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Meta settles with states in landmark social media addiction case

August 26, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A bipartisan coalition of 52 attorneys general on Wednesday reached a landmark settlement with Meta that will change how young users interact with Instagram and Facebook.

The settlement includes a default daily time limit of two hours for users under 18 that can only be lifted by an individual’s parent. Meta will also stop displaying numbers of likes or reactions for young users.

Young users will have access to an optional non-personalized feed, which doesn’t use an algorithm to target them with content aimed to keep them endlessly scrolling.

The tech giant agreed to pay up to $18 billion in installments over the next 10 years, according to a statement issued by the company. Meta did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement.

Meta confirmed the settlement in its statement, saying the company “partnered with state attorneys general to set a new industry standard.”

“Ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative for Meta. We want to get this right for parents and teens,” the company said.

State attorneys general had accused Meta of designing a dangerous product for young users, claiming the company knew it was dangerous and lied about it. Meta had pushed back on the claims, calling them “unsubstantiated” and arguing the company has created protections for younger users.

The high-profile federal case at a courthouse in Oakland, California, began last week. The two sides reached a settlement a day after testimony from Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who on Tuesday denied hiding information from the public about the safety of the popular social media app.

The settlement comes weeks after Meta lost a separate case brought against the company in state court by the New Mexico attorney general. A judge said Meta contributed to a youth mental health crisis and ordered the company to pay $567 million and make changes to its apps. Meta said it would appeal the ruling.

The settlement agreement reached on Wednesday must be approved in court. The only states not included in the settlement agreement are New Mexico and Florida.

Father of sailor deployed on USS Abraham Lincoln released by ICE

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The father of a sailor deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was released by immigration authorities Tuesday — days after his son posted about the ordeal on Facebook, an account not disputed by the Department of Homeland Security.

Joshua Aviles, the sailor, posted on Facebook on behalf of the family that his dad, Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, had been released.

“Luis has been released back to our family,” the Aviles family posted on the sailor’s Facebook page. “We are grateful for all of the support for both Luis and Josh throughout this situation. At this moment, our family is taking time to be together. While we await the return of our proud Navy sailor, we kindly ask for your understanding and respect.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the release.

Over the weekend, Joshua Aviles detailed his father’s ordeal while he was deployed in a war zone.

“I just got a call that my dad was taken by ICE. If you know my dad, you know he is a hardworking, humble man who is always willing to help anyone if he can. My dad has his driver’s license, Social Security card, and work permit,” according to a post from Joshua Aviles on Saturday. “We have done everything through immigration to get his green card approved, and we are just waiting.”

He said it is “heartbreaking.”

“I don’t know how I can mentally continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly being treated like a criminal. My dad’s only ‘crime’ was coming to this country to give my siblings and me a better life.”

Aviles is one of a number of active-duty military whose family members have been detained by immigration agents under President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

In a statement after the sailor’s initial Facebook post, DHS did not dispute the account from Aviles.

“On August 22, Border Patrol arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, an illegal alien from Nicaragua, after conducting a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida. He entered the country illegally on an unknown date and location. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings,” according to a DHS spokesperson.

“Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws. Military service by an immediate relative does not automatically grant parole, lawful status, or immunity from immigration enforcement,” the spokesperson said. “We are simply enforcing the laws passed by Congress. This Administration does not pick and choose which laws to enforce.”

Trump administration suggests Kennedy Center could be demolished if court blocks planned renovations

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department suggested in a court filing Tuesday that the Kennedy Center could face demolition in the event a federal judge issues an order permanently blocking President Donald Trump’s push to renovate the facility with additions intended to recognize Trump personally.

This is a developing story.

Target apologizes for ‘offensive’ kids Halloween costume that evoked racist imagery

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Target is apologizing for selling a children’s Halloween costume that some described as reminiscent of racist minstrel caricatures.

“An apology from us: We pulled an offensive Halloween costume that should never have been part of our assortment,” Target said in a statement posted on its website and social media pages late Monday. “It is no longer for sale.”

