(NEW YORK) — Billionaire Sir Richard Branson is set to launch to the edge of space Sunday in the first fully crewed flight from his private space tourism firm Virgin Galactic.
Branson, 70, will serve as a mission specialist on what is being called the Unity 22 mission, the fourth crewed spaceflight for Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity spacecraft. Unity is launched from a separate “mothership” aircraft called VMS Eve that takes off from a conventional runway before releasing the spaceship at an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet.
The launch will take place from New Mexico’s Spaceport America, and live coverage will commence at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday on Virgin Galactic’s website and social media pages.
The crew consists of fellow Virgin Galactic staff: Beth Moses, chief astronaut instructor; Colin Bennet, lead operations engineer; and Sirisha Bandla, vice president of government affairs and research operations.
Pilots Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci will fly the spaceship, with C.J. Sturckow and Kelly Latimer flying the aircraft from which the spaceship will dispatch.
Branson’s role is to evaluate the private astronaut experience to prepare for future customers, which Virgin Galactic expects to do beginning in 2022.
Virgin Galactic has taken heat from critics, including the Twitter account of competitor Blue Origin, for stretching the definition of “space” as its flights do not go above the Karman line (62 miles above Earth) that is defined by many — but not all — as the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space.
“I truly believe that space belongs to all of us,” Branson said in a statement earlier this month announcing his spaceflight. “After 17 years of research, engineering and innovation, the new commercial space industry is poised to open the universe to humankind and change the world for good.”
Branson’s spaceflight comes just nine days ahead of when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said he will launch into space via his own firm, Blue Origin.
(HOUSTON) — The suspect behind an apparent murder-suicide at the Downtown Aquarium in Houston has been identified as a man with a criminal history.
The shooting at Downtown Aquarium unfolded when suspect Danny Garcia Cazares, 39, walked toward Gabriel Alexander Moriones Vargas, 28 and his wife, 24, as they were eating dinner in the bar area, and opened fire around 8:10 p.m. Thursday, Houston police said.
Vargas was fatally shot and died on the scene. His wife was wounded, suffering at least one gunshot wound to the leg. She remains in stable condition at an area hospital, police said in an update Friday.
The couple was visiting Houston from New York, according to Houston ABC station KTRK.
After shooting the couple, Cazares turned the gun on himself and was pronounced deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
“This is a tragic, isolated incident, with no relationship between the victims and the suspect,” police said.
He had a previous criminal history, which includes arrests for felon in possession of a weapon and had a history of mental illness, Houston police officials said.
At the time of the shooting, Cazares was out on bond on three charges. They were: felon in possession of a weapon and criminal mischief, which he was charged with in April, and criminal trespassing, which he was charged with in October, according to court records.
(NEW YORK) — Some 32 million people are under heat alerts as the West experiences another record-breaking heat wave during elevated drought and fire conditions.
Heat alerts are in effect from California to Montana, with excessive heat warnings for cities including Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Sacramento, California.
Temperatures could reach as high as 130 degrees in Death Valley, California, on Saturday and Sunday, after hitting a high of 130 degrees on Friday, based on preliminary data. If Death Valley officially reaches that temperature again on Saturday, that could tie its record for most consecutive days at or above 130 degrees.
Las Vegas is forecast to be in the triple digits for the next three days, with a high of 117 degrees on Saturday. The National Weather Service office in Las Vegas predicted that some areas “may see all-time record highs challenged or exceeded” this weekend.
Salt Lake City could see triple-digit temperatures Sunday and Monday, after a forecasted high of 99 degrees on Saturday.
Sacramento is expected to reach 111 degrees Saturday, after hitting a daily high-temperature record of 109 on Friday. The National Weather Service office in Sacramento warned that the “dangerously hot temperatures” will “increase the threat for heat-related illnesses,” and advised that people stay hydrated and limit outdoor activities.
The scorching temperatures come after millions in the West endured extreme heat during a deadly heat wave late last month, and as much of the West also is battling a severe drought and elevated wildfire risk.
In California, nearly 95% of the state is in severe drought, according to the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor. This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded the state’s drought emergency, which now includes 50 out of 58 counties. The governor also asked everyone in the state to voluntarily reduce water usage by 15%.
Several states currently are under fire danger, with red flag warnings in effect for parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and Utah due to the combination of low humidities, warm temperatures and strong winds.
