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US taking stock of NATO as Trump heads to Turkey for summit

July 6, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump will head to the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, this week as an unstable ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran and Trump’s feud with his NATO allies continue.

The summit will be held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Beştepe Presidential Compound and chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The formal opening is scheduled for Tuesday and the event is expected to conclude the following day, when Trump will hold a news conference.

Trump’s trip will be brief. He is expected to leave the White House Monday night and return to the U.S. on Wednesday evening. While in Turkey, the president is expected to take part in a bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and participate in a number of working sessions.

‘Taking stock’ of NATO

Matt Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, said Sunday that the summit will measure the progress of NATO allies’ commitment to spend 5% of their GDP on defense and said that the U.S. would also “take stock of our allies’ expanding NATO’s capabilities in support of the burden-shifting going on here on the European continent.”

“Some allies are doing more than others. Poland, the Nordic countries, the Baltic countries lead the way, and Germany is on track for the 5%, reaching it in 2029. But many others are lagging behind,” Whitaker said.

The summit also comes after Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of leaving NATO. As recently as April, Trump expressed frustration with European allies amid the U.S.’s war with Iran, as many members have been reluctant to join military operations in re-opening and patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.

“Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration. I was never swayed by NATO,” Trump said in April when asked if he would reconsider the U.S.’s membership after the conflict ends. “I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”

More broadly, Trump has been extremely critical of NATO allies over their ability to share the burden of contributing to the post-World War II alliance.

Whitaker said, “The United States remains a proud NATO member,” but “we have responsibilities elsewhere in the world as the world’s only superpower.”

Trump continued his criticism of some NATO allies as recently as last week.

“Ridiculous for the U.S.A. to continue along this one sided path when the relationship is not reciprocal. They were not there for us,” Trump wrote last Thursday on his social media platform.

“The United States spends more money on NATO than any other country, by far, to protect them, without getting any benefit from so doing,” the president also claimed on Thursday in a post on social media.

While Trump claims that allies spend “on NATO,” that’s not how the alliance works. Member states must spend 2% of their GDP on their own national defense budgets. The U.S. is NATO’s largest defense spender by virtue of having the world’s largest defense budget. But taken as a percentage of GDP, the US has hovered around 3% range — less than Poland and Baltic allies.

NATO’s involvement in Iran war

Trump’s requests for allies’ support in the U.S. war against Iran goes beyond NATO’s collective defense agreement, which calls for all to respond to an attack on a member country. Yet Trump has framed it as a test of whether allies reciprocate in return for American security commitments.

A senior U.S. official said Sunday the U.S. believes ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz would be on the agenda, but that many NATO allies don’t have the capabilities to support those operations.

“I certainly believe that the Strait of Hormuz and the protection of the maritime traffic going through there is going to be a subject that comes up,” the official said.

But, they continued, “Many [NATO allies] don’t have the necessary ships or assets to contribute to a meaningful maritime effort” despite the fact that “we’ve had a lot of allies raise their hand and offer to participate.”

Shifting the burden to NATO allies

Two senior U.S. officials said on Sunday that the U.S. plans to further shift the burden of European defense onto European countries, saying that a force posture review currently underway of the military’s presence in Europe “very well may lead” to changes.

Asked about the potential for a U.S. force reduction in Europe, one senior U.S. official confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended a meeting of NATO defense ministers weeks ago to announce a “six-month or less” review of the U.S. force posture in Europe.

“The main reason being, we continue to have global demands as the United States of America, and we should always be looking at how we’re deployed to our threats,” the official said, adding that any shift in troop placement would be “based on nonpolitical reasons.”

“There should be no surprise that we’re doing a posture review or surprise if that posture review very well may lead to us adjusting our posture because we’re trying to shift burden to Europe,” another official added.

NATO 3.0

The summit comes fresh off of Rutte’s visit to the White House on June 24, when he said NATO is entering a new phase centered on greater European responsibility while keeping the U.S. engaged in the alliance. Rutte framed the summit as the moment when member countries begin implementing the spending and capability commitments made at last year’s Hague summit.

Rutte said the summit will be the beginning of a transatlantic “defense industrial revolution,” promising announcements of “tens of billions” of dollars in defense-related contracts. He ventured that this year’s summit is “more important” than last year’s in the Hague because of implementation of concrete investments aimed directly at Russia.

