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Russia-Ukraine updates: Zelenskyy says Russia openly announcing ‘planned atrocity’

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.

The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”

Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, don’t appear to have advanced closer to the city since coming within about 20 miles, although smaller advanced groups have been fighting gun battles with Ukrainian forces inside the capital since at least Friday.

Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.

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

Mar 07, 7:42 am
Ukrainian foreign minister again calls for NATO no-fly zone

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba on Monday called for NATO to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying Russian planes were targeting civilians.

“The Russian Air Force dominates in the skies and continues bombing our cities and killing many civilians,” Kuleba told George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America.

U.S. and NATO officials have rejected calls from Ukrainian officials to impose a no-fly zone, saying doing so could provoke Russia, perhaps pulling other European countries and NATO members into the conflict. The U.S. and NATO have offered other military aid, including a possible deal to send aircraft to Ukraine.

“We believe that the rejection of the idea of the no-fly zone is based in the lack of confidence in the strength of NATO as an alliance,” Kuleba said. “Because the military might of NATO is incomparably bigger compared to Russia. So why would Russia dare to shoot down a NATO plane, knowing it is doomed, eventually doomed, if a war with NATO begins.”

Kuleba over the weekend had urged the international community to help in the struggle against “Russian barbarians.” He posted a photo on Twitter on Sunday of an unexploded bomb, which he said landed on a residential building in Chernihiv.

Mar 07, 5:50 am
Ukraine casts doubt on Russian pledge for civilian pathways

Ukrainian officials said Russia’s proposal on Monday to open “humanitarian corridors” for cities in Ukraine is not a genuine offer because it offers to evacuate civilians only to Belarus and Russia.

Iryna Vereshchuk, a Ukrainian vice prime minister, in a televised briefing called that “unacceptable” and said Ukraine had demanded instead that civilians be allowed to evacuate to other parts of Ukraine.

Russia’s Defense Ministry had said it would open a corridor from towns and villages north of Kyiv, where heavy fighting is taking place, but that would allow people to travel to the Belarusian city of Gomel and then be flown to Russia. Russia also offered corridors near the besieged northeastern and eastern cities of Kharkiv, Sumy and Mariupol, but that would also only allow people to leave over the border to Russia.

“This is an unacceptable option of humanitarian corridors. Our people from outskirts of Kyiv won’t go to Belarus and then to Russia,” Vereshchuk said.

She said that Ukraine wants civilians north of Kyiv to be permitted to leave to the capital and for those from Kharkiv to be allowed to western cities by train, and from Mariupol north to the central city of Zaporizhzhia.

“We delivered our proposal on how the corridors should be organized,” Vereshchuk said, later adding, “Humanitarian aid is prepared for a number of towns in the east and south. We ask Russia to confirm these corridors and provide ceasefire.”

Russia has repeatedly violated its own ceasefire since offering humanitarian corridors for Mariupol and another eastern town Volnovakha, including shelling evacuation points in Mariupol according to officials there. The Red Cross, which is trying to organize the evacuations, has said the agreements currently are too vague and without clear understandings for routes out.

Russia said Monday’s offer for the corridors was made following a lengthy phone conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday.

Vereshchuk said Russia was trying to exploit Macron’s name for a disingenuous offer of corridors.

“I hope president Macron understands that his name and good intentions are manipulated by Russia,” she said.

-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell

Mar 07, 3:43 am
Refugee arrivals to Poland top 1 million, guard says

More than 1 million people fleeing Ukraine have arrived in Poland since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24, the Polish Border Guard said on Monday.

A record 142,000 people arrived on Sunday, the guard said on Twitter. On Monday, about 42,000 people had crossed the border before 7 a.m. local time.

As of Sunday, more than 1.5 million people had fled the war in Ukraine, marking the “fastest growing refugee crises in Europe since World War II,” according to Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees.

Mar 07, 2:43 am
With attacks on TV towers, Russia seeks to isolate Ukrainians, UK says

Russian forces have attacked Ukrainian communications infrastructure to “reduce Ukrainian citizens’ access to reliable news and information,” the U.K. Ministry of Defence said on Monday.

“Russia reportedly struck a TV tower in Kharkiv yesterday, suspending broadcasting output,” the Ministry’s update said.

