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Jury seated in federal hate crimes trial of three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(BRUNSWICK, Ga.) — A jury has been seated in the federal trial of three white Georgia men charged with hate crimes stemming from the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was out for a jog in 2020 when he was chased and gunned down.

The 16 jurors, including four alternates, were empaneled on Monday morning following a lengthy selection process that started on Feb. 7.

Opening statements in the high profile case against retired police officer Gregory McMichael, his 36-year-old son Travis McMichael and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, are set to begin on Monday afternoon.

The jury is comprised of eight whites, three Blacks and one Hispanic. Alternates are three white members and one Pacific Islander.

The trial in U.S. District Court in Brunswick, Georgia, is expected to last seven to 10 days.

All three men are charged with one count of interference with Arbery’s civil rights and with one count of attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels were also charged with one count each of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm, and Travis McMichael faces an additional count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

If convicted, the men face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The McMichaels and Bryan were convicted last year on state murder charges in Arbery’s death. They were all sentenced to life in prison.

Arbery was fatally shot after the McMichaels saw him jogging in their Satilla Shores neighborhood near Brunswick, Georgia. They said they assumed Arbery was a burglar, armed themselves and chased him in their pickup truck. The McMichaels’ neighbor, Bryan, joined the pursuit, blocking the victim’s escape path with his truck and recorded video on a cellphone of Travis McMichael fatally shooting Arbery three times with a shotgun during a struggle.

If convicted in the federal case, the men must first serve their state sentences before being transferred to federal prison.

In the now-defunct plea deal filed with the court on Jan. 30, Gregory and Travis McMichael agreed to plead guilty to count one of an indictment alleging they interfered with Arbery’s right to enjoy the use of a public road he was jogging on “because of Arbery’s race and color.”

In exchange for the guilty pleas, prosecutors were to dismiss the other charges and allow the McMichaels to serve the first 30 years of confinement in federal prison before being transferred back to the Georgia Department of Corrections to serve out the remainder of their state sentences.

The same plea agreement was not given to Bryan.

Judge Lisa Wood rejected the McMichaels’ plea deal after Arbery’s parents, Wanda Cooper-Jones and Marcus Arbery, strongly objected and claimed it was forged without their consent. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in a statement that prosecutors were in constant communication with the Arbery family’s attorneys and had been assured the family would not object to the agreement.

Wood claimed she turned down the deal because it would have locked her into the three-decade federal prison sentence, saying she didn’t know if that was “the precise, fair sentence in this case.”

Following Wood’s decision, Gregory and Travis McMichael, who are being represented by court-appointed public defenders due to financial hardship, withdrew their guilty pleas and opted to go to trial.

Jennifer Lopez shares Ben Affleck-directed ‘On My Way’ music video

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Ben Affleck gave Jennifer Lopez the sweetest gift for Valentine’s Day — but it was really a surprise for their fans, too.

Via her new OnTheJLo newsletter, the “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer, 52, shared a new music video for her song “On My Way” directed by the Oscar winner. She called it “something very special and personal” that she wanted to share with her “inner circle.”

“It’s an early Valentine’s Day present from Ben. Watching it made me think about the journey of true love, it’s unexpected twists and turns, and that when it’s real, it actually can last forever,” she added. “This seriously melted my heart.”

This version features swoon-worthy footage from the lovebirds’ own lives together, from their past whirlwind relationship to their recently rekindled romance, alongside scenes from the official “On My Way” music video, which was released in December.

Lopez and Affleck dated from 2002 to 2004 and were previously engaged. The two reunited nearly two decades later and became an official couple again last year.

“On My Way” is from Lopez’s latest rom-com, Marry Me, in theaters and streaming on Peacock now.

Scientists have discovered a new way to catch elephant poachers, new study suggests

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Researchers in Africa have discovered a way to weaken large criminal networks responsible for the poaching that threatens vulnerable species all over the continent.

DNA from the tusks of 4,320 African savanna elephants has identified networks for trafficking ivory out of Africa, according to a study published in Nature Human Behavior Monday.

The authors of the study, University of Washington biologist Samuel Wasser and Nairobi Homeland Security Investigations assistant attaché John Brown III, were able to use previous work that identified tusks from the same elephant — as well as close relatives — found in different seizures, therefore revealing links between those shipments and their movements across the country.

The findings showed that the majority of the 49 large ivory seizures (totaling 122 tons) shipped out of Africa between 2002 and 2019 contained tusks from repeated poaching of the same elephant populations.

“It was astounding, what we found,” Wasser told reporters. “Literally, we had dozens of shipments that were simply connected by multiple familial matches.”

The data also showed how “big, transnational” criminal networks may be behind the majority of these crimes and the strategic movements of criminal networks between ports in Africa, Wasser said, describing previous efforts to identify these networks as playing “whack-a-mole.”

The source of the poaching over the study period was “constant,” with many of the organized crime rings operating for decades, Wasser said.

