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Is the US at risk of losing its measles elimination status?

November 22, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As measles continues to spread across the United States, questions have emerged about whether the country will retain its measles elimination status.

The U.S. is currently experiencing the highest number of measles cases reported in more than three decades, in large part due to an outbreak in western Texas that infected more than 700 people and spread to New Mexico and Oklahoma.

Meanwhile, an outbreak in Arizona and Utah currently shows no signs of slowing down and a separate outbreak in South Carolina has sent dozens of students into quarantine.

If spread of the virus continues into late January, it will mean the U.S. has seen a year of continuous transmission, which could lead to a loss of the country’s elimination status. Measles would once again be considered endemic or constantly circulating.

The threat of the U.S. losing its elimination status is looming after Canada lost its measles elimination status following a struggle to contain a year-long measles outbreak, public health experts told ABC News.

“I do think that the likelihood that we’re going to lose status, especially if things continue the way that they’re going, is I think pretty high,” Dr. Tony Moody, a professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center, told ABC News.

State of measles in the U.S.

As of Wednesday, there have been 1,753 confirmed cases across 42 states this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There have been 45 outbreaks, so far this year compared to 16 outbreaks all last year, CDC data shows.

Additionally, 92% of cases have been among those who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, according to the CDC.

There have been three measles deaths this year — the first fatalities due to the disease in a decade — including among two unvaccinated school-aged children in Texas and one unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective against measles, the CDC says.

However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2024-25 school year, 92.5% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine. This is lower than the 92.7% seen the previous school year and the 95.2% seen in the 2019-20 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even in states with high MMR vaccine uptake, pockets of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated communities can lead to rapid spread.

For example, in Texas, 94.3% of kindergartners were up to date on their MMR vaccine for the 2023-24 school year, CDC data shows. However, in Gaines County — the epicenter of this year’s outbreak — 17.6% of kindergartners were exempt from at least one vaccine during the 2023-24 school year, one of the highest exemption rates in the state, according to state health data.

“It’s kind of like you have a very dry forest, so any spark that comes in can burn down the entire forest,” Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and infectious diseases specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, told ABC News. “That’s what’s happening, which is fewer people being vaccinated, as evidenced by the drop in in people entering kindergarten.”

He said one case of measles is like a spark that quickly turns into a blaze as it spread through an unvaccinated community “and that’s why it’s hard to put out the fire.”

How loss of status is determined

The loss of status is determined by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO, an agency of the U.N. that oversees international health in the Americas.

An independent body of experts established by the PAHO — known as the Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Elimination Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission (RVC) — meets at least once a year to monitor and re-verify measles and rubella elimination among countries in the Americas.

A person familiar with how PAHO determines loss of elimination status told ABC News that there would have to be compelling evidence that there has been continuous spread of measles in the U.S. since January, when the first cases were reported in Texas and that other outbreaks may trace back to the Texas outbreak.

The person said the committee will get together in mid-2026 to look at the data, write its next report and formally submit it to the PAHO for review. The annual meeting will likely take place in late 2026, unless a previously unplanned meeting is convened beforehand.

“The RVC holds annual meetings with all member states, conducts visits to priority countries, reviews national sustainability reports, and issues recommendations to the Director of PAHO,” a spokesperson for PAHO told ABC News. “It may also convene extraordinary meetings with member states to provide recommendations on specific topics or to follow up on outbreak situations. At this time, no extraordinary meeting has been scheduled for next year specifically to assess the U.S. or Mexico situation, but such a meeting could be convened if the epidemiological situation warrants.”

Between April 2025 and October 2025, Mexico has seen 4,550 cases, according to the WHO, which could also lead to the loss of its elimination status.

Moody explained that the U.S. having measles elimination status, which it received in 2000, is less of a formal declaration and more of a statement that a county has a relatively low number of cases and no sustained transmission.

Loss of status would similarly be a statement that a country has sustained transmission and that the virus is constantly present, he said.

“What does it mean from a public health perspective, or a parent’s perspective, it means that we have a higher risk for seeing transmission, and that if someone goes to a place where there is sustained transmission, there’s kind of an increased risk and, truthfully, you can pick it up just about anywhere,” Moody said.

Canada’s loss of elimination status

Earlier this month, the Public Health Agency of Canada said it was informed of the elimination status loss by PAHO after more than 12 months of continuous measles transmission. Canada’s outbreak began in late October 2024, and the county has seen more than 5,200 confirmed and probable cases since then, data from the health agency shows.

As a result, the Americas region lost elimination status as well.

Canada can re-establish its measles elimination status if measles transmission related to the current outbreak is “interrupted” for at least 12 months, according to the county’s health officials.

