits, as well as tunes from her new album 30, and a wide-ranging interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Part of the conversation focused on Adele’s nine-year-old son Angelo — who she shares with her ex-husband Simon Konecki. Adele admitted that she’d “never been so nervous” because the one-night-only concert marked the first time that Angelo had seen her perform live.
When asked if he knows who his mother is, Adele told Oprah that following the countdown to the release of her “Easy on Me” video, Angelo was amazed to see that “there was like a hundred-thousand people waiting [and] you had all these likes, and then he was like, ‘People really like you.'”
Adds the 33-year-old songstress, “he’s starting [to get it]…but not really.”
Adele also told Oprah that the new album was dedicated to Angelo, explaining that the songs reflected the conversation she’d like to have with her son, but can’t quite bring herself to just yet.
“I’m still not over it, of me choosing to dismantle my child’s life for my own. It makes me very uncomfortable,” she said.
Still, Adele believes the split was crucial to showing Angelo “a happy version of herself.”
The performance — which included celebrity guests Lizzo, Selena Gomez, Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Ellen DeGeneres and Leonardo DiCaprio — was taped at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles shortly after the release of her first new single in six years, “Easy on Me.”
Adele’s new album album, 30, will be released on November 19.
The film, Tomorrow Is a Long Time: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan, features Hynde, Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne and producer Tchad Blake discussing the project, which came together over the course of 15 weeks in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes renditions of nine Bob Dylan songs that Hynde recorded remotely with Walbourne.
The documentary also captures Chrissie reflecting on her appreciation for Dylan’s songs and her own passion for songwriting and shows off some of her personal paintings, as well as features footage of her and Walbourne performing many tunes that appear on the album.
You can check out a preview clip of the program on YouTube that features Hynde musing about whether rock ‘n’ roll has any rules, as well as Hynde and Walbourne performing the 1983 Dylan song “Sweetheart Like You.”
“You know, in rock ‘n’ roll, there’s rules, but there’s no rules,” Chrissie maintains in the clip. “I mean, to me…my version of rock ‘n’ roll is very different from someone else’s version. To me, it was anti-establishment…expressing yourself, doing your thing and kind of going against the establishment. For me personally, there wasn’t anything else. There wasn’t a rule.”
Standing in the Doorway was released this past May as a digital download and via streaming services on May 21, while CD and vinyl-LP editions followed in August.
Before the album’s release, the tracks premiered, one by one, along with a series of companion videos at The Pretenders’ official YouTube channel.
Here’s the Standing in the Doorway track list:
“In the Summertime”
“You’re a Big Girl Now”
“Standing in the Doorway”
“Sweetheart Like You”
“Blind Willie McTell”
“Love Minus Zero/No Limit”
“Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight”
“Tomorrow Is a Long Time”
“Every Grain of Sand”
It’s been over 10 years since Kirsten Dunst starred as Mary Jane in the Spider-Man movies, but that does’t mean she’s not willing to do it all over again.
In an interview with Variety, the Bring It On alum revealed that she’s ready and willing to reprise her role as Peter Parker’s love interest in an upcoming film.
“I would do it. Why not? That would be fun,” she said. “I would never say no to something like that.”
Dunst jokingly added, “I’d be old MJ at this point with little Spidey babies.”
Dunst starred opposite Tobey Maguire as the superhero’s flame in three installments of the movie directed by Sam Raimi — 2002’s Spider-Man, 2004’s Spider-Man2, and 2007’s Spider-Man 3.
News of the actress’ willingness to reprise her role comes after speculation that other former Spider-Man stars would be doing the same, including Maguire and Andrew Garfield, who took on the titular role for 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man and 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Neither have been confirmed.
Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
Chris Daughtry and Hannah in 2010; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Chris Daughtrypostponed his scheduled concerts this weekend due the death of his daughter Hannah, which now is reportedly being investigated as a homicide.