Russian forces on March 1 struck a TV tower in Kyiv, the capital.

Mar 07, 2:18 am
Russia says cease-fire will allow evacuations from 4 cities

Russia declared a cease-fire starting Monday morning, opening humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy, the Russian interagency humanitarian response staff in Ukraine said.

“Taking into account the disastrous humanitarian situation and its severe deterioration in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Mariupol, and also at French President Emmanuel Macron’s personal request to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Armed Forces are declaring a ceasefire and opening humanitarian corridors for reasons of humanity starting 10:00 a.m. on March 7, 2022,” the staff said.

Ukrainian officials in Mariupol said Russia broke planned cease-fires on Saturday and Sunday.

-ABC News’ Anastasia Bagaeva

Scoreboard roundup — 3/6/22

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston 126, Brooklyn 120
Milwaukee 132, Phoenix 122
Washington 133, Indiana 123
Utah 116, Oklahoma City 103
Houston 123, Memphis 112
Cleveland 104, Toronto 96
Denver138, New Orleans 130 (OT)
NY Knicks 116, L.A. Clippers 93

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
New Jersey 3, St. Louis 2 (OT)
Los Angeles 3, Buffalo 0
Dallas 6, Minnesota 3
NY Rangers 4, Winnipeg 1
Tampa Bay 6, Chicago 3
Carolina 3, Seattle 2
Vegas 2, Ottawa 1
Anaheim 3, San Jose 2 (OT)

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Nebraska 74, Wisconsin 73
Memphis 75, Houston 61
Illinois 74, Iowa 72
Michigan 75, Ohio St. 69

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Austin FC 5, Miami 1
Portland 1, Los Angeles FC 1 (Tie)

Western companies cutting ties to Russia has limited effect, experts say

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — In light of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, many major American and Western companies have decided to drop their presence in the region.

In the last two weeks, movie studios Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures and Disney, the parent company of ABC News, have dropped future movie releases in Russia. Ikea shut down all Russian stores and production operations. Microsoft and Apple have ceased all sales, including game consoles and phones, in the country as well.

On Saturday, Visa and Mastercard announced they would stop Russian operations.

That list is expected to grow as the conflict continues and consumers look for companies to take a stand on the invasion, business experts told ABC News.

“Companies have found it difficult to stay out of [current events],” Erik Gordon, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, told ABC News. “That doesn’t work anymore. If you don’t take a stand one way or another the conclusion is you’re either amoral or taken a bad stand.”

Gordon and other business experts said that there is also the economic calculus involved in the companies’ decisions to pull out of Russia as its declining economy makes the country a poor investment. Nonetheless, the experts said this is likely to pose a turning point in nearly 30 years of Western business in Russia.

Gordon said it’s unlikely that any of the Western business pauses will make an impact on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, compared to the economic sanctions levied by the U.S. and European nations. The Russian government, however, will likely retaliate against Western-based products and services with boycotts and blocks as the conflict continues.

On Friday, the country said it would ban Facebook and Twitter.

“I don’t think the Russian business will be a hospitable place for Western business for a very long time,” he said.

Shon Hiatt, an associate professor of management and organization at the University of Southern California, told ABC News that a similar situation took place during World War II when American companies stopped shipping their goods to Germany. Corporations lost millions of dollars in revenue during the 1940s, but Hiatt said the increased globalization of today’s economy means that American companies won’t take as much of a hit by halting their Russian operations.

“This isn’t the divestment like we’re seeing with BP or the other oil companies,” Hiatt said. “This is a small drop in the bucket for these companies compared to other markets.”

He noted, as an example, that the Russian market represents roughly 3% of worldwide sales for the movie industry.

Hiatt said the next couple of months will be interesting to watch within the business community. Depending on how long the conflict goes on and if Russia succeeds in its invasion, corporations around the world will have to make a major decision barring any government action, he said.

“Most companies believe this is a small strategic pause,” he said. “They may believe that in a few months, things might go back to normal. It’s still a changing situation.”

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Emmy Meli’s empowerment anthem “I Am Woman”

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

It’s Woman’s History Month, and Tuesday is also International Women’s Day, so many fans will no doubt turn to Emmy Meli‘s hit “I Am Woman” — which has become an empowerment anthem after breaking out on TikTok last year — to celebrate both occasions. Emmy says the very nature of womanhood inspired her to give the song that all-encompassing title.