Nearly all of the shipments, smuggled in large volumes as marine cargo, came from two places: an area concentrated in East Africa and another concentrated in Central West Africa, Wasser said. The smuggling process was similar to those used by the mafia and drug cartel in South Africa, Brown told reporters.

Ivory seizures — large shipments of tusks seized by authorities — provide information that can help law enforcement to understand the activities of traffickers. Previous work has identified tusks from the same elephant found in different seizures.

The African forest elephant is listed as critically endangered and the African savanna elephant is listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. About 415,000 elephants of both species combined are left on the continent.

Combating the illegal ivory trade by lowering the demand in ivory destination markets such as Europe and Asia has been instrumental in mitigating population declines, Dr. Kathleen Gobush, lead assessor of the African elephants and member of the IUCN SSC African Elephant Specialist Group, told ABC News last year.

Understanding the connections between ivory seizures could strengthen prosecutions of suspected poachers, ensuring they are held responsible for their crimes and helping to further halt criminal networks.

Bridge blocked by anti-vaccine mandate protests now reopened, officials say

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WINDSOR, Ontario) — The bridge in Canada where thousands of semitruck drivers camped out in a protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates has reopened, according to officials.

The blockade of commercial trailers on the Ambassador Bridge, which connects the city of Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan, ended peacefully Sunday with no violence after police described many protesters exhibiting “aggressive, illegal behavior” on Saturday, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens told ABC News.

The bridge reopened late Sunday night, the Detroit International Bridge Company announced.

“Today, our national economic crisis at the Ambassador bridge came to an end,” Dilkens wrote in a statement. “Border crossings will reopen when it is safe to do so and I defer to police and border agencies to make that determination.”

On Saturday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police and Ottawa Police Service responded to the volatile scene on Saturday, where several hundred protesters planted themselves about 100 feet from the foot of the entry to the bridge, even as all of the trucks left the scene throughout the day in the face of a police crackdown.

A judge had ordered Friday that the protesters disperse after the demonstrations interrupted the flow of goods between the two countries, especially crippling the auto industry on both sides of the border. Truckers were re-routed to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron.

Between 25 and 30 people were arrested on criminal mischief charges on Saturday, Windsor Police Chief Pam Mizuno announced.

Dilkens wrote that while the nation of Canada “believes in the right to freedom of speech and expression,” those exercising those rights must also abide by the law.

“As Canadians, there is more that unites us, than divides us and we must all find the resolve to approach those who hold different views with tolerance and respect,” Dilkens said. “Illegal acts, blockades and hate speech must not be tolerated and should be denounced.”

Thousands of truckers have been protesting the COVID-19 vaccine mandates for weeks as part of what is being called the “Freedom Convoy.” The number of demonstrators reached as many as 4,000 over the weekend.

The protests began in Canada’s capital city last month after truckers began protesting the requirement for them to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to cross the U.S.-Canada border.

“That’s My Kind of Night”: Luke Bryan adds dates to Las Vegas residency

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Following the successful opening weekend of his debut Las Vegas residency, Luke Bryan is adding several new dates to the calendar.

Due to high demand, the country superstar will perform an additional nine shows at Resorts World this year on June 15, 17, 18, 22, 24 and 25, August 31 and September 3 and 4. They join previously announced shows on February 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25 and 26.

The demand comes after a sold-out first night of the residency on Saturday. The innovative show features a stage that moves to the melody as Luke performs hits including “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)” and “One Margarita,” and a catwalk suspended 45 feet in the air that brings the singer up-close-and-personal with fans in balcony seating.

“What an amazing night and start to our run of headlining shows at Resorts World Las Vegas. We’ve worked long and hard to put together an incredible, high-energy show for the fans,” Luke shares. “I am so proud of how it turned out and I hope everyone who comes leaves there having as much fun as me.”

Tickets for the new shows go on sale February 21 at 1 p.m. ET.

Charlie Puth explains why “revenge” inspired his next studio album, ‘Charlie’

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Charlie Puth cannot wait for fans to hear his upcoming new album, Charlie, because it will mark an entirely new chapter in his songwriting and creation process. The studio effort offers a more-vulnerable and honest glimpse at the singer — and Charlie says that’s because it was born out of anger.

Speaking to Insider, the “Light Switch” singer admitted, “The one word that comes to mind when I think about this album in the beginning when I was making it, was ‘revenge.’… I was mostly, I guess, angry.”

Charlie explained that he was feeling stuck in life, and that frustration bubbled over into him questioning himself as well as his romantic and platonic relationships. “Why is this song not resonating with people? Why did this relationship not work out?’ It was a lot of that,” the Grammy nominee asked.

That soul-searching eventually gave way to a major epiphany. “I was coming to terms with who I was for the first time in five years. And that’s what I realized at the end of the album, and while I was making ‘Light Switch,'” Charlie said. “It felt special to me because it’s the most polarizing record I’ve ever made. It’s unusually fast. It sounds like nothing I’ve ever made before.”

