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World Cup live updates: US team looks past Iran controversy to must-win match

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — After years of controversy around its location, the 2022 World Cup is underway in Qatar.

There have been allegations of payoffs to FIFA members to earn the bid, criticism of Qatar’s laws against women and LGBTQ individuals, the deaths of migrants used to build the sparkling new stadiums and even last-second controversy over beer sales. The tournament was also moved from its usual summer timeframe to the holiday season to avoid Qatar’s intensely hot weather.

But on the field, the best players in the world — such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar — are ready to go. And the U.S. is back with a hungry, young team after failing to qualify for the last World Cup.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Nov 29, 9:16 AM EST
Pandas predict a US win against Iran

Good news for the U.S. men’s team — Qatar’s psychic pandas Thuraya and Suhail have chosen the U.S. to beat Iran in today’s must-win matchup.

The two pandas were gifted to Qatar from China to celebrate it as the host country of the World Cup. Every day, they are tasked with predicting which countries will win that day’s matchups.

However, the pandas are not given the choice of a draw and they’re not always correct.

The pandas also chose England over Wales, Senegal over Ecuador and Qatar over the Netherlands in today’s matches.

Nov 29, 8:54 AM EST
Blinken denies ‘geopolitical’ nature of World Cup

When Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked about the unrest in Iran and China as it related to the game between the U.S. and Iran at the World Cup later today, Blinken said “let’s let the athletes do their thing,” expressing his belief that there are no geopolitical implications beyond a competitive game.

“I’m certainly confident in [the athletes’] abilities to do well on the field. And I don’t think there are any particular geopolitical aspects to this, other than that,” he added.

Affirming the right to protest, Blinken closed his answer, saying “protests that we’re seeing in China, protests that we’re seeing for different reasons, in Iraq, in other places — our position is the same everywhere, which is that we support the right of people everywhere to peacefully protest to make known their views, their concerns and their frustrations.”

Nov 28, 8:07 PM EST
Must-win match for USA highlights Tuesday schedule

The U.S.’s future in the World Cup will be decided Tuesday against Iran. After draws against Wales and England, the U.S. can only advance to the knockout stage with a win; anything else and they will be boarding a flight home.

Iran, ranked nine spots lower than USA in the FIFA rankings, defeated Wales and was blown out by England, so they are facing a similar situation as the U.S. — though a draw could also result in them making it out of the group stage as well. Wales can only advance with an unlikely dominating performance against England.

The match has almost been eclipsed by controversy over the U.S. Soccer Federation posting a photo of the Iranian flag on Twitter without the Islamic symbol. The post was to show support for protesters in Iran, and has earned calls for FIFA to kick the USA out of the competition. That’s unlikely, but Iran can handle it on the field by simply beating the USA. FiveThirtyEight’s predictions give the U.S. a 38% chance of winning versus 31% for Iran (with a 31% chance of a draw).

This is only the third time the two countries have met. They faced off in another politically heated match in the 1998 World Cup when the U.S. government called Iran the “most active” sponsor of terrorism just weeks beforehand. Iran won that match, 2-1.

The other two games on Tuesday will be in Group A, including the final match for the home country. Unfortunately for local fans, Qatar has already been eliminated from contention for the knockout stages. Netherlands can advance with a win over Qatar (or a draw and some help), while the winner of Ecuador-Senegal will also advance. Ecuador would advance with a draw.

Tuesday’s schedule of matches:

Ecuador vs. Senegal, 10 a.m., FS1
Netherlands vs. Qatar, 10 a.m., Fox
Iran vs. United States, 2 p.m., Fox
Wales vs. England, 2 p.m., FS1

Nov 28, 6:28 PM EST
White House won’t comment on Iran flag flap

The White House declined to comment on the Iranian flag flap created by the U.S. Soccer Federation’s removal of the Islamic emblem from a photo on the U.S. men’s national team’s Twitter account.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the White House would not have comment during a White House press briefing Monday afternoon.

“This isn’t the kind of thing that you would — that the White House would — comment on,” Kirby said at the briefing. “USA soccer is a private entity, and they make their own decisions about those kinds of things, and we wouldn’t comment on that. We wish them all the best tomorrow.”

Kirby also said he wasn’t aware of any conversations or consultations involving anyone from the U.S. government about the U.S. Soccer Federation’s decision to alter the flag.

The logo was later added back to the flag in the team’s Twitter header. The federation had said it was done to support protesters in the country currently demonstrating against the totalitarian regime and its treatment of women.

-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky

Nov 28, 5:26 PM EST
US coach, captain try to avoid Iran flag controversy

U.S. national team coach Gregg Berhalter tried to keep the focus on Tuesday’s game at a press conference as he faced questions about why the U.S. team’s Twitter account removed the Islamic emblem from Iran’s flag in a post Sunday. He also insisted his team had no knowledge of the post.

The U.S. soccer federation said it removed the logo to show support for those protesting in the country against authoritarian rule and its treatment of women.

Berhalter tried to keep the focus on the uniting power of sports and the World Cup, even as Iran called for the U.S. to be kicked out of the World Cup for altering its flag.

“Sport is something that should bring people together, bring countries together,” Berhalter said. “When you look at the Olympics, to see all those countries competing at the same time, is a wonderful event. The World Cup is very similar, where people come from all around the world. Fans come from all around the world, and you get to compete on the field, as brothers, so sport does have the ability to do that.”

U.S. captain Tyler Adams was criticized by an Iranian reporter for mispronouncing “Iran,” which he apologized for, and he was questioned about discrimination in the U.S., saying it is everywhere but there has been progress. But he also deflected attention back to the game.

“Listen, we support Iran’s people and Iran’s team. But that being said, you know, we’re laser focused on this match as they are as well,” Adams, 23, told reporters. “We know how important this is for our progress of our team and what we want to do to prove to our country, you know, how hard we’ve been working. And we know they want to do exactly the same.”