Hannah, 25, was found dead inside her Tennessee home on Friday, Peoplereported. Chris’ wife Deanna, Hannah’s mother, wrote on Instagram, “We are awaiting the autopsy results to determine how Hannah sustained the injuries that caused her death. Our hearts are broken.“
TMZ has now subsequently reported that the death was a homicide and is being investigated as such. It was also reported that Hannah’s boyfriend has been arrested, but it’s not clear what he was arrested for.
Hannah and her brother Griffin, 23, are Deanna’s children from a previous relationship. Together, Chris and Deanna — who married in 2000 — have 10-year-old twins Adalynn and Noah. According to USA Today, Chris later adopted Hannah and Griffin.
“I am still processing the last 24 hours. I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken,” Chris wrote on Instagram. “I just recently lost my mother to cancer but I was blessed with the chance to say goodbye and I was processing it privately. We never got to say goodbye to our precious Hannah and it’s another huge hit to our family.”
“Thank you all for your kind words and condolences,” he added. “They are truly felt and appreciated. I am now taking time be present with my family as we attempt to heal from this devastating loss. Hannah, I love you. I miss you. I wish I could hold you. This hurts so deep.“
The New York Post reports that Hannah’s life has been filled with tragedy in the last few years. Her and Griffin’s father, Randall Scott Price, died by suicide in 2018. Eight months later, Hannah had a run-in with gang members and was shot in the face; leaving her with a prosthetic eye. This past April, she and a man were arrested in a hit-and-run incident in Tennessee.
Instead of performing two songs like most musical guests do, Taylor Swift took the SNL stage this weekend to perform just one: the 10-minute version of “All Too Well.”
She sang the extended track from Red (Taylor’s Version) as the song’s accompanying short film played on a screen behind her. The film, which debuted on Friday night, was written and directed by Taylor and stars Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien as they play out the events of the song.
Taylor also appeared in a sketch called “Three Sad Virgins.” She and Pete Davidson starred in a music video roasting three SNL writers: Ben Marshall, John Higgins and Martin Herlihy.
It was Taylor’s fifth time on SNL and some of her famous friends came out to support her, including Selena Gomez — who filmed a TikTok with Taylor backstage — and Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, who were spotted with Taylor at the SNL after-party.
Speaking of Blake Lively, on Sunday Taylor announced the Gossip Girl actress has directed the new music video for her song “I Bet You Think About Me,” which is dropping on Monday at 10 a.m. ET.
“I finally got to work with the brilliant, brave, & wickedly funny @blakelively on her directorial debut,” Taylor wrote, adding, “Join us as we raise a toast, and a little hell.”
Meanwhile, according to Variety, Taylor broke two Spotify records on Friday with the release of Red (Taylor’s Version): most-streamed album in a day by a female and the most-streamed female in a single day.
(WASHINGTON) — Debra Ward — a military wife and mother — assumed her husband’s more than 25 years of service would provide a safety net whenever their child became sick.
The couple’s only son, 22-year-old Joel, was diagnosed diabetes over a a decade ago and has already suffered from three life-threatening hypoglycemic shocks while in college.
So when renewing her son’s insurance card, it came as a surprise that he would only be eligible for the plan’s benefits until he was 23, not 26 like most other dependents in the U.S. After that, she would need to start paying more than $450 in monthly premiums to remain insured under TRICARE, the civilian care component of the Military Health System.
“I didn’t believe it at first, with my husband being in active duty and all,” Ward said. “Looking at the premiums they were asking for, I thought surely something had been messed up.”
While dependents under civilian insurance plans are eligible to remain under their parents’ coverage at no additional cost or requirements until the age of 26 as dictated by the Affordable Care Act, the same protocols do not apply to children of military families using TRICARE.
Instead, dependents like Ward’s son receive coverage until they turn 21 (or 23 if enrolled full-time at a university), at which point they can either find employment that offers independent coverage or pay hefty premiums through a program called TRICARE Young Adult to hold on to benefits until the age of 26.
