News – Page 394 – 105.7 WDNY

Trump heads to UN General Assembly as future of Palestinian state and Gaza likely to dominate

September 22, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — President Donald Trump and foreign world leaders will meet this week at the United Nations General Assembly where Trump is expected to deliver the first address of his second term to the annual gathering of global leaders on Tuesday — though Trump will largely be isolated from more than half of the member nations and key allies over the war in Gaza.

All eyes will be on Trump, who in recent months has initiated massive cuts to U.S. foreign aid since his return to the White House, eliminating support for U.N. agencies and aid as overseas humanitarian crises continue to grow.

Trump’s appearance at the 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly comes as several prominent world leaders — and key allies — of the U.S. are set to formally recognize Palestinian statehood as international alarm continues to build over the ongoing war and starvation crisis in Gaza.

On Monday, France and Saudi Arabia will hold an international peace conference in support of the two-state solution that will take place in New York. France and several other countries are expected to recognize Palestinian statehood, joining more than 140 countries which have already recognized Palestinian statehood.

Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and Canada have maintained there should be an end to the war in Gaza, including the immediate release of all remaining hostages, and the understanding that Hamas would no longer be a leading authority in Gaza after the war.

The French have said that 10 countries would formally recognize Palestinian statehood at the meeting — Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Portugal, Malta, Britain and San Marino alongside France.

The U.S. will not participate in the conference and was one of only 10 countries who voted against the General Assembly resolution backing the high-level gathering.

Israel, for its part, has vowed to take action in retaliation of the formal recognition, which may include annexing parts of the occupied West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unequivocal in rejecting the planned international conference in a statement Sunday.”I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre on October 7th, 2023: You are giving a huge reward to terrorism,” Netanyahu said.

“And I have another message for you: It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.”

Critics of the recognition — which include the U.S. and the Israeli governments — have long condemned the plan, saying it only moves to embolden Hamas and further isolate Israel and the Trump administration on the international stage.

U.S. officials have said the action is largely “performative” and “symbolic” and will do nothing to help mend the relationship between the Palestinians and the Israeli government.

“I think much of that is a reaction to several nations around the world deciding to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio on reports that Israel was seriously debating annexing parts of the West Bank, which some say would be illegal under international law.

“We warned them that we thought that was counterproductive. We actually think its undermined negotiations, because it emboldened Hamas, and we think it undermines future prospects of peace in the region. We thought it was unwise to do that, and I think you’re seeing that as a counterreaction,” Rubio told reporters last week.

The U.S. — Israel’s main ally — has opposed the recognition and last month moved to deny and revoke visas to the Palestinian delegation, including for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of Monday’s international conference, accusing the Palestinian leadership of undermining peace efforts. The Palestinian state holds permanent observer status at the U.N. and is not a full-blown member state.

But on Friday, the U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelming to allow Abbas to address this week’s gathering of world leaders virtually after the Trump administration declined to grant Abbas a visa. The motion passed by a vote of 145-5 with six abstentions. The U.S. and Israel voted against the motion.

On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia formally recognized a Palestinian state — three countries who are some of the U.S. and Israel’s closest allies. The move came after an official state visit from Trump to the United Kingdom, during which he voiced his disapproval of the plan.

Other experts remain wary of the recognition, suggesting that while the acknowledgment of a Palestinian state is a long-overdue decision, it must be accompanied with more concrete action against the Israeli occupation, which launched a ground invasion last week. Such action could include an arms embargo, sanctions and more support for international tribunals investigating Israel’s possible crimes.

Trump is expected to meet with Netanyahu on the sidelines at this year’s UNGA.

Trump is also expected to meet with other foreign leaders throughout the week, including Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who will be a prominent new addition to the gathering. The meeting with Trump will mark their second meeting this year as the Syrian leader confronts the challenges of rebuilding the country after years of civil war under Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Iran’s nuclear program will also be a top-agenda item this year as sanctions against Tehran that were lifted 10 years ago are set to be reinstated. France, Germany and the United Kingdom moved last month to trigger the “snapback mechanism,” which automatically reimposes all U.N. sanctions that were in effect before the nuclear deal.

Trump will also meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines this week over promised postwar security guarantees, which Zelenskyy has said are critical to resolving the war with Russia. Russian President Vladmir Putin has so far refused to engage in a good faith effort to end the war after almost four years of fighting.

Zelenskyy calls on US to impose ‘strong’ sanctions on Russia at UN General Assembly

September 22, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged attendees of this week’s United Nations General Assembly sessions in New York to use the meeting of world leaders to apply “strong political pressure” on Russia, as Moscow’s war on its neighbor wears on.

