St. Vincent has premiered the video for “Daddy’s Home,” the title track off her new album.
The clip finds Annie Clark performing the slinky tune from the back of a flatbed truck as it drives down a sweltering street. You can watch it now streaming via the St. Vincent Facebook page.
Daddy’s Home, the follow-up to 2017’s MASSEDUCTION, dropped in May. It also includes the lead single “Pay Your Way in Pain.”
St. Vincent will launch a U.S. tour in support of Daddy’s Home on September 3 in Portland, Maine. Along the way, she’ll stop by ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 21.
St. Vincent is also opening for a pair of just-announced Foo Fighters U.K. shows, taking place June 2022.
Jim Jones announced Monday he’s recovering from COVID-19.
“I urge everybody to stay safe out there. COVID is real,” the Dipset member said in an Instagram video. “I was runnin’ ‘round here thinking I was Superman and COVID knocked the socks off Superman.” He also wrote that the virus “is like a stray bullet it don’t care who it hits.”
The 45-year-old rapper added that he recently tested negative and is feeling much better.
“So I urge and encourage everybody to please continue to mask up, please continue with hand sanitizer, social distance as much as you can, try to stay away from as many packed and crowded places,” he said. “I really felt it and I don’t want nobody to feel like how I felt.”
As previously reported, two weeks ago Jones and fellow Dipset members Cam’ron, Juelz Santana and Freekey Zekey battled The LOX in the latest edition of Verzuz, at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City. The two groups will perform on the The Rap Superheroes Tour with State Property, which consists of Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Peedi Peedi, Oschino and Omillio Sparks, and the duo Young Gunz. The seven-city tour kicks off September 16 in Atlanta, and wraps up October 1 in Milwaukee.
(KABUL, Afghanistan) — At 4:19 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, President Joe Biden concluded a speech defending his decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan, tapping his binder on a podium in the East Room of the White House for emphasis.
By 4:57 p.m., the presidential helicopter, Marine One, was in the air, headed for the presidential retreat, Camp David. For Biden, there was no looking back.
“I know my decision will be criticized, but I would rather take all that criticism than pass this decision on to another president of the United States — yet another one — a fifth one. Because it’s the right one. It’s the right decision for our people,” Biden declared, leaving no doubt about his stance.
But as Biden withdrew to Camp David, his administration officials were left in Washington to field the lingering questions the president did not address: What exactly will be the fate of endangered Afghans struggling to leave the country? And why was the administration so surprised by the speed of the Taliban’s takeover?
For the Afghan interpreters and contractors who have aided U.S. forces during the 20-year war and are now under threat of retaliation from Taliban militants, getting answers is urgent.
More than 1,600 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan so far, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price confirmed Monday, but he declined to specify how many of those people are Special Visa applicants.
“As long as we deem that our public servants serving at [Hamid Karzai International Airport] are safe and secure, we will be engaged in an ambitious, aggressive, and around-the-clock effort to relocate as many as we possibly can,” Price said.
Defense Department Spokesperson John Kirby said Tuesday morning that the Department of Defense is working to ramp up flight departures to one per hour. He hoped to achieve that cadence within the next 24 hours. But for those Afghans who are unable to travel safely through Taliban checkpoints to the airport, solutions are sparse.
“I know that there are concerns about why we did not begin evacuating Afghans — civilians sooner. Part of the answer is some of the Afghans did not want to leave earlier — still hopeful for their country. And part of it was because the Afghan government and its supporters discouraged us from organizing a mass exodus to avoid triggering, as they said, ‘a crisis of confidence,'” Biden said in his remarks Monday, attempting to defend the administration’s slow evacuation pace.
Monday evening, President Biden approved $500 million in State Department funding to aid Afghan refugees who are successfully evacuated.
“We plan on being on the ground there in Afghanistan for the next couple of weeks. It’s not just about moving out Americans, it is very much about meeting our moral and sacred obligations to those Afghans who helped us over the last 20 years getting as many out as we can,” Kirby said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Tuesday.
For endangered Afghans, the challenge of leaving the country has been exacerbated by the sudden Taliban blitz.
“The truth is, this did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated,” Biden said Monday, admitting that his intelligence briefings did not accurately predict the pace of events. Biden did not directly address whether he considers it an intelligence failure.
While some senior military officials cautioned Biden against withdrawal, presenting him with a litany of possible consequences, Biden chose to move forward. DOD Spokesperson John Kirby defended the president’s choice on “Good Morning America” on Monday.
