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Novak Djokovic in limbo as Australian visa canceled again

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(MELBOURNE) — Novak Djokovic will not be deported or detained on Friday night, but the world’s No.1 tennis player will need to attend an interview with immigration officials in Melbourne at 8 a.m. local time on Saturday — two days before he’s expected to start defending his title at the Australian Open.

A late-night emergency hearing was held at the Australian Federal Circuit and Family Court on Friday, after Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used ministerial powers to cancel his visa again.

Australian authorities on Friday had canceled tennis star Novak Djokovic’s visa, putting his participation in the Australian Open in doubt.

“Today I exercised my power… to cancel the visa held by Mr Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so,” Hawke said in a statement.

It could mean that he is banned from entering Australia for up to three years.

Hawke’s decision arrived days after an Australian court reinstated the 34-year-old’s visa, which had been granted with a medical exemption to Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

But on Friday night, Judge Anthony Kelly decided to move the case to the Federal Court of Australia in order to secure “a quick, inexpensive final determination of this proceeding.”

For now, Djokovic can remain where he is staying, but he will be taken into detention after an interview with immigration officials at an undisclosed location on Saturday morning. He will then be escorted by two Border Force officials to his lawyers’ office, then is due to go back into detention until Sunday’s hearing.

Djokovic’s team said they will challenge the reasons for canceling his visa — including the claim that allowing Djokovic to stay on would “excite” anti-vaccine activists in Australia.

Djokovic’s lawyer, Nick Wood, told the court that Minister Hawke’s reasoning was “patently irrational” and argued that Djokovic was “in good standing.”

“The reasons of the minister stand in stark contrast to the reasons that the delegate at the airport was saying,” Wood said.

Djokovic’s spokespeople said they want the procedure to move as quickly as possible because every minute before the tournament commences is “precious.”

“We are very concerned about time,” said Wood.

Questions had still lingered, however, about whether Djokovic lied on his Travel Declaration Form. Every traveler arriving in Australia needs to submit the document before entering the country.

At issue were the few weeks prior to Djokovic’s landing in Australia on Jan. 5 from Spain via Dubai. Under Australia’s pandemic measures, the tennis star would have had to stay in Spain for at least 14 days before travelling.

Djokovic on his entry form ticked the box saying he hadn’t traveled during that period. Social media seemed to tell a different story, with at least one post suggesting Djokovic had been in Serbia during those 14 days.

Hawke on Wednesday told ABC News: “Mr. Djokovic’s lawyers have recently provided lengthy further submissions and supporting documentation said to be relevant to the possible cancellation of Mr Djokovic’s visa. Naturally, this will affect the timeframe for a decision.”

The Australian Open begins on Jan. 17. Djokovic has won the tournament the last three years and nine times overall.

Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa canceled again

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(MELBOURNE) — Australian authorities on Friday canceled tennis star Novak Djokovic’s visa, putting his participation in the Australian Open in doubt.

Alex Hawke, imigration minister, who announced his decision at about 6 p.m. local time, said the Australian government “is firmly committed to protecting Australia’s borders.”

“Today I exercised my power under section 133C(3) of the Migration Act to cancel the visa held by Mr Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so,” Hawke said in a statement.

Hawke’s decision arrived days after an Australian court reinstated the 34-year-old’s visa, which had been granted with a medical exemption to Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

Officials questioned whether Djokovic meet the requirements for that exemption, but Judge Anthony Kelly sided with the tennis star, noting that Djokovic’s medical exemption had been provided with input from an “eminently qualified physician.”

“And the point I’m somewhat agitated about is, ‘What more could this man have done?'” the judge said on Monday.

Questions had still lingered, however, about whether Djokovic lied on his Travel Declaration Form. Every traveler arriving in Australia needs to submit the document before entering the country.

