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Suspect to appear in court in San Antonio migrant smuggling case that killed 53

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — One of four men facing federal charges in connection with an alleged smuggling incident that left 53 people dead after they were trapped in a tractor-trailer is due in court Thursday.

Homero Zamorano Jr., 45, of Pasadena, Texas is charged with one count of alien smuggling resulting in death. He is suspected of being the driver of the truck that was found in San Antonio on Monday.

Zamorano could face up to life in prison or the death penalty.

Investigators say Zamorano was apprehended at the scene after trying to pass himself off as one of the migrants. Police were able to recover a phone, a hat and a wallet that contained an ID belonging to Zamorano, court documents show.

Using surveillance footage from the truck’s immigration checkpoint border crossing, officials from Homeland Security Investigations say they were able to determine that Zamorano was the driver. The driver was seen in surveillance footage wearing a black shirt with white or grey stripes and a hat. HSI officials say they verified Zamorano was wearing the same clothing.

Zamorano was taken to a local hospital for a medical evaluation after he was apprehended.

According to court documents, responding HSI agents initially found 48 people dead inside and around the tractor-trailer. Of those found dead, authorities say 22 were from Mexico, seven from Guatemala, two from Honduras and 17 of unknown origins, who officials suspect are undocumented.

Officials said 16 people were hospitalized.

According to court documents, there were 64 individuals suspected of being in the country illegally in connection to this alleged smuggling incident.

Of the 53 bodies in the custody of the medical examiner’s office, 40 are male and 13 are female, the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office said Wednesday.

Rebeca Clay-Flores, the Bexar County Precinct 1 commissioner, said at a press conference Tuesday that some of those found are under the age of 18, likely teenagers.

Clay-Flores, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and representatives from the county medical examiner’s office met with Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mario Búcaro, three Guatemalan consuls, representatives from the Embassy of Mexico and Consul General of El Salvador Fátima Margarita Flores on Wednesday, the medical examiner’s office said Thursday.

The medical examiner’s office said they would release information on the number and nationality of confirmed identities as they become available. Names and identifying information will not be released until their foreign country’s consulate or embassy confirms their next of kin has been notified.

On Tuesday, police arrested Christian Martinez, 28, in Palestine, Texas, alleging he was in contact with Zamorano about the alleged smuggling operation.

Two other men, Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez and Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao, were arrested in connection with the truck deaths on gun charges. They were identified as unauthorized migrants in possession of multiple weapons, according to federal authorities.

The incident unfolded in the southern Texas city on Monday evening at around 5:50 p.m. local time, when a nearby worker heard a cry for help and found the tractor-trailer with the doors partially opened and the bodies of 46 people inside, according to San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus and San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood.

“They suffered, horrendously, could have been for hours,” Hood said.

Calls to free Brittney Griner escalate ahead of WNBA star’s trial in Russia

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Friends and family members of Brittney Griner gathered for a vigil outside the Russian Consulate in New York City on Wednesday evening, calling for the WNBA star’s release ahead of her trial in Russia.

“Feb 17 was the last time I talked to my sister,” said Janell Roy, Griner’s childhood friend said at the vigil. “I haven’t been in communication with her, I haven’t been able to talk to her and it hurts.”

Griner was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Russia on Feb. 17 after she was accused of carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in Russia.

Griner’s detention in Russia was extended repeatedly, most recently through Dec. 20, which is the expected length of her trial. If convicted, Griner, 31, faces up to 10 years in prison.

The Phoenix Mercury player’s trial is set to begin on Friday and she is expected to remain in custody throughout.

The WNBA star, who attended a preliminary hearing on Monday in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow, did not respond to an ABC News reporter’s question as she walked out of the courtroom.

Asked how Griner is feeling at the hearing, her attorney Aleksandr Boikov told ABC News on Monday, “She’s fine as she could be.”

The U.S. government classified Griner’s case on May 3 as “wrongfully detained,” meaning the United States will more aggressively work to negotiate her release even as the legal case against her plays out, the State Department said.

“… The fact remains that the U.S. Government has determined that Brittney Griner is wrongfully detained and being used as a political pawn,” Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, wrote in a series of tweets on Monday. “The negotiation for her immediate release regardless of the legal proceedings should remain a top priority and we expect [President Joe Biden] and [Vice President Kamala Harris] to do everything in their power, right now, to get a deal done to bring her home.”

