disease

The Odyssey actor said he loved the ‘creamy shredded chicken dish’ for its taste and ‘sentimental reasons’

Tom Holland’s been doing the rounds promoting Spider-Man and The Odyssey this month, and during an appearance on the podcast Dish, he shared a classic 60s dinner that holds a special place in his heart – and it could boast a number of health benefits.

Holland, who plays Telemachus in Christopher Nolan’s film, recorded the episode with hosts Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett the day after England played against Mexico in the World Cup. Starring alongside his wife in the film, Zendaya, who plays Athena, he raved about a dish called Chicken Véronique.

And according to WebMD, one of its ingredients, chicken, could help with weight management and, as a result, reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. The health experts explain: “Research suggests that 25-30 grams of protein per meal can help us feel more full.

“Protein-rich meals can make us feel fuller despite us eating less, which helps to promote better weight management. Healthier weight leads to improvements in risk factors for heart problems, such as high triglyceride levels and high blood pressure.

“A food rich in protein, chicken can help with weight management and reduce the risk of heart disease.”

The health experts also note that chicken is a lean protein that provides the amino acids our bodies need to build and maintain muscle, which becomes more important as we age. A higher-protein diet can also help support bone density.

Because of this, eating chicken can help keep muscles strong and bones healthier. This can lower the risk of injuries and conditions like osteoporosis.

So the chicken in Tom Holland’s dish could actually provide some benefits to our health. But as with everything, always make sure you are having a healthy and balanced diet, as while a dish may include a healthy ingredient or two, it doesn’t always make the dish itself healthy.

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During the podcast, Holland’s younger brother, Sam, who is a chef, shared a pre-recorded video, explaining that their mum and Granny Tess “cooked Chicken Véronique and an apple crumble on a beach in Thailand for the cast and crew of Impossible”.

Now, 15 years later, and it’s “our favourite family meal” especially after Tom has a “long stint away” filming, Sam said, calling it a dish he loves for many “sentimental reasons.”

Tom shared the same memories, re-calling: “We were making a movie in Thailand. It was my first ever film. It was a real family.

“The crew were such lovely people, and we would always go down to this beach called Memories Beach. Cast and crew would be down there every weekend – all weekend.

“We started cooking down there, we became friends with the people that ran the beach bar, and they would let us cook. The English guys would cook one week, and then the Italians would cook the next week.

“Naomi Watts was the star of that movie. So, my granny roasted two chickens in her oven at her house in Thailand. She then drove it through the jungle to this beach, because you had to kind of go down this dirt road for about 25 minutes.

“She made Chicken Véronique. It’s like a kind of creamy shredded chicken dish, but then you peel and roast the grapes. And then you shred the potatoes. It’s absolutely delicious.

“So now if I’ve ever been away and I come home to the family house for dinner, that’s always what we always have.”

Host and chef Angela Hartness replied: “Now you’ve mentioned it’s a really old, classic French dish. And one that you’d have had in the ’60s.”

While they did not cook the classic dish during the podcast, they did cook a dish Tom called a “treat” – spicy pork and pineapple skewers with Greek salad.

Spicy pork & pineapple skewers – full recipe

Ingredients

• 500g pack British diced pork shoulder
• ½ supersweet medium pineapple
• Vegetable oil, for griddling
• 1 satsuma, halved
• 2 salad onions, thinly sliced

For the marinade

• 1 satsuma, juice
• 2 clove/s garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Turkish Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Soak 8 wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them burning. In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and add a few cracks of black pepper. Add the pork (halve any large pieces) and stir to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight.
2. Peel, core, then cut the pineapple half into 24 chunks. Thread 3-4 pieces of pork and 3 pieces of pineapple alternately onto each skewer and discard any remaining marinade.
3. Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat, brush the pan lightly with oil, then cook half the skewers for 12-15 minutes, turning twice, until the pork is cooked through with no pink meat, juices that run clear, and is charred in places. Keep hot, while you cook the second batch.
4. Char the satsuma, cut-side down, on the hot pan. Serve the skewers scattered with the salad onions and the warm satsuma juice, squeezed over at the table. Perfect with a leafy salad on the side, if liked

Angela Hartnett serves this recipe with a village Greek salad. You can find check out the recipe for that and handy cooking tips and tricks on the Waitrose website here.