The Australian Open begins on Jan. 17. Djokovic has won the tournament the last three years and nine times overall.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Cardi B testifies she felt “extremely suicidal” after YouTuber Tasha K alleged she had an STI

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Cardi B is opening up about the mental toll she suffered after YouTuber Tasha K spread alleged lies about her.

Cardi appeared in court on Thursday, January 13 to give an impassioned testimony expressing to a Georgia jury that Tasha, who boasts one million subscribers, went on a “malicious campaign” to damage the rapper’s reputation, according to Billboard.

While on the stand, the “WAP” rapper said that she felt “helpless” as Tasha continued to spread alleged false rumors about her, adding that she also suffered fatigue, anxiety, and migraines as a result.

“I felt defeated and depressed and I didn’t want to sleep with my husband,” said Cardi, who is married to fellow rapper Offset, according to TMZ.

When asked by her attorney what she thought of Tasha, the “Up” rapper said she “felt like only a demon could do that s***.” She then followed her statement up with an apology to the judge for swearing.

Cardi, born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, filed a libel lawsuit against Tasha, real name Latasha Kebe, in 2019 after the YouTuber posted videos claiming the rapper was a prostitute, contracted herpes, and used drugs, among other things.

Cardi is seeking damages as well as for Tasha to remove all defamatory and disparaging statements.

The trial is set to continue on January 18.

Egypt to mark centenary of Tutankhamun tomb discovery by inaugurating new, lavish museum

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(GIZA, Egypt) — Sharm El-Sheikh — Egypt said the best way to mark the centenary of Tutankhamun tomb’s discovery would be inaugurating a new state-of-the-art museum later this year to house the ancient boy king’s vast treasures.

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), a mega project on the outskirts of the capital that Egypt said would be the biggest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization, nears completion as the country applies the finishing touches ahead of its opening.

“If the coronavirus-related conditions are stable, then the (museum’s) opening would be in the second half of the year,” Egypt’s antiquities and tourism minister Khaled el-Anany told ABC News on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum, an annual international youth conference that the country hosts in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

“We will be ready by the middle of this year … but we want to make sure that our guests can arrive in large numbers. We aim to invite presidents and kings from all over the world,” el-Anany said.

The nearly 480,000 square meter museum, which overlooks the famed Giza Pyramids, will hold more than 100,000 artifacts. About 5,000 belong to Tutankhamun, the famous 18th dynasty ruler who died at the age of 19 after a 10-year reign.

The Egyptian Museum, a 120-year-old red storied structure built in Cairo’s central Tahrir square, housed less than 3,000 of those objects, including Tutankhamun’s golden burial mask. Other artifacts were kept in the museum’s storerooms.

However, a century after British archeologist Howard Carter discovered those treasures in Luxor’s Valley of the Kings in 1922, they will be displayed in full for the first time when the Grand Egyptian Museum opens.

“The GEM is distinguished by its location, architecture and the full collection of Tutankhamun,” el-Anany added.

“We are celebrating the 200-year anniversary of Egyptology and 100-year anniversary of Tutankhamun tomb’s discovery in many parts of the world through Egyptian institutions. However, I believe that the best celebration of Tutankhamun would be opening the Grand Egyptian Museum,” he said.

String of discoveries

Egypt made a string of discoveries over the past few years as it seeks to lure back tourists following the adverse effects of the political turmoil that followed the 2011 revolution and 2013 mass protests along with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The highlight of 2021, according to el-Anany, was the unearthing of a 3,000-year-old city in the southern province of Luxor, which Egypt had termed the “Lost Golden City.” It dates back to the 18th-dynasty of King Amenhotep III, who ruled Egypt from 1391 till 1353 B.C.

Egypt also held two lavish ceremonies to transfer 22 mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to a newly-inaugurated museum in the old Islamic city of Fustat in a “royal procession” and to celebrate the opening of a 3,000-year-old sphinx-filled avenue in Luxor.

“The numbers of tourists were increasing last year until December when the new coronavirus variant emerged … we are in the recovery phase, but we hope there would be no more variants,” El-Anany said.

