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Iran executes three protesters despite international outcry

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — The Islamic Republic of Iran said it executed three men Friday morning on charges of “waging war against God” and collaboration with terrorist groups.

The judiciary’s website Mizan claimed that Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi’s charges were based on their confessions that they were involved in killing three members of the regime’s forces during protests in Isfahan last November.

Protests in Isfahan and other cities across the country erupted in September after 22-year old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for not fully abiding with the mandatory hijab rule of the country, died in police custody.

At least 22,000 people had been arrested across the country in the ensuing protests, as the Islamic Republic News Agency confirmed. Iran Human Rights reported that at least 537 people were killed by the regime which never accepted the responsibility of what happened to Amini.

After Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the execution sentences of Kazemi, Mirhashemi and Yaghubi, families of the men executed Friday and members of the Iranian public pleaded with international bodies to take any action to stop the Islamic Republic from carrying out the sentences.

Amnesty International said the men’s fast-tracked trial was flawed and then pointed out there were significant procedural flaws, lack of evidence, and torture allegations that were never investigated.

In a last message that the three men reportedly signed and smuggled out of the prison, they asked the public to help them stop the regime from executing them.

“Hello, we ask you dear fellow citizens not to let them kill us. We need your help. We need your support,” the message signed on May 17 reads.

In December, Mohsen Shekari was the first person hanged for alleged crimes related to the protests after allegedly holding up traffic and assaulting a guard. Less than a week later, 22-year-old Majid Reza Rahnavard, who had been convicted on charges of “waging war against God” amid protests, was executed.

According to the Iran Human Rights group, 13 executions were recorded on May 18 and at least 90 people have been executed since the start of the month.

United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said on May 9 that Iran is executing a “frighteningly” high number of people, with over 209 executed so far since January.

“On average so far this year, over 10 people are put to death each week in Iran, making it one the world’s highest executors,” said Türk.

Protests against the regime erupted across the country Friday in response to the executions.

Jordan Neely’s aunt speaks out about subway chokehold death

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Mildred Mahazu, the aunt of Jordan Neely, spoke exclusively in an interview with ABC News’ Byron Pitts about her nephew’s death after a former Marine placed him in a chokehold on a New York City subway train.

Neely, whose funeral is scheduled for Friday, was described by his aunt as a “diamond.”

“Jordan was a very, very sweet person,” Mahazu said in the interview that aired Friday. “He liked to be loved and he loved people. He was very, very, very friendly.”

She said she’s “not a judge,” but offered that Daniel Penny, the man who is charged in Neely’s death, “should be punished.”

“Why would you put your arm, your head around someone’s neck and choke him when you know you would die in less than 2 or 3 minutes? That means murder,” Mahazu said in the interview.

On May 1, Neely was on a Manhattan-bound F train making outbursts, according to what witnesses told investigators. He didn’t appear to threaten anyone specifically, according to witness accounts in court documents.

Penny, 24, engaged with Neely, allegedly put him in a chokehold and held him down for several minutes, according to investigators and bystander video of the incident. At least two other people are seen holding Neely down during the ordeal.

Neely was taken to a hospital and declared dead. The medical examiner would later rule Neely’s death a homicide.

Police sources told ABC News that Penny was not specifically being threatened by Neely when he intervened. Sources also added that Neely had not become violent and had not been threatening anyone in particular.

Neely had been previously arrested for several incidents on the subway, though it’s unclear how many, if any, led to convictions, sources close to the investigation told ABC News.

Although Penny was initially questioned by police, he was not arrested and was released later that night.

News of the incident sparked protests from New Yorkers and some leaders who called for Penny to be charged. On May 12, Penny turned himself in to the police as he was charged with second-degree manslaughter in Neely’s death.

He pleaded not guilty and was released on bond.

Penny’s attorneys have maintained their client never intended to kill Neely and was just trying to protect himself and others as Neely was allegedly threatening him.

“Mr. Neely had a documented history of violent and erratic behavior, the apparent result of ongoing and untreated mental illness,” said the statement from the law firm of Raiser and Kenniff.

Penny’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 17. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

“He needs to make some time for that,” Mahazu said. “You don’t need to walk a free man.”

The other persons in the video holding down Neely have not been publicly identified or charged in connection with his death.

Alec Baldwin reacts to becoming a grandfather for the first time

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Alec Baldwin is a father of eight, but he’s just become a grandfather for the first time.