“The commander in chief is the commander in chief. It’s not about overruling his military leaders or other advisers. He is given options. He is given the pros and cons for each option, and then it’s up to him to decide. He was advised by the Defense Department, we had a voice. We had a seat at the table. We provided our advice and counsel. The president made his decision and now we’re in execution mode,” Kirby said.
Even members of Biden’s own party are raising questions about the intelligence on Afghanistan. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.,chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, proposed investigating what led to the government’s underestimation of the Taliban advance.
“I hope to work with the other committees of jurisdiction to ask tough but necessary questions about why we weren’t better prepared for a worst-case scenario involving such a swift and total collapse of the Afghan government and security forces,” Warner said in a statement Monday.
For those looking to carry out those investigations, the answers might be disheartening. The government’s nonpartisan watchdog on operations in Afghanistan, the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, on Monday released a report compiled just before the Taliban takeover, analyzing 20 years of U.S. efforts there. The report delivers a blunt verdict.
“Twenty years later, much has improved, and much has not in Afghanistan. If the goal was to rebuild and leave behind a country that can sustain itself and pose little threat to U.S. national security interests, the overall picture in Afghanistan is bleak,” it concludes.
Lady Gaga’s dogs Asia & Koji; Michael Stewart/GC Images
In February, Lady Gaga‘s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was shot when he tried to keep her beloved French bulldogs from being stolen. Thankfully, he survived and the dogs were recovered, but now Ryan would like your help.
In a GoFundMe page that he’s set up, Fischer explains that after he spent all those months “reclaiming” his body, he wanted to take a six-month journey to strengthen his “emotional and mental health,” so he decided to rent a van and explore the country while “seeking out communities that support the process of growing from trauma.”
Unfortunately, he writes, he’s two months into his journey, but his 1991 Ford Falcon rental van has broken down, he has nowhere to stay and he’s run out of cash.
“I have a clear purpose but am at an obvious impasse. 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,” writes Fischer. “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.”
Fischer is hoping to raise $40,000 so he can buy a van and pay for his travel expenses. As of noon ET Tuesday, he’d raised just over $4,500.
“I love you, and thank you for all the ways you have supported me throughout; I truly can’t wait to see how the next step of this journey unfolds for us all,” Ryan concludes.
No word on whether or not he’s asked Lady Gaga, who called Ryan “hero” in February, for a donation.
The honorary plaque is located at 6314 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The Pie Hole restaurant, which is at the corner of Vine St.
“This is a very special day for me,” the “American Pie” singer and songwriter said. “Awards are given every year on those television programs, and every year a new person is named a favorite; however, this award is forever. This is an honor I get to share with friends, fans, and whoever walks down Hollywood Boulevard.”
McLean’s friend “Weird Al” Yankovic was on hand to introduce Don, and the members of the country vocal group Home Free also took part in the ceremony.
“Weird Al” recorded a Star Wars-themed “American Pie” parody in 1999 called “The Saga Begins,” which featured a humorous recounting of The Phantom Menace‘s plot told from Obi-Wan Kenobi’s point of view.
Home Free teamed up with Don last year for an a cappella version of “American Pie.” The group led fans gathered for the unveiling ceremony in a sing-along of McLean’s famous anthem, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
You can check out a video of the entire ceremony at the Walk of Fame’s official YouTube channel.
What happens when you mix “Glycerine” with “Vasoline”? Well, we’ll find out this fall.
Bush and Stone Temple Pilots have announced a co-headlining tour, set to kick off September 30 in Mesa, Arizona. Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 20, at 10 a.m. local time.
Bush’s latest album, The Kingdom, dropped last summer. It includes the single “Flowers on a Grave.”
STP, meanwhile, just dropped a 25th anniversary reissue of their 1996 album Tiny Music…Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop last month. The group’s most recent new effort is 2020’s Perdida.
(CHICAGO) — The Justice Department has arrested a Chicago pharmacist who allegedly sold 125 real CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards on EBay.
According to charging documents, 34-year-old Tangtang Zhao is said to have sold the cards to 11 different buyers for $10 each.
He is the second person to face federal charges for selling vaccination cards. Federal authorities are working to put a stop to this trend as more companies require proof of vaccination.
Zhao is charged with 12 counts of theft of government property. A conviction means he could face a max sentence of 10 years per count.
What is still unclear is the position the DOJ may take against Americans who are trying to purchase vaccination cards as a way of falsely claiming vaccination status.