The U.S. must defeat Iran Tuesday to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

-ABC News’ Karyn Rhodus

Nov 28, 4:29 PM EST
Portugal cruises to win over Uruguay, clinches spot in knockout stage

Portugal dispatched Uruguay on Monday, taking its second win of the tournament and guaranteeing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will see the knockout stage in what is almost certainly the 37-year-old’s last World Cup.

Portugal won 2-0 behind two goals from Bruno Fernandes. The Manchester United star — briefly Ronaldo’s teammate before Man U dismissed the star — scored the match’s first goal in the 54th minute and then added the clincher in the 93rd minute on a penalty kick.

Portugal will play South Korea on Friday, but will likely rest some players to get them ready for the knockout stage.

Nov 28, 1:03 PM EST
Brazil tops Switzerland

In the Group G competition Monday, Brazil beat Switzerland 1-0 with a late-game goal by Casemiro.

With that, Brazil has won both its matches so far in the tournament and sits atop the group.

Nov 28, 10:14 AM EST
Ghana defeats South Korea, Cameroon and Serbia tie

Ghana won over South Korea 3-2 in a high-intensity match that saw the momentum change several times over.

Ghana started strong, with Mohammed Salisu scoring 24 minutes in and Mohammed Kudus at 34 minutes, bringing the score to 2-0 by halftime.

But then Cho Gue-sung of South Korea scored twice, at the 58th minute and again just three minutes later. He scored both goals on a header from a cross, the second powerful strike followed by an exuberant team celebration as it tied up the game.

Ghana met the challenge just minutes later, with Kudus scoring once more to put Ghana back in the lead.

With 10 minutes of extra time, South Korea was not able to score again as the Ghanaian team successfully defended multiple goal opportunities.

Earlier Monday, in Group G, Cameroon and Serbia ended in a 3-3 tie.

Nov 27, 3:59 PM EST
Germany, Spain tie

Germany and Spain ended their high-energy match in a 1-1 tie Sunday.

Both goals came late in the game, with Spain’s Álvaro Morata scoring at 62 minutes and Germany’s Niclas Füllkrug at 83 minutes.

Nov 27, 1:06 PM EST
Croatia beats Canada 4-1

Croatia handily beat Canada four goals to one. Croatia’s goals were scored by Marko Livaja, Lovro Majer and Andrej Kramaric, who scored twice.

Canada’s Alphonso Davies scored their sole point, the country’s first in a men’s FIFA World Cup, within the first three minutes of the match.

Croatia is now the top team in Group F, while Canada will not advance.

Nov 27, 11:23 AM EST
Morocco beats Belgium 2-0

Morocco beat Belgium Sunday with two goals over zero.

The first goal was scored by Abdelhamid Sabiri 73 minutes in on a free kick near the corner. The second goal came in extra minutes, scored by Zakaria Aboukhlal chipping off a smart assist by Hakim Ziyech.

This win puts Morocco at the top of Group F.

Nov 27, 8:12 AM EST
Costa Rica beats Japan 1-0 with late goal

Costa Rica beat the favored Japan 1-0 with a late goal on Sunday.

Keysher Fuller scored the match’s sole goal at the 81-minute mark, shooting from inside the 18-yard box and slipping the ball past the fingertips of Japan’s goaltender, Shuichi Gonda.

The goal was Costa Rica’s first of the tournament after losing 7-0 against Spain in its opening game.

Nov 26, 4:15 PM EST
Argentina tops Mexico 2-0 in vital win

After a stunning loss to Saudi Arabia, Argentina defeated Mexico 2-0.

Argentina and Saudi Arabia now have three points each. The team that wins their third match in this round will likely head to the knockouts.

Nov 26, 1:30 PM EST
France defeats Denmark 2-1 in heated match

France defeated Denmark 2-1 with a last minute goal from Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé, in what was a tight game between the two Group D teams.

Mbappé also scored France’s first goal of the match. The win solidifies France’s spot in the knockout round.

To qualify for the next round, Denmark will have to defeat Australia on Wednesday.

Nov 26, 12:17 PM EST
Poland defeats Saudi Arabia 2-0

Poland defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0, putting the Polish team in Group C’s top spot.

Saudi Arabia has the second highest number of points in the group thanks to its surprise 2-1 win over Argentina. Mexico and Argentina will face off later today, where Mexico could knock Argentina out of the tournament with a win.

Nov 26, 8:04 AM EST
Saudi Arabia can qualify for elimination round with win over Poland

Poland and Saudi Arabia have kicked off at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

Saudi Arabia shocked the football world this week with a 2-1 over Argentina, one of the favorites to win the World Cup. Poland played Mexico and earned a scoreless draw against the squad to take one point away from the match.

The second Group C match of the day will take place later on where Mexico can eliminate Argentina from the competition with a win.

Nov 26, 7:07 AM EST
Australia defeats Tunisia for their first World Cup win since 2010

Australia and Tunisia played a tight game throughout with each squad having their chances to score but it was Australia who ultimately prevailed 1-0 over the North African side.

Tunisia is now on the backfoot when it comes to qualifying for the knockout rounds but they have not formally been eliminated in the loss to Australia. Australia have garnered three points in their two matches thus far. Tunisia has earned one point in their matches. Denmark takes on France later today in the other Group D match.

Nov 25, 4:09 PM EST
US and England tie 0-0

The U.S. and England tied in their match on Friday, ending the game without scoring any goals.

To advance to the next round, the U.S. will need to win its match against Iran on Tuesday.

England won its match against Iran on Monday 6-2.

Nov 25, 12:47 PM EST
Neymar injures right ankle during Brazil’s 1st match

Soccer star Neymar injured his right ankle during Brazil’s match against Serbia Thursday.

The team’s doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said Neymar sprained his ankle and said he is confident Neymar will continue playing at the World Cup, according to the Associated Press.