“Given that we share one of the longest borders in the world with Canada. It’s not as if there’s some magic barrier between U.S. and Canada,” Moody said. “If there’s transmission in Canada, we’re going to get it in the United States. … I’m not saying that Canada has put us at risk. We’ve kind of put ourselves at risk but … I do see it as being a highly likely thing that we’re going to see continued transmission.”

Canada will present and implement an action plan under PAHO’s regional framework to increase immunization coverage, reinforce surveillance systems and ensure rapid outbreak response to stop spread. This shows what the U.S. would likely experience if it lost its status.

“If we lose our status, it’ll be hard to regain it,” Chin-Hong said, noting how many workers have been laid off at HHS that might have helped control large outbreaks. “Not only loss of expertise, but just loss of the workforce in general, the people who go out and do the surveillance and contain the epidemic by vaccination efforts and all that. … It just denotes how fragile public health gains are. In general, it’s easy to lose it and hard to get it back.”

How to prevent further spread

Public health experts told ABC News there are several steps that can be taken to help control the spread of measles in the U.S. including increasing funding to public health for monitoring and surveillance as well as spreading awareness about how dangerous measles can be.

However, they add that the best way to stop the spread is through vaccination, both to protect yourself and the most vulnerable individuals.

“We can’t control the people who are unable to get vaccines because they’re being treated for cancer, because they are born with an immunodeficiency,” Dr. Aaron Milstone, pediatric director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins Health System, told ABC News. “What we can control is everyone else in the community who is eligible for a vaccine, who does not take it, and that’s the reason that measles is spreading, in part, because the herd protection from our community has gone down.”

As an extra step, public health agencies have previously recommended early MMR vaccination for infants living in outbreak areas or traveling internationally.

This would result in three doses overall: an early dose between age 6 months and 11 months and then the two regularly scheduled doses at age 1 and between ages 4 and 6.

Milstone said the recommendation to give a child their first MMR dose at age one was under the assumption that they likely would not be exposed to measles before then and that antibodies passed in utero would help protect them during their first year of life.

Now, with the continuous spread being seen, “are we going to have to rethink our recommendations for when to vaccinate kids in the U.S.?” Milstone said.

Nvidia defies AI bubble fears but some analysts remain worried

November 22, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Blockbuster earnings from chip giant Nvidia this week appeared to rebuke concerns about an artificial-intelligence bubble, briefly ending a days-long slump in the stock market.

“It’s fair to say that Nvidia’s results have completely changed the market mood and pushed out any bubble fears for another day,” said Jim Reid, a research strategist at Deutsche Bank, in a memo to clients early Thursday morning, just hours after the earnings.

But the market went on to offer little reassurance. Shares of Nvidia fell almost 3% in the first post-earnings trading session. The major stock indexes also dropped, underscoring the importance of the technology for Wall Street and the overall economy, which have both come to rely on massive AI spending to propel growth.

Nvidia recorded $57 billion in sales over three months ending in October, the company said on Wednesday, setting a quarterly sales record and demonstrating near-bottomless demand for the semiconductors at the heart of AI.

Still, critics say such appetite for the building blocks of AI has far outpaced the technology’s end uses and financial returns. AI hasn’t delivered much profit, they argue, despite up-front costs totaling hundreds of billions of dollars spent on data centers and chips.

Proponents strongly disagree, pointing to the rapid adoption of products like ChatGPT and counseling patience as other uses of the technology take hold. To hear them tell it, AI is set to augur a tech transformation like the internet or electricity, meaning the hype will ultimately bear out even if some firms falter along the way.

“There is no question that Nvidia will make a bunch of money,” Gary Marcus, a professor emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at New York University, who specializes in AI, told ABC News. “There are many questions about where the market is headed after this initial burst of enthusiasm.”

For his part, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang rejected AI-related worries during an earnings call on Wednesday.

“There’s been a lot of talk about an A.I. bubble,” Huang said. “From our vantage point, we see something very different.”

The economy is undergoing a technological sea change that extends beyond generative AI, Huang said, noting the rise of advanced software such as cloud computing as well as AI-driven physical products — all of which increasingly run on Nvidia chips.

“Nvidia corporation is unlike any other accelerator,” Huang added.

AI spending is expected to total $375 billion this year, jumping to about $500 billion by the end of 2026, UBS Global Wealth Management found in August. For reference, the half-trillion to be spent on AI next year would be roughly equivalent to the gross domestic product of Singapore.

The AI boom has helped propel U.S. economic growth. Such spending added a 0.5 percentage point boost to annualized U.S. GDP growth over the first half of 2025, accounting for about one-third of economic activity, Pantheon Macroeconomics said.