El-Anany told ABC News that Egypt plans to announce another significant discovery in February or March, which he said will “capture the world’s attention.” However, he refused to disclose further details.

Scoreboard roundup — 1/13/22

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

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

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Milwaukee 118, Golden State 99
New Orleans 113 L.A. Clippers 89
Final Memphis 116 Minnesota 108
Final Oklahoma City 130 Brooklyn 109
Final Denver 140 Portland 108

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Columbus 6, Carolina 0
Tampa Bay 4, Vancouver 2
Boston 3, Philadelphia 2
Winnipeg 3, Detroit 0
NY Islanders 3, New Jersey 2
St. Louis 2, Seattle 1
Buffalo 4, Nashville 1
Chicago 3 Montreal 2 (OT)
Ottawa 4, Calgary 1
NY Rangers 3 San Jose 0
Los Angeles 6, Pittsburgh 2

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Oregon 84, UCLA 81
Wisconsin 78, Ohio St. 68
Texas Tech 78, Oklahoma St. 57
DePaul 96, Seton Hall 92
Gonzaga 110, BYU 84
Southern Cal 81, Oregon St. 71
Arizona 76, Colorado 55

Did Lisa Bonet hint at split with Jason Momoa weeks before?

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Lisa Bonet may have dropped a hint about her split with Jason Momoa in an interview published weeks ago.

Bonet interviewed her fellow A Different World alum Marisa Tomei for Interview and had a cryptic response when the Spider-Man: No Way Home star asked “What’s calling you?”

“Definitely learning how to be authentically me, learning to be new, and following this invitation from the universe to step into this river of uncertainty,” the 54-year-old Cosby Show star replied. “We’ve eliminated all this extra noise, and now it’s time to grow our roots deeper into our own values.”

Momoa, 42, released a joint statement announcing that the two have decided to uncouple on behalf of himself and Bonet — who’s not on social media — on Wednesday, via Instagram.

“We have all felt the squeeze and changes of these transformational times… A revolution is unfolding ~and our family is of no exception… feeling and growing from the seismic shifts occurring And so~ We share our Family news~ That we are parting ways in marriage,” the Aquaman star wrote. “We share this not because we think it’s newsworthy ~ But so that~ as we go about our lives we may do so with dignity and honesty,”

Momoa and Bonet reportedly began dating in 2005 before tying the knot in 2017. They share two children Lola Iolani Momoa, who was born in 2007, and Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa, who they welcomed the following year.

Come to my bookstore: Melissa Etheridge releasing graphic novel ‘Heartstrings’

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Melissa Etheridge has an extensive collection of guitars, and she’ll be showcasing them, not in a museum exhibit, but in the pages of a new graphic novel called Heartstrings, coming this June.

Published by Z2 comics, the novel features Melissa relating the “untold stories” of her favorite instruments, in collaboration with two writers and an illustrator. According to a press release, the novel promises “insight into the creative mind of one of the greatest songwriters of the past 30 years.”

“As many of my fans know, my relationship…to my guitars is beyond special and these instruments hold a very significant place in my life,” says the Grammy-winning star. “I am so excited to share all these stories and images from my entire collection and have them all be a part of this incredible graphic novel.”

The book will be available in softcover and hardcover formats in bookstores, comic shops and record stores in June, which is also Pride Month.

Deluxe and super-deluxe versions are also available at the Z2 comics website, and there’s a very limited $999 Platinum edition that comes with a Epiphone guitar and a copy of the book, both signed by Melissa, plus various collectibles, like art prints, coasters and a journal. The regular book costs $25.

In other Melissa news, a vinyl version of her 2021 album One Way Out gets its release today. The record features a collection of recently recorded songs that Melissa wrote during the late 80’s and early 90’s, but didn’t release at the time.