Zelenskyy posted to social media on Monday morning, following Russia’s latest overnight strike on Ukrainian cities across the country. Drones hit Donetsk, Dnipro, Sumy, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Zelenskyy said.

At least three people were killed in Zaporizhzhia, the president said. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 141 drones into the country, of which 132 were downed or suppressed.

“This is already the fourth time that Russia accompanies one of the highest annual global diplomatic events with killings,” Zelenskyy said in his post, referring to this week’s UNGA sessions.

“That is why it is so important for this diplomatic week to be productive,” he added. “We must act so that killings and war do not become routine.”

“There is a real need for strong pressure on Russia, new joint steps from everyone in the world who believes that international law must work again,” Zelenskyy said, calling specifically on “Europe, the USA, the G7 and G20 countries — all those who have real influence on Russia.”

“Strong sanctions, strong political pressure, Russia’s accountability for the war — all of this is necessary,” Zelenskyy wrote. “All of this will happen.”

U.S.-led peace talks have thus far failed to produce a ceasefire in Ukraine, where Russian forces remain on the offensive at multiple points along the front line three-and-a-half years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Russian attacks on Ukraine have intensified since U.S. President Donald Trump met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August.

And in recent weeks, repeated Russian drone and aircraft violations of NATO airspace in Poland, Romania and Estonia have further raised tensions between Moscow and its Western adversaries.

At Tallinn’s request, the United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the violation of Estonian airspace by three Russian fighter aircraft on Sept. 12.

Trump — who is expected to meet with Zelenskyy in New York this week — has repeatedly expressed his frustration with Putin over the failure of peace efforts and Moscow’s continued long-range strikes. While in the U.K. last week, Trump said Putin had “let me down.”

Nonetheless, Trump has refused to impose on Russia the full raft of additional sanctions and tariffs that he has threatened. The White House did introduce additional 25% tariffs on all Indian imports in response to New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil and military goods.

Trump said last week that he would not introduce further measures until European nations — who have broadly been more full-throated than the White House in their continued military and political backing for Kyiv — impose steep tariffs on India and China.

Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and chair of the body’s foreign affairs committee, told ABC News that the planned Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in New York this week is positive.

“It’s always good and gives a chance to make him more receptive to our needs,” he said. “At the same time, I don’t have high expectations. Trump seems reluctant to employ serious sanctions against Russia and its allies.”

Kyiv will be watching closely to see how many states back a planned resolution expressing support for Ukraine. “It’s indicative of our support in the world, including in the Global South,” Merezhko said.

Russian officials, meanwhile, have signaled no imminent willingness to agree to a ceasefire or to a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, an idea proposed by Trump after his Alaska summit with the Russian president.

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Trump’s disappointment with the pace of the negotiations with Russia can be “partly explained by the fact that he wants quick solutions.”

ABC News’ Anna Sergeeva and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.

Key takeaways from Charlie Kirk’s memorial service

September 22, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(GLENDALE, Ariz.) — Tens of thousands of people packed State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Sunday to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk, who was hailed a “martyr” by President Donald Trump and other leading conservative figures.

“I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk, and neither now will history,” Trump said.

Kirk, 31, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University for his The American Comeback Tour, which invited students on college campuses to debate on hot-button issues.

After founding Turning Point USA at age 18, Kirk rose to become one of the most prominent conservative voices in the country. But some of his comments on gun violence, LGBTQ issues, race and more often drew criticism from liberals and others.

At Sunday’s public memorial service, administration officials cast him as a “warrior” for the MAGA movement and his wife, Erika, said he died with “incomplete work but not with unfinished business.”

Here are the key takeaways.

Conservatives memorialize Kirk as ‘martyr’ and ‘warrior’

Kirk was lionized by several speakers as a modern-day martyr, many using the word in the context of his Christian faith.

“Charlie Kirk is now a martyr. His power will only grow,” conservative commentator Benny Johnson said in spirited remarks. “Evil thought there’d be a funeral today, God has created a revival right here in this house right now,” Johnson added.

Vice President JD Vance, a close friend of Kirk who escorted his casket back to Arizona on Air Force Two, said, “We must remember that he is a hero to the United States of America. And he is a martyr for the Christian faith.”

President Trump called Kirk a martyr for “American freedom.”

Others praised Kirk as a “MAGA warrior,” and Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna compared him to George Washington, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.