But analysts fearful of an AI bubble warn of what they consider immense costs, saying energy needs and chip production have saddled the balance sheets of firms developing and operating AI models. Profits may not come for years, if at all, they warn. OpenAI said it expects to begin generating substantial profits in 2030.

Speaking to reporters earlier this year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged frenzied investor enthusiasm but signaled confidence about the long-term outlook for the industry.

“When bubbles happen, smart people get overexcited about a kernel of truth,” Altman said. “Are we in a phase where investors as a whole are overexcited about A.I.? My opinion is yes. Is A.I. the most important thing to happen in a very long time? My opinion is also yes.”

Tech giants like Amazon and Google retain the capacity to spend without taking on sizable debt, but smaller players require loans, risking credit defaults if the technology fails to deliver on the up-front costs, Marcus said. The potential unpaid loans could strain banks and put pressure on the wider financial system, he added.

“A big question is how much the banks have been propping this up: What will the blast radius be?” Marcus said.

Proponents of AI say such worries are overblown. They point to the popularity of products like AI chatbot ChatGPT, which boasts about 800 million weekly users. Millions of additional users avail themselves of xAI’s Grok, Google’s Gemini and Meta’s MetaAI.

Last year, Apple unveiled AI-fueled tools for its iPhones, Mac and iPad. Some firms are developing a new wave of AI-equipped robots to perform tasks in people’s homes and in workplaces like logistics and warehouses.

“This is the fastest adoption of any technology by consumers by far,” Lynn Wu, a professor of operations, decisions and information at the University of Pennsylvania, told ABC News. “This is a general purpose technology that will be adopted everywhere.”

The profitability of the technology will be made apparent over time as consumers and businesses identify its best uses, Wu added.

“When a general purpose technology — like electricity or the internet — is being adopted, firms and people don’t know how to use it,” Wu said. “We haven’t envisioned how to use this paradigm yet.”

Still, Wu cautioned, an AI bubble likely exists, though it isn’t dangerous. Wu compared the current state of the industry to the internet era before the dot-com bubble, when a host of firms went belly up but the technology reoriented the economy and established corporate giants.

“If you ask me flat out — yes or no — are we in a bubble? The answer is yes,” Wu said. “But the bubble isn’t necessarily a bad bubble.”

Cold and snowy weather could be coming for many, thanks to the polar vortex

November 22, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A significant change in the atmosphere means the weeks after Thanksgiving could be colder and snowier than normal across portions of the United States.

It’s all thanks to a disruption in the polar vortex. Here’s what you need to know.

Why is this happening?

Our atmosphere consists of many layers of moving air; the troposphere is where our weather happens and above it is the stratosphere. Over both poles, a ring of strong mid-level winds called the polar vortex traps cold, sub-arctic air.

There are two of these polar vortexes — one in the troposphere that affects weather every winter, and one in the stratosphere that contains much colder air but only affects the surface weather during winter less frequently.

When polar vortex winds are strong, this frigid air remains near the poles. But when the polar vortex is weak and is disturbed, the frigid air can spill out from the North Pole, down south towards the surface.

Scientists are still trying to understand these disturbances and why they occur, but they can drive the most intense cold-air outbreaks and winter weather bursts in the U.S.

Sometimes, the polar vortex simply stretches out, bringing quick bursts of cold air and some wintry weather to the U.S. In more extreme cases, a phenomenon called “sudden stratospheric warming” — or SSWs — can trigger more significant disruptions to the polar vortex.

While it may seem counterintuitive, a sudden warming in the stratosphere above the poles often weakens these winds, disrupting the polar vortex and allowing cold air to spill out from the North Pole and down into places like the U.S., Europe and Asia.

These events can take weeks to unfold and can have cascading impacts. Some of these events can lead to strong cold outbreaks and snowier spells, while others have little impact near the surface.

According to Dr. Amy Butler, a meteorologist and lead of the Stratospheric Modeling & Analysis program at National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, SSWs occur once every other winter, But “there are only one to two major events in late November in the record back to 1958.”

“We have this unprecedented disruption in the polar architecture where it’s so early in the season … There’s not many past analogs to draw from and say [with confidence] about how this is going to go,” said Dr. Judah Cohen, a climatologist at MIT and the director of seasonal forecasting for Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER) at the JANUS Research Group.

Cohen added that an SSW is not a given yet and that we could simply see the polar vortex be stretched out past Thanksgiving, but it would still result in a noticeable change to colder and possibly more wintry weather for parts of the U.S.

La Niña will also play a role in this pattern shift, as will the forecasted weather conditions for the winter ahead.

“With North America, we have a weak La Nina and other patterns in the Pacific that have a direct influence on the weather as well,” said Dr. Jason Furtado, associate professor in the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. Furtado also added that these, consequently, lead to a higher chance of a colder December.