“As a company, we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry,” the statement continued. “We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners. Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again.”

According to the product’s original description on Target’s site, the costume in question was the Kids’ Circus Glow Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit. It features an orange and black shirt and pants set with black gloves and a hooded mesh mask with an attached miniature hat. The entire design also glows “under blacklight.”

The item is no longer listed for sale on Target’s website.

The controversial costume prompted calls to boycott Target on social media, a year after the retailer faced boycotts over its decision to cut some of its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

State Department preparing to cancel tens of thousands of visas held by asylum seekers: Officials

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The State Department announced that it is preparing to revoke tourist and business visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to foreign nationals who have sought or are actively seeking asylum in the United States, which officials say could result in the cancellation of tens of thousands of travel documents.

“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, we are making clear that a visa is a privilege — not a right. We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

“These types of visas are issued with the clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return home. Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud — which is grounds for visa revocation,” he added. “This is an ongoing process as we uphold the integrity of our visa and asylum laws.”

The revocations are expected to happen on a rolling basis, and internal estimates suggest they could reach or exceed 200,000, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Applicants for tourist and business visas are asked to confirm that they will not apply for asylum and intend to return to their countries of origin.

The department’s plans were first reported by The Associated Press.

Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau posted to social media about individuals who use visas to get into the U.S. and claim asylum.

“People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.”

It’s not clear whether any foreign nationals will be removed from the U.S. due to visa cancellations. In cases where the visa holder has an active asylum application, the claim will have to be adjudicated and denied before removal proceedings can move forward.

Judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell’s attempt to overturn conviction

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A federal judge in New York on Tuesday rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s challenge to her conviction, finding her claims “meritless” or “frivolous.”

Maxwell was trying to vacate her conviction and 20-year prison sentence.

Maxwell was convicted of five felony counts, all arising from her participation with Jeffrey Epstein, in the sexual abuse of young girls over the course of a decade. A federal appeals court upheld her conviction and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up her petition.

In court filings, Maxwell argued documents released in the Epstein files supported her claims of constitutional violations, but Judge Paul Engelmayer called her claims “all meritless and all or almost all are frivolous.”

“And the purported ‘new’ evidence to which Maxwell points, principally materials released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, is largely irrelevant to the charges against Maxwell and does not support her claims of error,” the judge continued. “On the contrary, to the extent it is relevant, far from exculpating her, it incriminates her or reinforces the correctness of the legal rulings Maxwell challenges.”

Maxwell’s attorneys declined to comment.

2 people die from measles in Pennsylvania, marking state’s first deaths in 35 years

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Two people have died in Pennsylvania from measles, the state health department said Tuesday. Both were unvaccinated.

These the first deaths related to measles within the state in 35 years, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the first deaths reported this year in the U.S.

“My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss,” Dr. Debra Bogen, the state’s secretary of health, said in a statement. “Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness.”

In late July, the number of confirmed measles cases in the U.S. surpassed the total reported for all last year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last year’s total of 2,289 was the highest number of recorded measles cases in more than 30 years, CDC data shows. However, the 2,777 total marks the highest number of cases recorded since 1991.

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the 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.

Trump floats renaming Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America,’ denies claim he’d interfere with Canadians speaking French

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday morning that he is giving “serious consideration” to renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” — mirroring his move to rename the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America early in his second term.

Trump later posted on his social media platform an altered map of the lake and surrounding area.

The map posted by Trump depicts the great lake with the official “Lake Ontario” label crossed out. In its place is a “Lake America” label in a larger, gold-colored font and a graphic of an American flag.

Just like the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario is a shared international waterway and multiple international, federal and regional agencies oversee it.

Split along the U.S.-Canada border, New York state and Ontario each govern their own portion of the lakebed and shoreline. The U.S. and Canada jointly manage it through the International Joint Commission and Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

And just like the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, Trump can unilaterally change a geographic name for official U.S. federal government use, like his action via executive order in that case — but he doesn’t have the authority to dictate what other countries or international bodies call it.

