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Russians again calling for Ukrainians to lay down arms where civilians are said to be sheltering

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Russia’s military issued another warning to Ukrainian forces in a Mariupol steel plant on Wednesday, telling them to lay down their arms and leave, according to Russian state media.

Russia claimed a ceasefire would begin at the Azovstal steel plant at 2 p.m. Moscow time to allow Ukrainian fighters to safely leave. Ukrainian forces rejected a similar offer on Tuesday.

The Mariupol city council claimed Tuesday that there are at least 1,000 civilians seeking shelter in the plant, mostly women with children and the elderly. Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed the number of Ukrainian marines and Azov fighters at site.

A Russian official, Dmitry Polyansky, accused Ukrainian troops of using civilians at the plant as human shields.

“One month into the siege of Azovstal plant, those same radicals and neo-Nazis suddenly declared that allegedly there had been civilians inside the plant all that time, even though until yesterday, they had never uttered a word about it,” Polyansky told the U.N. Security Council during a session on Ukraine on Tuesday.

In a video posted online, Serhiy Voyna, the commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade and commander for Ukraine’s marines in Mariupol, made an appeal to world leaders, asking for an extraction from the plant to the territory of a third-party state.

“This could be the last appeal of our lives. We are probably facing our last days, if not hours. The enemy is outnumbering us 10 to 1. They have advantage in the air, in artillery, in their forces on land, in equipment and in tanks,” Voyna said.

Voyna spoke to the Washington Post via satellite phone on Tuesday, and said his forces would not make the same mistake made by others and trust Russian guarantees of safe passage, only to see them open fire.

Voyna said more than 500 Mariupol military battalion soldiers are wounded.

“We are only defending one object, the Azovstal plant where, in addition to military personnel, there are also civilians who have fallen victim to this war. We appeal and plead to all world leaders to help us. We ask them to use the procedure of ‘extraction’ and take us to the territory of a third-party state,” Voyna said.

Lorde covers The Strokes’ “The End Has No End” during NYC show

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Lorde paid tribute to hometown heroes The Strokes during her show at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall Tuesday night.

Footage from the concert posted to Twitter shows the “Royals” artist delivering a rendition of “The End Has No End,” a track off Julian Casablancas and company’s 2003 sophomore effort, Room on Fire.

Last night’s performance was the second of Lorde’s two dates at Radio City, the first of which marked her first show back after postponing two shows due to a case of laryngitis.

Lorde is currently touring the U.S. in support of her latest album, Solar Power, which dropped last August. The outing continues Wednesday in Philadelphia.

Trivium’s Matt Heafy announces ’Ibaraki and Friends’ children’s book

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Trivium frontman Matt Heafy has announced a new children’s book called Ibaraki and Friends.

Published by frequent rock collaborators Z2 Comics, Ibaraki and Friends finds Heafy retelling Japanese folktales and legends.

“A dragon, a samurai and even a koi, Ibaraki and Friends shows through accessible prose the exciting history and myths of Japan,” reads the book’s description.

Ibaraki and Friends will be released in August. You can pre-order it now via Z2Comics.com.

Earlier this year, Heafy launched a black metal side project called Ibaraki project. The debut Ibaraki album Rashomon, which features a collaboration with My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way, will be released May 6.

Heafy and Trivium are currently on the Metal Tour of the Year alongside Megadeth, Lamb of God and In Flames. During Tuesday night’s show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Heafy sang with Lamb of God for a few songs in place of the band’s frontman Randy Blythe, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Sam Smith announces release date for new single “Love Me More”

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Sam Smith has been teasing their comeback for a while and, on Wednesday, shared the news fans have been waiting for — new music is finally on the way.

Using the same black-and-white motif Sam used since they first began teasing their return, the six-time Grammy winner announced the title and release date of their next single, titled “Love Me More.” The song drops on April 28 at 11 p.m. British time.

You can pre-save the song now and also join Sam’s official mailing list to stay in the loop.

The “Stay With Me” singer also took to TikTok on Tuesday to share a preview of a new song, which fans now believe is “Love Me More.” Dubbing the background music as “Unreleased Snippet – Sam Smith,” Sam strung together several clips of them walking around their house and greeting, “Hi, everyone!”

Fans also caught a glimpse of Sam’s dog, Velma, who stares quizzically into the camera. The video then ends with Sam showing off a rather unique sculpture they’ve acquired, which is of a naked, cartoonish man bending over and exposing himself.

Fans made sure to let Sam know in the comments they weren’t prepared for the last second of the short clip.

