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Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz intensify as Iran says it targeted commercial ships

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(STRAIT OF HORMUZ) — The conflict in the Strait of Hormuz intensified on Wednesday as the Iranian navy confirmed it targeted at least two of three ships struck by projectiles in the critical passage for the oil and shipping trades, and President Donald Trump said the U.S. military destroyed several “inactive” mine-laying boats in the strait.

The increased military activity in the Strait of Hormuz came just three days after President Donald Trump warned Iran in a post on his social media site that if it attempts to “stop the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that its navy conducted strikes on two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning.

An IRGC spokesperson said in a statement that its navy struck the ships Express Room and the Mayuree Naree because both commercial vessels were allegedly “ignoring alerts and warnings from the IRGC Navy.”

“Every vessel intending to pass must obtain permission from Iran,” IRGC naval commander Adm. Alireza Tangsiri said in a social media post on Wednesday.

The Express Room, a container ship sailing under the Liberian flag, was struck by Iranian projectiles after allegedly “ignoring warnings from the IRGC Navy and came to a halt in its position,” the IRGC spokesperson said.

The Thai-flagged container ship Mayuree Naree was targeted for allegedly “ignoring alerts and warnings from the IRGC Navy and unlawfully insisting on transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to the IRGC spokesperson.

Thai officials reported that three crew members were missing from the vessel following the attack.

“The Strait of Hormuz is, without a doubt and without a moment’s neglect, under the intelligent management of the brave naval forces of the IRGC. American aggressors and their allies have no right of passage,” the Iranian spokesperson said.

Earlier Wednesday, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) said it had received reports that three ships came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz. It did not identify the vessels, nor did it say at the time who was responsible for the attacks.

The UKMTO said one container ship was struck about 11 nautical miles north of Oman, in the passage that connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

“The vessel has requested assistance and the crew are evacuated,” the UKMTO said.

The other two container ships, according to the UKMTO, were also struck by projectiles early Wednesday. One was hit about 25 nautical miles northwest of the United Arab Emirates port city of Ras Al Khaimah, while the other was stuck northwest of Dubai, according to the UKMTO.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released videos overnight showing attacks being carried out on Tuesday on what it described as “multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz.”

“To date, we have struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, including more than 60 ships, using a variety of precision weapons systems,” CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a video post Wednesday.

While taking questions from reporters on Wednesday on the South Lawn of the White House before heading to an event in Kentucky, Trump said, “Look, we took out just about all of their mine ships in one night.”

“We’ve knocked out their navy. We’ve knocked out their air force. We’ve knocked out all of their air defense,” Trump also said.

When asked by a reporter if he’s encouraging CEOs of various oil companies to use the Strait of Hormuz, Trump responded, “Yeah, I think they should. I think they should use the Strait.”

Asked if there are any mines laid in the Strait of Hormuz, the president said, “We don’t think so.”

In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said, “If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY!”

“If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before,” Trump said in the post.

CENTCOM issued a warning to Iranian civilians on Wednesday to avoid all port facilities where it said Iranian naval forces are carrying out military operations along the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel and crews of commercial vessels “should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment.

“The Iranian regime is using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations that threaten international shipping. This dangerous action risks the lives of innocent people,” CENTCOM said in its warning.

A spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces said Wednesday that if Iran’s ports are threatened, “all ports and docks in the region will be our legitimate targets.”

In an interview with the Iranian state television, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi denied claims that the country’s naval forces are hiding in economic ports, and threatened heavier operations if Iran’s ports are targeted.

The chaos unfolding across the global economy stems in large part from the narrow but crucial waterway along the southern coast of Iran, which connects the Gulf of Oman to the Persian Gulf.

The Strait of Hormuz facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of the global supply of crude oil and liquid natural gas. Those products hold major implications for the prices of gasoline, plastics and European electricity, among a host of other goods.

The passage, which at its narrowest point is just 21 miles wide, is the only shipping route that stretches from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, making it a key travel hub for goods originating in oil-rich Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran.

Wednesday morning, the International Energy Agency said it would release 400 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserve, marking the largest oil release in the group’s history as the global economy grapples with soaring oil prices in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, and traders fear a prolonged blockade of the maritime passage.