The service mixed politics and religion, as the day started with hours of Christian music before the program began. Many in the crowd stood worshipping with their hands in the air.

Speakers pledge that Kirk’s movement will continue

White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, in some of the most heated remarks of the program, said Kirk’s death created a “fire in our hearts.”

Miller railed against an unnamed enemy, telling the crowd: “They cannot imagine what they have awakened. They cannot conceive of the army that they have arisen in all of us because we stand for what is good, what is virtuous, what is noble.”

Trump praised Kirk’s organization as a “juggernaut of American politics” that he believed is “going to be bigger and better than ever before.”

Trump and several administration officials watched the program in a suite behind bulletproof glass, and nearly his entire Cabinet sat in the front row.

Vance noted, “Now our whole administration is here, but not just because we love Charlie as a friend, even though we did, but because we know we wouldn’t be here without him. Charlie built an organization that reshaped the balance of our politics.”

Erika Kirk says she forgives alleged shooter in emotional speech

Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, in emotional remarks, revealed that she forgives the alleged shooter, who has been charged with his murder.

“That young man, I forgive him,” she said as she was holding back tears, with the crowd jumping to their feet in a standing ovation.

Tyler Robinson, 22, was charged with a slew of offenses for allegedly killing Charlie Kirk, including aggravated murder.

“The answer to hate is not hate,” she said at the memorial service.

She also recounted the moments when she saw her husband’s body after he had been assassinated, saying she experienced “a level or heartache I didn’t even know existed.”

When she saw his body, she said she saw the “faintest smile” on his lips, telling her that he “didn’t suffer” and there was no “fear” or “agony” when he died.

“While Charlie died far too early, he was also ready to die. There was nothing that he was putting off,” she said.

Erika Kirk said taking over Turning Point USA is not something she takes lightly, after recently being elected to replace her husband as CEO, but that she and her husband share the same mission.

She said campus events will continue, stressing the need for debate and the importance of the First Amendment. “No assassin will ever stop us for standing up to defend those rights ever,” she said.

President Trump gave closing remarks, called Kirk ‘immortal’

In closing remarks for the memorial service, President Donald Trump said Charlie Kirk, whom he described as “our greatest evangelist for American liberty,” is now “immortal.”

He emphasized that Kirk was someone who had a “good heart” and was a “great American hero” who had the “will to fight, fight, fight” — a phrase that has become a rallying cry for Trump supporters since the attempted assassination attempt on him in July 2024.

The president said Kirk was a “missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose” but that he differed with the conservative activist on one point, specifically that Kirk “did not hate his opponents.”

“That’s where I disagree with Charlie. I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them,” Trump said.

Trump also continued to predominantly blame “the left” for political violence in the U.S. He called the alleged shooter a “radicalized cold-blooded monster” and reiterated his direction to the Justice Department to investigate groups he claims contribute to political violence.

Throughout his speech, Trump strayed from talking about the conservative activist several times. His remarks on Kirk were briefly interrupted when he discussed a forthcoming announcement about autism, his tariff policy and his grievances about the 2020 election. He also added that “violence comes largely from the left.”

As Trump closed the program, he invited Erika Kirk back on stage and the two embraced.

Armed man arrested at stadium ahead of Charlie Kirk memorial in Arizona: Officials

September 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(GLENDALE, Ariz.) — A man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly impersonated a law enforcement officer and brought a weapon to the stadium where Charlie Kirk’s memorial service will be held on Sunday, according to officials.

Joshua Runkles, 42, was booked on charges of carrying a weapon into a prohibited place and impersonating a police officer, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Runkles was arrested at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, after showing “suspicious behavior,” according to Arizona DPS.

Runkles is not a law enforcement officer, according to DPS. He was taken into custody by the DPS and booked into the Maricopa County Jail.

“An investigation is ongoing to determine his intent and purpose at the stadium. Runkles has since been released on bond,” according to Arizona DPS.

Later, in a statement posted on X, Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said the individual “was doing advance security for a known guest planning to attend the memorial service tomorrow. We do not believe this person was attempting anything nefarious, however the advance was not done in proper coordination with the TPUSA security team or US Secret Service.”

Kolvet said the arrest came before the site had been fully sealed and locked down.

The U.S. Secret Service said it was investigating in coordination with local law enforcement an “individual who was observed exhibiting suspicious behavior” at State Farm Stadium.

The individual was approached by Secret Service agents and said during the encounter that he was a member of law enforcement and that he was armed, a Secret Service spokesperson told ABC News.