Prior to that, Sam shared a safe for work video, again filmed in black and white, of Sam singing a few notes into a microphone.

“Love Me More” marks Sam’s first original single since 2020, their last being “The Lighthouse Keeper,” which dropped November 20 as part of their The Holly & the Ivy EP.

French President Macron and Le Pen to face off in televised debate

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(SAINT-DENIS, France) — French President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, his far-right rival in the presidential elections, will face off in the highly anticipated televised debate Wednesday, which could prove crucial in swaying voters ahead of the final round of voting this weekend.

Macron and Le Pen took the top two spots in the preliminary round of voting earlier this month, just as they did in 2017. The debate of that year proved disastrous for Le Pen, who struggled under questioning. Macron ultimately won a sweeping victory in 2017, winning 66% of the vote.

This campaign cycle has been notably different, however. The war in Ukraine has dominated the headlines, Le Pen has sought to soften her National Rally party’s image and ease voters’ concerns about a far-right president, while Macron has been a notably absent figure on the campaign trail.

Polling in France has shown an upswing in Le Pen’s popularity and decline in Macron’s, though the French president retains a narrow lead in most reported opinion polls.

Le Pen has faced criticism in France for a softer approach to Russia and past support for President Vladimir Putin. While she has said she is in favor of the broad package of sanctions announced by the French government, she has publicly opposed restrictions on oil and gas imports from Russia, citing concerns about the rising cost of living in France that has become a critical issue in the campaign.

Le Pen was previously banned from entering Ukraine in 2017, when she spoke out in favor of Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

While Le Pen has pledged if elected to take France out of NATO’s integrated command, she said she would not intend to leave the organization altogether, nor renounce Article 5, which refers to the “mutual protection between members of the Atlantic Alliance.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with French television channel BFMTV aired Wednesday, went as far as to urge Le Pen to reconsider her position on Russia.

“If the candidate were to understand that she was wrong, our relationship could change,” Zelenskyy said. While ensuring not “to have the right to influence” the French electoral campaign, Zelenskyy recognized that “obviously, I have relations with Emmanuel Macron and I would not want to lose them.”

The final outcome of the election may well be decided by matters closer to home, however, with Macron’s team touting his experience in power at a time of stability, while Le Pen’s campaign has targeted the incumbent for, they say, being out of touch with ordinary people.

The far-right candidate focused her campaign on purchasing power, a topic expected to be one of the main factors in deciding the outcome of the election. Le Pen’s project, however, still centers on the fight against immigration. The National Rally candidate has presented several flagship proposals, including a bill to drastically limit immigration, the abolition of the right of soil, and restricting the routes for people to claim asylum in France.

“Fear is the only argument that the current president has to try and stay in power at all cost,” Le Pen said in a new clip posted by her campaign Tuesday.

Much will depend on which candidate the supporters of far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon turn to in the final round. Mélenchon secured 22% of the first round of voting in third place, and while he publicly told his supporters not to vote for Le Pen, her populist vision may prove more enticing to a base dissatisfied with Macron, a centrist with a background in the financial sector.

The debate, airing at 8 p.m. local time (3 p.m. EST), is the first and only time voters will have a chance to see the candidates face off.

ABC News’ Ibtissem Guenfoud contributed to this report.

‘Intruder’ at Peruvian Embassy in DC shot dead by Secret Service

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — An alleged “intruder” at the Peruvian Embassy in Washington, D.C., was shot and killed by Secret Service Wednesday morning, according to authorities.

The suspect was found smashing windows of the Peruvian ambassador’s residence, D.C. Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee told reporters.

The ambassador’s relatives were inside and called the police just after 8 a.m., Contee said.

The suspect was shot “following a confrontation” in the backyard of the residence, the Secret Service said. Contee said the suspect allegedly pulled a metal stake on police. Officers used lethal force when Tasers didn’t work, he said.

Contee said a motive remains under investigation, adding that it’s unclear if the suspect knew it was an ambassador’s residence.

The Peruvian ambassador’s residence was damaged by the break-in but the ambassador, his family and staff, along with Secret Service agents, are all safe, the embassy said in a statement.

Two officers are being evaluated for injuries, Contee said.

ABC News’ Conor Finnegan contributed to this report.

Garth Brooks adds a second night in Cincinnati to kick off his 2022 Stadium Tour

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Garth Brooks is doubling up on Cincinnati fun to kick off his 2022 Stadium Tour shows.

After previously announcing a show at the city’s Paul Brown Stadium on May 14, Garth is adding a new opening night at the same venue a day earlier, on Friday, May 13. That means there will be a total of two shows in Cincinnati. They will be the only Stadium Tour dates to take place in Ohio, Kentucky or West Virginia this year.