Before the war, roughly 20 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait or Hormuz each day, but tanker traffic has now “all but stopped,” Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

New person of interest identified over 40 years after 8-year-old girl went missing

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla.) — Christy Luna disappeared without a trace over 40 years ago at the age of 8. Now, authorities in Florida say they have identified a new person of interest in the cold case.

Christy went missing on May 27, 1984, while going to a general store less than two blocks from her home in Greenacres to buy cat food, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. No one knows what happened to her after she bought the food for her two cats, and a massive search at the time didn’t turn up anything.

The sheriff’s office has followed multiple leads over the decades since and has named several persons of interest in the case, but no one has been charged in connection with her disappearance.

On Wednesday, authorities announced they are looking for information on a new person of interest — Warren Gilbert Williams Jr., a convicted child sex offender who died in 2016.

Sgt. Chris Karpinski, with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office’s cold case unit, said they received an anonymous tip last year that Williams was remodeling a home near the general store the day Christy went missing.

“He left that home and his remodeling efforts to go buy cigarettes at Belks General Store and he never returned,” Karpinski said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

“That alone, interesting information, but we have a lot of that information through the years where somebody was seen in the area, and this and that,” he continued.

But Williams, he said, has a “peculiar past of sexual activity with children.” He was convicted of sexual battery on a child under 12 and lewd and lascivious molestation and was imprisoned in Florida from 2007 to 2013, according to Karpinski. After finishing that sentence, he went to prison in Alabama, where he was wanted for sexual abuse of a child, Karpinski said.

“The suspicion existed through this circle of people that Mr. Williams knew through the years, and they had discussed the possibility of him being involved with Christy’s disappearance,” Karpinski said.

Detectives also learned through the anonymous tip that Williams, who lived in what is now known as Lake Worth Beach at the time, installed a concrete pad in his backyard a week after Christy went missing.

Authorities got permission from the current homeowners to search the property and last month excavated the yard, Karpinski said.

“Unfortunately, we found nothing,” Karpinski said, saying there were “mixed emotions” on the development.

“We wanted to find something, but yet, finding something meant that, you know, we had bad news, at least it was for me,” he said. “So there is still hope that Christy either is out there or somebody is out there that knows where she is, whether she is still with us on Earth or has passed.”

Karpinski said there currently is no physical or testimonial evidence that links Williams to Christy’s disappearance.

“We want to learn more about him,” Karpinski said. “I know it’s a long time ago. People, friends, neighbors, witnesses that day who think maybe they saw him, please come forward.”

Williams, who was 46 years old at the time Christy disappeared, died in prison in 2016, according to Karpinski.

Authorities haven’t ruled out any other persons of interest named in the case, according to investigator Bill Springer, who has been investigating Christy’s disappearance since the sheriff’s office assumed the case in 1984.

Springer also urged anyone with information to come forward, even after all this time.

“I want people to come forward. I’m not going to question why you didn’t come forward, because I don’t care,” he said. “My job is to find Christy, not to judge people because they didn’t come forward.”

“So if you’ve got information and you’ve been sitting on it for 30 years, 40 years, I don’t care,” he said. “Bring it out and we’ll look at it, see what we can do with it.”

FBI warns Iran aspired to attack California with drones in retaliation for war: Alert

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The FBI warned police departments in California in recent days that Iran could retaliate for American attacks by launching drones at the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by ABC News.

“We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United State Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran,” according to the alert distributed at the end of February. “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”

The warning came just as the Trump administration launched its ongoing assault against the Islamic Republic. Iran has been retaliating with drone strikes against targets throughout the Mideast.

A spokeswoman for the FBI office in LA declined to comment.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S. intelligence officials have also grown concerned in recent months about the expanding use of drones by Mexican drug cartels and the chance the technology could be used to attack American forces and personnel near the Mexican border.

“An uncorroborated report suggested that unidentified Mexican cartel leaders had authorized attacks using UAS (drones) carrying explosives against US law enforcement and US military personnel along the US-Mexico border,” according to a September 2025 bulletin reviewed by ABC News. “This type of attack against US personnel or interests inside the United States would be unprecedented but exemplifies a plausible scenario, although (cartels) typically avoid actions that would result in unwanted attention or responses from US authorities.”