“We’re not expecting any special treatment, but it does seem like we ought to be at least getting the same treatment everybody else in the country has been receiving for the last 11 years,” Ward said.
Across the country, families like Ward’s say they are frustrated at a lack of congressional response to what many see as the unjust treatment of military members’ dependents.
Despite bipartisan concern about the young cut-off age and high premiums for young adults, Congress has yet to hold a vote on changing TRICARE’s young adult provisions.
A bill introduced last year by Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., and Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., to extend dependents’ coverage until age 26 without premiums failed to make the final version of the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.
A similar bill introduced this year by Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., also aims to eliminate premiums for dependents, but it awaits a vote in both the Senate and House.
“Our bipartisan bill allows every military child under the age of 26 to continue receiving steady coverage under their parents’ plan, enabling these young adults to finish school or start their careers without worrying about what happens if they get sick,” Tester said in a release.
There are currently about 9.6 million beneficiaries under TRICARE, according to the Military Health System. Of those, 37,000 are unmarried, adult children of military sponsors enrolled in TYA.
Eileen Huck, senior deputy director of government relations for the National Military Family Association, said that TRICARE Young Adult is simply too expensive for many dependents, often requiring them to enroll in a university even if they are not prepared for higher education.
“We run into various families and individuals who ran into unexpected costs because their children decided to delay enrolling in college,” Huck said. “And whether it’s a special needs student, or just someone for whom college isn’t the right choice, those life-changing decisions shouldn’t’ be driven by whether or not they’re worried about losing their health care coverage.”
TYA’s Select and Prime programs were created in 2011 following passage of the Affordable Care Act because military service members are exempt from the national health care reform law, requiring separate legislation to extend benefits. The difference between TYA’S two options is largely the same as PPO versus HMO programs: Those covered under TYA Prime are restricted to receiving coverage from Veterans Affairs clinicians.
The 2011 legislation, however, required that no government funding would be used to cover the cost of TYA , necessitating premiums based on commercial insurance rates and coverage.
The price for the two options of TYA has only been rising since the law went into effect. In 2021, monthly premiums for were set at $257 per month for TYA Select and $459 per month for TYA Prime, a 12.7% and 22% increase from 2020, respectively. For comparison, a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that ACA rates have only increased by a median of 1.1% in the last year.
Huck said these steep price tags stem from the nature of TYA that requires all the costs to be borne by the beneficiaries, in addition to a decreasing number of TYA participants.
“Oftentimes we have healthier young adults leaving the program for cheaper but less comprehensive marketplace plans, which means the people with conditions that need more treatments covered through TRICARE end up remaining but paying more as the pool of people participating gets smaller,” she said. “It turns into a vicious cycle.”
Many military affairs advocates like Jennifer Akin, director of research at Blue Star Families, remain optimistic that bills to address these issues will either be passed independently or included in next year’s defense budget.
“I think it’s a parity issue,” Akin said. “It’s very difficult to make the case that military children shouldn’t have access to the same health care rights that civilian children do by virtue of their parents’ service.”
(ATLANTA) — A woman killed while walking her dog in an Atlanta park this past summer was stabbed and cut over 50 times, according to a medical examiner’s report released this week.
Katherine “Katie” Janness, 40, was found dead in Piedmont Park around 1 a.m. on July 28, along with her slain dog, Bowie, in what police described as a “gruesome” scene.
Janness had more than 50 wounds on her face, neck, chest, back, arms and hands, according to the Fulton County medical examiner’s report.
“It is my opinion that Katherine Janness died due to sharp force injuries of her face, neck, and torso that caused injuries of major blood vessels and internal organs,” Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Karen Sullivan wrote in the report, dated Nov. 10. “The manner of Ms. Janness’ death is classified as a homicide.”
At least 15 of the cuts were on Janness’ face, and more than a dozen were on her lower back, according to the autopsy report. The letters “F,” “A” and “T” were also found etched onto her chest, the medical examiner said. Janness also suffered from blunt force injuries.
