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Israel batters suburbs of Beirut, targeting Hezbollah amid war with Iran

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(BEIRUT) — Intense bombardments continue to hit the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, as Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah in a wave of attacks that began midnight local time Friday.

At least 217 people have been killed and 798 others have been wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon that began early Monday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said Thursday.

The Israel Defense Forces said it struck Hezbollah command centers and multi-story structures in Beirut overnight. An ABC News crew on the ground observed nearly two dozen missile strikes hitting Dahiyeh alone.

A number of buildings were seen collapsing in this wave of strikes on Friday as the death toll continues to rise, an ABC News team in Lebanon observed.

The IDF said it attacked more than 500 targets in Lebanon, killing more than 70 Hezbollah members, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said at a briefing on Friday.

“Hezbollah and the Iranian regime are one. They continue to destroy the state of Lebanon and harm the lives of Lebanese residents,” he said.

Hezbollah responded with several rockets headed south toward Israel overnight, an ABC News team in Lebanon observed.

The latest wave of strikes followed a warning by the IDF to anyone south of the Litani River in Lebanon to evacuate. The IDF warned everyone living in Dahiyeh on Thursday afternoon to evacuate the neighborhood ahead of pending military strikes.

Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee Dahiyeh, according to Lebanese officials.

Overnight, families who fled the neighborhood were seen lighting fires for warmth. Some had tents while others were forced to sleep on the streets with blankets, ABC News observed.

The Lebanese government is actively engaging with intermediaries, including the French and the American ambassador, to try and put pressure on the Israeli government to stop the bombardments, according to Lebanese officials.

Israeli forces have said that they are stepping up their military campaign against Hezbollah infrastructure and leadership in Dahiyeh.

Ahead of the attack on Iran, Israel launched strikes against targets in Baalbek, east Lebanon, in February, saying it killed “several” members of Hezbollah’s missile unit in three different locations.

This week’s strikes were the first time Israel struck Beirut, in central Lebanon, since June 2025.

The Israeli military warned Tuesday that Hezbollah “will pay a heavy price” after the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group fired rockets into northern Israel overnight Monday into Tuesday.

Immediately after the rocket fire, the IDF “launched a large-scale attack against Hezbollah terrorist targets throughout Lebanon, including Beirut,” according to Defrin.

“We attacked dozens of the organization’s headquarters and launch sites,” Defrin said. “We attacked senior commanders. Some of the last surviving senior veterans of this organization. We are currently examining the results of the attack.”

Defrin noted that “forces are deployed along the border in front and are prepared to continue the defense and attack as long as they require.”

Video for Olivia Rodrigo’s charity song ‘The Book of Love’ out now

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

A video has been released for Olivia Rodrigo’s cover of The Magnetic Fields song “The Book of Love,” off the charity album HELP(2) that will raise money for War Child UK.

The video, directed by Billy Boyd Cope with creative direction by Oscar winner Jonathan Glazer, was filmed by children in areas of conflict including Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza and Yemen.

“What they did with the cameras was up to them, we just encouraged them to play,” Glazer said in a statement. “What we got back was the purest form of their energy, joy and truth. It gives us a chance to not only witness, but experience their innocence, joy and resilience.”

“HELP(2) is out now and every stream and purchase supports @warchilduk in their efforts to help children living through the unthinkable,” Olivia wrote on her Instagram Story. “So many wonderful artists I admire are on the album and I am honored to have been able to be a part of it.”

HELP(2) also features songs by Wet Leg, Depeche Mode, Arctic Monkeys and beabadoobee. It’s a sequel to War Child UK’s 1995 Help compilation.

Alabama Shakes announce summer US tour dates

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Alabama Shakes have announced a U.S. tour for the summer.

The headlining outing launches July 24 in Tacoma, Washington, and wraps up Sept. 25 in Santa Barbara, California.

Presales begin March 9 at 10 a.m. local time, and tickets go on sale to the general public on March 13 at 10 a.m. local time. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit AlabamaShakes.com.

You can also catch Alabama Shakes live on their spring U.S. tour, taking place in April and May.

