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American travelers in the Middle East speak out amid Iran conflict

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — American travelers are sharing their stories of being stranded in the Middle East after the joint U.S.-Israel attack against Iran triggered retaliatory strikes, impacting at least 11 countries in the region.

President Donald Trump announced “major combat operations” against Iran on Saturday, with strikes targeting military and government sites. Iran has since responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases in Gulf nations and American diplomatic facilities.

Shekinah Lee, who lives in Chicago, told ABC News she and her boyfriend had been traveling in the United Arab Emirates and are now trying to return home.

“I’m anxious, I’m scared, and I’m desperate to get home,” Lee said Tuesday morning.

According to Lee, she hasn’t been able to get any answers from her airline about flights back to the U.S.

“We’re not getting any support from our airline. We’ve been trying to get in contact with them but due to the volume of the situation, they’re not able to field calls, so none of our questions are getting answered,” Lee said.

In a statement Tuesday on social media, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said the agency is in touch with thousands of Americans abroad and working to secure flights to help.

“Yes, the State Department is actively securing military aircraft and charter flights for American citizens who wish to leave the Middle East,” Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, wrote on X in response to a reporter’s question. “We’ve been in direct contact with nearly 3,000 Americans abroad. American citizens should call [the State Department] for assistance with departure options.”

The State Department also issued instructions for travelers abroad on its own social media account Monday, urging Americans to contact the State Department.

While Lee and her boyfriend wait for a flight out of Dubai, she said they had to stay overnight in their hotel parking garage until they could find further accommodation.

“The parking garage was packed with families from all over the world, just desperate to know what’s going on,” Lee said. “Right now, our priority is getting a flight out of here.”

American citizen Alyssa Ramos is using social media to document her struggles returning to the U.S. Ramos shared on Instagram that she and a group of friends paid $1,200 for a nearly eight-hour journey over the land border from Kuwait City to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, Ramos said in an Instagram story that her plane from Riyadh never left the airport.

“I’ve never been more happy and also more scared to be on a plane,” Ramos wrote in part. “There were attacks here in Riyadh earlier today and they usually strike more at night … please keep sending your positive energy and protective thoughts.”

The State Department is urging Americans to exercise caution worldwide “following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran.”

“Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. They may experience travel disruptions due to periodic airspace closures,” the department advised.

For the United Arab Emirates, the State Department has set a level 3 travel advisory, ordered the “departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members of government personnel on March 2,” and is advising Americans to reconsider travel to the country “due to the threat of armed conflict and terrorism.”

The State Department has similar warnings for Americans in at least five other Middle Eastern countries.

In Beirut, Lebanon, drone strikes have been continuing in the capital city, according to Samer Bawab, an American citizen living in the city.

“I haven’t been able to sleep very well within the last three days, only a few hours per night,” Bawab told ABC News. “That’s because we’re getting awoken in the middle of the night sometimes by loud explosions and being caught off guard.”

Former Team USA basketball player Destiny Littleton said in an interview that aired Monday on “Good Morning America” that she is in Israel where she plays professionally.

Littleton said she could “hear the interceptor missiles … blow up the missiles coming towards us and that was very scary,” adding, “We’re in survival mode.”

American Kristy Ellmer told ABC News that she and her partner Matt Carwell were in Dubai on vacation when the strikes against Iran began. She said they’re uncertain when they will be able to return home to New Hampshire.

“It was definitely very destabilizing … you could actually feel it and you could hear it,” Ellmer said of the explosions.

The State Department recommends Americans check each country’s Travel Information Page for developing details and entry requirements and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, for safety updates and information on how to get help in an emergency.

Possible person-to-person swine flu case reported in Spain. Should we be concerned?

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Over the weekend, health officials in Spain reportedly informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of a possible human case of swine flu that may have been caused by person-to-person transmission.

The WHO’s reference laboratory for influenza in Britain is conducting additional tests to confirm the diagnosis, according to Reuters. The patient in Spain did not have direct contact with pigs, according to the wire agency.

Even though health officials reported that the risk to the general public is low, public health experts noted that some people may be concerned about spread after the U.S. experienced dozens of human bird flu cases in 2024 and 2025.

They told ABC News that, while the Spain case may put those who work in public health or who live in the area where it was detected on alert, widespread concern is not necessary yet.

