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.”
Justin Bieber has launched a fundraiser to help the people of Haiti, who are struggling to rebuild after a devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the country, killing over 2,200 people and destroying more than 100,000 homes.
Project Medishare, a global nonprofit, announced Wednesday that they partnered with the “Peaches” singer and the activist network Propeller for a charity auction, all proceeds from which will go to help the people of Haiti.
Bieber has donated a Vegas experience for two, complete with round-trip flights, a hotel stay, tickets to his concert at the T-Mobile Arena and a VIP meet and greet. He also donated a variety of original artworks. Also up for grabs is an exclusive invite to Bieber’s event in New York City, set to take place the week of September 12. The auction ends September 7.
“Thank you @justinbieberfor setting up an auction with @propeller.la to raise funds for @medishare4haiti,” the organization shared on Instagram. “100% of proceeds will support our work on the ground providing critical medical care and distributing food and hygiene kits to families affected by the devastating 7.2 earthquake in #Haiti.”
Those wanting to help can donate now on Project Medishare’s website, and also stay up to date there on the ongoing relief efforts.
Haiti’s recovery efforts were further hampered by Tropical Storm Grace, which drenched the Caribbean nation two days after the devastating earthquake, which triggered flash floods and mudslides. The back-to-back natural disasters came as Haiti grapples with a political crisis following the assassination of their president, Jovenel Moïse.
Some of the best party guests are those who weren’t invited…like Jamie Foxx, who crashed a woman’s bachelorette over the weekend.
The New York Post reports that Foxx walked into the Miami club Kiki on the River and decided to surprise the soon-to-be-bride.
“When Jamie took a walk inside, he stumbled upon a bachelorette party all decked in sailor hats,” a witness told the newspaper. “At first, they didn’t recognize him because he was wearing a mask, but then it clicked and they were shocked.”
Foxx, who was at the joint to celebrate a friend’s birthday, reportedly took selfies with the women at the party. The New York Post obtained a photo of the actor taking a group selfie with the ladies.
The Soul star enjoyed himself at his friend’s party, with a witness saying he ordered 20 bottles of Dom Pérignon, a brand of vintage Champagne that costs over $100 per bottle, as well as oysters, grilled chicken and fish, and Greek salads.
Foxx capped off the night by jumping behind the DJ booth and belting out Alicia Keys and Jay-Z‘s “Empire State of Mind.”
(LONDON) — At one minute before midnight local time on Aug. 31, the last U.S. servicemember was withdrawn from Afghanistan. It marked the end to almost two decades of war and a frantic and heavily criticized evacuation effort prompted by the Taliban rapidly recapturing the country.
The effort, marred by a deadly terror attack, brought 123,000 people, including 5,500 U.S. citizens out of the country since the middle of August in what American officials have described as one of the largest, most complex evacuations in history.
But other countries played a role in getting large numbers of people out of Afghanistan, including those in the region, Europe and Asia. Their flights evacuated tens of thousands, including some U.S. citizens, according to officials and reports, even as thousands more who were hoping to leave the country were left behind — risking a refugee crisis in the region and beyond amid deep humanitarian need.
Here is a look at some of those efforts:
The U.S. did not work alone in overseeing the mass evacuation. As of Aug. 30, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates said they had facilitated the evacuation of 40,000 and 36,500 respectively, with a massive security operation that other countries were able to tap into.
Among those evacuated were citizens and allies of NATO members, as well as other countries who had citizens in Afghanistan, with the Aug. 31 deadline looming and the Taliban indicating that any extension to U.S. troop presence in the country would be considered a “red line.” An estimated 17,000 were flown out as part of the British evacuation effort, codenamed Operation Pitting, from the beginning of the Taliban offensive to Aug. 31. Some 5,000 of those were British nationals, the U.K. Ministry of Defense told ABC News.