Janness’ partner of seven years, Emma Clark, said Janness went to walk Bowie after dinner but didn’t return, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Clark tracked Janness’ phone’s location to Piedmont Park, where she discovered Janness and their dog.
Following the release of the medical examiner’s report, Emma Clark’s father, Terrell Clark, released a statement on behalf of the family to ABC Atlanta affiliate WSB.
“With today’s release of Katie’s autopsy report it’s more important than ever that the search for her killer be a top priority for APD and the FBI,” the statement said. “The report is extremely heartbreaking to read and know the exact nature of what Katie endured in her final moments on this Earth. Whoever is responsible is very disturbed and remains a danger to everyone’s safety. Please be vigilant and aware of your surroundings for we would hate for any family to be put through this nightmare.”
The Atlanta Police Department and FBI are investigating the murder, and a $10,000 reward is being offered for information that could help lead to an arrest.
The investigation into Janness’ murder “remains open and very active,” Officer Steve Avery, a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department, told ABC News on Saturday.
“Our investigators continue working tirelessly to find the person(s) responsible,” Avery said in a statement. “We understand it is frustrating for there to be so little information released publicly. However, to ensure the investigation isn’t compromised, we simply cannot release much information on our active investigation. We know how important this case is to those in our communities and we will continue our work to bring this investigation to a resolution.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Atlanta Police Homicide Unit or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477 or online.
(KENOSHA, Wisc.) — Local authorities are gearing up as the murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse draws to a close and the jury will begin deliberations early next week.
Closing arguments in the high-profile trial are scheduled for Monday morning in Wisconsin’s Kenosha County Circuit Court, followed by deliberations. In advance of the verdict, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has authorized about 500 National Guard troops to be on standby to support public safety efforts if needed, state officials said Friday.
“We continue to be in close contact with our partners at the local level to ensure the state provides support and resources to help keep the Kenosha community and greater area safe,” Evers said in a statement. “I urge folks who are otherwise not from the area to please respect the community by reconsidering any plans to travel there and encourage those who might choose to assemble and exercise their First Amendment rights to do so safely and peacefully.”
The National Guard soldiers will “stand ready” to protect the Kenosha community “should a request from our local partners come in,” Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, said in a statement.
Hundreds of officers from volunteering law enforcement agencies will also be on hand in Kenosha, according to the Wisconsin National Guard.
The Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department plan to “monitor” the trial, the departments said in a joint statement this week.
“We recognize that there are varying opinions and feelings that revolve around the trial that may cause concerns,” Interim Chief, Eric Larsen and Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said in a statement. “Both of our departments have dedicated staff working in conjunction with local, State and Federal law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our communities.”
Evers previously mobilized about 500 National Guard troops to Kenosha in January, in advance of the Kenosha County district attorney’s decision to charge Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse, 18, has been charged with killing two people and wounding a third last year during riots that erupted in Kenosha over a police officer shooting Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, paralyzing him. Riots, vandalism and looting broke out, prompting an online call for armed “patriots” to come to the city to protect lives and property.
Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time of his alleged crimes, claimed he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, in self-defense because he was being attacked by a mob and feared for his life.
The teen has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide. He has also pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possession of a firearm by an individual under the age of 18.
Judge Bruce Schroeder indicated in court Friday that he will likely give the jury the opportunity to consider whether Rittenhouse provoked Rosenbaum into attacking him. The prosecution contends Rittenhouse is seen doing just that by raising his gun in a drone video that was discovered during the course of the trial. Defense attorneys suggested Rosenbaum lunged for Rittenhouse’s gun.
Schroeder is also weighing whether to allow the jury to consider several lesser charges.
“If I allow those, then the jury, if they are unable to agree that you’re guilty of the charged offense, will have the opportunity to consider whether you’re guilty of the less serious offense,” Schroeder told Rittenhouse Friday.
Jury instructions are expected Monday, and deliberations could begin as early as that afternoon following closing arguments.
ABC News’ Bill Hutchinson and Whitney Lloyd contributed to this report.