Carly Simon on Monday shared a lengthy and candid letter regarding the state of her health, which she said led to her recent withdrawal from the public eye.

The 83-year-old “You’re so Vain” singer and two-time Grammy winner in a statement shared with The Times revealed she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has dedicated time away from the spotlight to understand and learn how to live with the illness. Simon said she decided to come forward about her health issues after “so many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence.” She did not specify when she was diagnosed.

Parkinson’s disease, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a nervous system movement disorder that worsens with time and cannot be cured. Tremors are a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease, which also notably afflicts “Back to the Future” star Michael J. Fox.

Simon explained in her statement that she experienced arthritis in both of her knees and one hip prior to receiving her diagnosis. She had those three joints replaced — “out with the old and in with delicate bouquets of metal and plastic” — but experienced worsening mobility after, including difficulty walking and standing from couches and low chairs.

“Eventually, there were periods when I could not walk without considerable help,” she continued. “My family and I knew that something more was going on.”

She said she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s after a trip to the Mayo Clinic and underwent treatment and started taking medication to aid with her symptoms.

“There is no tidy predictable schedule to the illness,” she said.

Simon also wrote that her experience with Parkinson’s wrought “anxiety, depression, exhaustion, an apathy.” Of the last, Simon recalled lying like a starfish “while nothing inside is telling you to get up, read, watch, sing, call someone, or do much of anything at all.”

Simon revealed that in the same period, she underwent surgery to treat skin cancer, specifically basal cell carcinoma on her face. The singer’s two sisters died of different cancers days apart in 2022. She said she felt self-conscious about her appearance post-surgery and retreated further from the public. “This gave my inner critic quite a lot of new material,” she wrote.

The singer, who likened herself to an “all-season” hibernating bear, said “I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working” amid her health issues. She then promoted her upcoming album “Comes in Waves,” her first album of original music since 2008. “Comes in Waves” arrives Aug. 14. She is set to release the song “Peaches” from the album on Friday.

“Music has always known when to arrive,” she wrote. “It has rescued me more times that I can count.”

“Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape,” she said. “It gave me somewhere to go without having to leave the room. It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life.”

For Simon, her Parkinson’s battle has proved “difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening,” but not a complete obstacle to her life. She expressed gratitude to her friends, family, caregivers and medical teams for their support.

“These days I move more slowly, I lean on others more than I once did, and I have learned to accept that every day will look a little different,” she concluded. “But I am still very much here.”

CARLY Simon has announced her Parkinson’s disease and cancer diagnoses after her years-long absence from the public eye.

The 83-year-old singer opened up about her health battles in a statement on Monday.

“So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease,” the You’re So Vain hitmaker told People.

“It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly. Parkinson’s is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable,” she continued.

“Some days I’m so tired I can’t get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself.”

Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time, with tremors, stiffness, and balance issues being common symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Carly recalled when she first began experiencing symptoms after undergoing multiple surgeries.

“The problems began with arthritis in both knees and one hip. I eventually had all three joints replaced, out with the old and in with delicate bouquets of metal and plastic.

“After three replacement surgeries, I assumed my difficulty walking was simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process,” she said.

“But my mobility continued to worsen. I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm. Overstuffed furniture became my enemy.

“Once seated, I could feel as though I had been swallowed by the chair and might remain there permanently, like a guest who had badly overstayed her welcome.”

Carly added, “Eventually, there were periods when I could not walk without considerable help. My family and I knew that something more was going on. After an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”

She said she began treatment shortly after and has been managing the symptoms with medication.

Carly went on to share that at the same time, she was also battling basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, on her face.

“The cancer was removed, but the surgery affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public,” the music icon, who survived breast cancer after her diagnosis in 1997, admitted.