“When we’re in any flu season, we see these sporadic swine flu cases globally,” Dr. Meghan Davis, an associate professor in the department of environmental health and engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told ABC News. “If you’re in the immediate area, certainly pay really close attention to any directives from public health authorities, local health departments, et cetera.”

Davis emphasized the importance of staying informed when it comes to potential public health dangers.

“But someone who’s living at a distance, who is not working directly with animals, just having the awareness to pay attention to any health messaging around this for further guidance, that’s what I recommend,” she said.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease commonly found in pigs, which is caused by influenza type A viruses. Just like influenza viruses found in humans, there are different subtypes and strains of swine influenza viruses.

Humans are not typically infected with swine flu viruses, but there have been reports of human infections with influenza viruses that normally circulate in swine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Notably, in 2009, the H1N1 influenza virus pandemic — sometimes referred to as the swine flu pandemic and caused by bird, swine and human flu viruses — led to an estimated 60.8 million cases, 274,304 hospitalizations and 12,469 deaths in the U.S., CDC data shows.

Occasionally, these virus strains “spill over and can infect humans, but the origin is in swine, and so the majority of these non-human influenza variants are infecting humans because they are in very close contact with swine, so they’re in the pig or pork industry,” Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at University of California, Davis Health, told ABC News.

“Those are the majority of cases, and most cases are transmitted directly to humans and there’s very few cases that are human-to-human transmission,” he added.

Should we be concerned?

Davis said she considers the Spain case to be of high concern for public health but not a major concern for the public currently.

“What that means is, those of us whose job it is to think about and worry about these always worry a bit more when there’s the potential for human-to-human transmission because that may also be a signal that the virus itself is showing characteristics of adaptation,” Davis said.

This is because the more adapted to human-to-human transmission a swine flu virus is, the greater the potential it has to go from person to person without weakening.

“But the public, there are some criteria that I think about in terms of public concern,” Davis added. “If you start hearing about something, for example, like the early days of COVID when it was clear that there were clusters that were circulating in people and that was going person to person, when you start to see a lot of that, that’s when you started to get much more concern.”

Blumberg agrees that there’s no need for major concern yet and that the Spain case points to the need for more surveillance because of the virus’ potential to mutate.

Additionally, researchers will need to characterize the current strain to see if it is more easily transmitted from human to human, he said.

“There’s additional studies that can be done locally to see if there’s been asymptomatic infection of the population that hasn’t been detected yet,” Blumberg said. “And that will help determine whether there’s been more widespread circulation. … I think it does point to the importance of supporting public health so that they can get a handle on this to see if this is something that requires additional attention.”

Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings announce first US tour as The Guess Who in 23 years

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings are set to tour the U.S. as The Guess Who for the first time in 23 years.

The Canadian duo has announced dates for a U.S. leg of the Takin’ it Back Tour, with former Eagles guitarist Don Felder on board as special guest.

The dates kick off June 25 in Shakopee, Minnesota, outside Minneapolis, and wraps Aug. 22 in Seattle, Washington.

“Randy and I are incredibly grateful that our music has endured all these years,” Cummings said in a statement. “Knowing that people still want to hear these songs live means everything to us, and when we go out on stage, our goal is to truly honor the music.”

Bachman added, “I’m really excited about reuniting with Burton and touring again as The Guess Who. He noted, “We created an amazing body of work together, along with memories that have lasted for decades, and those songs are still as strong as ever. I can’t wait to sing them with everyone very soon.”

A Citi presale for tickets begins Wednesday at 10 a.m. local time, followed by an artist presale at 12 p.m. local time. Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

Before the U.S. shows, Burton and Cummings will launch the Takin’ it Back Tour in Canada, starting May 26 in Moncton. A complete list of dates can be found at TheGuessWho.com.

Jennifer Hudson says she wouldn’t count out appearance from Common on upcoming summer tour

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Jennifer Hudson may be your favorite daytime television host, but she’s getting back to the music this summer when she joins Josh Groban for a few of his North American shows. In an interview with People, she says she’s excited for the opportunity “just to perform again.”

“Music is the base for me,” she says. “I can’t wait to get back to the musical base in concert form.”

“That is what I’m most looking forward to doing right now, is getting out there on tour and performing,” she continues. “[There’s] nothing like it.”

On whether boyfriend Common will make an appearance during her set, JHud says, “You know what? We’ll see. We’ll see. I wouldn’t count that out.

