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Group of North Koreans defect, cross border into South Korea

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A group of North Koreans crossed the Northern Limit Line in a fishing boat and South Korea’s navy patrol boat located the group, South Korean authorities said Thursday.

The incident took place on May 6 and authorities from the Defense Ministry, National Intelligence, and the Unification Ministry said that the government is interrogating those North Koreans and cannot share any details at the moment.

The number of North Koreans fleeing to the South has dramatically decreased from over 1,000 every year for most of the 2000s to around 100 since the COVID-19 breakout in 2020, data from the Unification Ministry shows.

229 people defected from North Korea to South Korea in 2020, but less than 100 defected from North Korea in 2021 and 2022, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Unification. Provisionally, 34 people have defected in 2023, according to the Unification Ministry.

The drop in defectors seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and the following years has not been seen since the 1990s, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a report.

One of the main factors causing the drop in defectors was the closure of the North Korean border to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, CSIS said in the report. Other efforts, like North Korea’s campaign to publicize how difficult life in South Korea is, also could have contributed to the decline, CSIS said.

Dianne Feinstein suffered brain inflammation as complication from shingles, aide confirms

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — California Sen. Dianne Feinstein suffered complications from shingles that included Ramsay Hunt syndrome and encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, her office confirmed on Thursday.

Feinstein, a Democrat, was diagnosed with shingles in February and was away from the Senate while recovering at home for some three months.

The New York Times first reported earlier Thursday that Feinstein suffered from encephalitis and Ramsay Hunt syndrome — which affects facial nerves and can cause paralysis — as a a result of her shingles.

A spokesperson for Feinstein subsequently said in a statement that “the senator previously disclosed that she had several complications related to her shingles diagnosis. As discussed in the New York Times article, those complications included Ramsay Hunt syndrome and encephalitis.”

“While the encephalitis resolved itself shortly after she was released from the hospital in March, she continues to have complications from Ramsey Hunt syndrome,” the spokesperson said.

At 89, Feinstein is the oldest member of the Senate. She has said she will retire at the end of her current term, in January 2025.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Two construction workers missing after massive fire at Charlotte site

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) — Over 90 firefighters responded to the scene of a massive fire at a construction site in Charlotte, North Carolina, Thursday morning and braved devastating conditions to rescue workers who were caught in the blaze.

As of Thursday afternoon, two construction workers who were at the site of the future apartment complex were unaccounted for, according to the fire department.

Firefighters responded to the residential construction site on Liberty Road around 9 a.m. and within 10 minutes, the blaze grew to five alarms, Reginald Johnson, the fire chief for the Charlotte Fire Department, told reporters.

“It was a very fast-moving fire [with] high heat conditions well over 2000 degrees. And as a construction site is open, a lot of wood is exposed the fire moved very rapidly,” Johnson said.

Firefighters rescued 15 construction workers from the fire, including one person who was stuck on top of a crane. Johnson said that firefighters had to set up hose lines to protect the crane before they could go and make the rescue.

Johnson also confirmed that two “maydays” were issued after firefighters had issues getting out of the fire while rescuing some of the construction workers.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, according to the fire department.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles tweeted a statement urging nearby residents to remain inside and thanking first responders for their work.

“Very grateful that @charlottefire was able to rescue the crane operator,” she tweeted.

Disney cancels planned Florida campus in Lake Nona

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(ORLANDO, Fla.) — Disney announced on Thursday that it canceled plans for a new campus near Orlando, Florida.

The development was planned for the Lake Nona region.

“Given the considerable changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing business conditions, we have decided not to move forward with construction of the campus,” Disney said in a statement.

However, the company affirmed its commitment to additional expansion.

“We have plans to invest $17 billion and create 13,000 jobs over the next ten years,” the memo said. “I hope we’re able to do so.”

The Lake Nona campus, announced in 2021, was set to host employees from Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products division. The company previously delayed the opening of the campus to 2026.

As part of the plans, Disney asked roughly 2,000 Southern California-based employees to relocate to the planned 60-acre campus. The company will no longer be calling for the employees to relocate, the memo on Thursday said.

“For those who have already moved, we will talk to you individually about your situation, including the possibility of moving you back,” the memo added.

The announcement comes amid an ongoing dispute between Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney over the company’s special district in the state.

Disney sued DeSantis last month, claiming that he had carried out a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power” against the company over a disagreement stemming from the state’s Parental Rights in Education law, which critics dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill before it was passed and signed into law.

Last year, Disney publicly opposed the bill, which restricts in-class discussion of gender and sexual orientation.

Afterward, DeSantis sharply criticized the company’s 56-year-old special district, formerly known as the Reedy Creek Financial District, which gave Disney autonomy over issues, such as fire protection, policing, waste management, energy generation, road maintenance, bond issuance and development planning.

DeSantis is expected to formally enter the 2024 presidential race next week, two sources familiar with the plans told ABC News.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Kate Bush’s streams go to “Work” following ’The Mother’ placement

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

After she ran up the charts last year with “Running Up That Hill,” Kate Bush is now seeing another sync-driven increase in streams for a different song.

According to Billboard, Bush’s 1988 song “This Woman’s Work” jumped 157% in U.S. on-demand streams following its placement in the new Netflix movie The Mother, starring Jennifer Lopez.