What does it mean for the forecast?

Long-range forecasts from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center favor below-average temperatures for the majority of America from late November into December.

However, this outlook deals with average temperatures over the period, so they don’t account for short-term variations that occur over days or weeks — meaning there could be a cold snap for a few days then warmth for the rest of the period, with the average leveling out or warmer.

What does it mean for snow?

These disturbances to the polar vortex can plunge cold air south and often create more chances for snow. However, the relationship between these two is not as straightforward.

According to NOAA, this pattern change supports more winter-like conditions across the central U.S. and increase the potential for heavy snow. Specifically, the increased potential for heavy snowfalls along the Great Lakes, a region historically known for lake-effect snow.

Putin, Zelenskyy respond to Trump’s peace plan

November 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — As President Donald Trump pushes Ukraine and Russia to commit to a peace deal before Thanksgiving, both leaders suggested they would engage on it but signaled doubts it could succeed.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned his country may face a difficult choice between losing its “dignity” or the support of its most important ally –presumably the United States, though Zelenskyy didn’t mention by name — as the Trump administration pressured Kyiv to accept the plan that would impose harsh concessions on Ukraine and that many Ukrainians fear would be effectively a capitulation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the deal, which Russia has helped develop and contains many of its key demands, could serve as a “basis” for a solution to the conflict, but accused Kyiv of being unwilling to accept it.

Zelenskyy addressed the nation in a powerful speech, where he vowed not to betray the country and said the next week would “be very difficult.”

Trump’s 28-point peace plan demands provisions that the Kremlin has long demanded and that have been previously dismissed as non-starters for Kyiv, including that Ukraine cut its armed forces by more than half and cede swaths of territory not yet occupied by Russia, according to a draft proposal obtained by ABC News.

Officially, the 28-point peace plan notes that “Ukraine will receive reliable security guarantees,” which a senior U.S. administration official told ABC News included a NATO-style security guarantee. Under that provision, the U.S. and its allies could respond with military force if Russia attacks Ukraine in the future, according to the official.

The plan comes after Ukraine suffered heavy losses in the last few weeks and Russian forces captured more territory. Zelenskyy himself is currently under pressure because of the worst corruption scandal of the war that involves top officials, which has rocked his administration.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is facing “one of the most difficult moments in our history” and that Ukraine in the coming days may have to choose between “dignity” and the “risk of losing a key partner.”

“Either complicated 28 points, or an extremely tough winter — the toughest — and further risks. A life without freedom, without dignity, without justice,” he said.

Zelenskyy compared the current situation to the first days of the war, when he refused to flee and Ukrainians held back Russia.

“They said: either this, or nothing. Either you sign this, or you will simply be eliminated. We did not betray Ukraine then; we will not do it now. And I know for certain that in this truly one of the hardest moments of our history, I am not alone,” he said.

Zelenskyy spoke with Vice President JD Vance about the plan on Friday.

“We managed to cover a lot of details of the American side’s proposals for ending the war, and we’re working to make the path forward dignified and truly effective for achieving a lasting peace,” a readout from the Ukrainian president read.

Putin, in a meeting with his national security council that was televised, said Russia was in possession of the 28-point plan and suggested Moscow was prepared to take it as a basis for “a final peace settlement” but had yet to discuss it in detail.

Putin said Russia had previously discussed a version of the plan with the Trump administration around his and Trump’s summit in Alaska this summer, calling the 28-point draft an “essentially modernised” one.

“We confirmed that, despite certain difficult issues and complications, we nevertheless agree with these proposals and are ready to show the flexibility that has been offered to us,” Putin said.

But he claimed since the summit that the Trump administration had paused and claimed that was because Ukraine is unwilling to accept the plan.

“I believe the reason is the same: the US administration has not yet managed to secure the agreement of the Ukrainian side, as Ukraine is opposed to it. Apparently, Ukraine and its European allies are still under the illusion that they can inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield,” Putin said.

The Russian leader vowed that if Ukraine did not discuss the proposals, Russia would continue to attempt to seize more cities and achieve its goals via force.

Zelenskyy on Friday warned Putin would attempt to use the peace talks to try to frame Ukraine as unwilling to accept peace, while making unjust demands.

“There will be a constructive search for solutions” with the U.S., he said. “I will present arguments, I will persuade, I will offer alternatives, but we will certainly not give the enemy any reason to say that Ukraine does not want peace, that it is Ukraine who disrupts the process and is not ready for diplomacy. That will not happen.”

Grizzly bear attacks school group in Canada’s British Columbia province, injuring 11

November 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(BELLA COOLA, British Columbia) — Eleven people, including children, were injured in a grizzly bear attack that occurred in the small, remote community of Bella Coola in British Columbia, Canada, on Thursday, according to regional and local officials.