The star’s first child, 27-year-old daughter Ireland, just welcomed a daughter of her own named Holland with her boyfriend, Portuguese-American musician André Allen Anjos aka RAC.

Ireland’s mom is Baldwin’s ex-wife, Oscar winner Kim Basinger.

On Thursday, Alec’s current wife, Hilaria, shared a photo of her and Alec and the rest of their brood: 9-year-old Carmen, Rafael, 7, Leonardo, 6, Romeo, 5, Eduardo, 2, Marilu, 2, and 7-month-old Ilaria, noting, “All of these aunties and uncles and us grandparents are so excited that Holland is here!!! Congratulations to the mama and papa, Ireland and Andre. We love you so very much!”

For his part, Alec replied, “miracle.” He also posted another shot, to his own Instagram, of him and Hilaria dressed formally, as they were in her pic, but sans kiddos. “Grandma and Grandpa head out for an evening,” he commented.

Morrissey pays tribute to Andy Rourke: “Nothing that he played had been played by someone else”

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Morrissey has shared a statement paying tribute to his late former The Smiths bandmate Andy Rourke, who passed away Friday at age 59 of pancreatic cancer.

In a piece titled “Beam of Light” posted on his Morrissey Central website, the singer begins, “When someone dies, out come the usual blandishments … as if their death is there to be used. I’m not prepared to do this with Andy.”

“I just hope … wherever Andy has gone … that he’s OK,” Moz continues. “He will never die as long as his music is heard. He didn’t ever know his own power, and nothing that he played had been played by someone else. His distinction was so terrific and unconventional and he proved it could be done.”

Along with guitarist Johnny Marr and drummer Mike Joyce, Morrissey and bassist Rourke played together in The Smiths during the group’s brief but hugely impactful run from 1982 to 1987.

“[Rourke] was also very, very funny and very happy, and post-Smiths, he kept a steady identity — never any manufactured moves,” Morrissey writes. “I suppose, at the end of it all, we hope to feel that we were valued. Andy need not worry about that.”

Rourke’s passing was announced Friday by Marr, who wrote, “Andy reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player.” While Marr became infamously estranged from Morrissey after The Smiths dissolved, the guitarist and Rourke had remained friends.

On This Day, May 19, 1945: The Who’s Pete Townshend is born

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

On This Day, May 19, 1945 …

Future Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Pete Townshend was born in Chiswick, West London.

Co-founder, guitarist, main songwriter and co-vocalist of legendary British rockers The Who, Townshend is responsible for writing over 100 songs from the band’s catalog, including songs like “My Generation,” “I Can’t Explain” and “Substitute,” as well as the band’s rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia.

Townshend has also had a successful solo career, releasing seven solo albums, with songs like the top 10 hit “Let My Love Open the Door,” as well as “A Little Is Enough” and “Rough Boys.”

Townshend was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with The Who in 1990; they also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. The band received a Kennedy Center Honors in 2008, and in 2016, Townshend and The Who’s frontman, Roger Daltrey, were awarded the George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement at UCLA.

Townshend also won a Tony for the Broadway adaption of The Who’s Tommy.

Earlier this year, Townshend released the tune “Can’t Outrun The Truth,” which was his first solo single in 29 years. The Who kick off a European tour June 14 in Barcelona, Spain.

Reality Roundup: The latest on ‘Vanderpump Rules,’ ‘Housewives,’ and more

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Have no fear, your reality roundup is here! Take a look back at some of the most notable moments in reality television this week.

Vanderpump Rules (Bravo)

— Wednesday’s Vanderpump Rules season 10 finale episode chronicled the aftermath of Ariana Madix finding out her co-star and now-ex, Tom Sandoval, who she was with for nine years, had a seven month long affair with her co-star and best friend Raquel Leviss. The revelation resulted in the end of Ariana’s relationships with Raquel, Sandoval and anyone who was friends with him.

— After years of speculation, during Wednesday’s Watch What Happens Live, Ariana confirmed that Sandoval, did indeed hook up with “Miami Girl” — the woman he was accused of having a fling with in 2015. “They slept together. It was before he and I were exclusive,” she said before explaining that she kept the secret to protect him.

— Also during WWHL, responding to rumors that Tom and Raquel had recently broken up, Ariana told host Andy Cohen, “I don’t buy that at all. She was sending letters to my house like four days ago.”
Ariana, who still shares a home with the TomTom co-owner explained, “I didn’t open it. It was addressed to him and it was her handwriting.”