This individual was not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and an investigation is ongoing as to why he was there, the spokesperson said.

‘We Are All Immigrants’ — a high school student aims to unite with children’s book

September 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Immigration can be a hot-button topic, something frequently discussed on cable news and splashed across the headlines. But to one enterprising young author, it’s also the perfect material for a children’s book that helps young people understand each other’s roots.

Last month, Scarsdale, New York, high school senior Max Reddy Spencer wrote and self-published a children’s book titled “We Are All Immigrants.”

Spencer, the son of an Indian American mother and a white American father, said he was motivated to share the message that we are all more alike than different.

“We Are All Immigrants” follows the story of a young boy with a very similar background as Spencer’s. But he said he wanted the character to stand in for every child.

“I didn’t name the protagonist in the book,” he told ABC News. “I did that intentionally, actually, as a way to try to make the boy represent all of us and also not be the highlight of the story … I wanted the characters he interacted with to be the center of focus and attention.”

Through the boy’s journey in the book, he discovers that most people in his life who live in the United States are, in fact, immigrants. Whether it be his Venezuelan American neighbor, his Taiwanese American teacher, or his Italian American lunch cook, he begins to understand the fabric of his community is woven from different, diverse backgrounds.

Spencer said his book aims to make conversations about immigration more accessible to children, and it doubles as a coloring book with illustrations generated by artificial intelligence.

For Spencer, immigration is deeply personal, he said. His maternal grandparents immigrated from India. His grandfather was from a tiny, rural village in south India called Pathur, in Andhra Pradesh, India. His grandmother’s hometown was called Madanapalle.

Spencer said he grew up understanding America is built on immigration and that his goal in writing the book was to teach children about immigration, while also encouraging people to reflect on their similarities.

“I am very much pro-immigration from an economic and cultural perspective, but I am mostly just trying to remind our country that we are all far more similar than we are different,” he said. “I know that is obviously far more than my little book can do. But that was a big piece of what I was trying to share.”

Previously, Spencer started an initiative called the Inspiration Project, which collects and distributes free children’s books to underserved communities. His goal is to collect more than 3,000 children’s books to redistribute before he graduates high school. He estimated he’s collected at least 2,000 so far.

Spencer said he is donating all the proceeds from “We Are All Immigrants” to the organization Hearts & Homes for Refugees, a New York-based organization that helps resettle refugee families.

“We Are All Immigrants is available” online.

1 dead, 2 wounded after shooting at New Hampshire country club: Police

September 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NASHUA, N.H.) — One man was killed and several people were wounded after a shooting at a New Hampshire country club Saturday evening, authorities said.

It happened at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua when a man entered the club and fired several gunshots, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.

A “person of interest” in the shooting was detained at the scene by police officers, according to Peter Hinckley, senior assistant attorney general, who spoke to reporters during a news conference Saturday night.

Authorities said there was no further danger to the public.

Attorney General John M. Formella and Nashua Police Department Chief Kevin Rourke later released a statement naming the suspect as Hunter Nadeau, 23.

The victim was named as Robert Steven DeCesare, 59. Two other adults were shot and wounded, the statement said. There is “no known connection” between the suspect and the victim, Formella and Rourke said.

Nadeau was charged with one count of second-degree murder, the statement said. “Additional charges likely will be brought, including for the additional shooting victims,” the statement added.

Nadeau is expected to be arraigned in Nashua on Monday, Formella and Rourke said.

Initially, Nashua police said two armed suspects fled the scene of the shooting and that one was at large, but they later said surveillance video confirmed there was only one shooter.

The country club contains a golf course, a wedding venue and a restaurant. Authorities did not specify the exact location of the shooting.

A nearby Sheraton Hotel was being used as a unification site.

Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess said he was saddened by the shooting and thinking of the families affected.

“I’ve heard from other mayors in other places of course … It had always crossed my mind, ‘Well, it’s unlikely ever to happen in Nashua.’ But now it has,” he told reporters during the news conference. “And I think the message is for every community out there: No matter how unlikely it seems, it can happen. It can happen where you live.”

Nashua is a city of about 92,000 people in southern New Hampshire near the border with Massachusetts.

“As we learn more about tonight’s shooting in Nashua, my heart goes out to the families of those impacted,” New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan said in a post on social media. “And I’m grateful for the work of the law enforcement officers and first responders at the scene.”

Sen. Murphy says Trump using presidential power to punish political opponents

September 21, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Sunday that the United States is in “one of the most dangerous moments America has ever faced” with President Donald Trump using the federal government to try to punish his political opponents.