On Thursday at 1:46 p.m., officials said received a call about an animal attack along a trail in Bella Coola, with two ambulances and a community paramedic responding to the scene.

Seven people were treated at the scene and four patients were transported to the hospital, according to the Provincial Health Services Authority.

The British Columbia Conservation Office Service, which was deployed to the scene along with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said three children were among the injured.

Acwsalcta School, an independent school in Bella Coola run by the Nuxalk Nation, said it will be closed Friday due to the “bear incident,” adding that “it’s hard to know what to say during this very difficult time.”

The victims were part of a school group of students and teachers who stopped along a trail near the river when a grizzly bear emerged from the forest and attacked. Multiple teachers physically intervened, using bear spray and a bear banger, to drive the bear away, the BCCOS said on Friday.

Four patients remain in the hospital as of Friday, officials said.

“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery,” said BCCOS Insp. Kevin Van Damme said in a statement.

Nuxalk Nation said the animal “has still not been found” after warning of an “aggressive bear” in the Four Mile subdivision, a forested and residential area in the Bella Coola Valley where Acwsalcta School is located.

Preliminary information suggests the offending bear may have been previously injured, officials said.

Officials also urged people in the area to stay indoors, warning them to not go looking for the bear and to “not go down any trails.”

British Columbia is home to an estimated 15,000 grizzly bears, which makes up more than half of the total grizzly population in Canada, according to a 2012 assessment and status report by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

ABC News’ Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

Trump, Mamdani promise to work to help NYC and tackle affordability amid cordiality

November 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani met in the Oval Office Friday discussing topics around affordability and safety in New York City, appearing cordial despite trading barbs for months.

“I just want to congratulate. I think you’re going to have hopefully a really great mayor and the better he does, the happier I am. I will say there’s no difference in party. There’s no difference in anything. And we’re going to be helping him, to make everybody’s dream come true, having a strong and very safe New York and congratulations, Mr. Mayor,” Trump said.

“It was a productive meeting focused on a place of shared admiration and love, which is New York City and the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.

In the days leading up to their first face-to-face meeting, the two New Yorkers told the press they are looking forward to working together to help the Big Apple, especially when it came to affordability. Trump and Mamdani appeared cordial and shook hands after the 25 minute closed door talk and said they agreed on a lot.

“I’m not concerned about this meeting. I view this meeting as an opportunity for me to make my case,” Mamdani told reporters Thursday at a news conference.

Trump announced the meeting on Wednesday night on social media, repeating the “communist” label he’s been using against Mamdani, who is a member of the Democratic Socialist group, and putting his middle name, Kwame, in quotes.

In a radio interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade out Friday before the meeting, Trump said he believes the meeting will go well and that he came after Mamdani a little too hard during the election cycle.

“He’s got a different philosophy. He’s a little bit different. I give him a lot of credit for the run. They did a successful run, and we all know that runs are not easy, but I think we’ll get along fine,” Trump said. “Look, we’re looking for the same thing. We want to make New York strong, and you know, there’s such a different philosophy”

Ahead of the meeting, Robert Wolf, a former UBS executive who is close with former President Barack Obama, said on X that he had a Zoom call with Mamdani Thursday “discussing recent economic news and his upcoming meeting with President Trump.”

Mamdani has been a vocal critic of the administration over its policies, including increased deportations, cuts to government agencies and attacks on cities run by Democrats.

On election night, the 34-year-old mayor-elect spoke directly to Trump in his acceptance speech and told him to “turn the volume up,” as he vowed to protect immigrants.

“So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us,” he said.

When asked about the election night comments during his radio interview.

“I don’t know exactly what he means by turn the volume up, because turn the volume up. He has to be careful when he says that to me,” Trump said.

Since Mamdani won the June Democratic primary, Trump has spoken out against the state assemblyman, at one point threatening to deport Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, moved to New York as a child, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018.

“We’re going to be watching that very carefully. And a lot of people are saying, he’s here illegally,” Trump claimed with no evidence in July.

The president has also threatened to withhold federal funding to New York if Mamdani won the election.

Mamdani’s critics have raised skepticism about his proposals, calling them far-fetched and improbable, as some would require state approval. He has also come under fire for his past comments criticizing the NYPD and Israeli government actions in the Gaza conflict.

The mayor-elect has apologized for his comments against the department and vowed to fight for Jewish New Yorkers, while still being critical of the Israeli government’s polices during the conflict.

Mamdani has also repeatedly brushed aside the threats and said he will continue to speak out against the administration’s conservative policies.

“His threats are inevitable,” Mamdani told ABC News a day after the election. “This has nothing to do with safety, it has to do with intimidation.”