Nov 25, 12:47 PM EST
China gifts Qatar two pandas tasked with predicting game winners

Thuraya and Suhail are two pandas gifted to Qatar from China to celebrate their hosting the World Cup. Every day, they are tasked with predicting which countries will win that day’s matchups.

Fans of the U.S. men’s soccer team may hope this less-than-stellar rate holds as the pandas predicted this morning that England wins in the team’s group stage match.

Nov 25, 12:37 PM EST
Senegal beats Qatar 3-1

Senegal beat World Cup host Qatar 3-1, in what was the host’s first appearance in the tournament ever.

The two other Group A members, the Netherlands and Ecuador, are set to face off on Friday.

Nov 25, 7:30 AM EST
Wales suffers defeat at the hands of Iran

With two goals allowed in added time, Wales lost a tight match to Iran 2-0.

In the defeat, Wales has one point in Group B and Iran now has three. The United States will play England later today to wrap up the second games for each team in the group at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Nov 25, 6:00 AM EST
Wales and Iran battle to 0-0 at halftime in each squad’s second match

In a closely fought match between the two teams, Wales and Iran have played a tight match so far at halftime at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Ar-Rayyan.

Wales has had possession 54% of the time to Iran’s 30% with the ball contested 16% of the time.

England is leading Group B with three points and they will play the United States who garnered point against Wales in their first match. Wales is tied with the U.S. with one point and Iran yet to put points on the table.

Nov 24, 10:39 PM EST
Brazil wins against Serbia as Neymar suffers ankle injury

Brazil defeated Serbia 2-0 in the opening for Group G at Lusail Stadium courtesy of Brazilian forward Richarlison’s double goals.

Brazil’s Neymar, one of the sport’s most popular players, sprained his ankle, according to Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar.

Now at the top of the Group G standings, Brazil will play Switzerland on Monday, while Serbia will face Cameroon.

Nov 24, 8:43 PM EST
Portugal beats Ghana 3-2 as Ronaldo breaks record

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo made history today, becoming the first male player to score in five different World Cups after scoring a penalty kick in Portugal’s opening match.

Portugal now leads Group H after defeating Ghana 3-2.

Ronaldo left Manchester United earlier this week after an explosive TV interview in which he criticized the club and manager Erik ten Hag.

Nov 24, 2:04 PM EST
Portugal beats Ghana 3-2 as Ronaldo breaks record

Soccer star Christiano Ronaldo made history today, becoming the first male player to score in five different World Cups after scoring a penalty kick in Portugal’s opening match.

Portugal now leads Group H after defeating Ghana 3-2.

Ronaldo left Manchester United earlier this week after an explosive TV interview in which he criticized the club and manager Erik ten Hag.

Nov 24, 11:39 AM EST
Uruguay and South Korea draw 0-0

Uruguay and South Korea did not score any goals in their first appearance in the 2022 World Cup, ending the game with a 0-0 draw.

The two other teams in the group, Portugal and Ghana, are also facing off today.

Nov 24, 8:10 AM EST
Uruguay takes on South Korea

The match between Uruguay and South Korea has kicked off in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

This match is the first one featuring teams from Group H, the last group not to have played yet in Qatar 2022. The other two teams, Ghana and Portugal, will play later today.

Nov 24, 7:07 AM EST
Switzerland defeats Cameroon 1-0

Cameroon-born Swiss star Breel Embolo scored the only goal of the match in the 48th minute shortly after the half as Switzerland defeated Cameroon in the first game of the World Cup for each squad in Group G.

Embolo, who plays for Ligue 1 club Monaco in France, refused to celebrate in what would be the only goal of the match and held up his hands after scoring before he was mobbed by his teammates in celebration.

Switzerland will next play Brazil on Monday while Cameroon will take on Serbia the same day.

Nov 23, 1:02 PM EST
Spain looks like Cup contender with rout of Costa Rica

Spain, one of the oddsmakers’ favorites to hoist the World Cup trophy next month, did nothing to dissuade those picking the 2010 champs to win another title.

Spain defeated Costa Rica 7-0 in the most lopsided game of the tournament so far. Costa Rica had zero shots on goal in the match.

Ferran Torres had two goals, while Dani Olmo, Marco Asensio, Gavi, Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata each had one.

It was the most goals scored by Spain in a World Cup game, topping the six they scored against Bulgaria in 1998. Spain next plays Germany on Sunday, with the German side facing elimination with a loss.

Nov 23, 10:16 AM EST
Japan shocks Germany with 2 goals in final 15 minutes

Germany controlled possession throughout the first half and appeared ready to cruise to a opening game victory. Then Japan turned it on in a shocking final 15 minutes to steal the win.

German Ilkay Gundogan scored on a penalty kick in the 33rd minute, and thought they had added a second late in the first half before a review took it off the board.

In the second, Ritsu Doan tied the game at 1-1 in the 75th minute after coming on the pitch just four minutes earlier. Eight minutes later, Takuma Asano gave Japan the 2-1 lead and held on for the win.

Nov 23, 10:14 AM EST
German players cover mouths in protest

The starting 11 for Germany posed for photos covering their mouths before the match with Japan in a sign of protest.

Several European team captains had planned to wear “OneLove” armbands during the tournament as a protest against Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ laws. However, FIFA cracked down on the teams’ decision and promised to immediately hand out yellow cards to any player violating the rules on uniform.

Also, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was pictured wearing the armband while watching in the stands, alongside embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino. She had previously said she might not even attend the World Cup due to concerns over human rights.

Nov 23, 7:04 AM EST
Croatia and Morocco draw 0-0

Croatia and Morocco failed to score in their match, which ended up being the third 0-0 draw in the 2022 World Cup so far.

The other two teams in the group, Canada and Belgium, will face off later today at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium — popularly known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium — in Al Rayyan, Qatar. It will be Canada’s first World Cup match in 36 years and only their second ever appearance at the tournament.