“Shaped by ‘90s” country music, Michael Ray finds success with his newest chart-topper, “Whiskey and Rain”

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Michael Ray’s move towards the ‘90s-era country music that first inspired him is paying off, as his latest single, “Whiskey and Rain,” has officially become his fourth number-one hit.

As the singer takes his victory lap for his latest chart victory, he’s especially excited to be celebrating success with a song so true to his artistic identity.

“The journey of this song has just been an incredible one to be on,” Michael recounts. “If you’re a fan of mine and you know who I am as an artist — and it was shaped by ‘90s and early 2000s country music — and I feel like this song really reflects a lot of those influences.”

Specifically, the song takes cues from hitmaker Gary Allan, especially his 1998 release, It Would Be You. The title track off that album was a Top 10 hit for Gary, and as a whole, the project launched a fandom in Michael that helped kick off his journey to country music stardom.

“I remember hearing ‘It Would Be You’ for the first time and it just spoke to me. As a kid, I just bought every Gary Allan record and learned all the covers I could,” the singer explains, adding that that influence is alive and well in his music today.

“There’s a lot you can hear of his influence on ‘Whiskey and Rain’ and throughout this EP project, this Higher Education project. So, big fan of Gary’s,” Michael says.

Higher Education came out late last summer.

Halestorm releases new acoustic session with Death Wish Coffee

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Halestorm has released a new acoustic session recorded for “Coffee Notes,” a new music series from the company Death Wish Coffee.

The video features Lzzy Hale and guitarist Joe Hottinger performing unplugged renditions of Halestorm’s new single “Back from the Dead” and their classic tune “I Miss the Misery.” Additionally, Hale sings a solo piano version of “I Will Always Love You,” originally written by Dolly Parton and made huge by Whitney Houston.

“We’re thrilled to release Coffee Notes featuring the amazing band Halestorm to kick off our 10-year brand anniversary as this is exactly the kind of artist-celebrated content that we want to offer our devoted Death Wish Coffee fans,” says Death Wish Coffee CEO Mike Pilkington.

“Halestorm is the perfect collaboration for Coffee Notes to celebrate our rockstar anniversary with real rockstars,” Pilkington adds. “We are proud to give our customers this exclusive experience and the chance to win a signed guitar as a thank you to their undying loyalty.”

You can watch the session now via DeathWishCoffee.com, where you can also enter to win a Gibson guitar signed by Hale and Hottinger.

Chloe Bailey reveals how Beyoncé inspired her to be comfortable with her body

January 14, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Chloe Bailey grew up admiring Beyoncé, and now she’s living a dream come true as she’s signed to her idol’s Parkwood Entertainment label.

Chloe’s Beyoncé connection began in 1998 when she was five years old playing a younger version of Queen Bey’s Lilly character in the film The Fighting Temptations. Ever since then, her mentor has inspired her, especially about being comfortable with her appearance.

“It was Beyoncé who made me look at my body and say maybe it is okay to have my body. Maybe it is okay to have a plump butt. Maybe it is okay to have to shake and jump to fit in my jeans,” Bailey says in the In the Know by Yahoo January cover story.

After earning five Grammy nominations with her sister Halle as Chloe x Halle, Chloe made her solo debut in 2021 with “Have Mercy.”

The erotic music video for the song fired up social media, as people commented, positively and negatively, about her sexy appearance. Chloe insists that she won’t allow her critics to affect her confidence.

“There has never been a point in time that a society has ever been comfortable with the woman being powerful in the skin that she’s in,” the 23-year-old entertainer says. “So I just have to give kudos to every woman who’s inspired me, every one of my peers right now who’s saying, ‘I love my body. I feel sexy.'”

Regardless of the social media trolls, Chloe is determined to feel good about herself.

“No matter what women do, no matter how talented we are, no matter how screwed on our head is, someone will always have a problem because we choose to celebrate our body and the skin that we’re in,” Chloe maintains. “But you shouldn’t dim your light, period.”

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