“I didn’t say ‘I am A woman’ because to me, ‘I am woman’ feels like you’re embodying everything that comes with being a woman,” she tells ABC Audio. “‘I am woman’ means I can be a mother, I can be an artist, I can be a doctor, I can be a teacher, I can be an athlete. I am beautiful and powerful and special. It’s all of that.”

Since its release, fans have told Emmy about the impact the song’s had on their lives, and some have even gotten the title tattooed on their bodies. While at first, some people thought Emmy’s song was a cover of Helen Reddy‘s 1972 song of the same name, she’s proud that it’s started its own movement.

“I hope that people are going to be remembering my song and listening to my song…for a long time,” she says. “I hope that 40 years from now, when another girl writes another ‘I am woman,’ they’re going to be like ‘Nice cover of the song “I Am Woman” by Emmy Meli!'”

As for fans who get “I Am Woman” tattoos, Emmy says it’s “an incredible honor.”

“I have seen people tattoo Amy Winehouse…SZA…Lady Gaga [on themselves],” she says. “And I would just always think, like, ‘I wonder if someone would ever love me enough to tattoo something that I made or that I wrote on their body?'” It’s ‘surreal,’ she says, that it actually happened.

Foo Fighters ponder possibility of ‘The Colour and the Shape’ 25th anniversary plans: “Let’s take this one”

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Foo Fighters‘ new movie Studio 666 is full of blood and gore, but if you really want to shock Dave Grohl, just mention that The Colour and the Shape is turning 25 this year.

Originally released in May 1997, the sophomore Foo Fighters album spawned the future classic “Everlong,” as well as the singles “My Hero” and “Monkey Wrench.”

In response to ABC Audio asking him about the record’s upcoming milestone, Grohl says, “Our reaction is it’s exactly what just happened: [guitarist] Pat [Smear] goes, ‘Wow!’ and we look at each other, like, ‘Oh my god!'”

He laughs, “I don’t even think we realized it.”

In 2020, the Foos had mapped out a giant celebration to mark the 25th anniversary of their 1995 self-titled debut. Then, of course, came the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced Grohl and company to stay home during their big year.

While Grohl says that he doesn’t currently have any plans to mark The Colour and the Shape‘s silver anniversary, he’s open to the idea of 2022 making up for what they missed out on in 2020.

“We lost our last 25-year [anniversary], so let’s take this one,” Smear says.

“I know, I think 2020 was supposed to be our big 25, our big 25th anniversary,” Grohl adds. “So yeah, let’s take this one.”

While the Foos ponder that idea, you can catch the band on the silver screen in Studio 666, which is in theaters now.

Todd Rungren is getting to play songs from his favorite Beatles album on Fab Four-themed tribute tour

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Todd Rundgren is one of several well-known musicians who are taking part in the 2022 edition of the “It Was Fifty Years Ago Today: A Tribute to The Beatles” tour, which kicked off last week.

While the 2019 edition of the trek showcased songs from The Beatles’ 1967 self-titled album, aka The White Album, this tour focuses on 1965’s Rubber Soul and 1966’s Revolver.

Todd, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year, tells ABC Audio that while he’s a fan of Rubber Soul, Revolver is his very favorite album by the Fab Four.

“When they did Revolver…[they] actually redefin[ed] the [rock] genre,” Rundgren notes, “adding tape loops and backwards guitar solos and things like that, all sorts of studio techniques that nobody had used before.”

Todd says when it came time to choose songs to perform on the trek, he immediately “nabbed” two Revolver tunes that were among The Beatles’ first forays into psychedelia — “She Said, She Said” and “Tomorrow Never Knows.”

“I said, ‘No one else is doing those but me,'” Rundgren recalls with a laughs. “No one else has taken as many drugs as me in this band, and therefore I qualify.”

Joining Todd on the outing are Christopher Cross, founding Moody Blues and Wings member Denny Laine, Badfinger‘s Joey Molland and former Chicago singer/bassist Jason Scheff. Each artist performs several Beatles tunes, as well as a couple of the best-known tunes from their own careers.