“I have always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine (check out the irony of having written “You’re So Vain.”), and this gave my inner critic quite a lot of new material.

“Between my mobility issues, the Parkinson’s diagnosis, the surgery, and the emotional effects of it all, withdrawing from public view was the most palatable reaction.

“If a person is allowed to hibernate during both winter and summer, then I have become an all-season bear.”

Despite the everyday challenges of both illnesses, Carly vows to keep moving forward and focus on her music.

The Nobody Does It Better singer even has a new album on the way, which will be her first original full-length album since 2008.

“But I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working.

“In the middle of all this, I began recording a new album, Comes in Waves. That still feels mysterious to me.”

She continued, “Music has always known when to arrive. It has rescued me more times that I can count. It is like a cat or dog that quietly appears beside you when it senses you are not quite yourself.”

“The album includes songs and fragments of songs that had been waiting for me, some for years.

“There were melodies, verses, and ideas written down and tucked away for some unknown future when I would have the time and attention to finish them.

“Apparently, that future is now,” Carly revealed.

She added that since her Parkinson’s diagnosis, she’s been “learning how to live with” the disease and is leaning on her family and friends for their support.

Carly also shared her gratitude for her fans, who influenced her decision to reveal her health issues after expressing concerns about her distance from the spotlight.

The musician has maintained her privacy in recent years, and hasn’t been seen in public since October 2019, when she visited SiriusXM Studios in New York City to promote her memoir, Touched by the Sun: My Friendship with Jackie.

She even skipped the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles in November 2022 after receiving the exclusive honor.

Sara Bareilles and Olivia Rodrigo honored the legendary songwriter with performances of her hits Nobody Does It Better and You’re So Vain at the ceremony.

The warning comes as many Brits to prepare to go on their summer holidays

Holidaymakers have been warned to protect themselves against mosquitoes as health officials published new data on infections imported into the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said diseases spread by mosquitoes, such as dengue fever and Zika virus, can be harmful for some people.

It urged travellers to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and trousers and sleep under a treated bed net if necessary. People should also get any jabs they need for travel and check whether they need malaria tablets.

Dengue fever can feel similar to flu and symptoms include high temperature, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain and feeling sick. Chikungunya symptoms include fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling and rash.

Most people with Zika suffer a mild illness, but it is serious in pregnant women and can cause stillbirth, miscarriage, problems with development and unusually small heads. Meanwhile, malaria can prove fatal, with symptoms including fever, vomiting and pain.

The UKHSA said eight Zika virus cases were reported from January to June 2026 – already above the seven cases recorded in 2025. Four of these were from Indonesia. Some 137 cases of imported dengue were reported in England from January to June this year, with South-East Asia and South Asia remaining the most common regions where people caught it. Some 27 cases were linked to travel to Thailand and 19 to the Maldives.

For comparison, the overall number of cases by the end of June last year was 161, though cases also tend to rise later in the year. A total of 59 chikungunya cases were reported from January to June this year, with Sri Lanka being the most commonly reported country of travel, accounting for 18 cases. There were 73 in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, 557 malaria cases were reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from January to May. Last year at the same point, there were 548. As well as mosquito-borne illnesses, there were 287 cases of typhoid and paratyphoid fever between January and June this year.

Typhoid and paratyphoid are caused by Salmonella bacteria, which is usually spread through contaminated food or water. Mosquitoes rely on standing water to lay their eggs. It then needs to be warm enough for the eggs to hatch, which can take just a few days if temperatures are high enough.

Dr Hilary Kirkbride, consultant epidemiologist and head of travel health at UKHSA, said: “Summer is a popular time to travel – don’t let illness spoil your holidays. Good preparation and planning is important for a safe and enjoyable trip.

“Check the TravelHealthPro website for the latest health advice for your destination, including which vaccines you may need and any important medications, such as anti-malarial tablets.

“To protect against mosquito-borne infections, use insect repellent, cover exposed skin and sleep under a treated bed net where needed. For enteric fever and other stomach bugs, make sure you take good food and water hygiene precautions.