“This Woman’s Work” was actually originally written for a movie, the John Hughes-directed She’s Having a Baby, and has been featured in shows including The Handmaid’s Tale. It was also covered by R&B artist Maxwell. Even if you don’t remember it by name, you’ll probably recognize “This Women’s Work” from its opening vocal melody.

Even with the jump in streams, “This Women’s Work” will have a long way to go before reaching the heights of “Running Up That Hill,” which became Bush’s first top-five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 after it was featured in season 4 of Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Just as the “Running Up That Hill” resurgence led to the normally press-shy Bush to give a rare interview, perhaps if “This Women’s Work” gets big enough she’ll end her performing hiatus. She’ll certainly have an opportunity in November when she’s inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Graham Nash often wonders why he’s a success

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Graham Nash has gone through a lot of loss in the past year, not only with the death of his bandmate David Crosby, but also the death of Crosby-Nash band member David Lindley, and it’s got him thinking about life.

“It really tells me that life is short,” Nash tells Spin magazine. “Your time goes insanely fast, and we must make the correct choices for our lives. … That’s all life is, choices that you make, and you have to make the correct choices to get to be 81 and still rocking.”

Nash, whose new album, Now, comes out Friday, May 19, says he often wonders what he did right when “there are so many people that are much better musicians than I am that are nowhere.” He says when he goes home to Manchester, England, and sees old friends who hate their jobs, it makes him ask himself, “’Why was it me that left and got rewarded by all this, you know, success?’”

He still hasn’t figured out an answer to that question, noting, “I keep asking myself, but I haven’t come up with the answer yet.”

Regardless of why he made it, Nash is thrilled to still be making music and has no plans to slow down. He notes, “I’m very delighted to be 81 years old and still rocking like this. And I hope it goes on for another 20 years. Why not?”

Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Coi Leray and more

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Kobe Bryant‘s oldest daughter, Natalia, is credited as an intern on Beyoncé‘s Renaissance World Tour. She previously appeared in a campaign for Ivy Park’s “Halls of Ivy” collection.

Rihanna‘s son, RZA, dressed like the Wu-Tang Clan star for his first birthday party, while she took on the role of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, wearing a grill inspired by his. Her imitation grill is said to have been 18-karat gold, had 425 diamonds, cost $18,000 and only took one week to make.

A Nicki Minaj fan shared a portrait he drew of her, and she appeared to be less than pleased. The rapper blocked the user’s account, so he’s asked for help to get himself unblocked.

Yung Miami is teaching her fans how to “act bad.” She shared a starter kit with tips that include washing alcohol down with water, going outside and living your best life.

It appears Coi Leray may be featured on the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, executive produced by Metro Boomin. Taking to Instagram Wednesday, she wrote, “‘Self Love’ COI X METRO.”

NLE Choppa, Kodak Black, BTS’ Jimin, JVKE and Muni Long tap into the Fast X world in the video for “Angel Pt. 1.” The song’s on the soundtrack, which drops along with the movie on May 19.

Shop Miranda’s Wanda June Home spring collection

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

The spring collection for Miranda Lambert‘s Wanda June Home line is finally here.

New products include the two-piece “Hello Darlin'” doormat set, “Here Comes Trouble” pillow and vintage stripe peach pitcher, among others.

Shop the fresh collection now at walmart.com.

Harrison Ford promises fans his last ‘Indiana Jones’ movie will “knock their socks off”

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

On Thursday, Lucasfilm released a behind-the-scenes peek at Harrison Ford‘s final adventure as the whip-cracking archeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Oscar-nominated Logan screenwriter and director James Mangold took over duties behind the camera for Steven Spielberg for the final chapter.

“We love Indiana Jones because we love movies,” Mangold says in the new video as clips from the previous movies play. “We love the cause and effect, we love the tripwire of events,” he continues. “All these pieces fit together to make the lightning in a bottle of an Indiana Jones film.”

“But also,” he adds, “it just fits Harrison like a glove.”

For his part, Ford adds with a laugh about the fifth movie, “Preparation was not really necessary.”

Partially set in 1969 — excluding an extended prologue with a digitally de-aged version of the 80-year-old star — the movie has Indy tangling with the Nazis again, this time in an adventure set against the space race.

Along for the last ride is Emmy winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Indy’s goddaughter Helena. “It’s filled with awe, and excitement, and danger. And they’ve completely captured that,” she offers.

Ford sums it all up, explaining, “It felt good. It felt that we had made a film that the audience deserved. I feel confident that we’re going to knock their socks off.”

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in theaters June 30 from Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of ABC News’ parent company, Disney.

Sting & Blondie honored at the 2023 Ivors

May 18, 2023 by WDNY Radio

The 2023 Ivors took place in London Thursday night, and it was a big night for Sting, who received the Fellowship of the Ivors Academy, which is the group’s highest honor. It was previously given to such artists as Sir Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush.

According to the BBC, Sting admitted during his acceptance speech that he isn’t always so confident when it comes to songwriting. “Every time I look at a blank page, I’m filled with a mortal terror,” he said. “I don’t quite know how I write songs, but I do. It’s a mystery.”

Sting also performed at the event, treating the crowd to The Police classic “Message in a Bottle.”

Also honored at the ceremony were Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, who were recognized with the organization’s Special International Award.

The Ivors, which have been handed out since 1956, are the most prestigious music honor in the United Kingdom, celebrating excellence in British and Irish songwriting. This year’s winners included Harry Styles, RAYE, and Florence Welch and Jack Antonoff.

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