Rundgren says the tour members’ own hits actually “get an equally great response” as the Fab Four songs during the show.

The tour continues tonight in Red Bank, New Jersey, and winds down on March 27 in Kansas City, Missouri. Visit GlassOnyonPR.com for a full list of dates.

‘American Idol’ recap: A star is born as the judges hand out the second platinum ticket

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The search for the next American Idol continued Sunday night, with host Ryan Seacrest and judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie leading the hunt.

Here are some of the night’s highlights, which include giving away the second out of three coveted Platinum tickets for the milestone season 20.

Kicking things off was 27-year-old Betty Maxwell, who some might recognize as Miss Georgia 2015 and Miss America 2016. Now, she’s after the American Idol crown, and after singing Kelly Clarkson‘s “A Moment Like This” and Carrie Underwood‘s “Jesus Take The Wheel,” she’s well on her way with a ticket to Hollywood.

Leah Marlene, 20, from Illinois admittedly has some “questionable fashion choices” but the judges didn’t have to question anything when it came to whether or not they were sending her through to the next round. She performed One Direction‘s “Steal My Girl” and Katy even drew a comparison to former Idol contestant Catie Turner, who made it to season 16’s top seven.

Unfortunately, the same fate wasn’t in the cards for 17-year-old Skylie Thompson, who shared an original song called “Buckle Bunny” followed by a cover of Zach Bryan‘s “Oklahoma City.” Although the trio of judges enjoyed her energy and performance, they ultimately sent home with an optimistic “not yet.”

Luke Taylor‘s deep voice took the judges by surprise. After having a few laughs, which included him singing “Frosty the Snowman,” Luke and Lionel voted him through to Hollywood.

Kenedi Anderson, 17, took home a Platinum ticket, impressing the judges with her rendition of Lady Gaga‘s “Applause.” She had the judges praising her, even saying she was “born to be a star” and top ten material.

Other notable auditions included, 18-year-old Kelsie Dolan, who was praised by the judges for hitting “no bad notes” after taking a swing at Kelly Clarkson’s “Piece by Piece,” and Adele‘s “When We Were Young.”

Mike Parker, 27, sang his heart out as his family grapples with his mother’s health issues. He sung Deana Carter‘s “Strawberry Wine” and had Katy saying he’s potential “Top 24.” Also winning the judges compliments was Christian Guardino, singing Donnie Hathaway‘s “A Song For You” and Lady K, who took a stab at Katy’s song “Wide Awake.” Both had the judges saying that they’re “magic.”

The auditions continue when American Idol returns Sunday, March 13 at 8 p.m ET on ABC.

Oscar Isaac calls ‘Moon Knight’ “full circle moment” in SNL hosting debut

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Oscar Isaac, star of Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ series Moon Knight, made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut over the weekend, and used his opening monologue to joke about what he described as his “full circle moment.”

Isaac revealed that his film debut, “The Avenger” — not The Avengers — was a home movie he “wrote, directed and starred in when I was 10 years old,” and brought clips from the film as proof. “It was shot on location in my buddy Bruce Ferguson’s backyard, in our hometown of Miami, Florida. I play a ninja assassin training to fight his nemesis,” he explained.

One clipped showed Isaac “acting his heart out” while his friend’s dad can be seen cleaning his pool in the background.

Another clip featured the Dune star playing dual roles, one of whom was licking blood off of a sword.

“Now you may be asking, Oscar, why are you using your monologue to show us old home videos? And the reason is, it’s important to encourage kids to be weirdos,” said Isaac, licking a bloody prop sword handed to him on stage. “Because every once in a while, one of those weirdos grows up to host SNL.”

Isaac also revealed that his full name is Oscar Isaac Hernández Estrada.

“I said to Hollywood, ‘You can pick two of these names.’ Guess what they went with? The white ones,” he joked. “I’m half Guatemalan, half Cuban — or, as casting directors call that, ‘Ethnically ambiguous.’”

“According to them, I can play anything from a pharoah to Timothée Chalamet’s daddy,” he added.

Saturday’s musical guest was Charlie XCX.

Gabby Barrett will sing like Lee Ann, host alongside Dolly, and change clothes as often as Reba at the ACMs

March 7, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Tonight, the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards take over Las Vegas, live from Allegiant Stadium via Amazon Prime Video.