ABC News contributor John Cohen, the former head of intelligence for the Department of Homeland Security, said he is concerned about the possibility of drone warfare coming from both the Pacific and Mexico.

“We know Iran has an extensive presence in Mexico and South America, they have relationships, they have the drones and now they have the incentive to conduct attacks,” Cohen said. “The FBI is smart for putting this warning out so that state and locals can be better able to prepare and respond to these types of threats. Information like this is critically important for law enforcement.”

While the FBI’s warning did not specify how or when vessels carrying attack drones could get close enough to the U.S. mainland, intelligence officials have long been concerned about equipment being pre-positioned – either on land or on ships at sea — in the event Israel or the U.S. struck Iran.

Why are authorities finally searching Epstein’s ranch in New Mexico?

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Authorities on Monday began searching a sprawling ranch in New Mexico formerly owned by the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, renewing questions about the steps taken by the U.S. Department of Justice nearly a decade ago.

While the New Mexico Department of Justice has released few details about the new investigation, here is what we know about the ranch and what prompted the renewed scrutiny:

Did the Department of Justice ever search the ranch?

When Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, the investigation into his alleged illicit activity swept across many of his opulent properties. However, investigators apparently never searched his New Mexico ranch, formerly known as “Zorro Ranch,” according to emails released by the U.S. DOJ earlier this year.

When Epstein was found dead by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019, investigators’ scope broadened, but authorities appear to have never returned to raid the property for potential evidence.

While New Mexico initiated its own investigation into the property, the probe was paused in 2019 at the request of the U.S. DOJ, according to New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.

What prompted state authorities to re-open their investigation?

In a statement issued last month, the New Mexico DOJ said the investigation was re-opened because “revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination.”

The statement did not provide further details about the “revelations,” and state Attorney General Torrez has not publicly commented on which files prompted the investigation. The New Mexico DOJ has not responded to inquiries from ABC News about the scope of the investigation.

However, approximately a week before the New Mexico DOJ opened their investigation, the office received a request from the New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands to investigate an unsubstantiated allegation included in files released by the U.S. DOJ that two bodies were buried in the hills around the ranch.

“On behalf of the New Mexico State Land Office, I am requesting that both the U.S. Department of Justice and the New Mexico Department of Justice thoroughly investigate this disturbing allegation,” New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard said on Feb. 10 in a letter obtained by ABC News.

According to documents released by the U.S. DOJ, a local radio host received an email in November 2019 from an anonymous individual who claimed to have worked at the ranch and alleged that two “foreign girls” were buried on the grounds of the ranch after being strangulated.

The radio host told the FBI that he originally received a demand for one bitcoin in exchange for the location of the bodies and seven videos of sexual abuse.

According to an FBI report memorializing the tip, the host promptly shared the information with the FBI. The report suggested that the tip was received by the FBI and that the radio host spoke with investigators, though it does not appear the claim was investigated further, in part because the email account that sent the tip was deactivated.

The report and materials released by the U.S. DOJ did not include any evidence to corroborate the claims beyond the initial email. The documents and concern from the New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands appear to be part of the reason investigators have re-opened the investigation.

Who owns the ranch now?

Zorro Ranch was sold in 2023 to Texas businessman and politician Don Huffines, who is currently the Republican nominee for Texas’s state comptroller. He was endorsed by President Donald Trump in an upset victory against the incumbent.

In a post on social media, Huffines explained that he was aware of the history of the property when he purchased it in 2023 and that “at the time of the sale, it was marketed that the proceeds would go to the victims.”

He said in the post that he has renamed the ranch “San Rafael” and intends to “to remake it as a Christian retreat, reclaiming it for Jesus.”

The New Mexico DOJ this week said it “appreciates the cooperation of the current property owners in granting access for the search and extends its thanks to the ranch staff for their professionalism.”

It is unclear if the New Mexico DOJ obtained a search warrant for the property or is just operating with the consent of the property owner.

What is the goal of the investigation?

The investigation comes as New Mexico lawmakers are seeking to better understand how Epstein was able to avoid legal scrutiny for years. Last month, the New Mexico House voted unanimously to create an Epstein “Truth Commission” to better understand Epstein’s activities in the state. The commission has subpoena power and a budget of $2 million to carry out its investigation.