“Vladimir, we will defend ourselves,” Rutte addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin in a speech to the Atlantic Council last week.

A ‘big gift bag’ for Turkey

Trump said last Wednesday he would not have attended the summit were it not for his relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and suggested he plans to bring a significant offer, or a “big gift bag” for his host — potentially including the sale of dozens of F-35 fighter jets to the country.

“I am going to the summit out of respect for President Erdogan … Except for the fact that it was being held in Turkey by President Erdogan, I don’t think I would have gone to it,” Trump said before a meeting with Rutte in the Oval Office in June.

Turkey is seeking to join the U.S. F-35 program, but it is prohibited from doing so as long as it possesses Russian-made air defenses.

“I’m probably going to do something that’s going to make him very happy,” Trump said.

Ending the war in Ukraine

As has been the case since the war with Russia began in 2022, the issue of Ukraine is also likely to play a key role in the NATO gathering.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said Sunday that Trump will meet separately with Zelenskyy on Wednesday afternoon in addition to other meetings with NATO leaders.

A senior U.S. official said Sunday that Trump planned to speak with Zelenskyy about “how we can end the war.”

“So, there are some small areas where Ukraine has made progress. There’s some small areas where Russia has made progress. But, the line of contact has been frozen over the last couple of months,” the official said.

The official said that Trump was hopeful a meeting with Zelenskyy could bring the war closer to an end.

“We’re hopeful that we can make progress towards doing that when, when the president gets together with President Zelenskyy and I’m sure he’ll follow up with President Putin as well,” the official said.

The conversation with Zelenskyy would come after Trump spoke with Putin on Saturday for nearly an hour and a half, according to a Kremlin readout, which noted that the two touched on Ukraine and that Trump “reiterated his readiness” to find a solution to the conflict.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the call.

‘Large and growing’ parasitic infection outbreak spreading in Michigan, health officials say

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(MICHIGAN) — A “large and growing” outbreak of a parasitic infection is spreading in Michigan, health officials warned this week.

As of Thursday, more than 300 cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal infection, have been confirmed, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) told ABC News. Typically, the state only sees about 50 cases per year, according to MDHHS.

The parasite usually spreads through food or water contaminated with feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“We are working closely with our state and local partners to identify the source of this outbreak that is making so many people ill as quickly as possible,” Lynn Sutfin, public information officer for MDHHS, told ABC News.

The outbreak comes as the CDC reports 145 cases have been infected in 17 states, excluding Michigan, as of June 15, with at least 20 people hospitalized.

The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, state and local authorities are investigating several clusters of cyclosporiasis cases in multiple states.

Doctors told ABC News that cases usually start in May, so the Michigan outbreak occurred during the time or year when public health specialists typically would see a rise in cases. However, the number of cases in Michigan is particularly high, doctors said.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases specialist and associate dean for regional campuses at the University of California, San Francisco, told ABC News that in years past, the U.S. used to see many cases cyclosporiasis acquired outside of the U.S, or from imported vegetables and fruits.

“But now we’re starting to have more domestic cases as well,” Chin-Hong said.

Foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of imported fresh produce, such as raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce and cilantro, according to the CDC. The agency further said it takes about one week from the time of infection to become symptomatic, but that time can range from two days to two weeks.

Some patients do not experience any symptoms but, for those who do, the most common symptom is “explosive watery diarrhea,” Dr. Zoe Weiss, director of clinical microbiology at Tufts Medical Center, told ABC News.

Other symptoms can include cramping, bloating, low-grade fever, nausea and vomiting, Weiss said.

“Though in most cases this illness causes discomfort from cramping, bloating and watery diarrhea, we are concerned about individuals who may be immunocompromised due to cancer treatment or an organ transplant as the effects may be more severe,” Sutfin from MDHHS said.

Weiss said the infection is very unlikely to spread from person-to-person “because the parasite is passed in the stool, and then it requires days to weeks of formulation in the environment before it can become infectious.”

Chin-Hong said that oftentimes people dismiss watery diarrhea, but it is important to get a diagnosis to get treatment as soon as possible.

Cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), commonly sold as Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, taken for 10 days, according to the CDC.

Doctors told ABC News that people can prevent infection by thoroughly washing produce, cutting away bruised or damaged parts of fruits and vegetables, and refrigerating pre-prepared or pre-cut produce.

