Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate in New York’s gubernatorial race, said Wednesday that attendees at this year’s Sept. 11 memorial ceremony should turn their backs on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani if he attends.

«I would equate this to a wake. You don’t go to a wake if you’re not welcome,» Blakeman, whose nephew was killed in the South Tower on Sept. 11, 2001, and who currently serves as Nassau County executive, told reporters.

«I think it’s completely appropriate if family members ask him not to come, but if he does come, I think there’s a respectful and peaceful way to protest that and I would suggest that people turn their back on the mayor,» he said.

FIREFIGHTER BROTHER OF 9/11 VICTIM INCENSED BY ‘RADICAL’ MUSLIMS WINNING KEY DEM PRIMARIES

Blakeman argued Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase «globalize the intifada» should disqualify him from attending the ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

«He’s not welcome there because he has yet to say anything in opposition to the global intifada. As a matter of fact, it seems like he supports that phrase, which is part of the reason why we had the tragedy we had on 9/11,» Blakeman said.

Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

The mayor has said he still plans to attend the ceremony.

9/11 FAMILIES PUSH TO BAN MAMDANI FROM 25TH ANNIVERSARY REMEMBRANCE OVER ‘HOSTILE’ RECORD

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during an announcement on municipal grocery stores at a Campaign for Hunger community food distribution center in Brooklyn on July 27, 2026. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

«I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year’s 9/11 commemoration — reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day…» Mamdani said last week.

His comments came after relatives of Sept. 11 victims launched a petition urging the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to bar Mamdani from attending the ceremony in Lower Manhattan.

«Concerns have been raised about Mr. Mamdani’s public positions, associations, and responses to rhetoric that many perceive as hostile to these shared values,» the Change.org petition states.

«Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy.»

JEWISH LEADERS FAULT MAMDANI RHETORIC AS UPPER WEST SIDE STABBING, HATE CRIME PROBE CONTINUES

Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County executive and Republican candidate for New York governor, who is running to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and has secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

A spokesperson for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum previously told Fox News Digital that the organization has «intentionally worked to keep the commemoration free of politics because remembering those we lost on 9/11 should never be a partisan issue.»

«Government officials from across the political spectrum, including every sitting president, governor, and mayor since 9/11, have attended the ceremony simply to bear witness — they do not deliver remarks and are asked to remain in a designated area,» the spokesperson added.

Former New York Gov. George Pataki was also asked Wednesday whether Mamdani should attend the ceremony.

«It’s my nature to be inclusive, and that is my instinct, but Sept. 11 is different. So, I may have comments on that,» Pataki said, according to the New York Post.

The 9/11 Memorial in the financial district of Lower Manhattan, New York at the site of World Trade Center. (iStock)

Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

El director general de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, señaló que el brote de ébola se expande a un ritmo superior a los esfuerzos de control, según advirtió durante una visita a la República Democrática del Congo (RDC). Esta situación crítica se suma a que parte del personal sanitario en el país está en huelga por falta de pago.

Casi tres meses después del inicio del brote, el número de nuevos casos se duplica en algunos puntos críticos, señaló Tedros tras reunirse con autoridades en Kinshasa, capital de RDC. Es la segunda vez que el titular de la OMS visita el país desde que se declaró la aparición de la enfermedad a mediados de mayo.

“Todos coincidimos en que debemos aumentar urgentemente y de manera masiva los esfuerzos en todos los pilares de la respuesta y entre todos los socios”, afirmó Tedros.

Según el Ministerio de Salud de RDC, hasta este jueves se registraron 3.973 casos confirmados y 1.801 muertes. En la provincia de Ituri, epicentro del brote, familias reportan que la huelga de trabajadores sanitarios agravó la falta de acceso a la atención médica en una zona ya afectada por el conflicto armado y la lejanía, cerca de las fronteras con Sudán del Sur, Uganda y Ruanda.

Algunos empleados comenzaron a recibir pagos la última semana por su trabajo desde el inicio de la emergencia, pero reclaman mejoras salariales. Anicet Baluku, residente de Bunia, capital de Ituri, responsabilizó a la huelga de la muerte de sus dos hermanos por ébola. “Urgimos a las autoridades a encontrar una solución rápida para evitar que otras familias sufran la misma tragedia”, declaró a The Associated Press.