“The United States is now employing the full power of the federal government, the FCC, the Department of Justice, in order to punish, lock up, take down off the air all of his political enemies,” Murphy told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl. “As you know, this is what happens in Iran. This is what happens in Cuba. This is what happens in China, in deeply repressive states in which if you have the courage to stand up and speak truth to power, you are silenced. I mean, there is no more fundamental right in America than the right to protest your government.”

Murphy said Trump’s threats to have the Federal Communications Commission reexamine licenses for television broadcasters that repeatedly criticize him is an effort to use the government to silence critics.

“Listen, every single president, every single politician has drawn issue with something that a media figure has said and may use the power of persuasion to try to get them to change what they say. That’s very different than using the power of government in a coercive way that’s actually illegal. The Supreme Court has said, no, you cannot use the regulatory power of the government to say to a broadcaster, if you don’t say what I want you to say, as the president, United States, there will be a official legal consequence that’s illegal”

Luigi Mangione’s lawyers say possible death penalty ‘based on politics, not merit’

September 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The federal indictment that makes Luigi Mangione eligible for the death penalty if he’s convicted of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson should be dismissed because a “torrent of prejudice from multiple public officials” violated his constitutional rights and made it impossible for him to receive a fair trial, defense attorneys argued in a new court filing Saturday.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges, including one death-eligible count of using a firearm to commit murder, that accused him of tracking Thompson’s whereabouts, traveling to New York where Thompson was attending an investor conference, stalking him on the street and then firing several shots from a 9mm pistol.

The defense conceded there is a high bar to dismiss an indictment due to pretrial publicity but argued, “there has never been a situation remotely like this one where prejudice has been so great against a death-eligible defendant.”

Defense attorneys pointed to what they called a “dehumanizing, unconstitutional” perp walk in New York, during which Mangione was televised clambering out of a helicopter in shackles.

“This was done solely to prejudice him and without the slightest legitimate law enforcement objective,” defense attorneys Karen Friedman Agnifilo and Avi Moskowitz argued.

“The United States Attorney General as well as law enforcement personnel and the highest New York City elected official took every opportunity to prejudice Mr. Mangione’s chances of having a fair grand jury hearing and fair legal proceedings in this death penalty case,” the defense’s filing said. “Placing their own, and their administration’s, political agendas above the constitutional safeguards assured to every criminal defendant, and especially one facing a death sentence, they serially violated the constitution, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, this court’s local rules and traditional notions of fairness.”

The defense pointed to public statements, social media posts and television appearances by Attorney General Pam Bondi that they said made clear the decision to seek the death penalty was based on politics and not merit.

In April, Bondi directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Mangione if he is convicted of Thompson’s murder.

“Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Bondi said in a statement at the time.

“The Attorney General of the United States is telling the public that based on her personal experience as a capital prosecutor who tried death penalty cases throughout her career that Mangione is guilty and should be executed,” the defense said. “In addition, she also called the incident ‘an act of political violence’ even though Mr. Mangione was charged in a complaint with stalking a single person who was not a politician, or an activist, and who was not otherwise engaged in politics.”

Meanwhile, a judge this week dismissed two state murder charges related to acts of terrorism as Mangione made his first Manhattan courtroom appearance in five months.

Judge Gregory Carro tossed out first and second-degree murder charges that accused Mangione of murder as a crime of terrorism. The judge said the evidence presented to the grand jury was insufficient to support the terrorism charge.

The rest of the indictment remains, with the judge refusing to dismiss another second-degree murder charge, to which Mangione has pleaded not guilty.

“We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree,” the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said in a statement following the ruling.

Mangione’s next court appearance is in December.

Flash flooding threat could return out West as Gabrielle churns in the Atlantic

September 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Some pop-up showers and thunderstorms are possible on Saturday, mainly to the north of areas hit hardest by flash flooding recently, but there is no organized threat of flash flooding today as tropical moisture begins to thin out. No flood alerts are currently in effect.

However, another burst of monsoonal moisture will bring a low threat (Level 1 of 4) of flash flooding to parts of the Desert Southwest Sunday into Monday.

Isolated downpours and thunderstorms could bring localized areas of flash flooding to parts of far southern California and Arizona for Sunday.

For Monday, the low flood threat shifts east into parts of New Mexico.

Any burn scar areas will be especially prone to dangerous flash flooding which could trigger debris flows and mudslides. Burned soil lowers the threshold for flash flooding, meaning even lower rainfall totals can lead to significant flash flooding and other impacts, which unfold quickly.