“If you’re in an area that’s been affected and you have sudden ongoing watery diarrhea, you should definitely seek a physician and get treatment,” Weiss said.

Mortgage rates fall to lowest level since May

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Mortgage rates have dropped to their lowest level since May as negotiations between the United States and Iran ease financial markets.

The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage stands at 6.43%, down from last week’s rate of 6.49%, Freddie Mac data on Thursday showed.

Still, mortgage rates register above their level before the war with Iran. Prior to the Middle East conflict in late February, a 30-year fixed mortgage clocked in at an average just below 6%.

“Rates did drop, which does provide some relief. But they’re still high,” Julia Fonseca, a professor at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, told ABC News.

A decline in mortgage rates over recent weeks has come in response to a drop in oil prices and Treasury yields, some analysts told ABC News. The shift has partially reversed a trend that took hold after the Iran war broke out.

At that time, mortgage rates surged in response to a jump in U.S. Treasury yields, or the amount paid annually to a holder of government debt. The rise in bond yields is owed to fear of a renewed bout of inflation as oil prices climbed.

Since bonds pay a given investor a fixed amount each year, the specter of inflation risks higher consumer prices that would eat away at those annual payouts. In turn, bonds often become less attractive in response to economic turmoil. When demand falls, bond yields rise.

High bond yields make borrowing more expensive for average Americans, since 10-year Treasury rates influence the rates offered for a variety of loans, including mortgages.

Bond yields eased in recent weeks as negotiations unfolded between the U.S. and Iran, pushing down oil prices and softening inflation expectations, Ken Johnson, a real estate economist at the University of Mississippi, told ABC News. In turn, Johnson said, mortgage rates have fallen.

“The big driver has been the cooling of tensions in the Gulf,” Johnson told ABC News.

Despite the recent drop, mortgage rates remain higher than their pre-war level. Even more, mortgage rates stand well above their level as recently as 2022, when the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage came in below 5%.

Elevated mortgage rates have contributed to a phenomenon known as the “lock-in” effect.

Mortgage rates remain well above the rates enjoyed by most current homeowners, who may be reluctant to put their homes on the market and risk a much higher rate on their next mortgage.

“Rates are still pretty high relative to what they were a few years ago, but every drop in mortgage rates helps. This is not going to go all the way toward unlocking people. We might see this gradual unlocking as time goes by and as rates tick down,” Fonseca said.

Hegseth calls protesters ‘ingrates’ as they try to drown out DC National Guard event

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Thursday dismissed protesters chanting “Guard go home” outside a ceremony in Washington, D.C., honoring National Guard troops as their presence in the nation’s capital approaches the one-year mark and has nearly doubled in recent weeks to roughly 5,000 personnel.

“It’s the sound of ingrates,” Hegseth told a formation of some 250 National Guardsmen gathered at a park nestled in Washington D.C.’s northwest neighborhoods. “People who are so blinded by ideology they can’t see law and order and common sense in front of them. There’s nothing ideological about this group.”

Outside the park, dozens of protesters gathered in front of a security perimeter formed by National Guard troops and law enforcement, chanting through megaphones and blowing whistles while drums and a trombone added to the noise as they sought to drown out the speeches. The peaceful demonstration remained largely uneventful.

Speaking in front of the Meridian Hill Park fountain that was recently repaired by the Department of the Interior after years of being inoperative, Hegseth was joined by National Guard chief Gen. Steven Nordhaus, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Brig. Gen. Leland Blanchard, commander of the District of Columbia National Guard, and senior White House aide Stephen Miller, who has been an architect of the Trump administration’s National Guard mission in Washington D.C. Each praised the troops serving in Washington.

The deployment has largely focused on high-visibility patrols through downtown corridors and major tourist areas, far from the city’s high-crime areas, along with civic support missions, including trash collection. Troops are commonly armed with 9mm SIG Sauer M17 pistols or 5.56mm M4 rifles.

National Guard troops have been deployed to Washington since last August, with states maintaining a steady rotation of personnel into the city. The broad mission has placed military personnel on civilian streets in an unprecedented domestic role, though National Guard troops retain very limited legal authority.

The National Guard also maintains its constant rotation of units to missions in Africa, Europe and in the Middle East amid the war with Iran. Troops often serve in a part-time capacity, juggling their Guard duty with typical civilian careers.