“Even if you have visited a country before, you do not have the same level of natural protection against infections as permanent residents, so it is important to take precautions every time you travel.

“And if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, there are special precautions you should take, so please speak to a doctor, nurse or local travel clinic before planning your trip.”

Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “If you’re travelling somewhere that has mosquitoes, it’s worth checking that your repellent will actually do the job before you go.

“Which? tests found that while some repellents provided effective protection for almost 10 hours, some trendy alternatives failed to prevent bites for longer than a few minutes.

“Look for products containing active ingredients such as Deet, Icaridin (picaridin) or PMD, rather than relying on marketing claims alone.

“Insect repellent can help protect against mosquito bites, but it should be used alongside – never as a replacement for – any vaccinations or medications recommended by a healthcare professional.”

The heroic pilot who safely ditched a stricken airliner in a New York City river in 2009 has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger III, 75, shared the update on his personal website, writing that he was recently diagnosed and it is at an early stage.

“For now, this means a name may not come easily to me, I forget a story I have recently told, or I don’t sleep as well, but I am in the beginning of this long journey,” he wrote.

US Airways Flight 1549 came down in the Hudson River on 15 January 2009, after both its engines were disabled in a collision with a flock of geese shortly after take-off. All 155 people on board survived.

Sullenberger’s quick thinking and calm demeanour were credited with averting disaster.

The former US Air Force fighter pilot from California said in a post on his website on Tuesday that his Alzheimer’s diagnosis “has challenged what it means to be of service” and that he has found “the answer is to speak up” about the disease.

Regional health agency warns of increased risk of a disease outbreak after Venezuela’s twin earthquakes

Venezuela’s authorities say the death toll from twin earthquakes last month has risen to 3,889, as regional health agencies warn of an increased risk of disease.

Lawmaker Jorge Rodrigues said on Thursday at least 16,740 people had been injured and 17,907 displaced.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned that displaced people across Venezuela’s northern coast, the area most affected by the tremors, are at risk of disease because of limited access to clean water and regular medical care.

“In the coming weeks, the greatest health risks may stem not only from injuries caused by the earthquakes, but also from disruptions to health services, overcrowded conditions, deficiencies in water and sanitation and reduced access to vaccination and routine healthcare,” PAHO’s director Jarbas Barbosa said.

The agency is working with Venezuela’s health ⁠ministry to improve vaccine access and trace any outbreaks of respiratory or digestive illnesses, especially in shelters set up for those who lost their homes.

The United Nations launched an appeal for roughly $300 million to assist 1.3 million people in urgent need of aid in Venezuela.

PAHO urged immediate disbursement of the remaining $15 million in requested emergency aid to repair damaged hospitals and to maintain basic sanitation in camps for the displaced to prevent a health emergency.

“Lethal Weapon” star Danny Glover has revealed he has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for years.

In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt that aired on the “Today” show on Wednesday, the 79-year-old actor and activist opened up about living with the disease. According to People, he received his diagnosis in 2023, which was not long after he was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2022.

“I could live with it, in a sense,” Glover says of his condition, which has been affecting his movement, speech and memory. “I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing.”

A neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior and worsens over time, according to the Alzheimer’s Assn. Holt reports that more than 7 million Americans over 65 are living with Alzheimer’s, with Black men suffering at a rate double the national average.

Glover and his family say the Hollywood icon is sharing his story now to “have ownership of his life” and to help remove the stigma around the disease.

“They’ve got my back,” Glover says of his family’s support.

Besides his portrayal of L.A. police Det. Roger Murtaugh in the “Lethal Weapon” film series, Glover is known for roles in movies including “Places in the Heart” (1984), “The Color Purple” (1985), “To Sleep With Anger” (1990), “Angels in the Outfield” (1994), “Dreamgirls” (2006) and “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (2019). He’s also been a vocal advocate for social justice and humanitarian causes both in the U.S. and abroad.

He was the recipient of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2022.

“I don’t feel like it’s the end of my life,” he said in his interview with People about living with Alzheimer’s. “There’s work to do.”