Dozens of large wildfires continue to burn in the West, including the Beckwourth Complex near the California-Nevada border. The fire grew explosively Friday, prompting evacuations. By Saturday afternoon, it had burned 55,091 acres and was only 9% contained.
(LONDON) — Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty defeated 7th-ranked Karolina Pliskova through three sets to capture her first Wimbledon title and her third overall Grand Slam win.
It was the first Wimbledon ladies’ final to go three sets since 2012. Barty won the match 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.
Barty jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first set, before Pliskova was able to hold serve and make it 5-3. Barty closed out the set on her serve, winning it 6-3.
The second set was more evenly contested, with Pliskova battling back to force a tie breaker, breaking Barty to make it 6-6. Pliskova won the tiebreaker 7-4 to win the set.
The third set mirrored the first, with Barty winning 3 straight games before Pliskova was able to hold. The Australian closed out the set on her serve to win the match.
Barty became the first Australian woman to win the singles tournament at the All England Club since Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
Barty previously won the French Open as a singles player and the US Open in doubles with American CoCo Vandeweghe.
Pliskova is still seeking her first Grand Slam win, having lost in this final as well as the 2016 US Open final.
(NEW YORK) — Eleven people armed with long guns and dressed in tactical gear who claimed to be a part of group called “Rise of the Moors” were arrested following an hours-long standoff with Massachusetts police over the weekend.
Police said they found heavily armed men in two vehicles near Interstate 95 around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. A nine-hour standoff ensued before all 11 were arrested. No one was harmed in the incident.
The men arrested range in age from 17 to 40 and hailed from Rhode Island, New York and Michigan. Two of the men refused to identify themselves and a third is a 17-year-old whose name will not be released because he’s a minor, police said.
Police say the arrested are: Jamhal Tavon Sanders Latimer, 29, of Providence, Rhode Island; Robert Rodriguez, 21, of the Bronx, New York; Wilfredo Hernandez, 21, of the Bronx; Alban El Curraugh, 27, of the Bronx; Aaron Lamont Johnson, 29, of Detroit; Quinn Cumberlander, 40, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Lamar Dow, 34, of the Bronx; and Conrad Pierre, 29, of Baldwin, New York.
Massachusetts State Police Col. Christopher Mason said the men identified themselves as part of a group called Rise of the Moors and said they were traveling from Rhode Island to Maine for “training.” It was unclear what that training involved.
According to the group’s webite, Rise of the Moors is a group of “Moorish Americans dedicated to educating new Moors and influencing our Elders.”
The group is headquartered in Rhode Island, according to its website. The group did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
The website says that Moors are not “sovereign citizens,” but argues that Moors are the “original sovereigns” of America and are therefore immune from U.S. law.
Freddy Cruz, a research analyst at Southern Poverty Law Center who tracks anti-government groups, said Rise of the Moors is classified as a sovereign citizen, antigovernment group.
He said the group draws much of their beliefs and inspirations from ancient civilizations including ties to the Aztecs, the Olmecs and other native peoples.
“They tend to reference all these past civilizations with the idea that they’re somehow entitled to, or there’s somehow a lineage there, that affords them the right to essentially disassociate themselves from the U.S. government,” Cruz said.
Because they refuse to abide by American law, group members can end up in tense situations with police, Cruz said.
“So a lot of these groups don’t tend to register their firearms, they don’t register their vehicles, that tends to be a recipe for disaster, especially if law enforcement is involved, because they tend to essentially become quite standoffish,” he said.
In the Massachusetts incident, police said they had asked the men for drivers licenses and gun licenses, but the men said they didn’t have any.
The Moorish sovereign citizen movement emerged in the early 1990s as an offshoot of the anti-government sovereign citizens movement, and more specifically, the Moorish Science Temple of America, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center..
The Moorish Science Temple of America was created in 1913, but not all MSTA are linked to sovereign citizens, according to the SPLC.
According to the Moorish Science Temple of America’s website, the temple is a “divine and national movement” that teaches about Moorish identity, which under their definition, means Black Americans. They practice Islam and denounce the sovereign citizens movement and identify as U.S. citizens.
ABC News has reached out to the Moorish Science Temple of American for comment.
Some Moorish sovereigns believe that a 1787 treaty between the U.S. and Morocco — a claim that SPLC says is “fictitious” — grants them immunity from U.S. law, the center reported. Some groups create their own birth certificates, passports, driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations, according to SPLC.