In a column last week, Attorney General Torres acknowledged that the state’s investigation faces obstacles but vowed to issue a public report about his findings.

“Epstein has been dead for years. Zorro Ranch has changed ownership. Physical evidence may no longer exist, and the statute of limitations has likely run on many potential offenses. These are real obstacles, and survivors deserve to hear them stated plainly. But we will follow the evidence wherever it leads and leave no credible question unexplored,” Torres said.

Trump to visit northern Kentucky as MAGA proxy battle against Thomas Massie heats up

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump is traveling to Hebron, Kentucky, on Wednesday to deliver another speech focused on economic messaging. But this time, it’s in the district of Rep. Thomas Massie, the six-term Republican that the president is actively working to oust.

Just two months ahead of a contentious Republican primary between Massie and Trump-endorsed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, the president is set to make two stops in the area: at a packaging facility in Hebron, Kentucky, and then at ThermoFisher in Reading, Ohio, where he’ll discuss efforts to lower prescription drug prices.

The visit comes amid an ongoing, bitter feud between Massie and Gallrein — one of the party’s few significant MAGA proxy battles this year. The race is also one of the most expensive House GOP primaries of the 2026 cycle.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this week that Trump will be joined by Ohio and Kentucky lawmakers “who he greatly admires and respects and supports.” Massie won’t be at any of Wednesday’s events alongside Trump; a Gallrein spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that he will be in attendance for the president’s event.

Massie has long been the subject of Trump’s ire, but it has ramped up this cycle with Massie’s unwavering push for the release of the files about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as well as his opposition to significant legislation championed by the president, including his chief domestic policy package.

Last week, Massie was one of two Republicans to buck party leadership and vote in favor of the Iran war powers resolution, which attempts to curtail military action.

In October, Trump said Massie needed to be “thrown out of office,” after the congressman objected to a short-term funding bill backed by the president– also saying, “[Massie] SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him.”

Trump then nudged Gallrein to enter the race, backed him, and the fifth-generation farmer launched his bid that month.

In a social media post on Monday, Gallrein said the “rally will be a huge moment for our campaign and for the people of Northern Kentucky.” Gallrein wrote Monday on X.

In an interview with ABC affiliate WCPO about the president’s visit and his race against Gallrein, Massie said he’s glad Trump is visiting the district and “paying attention to local issues.”

“I suspect he’s also going to try and help my opponent, but you know that’s really all my opponent has going for him. He’s promised to be a rubber stamp when he gets to Washington, D.C., and I don’t think people here want a rubber stamp.”

Massie told WCPO he will not make Trump’s visit due to prior commitments.

Massie also said the president would “discover” support for the positions he champions, including a focus on releasing the Epstein files and staying out of foreign wars.

“What they’ll discover is Trump fans in KY-4 and across the entire commonwealth also support my work on the Epstein files, reigning in spending, ending forever wars, draining the swamp, and food freedom!” Massie said in a social media post on Tuesday regarding the president’s upcoming visit to his district.

Ahead of his visit, Trump attacked Massie on his social media platform, saying, “I predict that ‘Representative’Thomas Massie will go down as the WORST Republican Congressman in the long and fabled history of the United States Congress.”

“Massie, who is running against a great American Patriot in the Kentucky Primary, will hopefully lose BIG,” added Trump, who reiterated his endorsement of Gallrein in another post.

The president’s rhetoric toward Massie is not new — in 2020, Trump called on the GOP to “throw Massie out of Republican party” following the congressman’s opposition to a coronavirus relief bill. Still, Massie won his primary by 62 points. In 2022, Trump endorsed Massie for reelection, calling him a “conservative warrior.” Massie won by nearly 60 points that year.

But with Massie on the outs with Trump once again, Kentucky’s primary election — which will take place on May 19 — is expected to remain contentious.

On Tuesday, Massie attempted to paint his opponent as the “Trump traitor,” claiming Gallrein dropped his Republican affiliation after Trump became the party’s presidential nominee in 2016.

“Woke Eddie Gallrein abandoned President Trump’s Republican party – a complete dereliction of his MAGA duty,” the narrator of a recent Massie ad says.