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday that Griner is “unjustly detained” and called on the Russian government to release the American basketball star.

Sullivan further stressed the U.S. is “actively engaged” in working to secure Griner’s release, but added that the diplomatic efforts are “sensitive matters.”

“But I will tell you it has the fullest attention of the president and every senior member of his national security and diplomatic team, and we are actively working to find a resolution to this case, and will continue to do so without rest until we get Brittney safely home,” he said. “We also are trying to work actively to return all unjustly detained Americans and hostages being held overseas, whether that be in Iran or Afghanistan or Russia or Venezuela, or China or elsewhere.”

The 6-foot-9 center won an NCAA title at Baylor in 2012; a WNBA title with Phoenix, her current team, in 2014; and gold medals with the U.S. women’s team at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began one week after Griner was detained. Some officials are concerned that Americans jailed in Russia could be used as leverage in the ongoing conflict.

Calls to free Griner escalated following the release of U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed in April, who was freed from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange. Former Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2019.

An international prisoner swap potentially involving Griner, Whelan and convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has been discussed, according to Russian media reports, but it’s unclear if there has been any substantial movement on the issue. Russian officials have also indicated that they want Griner to stand trial.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday that Brittney Griner’s inability to reach her wife was an “unfortunate mistake,” adding that another phone call has been scheduled.

It would have been the first time that Brittney Griner speaks to her wife since her detention more than three months ago.

“This was an unfortunate mistake, and the Department of State is working to rectify this as quickly as possible,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that another call between the couple was scheduled. It is unclear if the call has taken place.Cherelle Griner previously told “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts in May that she would like to speak with President Joe Biden.

“I just keep hearing that, you know, he has the power. She’s a political pawn,” she said. “So if they’re holding her because they want you to do something, then I want you to do it.”

Asked about a potential meeting between Cherelle Griner and President Biden, Jean-Pierre said, “We don’t have anything to share about a potential phone conversation or meeting.”

ABC News’ Tanya Stukalova and Molly Nagle contributed to this report.

Mary J. Blige to perform concert streamed in over 165 countries

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

After performing in the tribute to her mentor Sean “Diddy” Combs Sunday night on the BET Awards, Mary J. Blige is planning a special concert to be streamed in over 165 countries.

On July 27 the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul will broadcast a prerecorded concert for fans all around the world on Apple Music.

“The last year of my career in particular has been an exciting ride,” the nine-time Grammy winner said in a statement. “From continuing to act, to recording and releasing my 15th studio album, growing and expanding different businesses like Sun Goddess and Sister Love Jewelry, to performing at the Super Bowl, launching my Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit and now getting ready to go back on tour, it feels amazing to take this opportunity to celebrate, reflect and have an intimate night with my fans through this platform Apple Music is providing me.”

Mary is inviting her fans to register on the AXS website for a chance to attend the concert, which will be taped July 13 at the historic United Palace in New York City.

On July 27, Apple Music will devote the entire day to MJB, with interviews as well as her greatest hits.

Blige, who is celebrating the 30th anniversary of her 1992 triple Platinum debut album, What’s The 411, released her new video for “Come See About Me” on Thursday. The video features Fabolous, from the deluxe edition of her new studio album, GOOD MORNING GORGEOUS

GOP’s Ted Cruz feuds with Elmo over kids getting COVID-19 vaccines

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas took aim at Sesame Street’s “Elmo” after the popular children’s show puppet promoted COVID-19 vaccines for children on Twitter.

A minute-long clip posted on the show’s Twitter page showed Elmo speaking with his loving TV puppet dad, Louie, about feeling “a little pinch” when got a shot. Louie then says he had questions about Elmo getting the vaccine, which he took to Elmo’s pediatrician.

“I learned that Elmo getting vaccinated is the best way to keep himself, our friends, neighbors, and everyone else healthy and enjoying the things they love,” Louie said.

“Elmo” retweeted the original tweet from the Sesame Street page, echoing that his vaccination will benefit his loved ones.

But the puppet’s message didn’t sit well with the junior senator from Texas.

Cruz took to Twitter where he said Elmo “aggressively” advocates for vaccinating young children without citing scientific evidence.

The senator’s tweet linked to a June press release in which Cruz announced he and 17 fellow members of Congress called on the Food and Drug Administration to answer 19 questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids.