Tedros instó a tomar medidas que permitan llegar a todas las localidades afectadas, fortalecer la coordinación bajo el liderazgo del gobierno y proteger a los trabajadores de la salud. “Ante todo, las comunidades deben estar en el centro de la respuesta y ser dueñas de ella”, afirmó. “No podemos detener el ébola sin su confianza, liderazgo y colaboración”.

El actual brote superó en velocidad de transmisión a todos los anteriores y es el segundo más grande registrado, solo superado por el brote de África Occidental entre 2014 y 2016, que alcanzó más de 28.000 casos y más de 11.000 muertes.

El virus Bundibugyo, responsable de este brote, no cuenta con tratamiento ni vacuna aprobados. Las autoridades consideran que el brote se originó en una zona remota antes de su declaración oficial el 15 de mayo.

Médicos Sin Fronteras advirtió que el brote continúa “propagándose a un ritmo alarmante y sin precedentes”. La organización señaló que, aunque la respuesta se está ampliando, aún no alcanza a las comunidades con suficiente rapidez para interrumpir las cadenas de transmisión.

Por su parte, el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos anunció una asignación adicional de 242 millones de dólares para la respuesta inmediata al brote de ébola en la región, así como para medidas de preparación y asistencia humanitaria asociadas. Esta financiación eleva el total de la asistencia directa estadounidense a más de 512 millones de dólares.

La directora de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de África, Jean Kaseya, alertó durante una visita a Bunia que el rastreo de contactos no está funcionando de manera efectiva. Entre el 60% y el 70% de los nuevos casos no corresponden a personas que estaban siendo monitoreadas tras haber estado expuestas a pacientes infectados.

La detección tardía de casos ha sido un factor determinante en la tasa de mortalidad del 45%, informaron las autoridades. El Ministerio de Salud reportó que, de los 77 casos notificados en las últimas 24 horas, 44 fueron fatales. Actualmente, al menos 717 pacientes permanecen aislados y 749 han logrado recuperarse.

La directora de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de África, Jean Kaseya, señaló que el organismo coordina los esfuerzos con los equipos de respuesta en torno a la detección temprana, el rastreo de contactos más eficaz, el acceso rápido a atención de calidad y una mayor participación comunitaria.

(Con información de Associated Press)

Fox News Digital has confirmed that a key investigative panel in the Senate has obtained Dr. Anthony Fauci’s pandemic-era cellphone.

The cellphone was transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations chaired by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

A spokesperson for the senator told Fox News Digital the subcommittee «obtained a copy of Dr. Fauci’s iPhone that was used during his time at HHS.»

Whether the panel has access to the phone remains unclear.

RAND PAUL SEEKS CONTEMPT CHARGES AFTER FAUCI INVOKES FIFTH AMENDMENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES

The committee’s procurement of the phone, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, comes as the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee readies to decide whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress. It also follows the HHS’ move to dump over 1,000 pages of Fauci’s personal diary to the panel just days before the blockbuster hearing.

The hearing, slated for Thursday morning, comes after the panel’s chair, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., subpoenaed Fauci to testify on his alleged role in funding «risky» gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, where the COVID-19 virus originated.

A source close to Paul’s office told Fox News Digital that the lawmaker is also in possession of the phone. 

Last week’s testimony was meant to serve as the climatic duel between Fauci and Paul, who has demanded Fauci be thrown into prison for his role in the nation’s pandemic policy and alleged lies to Congress.

But it didn’t turn out that way.

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FAUCI’S HEARING: PAUL BOOTS LAWYER, MORENO ERUPTS AS CONTEMPT VOTE LOOMS

Fauci, on advice from his lawyers, opted to plead the Fifth Amendment out of concern about self-incrimination before a panel that he charged was designed to ensnare him.

«Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions,» Fauci said.

What ensued was Republicans on the panel peppering Fauci with questions probing his involvement in an alleged lab leak that led to the virus’ rapid spread to what day of the week it was. Democrats charged that his decision to activate his constitutional rights was the right call given Paul and his colleagues’ determination to catch him in a lie.

WATCH: RAND PAUL SAYS THERE’S ONE THING AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM FAUCI

Ranking member Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., speaks as U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan testifies at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations hearing on Capitol Hill June 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

And it culminated in Paul vowing that Fauci would face consequences for declining to comment and questioning whether his pardon from former President Joe Biden could protect him.

«I think there’s another legal question that the courts may have to decide upon, and that is whether or not a presidential pardon offers you complete immunity,» Paul said at the time.

Fox News Digital did not immediately receive comment from HHS on Fauci’s pandemic-era iPhone.