Nov 23, 6:57 AM EST
Morocco and Croatia battle to 0-0 draw at halftime

Croatia controlled possession of the ball 51% of the time to Morocco’s 36% in the first half of the Group F match at Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.

Croatia had two corner kick opportunities but were unable to capitalize on those opportunities to score while Morocco had one less foul in the first half than the European side.

Nov 23, 5:08 AM EST
Match between 2018 World Cup runners-up and Morocco kicks off

Croatia, runners-up to France in the 2018 World Cup, has taken the field against the second-best team in Africa, Morocco, in Group F’s first match of the tournament.

Morocco has not won a World Cup match since 1998 and has only ever emerged from the qualifying rounds in the tournament once, 36 years ago in 1986.

Nov 22, 4:23 PM EST
Soccer powers take the stage on Wednesday

Germany, Spain and Belgium take to the field on Wednesday as they each look to open the tournament with a win — and deliver a message that they are in World Cup-winning form. Germany and Spain won the World Cup in 2014 and 2010, respectively, while Belgium is No. 2 in the FIFA world rankings.

Our neighbors to the north, Canada, also get their World Cup underway. This is just the second time Canada has appeared in the World Cup and certainly want to do better than that appearance in 1986 when they went 0-3 in the group stage.

Here’s the schedule for Wednesday:

Morocco vs. Croatia, 5 a.m., FS1
Germany vs. Japan, 8 a.m., FS1
Spain vs. Costa Rica, 11 a.m., Fox
Belgium vs. Canada, 2 p.m., Fox

Nov 22, 4:07 PM EST
Defending champion France routs Australia

Just nine minutes into France’s opening round match with Australia they trailed 1-0 behind a goal from Craig Goodwin.

But any thoughts of the defending World Cup champions stumbling to a loss in their opener — like Argentina earlier in the day — were erased by Adrien Rabiot in the 28th minute. Five minutes later, Olivier Giroud banged one home to take the lead.

The rout was on in the second half when 23-year-old French star Kylian Mbappe headed one home in the 68th minute. Giroud scored a brace with his second goal in the 71st minute. The goal tied him with legend Thierry Henry for the most international goals in French history.

France finished with 23 shots to Australia’s four. The Aussies had just one shot on goal.

Nov 22, 1:11 PM EST
Mexico, Poland go scoreless after Lewandowski misses penalty

Mexico and Poland, both teams hoping to advance to the knockout stage, finished 0-0 in their opening match after Polish star Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty kick in the second half.

Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa came up with a big stop in the 58th minute Tuesday. Mexico, meanwhile, dominated possession — 61% to 39% — and had 11 shots but couldn’t break through.

Lewandowski, one of his generation’s great forwards, has not scored a World Cup goal in four matches.

Nov 22, 11:12 AM EST
Fans show off team pride with crazy costumes

Win or lose, you can always count on fans to show up — often in the most outlandish outfits.

-ABC News’ Moe Zoyari

Nov 22, 10:04 AM EST
Denmark, Tunisia settle for scoreless draw

Denmark, one of the sleeper picks to win the tournament, settled for a 0-0 draw with Tunisia in their first game in Group D. It was the first scoreless draw of the tournament and only the second draw — after the U.S.-Wales on Monday.

The Danes are ranked 10th in the world, while Tunisia is ranked 30th.

Denmark held its collective breath in the 93rd minute when the referee was called over to look at VAR for a hand ball, but the ruling came back with no penalty.

Nov 22, 9:35 AM EST
World Cup’s New High-Tech Ball Will Change Soccer Forever: FiveThirtyEight

When the 2022 World Cup made its debut on Sunday, it kicked off one of the most significant in-game uses of technology in sports history.

All tournament long, match balls will contain a sensor that collects spatial positioning data in real time — the first World Cup to employ such a ball-tracking mechanism. This, combined with existing optical tracking tools, will make VAR (video assistant referees) and programs like offside reviews more accurate and streamlined than they’ve ever been.

Combining these two forms of tracking has long been a holy grail of sorts in technology circles, and FIFA’s use of the ball sensor in particular will serve as a highly public test case over the next four weeks.

For more on the technology and how it will affect the World Cup, read FiveThirtyEight’s in-depth investigation.

Nov 22, 9:16 AM EST
Budweiser plans celebration with unused beer

With millions of dollars in unused beer sitting in Qatar, the company AB InBev says it will be bringing the beer to the winning country for an “ultimate” celebration.

“Where there is a celebration, there is always a Budweiser. In that spirit, Budweiser wants to bring this celebration from the FIFA World Cup stadiums to the winning country’s fans,” the company said in a statement. “We will host the ultimate championship celebration for the winning country. Because, for the winning fans, they’ve taken the world. More details will be shared when we get closer to the finals.”

Nov 22, 9:03 AM EST
Saudi Arabia stuns Argentina

Lionel Messi and Argentina were stunned by Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as the Saudis rallied to beat one of the tournament’s favorites, 2-1.

Messi, one of the sport’s all-time greats, scored in the 10th minute on a penalty kick. But Saudi Arabia came out strong in the second half with goals in the 48th minute by Saleh Al-Shehri and in the 53rd minute by Salem Al-Dawsari.

Mom describes daughter’s hospitalization with RSV amid warnings of holiday ‘tripledemic’ surge

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A New York mother is sharing details of her daughter’s battle with RSV, a respiratory virus that health officials warn may continue to spread this holiday season, along with the flu and COVID-19.

Anita Binayi-Ghiam said her 3-year-old daughter Ella began having difficulty breathing during the last week of October.

Though Ella tested negative at first for both COVID-19 and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, Binayi-Ghiam said she knew something was not right with her daughter.

She and her husband brought Ella to Cohen Children’s Medical Center on Oct. 30, where she was admitted and tested positive for RSV.