The force has been drawn overwhelmingly from Republican-led states. The D.C. National Guard itself accounts for about 500 troops, roughly one-quarter of its force, serving on the mission.

South Carolina has deployed roughly 700 troops, Georgia nearly 800 and Mississippi about 500, according to National Guard figures. Other states with sizable contingents include West Virginia, Nebraska, Florida and Louisiana.

Democratic-led states and U.S. territories have begun sending troops to D.C. in recent weeks, but only for events tied to America’s 250th anniversary celebration and an expected surge in tourism.

Earlier this week, Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer warned she would withdraw her state’s troops if they were assigned to President Donald Trump’s ongoing “Safe and Beautiful” mission rather than July 4th-related events.

In practice, however, drawing a distinction between holiday security operations and the Guard’s broader mission in Washington, D.C., may be difficult. Much of the ongoing mission is already concentrated around the National Mall and downtown transit stations, where tourists and local residents celebrating the holiday are expected to converge, one U.S. official explained. National Guard units from other states are frequently sent to Washington for major events such as presidential inaugurations.

Estimates have shown the Guard deployment is more expensive than using additional police officers or municipal workers.

An analysis from the Niskanen Center found the cost differential between troops and local law enforcement was roughly $607 per Guardsman per day compared to about $384 per day for a D.C. police officer.

The report also noted that the National Guard’s presence in D.C. has not reduced violent crime but has coincided with a decline in property crimes.

One estimate from the Congressional Budget Office found the National Guard’s D.C. footprint will cost at least $660 million this year, but it doesn’t account for the additional surge of troops for the summer.

A White House spokeswoman dismissed the Niskanen analysis and insisted the National Guard presence had driven down crime and improved quality of life in the District.

Two National Guard members from West Virginia were shot in the head while on patrol in November. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured and is still recovering, his family says.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 30, an Afghan national and suspected gunman, pleaded not guilty to the shootings. The Department of Justice said in June it is determining whether to seek the death penalty.

Olympian David Hearn indicted for alleged vandalism of Reflecting Pool

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Three-time U.S. Olympian David Hearn has been indicted in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for allegedly “maliciously” destroying lining at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

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

16 children rescued from ‘deplorable conditions’ in Ohio home, officials say: ‘Beyond comprehension’

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(VINTON COUNTY, Ohio) — Four people have been charged with child endangerment after 16 children were removed from a home in Ohio where officials say they were living in “deplorable conditions.”

Authorities executed a search warrant at the home in Hamden in Vinton County on Tuesday, where they say they found the children and four suspects inside.

Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said the evidence in the case is “beyond comprehension.”

“I think if they would have waited another 24 hours, that there was a very high probability that we’d be dealing with a death or multiple deaths of these children,” he said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer said this is not a case of human trafficking, but an “intra-family situation.”

He described the suspects as being the “grandma, grandpa, father and mother” during Wednesday’s press briefing.

The four suspects — Gary Siders Sr., 73; Christina Siders, 67; Gary Siders II, 36; and Elizabeth Siders, 33 — have each been charged with 16 counts of endangering children, a second-degree felony, according to officials. They pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Wednesday morning and their bond was set at $300,000 each. They will likely request court-appointed counsel, officials said.

The charges allege the four suspects abused the children, resulting in “serious physical harm.”

The children range in age from 1 ½ to 18, according to Wilson. He did not go into the nature of the injuries but said seven of the children were transported to the hospital on Tuesday, including two who were airlifted there. One of the children was in critical condition, Wilson said.

Archer said the children are safe and officials are working to have them placed in temporary custody.

“They are currently in a good situation and are being protected,” he said.

Wilson said the investigation has been ongoing for some time, and that a separate but “parallel” investigation led law enforcement to execute the search warrant on Tuesday.

The family had lived in Vinton County for the past four years and were “clearly bouncing around,” according to Wilson.

“They were pretty adept at keeping these kids out of sight and out of investigative eyes,” he said.

The children were not enrolled in school, according to Wilson. The eldest child is included among the charges because the 18-year-old is believed to developmentally still be a minor, officials said.

“Some of these children couldn’t even speak,” Wilson said. “It was terrible.”

Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain described the condition of the house as “disgusting,” including the presence of human feces, and said the children were largely confined to a small area.

“Most of our livestock is kept in better condition than the children,” Cain said during Wednesday’s briefing.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called the situation “tragic.”

“It is heartbreaking to learn the conditions that these children were living in, and to learn of their medical conditions,” DeWine said in a statement, which also thanked those helping them.

An attorney for one of the suspects said that the case is in an “extremely preliminary stage.”

Gary Siders Sr. is “entitled to the same presumption of innocence that every person charged in this county should and does enjoy,” his attorney, Dorian Keith Baum, said in a statement on Thursday, in part.

“So while there is little ability to stop all speculation, conjecture, or uncorroborated guess-work from taking place, I would ask that we all let the process play out, irrespective of the sensationalist underpinnings of the allegations against Mr. Siders, so that we as his defense counsel can be provided with whatever evidence the State allegedly has in order to give it a thorough review and determine if the State can meet their burden of proof; or, alternatively, if Mr. Siders is actually not guilty of what is being alleged,” the statement continued.

ABC News’ Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.

Texas man charged with manslaughter in Tesla crash that killed a woman in her home: Sheriff

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(KATY, Texas) — A Texas man has been arrested on a manslaughter charge after his Tesla crashed into a home last month while he claimed it was in self-driving mode, killing a woman inside the residence, authorities said.

The driver, Michael Butler, was arrested on Wednesday and booked at the Harris County Jail, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

Butler is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on July 6, according to online jail records. He remained in custody on Thursday morning, according to jail records.

The fatal crash allegedly involving Butler unfolded on June 19 in the Houston suburb of Katy, Texas, according to the sheriff’s office.

Butler was traveling in his Tesla Model 3 around 8 p.m. local time and claimed the vehicle was operating “with an automated driving assistance system,” the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

Butler allegedly failed to drive in a single lane, left the roadway and crashed through the front of a two-story brick residence, according to the sheriff’s office.

Butler’s car allegedly drove into the front room of the home, pinning 76-year-old Martha Avila, the sheriff’s office said.

Avila was airlifted to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.

Avila’s family filed a $1 million wrongful death lawsuit last month in Harris County District Court, alleging Tesla and Butler were negligent.

“So, what we have is a horrific and what we believe will be proven to show preventable crash amidst a rising number of autonomous vehicle crashes, particularly including Tesla. And in this particular situation, a 76-year-old grandmother who was tragically, preventively and needlessly killed while in her own residence,” Ryan Zehl, an attorney for Avila’s family, told ABC News in an interview last month.

Investigators said Butler, who was injured, showed no signs of intoxication and was cooperating with investigators.

It was unclear on Thursday if Butler had hired an attorney.

Investigators said Butler claimed his car was in self-driving mode, but Tesla disputed that and alleged he overrode the feature.

Following the crash, Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla, posted a response on social media, saying Butler’s account of the crash “makes no sense.”

“FSD [full self-driving] drives slowly through neighborhood streets and this was a high-speed crash!” Musk said in his post.

In a separate online post, Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s head of artificial intelligence, responded to Musk, alleging that the self-driving mode on Butler’s vehicle was manually overridden.

“Yup. In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area,” Eluswamy claimed in his post. “They reached a speed of 73 mph during the crash, and had the accelerator pressed even after the crash.”

Zehl said that Tesla has a system called a collision snapshot that sends data to its servers during significant crashes.

“So they clearly have the data because they’re talking about accelerator data. We would like to see it. We don’t have it. We will request it,” Zehl said.

The crash is being investigated by local authorities, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board.

ABC News’ Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.

EMS personnel attended to ‘unconscious’ person at Mitch McConnell’s home, audio suggests

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the Washington home of Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell last month to attend to an unconscious person who appeared to be in cardiac arrest, according to EMS dispatch audio reviewed by ABC News.

While the audio does not indicate who the person is, the incident occurred on the same day that McConnell was hospitalized on June 14.

At 8:36 a.m., a dispatcher directed an “ALS response” ambulance to McConnell’s residence for an “unconscious” person. “ALS” stands for Advanced Life Support.

At 8:42 a.m., the EMS responder, identified as “Medic 3,” responded to the dispatcher, saying “inform supervisor CPR in progress.”

At 8:43 a.m., the dispatcher said “EMS to respond, for cardiac arrest,” and once again repeated McConnell’s address.