“Why has the FDA recently lowered the efficacy bar for COVID vaccines for youngest children?” one question asks.

While the Sesame Street video with Elmo and Louie does not directly offer scientific evidence for the COVID-19 children’s vaccine, a voice promotes asking questions about the vaccine and directs viewers to GetVaccineAnswers.org at the end of the video.

“Thanks, @sesamestreet for saying parents are allowed to have questions!” Cruz wrote, in an apparent flippant reaction.

The website mentioned in the Sesame Street video offers that research and clinical trials demonstrate the vaccine is safe and effective for children.

This is not the first time Cruz has gone after a Sesame Street character online.

In November, Elmo’s fellow Sesame Street puppet, Big Bird, tweeted about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. At the time, Cruz called it “government propaganda.”

Cruz’s latest attack on a muppet comes less than two weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the nationwide rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for children older than six months.

On Wednesday, the U.S. government bought 105 million COVID-19 shots from Pfizer for $3.2 billion with a late summer to fall delivery date.

Pfizer and Moderna produce the two vaccines approved for children under five years old.

Frank Zappa catalog, film archive and “Vault” acquired by Universal Music Group

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The late Frank Zappa‘s entire song publishing and recording catalog, his film archives and the full contents of his expansive storage facility, known as The Vault, have been acquired by Universal Music Group from the Zappa Trust, the family company overseen by Frank’s four children.

In addition, the agreement, which also includes Zappa’s name and likeness, will see UMG’s catalog and music-publishing companies — Universal Music Enterprises, known as UMe, and Universal Music Publishing Group — continue its ongoing partnership with the Zappa Trust, which began 10 years ago when Frank’s late wife, Gail, was overseeing the trust.

“UMG have more than proven their passion for Frank’s art and so the entire Zappa family — Moon, Dweezil, Ahmet and Diva — is thrilled to pass the baton to the new forever stewards for all things Frank Zappa,” the Zappa Trust says in a joint statement. “Old and new fans will get more of what they want — more Frank Zappa music for years to come …[W]e know that his music and legacy will be in the best possible hands for generations to come.”

Adds UMe President and CEO Bruce Resnikoff, “We will continue to develop innovative ways to celebrate [Frank’s] vast and influential catalog for both longtime fans and those just discovering his genius … Frank Zappa was constantly creating and recording and he left behind a treasure trove of extraordinary still-unreleased music and video in his Vault that will help us usher in the next era of Frank Zappa fans.”

During his lifetime, Zappa obsessively documented his recording sessions, live performances and jams on audio and video formats. UMG is planning to pore through his archives to create many new releases in the coming years.

Zappa died of prostate cancer in 1993 at age 52.

New York City’s COVID test positivity rate surpasses 10% for the first time since January

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — New York City’s COVID-19 test positivity rate is skyrocketing, indicating that a sixth wave of the virus could be around the corner.

As of June 26 — the latest date for which data is available — the test positivity rate hit 10.05%, according to the city’s Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.

It marks the first time the rate has surpassed 10% since Jan. 22, when the omicron wave was still hammering the Big Apple.

Experts previously suggested the true test positivity rate could even be higher due to the number of people testing positive with at-home rapid tests and not reporting their results to health officials.

This reflects trends also being seen on the national level, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

As of June 26, the seven-day average for the COVID test positivity rate in the United States was 15.65%, the highest figure recorded since Feb. 3.

Additionally, COVID-19 cases are also on the rise, with the seven-day average sitting at 3,216, city data shows — a 9% percent increase from the 2,946 average recorded two weeks ago.

However, hospitalizations are continuing to fall while deaths remain flat.

The majority of COVID-19 cases continue to be among the unvaccinated. As of June 11, the case rate among the unvaccinated was 1,046.04 per 100,000, data from the New York health department shows.

Comparatively, the rate among those who are vaccinated and boosted was four times lower at 259.4 cases per 100,000, while the rate among those vaccinated but not boosted even lower at 156.4 per 100,000.

Earlier this week, Dr. Jay Varma, an infectious diseases physician and former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s senior advisor for public health, tweeted this is likely the beginning of a wave caused by BA.5, an omicron subvariant.

“BA.5 was [around] 17% of cases two weeks ago so [it’s] likely much higher now,” he tweeted. “Experience from other countries means there will be another big increase in NYC COVID-19 infections, including among those who have had omicron in [the] past few months.”