Trump on Tuesday also rejected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claims that the U.S. was making threats on Canada’s use of the French language, as opposed to English, as part of the ongoing trade war. Trump said on social media that he would “never interfere with Canadians speaking French.”

“I have never even thought of doing such a stupid thing. This lie was made up by a weak and ineffective Prime Minister in an attempt to gain political support, which he has totally lost, from the people of Quebec. I love French Canadians!” Trump posted on his social media platform.

During a press conference on Saturday, Carney claimed that one of the reasons the trade talks with the U.S. collapsed is because the Trump administration wanted Canada to make changes to their use of the French language.

“This was not our choice. We were ready and close to having a comprehensive agreement that would be fair to both countries. But they made changes, including threats on the French language and Quebec culture and Canadian culture. That is not acceptable. That would never be acceptable,” Carney said.

Canada announces retaliatory tariffs up to 50% against US

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Canada on Tuesday announced retaliatory tariffs as high as 50% on hundreds of United States products, including some steel and aluminum goods, furniture and clothing, a senior Canadian government official told ABC News.

The levies, which take effect on Sept. 8, are set to escalate a trade war that erupted over the weekend after official negotiations collapsed.

Canada will target billions worth of U.S. goods, the senior official said.

The tariffs will match many products included in U.S. levies, among them paper and dairy, the senior official added.

The move comes after President Donald Trump on Monday said in a social media post that he will ratchet up tariffs on Canada-made cars and auto parts in January.

Negotiations between Canada and the U.S. broke down over the weekend and a fresh round of 50% U.S. tariffs on some Canadian goods took effect on Saturday, prompting a vow from Canada to retaliate with a set of its own levies.

The latest announcement from Trump promised to double tariffs from 25% to 50% on Canadian cars and auto parts starting on Jan. 1, 2027. The elevated levy will also apply to steel and trucks, according to the president.

“On Trade, and in other ways, also, they are among the worst Nations in the World to deal with,” Trump said his social media platform on Monday. “They feel entitled, and yet, WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!”

Trump did not provide a reason for his choice to delay the tariffs until January.

In the first half of 2026, the U.S. exported $175.8 billion in goods to Canada — the second biggest export trading partner after Mexico — accounting for 14% of all U.S. exports, according to the Census Bureau.

The sharp criticism arrived days after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued blistering remarks about the U.S. approach to trade negotiations. He said talks broke down after American negotiators made requests that were unfavorable to Canada.

“They asked too much and offered too little,” Carney said at a Saturday press conference.

According to Carney, the 50% tariff would be applied to roughly $28 billion of Canadian goods and that Canada would match the U.S. “dollar for dollar.”

Carney noted that one of the sticking points was changes by the U.S. over its levels of tariffs on automobiles that he claimed would have hurt Canada’s economy over time.

He criticized the Trump administration, saying it “uses economic integration as a weapon.”

CIA Director John Ratcliffe in Moscow for meetings, sources say

August 25, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — CIA Director John Ratcliffe is in Moscow, Russia, for meetings, according to multiple officials familiar with the meetings.

A Boeing C-17A Globemaster III was seen at the Moscow airport.

The CIA, Department of Defense and the Air Force declined to comment.

Tracking data published by the Flightradar24 website showed that a U.S. military Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, flight number RCH4555, departed from the Latvian capital Riga on Tuesday morning.

The flight landed at Vnukovo International Airport, which is one of the Russian capital’s four international airports, located to the southwest of the city.

Flightradar24 data showed that the flight originated from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, a major East Coast Air Force base known for hosting Air Force One.

The C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft, which the U.S. Air Force website says can be used for strategic and tactical airlift and airdrop missions, as well as aeromedical evacuations.

ABC News’ Patrick Reevell contributed to this report.

This is a developing story.

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