Alabama Shakes reunited at the end of 2024, marking their first live performance in seven years. They put out a new song, “Another Life,” in 2025.

Snoop Dogg teams with Rap Snacks, welcomes Team USA to 2026 Paralympics Winter Games

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Snoop Dogg has found another way to represent Black culture. In his latest venture, he teams with Do The Right Thing Snacks for a new version of Rap Snacks, the Snoop Box Kettle Chips.

“I joined Rap Snacks because it represents culture, ownership and community. With Do The Right Thing Snacks, we’re showing the youth that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor or authenticity to make better choices,” Snoop Dogg said in a statement. “We’re giving our communities options that still hit on taste, speak to our language and support a healthier lifestyle. That’s what doing the right thing really means.”

Snoop’s Rap Snacks, available at select Costco locations in three flavors, arrive following the launch of the Marathon Burger in Long Beach, his partnership with Blacc Sam, the late Nipsey Hussle’s brother.

It also comes on the heels of his message to Team USA ahead of the 2026 Milan Cortina Paralympics.

“Coach Snoop here, and you already know what time it is,” Snoop said. “You are the athletes who we define strong, and your greatness is beyond comparison. And it’s not just me. All of America is proud of each and every last one of you. All around the world, your family and friends, we love you from the D-O-double G and everybody is cheering you on. Tonight is the official start of your games so let’s do this. U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A, go!”

The 2026 Paralympics Winter Games in Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, kick off Friday and end on March 15.

US lost 92,000 jobs as markets roil, gas prices surge: Report

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The U.S. economy lost jobs in February, marking a major reversal of fortunes for the labor market and nearly erasing all of the job gains delivered a month earlier, government data on Friday showed. The reading came in well below economists’ expectations.

The U.S. lost 92,000 jobs in February, according to the report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which marked a significant dropoff from 130,000 jobs added in the previous month.

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

The new jobs report arrived as markets roil and gasoline prices surge in response to the war with Iran. The Middle East conflict cast fresh uncertainty over the economic outlook.

A hiring cooldown last year prompted interest rate cuts at the Federal Reserve and concern among some observers about the nation’s economic prospects. The U.S. added an average of about 15,000 jobs per month in 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed.

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

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

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 785 points on Thursday as U.S. crude prices rose to their highest level since June.

Still, the overall economic picture remains mixed.

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

Price increases, meanwhile, have softened. In January, inflation fell to 2.4%, its lowest level in nine months. It remains slightly higher than the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2%.

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

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

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

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

‘Harry Potter’ stars Daniel Radcliffe, Tom Felton reunite on Broadway

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Blimey!

Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Felton reunited on Broadway in New York City this week, where the two actors are starring in separate productions.

The two previously shared the screen in all eight Harry Potter films, which were released between 2001 and 2011.

Radcliffe played the titular wizard Harry Potter in the beloved franchise, while Felton portrayed Potter’s nemesis Draco Malfoy.

Felton shared several snapshots of the pair’s reunion on Instagram, writing in the caption, “Broomsticks to Broadway @brilliantbway @cursedchildus,” adding tags for both his and Radcliffe’s respective shows, Every Brilliant Thing and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

The Cursed Child show team also commented on Felton’s post: “The Slytherin and Gryffindor reunion we’ve all been waiting for,” referring to Malfoy’s and Potter’s houses in the fictional Hogwarts school, respectively.

The reunion is particularly meaningful, as Felton previously told Good Morning America he was inspired to reprise his role as Malfoy in the Broadway production of Cursed Child after seeing Radcliffe’s Broadway success in the years since they both wrapped the Harry Potter films.

“l’ve taken a few tips from Potter,” Felton said ahead of his Broadway debut last November. “He’s one of the early inspirations for me to come to Broadway.”

Radcliffe also appeared on GMA later that month and said he was blown away to have been able to give Felton, once considered the “cool kid” on the Harry Potter set, advice about being on Broadway.

Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man show, stars Daniel Radcliffe and is playing at the Hudson Theatre.

The ensemble play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is playing at the Lyric Theatre. Felton’s Cursed Child appearance will run until May 10.

Watch trailer for upcoming ‘The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel’ documentary

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The trailer for the upcoming documentary The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel is out now.

