Sir Elton John says he has been left with “only limited vision” in one eye after a “severe” infection.

The 77-year-old music legend said he was healing from the infection, but that his recovery would take time.

“Over the summer, I’ve been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye,” he wrote on Instagram.

“I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.”

He added that he was “so grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family, who have taken such good care of me”.

Many stars have been sending their best wishes.

Designer Donatella Versace commented: “Sending you so much love Elton! Feel better soon. Love you.”

Tennis legend Billie Jean King said: “Sending our love and support your way. Feel better soon, friend.”

Sir Elton, known for hits including Your Song, Rocket Man and I’m Still Standing, has sold more than 300 million records.

Last year, he played the last UK show of his farewell tour to an estimated 120,000 people at Glastonbury.

(BBC News)

Swedish pop group ABBA has complained after their hits like The Winner Takes it All were played at one of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign rallies.

The group’s songs and videos, also including Money, Money, Money and Dancing Queen, were also played at the event in Minnesota in July, according to Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

In a statement to the Reuters news agency, the band’s record label Universal Music said: “Together with the members of Abba, we have discovered that videos have been released where Abba’s music has been used at Trump events, and we have therefore requested that such use be immediately removed and taken down.”

The label said no permission or licence had been granted to Mr Trump’s campaign.

Abba are the latest in a long list of artists or their estates who have objected to Mr Trump using their music to promote his presidential campaign.

This week, Foo Fighters took to social media to say they hadn’t granted permission for My Hero to be used at a Trump rally. The Trump campaign said they had permission to use the song, according to The Independent.

A spokesperson for the band told the publication that any royalties received from the Trump campaign using the song would be donated to Kamala Harris’s campaign.

Last month, Celine Dion’s team condemned the “unauthorised” use of a clip of My Heart Will Go On, and the family of late soul singer Isaac Hayes ordered Mr Trump to stop playing Hold On, I’m Coming and demanded $3m (£2.4m) in licensing fees.

In March, the estate of Sinéad O’Connor demanded he stop playing Nothing Compares 2 U, saying she would have been “disgusted, hurt, and insulted”.

Previously, Adele, REM and the Rolling Stones are among the big names who have demanded he doesn’t use their songs.

However, musicians have only had limited success in stopping politicians from using their music.

In the US, campaigns are required to obtain a Political Entities Licence from music rights body BMI, which gives them access to more than 20 million tracks for use in their rallies.

Artists and publishers can ask for their music to be withdrawn from the list, but it seems that organisers rarely check the database to ensure they have clearance.

(BBC News)

Paramount has released the first trailer for “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” which introduces one of the blue speedster’s most iconic foes, the evil Shadow the Hedgehog — who’s voiced by Keanu Reeves. The “Sonic” threequel will premiere in theaters on Dec. 20.
The third film — which was greenlit prior to the release of 2022’s second installment — will explore new areas of the video game universe created by Sega. Though plot details have been kept under wraps, the post-credits scene of “Sonic 2” teased the inclusion of Shadow.

Alongside Ben Schwartz as Sonic, the live-action cast from the previous two movies — comprised of Jim Carrey as the villianous Dr. Robotnik, James Marsden as Tom Wachowski, Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski and Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone — will reprise their roles. Additionally, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, who voices Miles “Tails” Prower, and Idris Elba, who voices Knuckles the Echidna, are also back.

Elba recently starred in Paramount+’s live-action spinoff series “Knuckles,” which followed the titular character as he adjusts to life on Earth after being introduced in “Sonic 2.” The show also starred Adam Pally as sheriff Wade Whipple from the first two “Sonic” movies and featured cameos from Schwartz and O’Shaughnessey as Sonic and Tails. In the miniseries, Knuckles “agrees to train Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.” The events of the series took place between “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.”

“Sonic the Hedgehog” premiered in theaters in February 2020, and its sequel was released in April 2022. Both films earned over $724 million combined at the global box office. Jeff Fowler, who directed the first two films, returns for the third.

Watch the full trailer below.

(variety.com)