This perceived immunity from local authority is used to justify refusing to pay taxes, buy car insurance, register vehicles, and “defraud banks”, the center reported. The movement has no unified leadership and consists of small groups, most of which operate in the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest U.S., according to the SPLC.
Despite experts classifying the group as sovereign citizens and anti-government, Col. Mason said that the “self-professed leader” of the group of 11 men arrested “wanted it very much known that their ideology is not anti-government.” He noted he can’t confirm that they are “validated members” of the group.
SPLC officially listed Rise of the Moors as an anti-government organization in 2020. Cruz said the center has counted so far six organizations that are classified as Moorish sovereign anti-government groups across the country.
Ken Gray, a retired FBI special agent and professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven, told ABC News that sovereign citizens “tend to be more of a law enforcement nuisance than they seem to be a violent group.”
“They seem to be much more involved in tying people up in legal problems, making false claims on property, not paying taxes,” he said.
“This group here said that they were going up to conduct training and they were outfitted in camouflage clothing, carrying body armor, and had long guns with them. But that does not necessarily mean that they were planning to do something violent, it could very well be that they were training like that for defensive purposes,” he added.
Cruz said the SPLC has reported seeing the Rise of the Moors group participate in paramilitary training before, but the location of the training is unknown. He said it’s uncommon to see sovereign citizen groups participate in such training.
He warned the public to be wary of such groups, saying sovereign communities, “tend to prey on people who have fallen on hard times, and are not necessarily aware of what it means to be part of a sovereign nation.”
“With the Moorish groups especially, they try and tailor their message to bring in Black and brown folks with the idea that their sovereign nation will provide opportunities and a more equitable society for folks,” Cruz said. “A lot of times people get caught up in that and don’t realize that essentially what they’re espousing is illegal. You can’t just grab a car and drive it wherever you want. You can’t just squat in homes and make them your own. You can’t just carry around firearms and not have them registered.”
All 11 men arrested in Wakefield have been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, use of body armor in commission of a crime, possession of a high capacity magazine, improper storage of firearms in a vehicle and conspiracy to commit a crime, police said. Hernandez, Johnson, Dow and the unnamed teen are also being charged with providing a false name to police, authorities said.
The teenager was released to parental custody while the 10 adults are being held at the Billerica House of Correction on $100,000 cash bail, authorities said.
On Tuesday, in Malden District Court, most of the men rejected the charges against them and most said they’d represent themselves. The court entered not guilty pleas on their behalf, according to MassLive.
ABC News could not immediately contact any lawyers for the men. Further hearings will take place Friday.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Friday’s sports events:
INTERLEAGUE
Final Boston 11 Philadelphia 5
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Cleveland 2 Kansas City 1
Final Chicago White Sox 12 Baltimore 1
Final Tampa Bay 7 Toronto 1
Final Minnesota 4 Detroit 2
Final Texas 3 Oakland 2
Final N.Y. Yankees 4 Houston 0
Final Seattle 7 L.A. Angels 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Chicago Cubs 10 St. Louis 5
Final Atlanta 5 Miami 0
Final N.Y. Mets 13 Pittsburgh 4
Final Cincinnati 2 Milwaukee 0
Final San Francisco 5 Washington 3
Final San Diego 4 Colorado 2
Final Arizona 5 L.A. Dodgers 2
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Indiana 82 New York 69
Final Connecticut 84 Atlanta 72
Final Phoenix 85 Seattle 77
Final Minnesota 77 Las Vegas 67
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Final tie Columbus 2 Cincinnati 2
(LONDON) — As the coronavirus pandemic rages on in some parts of the world, the upcoming Summer Olympic Games are set to be unlike any others.
The 2020 Summer Olympics were supposed to kick off in Japan’s capital last year on July 24. But the games were postponed due to COVID-19 and are now scheduled to take place from July 23 to Aug. 8. The Summer Paralympics will follow, beginning Aug. 24 and ending Sept. 5.
Over the past few months, organizers have unveiled a series of “playbooks” with new rules and guidelines for how they plan to hold safe and successful games in Tokyo this summer amid the pandemic. The playbooks warn that failure to comply with these rules — such as refusing to get tested for COVID-19 or intentionally disrespecting mask wearing or physical distancing measures — may result in disciplinary consequences. The Japanese government has also announced some restrictions that apply to those partaking in the Tokyo Olympics.