(CHICAGO) — A judge has temporarily barred Chicago authorities from releasing body camera video, described by a prosecutor in chilling detail, of Chicago police Officer Ella French being gunned down during a traffic stop.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability in Chicago said in a statement that it received the order Monday from a Cook County Circuit Court judge forbidding the “the city of Chicago and its entities” from publicly releasing any material connected to shooting under the city’s Video Release Policy and the Freedom of Information Act.
The video allegedly shows suspect Emonte “Monty” Morgan opening fire on French and her partner, who was critically injured, during an Aug. 7 traffic stop, according to prosecutors.
In the one-page ruling, the judge did not elaborate on a reason for the decision, only writing that body camera video and other evidence can’t be released “during the pendency of the criminal matter.”
“COPA remains committed to transparency and is conducting a full analysis and investigation of the incident,” the police watchdog group said in a statement. “Body-worn cameras, third party video and other materials related to this incident will be released upon the lifting of the Judge’s court order.”
The development comes as French’s colleagues and loved ones prepare for her funeral, scheduled for Thursday at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine in Chicago. Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, announced on Monday that he will deliver the homily.
French, 29, is the first Chicago police officer since 2018 killed in the line of duty and the city’s first female officer killed in the line of duty since 1988, officials said.
Morgan, 21, was arrested after being shot during a gunfight with one of French’s fellow officers, who escaped injury in the encounter, according to a criminal complaint. Morgan has been charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and aggravated use of a weapon by a felon.
Morgan’s brother, Eric Morgan, 19, who prosecutors said was driving the car French and the officers stopped, was arrested and charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and one count of obstruction of justice, according to court records.
A still image of the body camera footage that captured the incident was obtained by ABC Chicago station WLS, along with another chilling image of French in her final moments — standing at the driver’s side door, shining a flashlight into the vehicle that had been pulled over for having expired tags.
During a news conference last week, Risa Lanier, the chief deputy state’s attorney for Cook County, said Emonte Morgan is seen in body camera video stepping over the wounded officers after allegedly shooting them.
French’s 39-year-old partner, whose name has not been released, remains in critical condition with a bullet lodged in his brain, police said.
The shooting came as Chicago police have been dealing with escalating gun violence in the city. Chicago Police Department crime statistics show that as of Sunday 2,176 people have been shot in 2021, a 12% increase over the same time period in 2020.
(KABUL, Afghanistan) — A U.S. official has confirmed that human remains were found inside the wheel well of a C-17 military plane that had been swarmed by hundreds of people on the tarmac as it took off at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
The discovery was made upon landing at al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday.
A dramatic video taken earlier Monday showed some people clinging to the plane as it taxied down the runway in Kabul.
A defense official said the individuals swarming the plane had breached the runway from the civilian side of the airport. At the airport in Kabul, there is a side for military operations and another side for commercial flights.
Air operations were suspended for hours at the airport Monday because of the crush of Afghan civilians desperate to leave Kabul. Operations resumed after the U.S. military, Turkish forces and other troops forcibility removed 15,000 Afghan civilians who had breached the runway, a U.S. official said.
The C-17 had landed on a runway at the airport earlier in the day with a load of cargo, according to the official. After landing, the pilots were surprised when the crew attempted to unload its cargo and it was rushed by hundreds of Afghan civilians. At that point, the aircrew decided it was not safe to unload and began taxiing to fly away to safety
U.S. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Tuesday the U.S. will soon have the capacity to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 individuals a day now on a mix between commercial and military aircraft — but a lot of that depends on if the Taliban will allow those commercial planes to fly.
The White House said Tuesday that both sides of the airport are open and operational with flights able to land and depart. There were 3,500 U.S. troops on the ground to help control airport operations as of Tuesday morning.
On Monday, more than 700 people were evacuated by the U.S. military, including 165 American citizens, the Pentagon said.
Kirby, at a briefing with reporters Monday, was matter of fact, saying the crush of civilians at the airport came about because “there were a lot of Afghans that wanted to get out of the country.”
Adam Lambert is apparently happening in Vegas, so he’s staying in Vegas.
The singer’s limited engagement at The Venetian Theatre at The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas has just expanded by one show: He’ll now perform six dates at the venue. The new date is October 20; the other dates are October 22, 23, 27, 29 and 30.
Tickets for the new show go on sale to the general public Saturday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com, venetian.com, the box office or by calling 866-641-7469.
Adam is also set to perform on the worldwide Global Citizen Live telecast on September 25, along with stars including Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello, Billie Eilish, Alessia Cara, Ricky Martin, Shawn Mendes, Black Eyed Peas, The Weeknd and more. If you want to see him right now, he’s got a series of makeup tutorials on YouTube you can check out.