“It was mother’s intuition that told me to bring her in that Sunday,” Binayi-Ghiam said in a statement shared by Northwell Health, which operates the medical center. “It was so unlike Ella not to eat or drink. My husband and I just knew that something was wrong.”

Ella spent nearly one week in the intensive care unit on oxygen due to RSV, according to Binayi-Ghiam, who said her daughter has now recovered.

“It was horrendous,” she said. “I hope no parent has to go through it. It was terrifying.”

Health officials are now warning that not just RSV but also the flu virus and COVID-19 may be more likely to spread over the holiday season in what some call a “tripledemic.”

“We just had massive gatherings, the busiest travel days in years, and a large amount of circulating viruses all over the country,” Dr. Alok Patel, an ABC News medical contributor, said of the Halloween and Thanksgiving holidays, which occurred amid an already high number of cases of respiratory viruses in the United States.

In early November, the number of cases of RSV in the U.S. hit a two-year high, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Nov. 4, the CDC issued an official health advisory in response to the rise in respiratory infections in children.

Pediatric bed occupancy also remains the highest it has been in the last two years, with 78% of pediatric hospital beds filled, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Cohen Children’s Medical Center, where Binayi-Ghiam’s daughter was treated, said it has seen a nearly 50% increase in patients in its emergency department.

“These last two weeks in our emergency department have been the busiest we’ve seen in the past 10 years,” Dr. Matthew Harris, a pediatric emergency room physician and medical director of crisis management at CCMC, said on Nov. 23, just before the Thanksgiving holiday. “Our emergency department was up nearly 50%, our admissions were up 49% and our treat-and-release numbers were up over 50%.”

Experts have told ABC News that a combination of waning immunity to COVID and lack of exposure to other viruses, combined with gatherings indoors, is fueling a “perfect storm” leading to the rise in cases of flu, RSV and COVID-19.

While RSV affects children and adults, it’s particularly dangerous for kids under 1 year old and seniors 65 years old and older.

RSV is a contagious virus that can spread from viral respiratory droplets transferred from an infected person’s cough or sneeze; from direct contact with the virus, like kissing the face of a child with RSV; or from touching surfaces, like tables, doorknobs and crib rails, that have the virus on them and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before hand-washing, according to the CDC.

People infected with RSV are usually contagious for three to eight days, but some infants can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms for as long as four weeks, according to the CDC.

Health officials are advising parents to make sure their child’s vaccinations and their own are up to date, including flu shots and COVID-19. They say parents can help protect their kids from respiratory viruses by continuing to follow as much as possible the three Ws of the pandemic: wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance.

Infants and toddlers can usually recover at home with RSV unless they start to have difficulty breathing, are not eating or drinking, or appear more tired than usual, in which case parents should contact their pediatrician and/or take their child to the emergency room.

Billie Eilish opens up about relationship with Jesse Rutherford: “It’s really cool and I’m really excited”

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Billie Eilish took her fans down memory lane again with her sixth annual Vanity Fair “Same Interview” segment, where she reflects on how much she’s changed over the past year.

One of her biggest differences is her relationship with The Neighbourhood‘s Jesse Rutherford. She opened up about her exciting love life, saying, “It’s really cool and I’m really excited and I’m really happy about it.”

She explained that this romance is a big win for her. “I managed to get my way, to a point in my life, where I not only was known by a person that I thought was the hottest f***ing f***er alive, but pulled his a**! Are you kidding me? Can we just [clapping] round of applause for me?,” she cheekily answered. “Jesse Rutherford, everyone!”

Continued Billie, “I pulled his a**. All me! I did that s***. I locked that motherf***** down.”

The singer also went into what she loves most in a relationship, which she said is “just physical touch.” She explained, “I just need to be touching skin all the time. Touching and cuddling and hugging and anything skin related is a big thing for me.”

She also said an important aspect of being in love is having “freedom” and not being “controlled.” By that, she meant, “I want to be trusted and I wanna be able to have space.”

But she also says that “love and attention and equal admiration” are also important to her.

As for her message to her fans, Billie said during the interview, “Trust me. I’m in control. I’m in charge. I know what I’m doing. I’m okay.” Some fans have condemned her romance with Rutherford because of their 11-year age difference.

Billie also revealed that she wants children and is truly happy.

They got it from their momma (and daddy): Country stars tribute their parents

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

If you’re looking for tear-jerking songs about moms and dads who sacrifice everything for their kids, look no further than country music: The genre is full of songs paying homage to the parents who raised its stars.

Morgan Wallen’s “Think You Should Know” is a tribute to his mom, and the music video features throwback home video footage of them together when he was a baby, plus more recent shots of the two of them getting ready for the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, which Morgan’s mom attended as his date.

One of the highlights of the 2022 CMA Awards was Lainey Wilson’s walk on the red carpet with her dad Brian, after a harrowing and near-fatal set of health issues that caused Brian to spend two months in the hospital.

Lainey dedicated her Female Vocalist of the Year trophy to her dad that night, and she’s shared her love for him in music, too, with “Those Boots (Deddy’s Song).”

Less sentimental, but just as heartfelt, is Luke Bryan’s love for his mom, LeClaire Bryan — she’s a regular fixture on his social media and in his family prank wars, and she makes an appearance in his “One Margarita” music video, too.

Country stars usually get the spotlight when it comes to honoring their parents, but a new podcast called Got it From My Momma will turn the tables, with host Jennifer Vickery Smith sharing conversation with the moms of Thomas Rhett, Parker McCollum, The Jonas Brothers and more. The podcast premieres on Tuesday.

Nicole Kidman stuns Hugh Jackman, ‘The Music Man’ cast, with record $100K bid for his signed hat

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Nicole Kidman stuns Hugh Jackman, ‘The Music Man’ cast, with record 0K bid for his signed hat

Hugh Jackman auctioned off his signed Harold Hill hat for charity during The Music Man on Saturday night, but was stunned to see longtime friend Nicole Kidman standing tall as the highest bidder.