Into the rest of next week, dry and quiet weather is forecasted for much of the Southwest.

Over the last couple of days, heavy rain and flash flooding drenched the Southwest and even became deadly in one instance.

In Barstow, California, a 2-year-old was swept away after their family’s car was swept off a road and overtaken by floodwaters. The City of Barstow announced on Friday that “After more than 20 hours of extensive search and rescue operations, emergency responders located the child’s body.”

Flash flooding occurred in other parts of the Southwest as the heaviest downpours dropped 1 to 2 inches of rain in around an hour for some spots, causing some roads to be washed out and anything in the way of rushing floodwaters to be swept away.

Tropical Storm Gabrielle
Tropical Storm Gabrielle continues to churn in the central Atlantic, fighting off unfavorable atmospheric conditions.

Gabrielle is slowly improving in structure late Saturday morning but continues to deal with wind shear and dry air, all conditions that tropical cyclones struggle to survive in.

The storm is expected to move into an area with less wind shear and dry air, as well as warm water, allowing it to likely become a hurricane by late Sunday.

However, it will not bring any direct impacts to land as it stays east of Bermuda early next week and eventually turns northeast across the north-central Atlantic by the middle of next week.

If it does become a hurricane, Gabrielle would become the 2nd hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. On average, the 2nd hurricane forms around August 26, making this hurricane almost a month later than normally expected.

Hurricane hunter flights are scheduled to fly into Gabrielle to get a better idea of the storm’s current structure and strength.

The National Hurricane Center is also watching a weak tropical wave located off the west coast of Africa as it produces some disorganized thunderstorms.

It has a 20% chance of development in the next seven days as it slowly treks across the central Atlantic. If it does become more developed, it would likely take the same track as Gabrielle, avoiding any direct impacts for land.

Tropical activity in the Atlantic is forecasted to slowly ramp back up over the next few weeks as conditions gradually become more favorable for development.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.

Charlie Kirk memorial service set for Sunday with Trump, Vance to speak

September 20, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial service will take place on Sunday, little more than a week after his murder sent shockwaves through American politics.

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several top administration officials are slated to speak at the event, which is being held at State Farm Stadium in Arizona and is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners.

Kirk was fatally shot on Sept. 10 in front of a large crowd at Utah Valley University, the first stop of Kirk’s “The American Comeback Tour” that invited students to debate him on hot-button issues.

President Trump announced Kirk’s death that night, and a manhunt ensued for the gunman. Authorities on Sept. 12 identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect. Robinson was charged this week with multiple counts, including aggravated murder. Prosecutors said they intend to seek the death penalty.

Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA at age 18 and rose to become one of the most prominent conservative voices in the country. His influence, particularly with young people, helped propel Trump to office. But some of his comments on gun violence, LGBTQ issues, race and more often drew criticism from liberals and others.

A top ally to Trump and a close friend to many in the administration, Kirk’s killing rattled many inside the White House.

The president said he will posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Vance escorted Kirk’s casket from Utah to Arizona on Air Force Two.

Kirk is survived by his wife Erika and their two young children. Erika Kirk, who has been elected to replace her husband as the CEO for Turning Point USA, vowed “the movement my husband built will not die.”

“No one will ever forget my husband’s name, and I will make sure of it,” Erika Kirk said in emotional remarks days after his death. She will also speak at Sunday’s service.

Other high-profile figures who are scheduled to deliver remarks include Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Attendees have been asked to wear red, white or blue to the service.

The memorial event has been designated as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event by the Department of Homeland Security, meaning it will have the same level of security as the Super Bowl or the Boston Marathon.

Local officials said they wouldn’t be surprised if more than 100,000 people gather for the memorial.

Kirk’s death was met with bipartisan condemnation from public officials, as top lawmakers on both sides of the aisle raised alarm about the rising tide in acts of violence against public officials.

President Trump vowed to go after individuals and groups he claims contribute to political violence, though has predominately blamed the “radical left” as a problem and not acknowledging recent attacks against Democrats.

Vice President Vance and several administration officials are calling for punishment for people who they say have celebrated Kirk’s death or mocked him online. Some prominent MAGA figures have gone so far as to say Kirk’s death means “war.”

Democrats have pushed back on the rhetoric. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, blasted Trump’s “finger-pointing” and said it won’t help turn down the temperature. Critics have called the conservative call for a crackdown on Democrats a threat to free speech.

+ More