The film was originally announced by Netflix in January under the title The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and was said to focus on the early years of the “Californication” outfit, specifically the artistic vision of original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died in 1988.

In a subsequent statement, RHCP clarified that film is not a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary and that they “had nothing to do with it creatively.” The band added that frontman Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea gave interviews for the movie “out of love and respect for Hillel and his memory.”

“We have not yet made a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary,” the statement read. “The central subject of this current Netflix special is Hillel Slovak and we hope it sparks interest in him and his work.”

The doc’s name has now been updated with the Our Brother, Hillel subtitle.

“Everything about the Red Hot Chili Peppers was all Hillel’s vision,” Kiedis says in the trailer.

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel premieres March 20 on Netflix.

The Who’s Pete Townshend takes the Colbert Questionert

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The Who’s Pete Townshend is the latest celebrity to take part in the Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s Colbert Questionert.

Townshend revealed that his favorite sandwich is pastrami on rye with mustard and a pickle; his first concert ever was Bill Haley & His Comets in 1958; his favorite action movie is Ang Lee’s Hulk; and that if he got only one song to listen to for the rest of his life it would be “Tracks of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson.

Asked what happens when we die, Townshend said he doesn’t believe anything happens.

“I think consciousness is what we are, not our bodies. So I think consciousness probably goes on in some form or other,” he said, adding that when people die, consciousness moves on. “Maybe then there’s a possibility of reincarnation or heaven and hell, whatever, I don’t know.”

When asked if he ever had an out-of-body experience, he shared a funny story of a bad STP trip he had on an airplane, noting that at some point he left his body and floated above the airplane, flying through the sky, which was filled with lost items like socks and buttons.

Asked whether he prefers cats or dogs, he choose dogs, but had a good reason why. Townshend said growing up he was a “snotty” kid, and every time he was sick his mother, who took in stray cats, would give him a cat to keep him company. When he was 12 he got tested and found out he was allergic to cats, noting that while his mom was trying to help, it actually “just made it worse.”

Finally, when asked to describe the rest of his life in five words, Townshend thought hard about it before saying, “Make another record, lazy (bleep).”

Hear Mike Patton sing on new Jehnny Beth song, ‘Look at Me’

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Faith No More frontman Mike Patton is featured on a new song from Jehnny Beth, frontwoman for the band Savages.

You can watch the “Look at Me” video on YouTube.

Patton, meanwhile, is preparing to launch tours with AVTT/PTTN, his collaborative project with folk outfit The Avett Brothers, and with his band Tomahawk.

As for Faith No More, they haven’t played live since 2016, and members have described the “Epic” band as being on a “semi permanent hiatus.”

50 Cent seemingly continues T.I. feud on ‘Power’ prequel series theme song

March 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

50 Cent has gone from social media to the booth to create the theme song for his upcoming Power prequel series. “No One Told Us What We’re Here For” features Leon Thomas on the chorus and seemingly addresses T.I. and his family.

“I’m back with my dope boy grandma/ Your daddy made your mama eat every box in Atlanta,” he rapped on the track. 50 also posted a photo on Instagram featuring those lyrics over a photo of T.I. and his wife, Tiny Harris, with cardboard boxes on their plates.

Shortly after, T.I. and his son King Harris responded with their respective diss tracks.

“@50cent Drop whatever you choose, just please keep showing da world You a H*!!!” T.I. wrote on Instagram, along with a clip previewing “Trauma Bond.”

King’s latest 50 Cent diss track is titled “Droptop.”

The songs continue a back-and-forth that started after T.I. alleged 50 Cent refused to go against him in a Verzuz. 50 then posted an unflattering photo of Tiny as one of his responses, which led to diss tracks from T.I., King and Domani Harris.

50 initially reacted with posts on Instagram, before temporarily going silent. He later teased in a since-deleted IG post that he’s working on a documentary that can expose sexual allegations against T.I.

“We can go bar for bar, hit for hit, or doc for doc… either way all you gon do is show how much of a FN u is,” T.I. posted on Instagram. “Let’s play. Nobody fears you over here Boo Boo.”

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