Gallrein spokeswoman Alexandra Wilkes acknowledged that Gallrein changed his voter registration in the past, but pinned the blame on Massie for this decision.

“Ed briefly changed registration out of frustration with the broken system Congressman Massie created in his district, which hurt the Republican Party, and he is proud to stand with President Trump and true conservative Republicans,” Wilkes said in a statement, slamming Massie for “pretending to be a Trump ally.”

Gallrein is also supported by Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr, who is also running for Senate, to replace outgoing Sen. Mitch McConnell. Barr’s decision to endorse against Massie was significant, given that Massie is a part of his delegation. Trump has not yet endorsed in the Kentucky Senate race, and Barr is among the top three GOP candidates working for his endorsement.

Dems call for probe into ‘troubling pattern’ of legal wins for Pam Bondi’s brother

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Two congressional Democrats are calling on the Justice Department’s internal watchdog to launch a probe into what they characterized as a “troubling pattern” of favorable outcomes for clients who hired defense attorney Brad Bondi, the brother of Attorney General Pam Bondi, for representation in cases involving the Justice Department.

The lawmakers, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rep. Dave Min, D-Calif., penned a letter Wednesday asking the DOJ’s inspector general to review “whether Attorney General Pamela Bondi properly recused herself from, or otherwise improperly influenced, several cases involving defendants represented by her brother.”

“We are concerned that DOJ officials, including the Attorney General, may have failed to ensure the independence of internal accountability mechanisms,” the lawmakers wrote.

Brad Bondi, a defense lawyer with the firm Paul Hastings, has secured several voluntary dismissals and settlements since his sister took the helm at the DOJ. In a LinkedIn post cited in the Democrats’ letter, Brad Bondi promoted a litany of “remarkable victories” on behalf of clients in 2025.

As ABC News previously reported, Brad Bondi successfully persuaded federal prosecutors to drop charges against Carolina Amesty, a former Florida state legislator, who faced two counts of theft of government property related to COVID relief fraud.

Weeks later, the Justice Department abruptly withdrew its case against another of Brad Bondi’s clients: Sid Chakraverty, a property developer who faced felony wire fraud charges in Missouri.

Amesty and Chakraverty denied any wrongdoing with respect to their cases at the time.

The DOJ told ABC News at the time that Attorney General Bondi had “no role” in either case, and that the decisions to drop those charges were “made through proper channels.”

Most recently, Brad Bondi was retained by an individual negotiating a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission over civil fraud charges brought last September.

SEC regulators accused Brad Bondi’s client, Alexander Mehr, and another person of running a Ponzi scheme — misleading investors to the tune of more than $112 million as part of a plan to turn well-known retailers, including Pier 1 Imports and RadioShack, into thriving e-commerce businesses. The SEC also accused the two men of using more than $16 million in investor funds for personal use.

In October 2025, the SEC paused the case citing the government shutdown and noted ongoing settlement talks. Regulators said as recently as last month that the parties remain engaged in settlement negotiations. Neither Mehr nor the other defendant have publicly commented on the case.

DOJ spokesman Gates McGavick reiterated in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday, “These decisions were made through the proper channels, and the Attorney General had no role in them.”

A representative for Brad Bondi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

International Energy Agency announces largest ever release of reserve oil amid Iran war

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The International Energy Agency on Wednesday said it would release 400 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserve, marking the largest oil release in the group’s history as the global economy grapples with fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Oil prices soared after the outbreak of war as traders feared a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a trading route that facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of the global oil supply.

Before the war, roughly 20 million barrels of oil passed through the strait each day, but tanker traffic has now “all but stopped,” Faithe Birol, executive director of the IEA, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

“The conflict in the Middle East is having significant impacts on global oil and gas markets with major implications for energy security, energy affordability and the global economy,” added Birol, whose organization counts 32 member nations, including the U.S.
The release from the IEA’s oil reserve on Wednesday would make up for the lost oil flow for roughly 20 days. Taken together, IEA member countries retained about 1.2 billion barrels of reserve oil prior to the latest release, the group previously said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

At least 2 dead as 45 tornado warnings remain across 7 states

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — At least two people are dead and multiple others suffered injuries in Indiana due to severe weather overnight that is expected to continue into Wednesday, according to the Lake Township Fire Department.