The show’s hosted by Dolly Parton, Jimmie Allen, and Gabby Barrett — and the American Idol winner is prepared to bring it.

“I’ll have a solo performance of ‘I Hope You Dance’ by Lee Ann Womack — love that song,” she tells ABC Audio. “And then I’ll be doing an opening number with Jimmie Allen and co-hosting alongside Jimmie and Dolly. So lots of outfit changes as well.”

Just how many changes? Enough to bring up the name of a legend.

“Reba level?” Gabby teases. “Yeah! Five or six outfits altogether. So it’s a good amount.”

Tune in to Amazon Prime Video starting at 8 p.m. ET to watch the star-studded, two-hour, commercial-free show.

Amid anti-LGBTQ efforts, transgender community finds joy in ‘chosen families’

March 6, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Jessica Parker, 40, didn’t transition until she was in her 30s.

She suppressed her identity in her conservative, central Texas town out of fear of rejection or violence. But as more and more LGBTQ people came into her life, she finally felt safe enough to come out, identifying publicly as a woman.

“I feel more myself than ever,” Parker told ABC News in an interview. “I’ve been happier than ever. It’s been a struggle, certainly, but it’s been great and I have a good trans community now.”

Her “chosen family” — the close circle of LGBTQ friends and allies she has cultivated — understands the beauty and power of the LGBTQ community and they’ve become a lifeline for her.

When facing rejection from family members or feeling lost about the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community, that’s where a chosen family steps in. Local activist groups, LGBTQ alliances or clubs, or dedicated spaces like queer bars are often the birthplaces of many chosen families.

As anti-LGBTQ policies and legislation proliferate across the country, finding such a community has become a vital tool. For many queer people, a chosen family can be a means for survival.

“That’s what’s beautiful about the trans community,” said D. Ojeda, a senior national organizer at trans advocacy organization National Center for Transgender Equality. Their pronouns are they/them and they identify as nonbinary.

“What makes us so resilient is that we tend to really be resourceful in making sure that our communities get what they need, even if external forces don’t protect us.”

Increase in anti-LGBTQ legislation

2021 was a record-breaking year for anti-LGBTQ legislation, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Legislatures in 2022 are moving full steam ahead with these ongoing efforts — including bills or governmental directives in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Indiana, and more that target these groups.

Recent bills and laws range from attempting to ban some trans children from sports; to banning trans people from the bathroom corresponding with their gender; to banning curricula featuring LGBTQ subjects in some classrooms.

The trans community has taken its safety into its own hands in many cases. Ojeda says trans activists have been dispatched to barbershops and hair salons, health clinics and other service locations to assess a businesses’ acceptance of trans people.

When someone needs a jumpstart on their car, or when someone needs moral support during a health care procedure — a chosen family will ensure that someone will be there to lend a helping hand.

They say it’s because other LGBTQ people often understand the collective struggles, queer joy and nuances of the community in a way only they may understand.

“We’re always looking out for each other,” Ojeda said. “Even when outside forces want to make sure that we don’t exist — that’s going to be an impossible thing to do. Because our community is resilient. We definitely have this strong, unified force. This is our chosen family.

Building a strong network

It’s why Parker, Ojeda and Ricardo Martinez, CEO of LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Texas, encourage LGBTQ youth to find or build a strong moral support system that understands the challenges of being part of the community.

A chosen family can save lives, they say.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), LGBTQ community members are at a higher risk for experiencing mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders and suicidal ideations.

Transgender individuals, in particular, are at risk — they are almost four times as likely as cisgender people to experience a mental health condition and suicide, NAMI reports.

The organization also found that discrimination, prejudice, denial of civil and human rights and family rejection are oft the source behind this disparity.

“I’ve made a tremendous amount of friends [in the LGBTQ community], which brings me a tremendous amount of joy. But also heartbreak, right?” Martinez said, referring to the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation and sentiment.

However, he said the heartbreak is short-lived.

He added, “Regardless of what powers are trying to attack us, I know that I can pull back on many of the families that I’ve met, who affirm the identity of their children, folks who I’ve met on the ground who are incredible advocates that have tremendous power not only in their words but in their actions.”

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