Varma added, “Unclear from lab data [and] elsewhere how much this will increase hospitalizations & deaths. At a minimum, I can be confident predicting that BA.5 will lead to more days when people are out of work, kids home from school/camp and more people suffering from long COVID.”

Across the U.S., BA.5 makes up 36.6% of all COVID-19 cases, CDC data shows, which is more than double the prevalence from two weeks prior. Combined with another subvariant, BA.4, they make up more than half of all cases.

Meanwhile, BA.1 — the original omicron variant — accounts for no cases, according to the data.

“BA.4 and BA.5 have come out of nowhere the last two weeks.” Dr. Roy Gulick, chief of the division of infectious diseases at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, told ABC News. “They are more transmissible than the other recent variants we’ve seen, they’re less susceptible to antibodies both from previous infection or from vaccination — but they don’t seem to cause more severe disease.”

In response, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, announced Thursday the agency is asking COVID-19 vaccine developers, including Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, to develop a booster shot that can target the subvariants.

“As we move into the fall and winter, it is critical that we have safe and effective vaccine boosters that can provide protection against circulating and emerging variants to prevent the most severe consequences of COVID-19,” Marks said in a statement.

In light of the rise of cases, Gulick recommends people still keep following known mitigation measures that work including avoiding large crowds and wearing a mask if crowds are unavoidable.

“He meant everything to us”: ‘Black Bird’ cast remembers Ray Liotta at L.A. premiere

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

At the Apple TV+ show’s premiere in Los Angeles Wednesday night, the cast and other creatives behind the forthcoming series Black Bird paid tribute to their fallen co-star Ray Liotta.

The acclaimed actor passed away unexpectedly May 26 at the age of 67.

“He’s a magnificent actor and a magnificent person. He was a great guy,” Greg Kinnear tells Variety.

He continued, “Listen, I would say he was great no matter what — I mean, he could’ve read the phone book in this thing and I would say he’s great — but I genuinely think he’s extraordinary in this in a way that is going to knock people out.”

Dennis Lehane, the writer and executive producer of Black Bird, noted, “He meant everything to us.”

He adds, “I wrote the part for him, it was my dream to work with him. He was as good as advertised. He raised all boats, and he never gave the same take twice.”

Calling Liotta the “complete, consummate professional,” Lehane noted, “And then when he died, it was tough because our last conversation three weeks earlier had been about what we were gonna do next.”

He tells the trade, “We just hope that at least the legacy lives on through this performance.”

Variety noted that Paul Walter Hauser, who plays suspected serial killer Larry Hall in the fact-based series, wore a T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of Liotta’s Field of Dreams character “Shoeless” Joe Jackson on it.

In the film, Liotta plays the cop dad of Kingsman series lead Taron Egerton‘s clean-cut Jimmy Keene, who is facing a 10-year stint in prison.

Liotta’s daughter Karsen and fiancée Jacy Nittolo also walked the red carpet to commemorate one of his last roles.

Black Bird premieres July 8 on Apple TV+.

Delta CEO apologizes for cancellations, delays

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The CEO of Delta Air Lines apologized to customers who were impacted by widespread delays and cancellations in a letter on Thursday.

“If you’ve encountered delays and cancellations recently, I apologize,” Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian said in the letter.

Delta and other major airlines continue to struggle with the strong demand for air travel, forcing airlines to cancel thousands of flights in the last several weeks. While airlines have blamed weather and air traffic control for the delays, airlines are also severely understaffed.

Bastian announced Thursday that corporate employees will be sent to two especially hard-hit airports — Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport — to help check baggage and check in travelers. Bastian said the company is making logistical changes to prevent additional delays and cancellations.

“Crews are being scheduled with more buffer room to help us absorb and adjust when factors like summer thunderstorms disrupt the operation,” Bastian said. “And as always, we’re issuing travel waivers ahead of inclement weather, enabling you to easily rebook travel if needed without worry.”

In the letter, Bastian said that Delta has added more than 15,000 new employees since the start of 2021. American, United and Delta are all hiring roughly 200 pilots per month.

The letter also comes as off-duty Delta pilots are picketing at major Delta hubs across the country during ongoing union contract negotiations.

“The environment we’re navigating today is unlike anything we’ve ever faced, but Delta is no stranger to challenging times, and our commitment to you is as strong as ever,” Bastian said. “We won’t stop until we’ve made things right, and we’ll never stop improving for you.”