More than 65 million people are in the path of more severe weather sweeping across parts of the U.S. Wednesday, from Houston to Philadelphia.

The system was forecast to spawn strong tornadoes, destructive winds and hail the size of baseballs.

At least 10 tornadoes were reported from Texas to Indiana. The National Weather Service issued at least 45 tornado warnings across seven states.

The most damage was potentially in Kankakee County, Illinois, and Starke County, Indiana. Hail larger than grapefruit in size fell in Illinois — up to 5.2 inches in diameter.

There were reports of houses that collapsed in Indiana and people stuck in homes but as of Wednesday morning there are no reports of missing people, according to the fire department.

Thunderstorm winds of 60 to 80 mph were recorded from Texas to Indiana.

Wednesday morning, thunderstorms continued to surge east, now forming a line more than 1,600 miles long across America from Canada to Mexico and from New York to Texas.

A level 2 out of 5 slight risk threat is in place Wednesday for more than 65 million Americans from Houston to Philadelphia and includes other cities such as Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Louisville, Kentucky; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama; Shreveport, Louisiana; and New Orleans.

The main risks are for tornadoes, damaging wind and large hail.

Flash flooding is possible especially from East Texas through Louisiana, Mississippi, and southern Arkansas, where training, or consecutive, thunderstorms could dump multiple inches of rain over localized areas within hours.

Storms will reach Cleveland around 9 am and Pittsburgh around 11 am. Memphis will see storms in the morning and Nashville in the afternoon.

There were numerous reports of damage in Kankakee County, Illinois, where a large and extremely dangerous tornado was on the ground earlier Tuesday evening.

The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said “extensive damage” was reported in Aroma Park. There were no immediate reports of injuries, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

A tornado watch was issued for North Central Illinois, along with small portions of Missouri, Iowa and Indiana until 11 p.m. local time.

The severe weather is expected to move offshore on Thursday morning, followed by a cold front that is expected to cause temperatures to quickly drop.

There’s a chance that lingering moisture behind the severe weather system may turn to snow for some areas, including Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday.

Inflation held steady in February before war with Iran sent gas prices surging

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Inflation held steady in February, maintaining price increases at elevated levels in the weeks before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran sent gasoline prices surging and stoked heightened concern about affordability. The reading matched economists’ expectations.

Prices rose 2.4% in February compared to a year earlier, leaving the inflation rate unchanged from January, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed. Inflation stands slightly higher than the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2%.

Oil prices have surged since the war with Iran late last month, ratcheting up costs for gasoline and airfare, and threatening to push up prices for a vast array of goods reliant on diesel-fuel transport, some analysts previously told ABC News.

Fuel prices rose in February as traders anticipated the possible outbreak of war with Iran, government data showed. Gasoline prices climbed more than 3% in February from a month earlier, according to the inflation report.

Food prices climbed 3.1% in February compared to a year earlier, registering above overall inflation and maintaining their pace from the previous month.

A lackluster jobs report last week showed the U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, which marked a reversal of fortunes for the labor market and erased most of the job gains recorded in 2026.

The unemployment rate ticked up from 4.3% in January to 4.4% in February, the BLS said. Unemployment remains low by historical standards.

Sluggish hiring has coincided with elevated inflation, threatening a period of “stagflation.”

Those economic headwinds helped set the conditions before the outbreak of war with Iran, which spiked oil prices and risked price increases for a host of diesel-fuel transported goods.

U.S. crude oil prices hovered at about $86 per barrel on Tuesday, surging more than 30% since a month earlier.

The average price of a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. soared to $3.53 on Tuesday from $2.92 a month prior, AAA data showed.

Still, the overall economic picture remains mixed.

A government report in February on gross domestic product (GDP) showed the economy grew at a tepid annualized pace of 1.4% over the final three months of 2025. That reading indicated a dramatic cooldown from the strong annualized growth of 4.4% recorded in the previous quarter, U.S. Commerce Department data showed.

The Iran war threatens to slow U.S. economic growth since oil-driven price increases could weigh on consumers and businesses, analysts previously told ABC News.

The potential combination of higher inflation and slower growth could also pose a challenge for the Fed, putting pressure on both sides of its dual mandate to manage prices and maintain maximum employment.

