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Russia-Ukraine live updates: Belarus flexes military muscle near Ukrainian border

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.

The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region, capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol and securing a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.

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

Jun 23, 6:26 am
More than 8 million have fled Ukraine, UN says

More than 8 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, according to an update by the United Nations.

More than 4 million Ukrainians fled through Poland — by far the preferred route for the displaced, the U.N. report said. Hungary, the second most used route, reported just over 800,000 crossings.

-ABC News’ Edward Szekeres, Max Uzol, Fidel Pavlenko and Yuriy Zaliznyak

Jun 23, 6:08 am
Belarusian military flexes its muscle near Ukrainian border

The Belarusian Defense Ministry announced “mobilization exercises” on Wednesday in the Gomel region bordering Ukraine.

The military drills, scheduled to last until 1 July, will include special operations forces as well as freshly called up conscripts, Belarusian officials said on Telegram.

The Belarusian army has already been placing wooden dummies of tanks on the Ukrainian border to demonstrate their presence, Ukrainian Ministry of Defense spokesperson Alexander Motuzyanyk said on Wednesday.

Real weapons are arriving near the Ukrainian border, too, with a new batch of Russian missiles for the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system being brought to Belarus on Tuesday night, local monitoring groups reported. The delivery included at least 16 missiles, with the likely addition of one Pantsir missile defense system, the report said.

Still, Ukrainian officials maintain that “at this stage of the war,” there is no imminent threat “of the Belarusian army invading” Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, said on Wednesday as cited by local media.

-ABC News’ Edward Szekeres, Max Uzol, Fidel Pavlenko and Yuriy Zaliznyak

Jun 23, 5:39 am
EU shifts to coal as Russia tightens gas tap

The European Union will temporarily shift back to coal to cope with slowing Russian gas flows, an EU official said on Wednesday, as a tight gas market and rocketing prices set off a race for alternative fuels.

The International Energy Agency warned Russia could cut gas supplies to Europe completely this winter.

“Europe should be ready in case Russian gas is completely cut off,” IEA chief Fatih Birol told The Financial Times on Wednesday.

While Russia denies premeditated supply cuts, several European countries, including Germany and Italy, reported a dip in gas flow via pipelines from Russia over the past week.

-ABC News’ Edward Szekeres, Max Uzol, Fidel Pavlenko and Yuriy Zaliznyak

Jun 22, 7:31 am
Turkey raises hopes for grain exports

A four-way summit discussing ways to export grain blocked in Ukraine will be held in Istanbul in less than 10 days, Turkish presidential sources told local media on Tuesday.

According to Turkish officials, a military delegation will head to Russia this week to discuss details. On top of Russian and Ukrainian delegations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the UN Secretary General António Guterres are likely to attend the Istanbul summit, local sources said.

The lives of about 400 million people in different countries depend on Ukrainian food exports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday.

-ABC News’ Edward Szekeres, Tatiana Rymarenko, Fidel Pavlenko and Natalya Kushnir

Six dead in West Virginia helicopter crash: Report

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(LOGAN COUNTY, W. Va.) — Six people reportedly died in a helicopter crash in West Virginia on Wednesday.

The Bell UH-1B helicopter crashed by Route 17 in Logan County around 5 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which also said six people were on board. Emergency service personnel responded to the scene.

The six people were killed, Logan County Office of Emergency Management Deputy Director Sonya Porter told ABC News affiliate WCHS.

It’s unclear what caused the crash, but there was a severe thunderstorm watch for Logan County at the time of the incident, according to the county’s office of emergency management.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating the incident.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

Gunman at large after shooting two people, one fatally, on San Francisco train

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(SAN FRANCISCO) — The search continued Thursday for a gunman who shot two people, one fatally, on a packed Muni commuter train in San Francisco on Wednesday, police said.

The shooting occurred around 10 a.m. as the light-rail train was moving between stations, according to San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Kathryn Winters.

Winters said police were initially called to the city’s Forest Hill Muni station for a report of a shooting, but the train had already pulled away. Officers caught up to the train at the busy Castro Street Station, where they discovered the two victims, Winters said.

Police late Wednesday released a photo of a person of interest connected to the shooting.

Winters said the gunman and commuters aboard the train ran off as soon as it stopped and the doors opened at the station.