THE Jam star Bruce Foxton has revealed he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

The iconic bassist, 70, took to Facebook this evening to share the news with fans just days after cancelling two shows at short notice due to illness.

In his statement, he revealed the diagnosis came to light after side effects from his cancer treatment were investigated.

He said: “It’s no secret that I’ve undergone treatment for cancer and am still having scans on a regular basis to keep an eye on that.

“However, what you don’t know is that the cancer treatment in itself caused some significant issues for me and investigations into all of that uncovered the fact that I’m now facing a future living with Parkinson’s Disease…and I’m determined to do that as well as I possibly can.

“As anyone coping with this diagnosis will know it’s a huge shock, and it’s taking a long time to let that sink in and for me to accept that my body and mind are dealing with something completely out of my control.

“I have to manage the challenges I now face physically and mentally on a daily basis, and some days are better than others.”

Fans sent the musician their well-wishes in the comments.

One wrote: “Sorry to hear about all your health problems you need to do what is best for you and your family moving forwards.”

Another said: “All the best Bruce, your health is far more important than anything else and I am so sorry that you are having more health struggles. Look after yourself and I hope you enjoy many more years of happiness.”

Bruce cancelled his show in Kidderminster on Friday and postponed the following night’s show in Lincoln after high temperatures aggravated a chest infection.

The former Stiff Little Fingers musician formed From The Jam in 2007 with The Jam drummer Rick Buckler and new frontman Russell Hastings.

Original The Jam frontman Paul Weller was initially critical of the band playing the old hits but his stance softened over the years as his friendship with Foxton strengthened.

The trio were prolific on the touring circuit, thrilling mod fans young and old with the legendary band’s iconic hits such as The Eton Rifles and Going Underground.

Bruce underwent immunotherapy after a cancerous lymph node was found in 2023 and, the following year, he had knee replacement surgery.

The health issues took their toll and fans noticed he appeared to be struggling during shows in 2025, which eventually led to him retiring from From The Jam.

However, he scaled down his schedule and now performs with his All-Star band.

Bruce wears custom hearing aids due to hearing loss from 40 years on stage. He also has lived with tinnitus for years.

Chris Johnson, the former NFL running back who holds the record for most yards from scrimmage in a single season, has the degenerative neurological disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Johnson shared the diagnosis during an interview with Michael Strahan that aired Monday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The 40-year-old father of four spoke in his own voice but didn’t use his mouth — instead, he used his eyes to trigger a device that generated sentences based on recordings Johnson made soon after he was diagnosed last year.

“It’s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined,” Johnson said of the disease. “I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body. Just over a year ago, I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter so she’d make a wish with her birthday cake. Today, I couldn’t do that.”

There is currently no known treatment that stops or reverses ALS, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and most people with disease die of respiratory failure within three to five years of noticing symptoms (although one in 10 survive a decade or more).

In addition to receiving the standard medication to help slow the disease’s progression, Johnson has been working with neurologist and leading ALS researcher Dr. Merit Cudkowicz. She told “Good Morning America” that Johnson has taken part in a clinical trial for a therapy “that decreases inflammation, and I think that helped him a lot.”

“At first, you’re in shock, then you realize you have two choices: You can give up, or you can fight,” Johnson said. “I chose to fight.”

Johnson’s wife Brittany told Strahan: “We’re still hopeful. We’re hopeful that a breakthrough will happen or … a miracle will happen.”

Selected by the Tennessee Titans at No. 24 in the 2008 draft, Johnson was an instant NFL star. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons and was named the league’s offensive player of the year in 2009. Also that season, Johnson led the NFL with 2,006 rushing yards — earning the nickname CJ2K as one of only nine players to have rushed for 2,000 or more yards in a season — and set a record with 2,509 yards from scrimmage that still stands.

Johnson rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his six seasons with the Titans, then spent a year with the New York Jets and three more with the Arizona Cardinals before retiring after the 2017 season. He finished with 9,651 yards and 55 touchdowns rushing and 2,255 yards and nine touchdowns receiving.

Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk released a statement Monday morning after Johnson’s diagnosis was revealed.

“Learning this news is extremely difficult, and we will support Chris every step of the way throughout his journey,” she wrote. “We are holding him and his family close, and join our fans around the world in expressing our love for Chris.”

The Jets and Cardinals also released statements expressing their support for Johnson.

While Johnson’s body will no longer allow him to perform a task like gripping a cup, he said he wants people to know that with ALS, “your mind stays sharp.”

“People sometimes look at the physical disability and assume you’re not still the same person inside,” Johnson said. “I still think the same. I still dream. I still love my family. My body just doesn’t cooperate.”

COUNTRY legend Alan Jackson is preparing to take the stage one final time – but behind his emotional farewell has been a grueling 15-year battle with a degenerative nerve disease that has changed his life.

The music icon was diagnosed with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease in 2011, but kept it private for a decade before publicly revealing the condition in 2021.

The hereditary disorder causes nerve damage, mostly in the arms and legs, leading to muscle weakness, loss of sensation, balance problems, and difficulty walking.

While it’s not typically considered fatal, it has led to deaths – including 911: Nashville actress Isabelle Tate, who passed away from the disease in 2025. 

Behind Alan’s final curtain call is a brutal health battle that has quietly followed him for more than 15 years.

“It’s been affecting me for years,” he said in 2021 while first revealing the diagnosis on the Today Show. 

“And it’s getting more and more obvious. I know I’m not going to be able to tour like I have.”

Alan, 67, also revealed the diagnosis runs in his family, explaining: “I have this neuropathy and neurological disease. It’s genetic that I inherited from my daddy.”

The disease affects balance, coordination, and muscle control – making even simple movement more difficult as it progresses.

For a performer known for commanding massive stages and playing live instruments, the condition has made touring especially challenging.

Alan has opened up about his struggles, saying: “I know I’m stumbling around on stage. And now I’m having a little trouble balancing, even in front of the microphone.” 

Over the years, Alan has continued performing despite worsening symptoms, though he acknowledged the disease has forced him to adjust.

“I don’t feel comfortable,” he said of performing while navigating the disorder. “It’s going to disable me eventually.”

While Charcot-Marie-Tooth does not always directly impact life expectancy, there is no cure, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

Treatment typically focuses on managing symptoms through physical therapy, braces, pain management, and mobility support.

Still, Alan said he has refused to let the diagnosis define him, pushing through multiple tours and live shows while accepting that the end of his road on stage would come in the nearer future. 

Now, the singer is set for his final full-length concert, Last Call: One More for the Road – The Finale, on June 27 at Nissan Stadium. 

The massive send-off will bring Alan back to Nashville – the city where his career first took off – and feature an all-star lineup including Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Thomas Rhett, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, and Lee Ann Womack.

The sold-out show will begin in the early evening and rock on all night, with more than 50,000 fans expected in attendance.

And for those who can’t make it in person, the historic farewell will be filmed for an NBC primetime special titled Alan Jackson: The Last Show, before streaming the following day on Peacock.

For the country crooner, it’s a full-circle moment – and the closing chapter of one of music’s most enduring careers.

The Georgia native has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, with a staggering 35 Number 1 hits and 50 Top 10 singles to his name. 

He’s won two Grammy Awards, 16 CMA Awards, 17 ACM Awards, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017.

The singer is also a member of the Grand Ole Opry and has long been praised for helping preserve traditional country music through hits like Chattahoochee, Livin’ on Love, Remember When, and Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).

Alan has long credited his family as the backbone of his decades-long career.

He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Denise Jackson, since 1979 after the pair met as teenagers in their hometown of Newnan, Georgia.

Denise famously helped launch his music career after running into country legend Glen Campbell on a flight and passing along Alan’s demo – a moment that helped change their lives forever.

Together, Alan and Denise share three daughters: Mattie Jackson Smith, Alexandra Jane Bradshaw, and Dani Grace Jackson.