The audience at the Winter Garden Theatre erupted in shock and delight as Kidman announced a $100,000 bid to support Broadway Cares.

“I just want to be clear, this is not Australian dollars,” Jackman joked.

The $100,000 bid translates to nearly $150K Australian dollars at current conversion rates.

After she strolled down the aisle to hug Jackman at the edge of the stage, he placed the straw hat on her head and she borrowed the auctioneer’s microphone to share a message.

“I love you. I love Broadway. And I love what they do at Broadway Cares,” she said, blowing kisses to the rest of the company on stage.

Jackman also took to Twitter after the performance to share a video of the big moment that left him “speechless.”

Kidman’s bid kicked off the final week of Red Bucket Fall fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a nonprofit that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the country.

“Broadway Cares is blessed with friends across Broadway. We have no greater champion than Hugh Jackman. This extraordinary gift from his pal Nicole is by far the largest donation for any one auction item ever,” the organization wrote in an Instagram post with a video of the special moment.

According to the organization, Kidman’s donation will cover 20,000 meals and 2,000 doctor visits this holiday season for those living with HIV/AIDS, struggling with COVID-19 or facing other life-threatening challenges.

‘The Formula Mom’ shares tip on how to make baby formula last

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Parents can often feel a lot of pressure when it comes to feeding their babies.

Infant feeding tech Mallory Whitmore, a mother of two, is trying to ease some of that stress.

“My goal is that parents can feed their babies confidently, even if they’re using formula,” Whitmore told ABC News’ Good Morning America.

Whitmore is the creator behind the popular Instagram account “The Formula Mom,” where she first opened up about her own experience formula feeding and has since become a resource for other families who are looking for practical information and support.

Earlier this month, Whitmore also took on a new role as education lead for Bobbie, an organic infant formula brand.

“Like most parents, I had assumed that we would breastfeed and that’s just not how it turned out,” Whitmore said of her own experience as a mother of two. “I was desperate for information about how to formula feed safely and successfully. I couldn’t find any information that felt supportive, judgment free and research based.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding infants for the first six months of their life before introducing nutritious complementary foods because of the health benefits of breastmilk, which can include reduced cancer risks for moms and immunity and nutritional benefits for babies.

However, health care providers said not all parents can or want to breastfeed and that a fed baby is what’s most important.

“We know that breast milk is the gold standard for infants, we can know that breast milk offers ideal nutrition,” said Whitmore. “But we can also acknowledge that it might not be the ideal choice for us based on the lived circumstances of new parenthood.”

Whitmore said there are many reasons why a family would choose formula.

Some parents take certain medications that prevent them from breastfeeding safely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that only a few medications are not recommended while breastfeeding and physicians can make a case-by-case assessment.

Neurodivergent parents may dislike the sensation of breastfeeding. Others who might choose formula over breastfeeding include mastectomy cancer treatment survivors, adoptive families, working parents or parents who want their own “bodily autonomy” back after nine months of pregnancy.

Ultimately, Whitmore explained, parents don’t need a reason at all.

“There are really a lot of reasons why a family may end up formula feeding. It could be something as simple as that’s the choice that the family makes, that’s what they want to do,” said Whitmore. “I like to encourage folks that any reason, or no reason at all, is a valid reason for formula feeding. You don’t need to meet some sort of benchmark of suffering.”

Earlier this year, a baby formula shortage escalated to a national crisis due to a voluntary product recall of one of the country’s top baby formula producers.

As a result, nearly 50% of all baby formula in the U.S. was out of stock by early May, according to previous ABC News reporting. The crisis prompted an emergency response from business leaders and the White House, who tried to help alleviate supply issues by importing nearly 300 million bottles of baby formula from other countries.

As the crisis unfolded, and desperate parents faced increasingly empty supermarket shelves, Whitmore was there to help her followers navigate the ongoing situation.

“For a lot of babies, formula is their sole source of nutrition and there’s not another option,” she said. “It’s really been incredibly difficult, both logistically and also mentally and emotionally taxing for new parents who are already exhausted.”

While the situation has improved somewhat in recent months, the shortage is not over, and some parents are still struggling to find formula.

For those still looking for advice, Whitmore has a few specific tips, including recruiting other family members to help search for formulas and preparing the formula to make it last.

“Batching formula in a dedicated formula mixing pitcher, which is good in the fridge for up to 24 hours after you’ve prepared it,” said Whitmore. “This allows parents to pour exactly what they need for each individual feeding instead of making a big bottle and then throwing away whatever they don’t need.”

Whitmore added that it’s just as important for parent’s to put together a feeding plan ahead of their baby’s arrival, just as they would a birth plan, and lay out what’s important to them when thinking about formula and what circumstances they would consider using it.

“It’s also important to have a contingency plan and to not wait until you’re sleep deprived and hormonal and recovering from a major medical event to think through these choices and decisions,” she said. “If you can make those decisions and craft a plan when you still have more mental capacity before the baby gets there, that’s always going to be a better option.”

In Brief: James Gunn on Warner Bros. Discovery’s superhero plans, and more

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

In a tweeted replay to a follower, Guardians of the Galaxy franchise writer-director James Gunn confirmed he’s “most definitely” going to be unifying the DC Comics bench, along with his Peacemaker producer Peter Safran, in their new jobs as caretakers of Warner Bros. Discovery’s superhero properties. He even dropped an apparently official new name for the unified effort, the DCU — as opposed to Marvel Studios’ Cinematic Universe known as the MCU. “[T]he DCU will be connected across film and TV (and animation),” according to the filmmaker.