At the same time, Mamdani has said he was open to talking with Trump, especially when it comes to affordability issues, noting that Trump won his re-election promising to bring down rising prices.

“I have many disagreements with the president. I intend to make it clear that I will work with him,” Mamdani said Thursday.

The mayor-elect won the election on a campaign to help New Yorkers with costs, with proposals such as raising the income tax on New Yorkers who earn over a million dollars a year, providing free child care to parents with kids as early as six weeks old, and free public buses.

Following Mamdani’s victory and other key wins by Democrats, Trump has said in social media posts and news conferences that he and the Republicans are the party working to lower costs.

“We’re fighting for an economy where everyone can win, from the cashier starting first job to a franchisee opening his first location to the young family in a drive through line,” he told a crowd in Pennsylvania on Monday.

-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Tonya Simpson contributed to this report.

Democrats defend message to troops as Trump, officials suggest they be punished

November 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Several Democrats accused by President Donald Trump of “seditious behavior” defended their message to military members that they can refuse illegal order. The president and administration officials suggested the action could be punishable by law.

The video featuring six Democrats who served in the military or in the intelligence community set off more than a dozen social media posts by Trump, who called them “traitors” and said their action could be “punishable by death.”

“I think it’s important to say that there is nothing more American than standing up for the Constitution, that’s what we were doing. President didn’t like it, so now he calls for us to be hanged,” Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly said on CNN’s “The Source with Kaitlan Collins” on Thursday night.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, on MS NOW, said the message to military members was “chapter and verse” from the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

“I think his reaction is just characteristic of a political system that no one is proud of right now,” she said.

The president, appearing on “The Brian Kilmeade Show” on Friday, continued to lash out at the lawmakers.

“These are bad people. These are people that, in my opinion, broke the law. Now, what happens to them? I can’t tell you, but they broke the law,” Trump said.

But after some bipartisan backlash to his comments about the death penalty, Trump softened somewhat.

“I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble. In the old days, it was death … That was seditious behavior, that was a big deal. You know, nothing’s a big deal, today’s a different world,” he said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday was forced to clarify to reporters on Thursday that “no,” Trump does not want to execute members of Congress.

But Leavitt called the video by Democrats “dangerous,” and falsely characterized Democrats of encouraging military members “to defy the president’s lawful orders.”

“It perhaps is punishable by law. I’m not a lawyer. I’ll leave that to the Department of Justice and the Department of War to decide,” Leavitt said.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, in an appearance on “Hannity” on Fox News on Wednesday, said he wanted to know why the lawmakers released the video.

“What is the reason that they all went on a video and encouraged young men and women to defy court orders without even giving a hint of what’s illegal, without even giving any suggestion of what law or what order they’re being asked to violate. You cannot do that in this country, especially if you’re a leader,” Blanche said.

“So what does the investigation look like? I think they should be held to account. I think that those congressmen should be required to answer questions and to answer questions about why they did what they did. And the American people deserve that, and so does President Trump,” he added.

When pressed if an investigation was underway, the deputy attorney general responded: “Look, we don’t, Sean, you know we don’t talk about investigations.”

In the video, which was released on Tuesday, none of the Democrats mentioned any specific illegal orders given to service members. It’s not clear whether service members have been asked to break the law.

Both Kelly and Slotkin, when asked why they felt the need to share the video message, pointed to recent administration actions that have raised legal challenges, including lethal strikes against alleged drug boats in Latin America and the deployment of National Guard troops in U.S. cities.

“He has talked about sending troops into more U.S. cities, he’s talked about invoking the Insurrection Act,” Kelly told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

“All of us had been getting outrage from folks in uniform, folks in the intelligence community saying like, ‘Hey, we’re really concerned,'” Slotkin said on MS NOW. “‘You know, I’m being deployed to a city or, you know, inside the United States, or I’m being asked to conduct strikes in the Mediterranean. And I don’t understand … like how this is legal?'”

Slotkin corrected that she meant strikes in the Caribbean Sea, where dozens of people have been killed in strikes the administration says is part of its “war” against drug cartels in the region.

The administration has defended the legality of the boat strikes and the use of National Guard troops in American cities, including Washington and Los Angeles.

“They’re suggesting … that the president has given illegal orders, which he has not. Every single order that is given to this United States military by this commander in chief and through this chain of command, through the secretary of war, is lawful,” Leavitt said on Thursday.

US says Venezuelan government is a terrorist network. Here’s what could happen next.

November 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — As of Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his government will be added to the U.S. State Department’s list of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organizations.

Declaring Maduro the head of a foreign terrorist organization — instead of a corrupt dictatorial regime, as the U.S. government has regarded him for years — is an unprecedented move that President Donald Trump insists gives him the authority to strike inside Venezuela, as some outside experts question his rationale.