“How the music hits us is how we respond,” she goes on. “So, if it’s on his spirit, my spirit, [our] spirit, you may get to see that.”

Josh’s 2026 North American Summer tour starts June 2 in Montreal and wraps nearly a month later with a July 3 show in Salt Lake City. Tickets are currently on sale.

‘God of War’ video game creator calls first look of TV series ‘bad in so many ways’

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The creator of the God of War video game is making his thoughts on the upcoming TV series adaptation known.

David Jaffe, who is the game designer and director of the Playstation video game franchise, recently shared a YouTube video criticizing the first-look photo Prime Video released of its new series adaptation of God of War.

Jaffe said the photo, which features protagonist Kratos, as played by Ryan Hurst, in the woods with his son, Atreus, played by Callum Vinson, is “so bad in so many ways.”

“I’m sure everybody’s trying real hard,” Jaffe said, before laughing and saying, “It’s so dumb.”

Jaffe continued, saying that although he does not like the first-look photo of the series, he believes in the talent involved in creating the show.

“But let’s be incredibly clear, OK? Two things can be true. This can be a terrible image, and it is. It is so bad in so many ways,” Jaffe said. “And Ron Moore is awesome, who is the showrunner … This guy is a juggernaut of a talented fellow. I have absolutely no doubt it is going to be a good show.”

The God of War creator then went on to say that he does not mind that Hurst does not exactly resemble the video game version of Kratos, but instead, he takes issue with the expression and pose he uses in the photo.

“Kratos in this pose with this expression, not the guy’s face, but this expression, he just looks stupid,” Jaffe said. “If you’re going to reveal, to most people, a brand new character that you hope is going to carry your series, for the first time, and they’ve never really seen this before, and this is the way you introduce them?”

God of War has already received a two-season order from Prime Video.

ABC Audio has reached out to Prime Video for comment.

(Video includes uncensored profanity.)

‘Nashville’ cast to reunite for two shows at historic Ryman Auditorium

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The cast of the TV show Nashville is reuniting for two special shows in Music City.

The drama’s stars Clare Bowen, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson and Sam Palladio were previously scheduled to play Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium on Jan. 25, but it was postponed because of the ice storm.

That concert will now take place on June 26, with tickets on sale now. They’re also adding a second show on June 27, with those tickets becoming available on Friday.

The Nashville Encore Tour is coming off a successful European run, playing England, Wales, Scotland, Germany and Switzerland, mixing songs from the show with the artists’ original music.

Nashville ran for 6 seasons, premiering on ABC in 2012 and moving to CMT in 2016.

Barry Manilow announces new album, gives health update: ‘I look fabulous, right?’

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Despite his recent health issues, Barry Manilow seems to be doing just fine — and he’s thrilled about the success of his latest single, “Once Before I Go.”

In a new Instagram video, Barry says, “Well, looks like I made it, and I look fabulous, right?” He goes on to announce that the song has reached the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart. This marks his sixth decade on the charts, dating from “Mandy” back in 1974.

“How do you like that? I’m 100 years old with a top 10 single,” Barry, who’s 82, jokes. “Like my grandmother once said, ‘Next thing you know, they’ll be walking on the moon!'”

He goes on to thank his longtime friend Clive Davis for suggesting the song, which was written by the late Peter Allen and Dean Pitchford, who’s best known for co-writing the many hits from the movie Footloose. He also thanks radio stations for playing it and his fans for requesting it.

Barry then goes on to thank fans for all their support over the last couple of months, when he was forced to postpone multiple shows following lung cancer surgery. “It’s been a long ride and since I have no patience, it’s been agony,” he says of his recovery. “But I am getting stronger and I have great doctors and wonderful friends and family. But I am so looking forward to getting back onstage.”

“What a time it’s been,” Barry adds. “Hey! That’s the name of my new album! It’s called What a Time. It comes out real soon and I can’t wait to show these songs to you. So here’s to another century of making music together, my friends! All my love and gratitude.”

Noem declines to retract ‘definition of domestic terrorism’ comments about Pretti during Senate hearing

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem faced questions about immigration enforcement operations as she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday — refusing to apologize or retract her statements about a U.S. citizens shot and killed by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis as “the definition of domestic terrorism.”

When pressed by Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, about why Noem labeled Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis in January, a domestic terrorist without evidence, she would not admit she was wrong.

“We are working in those situations where there’s a tragic loss of life and that there is something that our agents are involved in, that we continue to deliver information,” she said.