McConnell is not named directly in any of the audio.

A spokesperson for McConnell declined to comment on the audio and did not provide any update on McConnell’s current condition.

On June 14, McConnell’s spokesperson confirmed he was admitted to the hospital, adding “he is receiving excellent care.” It’s unclear if McConnell remains in the hospital.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on June 15 he had spoken with McConnell following the Kentucky senator’s hospitalization. Thune told reporters McConnell was “dialed in” and “wants to be back.”

Republican Whip John Barrasso also spoke to McConnell that day, a spokesperson for Barrasso confirmed. Barrasso said McConnell was “engaged” and eager to return to the Hill.

On June 22, McConnell’s office indicated he was still working on Senate business, but would not be appearing on Capitol Hill for votes.

“Senator McConnell is still working closely with staff on Senate business and Kentucky matters as he continues his recovery. However, he will not be voting this week,” a McConnell spokesperson said on June 22.

McConnell has not yet returned to the Senate and was last seen on the Hill on June 11.

This is the latest in a string of medical incidents that the seven-term senator and longtime Republican leader has faced in recent years. McConnell, 84, stepped down from leadership in 2024 and is set to retire at the end of his term in January.

ICE arrests 10,000 illegally in US in 5-day span

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Immigration officials have quietly ramped up arrests in the recent days, taking 10,000 people who they say are illegally in the United States into custody within a five-day space, sources familiar with the figures said Thursday.

The source said the significant number of arrests have occurred around the United States since last week.

The new goal for immigration authorities is to arrest at least 2,000 per day going forward, according to sources. Last year, in a meeting with senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, White House and senior Department of Homeland Security officials urged a goal of 3,000 arrests per day, a source familiar told ABC News.

“Since Day One, DHS law enforcement has been delivering on President Trump’s promise to the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.

During the immigration crackdown, President Donald Trump has pledged to target the “worst of the worst” criminal offenders among the nation’s migrants. While the criminal histories of those arrested in this latest sweep is not yet clear, the DHS spokesperson said that “nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S.”

The recent arrests have been carried out with little publicity, according to sources, after DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin pledged during his confirmation hearing earlier this year to keep the agency out of the headlines and do the work quietly. That is in contrast to former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who wanted maximum publicity for ICE enforcement.

ICE has a new pick to lead the agency, Lance Schroyer, a top Mullin ally and former Oklahoma state trooper who has no federal immigration experience.

The New York Times first reported the details.

Mike Howell, who serves as the president of the Trump-aligned Oversight Project and a leader of the Mass Deportation Coalition, applauded the arrests numbers, but said there should “transparency and meaningful metrics on deportation-related statistics,” which are not publicly available.

“There have been so many numbers thrown around in press releases, estimates, extrapolations, and puffery that most people are just kind of immune to it and waiting to see the hard data that’s being withheld,” Howell said.

Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship over after last contact completes quarantine: WHO

July 2, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(GENEVA) — The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that the hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship is over.

It came after the final contact of a person exposed to the virus on the cruise ship completed their quarantine period, according to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The recommended quarantine and monitoring period for hantavirus exposure is 42 days.

The individual tested negative and returned home. No further cases have been reported since May 25, Tedros said during a media briefing.

As of Thursday, there have been a total of 13 cases of hantavirus — 12 confirmed and one probable — and three deaths, of which at least two have been confirmed, according to the WHO. All cases have been passengers or crew members on the ship.

Tedros said more than 650 contacts were identified and followed up by health authorities in 33 countries and territories.

“Although the outbreak is over, WHO will continue working with governments and partners to advance our understanding of this outbreak and of hantavirus more generally,” Tedros said. “We are also coordinating a study involving 21 countries to understand how the disease develops, which will support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for future outbreaks.”

Last week, quarantine ended for the 18 Americans who were cruise ship passengers on the MV Hondius and exposed to hantavirus.

The WHO said it received notification on May 2 of a cluster of “severe acute respiratory illness” aboard the MV Hondius, including two deaths and one critically ill passenger

The working hypothesis behind the cluster is that the first case was infected with hantavirus while on land, before boarding the cruise ship, according to the WHO.

At least 11 confirmed cases tested positive for Andes virus, a rare strain of hantavirus, and the only one that is known to transmit between people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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