If the Fed opts to lower borrowing costs, it could spur growth but risk higher inflation. On the other hand, the choice to raise interest rates may slow price increases but risks a cooldown of economic performance.

The central bank held interest rates steady at its most recent meeting in January, ending a string of three consecutive quarter-point rate cuts. Policymakers will make their next interest-rate decision on March 18.

House Oversight Committee to depose Epstein’s longtime accountant

March 11, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The House Oversight Committee is set to depose Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accountant on Wednesday, potentially shedding light on how the disgraced financier was able to manage his multimillion-dollar fortune.

Richard Kahn served as Epstein’s accountant for over a decade, and some of Epstein’s victims allege he played an instrumental role in creating the “complex financial infrastructure” that enabled the financier’s crimes.

Kahn has consistently denied any wrongdoing and says he was unaware of Epstein’s crimes while serving as his accountant. The closed-door deposition — a recording of which is expected to be released by the committee — could provide a rare window into how Epstein paid for his lavish lifestyle and funneled thousands of dollars to his victims.

While some of the recent witnesses deposed by the House Oversight Committee — including Bill and Hillary Clinton and retail billionaire Leslie Wexner — have drawn immense publicity, the interviews have largely left unchanged the public’s understanding of Epstein’s life and crimes.

By turning to Epstein’s former inner circle with Kahn and his longtime lawyer Darren Indyke — who is set to be deposed next week — the congressional investigation could offer a broader window into Epstein’s life, legal troubles and the complex web of bank accounts and shell companies that comprised his fortune.

Kahn began working as Epstein’s in-house accountant in the mid-2000s and worked for Epstein until his death in 2019. Kahn and Indyke served as the co-executors of his will, and Epstein planned to give Kahn $25 million, according to documents released by the Department of Justice earlier this year.

Following Epstein’s death, his estate was valued as much as $650 million, though the fortune has decreased over the last decade as the estate has paid out multiple settlements to Epstein’s victims.

Last month, Kahn and Indyke agreed to settle one of the last class-action lawsuits filed by victims of Epstein for at least $25 million without an admission of wrongdoing. The estate was last valued at approximately $127 million, according to a court filing last October.

The class action complaint alleged that both men were “personally essential” for Epstein by helping structure his back accounts, managing cash withdrawals, and creating a complex financial infrastructure “created to simply facilitate the illegal sex-trafficking venture.” The lawsuit also alleged that the men helped Epstein facilitate at least three “sham marriages” to obtain immigration status for Epstein’s victims.

“Knowing that they would earn millions of dollars in exchange for facilitating Epstein’s sex abuse and trafficking, Indyke and Kahn chose money and power over following the law,” the complaint said.

The settlement did not include an admission of wrongdoing and still needs to be approved by a federal judge. While both men were named as defendants in the case, the settlement will also be paid through Epstein’s trust, rather than by them directly.

“Neither of the co-executors has made any admission or concession of misconduct,” said Dan Weiner, an attorney for both men said in a statement to ABC News last month. “That is not surprising — not a single woman has ever accused either man of committing sexual abuse or witnessing sexual abuse, nor claimed at any time that she reported to them any allegation of Mr. Epstein’s abuse.”

Lawmakers last year began increasing their scrutiny of both Kahn and Indyke following a report in the Wall Street Journal that both men were never questioned by law enforcement investigating Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

“In light of the work Indyke and Kahn performed for Epstein and the outsize role they played in his personal and financial affairs; it is inexcusable that the DOJ and the FBI never questioned these individuals in connection with investigations into Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell,” a group of five Democratic Senators wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel last year. “A failure of this magnitude cannot be attributed to simple oversight or misunderstanding, and it is incumbent on Congress to understand why such a failure occurred.”

Documents released earlier this year offered some new details about Kahn’s role, managing expenses for Epstein and serving in roles in some of the companies that comprised the complex web of Epstein’s finances. According to a 2020 lawsuit against the Epstein estate filed by the U.S. Virgin Islands government, Epstein paid Kahn more than $10 million dollars between 2011 and 2019 for his services.

Ahead of the deposition, Daniel Ruzumna, an attorney for Kahn, declined to comment.

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