Durbin then asked, “Is it so hard to say you were wrong?”

“I absolutely strive to provide factual information and will continue to do that,” Noem responded, adding that when the agency fails, they admit wrongdoing. Noem has yet to admit she has been wrong about how she characterized the Pretti shooting, as some have suggested.

Noem also said her characterization of Pretti — whose conduct she called following the shooting “the definition of domestic terrorism” without evidence — was based on information relayed to her in the hours after the incident.

Shortly after the shooting of Pretti, a Minneapolis Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, Noem drew criticism for insinuating he wanted to “massacre” law enforcement before the evidence and investigation was complete. Pretti was licensed to carry a handgun. Video from multiple angles showed that Pretti did not try to draw his gun from his waistband before or during the scuffle with federal agents.

Tuesday’s hearing marks the first time Noem is appearing before Congress after tensions in Minneapolis and the killing of Pretti as well as Renee Good, who was shot and killed by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis in January.

Two Senate Republicans have said Noem should be out of a job, and Democrats have called for her impeachment. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he stands by Noem.

Later in Tuesday’s hearing, Noem said that there are no plans to deploy agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the polling places in November after President Donald Trump recently doubled down on his controversial suggestion that Republicans “nationalize” elections, saying the “federal government should get involved” in elections.

“We have no plans to have ICE officers or law enforcement at polling locations. States are responsible for running their elections, and we’re giving them tools and mitigation efforts that they can utilize in order to make sure they maintain the integrity of those elections, and that individuals can trust their systems to ensure that their vote counts,” Noem said.

Noem’s appearance on Tuesday marks the first of two days she is set to testify on Capitol Hill. She will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Her testimony comes as some parts of Noem’s agency — from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the Transportation Security Administration to the Coast Guard — are shut down amid a funding fight over Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Democrats have said they will fund the department only if changes are made to the agency in the wake of the shooting deaths of Good and Pretti.

Baby Keem debuts at #1 on ‘Billboard”s Top R&B/Hip-Hop album chart with ‘Ca$ino’

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Baby Keem’s new album is Billboard‘s top R&B/Hip-Hop album for the week of March 7. Ca$ino debuted in the #1 spot on the chart following its Feb. 22 release.

Ca$ino also debuts at #4 on the Billboard 200, marking his highest-charting album to date and his second top-10 album, following his debut, The Melodic Blue. It earned 55,000 streams — leading to its #5 spot on Top Streaming Albums — and 16,500 album sales, resulting in his best sales week yet, as well as his debut at #4 on Top Album Sales.

Ten of the 11 songs on the album have also debuted on the Hot 100: “Ca$ino,” “Good Flirts” featuring Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd, “House Money,” “Birds & the Bees,” “Circus Circus Free$tyle,” “$ex Appeal” featuring Too $hort, “No Security,” “Dramatic Girl” featuring Che Ecru, “Highway 95 Pt. 2” and “I Am Not a Lyricist.”

Baby Keem is set to support the album with a tour that kicks off April 15 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

He recently appeared in a campaign for the next chapter of Adidas’ Superstar shoe, in which Samuel L. Jackson starts looking for his next superstar. Kendall Jenner, NBA star James Harden and Olivia Dean are among the other stars in the spot.

Peter Gabriel releases ‘What Lies Ahead’ from upcoming album ‘o/i’

March 3, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Peter Gabriel has released another track off his upcoming album, o/i.

The latest, “What Lies Ahead,” has been released to coincide with Tuesday’s blood/worm moon. Gabriel notes that the unfinished instrumental track of the song was played during his 2023 tour as a “work in progress.”

“The song actually began with a melody that my son Isaac was playing with and I thought, oh, that’s really nice – I could build that into something,” says Gabriel. “It’s a song about inventors and invention.”

“My dad was an electrical engineer, inventor and I saw him go through the frustrations of not only trying to realize an idea, which has to normally go through so many iterations, but then to sell it, both to the people who’ve got the money and then to the outside world,” he adds. “So, I’ve always been curious about the creative process and how that applies to inventors.”

As he did with his last album, 2023’s i/o, Gabriel plans to release a new song from o/i with each full moon of the year. The entire album will be released by the end of 2026, along with Dark-Side and Bright-Side mixes handled by Tchad Blake and Mark “Spike” Stent, respectively.

“What Lies Ahead (Bright-Side Mix)” is available now via digital outlets.

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