WASHINGTON — While millions of soccer fans cheer or groan over World Cup matches spanning North America, health officials are on high alert for germs.

A heat wave may be the most obvious health threat. But infectious diseases can spread in a crowd, and experts are scrutinizing wastewater, hospital visits, even social media for any signs that an outbreak might be brewing.

Measles, one of the most contagious diseases, is among the top concerns, sparking a warning this week from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO. With a nearly six-week stretch of packed stadiums, bars and tourist sites in 16 cities, officials are on the lookout for a long list of infections, from the stomach bug norovirus to mosquito-borne dengue fever.

“This is truly a marathon,” said Palak Raval-Nelson, Philadelphia’s health commissioner.

The mass gatherings come at a tense moment for budget-strapped health agencies in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hit hard by Trump administration staffing cuts, already was grappling with a growing Ebola outbreak in central Africa and a cruise ship hantavirus outbreak. While CDC officials have advised state and local health departments behind the scenes, it’s expected World Cup disease surveillance dashboard still was “in final development” days before games began, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

“Our public health professionals are pretty stretched,” said global health specialist Rebecca Katz of Georgetown University, who is leading an unusual new hub to help.

At the Health Security Operations Center, a joint effort between Georgetown and MedStar Health, workers are analyzing data from around the country so they can alert health authorities, even emergency rooms, to any early signs of trouble. The center is issuing daily “situation reports” about disease trends around World Cup host cities and team base camps to several hundred local and federal public health groups, emergency management and hospital officials and others who’ve signed up.

“It’s important that we don’t become alarmist,” said MedStar emergency medicine specialist Dr. Shane Kappler. “We’re trying to be the insurance policy.”

Measles is a top concern for potential World Cup spread

Already more than 2,000 people in the U.S. have come down with measles this year, nearly as many as during all of last year, according to the CDC. Patients can spread measles before the rash appears and they realize they’re sick. Not too long ago, the U.S. seldom saw measles except from international travel by unvaccinated people.

Now with frequent U.S. outbreaks, “actually a lot of our international partners are worried about measles being exported to them after the games,” said Georgetown’s Katz.

Measles is spreading in Canada, too, and has exceeded 11,000 cases in Mexico, according to PAHO. It’s urging soccer fans to be sure they’re vaccinated, with a health campaign saying a single measles patient can spread the virus to up to 18 unprotected people.

Is Ebola a concern at the World Cup?

Brown University’s Dr. Craig Spencer, who survived Ebola while working in the West Africa outbreak over a decade ago, said he’s repeatedly asked about the risk of Ebola during the World Cup — but “for me, Ebola is not the No. 1 or No. 2 or even No. 3 threat.”

“I am concerned about importation of measles, I am much more concerned about the importation of other infectious threats that may not seem as scary to us as Ebola,” Spencer said.

Many health experts agree that the risk of Ebola spreading in the U.S. is very low. That’s partly because of government travel screenings and restrictions on people recently in outbreak-affected areas. Moreover, Ebola spreads by contact with bodily fluids from someone showing symptoms, not through the air like measles or respiratory viruses.

“One fortunate thing about this virus is you’re most contagious when you’re really quite ill. It’s not like COVID, where you could be sitting next to someone who doesn’t even know they’re infected and perhaps contract the virus,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown’s Pandemic Center.

How to spot brewing diseases

There’s precedent for germs invading major sporting events. Canadian scientists linked a community measles outbreak to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and clusters of norovirus had to be contained during the Olympics this year in Milan and in 2018 in South Korea.

One way to detect signs of trouble: People with certain viral or bacterial infections shed genetic material that sophisticated testing of wastewater can spot. For example, measles can appear in wastewater days before an emergency room sees its first patients.

A recent surveillance reports from Katz’s center note that wastewater testing recently found diarrhea-causing rotavirus, hepatitis A and norovirus in some parts of the U.S., something to watch as soccer crowds arrive.

In Dallas, officials ramped up wastewater screening including at the international airport, casting a wide net rather than looking for specific illnesses, said Dr. Phil Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.