Here’s a look at some of the COVID-19 measures in place for the games.
Testing and screening
All games participants — from athletes to fans — will be required to take two COVID-19 tests on two separate days within 96 hours of their flight to Japan. Both tests must use one of the methods approved by Japanese health authorities, and at least one of the two tests have to be taken within 72 hours of departure.
Individuals must obtain negative COVID-19 test results certificates to bring with them to Japan and be prepared to show them before boarding their flight. If a test is positive or individuals experience any symptoms of COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to their trip, they have to immediately self-isolate in line with local rules.
Upon arrival in Japan, individuals must take a quantitative saliva antigen COVID-19 test at the airport. Those who test positive must isolate or receive medical treatment in a hospital in accordance with the instructions of the Japanese health authorities.
Athletes and officials who test positive at the airport will be taken by dedicated transport to the COVID-19 clinic at the Olympic and Paralympic Village for a confirmatory nasopharyngeal PCR test. If that test is also positive, they must isolate or receive medical treatment in a hospital, in accordance with the instructions of the Japanese health authorities.
Meanwhile, games participants who live in Japan must continue to follow the local COVID-19 countermeasures already in place. They have to take a COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to arriving at the Olympic and Paralympic Village or participating in the games events, including official training.
During the games, athletes and all those in close proximity will have to undergo daily testing. All other participants will be tested daily for a period of three days after their arrival in Japan. Residents of Japan, as well as those from overseas who have been in the country for more than 14 days, may be asked to take a COVID-19 test before their role at the games begins.
Individuals will also have their temperatures checked every time they enter the Olympic and Paralympic Village or a games venue. Those who have COVID-19 symptoms or recently tested positive for the virus will be refused entry.
In addition to undertaking all such countermeasures, games participants who are traveling from a country identified by the Japanese government as presenting a higher level of COVID-19 risk must follow an additional set of rules before their arrival and during their stay in Japan. The list of such countries is divided into two groups, which are determined by the Japanese government and are subject to change.
Athletes, officials and other stakeholders, including journalists, who are traveling from countries listed in group No. 1 must be tested for COVID-19 every day for seven days prior to their flight to Japan and keep their physical interaction with others to an absolute minimum. Those coming from countries listed in group No. 2 must be tested every day for three days prior to their departure and keep their physical interaction with others to an absolute minimum.
Upon arrival in Japan, athletes and officials from countries in both groups will be tested every day, as is the case for all athletes and officials, and they will not be allowed to physically interact with anyone from another team, delegation or country for the next three days.
Other stakeholders coming from countries listed in group No. 1 will be tested every day for seven days after their arrival in Japan. Those from countries listed in group No. 2 will be tested for the first three days after arrival. Their testing regime thereafter will be defined based on the nature of their role. Stakeholders from countries in both groups will not be allowed to physically interact with anyone from another delegation or country for three days after arrival.
Quarantining
All games participants who are not living in Japan must quarantine at their accommodation upon arrival for the next three days.
During that period, individuals — except for those who traveled from countries listed in group No. 1 and 2 — will be permitted to perform essential games-related activities if they test negative for COVID-19 every day.
Vaccination
Although organizers encourage everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the playbooks state that immunization will not be a requirement to participate in the games.
All of the rules and guidelines outlined in the playbooks will apply regardless of whether someone has received the vaccine.
Spectators
All spectators — domestic and foreign — have been banned from Olympic venues in Tokyo during the games, in an effort to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, said it was a difficult decision but that they had “no other choice.”
The move followed an announcement from Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who declared another state of emergency in Tokyo due to rising COVID-19 cases. The declaration takes effect July 12 and lasts through Aug. 22, meaning the Olympics will be held entirely under emergency measures.
A decision on spectators at venues in areas where emergency measures are not in force will be determined by the local government authorities. Fans have already been banned from lining the route of the Olympic marathon and race walk events, the location of which was moved hundreds of miles away from Tokyo to Hokkaido prefecture.
Meanwhile, a decision on spectators at Paralympic venues will be made when the Olympic Games end.
Where fans are allowed, the playbooks state that they will be barred from cheering, shouting, singing or whistling while watching competitions in order to prevent transmission through exposure to respiratory droplets. They also must maintain as much distance as possible from others to avoid physical contact.