Charlie also warned that “Light Switch” is “the most lighthearted song out of the whole bunch” on his new album. He also revealed some of the other tracks’ titles, which include “Loser,” “That’s Hilarious” and “There’s a First Time for Everything.”

Charlie feels at peace with his upcoming body of work because of its authenticity. “The difference is I’m not trying to be so cool… I’m not pretending to be the cool kid,” he said.

A release date for Charlie has yet to be announced.

Pics and Love! Ringo Starr’s new Beatles-themed photo book, ‘Lifted,’ released today

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Ringo Starr‘s recently announced latest photo book, Lifted: Fab Images and Memories of My Life with The Beatles from Across the Universe, has officially been released and can be purchased now exclusively at JuliensAuctions.com, coinciding with Valentine’s Day.

Two editions of the limited-edition book are available — a Collector’s Edition that’s priced at $59 and a Signature Edition that costs $495. The Signature Edition, limited to just 500 copies, features a color cover of The Beatles signed by Ringo and comes housed in a special slip case.

Lifted pays tribute to Starr’s years with the Fab Four and features many rare, unseen and newly discovered photos of the band members, as well as recollections and anecdotes written by Ringo.

Starr put together the book with help from noted pop-culture journalist and author David Wild while quarantining during the COVID-19 lockdown. Besides images from his personal archives, Ringo also “lifted” photos of the band from the internet that caught his eye, which are featured in the book.

Starr explains in a statement, “These fantastic images came back to me in recent years from here, there and everywhere — online and off — and have somehow helped me get back to seeing my life with The Fab Four through fresh eyes.”

Proceeds from Lifted will benefit Ringo’s Lotus Foundation, which funds and supports charitable projects that focus on various social welfare causes.

Meanwhile, Ringo has shared a photo on Facebook of him, his brother-in-law Joe Walsh and their wives, Barbara and Marjorie Bach — who are sisters — celebrating the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl victory on Sunday. The pic shows all four wearing Rams jerseys, accompanied by a note from Ringo that reads, “We are the champions go Rams go peace and love.”

Kelly Clarkson teams with Snoop Dogg to bring ‘Eurovision’-inspired song contest to America

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

The annual Eurovision Song Contest, aka Eurovision, is one of the biggest music-focused events in, well, Europe — and that craze is finally coming to America, thanks to Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg.

Deadline reports that the Grammy winners have teamed for NBC’s new series American Song Contest, a musical competition series that they will host. The official commercial promoting the event aired during Sunday night’s Super Bowl.

Singers from all 50 states as well as the country’s five territories and the U.S. Capitol — 56 in all — will compete against each other to not only create the best hit song, but score America’s vote to advance to the top. This year’s list of competitors will be announced soon.

This concept is similar to how Eurovision operates, where singers from each country on the European continent — now including former territories such as Australia — create a new song, and the winner is decided by popular vote.

“I have been a fan and love the concept of Eurovision and am thrilled to bring the musical phenomenon to America. I’m so excited to work with Snoop and can’t wait to see every state and territory represented by artists singing their own songs,” Kelly said in a statement.

Added Snoop, “I am honored to host ‘American Song Contest’ alongside my lil sis Kelly Clarkson, aka Miss Texas.”

The series is set to premiere March 21 and will run for eight weeks before wrapping on May 9 — ahead of the Eurovision song contest.

Mickey Guyton earns praise for Super Bowl national anthem performance

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Mickey Guyton earned rave reviews for her powerful rendition of the national anthem at Super Bowl LVI.

With a broadcast introduction that referred to her as “the voice of an angel,” the country powerhouse opened the big game by singing the anthem supported by a team of backup singers. This marks Mickey’s first time performing at the Super Bowl.

“What a dream. Thankful,” Mickey writes on Twitter, alongside a photo of her posing with the background singers. “Just wanted to check in and tell y’all I love you! Thank you for today.”

Following the performance, Mickey’s country peers and others took to social media to celebrate.

“@MickeyGuyton u were awesome!!! So happy for u!! Just wonderful young lady!” Darius Rucker praised.

“Now the world knows what us in Nashville have known for years. Smashed it, Mickey,” cheered Brothers Osborne.

“Wow @MickeyGuyton ! What a way to start the #SuperBowl,” raved Reese Witherspoon, with fellow Academy Award winner Halle Berry stating, “Mickey Guyton. That’s the tweet.”

The 1975 deletes social media profiles

February 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: The 1975 deleted their social media profiles.

As of Monday morning, the group’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages are all deactivated. But while you may not be able to like a tweet or photo from Matty Healy and company at the moment, the good news is new music is likely in the works.

As any longtime 1975 fan will tell you, the band has a history of social media chicanery, which is often a prelude to a new album announcement. They pulled similar stunts leading up to their last two records, 2018’s A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, and 2020’s Notes on a Conditional Form, and even pretended they were breaking up ahead of the reveal for 2016’s I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.

The 1975’s most recent release is the 2021 single “Spinning,” featuring Charli XCX and No Rome. Healy has also teased new music under the moniker Drive Like I Do, which was one of The 1975’s first band names.

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