Airlines expect the highest number of passengers since the start of the pandemic during the July 4 weekend. Delta is forecasting more than 3 million travelers alone.

Delta preemptively slashed hundreds of flights from its schedule between July 1 to Aug. 7 due to staffing concerns. United Airlines has cut 50 daily flights out of Newark starting on July 1.

Lawmakers, including Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), called on airlines to “prioritize their passengers and address flight schedule issues” in a letter sent to major domestic airlines on Wednesday.

“If an airline cancels a flight for any reason, the airline must promptly provide passengers refunds, as required by the law,” they said. “As the July 4th holiday approaches, the reliability of the air travel system should not be up in the air.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg met with airline executives last week and pressed them on their ability to reliably operate their July 4 holiday flight schedules, a source familiar with the meeting told ABC News. Buttigieg also asked them to improve customer experience.

ABC News’ Amanda Maile contributed to this report.

Tear gas or pepper spray used at South African nightclub when teenagers died, eyewitness says

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(EAST LONDON, South Africa) — Tear gas or pepper spray was used on patrons at a popular nightclub in South Africa when more than a dozen teenagers mysteriously died there, an eyewitness told ABC News.

Sibongile Mtsewu, 22, said he was ordering drinks at the crowded Enyobeni Tavern near the South African city of East London over the weekend, when suddenly the doors were closed and some type of chemical agent was released into the air.

“There was no way out,” Mtsewu, who lives nearby, told ABC News in a telephone interview Thursday. “There was no chance to breathe.”

Mtsewu said he passed out after inhaling the substance. He recalled being surrounded by bodies when his brother woke him up some time later.

“The tear gas suffocated many people,” he told ABC News. “That’s why people died.”

Mtsewu said one of his legs was injured and he has pains in his body from the incident.

The South African Police Service has declined to comment on possible causes of deaths, citing the ongoing probe.

Officers were called to the Enyobeni Tavern in Scenery Park, a suburb on the edge of East London in Eastern Cape province, on Sunday morning at around 4 a.m. local time, according to police. Upon arrival, they discovered 17 teens dead inside the club. Four more died when they were hospitalized or being transported to hospitals. The youngest victim was 13, police said.

The incident remains under investigation. The circumstances surrounding the tragedy were unclear, and the causes of deaths have yet to be established. No arrests have been made, according to police.

“We do not want to make any speculation at this stage as our investigations are continuing,” Brig. Tembinkosi Kinana, a spokesperson for the South African Police Service, told ABC News on Sunday.

As of Thursday, all 21 victims had been identified and the autopsies were completed, but toxicology reports were still pending, according to Siyanda Manana, a spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Health. A mass funeral will be held next week.

The South African Police Service’s commissioner for Eastern Cape province, Lt. Gen. Nomthetheleli Mene, released a statement on Wednesday expressing concern “about circulating rumours and media reports speculating on the cause of death.”

“As indicated earlier, at an appropriate time and when an official report has been made available by the experts, the family and members of the public will be informed by the relevant authority,” Mene said. “We urge people to refrain from making risky assumptions which do not assist our investigations.”

‘The Best Man: Final Chapters’ coming to Peacock this winter

June 30, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The TV series inspired by The Best Man franchise will premiere just in time for Christmas.

The Best Man: Final Chapters will premiere December 22 on Peacock, Entertainment Tonight reports.

All the of the two movies, The Best Man in 1999 and The Best Man Holiday in 2013, have returned. Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard, Taye Diggs, Harold Perrineau, Nia Long, Sanaa Lathan, Regina Hall and Melissa De Sousa have been shooting in several locations, including the Dominican Republic. Nicole Ari Parker, from Empire, has also joined the all-star cast.

The director of the films, Malcolm D. Lee, is also back and has added another famed director for the series, Robert Townsend, whose credits include The Five Heartbeats and Hollywood Shuffle.

On Wednesday, Lee posted an Instagram video from Rockefeller Center in New York City as his crew prepared to shoot a scene.

According to Peacock, The Best Man: Final Chapters “will catch up with the leading characters Harper, Robyn, Jordan, Lance, Quentin, Shelby, Candace, and Murch as relationships evolve and past grievances resurface in the unpredictable stages of midlife crisis meets midlife renaissance.”

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