Winters said one victim, a man, was pronounced dead at the scene. A second individual was taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

The shooting happened ahead of this Sunday’s Pride Parade in San Francisco and in the heart of the city’s popular Castro District, which is expected to be filled with revelers celebrating LGBTQ pride this weekend. Winters said preliminary evidence showed that the shooting has no connection to this coming weekend’s activities or directed at the city’s LGBTQ community.

San Francisco Supervisor Myrna Melgar told ABC station KGO-TV in San Francisco that police informed her that the shooting occurred during a confrontation the gunman had with the victim who died.

“We do know the shooting happened after a heated verbal argument,” Melgar said.

It was not immediately clear whether the gunman and the deceased victim knew each other. She said the second victim who was wounded was an innocent bystander.

Winters said on Wednesday that homicide detectives were securing surveillance video from the train and the Forest Hill and Castro stations in hopes there was footage of the shooting that could help them identify the assailant.

Police had released a vague description of the perpetrator, saying he was a man wearing dark clothes and a hooded sweatshirt.

Melgar asked any commuters who were on the train and witnessed the shooting to contact police immediately.

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

Alan Jackson debuts his own line of hand-selected Silverbelly Whiskey

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” and Alan Jackson’s got the perfect way to celebrate.

The country legend just announced his new line of premium spirits called Silverbelly Whiskey, named for the signature cowboy hat that he wears at his shows. Though it may look white to the untrained eye, the color of Alan’s hat is technically called “silverbelly,” and his new brand of whiskey displays a similar sense of subtlety and refinement.

Made in partnership with Silver Screen Bottling Co. & DSP-KY-10, Alan’s Silverbelly Whiskey features notes of brown sugar, sweet apple, cherry and honey, according to a statement. The brand — available in 750 ml bottles and 91 proof, with an ABV of 45.5% — is available in stores across Tennessee now.

It’ll soon be available in other states, too, but until then, you can pick up a bottle of Alan’s new whiskey online. Preorders start today. A variety of upgrades and gift wrapping are available, and for an extra $4.99, you can receive a JM’s Dominican Churchill Maduro cigar with your bottle.

Scoreboard roundup — 6/22/22

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

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

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Houston 5, NY Mets 3
Texas 4, Philadelphia 2
Baltimore 7, Washington 0

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto 9, Chi White Sox 5
Boston 6, Detroit 2
NY Yankees 5, Tampa Bay 4
Cleveland 11, Minnesota 10
Seattle 9, Oakland 0
LA Angels 5, Kansas City 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Diego 10, Arizona 4
Miami 7, Colorado 4
LA Dodgers 8, Cincinnati 4
Atlanta 4, San Francisco 3
Chi Cubs 14, Pittsburgh 5
St. Louis 5, Milwaukee 4

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Colorado 3 Tampa Bay 2 (OT) (Colorado leads 3-1)

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
New York 81, Connecticut 77

Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson team up for the Netflix action comedy, ‘The Man from Toronto’

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The new Neflix action comedy The Man from Toronto, starring Woody Harrelson and Kevin Hart, debuts on Friday.

It’s one of more than 20 projects Hart has in the works as an actor or producer, which has him up before the sun rises every morning.

“I’m a busy man, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he notes. “I love it. I find joy in it. I find happy in it. And, you know, while I got the energy and while I’m able, I will and I can.”

It’s also motivated Hart to stay in top physical shape, something Harrelson admits has inspired him as well.

“One of my first conversations was to ask him about how the hell he’s so damn fit. And, you know, I really thought, I wish I had taken his advice because, you know, I’d be in a tight tee shirt right now,” shares Woody, adding, “he did teach me a lot about what I could do if I decided to take up that, you know, that hard work.”

The two actors both know a little something about being a part of successful on-screen duos; something Harrelson says is all about the love.

“You gotta love the people you’re working with. It’s got to congeal into a family,” he explains. “And I will say that definitely happened with Kevin…I loved him before I met him. And after I met him, I loved him more. So I was very happy to see that come across on screen.”

The feeling was mutual for Hart, who says that from their first conversation, to the first meeting, to the first day on set, the two “hit the ground running” and “never looked back.”

“Take My Breath Away” vs. “Hold My Hand”: A tale of two ‘Top Gun’ tunes

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Lady Gaga‘s hit “Hold My Hand” is from the hit movie Top Gun: Maverick. She submitted the song to the film’s creative team in hopes that, as director Joe Kosinski tells ABC Audio, it would be just as popular as that Oscar-winning #1 ballad by Berlin from the original movie.