Face masks, hand washing and social distancing
All games participants must wear a face mask at all times, except when eating, drinking, training, competing or sleeping. They are also urged to wash and sanitize their hands regularly, disinfect surfaces, minimize social interaction with others and avoid enclosed spaces and crowds where possible.
Individuals must maintain a 2-meter distance from athletes and at least 1 meter from others at all times, including in operational spaces. They should avoid unnecessary forms of physical contact, including hugs, high-fives and handshakes, and should spend time only with the people identified as their regular contacts.
Individuals should also eat their meals alone or while keeping 2 meters away from others, unless instructed otherwise.
Public transport
All games participants — except for those living in Japan — are banned from using public transport for the first 14 days of their stay in the country, unless it is the only option to reach certain locations, such as a venue in a remote city. They must otherwise use dedicated games vehicles or the Transport by Chartered Taxi service when traveling to permitted destinations.
Residents of Japan have to adhere to counter-measures when using public transport.
All participants must only leave their accommodation to go to official games venues and limited additional locations that are outlined in their respective “activity plan.”
ABC News’ Rachel Katz, Drew Millhon and Anthony Trotter contributed to this report.
(AUSTIN, Texas) — The Texas legislature began an overtime special session this week to address a slate of priority issues outlined by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, including a renewed effort to address “election integrity.” On Saturday, both chambers will hold overlapping hearings with testimony regarding new bills from the House and Senate that seek to overhaul the state’s voting and election practices.
Previously, legislation addressing the Republican-backed issue failed to meet a critical deadline in May when House Democrats staged a walkout to break quorum and prevented a final vote on the sweeping election bill, Senate Bill 7. Going into the 30-day special session, Democrats did not rule out the possibility of another walkout to block new restrictions on voting.
During a press conference Thursday, Texas state Rep. Armando Walle said “every option is on the table” for Democrats to mobilize against the GOP-backed special session agenda, which includes a host of items that echo emerging national culture wars. Walle added that his fellow party members are “going to use every parliamentary means to stop these bills,” but did not follow up with examples of any potential actions.
Democrats are also decrying the Republican policy push of “election integrity” as a political maneuver that creates a solution when they say there is no existing problem.
Seventeen states had enacted 28 new laws that restrict access to the vote, as of June 21, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
During an interview with conservative radio host Rick Roberts following the beginning of the special session on Thursday, Abbott defended the agenda item as a crucial part of a functioning government.
“Without having integrity in our elections, none of the other stuff in the democratic process really matters,” Abbott said.
The language included in each of the new bills — House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 1 — is likely to change as the proposals advance through the legislative process, but the objectives laid out in both pieces of legislation largely echo the contentious restrictions first introduced in S.B. 7.
“H.B. 3 is just like S.B. 7 — it’s based on a lie. It’s based on a lie that there’s rampant fraud in our elections, and on the ‘big lie’ that Donald Trump actually won the last election. All across the country, you see Republicans clamoring to pass these anti-voter bills, so they can curry favor with Donald Trump and his supporters,” state Rep. Chris Turner, who also chairs the Texas House Democratic Caucus, said Thursday.
Like their predecessors, both H.B. 3 and S.B. 1 include several elements that voting rights activists oppose. Among them are provisions that appear to be aimed at practices utilized by Democrat-leaning Harris County during the 2020 election. Both bills ban 24-hour voting availability, which offered greater ballot access to Houston-area shift workers when implemented in the fall. Each of the proposals also aims to end drive-thru voting, another popular voting method in the diverse county.
According to S.B. 1, “a polling place may not be located in a tent or similar temporary moveable structure or in a facility primarily designed for motor vehicles.” Meanwhile, H.B. 3 states that polling places “shall be located inside a building. No voter may cast a vote from inside a motor vehicle,” unless the voter has physical disabilities that warrant special accommodations.
Another contentious carryover element from S.B. 7 included in the new legislative proposals is granting expanded access to partisan poll watchers. Voting rights advocates previously blasted the concept and said the provisions could allow poll watchers to intimidate voters, especially those who are people of color.
Although the current language in S.B. 1 and H.B. 3 continues to grant poll watchers the ability to move freely around polling places, there appears to be an attempt by the bills’ authors to provide some oversight to their behavior.