What happens next is far from clear, in part because Trump hasn’t said what he wants to happen. When asked by a reporter at an Oval Office press conference on Nov. 17 what Maduro could do to placate the U.S., Trump called it a “tricky” question.

But some experts said that forcing Maduro from power without a long-term plan could leave a power vacuum, potentially giving way to violence and chaos.

“Any post-Maduro government will live or die based on the amount of security cooperation the United States is willing to provide,” said Henry Ziemer, an associate fellow with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told ABC News.

Here are three things to know about what could happen next:

Trump could use military strikes inside Venezuela and force Maduro to flee.

After weeks of lethal military strikes on suspected drug vessels, the State Department this week told Congress that Maduro wasn’t just a foreign leader but the head of “Cartel de los Soles.”

Experts told ABC News the term, which translates to “Cartel of the Suns,” is a general reference to corrupt Venezuelan officials, including those involved in the drug trade. The Cartel de los Soles has not been listed on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s annual National Drug Threat Assessment or in the United Nation’s World Drug Report.

The designation becomes official on Monday following a seven-day notice period to lawmakers, putting Maduro on the same list as terror networks like al-Qaida and the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. Maduro denies the allegation, instead calling for diplomacy.

Trump suggested the label gives him the authority to launch strikes, although legal experts told ABC News that claim is dubious. According to the Congressional Research Service, the list primarily serves “the purpose of imposing financial sanctions, immigration restrictions, or other penalties in pursuit of law enforcement or national security goals.”

In an interview with the right-wing One America News Network, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth insisted the decision was about giving the president greater military options.

“Nothing’s off the table, but nothing’s automatically on the table,” he said.

Maduro could placate Trump, but there’s no clear path for that.

While labeling Maduro a terrorist leader, Trump also said he’s open to negotiations. But when asked if Maduro could do anything to get Trump to back down, the president wasn’t clear.

“You know, the question’s a little bit tricky,” Trump said Nov. 17 in the Oval Office. “I don’t think it was meant to be tricky. It’s just that, look, he’s done tremendous damage of our country, primarily because of drugs,” and “the release of prisoners into our country has been a disaster.”

Some U.N. officials and regional experts said that Venezuela facilitates and profits off the drug trade, but that drug smuggling routes in the Caribbean are primarily headed for Europe. The majority of drugs coming into the U.S. enter through Mexico and legal ports of entry, they say.

Maduro has denied profiting from the drug trade.

Some independent experts also said Trump’s claim that Venezuela is emptying its prisons and sending people with mental illnesses to the U.S. is not supported by evidence. According to the Migration Policy Institute, some 770,000 Venezuelan immigrants live in the United States — the vast majority arriving after fleeing Maduro’s authoritarian regime and the ongoing economic crisis there.

Trump’s endgame makes more sense when you consider the bigger picture, some conservatives say. The U.S. has long seen Maduro as a source of chaos and instability in the region, but has not been willing to try to force a change.

“I think what we’re doing sends a message to leaders across the hemisphere about the U.S. being very serious about protecting the American people against these narco threats and the weaponization of these illicit activities and criminal activities,” Andres Martinez-Fernandez, senior policy analyst for the Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for National Security, told ABC News.

“I do think you’re starting to see. … other governments in the region that are more forward-leaning and more aligned with the United States,” he said.

US strikes could trigger chaos inside Venezuela, experts warn.

David Smolansky, who is deputy director of international affairs for the Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, told ABC News that the opposition, which is in exile, is ready to “provide Venezuelans an orderly and democratic transition.”

“What we are focused on is to be ready when the transition begins,” he said, citing the 2024 election of Edmundo Gonzalez with 67% of the vote. “We’ve been ready for a while.”

A new Venezuelan government, though, would inherit serious immediate challenges. Analysts said a new government would need security, help in reforming Venezuela’s armed forces and intelligence support from the U.S.

Zeimer said one major challenge would be convincing people throughout the Venezuelan government that they will be safe without Maduro. And part of their calculation will be how successful a new regime could be.

“Maduro is nothing if not wily and adaptable,” Zeimer said. “He’s been able, time after time, to get the United States to negotiate, and use negotiations, basically as a way to release the pressure and commit to things that he has no plans on following through with and hang on to power.”

“I think he is still definitely trying to do that,” he added. “It is telling that he’s yet to flee.”

Search for missing Phoenix toddler heads into 2nd day: Police

November 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(PHOENIX) — A Phoenix toddler remains missing, as the search to find her heads into the weekend, according to police.

The Phoenix Police Department is asking for help in locating 3-year-old Wednesday Guilford, who they say vanished Thursday with her mom, Kendal Guilford.