“We said we were looking for … the ‘Take My Breath Away’ of this film, which is a very, very high bar,” Kosinski explains. “I mean, can you imagine trying to take that on? Like, who throws their hat in the ring to try to match such an iconic thing? And [Gaga] did it. I mean, she crushed it!”

Ironically, “Take My Breath Away” was a fluke. As Berlin‘s Teri Nunn tells ABC Audio, they only got to record the song because Giorgio Moroder, who wrote and produced it, happened to be working with them at the same time he got hired to put the Top Gun soundtrack together.

As Nunn explains, “He tried a number of other singers on the song, and the producers didn’t like any of them. Big singers, you know, way bigger than me. So he was kind of out of options.”

So, she says, Moroder gave her the song to record and promised the producers it’d be great.

Nunner laughs, “I was so sure that I had no shot at this that … I changed his melodies. It was really stupid of me to do that … I was like, ‘I’m not going to get it.’ So … I gave it back to him and said, ‘OK, this is the way I would do it.’

“He played it for them and they said, ‘That’s it! That’s the one! … You found your singer, you found your band. Let’s do it!'”

Silversun Pickups among guest artists at 2022 Grammy Camp

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Silversun Pickups are among the guest artists participating in the 2022 Grammy Camp.

The annual educational program, which will return to an in-person setting this year after going virtual in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, selects high school students from throughout the U.S. to learn from “industry professionals in an immersive and creative environment.”

As a guest artist, SSPU will “discuss their career paths and help students prepare for the music industry.”

“Grammy Camp is a prime example of the Grammy Museum’s mission and education initiatives,” says Grammy Museum President/CEO Michael Sticka. “We’re thrilled that the program is back in person and will continue to be one of the most immersive summer camps for high school students interested in a career in music and continues to give young people the opportunity to study with music industry professionals, resulting in a genuine learning experience about life in the music industry.”

Grammy Camp 2022 will be held August 2-6 at the University of Southern California’s Ronald Tutor Campus Center. For more info, visit GrammyCamp.com.

Meanwhile, Silversun Pickups have been working on new music to follow their 2019 album, Widow’s Weeds. They previously teased that a new record would be arriving this year.

Britney Spears says she hasn’t been on honeymoon yet with Sam Asghari

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Britney Spears has more than just a new husband, she’s got a new house too!

The pop star returned to Instagram Wednesday and shared life update with fans, including that she and new husband Sam Asghari “haven’t been on my honeymoon yet.”

Sharing two photos of herself rocking a bikini and a video of Sam diving into their new pool, Britney wrote, “Got married and moved into a new house around the same time … not the smartest thing to do… Oh well it’s coming together.”

“It’s so weird I wake up and everything is new … new pool … new kitchen … new bed … I think I’m in shock,” she continued, before adding that her dogs are enjoying the new “sick” backyard while she’s loving their water slide.

“It’s so bright and it has a nice chill spot … and a slide … I went down it 4 times already,” the “Lucky” singer shared.

Britney also shared that Sam cooked her a nice piece of steak and she cut her hair short, concluding, “life is good.”

Britney, 40, and Sam, 28, tied the knot during an intimate ceremony at her Thousand Oaks, California home on June 9. The pair first met on the set of the star’s “Slumber Party” music video in 2016.

New EPIX docuseries ‘Women Who Rock’ profiles famous female artists

June 23, 2022 by WDNY Radio

A new four-part docuseries called Women Who Rock that focuses on female singers and musicians who have made a significant impact on the music world since the 1950s will premiere July 10 on EPIX.

The show will feature new interviews with Pat Benatar, Heart‘s Nancy Wilson, Joan Jett, The B-52s‘ Kate Pierson, Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, Sheila E., Mavis Staples and many more reflecting on the musical contributions they and other female artists have made.

The series will showcase the artists sharing insights and stories behind their music, as well as discussing such topics as power, fame, truth and the struggle to achieve success.

The premiere episode, titled “Truth,” will look at the roots of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950s and ’60s with profiles of Staples, Khan and the late Janis Joplin,plus commentary from Weymouth, Pierson, Norah Jones, Rickie Lee Jones, Merry Clayton and others.

Episode two, titled “Defiance,” which premieres on July 17, will focus on the 1970s and such artists as Wilson, Jett, Blondie‘s Debbie Harry, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks and Carole King.

The third episode, dubbed “Power,” debuts on July 24, and delves into the artists who emerged during the 1980s and ’90s, among them Benatar, Sheila E., Natalie Merchant, Crow, Missy Elliott, Courtney Love, Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette.

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