It’s the first time Garth’s playing the venue, though he’d planned to play it as part of a 2020 run that wound up being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the shutdowns, the singer set a ticket sales record at Paul Brown Stadium, selling out the venue in just over an hour as more than 70,000 fans snapped up their tickets.

Ticket sales for the new show begin April 29 at 10 a.m. ET.

“Either flying or drowning”: Shawn Mendes gets real with fans

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Shawn Mendes decided to get real with fans on Twitter Tuesday night and let them know that, while he’s “okay,” he’s also “overwhelmed and overstimulated.”

In a lengthy Twitter post, the singer says he wants to “tell the truth,” but admits he’s afraid that “if people know and see the truth, they might think less of me…so in those moments of feeling low, I either put on a show or hide.”

However, he reveals, “The truth, in current form, is a 23-year-old who constantly feels like he’s either flying or drowning. Maybe that’s just what it is to be in your 20s’ idk, or maybe that’s just me.”

Shawn notes that sometimes he doesn’t “really care what people think and I feel free,” while “most of the time, it’s a struggle…that’s the truth.”

He adds, “The truth is even with so much success, I still find it hard to feel like I’m not failing, hyper-focused on what I don’t have, forgetting to see all that I do.”

“The truth is I’m overwhelmed and overstimulated LOL,” he continues. “The truth is ALSO that I’m okay.” He notes, “I[‘d] like to think that maybe me saying this might resonate with some people.”

After posting the note, Shawn tweeted, “im honestly so okay! i just wanna communicate with you guys in a real honest way.” He continued, “i guess im like damn if i’m feeling this with all of the blessings i have i imagine there must be so many people feeling this and just don’t want them to feel alone!!”

Many fans agreed that his message resonated with them. When one fan noted that the message “felt like a hug” from Shawn, he replied, “im really glad, this is definitely a hug from me.”

Radiohead side project The Smile details debut album, ‘A Light for Attracting Attention’

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood‘s Radiohead side project The Smile has announced A Light for Attracting Attention, the band’s debut album.

The record will arrive on digital outlets May 13, followed by a physical release on June 17.

A Light features the previously released songs “You Will Never Work in Television Again,” “Pana-Vision,” “The Smoke” and “Skrting on the Surface.” A fifth cut, titled “Free in the Knowledge,” is out Wednesday via digital outlets.

The Smile, which also features drummer Tom Skinner of the band Sons of Kemet, made their live debut last year at the Glastonbury 2021 livestream event. They’ll launch their first full-length tour, which includes dates in Europe and the U.K., in May.

Here’s the track list for A Light for Attracting Attention:

“The Same”
“The Opposite”
“You Will Never Work in Television Again”
“Pana-Vision”
“The Smoke”
“Speech Bubbles”
“Thin Thing”
“Open the Floodgates”
“Free in the Knowledge”
“A Hairdryer”
“Waving a White Flag”
“We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings”
“Skrting on the Surface”

Chris Hemsworth thanks fans for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ trailer’s 209 million views

April 20, 2022 by WDNY Radio

“You brought the love. You brought the thunder!” That’s the word to fans from Chris Hemsworth, who thanked them Tuesday for watching Thor: Love and Thunder‘s trailer more than 209 million times in just 24 hours.

The impressive performance ranks as the fourth most-watched coming attraction trailer in a 24-hour timeframe, following the views for three other Marvel Studios films.

The current record holder is Spider-Man: No Way Home, for which fans clicked “play” some 355.5 million times upon its trailer debut in August 2021.

In second and third place, respectively, are two other Hemsworth films, Avengers: Endgame, which attracted 289 million views in December 2018, and the trailer to Avengers: Infinity War, which attracted 230 million views when it hit the Internet in November of 2017.

Fans have been buzzing about Love and Thunder for months before getting their first official peek of the movie, and Bobby Holland Hanton, Hemsworth’s trainer and stunt double, tells ABC Audio it’s worth the wait.

“We knew that this was going to be amazing. I’m excited to say it’s going to be crazy,” says Holland, who’s doubled for his friend for more than a decade. “I’ve got a little part in it which I’m stoked about. The stunt team [members] were…absolutely incredible…And we put some really amazing stuff together.”

“Chris was on form, Taika’s on form,” Holland adds. “I think everyone’s going to be very, very, very pleased with the final result.”

Writer-director Taika Waititi‘s Thor: Love and Thunder, which also stars Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Chris Pratt, Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, opens May 8.

Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, parent company of ABC News.

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