Between 100 and 200 U.K. nationals are estimated to have been left behind, and on Wednesday a spokesperson for the prime minister’s office confirmed to ABC News that an envoy had been dispatched to Qatar to speak with Taliban officials about the safe passage of those still in the country, even as the Taliban are now in control of the airport.
On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the country had evacuated 2,834 people from Afghanistan. The military estimate that a “few dozen” French nationals were left behind.
Germany successfully evacuated 5,300 people including more than 530 German nationals and approximately 4,400 Afghans, according to the foreign ministry and Italy’s foreign minister said the country has taken on the largest number of Afghan evacuees in the European Union, with close to 5,000 Afghan citizens arriving in the country, according to Agence France-Presse.
In Eastern Europe, hundreds of Afghans have arrived in Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, many of whom are being housed temporarily at U.S. request and expected to travel on to America, according to local media reports. Russia evacuated some its own citizens, as well as those of its former Soviet allies from Afghanistan last week, according to Russia’s defense minister.
Japan evacuated one national and 15 Afghans, but around 500 people who sought evacuation were left behind after the suicide bombing at Kabul airport led to a reluctance to continue, according to Kyodo News.
In addition to the air evacuations, many Afghans have sought asylum across Afghanistan’s land borders, particularly as the airport became increasingly difficult to get to. Tens of thousands of people have crossed at two major border crossings – Spin Boldak in the south and Torkham in the north. The border, however, is closed to refugees, local officials have said.
Prior to the Taliban offensive, Iran officially had a population of 780,000 Afghan refugees, although it is estimated that a further 2 million may be living in the country without documentation, according to the UNHCR.
However the government, after initially indicating it may be receptive to the idea of accepting new Afghan refugees, has now adopted a policy of not letting Afghans in through one of the country’s main land borders, Iranian state-affiliated media reports.
Bordering Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are both dealing with an influx on Afghans, though so the numbers are estimated in the low thousands. They are reportedly expected to be flown onward to third countries.
The evacuation efforts are unlikely to be the last the world sees in terms of the mass movement of people from the country. Last week the U.N. estimated around 500,000 new refugees in the region seeking to leave the country as a “worst case scenario.” The EU is reportedly drafting a package of more than $700 million worth of aid to Afghanistan’s neighbors amid fears of a repeat of the migrant crisis following the Syrian civil war, according to the Financial Times.
And even with the U.S. led evacuation efforts wrapped up, there is growing pressure from the international community for the Taliban to continue to allow Afghans to leave the country, with many foreign nationals as well as tens of thousands of Afghans who helped during the U.S.’s longest war facing an unknown fate under the new regime.
Billy Porter is ecstatic he was able to become the character that he needed to exist when he was younger, and credits Cinderella for making that magic happen.
Speaking to ABC Audio, Porter gushed about playing the Fairy Godmother — since renamed to Fab G — in the Amazon Prime Video film, adding that it allowed him to become closer to his idol, Whitney Houston.
“As a black, queer man on this planet growing up in the 70s and 80s, there wasn’t anything to really identify with. The thing I identified with the most was Whitney Houston,” the Pose star explained. “By the time I was a teenager, I wanted to be the male Whitney Houston.”
Houston famously played the Fairy Godmother in the 1997 TV musical Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
“Imagine getting this part all these years later… I’m playing the Whitney Houston part!” Porter exclaimed, “I could die and go to heaven today.”
As for becoming a character he needed to see on television when he was younger, Porter, who turns 52 this month, is thankful that he is able to let queer, Black boys see themselves represented on screen. He also admitted that he was unable to become that person when he first started in Hollywood, telling ABC Audio, “I was trying to fit in the masculinity box, so that I could eat, right? There was never a possibility for anything that looked like this [movie.]”
Continued the Emmy winner, “As far as Cinderella is concerned? That looks like me! As far as Billy Porter in the world and the way that I resonate right now, it didn’t exist [before.]”
Cinderella, also starring Camila Cabello, Idina Menzel and Pierce Brosnan, premieres on Amazon Prime Video this Friday.