Peacock has announced that Billy Eichner‘s gay rom-com Bros will begin streaming exclusively on the platform starting December 2, 2022. The comedy features an entirely LGBTQ+ principal cast, including Luke Macfarlane, Ts Madison, and Monica Raymund…

The Wrap has added Lena Dunham, Claire Foy, Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough to its annual WrapWomen’s 2022 Power Women Summit. The event on December 14 in Santa Monica, California, is billed as “the largest annual gathering of women in media and entertainment.” It will feature Doctor Strange sequel star Xochitl Gomez and The Edge of Seventeen‘s Haley Lu Richardson among other “changemakers” in the industry…

A very Grinch-like green creature is here to scare Christmas like never before in the new trailer to The Mean One. The horror spoof movie stars David Howard Thornton as the titular character, who haunts the town of Newville with a murder spree 20 years prior. However, when Krystle Martin‘s Cindy You-Know-Who returns to find closure for the killing of her parents when she was just a child, she finds the green one hasn’t put his hatred for Christmas — or his murderous ways – behind him. The movie opens December 9…

Clarence Gilyard Jr., the character actor who played the tech-talented terrorist Theo in Die Hard, and rode alongside Chuck Norris as Jimmy Trivette in Walker, Texas Ranger, has died. Variety reports the actor, who was an associate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was 66. Gilyard made numerous appearances as a regular on Matlock, and also rode behind Tom Cruise as Sundowner in the original Top Gun…

Republicans in Arizona, Pennsylvania counties decline to certify midterm election results

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Republican officials in two counties in Arizona and Pennsylvania declined on Monday to certify their midterm election results, with some citing concerns about the integrity of the voting system that have become commonplace among conservatives.

Republicans on the election boards of Cochise County in Arizona and Luzerne County in Pennsylvania voted against motions to certify the election results there.

Though Cochise County residents voted for GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake and GOP Senate nominee Blake Masters, both candidates ultimately lost their statewide races.

Luzerne County residents voted for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Shapiro and GOP Senate nominee Mehmet Oz, with Shapiro ultimately winning his bid and Oz falling short statewide.

Monday’s vote in Cochise could risk the certification of more than 47,000 votes and exposes the county to lawsuits.

At Monday’s meeting, Supervisor Tom Crosby proposed leaving the certification tabled until Friday, a motion that fellow Supervisor Peggy Judd seconded.

“This meeting agenda should have provided for interaction between subject matter experts on voter machines and representatives of the secretary of state’s office,” he said.

Ann English, the board’s chair and a Democrat, disagreed, insisting there was “no reason for us to delay” and that “we have heard from every person more than once how they feel about the certification of machines.”

“I feel that you both have the information necessary in order to make this decision that’s nondiscretionary on our part to certify the election for Cochise County, no matter how you feel about what happened in Maricopa or Pima or Mohave or Apache. We’re here to talk about Cochise County and our election,” she said.

In a follow-up statement to ABC News, English said that she believes “it was unlawful for the Board to not certify the election as stated in the statutes.”

“It is especially troubling to me when the other board members accept unsubstantiated ideas and unverified claims as facts instead of relying on the Arizona State Elections Office who told us the machines had been certified,” she said. “Cochise County had an election without problems and our machine count and hand count matched 100%. We had no problems and all these claims are just grandstanding.”

Arizona emerged as an epicenter of election misconduct claims in the midterm cycle, with Republican candidates seizing on printer issues in Maricopa County, which is home to Phoenix and about 60% of Arizona’s population. Local officials have insisted that the issues did not prevent any voters’ ballot from being counted, though Lake has continued to claim the issues cost her support.

Maricopa County officials unanimously voted on Monday to certify their county’s results.

Neither Crosby nor Judd immediately responded to requests for comment regarding their votes.

In Luzerne County, two Republican members of the elections board voted against certifying the midterm results, two Democrats voted to certify and one Democratic member abstained.

Luzerne County faced a paper ballot shortage on Election Day, but voting hours were extended to ensure that all ballots could be cast.

The Luzerne County manager announced plans to resign the day after the election.

“There have been enough irregularities and enough discrepancies and enough disenfranchisement of disenfranchised voters in this county that I don’t understand how we could possibly proceed without seriously considering a re-vote,” Board of Elections Vice Chair James Magna, a Republican, said, according to ABC affiliate WNEP-TV.

“We went over everything meticulously as far as the reconciliations, that’s any anomalies were pretty much explained. And it was due to the confusion at the polls because of the paper shortage,” added Democratic member Audrey Serniak.

Daniel Schramm, the Democrat who abstained, said, “My feeling is I needed a little more information.”

It is unclear how the county will proceed, though the state could get involved. The Pennsylvania Department of State told ABC News in a statement that it has contacted Luzerne County officials “to inquire about the board’s decision and their intended next steps.”

Schramm said later Monday that he will next vote to certify the results after he got answers to his specific questions, according to WNEP.

It is traditionally rare for a county to decline to certify elections, though speculation had bubbled prior to the midterms that local Republican officials could push to do so as the belief of widespread voter fraud and election malpractice grows within the GOP, spurred on by former President Donald Trump’s baseless attacks on the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden.

The issues are not anticipated to stop any election victors from being seated, though the moves do open the counties up to litigation, with prominent attorney Marc Elias warning of upcoming lawsuits.

On Monday, his firm said in a statement that they had filed suit against the Cochise County Board of Supervisors.

Officials with the Arizona secretary of state’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Sandra Torres, mother of Uvalde shooting victim Eliahna, files lawsuit claiming negligence

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(UVALDE, Texas) — The mother of a girl killed during the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, last May, filed a lawsuit Monday against gun distributors, local governments and 16 law enforcement officers on the scene during the shooting — claiming their negligence led to her daughter’s death.

“Eliahna loved her family, and she knew how much we loved her,” Sandra Torres, the mother of 10-year-old Eliahna Torres, said in a news release. “I miss her every moment of every day. I’ve brought this lawsuit to seek accountability. No parent should ever go through what I have.”

Filed Monday in Del Rio, Texas, the lawsuit is the first submitted by the family of one of the children killed during the mass shooting.

Eliahna was among 19 students and two teachers killed on May 24 at Robb Elementary School in the small south Texas community.