“Before accepting a watcher, the officer presented with a watcher’s certificate of appointment shall require the watcher to take the following oath, administered by the officer: ‘I swear (or affirm) that I will not disrupt the voting process or harass voters in the discharge of my duties,'” S.B. 1 says.
The bill goes on to outline a provision that allows watchers to file complaints if they believe they were “unlawfully prevented or obstructed from the performance of the watcher’s duties.”
Meanwhile, H.B. 3 includes language Democrats backed in May that allows election officials to “call a law enforcement officer to request that a poll watcher be removed if the poll watcher commits a breach of the peace or a violation of law.”
Notably, neither version of the new bills include restrictions on Sunday voting hours, which voting activists previously saw as an attack on “Souls to the Polls” events in Black communities. The bills also do not include language from S.B. 7 that lowered the threshold of proof required to challenge and potentially overturn election results.
Courtesy of Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center
(FORT WORTH, Texas) — A hospital broke its record of high-volume stretches of births twice between June 24 to June 28, delivering 107 babies in a total of 91 hours.
The “baby boom” was not entirely an anomaly for Andrews Women’s Hospital at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center, as it is considered high-volume delivery hospital. However, this influx of births was higher than any the hospital had experienced in the past, surpassing the previous record of 48 births in 41 hours.
Staff at the hospital speculate that this record, which Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center called “rare and exceptional” in its press release, may have been influenced by the pandemic.
“Last spring, when we first went into quarantine, we were all speculating … that perhaps around December [or] January, we may see a boom, and it didn’t happen,” Michelle Stemley, a labor and delivery nurse at Andrews Women’s Hospital, told “Good Morning America.” “Our volumes stayed steady through the winter months, but they have hit now.”
So, Stemley said, she and her colleagues think people got more comfortable “expanding their families after things with the quarantine started to get to be the new normal.”
Stemley was “very busy” when working through the “baby boom,” although she enjoyed helping families bring new life into the world.
“The team was working very hard but we were having a lot of fun taking care of all of these families during these busy times,” Stemley said.
One of the ways in which the team adapted to the high volume deliveries was by rushing the process of transporting mothers post-delivery.
“Everybody has to pull together to make sure that we were able to get our moms moved through as quickly as possible so they would deliver, and, after they had their recovery period, we would get them out to their next room to their postpartum room right away so that we could open up another room in labor and delivery to get these patients in,” Stemley said.
OBGYN Dr. Jay Herd had a different experience. In fact, he didn’t even notice a heightened number of births until they counted the numbers, because the Women’s Hospital is a “busy, busy unit,” he said.
“And my patients didn’t notice that much difference in their delivery,” Herd added.
He believes the boom is not an isolated incident. Instead, he foresees that due to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, birth rates will continue to rise.
“I don’t think it’s going away,” Herd said. “Seven or eight months from now, we’re going to see lots of … population growth.”
Funk/R&B legends Kool & the Gang will release Perfect Union, their first new studio album of original music in more than a decade, on August 20.
The 10-track collection was produced by the group’s late co-founder, Ronald Khalis Bell, who died in September of 2020 at age 68. The album, which can be pre-ordered now, will be available on CD and digital formats.
Perfect Union begins and ends with two different versions of a song titled “Pursuit of Happiness.” The second version of the track, a rap version, has been released as the album’s first single.
Kool & the Gang leader Robert “Kool” Bell explains, “My brother, Khalis, wrote the single ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ around the time of Obama‘s second campaign for President. That was such an inspirational time and the hook and music just bolted out of him. That time period was a pretty creative period for him and all of us.”
Adds Kool, “Now that he has passed, that [album title], Perfect Union makes even more sense to me. It’s about us. He used to say we were the ‘koolective’ genius of a band called Kool & the Gang. We came together as kids and it’s been a perfect union. He knew that.”
An animated music video for the track premiered this week at RollingStone.com, and you also can watch the clip on YouTube. It follows a robot, apparently living on a post-apocalyptic Earth, who creates a pair of goggles that allow other robots to see the planet as it once was. Together, they’re inspired to help make the Earth thrive again.
Here’s the full track list for Perfect Union:
“Pursuit of Happiness”
“The Weekend”
“Leave It on the Dance Floor”
“High”
“Sexy (Where’d You Get Yours)”
“All to Myself”
“R.O.Y.A.L.T.Y.” (Kool & The Gang Mix)
“Hold On”
“Good Time”
“Pursuit of Happiness” (Rap Version)