Real Housewives… (Bravo)

— Real Housewives of Atlanta: Amid her ongoing divorce, RHOA alum Kim Zolciak is requesting that her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, undergo drug testing, according to court docs obtained by Entertainment Tonight. The outlet reports that, in the docs, Kim says she’s seen the former Atlanta Falcons player “smoking marijuana” and has “serious concerns” for the safety and well-being of their children — Kroy, 11, Kash, 10, and twins, Kaia and Kane, 9. A status hearing for their divorce is set for July 11.

— Real Housewives of New York City: Bravo dropped the trailer for season 14 of RHONY, giving fans a peak into the drama among the entirely new cast — Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield. The season premieres Sunday, July 16 at 9 p.m. ET. on Bravo.

— Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy (Peacock): On Monday, it was revealed that The Real Housewives of New York: Legacy series has been shifted to an Ultimate Girls Trip featuring former Housewives Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Luann de Lesseps, Dorinda Medley, Sonja Morgan, Ramona Singer and Kristen Taekman.

Love Is Blind (Netflix)

— Matt Bolton and Colleen Reed, from season 3 of Love Is Blind, are finally moving in together after getting married in June 2021. “Me and Matt are going to move in together in the next two weeks,” Colleen said on Tuesday’s episode of Deepti Vempati and Natalie Lee‘s podcast, Out of the Pods. “We don’t have the finances to buy, by any means, but we’re going to rent in Dallas and then that gives us time to really find the perfect home for what works for us.”

Teen girl charged with murder after classmates die from fentanyl overdose

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A 17-year-old girl has been charged with murder in the overdose deaths of two of her classmates, authorities said Thursday.

Two teenage girls were found dead Tuesday at Fayette Ware Comprehensive High School in Somerville, Tennessee, after overdosing on fentanyl. A third teenager was transported to the hospital in critical condition. One of the girls was 16 years old and the two others were 17 years old, according to the school district.

District Attorney Mark Davidson told ABC News the surviving girl was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of possession of a controlled substance.

All three girls were juniors at the high school, which held its graduation ceremony just hours after the overdoses.

The school held a balloon release vigil for the students in the school’s parking on Thursday. The school also made counselors and religious leaders from across the district available to the community through next week.

“We want to send our thoughts and prayers to the families of the young ladies who lost their lives. A common thread throughout our district is family. This situation has rocked our family,” Versie Hamlett, Fayette County Public Schools’ superintendent, said in a letter to the community.

Murder charges for someone involved in overdose deaths are “unusual,” Davidson said.

“I’ve never seen it; not in a situation of this gravity,” he added, saying his office has charged adults for providing deadly drugs but never a juvenile.

The girl, who has not been named by officials, will appear in juvenile court June 7 for a status hearing.

Contaminated eye drops linked to more deaths as 14 people report vision loss

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — An additional person has died in an outbreak linked to contaminated eye drops and more people are reporting they’ve lost their vision.

The number of deaths has risen to four, according to an update issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday and first reported by ABC News.

At least one of the deaths occurred in Washington state, but the CDC did not provide any information on the other victims.

Additionally, at least 14 people have gone blind, up from eight reported during the last update in March. Four people have had their eyeballs surgically removed but that number has not risen.

Patients reported using at least 10 different brands of artificial tears but most cases have been linked to EzriCare and Delsam Pharma eye drops, made by India-based Global Pharma Healthcare.

The eye drops were contaminated with an antibiotic-resistant form of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an aggressive bacterium, according to the CDC.

Pseudomonas are a type of bacteria found in the environment, with P. aeruginosa being the most common to cause infections in humans.

The infection is common in health care settings and spreads from improper hygiene either due to unclean hands or medical equipment and surfaces not being properly cleaned.

P. aeruginosa is resistant to multiple types of antibiotics and has caused about 32,600 infections among U.S. hospitalized patients and an estimated 2,700 deaths, according to the CDC.

The strain that has been linked to the outbreak, however, had never been reported in the United States before, the CDC stated in its update.

As of May 15, 81 people across 18 states have been infected with P. aeruginosa, an increase of 13 patients since the last update.

Symptoms of their infections include yellow, green, or clear discharge from the eye; eye pain or discomfort; red eyes or eyelids; feeling of something in the eye; increased sensitivity to light; and blurry vision.