Some of the defendants in the case, including then-school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo, former acting Uvalde Police Chief Mariano Pargas and gun manufacturer Daniel Defense, are already facing separate cases filed in federal court back in September by families of some who survived the shooting.

The Torres family is seeking unspecified punitive damages.

In an August interview with ABC News, Sandra Torres described how hard it has been processing her daughter’s death.

“It’s like sometimes it feels unreal like you know, it’s just a bad dream,” the mother said. “You know, she’s going to appear one day and then reality hits and my baby’s never coming back.”

Eliahna was known by her friends and family for her love of softball, according to the complaint, but she never made it to her final game of the season, which was scheduled for the night of the massacre.

“She hated sweating (despite the Uvalde heat), but she had fallen in love with playing softball and was a promising young infielder,” read the complaint.

The officers listed in the lawsuit work for the Uvalde Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Uvalde school district police force.

A special investigative committee of the Texas House of Representatives released a report in July concluding that the police response to the shooting was riddled with failures, allowing the shooter to remain in the classroom for 77 minutes even though 300 officers had arrived at the scene. The lawsuit argues that that delay is evidence of negligence.

Arredondo, the school district police chief who was later fired because of the response, has said he took all “reasonable actions” on the day of the shooting. He did not respond to questions about this lawsuit. Pargas, a Uvalde police lieutenant who was in charge of the city’s police force on the day of the shooting, also did not respond to requests for comment. Pargas quit two weeks ago, after the city’s leaders announced they planned to fire him.

The Torres family is also suing the city of Uvalde, the county of Uvalde, the Uvalde School District, the gun shop where the shooter purchased his firearms and gun manufacturer Daniel Defense.

The city, county, school district and Daniel Defense did not respond to requests for comment.

How China’s zero-COVID policy threatens the US economy

November 29, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Historic protests across China over its zero-COVID policy battered U.S. stocks on Monday, highlighting a close link between the contentious Chinese measures and domestic economic conditions that could help determine whether the U.S. enters a recession.

Residents in isolation in some regions say they’ve gone without sufficient food or medical care. Meanwhile, protests flared up after a fire on Thursday in an apartment building in the northwest city of Urumqi that killed at least 10 people, as some alleged that lockdowns obstructed the rescue of victims, while government officials denied any such impact.

Tension over COVID lockdowns in the world’s second-largest economy coincides with a precarious U.S. economic outlook.

An aggressive series of interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve aim to dial back sky-high inflation by slowing the economy and slashing demand. But the approach risks tipping the country in a downturn and putting millions out of work. Plus, ongoing disruption from the Russia-Ukraine war has exposed vulnerability in economies across the globe, including the U.S, experts said.

COVID lockdowns in China have clogged supply chains in the manufacturing stalwart, extending pandemic-era bottlenecks that have contributed to inflation, analysts told ABC News. Meanwhile, the zero-COVID policy has stagnated the Chinese economy, hurting spending among Chinese customers and in turn pummeling U.S companies that depend on it, they said.

“When consumers are locked down in these different cities, it’s a gut punch to the U.S. economy,” Dan Ives, a managing director of equity research at Wedbush, an investment firm, told ABC News. “It has reached a fork in the road.”

Here’s what you need to know about how China’s zero-COVID policy heightens the risk of a U.S. recession:

Zero-COVID policy contributes to US inflation

A key threat to U.S. economic performance is inflation, which remains highly elevated and owes in part to Chinese lockdowns.

Sky-high price hikes stem from the pandemic, when millions across the globe facing lockdowns replaced restaurant expenditures with couches and exercise bikes. But the surge in demand for goods far outpaced supply, as COVID-related bottlenecks slowed delivery times. When demand exceeded supply, prices skyrocketed.

Some supply bottlenecks have eased but others remain, including China’s zero-COVID policy and its related lockdowns.

“The main effect of the zero-tolerance policy in China is interrupting some supply chains,” David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution focused on U.S.-China economic relations, told ABC News.

“We still import a lot from China and those problems in supply chains means the products are not here and that contributes a little bit to inflationary pressure,” he added.

For instance, China’s zero-COVID policy has led to major iPhone shortages heading into the holidays, according to a report released by Ives on Monday. Shortages have reached as low as 35% of typical holiday inventory in some stores, causing overall iPhone demand to outstrip supply by a ratio of 3 to 1, he found.

The iPhone shortage is the “poster child” of a larger trend, Ives told ABC News. The zero-COVID policy continues to reduce the supply of goods from China by an estimated 10% to 20%, he said.

To be sure, analysts disagree about the extent to which supply shortages have contributed to inflation, as opposed to a flood of stimulus payments that juiced demand.

“There’s definitely some linkage but I would not exaggerate it,” Dollar said.

Zero-COVID policy hurts Chinese consumers and U.S. companies

In addition to clogging up supply, the Chinese lockdowns have suppressed consumer demand in the country, causing slowdowns at U.S. companies that operate a significant portion of their business in China.

Holiday spending during a weeklong National Day break last month fell 56% compared to pre-pandemic levels, Bloomberg reported. Overall, China’s gross domestic product grew 3.9% over three months ending in September, well below 4.9% growth seen over the same period last year.

“People are locked down at home a lot of the time, so they’re not out spending money,” said Dollar, of the Brookings Institution.

“If China were growing well, it’d be importing more from the U.S. and contributing to the profits of U.S. companies that operate there,” he added. “That’s all not happening this year.”

Sluggish consumer demand in China contributed to the market sell off on Monday in response to civil unrest over the zero-COVID policy, Dollar said.

As of Monday afternoon, shares in Apple fell nearly 3%.

“A lot of big American companies listed in New York have serious business in China,” he said. “If there’s civil and political unrest, if the Chinese economy is slowing down, that creates uncertainty for a lot of American businesses.”

“The market hates uncertainty,” Dollar added.

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