His team also is enhancing the usual mosquito testing, checking not just for West Nile virus that regularly spreads in the U.S. but for viruses more common in other countries like dengue and chikungunya.

Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia’s Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.

“I don’t want to send a message that there’s one key thing,” she said. “We have the frameworks in place to carry out what we need to.”

Neergaard writes for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday gave his endorsement to a January study by the Department of Health and Human Services that calls for cutting the number of vaccines recommended for every American child.

An executive order from Trump directs federal agencies to align their policies behind the study, which recommended an overhaul long called for by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The study found that the United States recommends more childhood vaccines than many peer nations.

The Trump administration previously moved to narrow the number of recommended childhood vaccines in response to the report, but the move was blocked by a federal judge in Massachusetts. The administration is appealing the decision.

The study recommends vaccinating all children against 11 diseases. Several others would be recommended only for high-risk groups or when doctors recommend them in what’s called “shared decision-making.” That includes vaccines for flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.

Trump’s order adds weight behind the study at a time when the administration had appeared to be trying to shift focus away from Kennedy’s more contentious vaccine policies and toward topics with more widespread support among medical professionals, such as healthful eating.

The order directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the study and “take any appropriate steps” to update its vaccine recommendations. It says the CDC should “provide maximum flexibility to parents and doctors” and directs agencies to make sure all actions, regulations and funding are aligned with the study.

The order adds that any changes should ensure that Americans retain their current access to vaccines.

States, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. While CDC requirements often influence those state regulations, some states have begun creating their own alliances to counter the Trump administration’s guidance on vaccines.

Trump directed the Department of Health and Human Services to carry out the study in December.

Kennedy is a longtime activist against vaccines and has sought ways to inject his skepticism about the shots into national guidance, running counter to the overwhelming consensus of medical experts. Last year, he announced the CDC would no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women, though public health experts said they saw no new data to justify the change.

Last June, he fired a 17-member CDC vaccine advisory committee and later installed several of his own replacements, including vaccine skeptics.

The January report found that vaccine recommendations for American children had increased in recent decades. It also highlighted countries where no vaccines are required to attend school.

Binkley writes for the Associated Press.

This remote island was once a thriving town – but now all that remains are ruins.

Hidden away in a far-flung Scottish archipelago lie the remains of a once-bustling settlement, deserted by all who called it home. The island of Hirta in the Outer Hebrides was occupied for 2,000 years, but during the 1930s, its final inhabitants evacuated due to health concerns.

It’s so isolated that it’s often omitted from maps altogether and can only be reached by boat – weather permitting.

It’s one of 40 islands in the St Kilda archipelago and now hosts the world’s largest gannet colony alongside some of the biggest puffin populations. During its inhabited years, islanders depended heavily on these seabirds – not merely for sustenance but for commerce.

They traded every component of the birds from feather to flesh.

Today, the population has vanished but a handful of military structures remain scattered across the island, overshadowing the crumbling stone cottages that once housed the community.

The structures line what was formerly Hirta’s main thoroughfare – now occupied solely by sheep, reports the Express.

Existence there was extraordinarily harsh, with severe weather conditions and scarce resources available.

To stay warm throughout the lengthy winters, inhabitants would bring livestock inside their basic stone dwellings and allow the waste from cattle and sheep to serve as insulation.

At its height in 1851, Hirta was inhabited by 112 people but this number rapidly dwindled over subsequent years.

Medical provision on the island had always been severely restricted, and as visitors began arriving on the isolated outpost as tourists, they introduced unfamiliar illnesses that the islanders were poorly prepared to combat.

During the 1930s, following the death of a young woman from appendicitis and pneumonia — conditions that might have been treatable on the mainland — the inhabitants of Hirta took the difficult decision to abandon the island.

The residents were evacuated by vessel in August that year and transported to mainland Scotland.

Following their local custom, islanders left a plate of oats and an open bible in every dwelling before stepping aboard the ship.

The final surviving former inhabitant of St Kilda, who was eight years old when the island was evacuated, passed away in 2016.