In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning, backed by the CDC, urging clinicians and the public not to buy EzriCare Artificial Tears or Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears due to potential bacterial contamination.

After the warning, Global Pharma Healthcare issued a voluntary recall of both products, notifying distributors and advising wholesalers, retailers and customers who have the products to stop usage. Global Health Pharma has also issued a recall of Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Ointment.

The CDC and the FDA are warning that anybody who still has these brands immediately stop use and discard. None of the products appear to be able to be bought online.

Among the 13 new cases that were reported to the CDC, six had specimens collected prior to the February recall.

“These cases were confirmed after the recall date due to the time it takes for testing to confirm the outbreak strain and because of retrospective reporting of infections,” the CDC wrote in its update.

Of the seven patients with specimens collected after the recall, they either were living in long-term care facilities with other known cases or were using a recalled brand of artificial tears.

Greta Van Fleet debuts new ’Starcatcher’ song, “Sacred the Thread”

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Greta Van Fleet has premiered a new song called “Sacred the Thread,” a track off the band’s upcoming album, Starcatcher.

The 5 1/2-minute “Sacred the Thread” is the second cut off Starcatcher to be released, following lead single “Meeting the Master.” You can listen to it now via digital outlets.

Starcatcher, the follow-up to 2021’s The Battle at Garden’s Gate, arrives in full on July 21.

Greta Van Fleet will launch a U.S. headlining tour in support of Starcatcher in July. Kaleo will also be on the bill for select dates.

How US national debt grew to its $31.4 trillion high

May 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

How US national debt grew to its .4 trillion high

(WASHINGTON) — A ticking clock in Washington to avert default by raising the nation’s borrowing limit is drawing attention to the $31.4 trillion debt already accrued by the United States government.

The country hit its current debt ceiling in mid-January and is expected to run out of cash to be able to pay all its bills as soon as June 1, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned Congress, while cautioning that the exact “X-date” for default remains fluid.

As President Joe Biden and leading lawmakers including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy work to hammer out a deal, here’s what to know about how the U.S. amassed its debts so far:

What is the national debt?

Nearly every year, the government spends more than it collects in taxes and other revenue, resulting in a deficit. (The debt ceiling, set by Congress, caps how much the U.S. can borrow to pay for its remaining bills.) The national debt, now at a historic high, is the buildup of its deficits over time.

Only five times in the past half century has the U.S. run a surplus, the most recent being in 2001.

“Each side of the political aisle can blame the other, but the debt is mathematically just a mismatch,” Kent Smetters, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of business who formerly worked at the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, told ABC News.

The U.S. has had debt since its founding and has only been completely debt-free once, in 1835.

How did it grow to $31.4 trillion?

The national debt has grown significantly since the early 1980s under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

The largest percentage increases to the debt occurred under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, both of whom enacted tax cuts that led to large deficits.

Flashpoints that greatly contributed to the debt over the past 50 years include the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic — the latter two prompting sweeping stimulus measures from Congress that cost trillions of dollars.

“Some of the debt is definitely policy-driven, such as in the case of tax cuts. Some of it’s reactive: We had a pandemic, we had a financial crisis, and the government’s going to take a position and step in,” said David Thomson, the director of Sacred Heart University’s history program, who has written about the U.S. debt.

“When you add all those things up, it leads to some pretty significant chunks of change. And that’s gotten us up to that $31.4 trillion mark,” Thomson said.

Who owns the debt?

Much of the debt — $24.6 trillion — is held by the public in the form of financial securities issued by the Treasury Department. Another $6.8 trillion is held by various parts of the U.S. government.

The public debt is held by individuals, corporations, foreign nations and entities, state or local governments and Federal Reserve Banks.

The amount of publicly-held debt has doubled over the past decade, Smetters said, and is considered by many economists to be the most important measure of debt.

Will the debt keep growing?

One model from Wharton estimates that if the government wanted to balance its budget sheets, it would have to either permanently and immediately reduce spending or increase tax revenue.

All spending, including for popular programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, would need to be slashed by 30%, according to the Wharton model. Or the federal government could permanently increase all sources of federal tax revenue by roughly 40%.

“Or some combination of the two,” Smetters said. “Right now, the discussions happening in Washington on both sides are so far away from the actual math of what needs to happen. They’re still dancing around some much bigger issues.”

However, many economists believe some government debt is a good thing. Thomson noted that growing public debt speaks to the fact that many view U.S. bonds and and other securities as among the safest assets in the world.

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