“Detectives are looking for 3yo Wednesday Guilford. She was last seen with her biological mother 32yo Kendal Guilford near 44th St. and Baseline Rd. walking a black French Bulldog,” the Phoenix Police Department posted on X late Thursday night.

Phoenix Police Department’s Sergeant Brian Bower told ABC News that Guilford’s family reached out for help locating her on Wednesday, and the case is civil, not criminal.

“This case does not involve any criminal nature and there is no custody documentation. Because there is no formal court paperwork for custody, and mom does not have a place to live, family members are worried for Wednesday’s welfare. This is more of a civil issue with detectives concerned for Wednesday’s welfare,” he said.

Bower said that Kendal Guilford is alleged to be homeless and use drugs.

“Mom is known to be homeless. She stays at friends’ houses, here and there. Dad was staying with the kid. Dad invited mom back over. Mom’s known to use drugs, so Dad’s like, ‘Hey, if you want to come over!’ Dad leaves the house for a little bit — when he gets back with other family members, the mom is gone with the daughter,” he said.

Bower added that Kendal Guilford is “not going to get arrested” if police find her and her daughter.

Wednesday Guilford is described as 3 feet tall and 40 pounds with brown eyes and brunette hair, according to local affiliate KNXV. The outlet noted that she was last seen wearing a pink dress with floral print and black flats.

Kendal Guilford is said to be 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 200 pounds with blue eyes and orange-blond hair, KNXV reported. She was last seen wearing a grey sweat suit and glasses with clear frames, according to the Arizona station.

Anyone with information regarding Wednesday Guilford can call the Phoenix Police Department Missing Persons Unit at (602) 534-2121.

Judge orders suspect to remain detained after woman set on fire on Chicago L train

November 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(CHICAGO) — A man accused of pouring gasoline on a woman and setting her on fire on a Chicago L train in an unprovoked attack will remain in custody, a judge ruled on Friday, saying he poses a danger to the community.

The suspect — Lawrence Reed, 50, of Chicago — faces a federal terrorism charge for what prosecutors called a “horrific and gruesome attack” that left the victim with severe burns.

During a detention hearing on Friday, Reed declined legal counsel and decided to represent himself, telling the judge he would also like to be detained for his safety, Chicago ABC station WLS reported.

The attack occurred Monday night near the Clark and Lake station on a Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line train and was captured on CTA security video, authorities said.

Authorities said Reed was also captured on surveillance footage filling up a bottle at a gas station pump 20 minutes before allegedly pouring the liquid on the victim and then, after she fought him off and ran away, lighting her on fire. Prosecutors said the security footage clearly captures the suspect’s face.

The victim, a 26-year-old woman, had been sitting on the train looking at her phone with her back to the suspect when she was randomly attacked, prosecutors said.

She was transported to a local hospital in critical condition with severe burns. She remains hospitalized with critical injuries, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Reed was arrested the following day and charged with committing a terrorist attack against a mass transportation system. He has not yet entered a plea, online court records show.

Prosecutors had asked the court to detain the suspect pending trial, arguing in a motion ahead of Friday’s court hearing that he “presents a clear danger and persistent threat of terror to the community” based on the circumstances of the crime and his criminal history.

“The state court system has been unable to contain defendant’s violent crimes, and federal intervention is now needed,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros wrote in the government’s detention motion.

Reed has been arrested by Chicago police at least 72 times over the past 30 years, with at least 15 of the arrests since 2016, according to the filing.

He has approximately 15 convictions, including for criminal damage to government property, drug possession and an arson incident in 2020 in which he lit a government building in downtown Chicago on fire, according to the filing.

At the time of Monday’s attack, Reed was facing aggravated battery charges in the Circuit Court of Cook County for striking someone in the head at a hospital in Berwyn, Illinois, three months ago, according to the filing. A judge ordered him released from custody on electronic monitoring “over the objection of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office,” and another judge later removed the condition of electronic monitoring, according to Boutros. He was ordered to follow a curfew that would not have allowed him out of his residence at the time the train attack occurred, Boutros said.

“Defendant has been leniently treated in state court, including receiving probationary sentences for violent offenses and pre-trial release for a victim-involved crime,” Boutros wrote. “In exchange for such lenient treatment, defendant has consistently re-offended and delved further into criminality.”

Boutros also argued Reed’s behavior during his initial court appearance on Wednesday — in which he “disrupted the proceedings by singing, babbling, and instructing the Court to not speak to him” — shows that he is also “unable or unwilling to cooperate at this stage in the proceedings.”

Based on his conduct during the hearing, the judge recommended Reed undergo a psychological evaluation, according to court records.

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